CN117835333A

CN117835333A - Communication method and communication device

Info

Publication number: CN117835333A
Application number: CN202211193377.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 黄曲芳
Original assignee: Spreadtrum Communications Shanghai Co Ltd
Current assignee: Spreadtrum Communications Shanghai Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-09-28
Filing date: 2022-09-28
Publication date: 2024-04-05

Abstract

The application discloses a communication method and a communication device, wherein the method comprises the following steps: determining first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating at least one data packet; wherein, at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in the data packet set, or the at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set; and sending the first indication information. By adopting the method and the device, the data transmission efficiency can be improved.

Description

Communication method and communication device

Technical Field

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

Background

The development of communication technology makes it possible to implement extended reality (XR) services, and advances the development of XR technology. The XR technology refers to a real and virtual combined environment which can be interacted with human by computer technology and wearable equipment. Specifically, XR technologies may include augmented reality (augmented reality, AR) technologies, virtual Reality (VR) technologies, mixed Reality (MR) technologies, and the like.

However, XR service has the characteristics of large data volume and high real-time performance, and when it is transmitted through a mobile communication system, a large number of data packets need to be transmitted in a short time. In the data transmission process, for the sending device, the data packets can be sent according to the sequence of the serial Numbers (NR) of the data packets, however, the sending device may actively discard part of the data packets due to poor air interface quality or important data needing to be transmitted preferentially, so that the serial numbers of the data packets sent by the sending device are discontinuous; for the receiving device, the data packets can be received according to the sequence of the sequence numbers of the data packets, if the receiving device does not receive the data packets with continuous sequence numbers, a timer is started to wait until the timer is overtime, and then the subsequent data packets are continuously received. This manner of packet processing may be referred to as a manner of packet in-order processing.

In the data packet sequential processing mode, how to improve the data transmission efficiency is a technical problem to be solved.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method and a communication device, which can improve data transmission efficiency.

In a first aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which may include: determining first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating at least one data packet; wherein, at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in the data packet set, or the at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set; and sending the first indication information. Therefore, the first indication information indicates the data packets which can be transmitted or discarded in the data packet set, so that the receiving device can be prevented from starting the timer to wait for receiving the data packets discarded in the data packet set, thereby being beneficial to improving the data transmission efficiency.

In one possible implementation, the first indication information includes a sequence number of at least one data packet.

In one possible implementation, sending the first indication information may include: and transmitting Media Access Control (MAC) control information, wherein the MAC control information comprises first indication information.

In one possible implementation, determining the first indication information may include: at least one data packet is determined by the MAC entity, and first indication information is determined according to the at least one data packet.

In one possible implementation, determining, by the MAC entity, at least one data packet includes: the MAC entity directly determines at least one data packet. It can be seen that the MAC entity directly determines the at least one data packet, which is advantageous for the MAC entity to determine the at least one data packet more quickly.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: the at least one data packet is indicated to the MAC entity by the PDCP entity. It can be seen that the MAC entity can indirectly determine the at least one data packet, which is advantageous for the MAC entity to determine the at least one data packet more flexibly.

In one possible implementation, sending the first indication information may include: a protocol data unit, PDU, is sent, the PDU comprising first indication information.

In one possible implementation, determining the first indication information may include: at least one data packet is determined by the PDCP entity, and first indication information is determined based on the at least one data packet.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: at least one data packet is indicated to the PDCP entity by the MAC entity. It can be seen that the PDCP entity can indirectly determine at least one data packet, which is advantageous for more flexible PDCP determination of at least one data packet.

In one possible implementation, determining, by the PDCP entity, the at least one data packet may include: the PDCP entity directly determines at least one data packet. It can be seen that the PDCP entity directly determines at least one data packet, which is advantageous for the PDCP entity to more quickly determine at least one data packet.

In one possible implementation, before the PDCP entity determines the at least one data packet, the PDCP entity may further include: the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission is indicated to the PDCP entity by the MAC entity. It can be seen that indicating the maximum amount of data supported by the air interface transmission to the PDCP entity facilitates the PDCP entity more flexibly determining at least one data packet.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: transmitting second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; or receiving second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; wherein the at least one data packet set comprises a data packet set. It can be seen that the second indication information may indicate a packet processing manner adopted by the packet set, so as to process the packet set more accurately.

In one possible implementation, the first indication information is sent before a transmittable data packet in the data packet set is sent; or the first indication information is sent in the process of sending the data packets which can be transmitted in the data packet set; alternatively, the first indication information is sent after a data packet that is transmittable in the set of data packets.

In one possible implementation, the set of data packets is a set of data packets for a burst transmission.

In a second aspect, the present application provides a communication method, the method may include: receiving first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating at least one data packet; wherein, at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in the data packet set, or at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set; and determining that the discarded data packet in the data packet set is received according to the first indication information. Therefore, the first indication information indicates the data packets which can be transmitted or discarded in the data packet set, so that the timer is prevented from being started to wait for receiving the data packets discarded in the data packet set, and the data transmission efficiency is improved.

In one possible implementation, the first indication information includes a sequence number of the at least one data packet.

In one possible implementation, receiving the first indication information may include: media access control, MAC, control information is received, the MAC control information including first indication information.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: indicating, by the MAC entity, at least one data packet to the PDCP entity; according to the first indication information, determining that the discarded data packet in the data packet set is received comprises: determining, by the PDCP entity, that a discarded packet of the set of packets has been received based on the at least one packet. Therefore, the PDCP entity can determine that the discarded data packet in the data packet set is received according to at least one data packet indicated by the MAC entity, so as to avoid starting a timer to wait for receiving the discarded data packet in the data packet set, which is further beneficial to improving data transmission efficiency.

In one possible implementation, receiving the first indication information may include: a protocol data unit, PDU, is received, the PDU comprising first indication information.

In one possible implementation manner, determining that a dropped data packet in the data packet set is received according to the first indication information may include: determining, by the PDCP entity, that a discarded packet of the set of packets has been received based on the at least one packet. Therefore, the PDCP entity can determine that the discarded data packet in the data packet set is received according to at least one data packet, so as to avoid starting a timer to wait for receiving the discarded data packet in the data packet set, thereby being beneficial to improving the data transmission efficiency.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: receiving second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; or, sending second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; wherein at least one data packet set comprises the data packet set. It can be seen that the second indication information may indicate a packet processing manner adopted by the packet set, so as to process the packet set more accurately.

In one possible implementation, the first indication information is received before a transmittable data packet of the set of data packets is received; alternatively, the first indication information is received during reception of a data packet transmittable in the data packet set; alternatively, the first indication information is received after a data packet that is transmittable in the data packet set.

In a third aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which may include: determining at least one discarded data packet in the data packet set; and transmitting other data packets except the discarded at least one data packet in the data packet set, wherein the sequence numbers of the other data packets in the data packet set are continuous. It can be seen that the sequence numbers of the other data packets except for the discarded at least one data packet in the data packet set are continuous, so as to avoid that the receiving device starts the timer to wait for receiving the discarded data packet in the data packet set, thereby being beneficial to improving the data transmission efficiency.

In one possible implementation, the discarded at least one data packet is not assigned a sequence number. It can be seen that discarded packets are not assigned sequence numbers to ensure that the sequence numbers of other packets in the set of packets except for discarded packets are consecutive.

In one possible implementation, determining at least one dropped data packet in the set of data packets may include: and if the data volume of the data packet set is larger than the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission, determining at least one discarded data packet in the data packet set.

In one possible implementation, determining at least one dropped data packet in the set of data packets may include: at least one dropped data packet of the data packet set is determined by the packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity.

In one possible implementation, determining, by the PDCP entity, at least one data packet discarded from the set of data packets may include: the PDCP entity directly determines at least one packet discarded from the set of packets. It can be seen that the PDCP entity directly determines at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set, which is advantageous for the PDCP entity to more quickly determine at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: the maximum amount of data supported by the air interface transmission, and/or the amount of discarded data, is indicated to the PDCP entity by the MAC entity. It can be seen that indicating to the PDCP entity the maximum amount of data supported by the air interface transmission, and/or the amount of data discarded, facilitates the PDCP entity more flexibly determining at least one data packet to discard.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: the method includes indicating, by a MAC entity, at least one discarded data packet of the set of data packets to a PDCP entity. It can be seen that the PDCP entity can indirectly determine the discarded at least one data packet, which is advantageous for the PDCP entity to more flexibly determine the discarded at least one data packet.

In one possible implementation, before sending the data packets except for the discarded at least one data packet in the data packet set, the method may further include: the PDCP entity re-allocates sequence numbers to other data packets except for the discarded at least one data packet in the data packet set, and processes the sequence numbers accordingly. It can be seen that the PDCP entity reassigns sequence numbers to other packets in the packet set except for the discarded packets, so as to ensure continuity of sequence numbers of other packets in the packet set except for the discarded packets.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: transmitting indication information, wherein the indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; or receiving indication information, wherein the indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set. It can be seen that the indication information can indicate the packet processing manner adopted by the packet set, so as to process the packet set more accurately.

In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which may include: assigning a sequence number to each data packet in the data packet set, wherein the sequence numbers of the data packets in the data packet set are continuous; determining at least one data packet in the data packet set; and transmitting other data packets except at least one data packet in the data packet set and removing at least one data packet of the data payload, wherein the sequence numbers before and after the data payload of the at least one data packet is removed are unchanged. Therefore, the data payload of at least one data packet is removed, the sequence number of at least one data packet is reserved, and the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set can be ensured to be continuous, so that the receiving equipment is prevented from starting a timer, and the data transmission efficiency is further improved.

In one possible implementation, determining at least one data packet in the set of data packets may include: and if the data volume of the data packet set is larger than the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission, determining at least one data packet in the data packet set.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: the data payload of the at least one data packet is removed by the MAC entity. It can be seen that the MAC entity can remove the data payload of at least one data packet itself.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: the data payload of the at least one data packet is removed by the PDCP entity. It can be seen that the PDCP entity can remove the data payload of at least one data packet by itself.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: at least one data packet is indicated to the PDCP entity by the MAC entity. It can be seen that the at least one data packet is indicated to the PDCP entity by the MAC entity such that the MAC entity removes the data payload of the at least one data packet.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: transmitting indication information, wherein the indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; or receiving indication information, wherein the indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; wherein at least one data packet set comprises the data packet set. It can be seen that the indication information can indicate the packet processing manner adopted by the packet set, so as to process the packet set more accurately.

In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, the method may include: receiving a first data packet, wherein the first data packet is positioned in a first data packet set, or the first data packet is positioned in a second data packet set, and the second data packet set is received after the first data packet set; and determining that the receiving of the first data packet set is finished according to the sequence number of the first data packet. Therefore, the completion of receiving the first data packet set can be determined according to the sequence number of the first data packet, so that the starting of the timer to wait for receiving the first data packet set is avoided, and the data transmission efficiency is improved.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: receiving first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating a first data packet; the first data packet is an end data packet actually transmitted in the first data packet set, or the first data packet is a start data packet actually transmitted in the second data packet set. Therefore, the first indication information is received so as to determine that the first data packet set is received, so that the timer is prevented from being started to wait for the first data packet set to be received, and further the data transmission efficiency is improved.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: and determining the first data packet as the data packet in the second data packet set according to the coding strategy of the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set.

In one possible implementation, the encoding strategy includes a maximum number of data packets that one data packet set supports, and/or a numbering condition that is satisfied by a sequence number of a first data packet in one data packet set.

In one possible implementation manner, determining that the first data packet is a data packet in the second data packet set according to a coding strategy of a sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set includes: and determining the first data packet as the data packet in the second data packet set by the PDCP entity according to the coding strategy of the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: receiving third indication information; or, sending third indication information; the third indication information is used for indicating the coding strategy. It can be seen that a third indication is received in order to determine the encoding strategy.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: transmitting fourth indication information, wherein the fourth indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; or receiving fourth indication information, wherein the fourth indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; wherein at least one set of data packets comprises the first set of data packets and the second set of data packets. It can be seen that the fourth indication information may indicate a packet processing manner adopted by the packet set, so as to process the packet set more accurately.

In one possible implementation, the first set of data packets and the second set of data packets are each a set of data packets of a burst transmission.

In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a communication method, the method may include: transmitting a first data packet; the first data packet is located in the first data packet set, or the first data packet is located in the second data packet set, and the second data packet set is located after the first data packet set and is sent; and the sequence number of the first data packet is used to characterize completion of the transmission of the first data packet set. Therefore, the receiving device can determine that the receiving of the first data packet set is finished according to the sequence number of the first data packet, so that the receiving device is prevented from starting a timer to wait for receiving the first data packet set, and further the data transmission efficiency is improved.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: transmitting first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating a first data packet; the first data packet is an end data packet actually transmitted in the first data packet set, or the first data packet is a start data packet actually transmitted in the second data packet set. Therefore, the first indication information is sent so that the receiving device can determine that the first data packet set is received, and the receiving device is prevented from starting a timer to wait for receiving the first data packet set, so that the data transmission efficiency is improved.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: and allocating the sequence number to the first data packet in the second data packet set according to the coding strategy of the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set. It can be seen that the sequence number can be allocated to the first data packet more flexibly according to the encoding strategy.

In one possible implementation, assigning the sequence number to the first packet in the second set of packets according to the encoding strategy of the sequence number of the packet in the set of packets may include: and allocating the sequence number for the first data packet in the second data packet set by the PDCP entity according to the coding strategy of the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: and sending third indication information, wherein the third indication information is used for indicating the coding strategy. It can be seen that the third indication information is transmitted in order for the receiving device to determine the encoding strategy.

In one possible implementation manner, the method further includes: transmitting fourth indication information, wherein the fourth indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; or receiving fourth indication information, where the fourth indication information is used to indicate a packet processing mode adopted by at least one packet set. It can be seen that the fourth indication information may indicate a packet processing manner adopted by the packet set, so as to process the packet set more accurately.

In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, where the apparatus includes a communication unit and a processing unit, where the processing unit is configured to determine first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one data packet; wherein, at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in the data packet set, or at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set; and the communication unit is used for sending the first indication information.

In an eighth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, the apparatus including a communication unit and a processing unit, where the communication unit is configured to receive first indication information, and the first indication information is configured to indicate at least one data packet; wherein, at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in the data packet set, or at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set; and the processing unit is used for determining that the discarded data packet in the data packet set is received according to the first indication information.

In a ninth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, the apparatus including a communication unit and a processing unit, where the processing unit is configured to determine at least one packet discarded in a set of packets; and the communication unit is used for sending other data packets except at least one discarded data packet in the data packet set, and the sequence numbers of the other data packets in the data packet set are continuous.

In a tenth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, the apparatus comprising a communication unit and a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is configured to assign a sequence number to each data packet in a data packet set, and the sequence numbers of the data packets in the data packet set are consecutive; determining at least one data packet in the data packet set; a communication unit for transmitting other data packets except at least one data packet in the data packet set and removing at least one data packet of the data payload; wherein, the sequence numbers before and after the data payload of at least one data packet is removed are unchanged.

In an eleventh aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, where the apparatus includes a communication unit and a processing unit, where the communication unit is configured to receive a first data packet, where the first data packet is located in a first data packet set, or the first data packet is located in a second data packet set, and the second data packet set is received after the first data packet set; and the processing unit is used for determining that the receiving of the first data packet set is finished according to the sequence number of the first data packet.

In a twelfth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, the apparatus including a communication unit configured to transmit a first data packet; the first data packet is located in the first data packet set, or the first data packet is located in the second data packet set, and the second data packet set is located after the first data packet set and is sent; and the sequence number of the first data packet is used to characterize completion of the transmission of the first data packet set.

In a thirteenth aspect, the present application provides a communications apparatus comprising a processor, a memory and a computer program or instructions stored on the memory, the processor executing the computer program or instructions to implement a method as in the first aspect and any one of its possible implementations, or to implement a method as in the second aspect and any one of its possible implementations, or to implement a method as in the third aspect and any one of its possible implementations, or to implement a method as in the fifth aspect and any one of its possible implementations, or to implement a method as in the sixth aspect and any one of its possible implementations.

In a fourteenth aspect, the present application provides a chip comprising a processor, the processor performing the method of the first aspect and any of its possible implementations, or performing the method of the second aspect and any of its possible implementations, or performing the method of the third aspect and any of its possible implementations, or performing the method of the fourth aspect and any of its possible implementations, or performing the method of the fifth aspect and any of its possible implementations, or performing the method of the sixth aspect and any of its possible implementations.

In a fifteenth aspect, the present application provides a chip module, the chip module including a communication module, a power module, a storage module, and a chip, wherein: the power supply module is used for providing electric energy for the chip module; the storage module is used for storing data and instructions; the communication module is used for carrying out internal communication of the chip module or carrying out communication between the chip module and external equipment; the chip is for performing a method as in the first aspect and any of its possible implementations, or for performing a method as in the second aspect and any of its possible implementations, or for performing a method as in the third aspect and any of its possible implementations, or for performing a method as in the fourth aspect and any of its possible implementations, or for performing a method as in the fifth aspect and any of its possible implementations, or for performing a method as in the sixth aspect and any of its possible implementations.

In a sixteenth aspect, the present application provides a computer readable storage medium having stored therein computer readable instructions which, when executed, implement a method as in the first aspect and any one of its possible implementations, or implement a method as in the second aspect and any one of its possible implementations, or implement a method as in the third aspect and any one of its possible implementations, or implement a method as in the fourth aspect and any one of its possible implementations, or implement a method as in the fifth aspect and any one of its possible implementations, or implement a method as in the sixth aspect and any one of its possible implementations.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings that are required in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly described below, it being obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and that other drawings may be obtained according to these drawings without inventive effort for a person skilled in the art.

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

fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a Uu port in a 5G system according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a flow chart of a sequential processing manner of a data packet according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of another method for sequentially processing data packets according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 5 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of another communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6A is a schematic flow chart of a sending device determining a dropped data packet according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6B is a schematic flow chart of a sending device reassigning sequence numbers to transmittable data packets according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of yet another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7A is a schematic flow chart of a transmitting device removing a data payload of at least one data packet according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of yet another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

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

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

fig. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of a chip module according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

The following description of the embodiments of the present application will be made clearly and fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which it is evident that the embodiments described are only some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments, which can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments herein without making any inventive effort, are intended to be within the scope of the present application.

First, a system architecture to which the present application relates will be explained.

The present application may be applied to 5G systems, also referred to as New Radio (NR) systems; or may be applied to a sixth generation (6 th-generation, 6G) system, or may be applied to a seventh generation (7 th-generation, 7G) system, or may also be applied to other communication systems in the future or other similar communication systems.

The present application may be applied to the system architecture shown in fig. 1. The communication system shown in fig. 1 may include, but is not limited to, a terminal device 102 and a network device 104. The number and form of the devices shown in fig. 1 are only for example and not limiting the embodiments of the present application, and in practical applications, terminal devices and network devices different from the number shown in fig. 1 may be included.

The terminal device 102 may be a device with a wireless transceiver function, and may also be referred to as a terminal (terminal). In XR service, terminal equipment 102 may also be referred to as an XR equipment, or XR terminal. The terminal device 102 may refer to various forms of User Equipment (UE), mobile Station (MS), mobile Terminal (MT), access terminal device, in-vehicle terminal device, industrial control terminal device, UE unit, UE station, mobile station, remote terminal device, mobile device, UE terminal device, wireless communication device, UE agent, UE apparatus, or the like. The terminal device 102 may also be a cellular telephone, a cordless telephone, a session initiation protocol (session initiation protocol, SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (wireless local loop, WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (personal digital assistant, PDA), a handheld device with wireless communication capabilities, a computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, a wearable device, a terminal device in future communication systems, etc. The terminal device 102 may be fixed or mobile. In some embodiments, the terminal device 102 may also be a device with a transceiver function, such as a chip module. The chip module may include a chip and may further include other discrete devices. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific technology and the specific device configuration adopted by the terminal device 102.

The network device 104 may be a device that provides wireless communication functionality for the terminal device 102, and may also be referred to as an access network device or radio access network (radio access network, RAN) device, etc. Exemplary network devices 104 include, but are not limited to: a next generation base station (gcb), evolved node B (eNB), radio network controller (radio network controller, RNC), node B (NB), base station controller (base station controller, BSC), base transceiver station (base transceiver station, BTS), home base station (e.g., home evolved node B, or home node B, HNB), baseband unit (BBU), transceiving point (transmitting and receiving point, TRP), transmitting point (transmitting point, TP), mobile switching center, and the like in 5G. In some embodiments, the network device 104 may also be a device, such as a chip module, with functionality to provide wireless communication for the terminal device 102. By way of example, the chip module may include a chip, and may include other discrete devices. Embodiments of the present application are not limited to the specific technology and specific device morphology employed by the network device 104.

The method and the device can be applied to uplink data packet transmission, namely, the network equipment can schedule the terminal equipment to transmit the data packet so as to receive the data packet from the terminal equipment; the method and the device can also be applied to downlink data packet transmission, namely, the network equipment can also send the data packet to the terminal equipment, and the terminal equipment can further receive the data packet from the network equipment. For uplink data packet transmission, the sending device is a terminal device, and the receiving device is a network device; for downlink data packet transmission, the sending device is a network device, and the receiving device is a terminal device.

Next, related concepts related to the present application will be explained.

1. XR service

The XR service refers to a service related to the augmented reality, and the augmented reality refers to a virtual environment which is created by combining reality with virtual through a computer and can be interacted with human. For example, the XR service may be one or more of an AR service, a VR service, an MR service, and the like.

The XR service has the characteristics of large data volume and high real-time performance. One picture in XR services typically includes a plurality of packets, each of which is of varying importance. Some data packets are important, and once lost, the picture presentation is seriously affected; some packets are less important and may have a slight impact on picture presentation if lost. When XR service is transmitted through the mobile communication system, a large number of data packets need to be transmitted in a short time, the sending device may actively discard part of the data packets due to poor air interface quality or important data needs to be transmitted preferentially, and the like, and correspondingly, the receiving device cannot know which data packets are discarded, may start a timer to continuously wait for receiving the discarded data packets, and for an application layer of the receiving device, the average delay equivalent to data transmission is increased, so that the data transmission efficiency is lower.

2. Data packet transmission

In a mobile communication system, a communication protocol defines a plurality of protocol layers. After the transmitting device processes the data packet through each protocol layer, the processed data packet is transmitted to the receiving device, and the receiving device carries out inverse processing through each protocol layer to obtain the original data packet. In the fifth generation of communication (5 ^th -generation, 5G) system, in which 5G system the protocol stack of the Uu port comprises the following protocol layers: a service data adaptation protocol (service data adaptation protocol, SDAP) layer, a packet data convergence protocol (packet data convergence protocol, PDCP) layer, a radio link control (radio link control, RLC) layer, a medium access control (media access control, MAC) layer, and a Physical (PHY) layer may be referred to as shown in fig. 2.

For the transmitting device, the processing sequence of the data packet at each protocol layer is as follows: SDAP layer- & gt PDCP layer- & gt RLC layer- & gt MAC layer- & gt PHY layer; conversely, for the receiving device, the processing sequence of the data packet at each protocol layer is as follows: PHY layer → MAC layer → RLC layer → PDCP layer → SDAP layer. For a certain protocol layer (e.g., protocol layer a) of the transmitting device, a data packet received from an upper layer is referred to as a service data unit (service data unit, SDU) of the protocol layer a, and a data packet transmitted from the protocol layer a to a lower layer is referred to as a protocol data unit (protocol data unit, PDU) of the protocol layer a. For example, for a transmitting device, a packet received by the PDCP layer from the SDAP layer is referred to as a PDCP SDU, and a packet transmitted by the PDCP layer to the RLC layer is referred to as a PDCP PDU; for the receiving device, a packet received by the PDCP layer from the RLC layer is referred to as a PDCP PDU, and a packet transmitted by the PDCP layer to the SDAP layer is referred to as a PDCP SDU. It should be noted that, the above protocol layer in the above 5G system is described by way of example, and may also be extended to other protocol layers in other systems.

1) SDAP layer

The main processing of the data packet at the SDAP layer can include: mapping of quality of service (quality of service, qoS) flows (flows) to data radio bearers (data radio bearer, DRBs).

2) PDCP layer

The main processing of the data packet at the PDCP layer may include: adding PDCP Sequence Number (SN), header compression, ciphering, integrity protection, etc. Wherein PDCP adds PDCP SN for each packet; header compression is used to compress some of the TCP/IP, UDP/IP headers in data packets received from upper layers to reduce overhead, e.g., robust header compression (robust header compression, ROHC) may be performed on the data packets; the encryption is used for encrypting the data in the data packet, so that the data in the data packet is prevented from being acquired by other illegal receiving equipment; integrity protection is used to integrity protect data in a data packet from modification by others, typically performed prior to encryption.

3) RLC layer

The transmission mode of the RLC layer can be classified into a Transparent Mode (TM), a non-acknowledged mode (unacknowledged mode, UM), and an acknowledged mode (acknowledged mode, AM). Different transmission modes have different functions. For AM, the main processing of the data packet at the RLC layer may include: automatic retransmission request (automatic repeat request, ARQ), segmentation, reassembly and addition of RLC SN; for UM, the main processing of the packet at the RLC layer may include: segmentation, recombination and addition of RLC SN; for TM, the RLC layer does nothing.

4) MAC layer

The processing of the data packet at the MAC layer mainly comprises the following steps: mapping between logical channels and transport channels, multiplexing of logical channels, and error correction by hybrid automatic repeat request (hybrid automatic repeat request, HARQ).

It should be noted that, in this application, a certain protocol layer (e.g., protocol layer a) may also be referred to as a certain protocol entity (e.g., protocol entity a). Without special description, protocol layer a and protocol entity a may be interchanged. For example, the PDCP layer may also be referred to as a PDCP entity, and the MAC layer may also be referred to as a MAC entity.

3. Sequential processing mode for data packet

The data packet sequential processing mode refers to that a transmitting device transmits the data packets according to the sequence of the sequence numbers of the data packets, and a receiving device receives the data packets according to the sequence of the sequence numbers of the data packets. For example, taking the PDCP layer as an example, a packet arriving from the SDAP layer to the PDCP layer may be referred to as a PDCP SDU or an SDAP PDU, and a sequence number may refer to a PDCP SN. For another example, taking the RLC layer as an example, a packet arriving from the PDCP layer to the RLC layer may be referred to as an RLC SDU or PDCP PDU, and a sequence number may refer to an RLC SN.

For XR service, after a plurality of data packets reach an access layer of a transmitting device, a PDCP layer of the transmitting device allocates PDCP SN to each data packet, and after other processing (such as header compression, ciphering, integrity protection, etc.) of the PDCP layer, the data packets are transferred from the PDCP layer to an RLC layer, and then processed by the RLC layer, and transferred from the RLC layer to a buffer of an MAC layer, waiting for transmission.

The transmission of the data packets buffered in the MAC layer of the transmitting device depends on the scheduling of the network device. For uplink packet transmission, the terminal device is a transmitting device. If the network device determines to transmit the data packet, the network device informs the terminal device of transmitting the data packet, allocates wireless resources for the terminal device, and assembles the data packet buffered in the MAC layer into a transmission block with a specific size after the terminal device acquires the wireless resources, and submits the transmission block to the PHY layer for transmission. Optionally, if the terminal device does not receive the notification from the network device temporarily, the data packet may be stored in any layer, for example, in the MAC layer buffer. For downlink data packet transmission, the network device is a transmitting device, and if the network device decides to transmit a data packet, the network device assembles the data packet buffered in the MAC layer into a transmission block with a specific size, and submits to the PHY layer for transmission. Alternatively, if the network device decides not to transmit the data packet temporarily, the data packet may be stored in any layer, for example, in the MAC layer buffer.

In some embodiments, if the transmitting device cannot transmit a large number of data packets within a predetermined time, the transmitting device may actively discard a portion of the data packets. In this case, the sequence numbers of the data packets transmitted by the transmitting device will not be consecutive. For example, as shown in fig. 3, assuming that the PDCP layer of the transmitting device allocates PDCP SNs to 5 packets in a packet set, which are 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively, but the transmitting device decides to discard two packets with sequence numbers 4 and 5, for the subsequent packets, since the two sequence numbers 4 and 5 are already used, the PDCP layer of the transmitting device will continue to allocate sequence numbers 6, 7, and 8 for the subsequent packets, and the sequence numbers of the packets transmitted by the transmitting device are 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8.

For the receiving device, the sequence numbers of the received data packets are 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8. In this case, the receiving apparatus considers that the packet with the sequence number 4 and the packet with the sequence number 5 are not received because of transmission failure, that is, the receiving apparatus considers that the transmitting apparatus transmitted the packet with the sequence number 4 and the packet with the sequence number 5, but the transmission failure resulted in the failure. In this case, when the PDCP layer of the receiving device finds that the packet with sequence number 4 and the packet with sequence number 5 are not received, it may start a timer to wait for receiving the packet with sequence number 4 and the packet with sequence number 5 until the timer times out, and then deliver the subsequent packet (e.g., the packet with sequence number 6) to the upper layer for processing. In other embodiments, when the PDCP layer of the receiving device finds that the packet with sequence number 4 and the packet with sequence number 5 are not received, the PDCP layer may also directly deliver the subsequent packet (e.g., the packet with sequence number 6) to the upper layer without starting the timer.

4. ROHC header compression

The PDCP entity of the transmitting device may configure ROCH header compression, i.e., the ROHC entity within the PDCP entity may perform ROHC compression on the data packets. For the data packet subjected to ROHC header compression, the ROHC entity in the PDCP entity can create a notification for adding the ROHC context, where the notification can be used to notify the receiving device to replace the specified content in the packet header with the content corresponding to the context ID, and after receiving the notification, the ROHC entity in the PDCP entity of the receiving device can feed back the received notification to the sending device. After receiving the notification fed back by the receiving device, the sending device performs header compression by using the created context ID when performing header compression on the subsequent data packet.

In some embodiments, when the air quality is poor and a large number of data packets cannot be transmitted, the transmitting device may actively discard a portion of the data packets. For the network device, the scheduler of the network device is in the MAC entity, and the MAC entity does not know which packets carry context IDs in the packet header, so that the packets discarded may include the packets carrying the context IDs in the packet header. As shown in fig. 4, assuming that the packet with the sequence number of 4 adds an ROHC context in the ROHC entity of the transmitting device, and the packet with the sequence number of 4 is discarded in the MAC entity of the transmitting device, the receiving device cannot receive the notification of adding the ROHC context, and cannot feed back the received notification to the transmitting device, and accordingly, the transmitting device cannot perform efficient packet header compression when processing the subsequent packet, which results in an increase of the air interface burden.

The following describes a communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application.

In a first embodiment, the transmitting device notifies the receiving device of a data packet that can be transmitted or dropped in the data packet set.

Referring to fig. 5, a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

S501, the transmitting device determines the first indication information.

The first indication information may be used to indicate at least one data packet of the set of data packets. For example, for XR traffic, a picture may be transmitted by one or more sets of data packets, which may include multiple data packets. Alternatively, the set of data packets may be a set of data packets of a burst transmission (burst).

The sending device may actively discard a portion of the data packets in the data packet set, so as to ensure that the data packet set can be transmitted on an air interface. Alternatively, the at least one data packet may be a transmissible data packet in the data packet set, or the at least one data packet may be a dropped data packet in the data packet set. The transmittable data packets in the data packet set are data packets which can be transmitted through the air interface in the data packet set, that is, the transmittable data packets refer to data packets which are not discarded. The discarded data packets in the data packet set are determined by the sending device in the data packet set, namely the data packets which are not required to be transmitted through an air interface.

The specific indication manner of the first indication information may be, for example, a sequence number indicating at least one data packet in the data packet set. Alternatively, the first indication information may indicate a sequence number of a data packet that may be transmitted in the data packet set, or the first indication information may indicate a sequence number of a data packet discarded in the data packet set. For example, assuming that the packet set includes 5 packets with sequence numbers of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and the transmissible packets in the packet set are a packet with sequence number of 1, a packet with sequence number of 4, and a packet with sequence number of 5, and the discarded packets are a packet with sequence number of 2 and a packet with sequence number of 3, the first indication information may indicate sequence numbers of 1, 4, and 5 of transmissible packets, or the first indication information may also indicate sequence numbers of 2 and 3 of the discarded packets.

Optionally, the first indication information may indicate a sequence number of a data packet that may be transmitted in the data packet set, and the specific format indicated may be, for example:

format 1: a sequence number and bit map of a first transmittable data packet in the set of data packets or a sequence number of a first transmittable data packet in the set of data packets.

For example, assuming that the sequence numbers of the transmissible data packets in the data packet set are 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9, the first indication information may indicate the sequence number 1 and the bit map 111000111 of the first transmissible data packet. Wherein "1" in the bitmap indicates packet transmission at the corresponding position, and "0" indicates packet discard at the corresponding position. Alternatively, the first indication information may also indicate the sequence number of the first transmittable data packet, for example, the first indication information indicates that the sequence number of the first transmittable data packet is 3, and then, by default, all subsequent data packets are transmitted from the data packet with the sequence number of 3.

Format 2: the sequence number of a first transmissible data packet, the number of data packets transmitted consecutively after the first transmissible data packet, the sequence number of a second transmissible data packet, and the number of data packets transmitted consecutively after the second transmissible data packet in the data packet set.

For example, assuming that the sequence numbers of the transmittable data packets in the data packet set are 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9, the first indication information may indicate the sequence number 1 of the first transmittable data packet, the number 2 of data packets consecutively transmitted after the first transmittable data packet, the sequence number 7 of the second transmittable data packet, and the number 2 of data packets consecutively transmitted after the second transmittable data packet. The first transmittable data packet may be understood as a first data packet of the plurality of data packets transmitted continuously for the first time, and the second transmittable data packet may be understood as a first data packet of the plurality of data packets transmitted continuously for the second time.

Optionally, the first indication information may also indicate a sequence number of a discarded data packet in the data packet set, and the specific format indicated by the first indication information may be, for example:

format 1: the sequence number and bit map of the first discarded packet in the set of packets, or the sequence number of the first discarded packet in the set of packets.

For example, assuming that the sequence numbers of the discarded data packets in the data packet set are 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, and 9, the first indication information may indicate the sequence number 1 and the bit map 001101000 of the first discarded data packet. Wherein "1" in the bitmap indicates packet transmission at the corresponding position, and "0" indicates packet discard at the corresponding position. Alternatively, the first indication information may also indicate the sequence number of the first dropped packet, for example, the first indication information indicates that the sequence number of the first dropped packet is 10, and then, by default, all subsequent packets from the packet with the sequence number of 10 are dropped.

Format 2: sequence number of first discarded data packet, number of consecutively discarded data packets after the first discarded data packet, sequence number of second discarded data packet and number of consecutively discarded data packets after the second discarded data packet in the data packet set.

For example, assuming that the sequence numbers of the discarded packets in the packet set are 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10, the first indication information may indicate the sequence number 2 of the first transmittable packet, the number 2 of the packets consecutively transmitted after the first transmittable packet, the sequence number 8 of the second transmittable packet, and the number 2 of the packets consecutively transmitted after the second transmittable packet. The first dropped data packet may be understood as a first data packet of the plurality of data packets that are continuously dropped for the first time, and the second dropped data packet may be understood as a first data packet of the plurality of data packets that are continuously dropped for the second time.

In one implementation, the sending device may determine, by the MAC entity, at least one data packet in the set of data packets, and determine the first indication information according to the at least one data packet. The MAC entity may specifically determine at least one data packet in the data packet set in the following two ways:

Mode 1, the MAC entity may directly determine the at least one data packet. Alternatively, the MAC entity may determine at least one data packet according to the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission. Optionally, the PDCP entity may notify the MAC entity of the priority information of the data packet, and the MAC entity may also determine at least one data packet in combination with the priority information of the data packet. The maximum data size supported by the air interface transmission can be understood as the data size that can be transmitted by the air interface, and the priority information of the data packet can be used to indicate the importance degree of the data packet, and the more important data packet has higher corresponding priority. Alternatively, the priority information of the data packet may be characterized by a priority value. For example, the smaller the priority value, the higher the priority of the data packet. For example, the priority value is 1 to 10, the packet with the priority value of 1 has the lowest priority, i.e. the lowest importance, and the packet with the priority value of 10 has the highest priority, i.e. the highest importance.

For example, if the data amount of the data packet set is greater than the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission, that is, the data packets in the data packet set cannot be all transmitted through the air interface, at least one data packet determined by the MAC entity may be a transmissible data packet or a dropped data packet. Or if the data volume of the data packet set is less than or equal to the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission, namely, the data packets in the data packet set can be all transmitted through the air interface, and at least one data packet determined by the MAC entity is a transmissible data packet.

For example, the data packet set may include 3 data packets (data packet 1, data packet 2 and data packet 3), if the data volume of the data packet set is 3000 bytes, and the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission is 2000 bytes, that is, the data volume of the data packet set is greater than the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission, the MAC entity may determine the data packets (data packet 1 and data packet 2) that can be transmitted in the data packet set, and may also determine the data packets (data packet 3) that are discarded in the data packet set. If the data size of the data packet set is 2000byte and the maximum data size supported by the air interface transmission is 3000byte, that is, the data size of the data packet set is less than or equal to the maximum data size supported by the air interface transmission, the MAC entity may determine that the data packets do not need to be discarded, that is, all the data packets in the data packet set are transmissible data packets (such as data packet 1, data packet 2 and data packet 3). When the sending device is a network device, the MAC entity of the network device may directly obtain the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission; when the transmitting device is a terminal device, the MAC entity of the terminal device may obtain the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission according to the indication of the network device, for example, the network device may indicate the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission to the terminal device through an RRC message, or a MAC control unit (MAC control element, MAC CE), or downlink control information (downlink control information, DCI).

The mode 2, PDCP entity may indicate at least one data packet to the MAC entity. In this manner, the PDCP entity may determine at least one data packet and then indicate the at least one data packet to the MAC entity. Alternatively, the PDCP entity may determine at least one data packet according to a maximum data amount supported by an air interface transmission. The maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission may be indicated to the PDCP entity by the MAC entity, for example, that is, the MAC entity may first obtain the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission, then notify the PDCP entity of the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission, then determine at least one data packet by the PDCP entity according to the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission, and finally the PDCP entity indicates at least one data packet to the MAC entity. Optionally, the PDCP entity may also determine at least one packet in combination with priority information of the packet. It should be noted that, compared to the method 1, the PDCP entity in the method 2 does not need to notify the MAC entity of the priority information of the packet, so as to improve the processing efficiency of the PDPC entity. If the data volume of the data packet set is greater than the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission, at least one data packet determined by the PDCP entity can be a transmissible data packet or a discarded data packet; if the data amount of the data packet set is less than or equal to the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission, the PDCP entity determines that at least one data packet is a transmissible data packet. For example, the data packet set may include 3 data packets (data packet 1, data packet 2, and data packet 3), the MAC entity obtains the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission to be 2000 bytes, and then informs the PDCP entity that the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission is 2000 bytes, if the data amount of the data packet set is 3000 bytes, that is, the data amount of the data packet set is greater than the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission, the PDCP entity may determine the data packets (data packet 1 and data packet 2) that can be transmitted in the data packet set, and indicate the transmissible data packets to the MAC entity, for example, may indicate that the sequence numbers of the transmissible data packets are 1 and 2, or the PDCP entity may determine the data packets (data packet 3) that are discarded in the data packet set, and indicate the discarded data packets to the MAC entity, for example, may indicate that the sequence numbers of the discarded data packets are 3.

In another implementation, the transmitting device may determine at least one data packet of the set of data packets through the PDCP entity and determine the first indication information according to the at least one data packet. The PDCP entity may specifically determine at least one data packet in the data packet set in the following two manners:

the PDCP entity of mode (1) may directly determine at least one packet. Alternatively, before the PDCP determines the at least one data packet, the MAC entity may indicate to the PDCP entity the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission. The PDCP entity may determine at least one data packet based on a maximum data amount supported by an air interface transmission and a data amount of a data packet set. Thereby facilitating the PDCP entity to rapidly process the data packet.

For example, assuming that the maximum data size supported by the air interface transmission is 2000 bytes and the data size of the packet set is 2500 bytes, the packet set includes packet 1, packet 2, and packet 3. Based on the data amount (2500 byte) of the data packet set being greater than the maximum data amount (2000 byte) supported by the air interface transmission, the PDCP entity can determine at least one data packet as a dropped data packet. For ease of understanding, the following is set forth in specific examples:

For example, assuming that the data amount of the data packet 1 is 1400 bytes, the data amount of the data packet 2 is 600 bytes, the data amount of the data packet 3 is 500 bytes, the pdcp entity may determine that the dropped data packet is the data packet 3.

For example, assuming that the data size of the data packet 1 is 1500 bytes, the data size of the data packet 2 is 500 bytes, the data size of the data packet 3 is 500 bytes, the pdcp entity may determine that the dropped data packet is either one of the data packet 2 and the data packet 3, for example, may be the lower priority one of the data packet 2 and the data packet 3.

In example three, assuming that the data amount of the data packet 1 is 1700byte, the data amount of the data packet 2 is 260byte, the data amount of the data packet 3 is 540byte, the pdcp entity may determine that the dropped data packet is the data packet 3.

For example, assuming that the data amount of the data packet 1 is 1900 bytes, the data amount of the data packet 2 is 150 bytes, the data amount of the data packet 3 is 450 bytes, and the pdcp entity may determine that the dropped data packets are the data packet 2 and the data packet 3.

In example five, assuming that the data amount of the data packet 1 is 2100 bytes, the data amount of the data packet 2 is 160 bytes, the data amount of the data packet 3 is 240 bytes, and the pdcp entity can determine that the dropped data packet is the data packet 1.

Optionally, the PDCP entity may also determine at least one packet in combination with priority information of the packet. Thereby helping the PDCP entity to more flexibly determine at least one data packet.

For example, assuming that the maximum data size supported by the air interface transmission is 2000 bytes and the data size of the packet set is 2500 bytes, the packet set includes packet 1, packet 2, and packet 3. Wherein, the priority of the data packet 1 is higher than that of the data packet 2, and the priority of the data packet 2 is higher than that of the data packet 3. Based on the data amount (2500 byte) of the data packet set being greater than the maximum data amount (2000 byte) supported by the air interface transmission, the PDCP entity can determine at least one data packet as a dropped data packet. For example, the data amount of the data packet 1 is 1400 bytes, the data amount of the data packet 2 is 500 bytes, the data amount of the data packet 3 is 500 bytes, and the pdcp entity can determine the discarded data packet as the low priority data packet 3 of the data packet 2 and the data packet 3.

If the data volume of the data packet set is greater than the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission, at least one data packet may be a transmissible data packet or a discarded data packet.

If the data volume of the data packet set is smaller than or equal to the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission, the data packets in the data packet set can be all transmissible data packets. Of course, in the case where the data amount of the data packet set is less than or equal to the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission, the transmitting device may also refer to the data transmission situation of other services or other information to determine whether to discard a part of the data packets in the data packet set.

Mode (2), the MAC entity indicates at least one packet to the PDCP entity. In this manner, the MAC entity may determine at least one packet first, and the MAC entity may determine at least one packet, for example, in the above manner 1, and then indicate the at least one packet to the PDCP entity.

S502, the sending device sends first indication information to the receiving device. Accordingly, the receiving device receives the first indication information from the transmitting device.

In one implementation, a transmitting device may transmit MAC control information to a receiving device, and accordingly, the receiving device may receive MAC control information from the transmitting device, which may include first indication information, which may be, for example, a MAC control element (MAC control element). Optionally, the MAC entity of the transmitting device may generate the MAC control information by itself, i.e. the MAC entity of the transmitting device may directly determine at least one data packet, and the MAC entity may generate the MAC control information by itself according to the at least one data packet; the MAC entity of the transmitting device may also generate MAC control information according to the indication of the PDCP entity, that is, after the PDCP entity determines at least one data packet, the MAC entity indicates the at least one data packet to the MAC entity, and the MAC entity generates MAC control information according to the at least one data packet indicated by the PDCP entity. The MAC entity of the receiving device can inform the MAC entity of the transmitting device of the at least one data packet through the MAC control information, and the MAC entity of the receiving device can inform the PDCP entity of the at least one data packet, so that the PDCP entity of the receiving device is prevented from starting a timer.

In another implementation, the transmitting device may transmit a PDU to the receiving device, and accordingly, the receiving device may receive a PDU from the transmitting device, which may include the first indication information, which may be, for example, PDCP control PDU (PDCP control PDU). Optionally, the PDCP entity of the transmitting device may generate the PDU by itself, i.e. the PDCP entity of the transmitting device may determine at least one data packet, and the PDCP entity may generate the PDU by itself according to the at least one data packet; the PDCP entity of the transmitting device may also generate a PDU according to the indication of the MAC entity, that is, after the MAC entity can determine at least one data packet, the PDCP entity indicates the at least one data packet to the PDCP entity, and then the PDCP entity generates the PDU according to the at least one data packet indicated by the MAC entity. Thereby facilitating the PDCP entity of the transmitting device to notify the PDCP entity of the receiving device of at least one data packet through the PDU, avoiding the PDCP entity of the receiving device from starting a timer.

Alternatively, the sending device may send the first indication information before sending the data packet that may be transmitted in the data packet set, or the sending device may send the first indication information during sending the data packet that may be transmitted in the data packet set, or the sending device may send the first indication information after sending the data packet that may be transmitted in the data packet set, which is not limited in this application.

S503, the receiving device determines that the discarded data packet in the data packet set is received according to the first indication information.

The first indication information may be used to indicate at least one data packet, and the first indication information may, for example, indicate a sequence number of one data packet. At least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in the data packet set, or at least one data packet is first indication information which can also be used for indicating the discarded data packet in the data packet set.

It should be noted that, according to the first indication information, the receiving device determines that the discarded data packet in the data packet set is received may be understood as: the receiving device determines that the discarded data packet in the data packet set is regarded as received according to the first indication information, so that the receiving device is prevented from starting a timer to wait for receiving the discarded data packet, and the transmission delay is increased. It will be appreciated that the transmitting device does not actually transmit packets discarded in the set of packets, and correspondingly, the receiving device does not actually receive packets discarded in the set of packets. For example, assuming that the first indication information indicates that the sequence number of the packet discarded in the packet set is 3, the receiving apparatus may consider the packet with sequence number 3 as received after receiving the packet with sequence number 1 and the packet with sequence number 2 according to the first indication information, that is, the receiving apparatus may not start the timer to wait again even if the packet with sequence number 3 is not actually received, but continue to receive the packet with sequence number 4, so as to achieve the purpose of improving the transmission efficiency.

In one implementation, the receiving device may receive MAC control information from the transmitting device, where the MAC control information includes first indication information, and the receiving device may indicate at least one data packet to the PDCP entity through the MAC entity, so that the PDCP entity of the receiving device may determine, according to the at least one data packet, that a dropped data packet in the set of data packets has been received, and then no longer start a timer to wait for receiving the dropped data packet.

In another implementation, the receiving device may receive a PDU from the transmitting device, where the PDU includes the first indication information, and the PDCP entity of the receiving device may determine, according to at least one data packet indicated by the first indication information, that a discarded data packet in the set of data packets has been received, and then no longer start a timer to wait for receiving the discarded data packet.

Alternatively, if the PDCP entity of the receiving device has started the timer to wait for receiving the discarded data packet, the timer may be controlled to stop waiting for receiving the discarded data packet according to the first indication information.

Optionally, for uplink packet transmission, the sending device is a terminal device, and the terminal device may receive the second indication information from the network device; for downlink data packet transmission, the sending device is a network device, and the network device may send the second indication information to the terminal device. The second indication information may be used to indicate a packet processing manner adopted by the at least one packet set. Alternatively, the second indication information may be carried by a radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC) message.

Wherein the at least one set of data packets may be a set of data packets transmitted over a period of time, where the period of time may be configured by a network device, for example. Alternatively, a period of time may refer to the entire traffic (e.g., XR traffic) transmission period. That is, the at least one set of data packets may also be a set of data packets transmitted during the transmission of the entire service (e.g., XR service).

The data packet processing mode indicated by the second indication information comprises the following steps:

in one mode, the MAC entity of the transmitting device determines the data packets that can be transmitted or discarded in the data packet set, and informs the receiving device through MAC control information. The specific implementation of the first embodiment can be seen from the descriptions of the above embodiments 1 and 2.

In the second mode, the PDCP entity of the transmitting device determines the data packets that can be transmitted or discarded, and informs the receiving device of the PDCP PDU. Specific implementations of mode two can be seen from the description of modes (1) and (2) above.

It should be noted that, if no indication of the second indication information is provided, at least one data packet set adopts a default data packet processing mode, and the default data packet processing mode can be specifically referred to the description of "data packet sequential processing mode". If the second indication information indicates the data packet in-order processing mode, the data packet in-order processing mode is adopted.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 5, the sending device sends the first indication information to the receiving device to indicate the data packets that can be transmitted or discarded in the data packet set, so that the receiving device is prevented from starting the timer to wait for receiving the discarded data packets in the data packet set, which is beneficial to improving the data transmission efficiency.

In the second embodiment, the sequence numbers of the data packets which can be transmitted in the data packet set sent by the sending device to the receiving device are continuous.

Referring to fig. 6, a flow chart of another communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

s601, the sending device determines at least one discarded data packet in the data packet set.

For example, the transmitting device may determine at least one data packet of the set of data packets to discard when the amount of data of the set of data packets is greater than a maximum amount of data supported by the air interface transmission. The maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission can be understood as the data amount that can be transmitted by the air interface.

It will be appreciated that in the case where the data amount of the data packet set is less than or equal to the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission, the transmitting device may also refer to the data transmission situation of other services or other information to determine at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set.

Optionally, the data packet set is a data packet set of a burst transmission.

S602, the transmitting device transmits, to the receiving device, the other data packets except for the discarded at least one data packet in the data packet set. Wherein the sequence numbers of the other data packets are consecutive.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 6, the sending device sends the sequence numbers of the other data packets except for the discarded at least one data packet in the data packet set to the receiving device continuously, so that the receiving device is prevented from starting the timer to wait for receiving the discarded data packet in the data packet set, which is beneficial to improving the data transmission efficiency.

Further, in some embodiments, the transmitting device does not assign a sequence number to the discarded at least one data packet. Therefore, the time for processing the data packet set by the sending equipment is shortened, and the processing efficiency of the sending equipment is improved.

The embodiment shown in fig. 6 is explained below in 2 examples.

In example 1, the transmitting device does not assign a sequence number to a packet in the packet set, determines a discarded packet in the packet set, and assigns a sequence number to a transmittable packet in the packet set.

After the PDCP entity of the transmitting device acquires the data packet set, a discard timer (discard timer) is started for each data packet in the data packet set, but no sequence number is allocated, and no other processing, such as ciphering, integrity protection, etc., is performed.

Alternatively, the transmitting device may determine at least one discarded data packet from the data packet set through the PDCP entity. If the data volume of the data packet set is greater than the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission, the PDCP entity may determine at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set according to the priority information of the data packets in the data packet set. The priority information of the data packet may be used to indicate the importance level of the data packet, where the more important data packet corresponds to the higher priority, and the importance level of the data packet is for the data packets in the same data packet set. Optionally, for an important data packet in a data packet set, the ROHC context may be added to the packet header. Optionally, the priority information of each data packet in the data packet set may be provided by an application layer of the sending device, or may be provided by a core network element, or may be obtained by an access layer of the sending device by reading a packet header of the data packet.

Optionally, if the data amount of the data packet set is less than or equal to the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission, the PDCP entity of the sending device may also determine not to discard the data packet in the data packet set.

For example, the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission may be indicated by the MAC entity to the PDCP entity.

Alternatively, the MAC entity may indicate the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission directly to the PDCP entity, e.g., the MAC entity may indicate the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission to the PDCP entity as 3000 bytes.

Alternatively, the MAC entity may also indicate to the PDCP entity the maximum amount of data supported by the air interface transmission together with the RRC entity, that is, the MAC entity may indicate to the PDCP entity one amount of transmission data (e.g., amount of transmission data a), and the RRC entity may indicate to the PDCP entity another amount of transmission data (e.g., amount of transmission data B). The PDCP entity may determine a maximum data amount supported by an air interface transmission, which may be, for example, a sum of two transmission data amounts (i.e., transmission data amount a+transmission data amount B) based on the two transmission data amounts (i.e., transmission data amount a and transmission data amount B). It should be noted that, the transmission data amount indicated by the RRC entity may be a semi-static value, that is, the transmission data amount indicated by the RRC entity may be valid for a period of time or within a time window, and the semi-static value is a positive number. The amount of transmission data indicated by the MAC entity may be a dynamic value, i.e. the MAC entity may dynamically adjust the amount of transmission data indicated by the MAC entity according to the amount of transmission data indicated by the RRC entity. So that the PDCP entity can determine the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission according to the two transmission data amounts. The dynamic value may be positive, or negative, or zero. When the dynamic value is negative, it means that the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission is lower than the transmission data amount indicated by the RRC entity.

Alternatively, the MAC entity may indicate to the PDCP entity the maximum amount of data supported by the air interface transmission before the set of data packets reaches the access layer of the transmitting device, for example, it may indicate to the PDCP entity a first period of time before the set of data packets reaches the access layer of the transmitting device, which may be configured by RRC. The MAC entity may also indicate to the PDCP entity the maximum amount of data supported by the air interface transmission when it is found that the set of data packets has arrived at the access layer of the sending device; the MAC entity may also indicate to the PDCP entity the maximum amount of data supported for air interface transmission after all of the data packets in the current set of data packets have arrived at the access layer of the sending device.

Alternatively, the maximum amount of data supported by the air interface transmission may be applicable to at least one set of data packets. That is, the maximum amount of data supported by the air interface transmission may be valid for the N data packet sets, N being a positive integer. The value of N may be determined by the MAC entity, or the value of N may be configured by an RRC message. Alternatively, the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission may be valid for a preset period of time, or may be valid for the duration of the entire service (e.g., one XR service).

Further, after determining at least one packet discarded in the packet set, the PDCP entity of the transmitting device may assign a sequence number to a packet other than the at least one packet discarded in the packet set (i.e., a data packet that can be transmitted), and perform other processing, such as ciphering, integrity protection, and the like. And the PDPC entity can submit the transmissible data packet with the assigned sequence number to the bottom layer processing entity for processing, and after the bottom layer processing entity finishes processing, the transmissible data packet with the assigned sequence number can be transmitted through an air interface.

For example, as shown in fig. 6A, the data packet set may include a data packet a, a data packet b, a data packet c, a data packet d, and a data packet e. After the PDCP entity of the transmitting device acquires the data packet set, a discard timer can be started for each data packet in the data packet set, but a serial number is not allocated; the PDCP entity determines the discarded data packets b and c in the data packet set according to the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission indicated by the MAC entity, and optionally, the PDCP entity can also combine the priority information of the data packets when determining the discarded data packets in the data packet set; then the PDCP entity allocates sequence numbers to other data packets (i.e., data packet a, data packet d, data packet e) except the discarded data packets b and c in the data packet set, i.e., allocates sequence number 1 (data packet 1) to data packet a, allocates sequence number 2 (data packet 2) to data packet b, allocates sequence number 3 (data packet 3) to data packet e, and performs other processes such as ciphering, integrity protection, etc. on data packets 1, 2, and 3; and finally, the PDCP entity submits the data packets 1, 2 and 3 with continuous sequence numbers after processing to a bottom processing entity, wherein the bottom processing entity can be an RLC entity or an MAC entity, and the data packets 1, 2 and 3 with continuous sequence numbers can be transmitted through an air interface after the bottom processing entity finishes processing.

Optionally, for uplink packet transmission, the sending device is a terminal device, and the terminal device may receive the indication information from the network device. For downlink data packet transmission, the sending device is a network device, and the network device may send indication information to the terminal device. The indication information may be used to indicate a packet processing mode adopted by at least one packet set. Alternatively, the indication information may be carried through an RRC message.

For example, the packet processing manner indicated by the indication information includes: the sending device does not assign a sequence number to the data packet in the data packet set, determines the discarded data packet in the data packet set, and assigns a sequence number to the data packet which can be transmitted in the data packet set. See in particular the detailed description of example 1 above.

It should be noted that, if no indication is provided by the indication information, at least one data packet set adopts a default data packet processing mode, and the default data packet processing mode can be specifically referred to the description of the "data packet sequential processing mode". If the indication information indicates the data packet sequential processing mode, the data packet sequential processing mode is adopted.

In example 1, the sending device does not assign a sequence number to a data packet in the data packet set, determines at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set, and assigns a sequence number to other data packets except for the at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set, so as to ensure that the sequence numbers of other data packets except for the at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set are sent to the receiving device continuously, thereby avoiding the receiving device from starting a timer to wait for receiving the data packet discarded in the data packet set, and being beneficial to improving the data transmission efficiency.

Example 2, a transmitting device assigns sequence numbers to packets in a set of packets, determines discarded packets in the set of packets, and reassigns sequence numbers to packets transmittable in the set of packets.

After the PDCP entity of the transmitting device acquires the data packet set, it starts a discard timer for each data packet in the data packet set, assigns a sequence number, and performs other processes, such as encryption, integrity protection, etc., and then submits the data packet with the assigned sequence number to an underlying processing entity (e.g., a MAC entity).

Alternatively, the transmitting device may indicate at least one packet discarded from the packet set to the PDCP entity through the MAC entity. The MAC entity may determine at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set according to the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission and the priority information of the data packet in the data packet set, and then indicate the at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set to the PDCP entity.

Optionally, after determining at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set, the MAC entity may indicate to the PDCP entity the at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set, may indicate to the PDCP entity other data packets (i.e., transmittable data packets) except for the at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set, and may indicate to the PDCP entity the at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set and transmittable data packets. For example, suppose that the data packet set includes 5 data packets, and sequence numbers are assigned to all of the 5 data packets, and the sequence numbers of the 5 data packets are 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. In this case, after determining that the discarded data packet in the data packet set is the data packet with the sequence number of 2 and the data packet with the sequence number of 3, the MAC entity may indicate to the PDCP entity that the sequence numbers of the discarded data packet are 2 and 3, may indicate to the PDCP entity that the sequence numbers of the transmissible data packet are 1, 4, 5, may indicate to the PDCP entity that the sequence numbers of the discarded data packet are 2 and 3, and that the sequence numbers of the transmissible data packet are 1, 4, 5. Optionally, if the MAC entity determines that the packet does not need to be discarded in the packet set, it does not need to indicate to the PDCP entity.

Alternatively, the MAC entity may also indicate the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission to the PDCP entity, and the PDCP entity may determine at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set according to the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission.

Further, the transmitting device PDCP entity may reassign sequence numbers to other data packets (i.e., transmittable data packets) except for at least one data packet discarded in the set of data packets. Further, the PDPC entity may submit the transmittable data packet with the reassigned sequence number to the underlying processing entity again for processing. After the bottom processing entity finishes processing, the bottom processing entity transmits the transmittable data packet with the reassigned serial number through an air interface.

Optionally, the PDCP entity of the sending device may only re-submit the transmissible data packet with a changed sequence number to the underlying processing entity, where the underlying processing entity may combine the transmissible data packet with an unchanged sequence number in the data packet set with the reacquired transmissible data packet with a changed sequence number as a data packet transmitted by the sending device through the air interface.

Optionally, the PDCP entity of the sending device may also submit all the transmittable data packets after reassigning the sequence number to the underlying processing entity again, where the underlying processing entity may directly use the re-acquired transmittable data packets as data packets transmitted by the sending device through the air interface.

For example, as shown in fig. 6B, assuming that a packet a, a packet B, a packet c, a packet d, and a packet e may be included in the packet set, after the PDCP entity of the transmitting device acquires the packet set, starting a discard timer for the packet a, the packet B, the packet c, the packet d, and the packet e, respectively allocating sequence numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and other processes, such as encryption, integrity protection, etc., the sequence numbers may be understood as the original sequence numbers of the packets. The MAC entity of the transmitting device indicates to the PDCP entity to discard the packet with the original sequence number 2 (i.e., packet b) and the packet with the original sequence number 5 (i.e., packet e); the PDCP entity may reassign sequence numbers for a packet with an original sequence number of 1 (i.e., packet a), a packet with an original sequence number of 3 (i.e., packet c), and a packet with an original sequence number of 4 (i.e., packet d) in the packet set, i.e., a new sequence number of 1 for packet a, a new sequence number of 2 for packet c, and a new sequence number of 3 for packet d. It should be noted that, since the sequence numbers of the discarded data packet b and the data packet e are larger than the sequence number of the data packet a, the original sequence number of the data packet a is the same as the new sequence number (both are 1), and the PDCP entity may directly use the original sequence number of the data packet a as the new sequence number of the data packet a without processing the data packet a. Alternatively, the PDCP entity may forward the changed sequence number data packet c (sequence number changed from 3 to 2) and the changed sequence number data packet d (sequence number changed from 4 to 3) to the underlying processing entity (e.g., MAC entity), and the underlying processing entity may combine the changed sequence number data packet c (sequence number changed from 3 to 2) and the changed sequence number data packet d (sequence number changed from 4 to 3) with the unchanged sequence number data packet a (sequence number 1) as the data packet transmitted through the air interface. Optionally, the PDCP entity may also forward the re-allocated data packet a (i.e., the new data packet with sequence number 1), the data packet c (i.e., the new data packet with sequence number 2), and the data packet d (i.e., the new data packet with sequence number 3) to the underlying processing entity again, where the underlying processing entity may directly use the re-acquired data packet a (i.e., the new data packet with sequence number 1), the data packet c (i.e., the new data packet with sequence number 2), and the data packet d (i.e., the new data packet with sequence number 3) as the data packets transmitted over the air.

Optionally, for uplink packet transmission, the sending device is a terminal device, and the terminal device may receive the indication information from the network device; for downlink data packet transmission, the sending device is a network device, and the network device may send indication information to the terminal device. The indication information may be used to indicate a packet processing mode adopted by at least one packet set.

The data packet processing mode indicated by the indication information comprises the following steps: the sending device allocates sequence numbers to the data packets in the data packet set, and reallocates the sequence numbers to the data packets which can be transmitted in the data packet set after determining the discarded data packets in the data packet set. See in particular the detailed description of example 2 above.

It should be noted that, if no indication is provided by the indication information, at least one data packet set adopts a default data packet processing mode, and the default data packet processing mode can be specifically referred to the description of the "data packet sequential processing mode". If the indication information indicates the data packet sequential processing mode, the data packet sequential processing mode is adopted. If the indication information indicates the data packet sequential processing mode, the data packet sequential processing mode is adopted.

In example 2, a transmitting device allocates a sequence number to a data packet in a data packet set, determines at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set, then reallocates a sequence number to other data packets (i.e., data packets that can be transmitted) except for the at least one data packet discarded in the data packet set, and transmits the data packets that can be transmitted with the reallocated sequence number to a receiving device, so as to ensure that the sequence numbers of the data packets that can be transmitted are continuous, thereby avoiding the receiving device from starting a timer to wait for receiving the data packets discarded in the data packet set, and being beneficial to improving data transmission efficiency.

In a third embodiment, the transmitting device removes the data payload of at least one data packet.

Referring to fig. 7, a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

s701, the transmitting device assigns a sequence number for each packet in the set of packets.

After the PDCP entity of the transmitting device obtains the data packet set, the PDCP entity may start a discard timer for each data packet in the data packet set, assign a sequence number to each data packet, perform other processes on each data packet, such as encryption, integrity protection, etc., and then submit the processed data packet set to the underlying processing entity for processing.

Optionally, the data packet set is a data packet set of a burst transmission. I.e. the transmitting device assigns a sequence number for each data packet in the set of data packets of a burst transmission.

S702, the sending device determines at least one data packet in the data packet set.

For example, the transmitting device may determine at least one packet of the set of packets through the MAC entity or the PDCP entity. Wherein the data payload of at least one data packet is removed. The data payload of the data packet refers to data information except for a header in the data packet, and a specific way to remove the data payload of at least one data packet may be, for example, to replace at least one data packet with a PDCP PDU without data, but to reserve a sequence number of at least one data packet, that is, the sequence number is unchanged before and after removing the data payload of at least one data packet. Here, a data packet with the data payload removed may also be understood as a null packet.

For example, the MAC entity of the transmitting device may obtain the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission, and if the data amount of the data packet set is greater than the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission, the MAC entity may determine at least one data packet in the data packet set. Wherein data of at least one data packet does not need to be transmitted through an air interface.

It will be appreciated that in the case where the data amount of the data packet set is less than or equal to the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission, the transmitting device may also refer to the data transmission situation of other services or other information to determine at least one data packet in the data packet set.

Optionally, if the sending device is a network device, the MAC entity of the network device may directly obtain the maximum data size supported by the air interface transmission; if the sending device is a terminal device, the MAC entity of the terminal device may obtain the maximum data amount supported by air interface transmission according to the indication of the network device, for example, the network device may indicate the maximum data amount supported by air interface transmission to the terminal device through an RRC message.

Alternatively, after determining at least one data packet in the data packet set, the MAC entity of the transmitting device may indicate the at least one data packet to the PDCP entity.

S703, the transmitting device transmits, to the receiving device, the other data packets except for the at least one data packet in the data packet set and the at least one data packet from which the data payload is removed.

In one implementation, the transmitting device may remove the data payload of the at least one data packet by the MAC entity. After determining at least one data packet in the data packet set, the MAC entity of the transmitting device may remove the data payload of the at least one data packet by itself.

In another implementation, after determining at least one data packet in the set of data packets, the MAC entity of the transmitting device may indicate the at least one data packet to the PDCP entity, and remove a data payload of the at least one data packet by the PDCP entity.

It is noted that, since the sequence number of the at least one data packet is not changed after the data payload of the at least one data packet is removed, the sequence numbers of the other data packets except the at least one data packet in the data packet set and the at least one data packet from which the data payload is removed are continuous.

For example, as shown in fig. 7A, taking the example of removing the data payload of at least one data packet by the PDCP entity, assuming that the data packet set includes 5 data packets, after the PDCP entity of the transmitting device acquires the data packet set, starting a discard timer for each data packet in the data packet set, and allocating a sequence number to each data packet, where the sequence number is 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively, and performing other processes, such as encryption, integrity protection, and the like, on each data packet; then the PDCP entity submits the processed data packet set to the MAC entity; the MAC entity may determine that at least one packet of the set of packets is a packet with a sequence number of 2 and a packet with a sequence number of 5, and indicate the packet with the sequence number of 2 and the packet with the sequence number of 5 to the PDCP entity; the PDCP entity may remove the data payload of the data packet with sequence number 2 and the data payload of the data packet with sequence number 5 and retain its sequence number; the PDCP entity submits the data packet with the sequence number of 2 and the data packet with the sequence number of 5 of the removed data payload to the MAC entity; and finally, transmitting the data packet with the sequence number of 1 through an air interface, removing the data packet with the sequence number of 2, the data packet with the sequence number of 3, the data packet with the sequence number of 4 and the data packet with the sequence number of 5 of the data payload.

Optionally, for uplink packet transmission, the sending device is a terminal device, and the terminal device may receive the indication information from the network device; for downlink data packet transmission, the sending device is a network device, and the network device may send indication information to the terminal device. The indication information may be used to indicate a packet processing mode adopted by at least one packet set. Alternatively, the indication information may be carried through an RRC message.

Wherein, the data packet processing indicated by the indication information comprises:

in one mode, the MAC entity of the transmitting device removes the data payload of at least one data packet in the set of data packets, and transmits, to the receiving device, the data packets other than the at least one data packet in the set of data packets, and the at least one data packet from which the data payload is removed.

In a second mode, the PDCP entity of the transmitting device removes the data payload of at least one data packet in the set of data packets, and transmits, to the receiving device, the data packets other than the at least one data packet in the set of data packets, and the at least one data packet from which the data payload is removed.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 7, the sending device determines at least one data packet in the data packet set, removes the data payload of the at least one data packet, and reserves the sequence number of the at least one data packet, thereby ensuring that the sequence numbers of the data packets in the data packet set are continuous, so as to avoid the receiving device from starting a timer, and further improve the data transmission efficiency.

In the fourth embodiment, the receiving device determines that the receiving of the first data packet set is completed according to the sequence number of the first data packet.

Referring to fig. 8, a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

S801, the transmitting device transmits a first data packet to the receiving device. Accordingly, the receiving device receives the first data packet from the transmitting device.

Specifically, the first data packet may be used to characterize the transmitting device as completing the transmission of the first data packet set. The first data packet may be a data packet in a second data packet set, where the second data packet set is a data packet set that is transmitted after the transmitting device transmits the first data packet set. For example, the first data packet set is the ith data packet set sent by the sending device, and the second data packet set is the (i+1) th data packet set sent by the sending device. Wherein i is a positive integer. Optionally, the first data packet set and the second data packet set are respectively data packet sets of one burst transmission. Alternatively, the first data packet may be a data packet in the first data packet set.

Optionally, before the sending device sends the first data packet to the receiving device, the sending device may assign a sequence number to a data packet in the data packet set according to a coding policy of the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set. For example, the encoding policy may be configured by the network device or may be autonomously selected by the transmitting device.

Alternatively, the transmitting device may transmit first indication information to the receiving device, where the first indication information may be used to indicate the first data packet. The first data packet may be an end data packet actually transmitted in the first data packet set, or a start data packet actually transmitted in the second data packet set. The specific indication manner of the first indication information may be to indicate a sequence number of the first data packet. For example, the first data packet set includes 100 data packets, and the end data packet actually transmitted in the first data packet set is the data packet 88, and the transmitting device may send first indication information to the receiving device, where the first indication information may indicate the sequence number 88 of the end data packet actually transmitted in the first data packet set. For another example, the second data packet set includes 50 data packets, the initial data packet actually transmitted in the second data packet set is data packet 2, and the transmitting device may send first indication information to the receiving device, where the first indication information may indicate sequence number 2 of the initial data packet actually transmitted in the second data packet set.

S802, the receiving device determines that the receiving of the first data packet set is completed according to the sequence number of the first data packet.

Optionally, the sending device may send third indication information to the receiving device, and further, the receiving device may receive the third indication information from the sending device, where the third indication information may be used to indicate a coding policy of a sequence number of a data packet in the data packet set, so that the receiving device determines that the receiving of the first data packet set is completed according to the coding policy of the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set and the sequence number of the first data packet.

The encoding strategy of the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set may include at least one of the following conditions:

(1) One data packet set supports the maximum number of data packets included;

(2) The numbering condition is satisfied by the sequence number of the first packet in a set of packets.

For the above coding strategy, the following description is given in 3 examples.

Example a, the encoding strategy supports the maximum number of data packets that are included for one set of data packets.

Alternatively, the first data packet may be a data packet in the second data packet set, and the transmitting device may assign a sequence number to the first data packet by using the PDCP entity according to a coding policy of the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set. For example, taking the first data packet as the first data packet in the second data packet set as an example, assuming that the sequence numbers of the data packets in the first data packet set are allocated from 1, the coding strategy is that the maximum number of the data packets supported by one data packet set is 100, then the sequence number of the first data packet (i.e. the first data packet) in the second data packet set may be allocated as (100+1).

After receiving the first data packet (for example, the sequence number is 101), the receiving device can determine that the first data packet is the first data packet in the second data packet set according to the coding strategy of the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set (that is, the maximum number of the data packets supported by one data packet set is 100), and the sequence number (100+1) of the first data packet. Further, it may be determined that the reception of the first set of data packets is complete.

Whether all the data packets in the first data packet set are transmitted or not, if the receiving device determines that the first data packet is the data packet in the second data packet set according to the sequence number of the first data packet, it can determine that the transmission of the first data packet set is completed.

For example, taking a maximum number of data packets included in one data packet set support as 100, if the sequence number of the last data packet in the first data packet set sent by the sending device to the receiving device is 88, and the receiving device receives the data packet with the sequence number of 88 in the first data packet set from the sending device, then the sending device sends the first data packet to the receiving device, where the sequence number of the first data packet is, for example, (100+1), so that after the receiving device receives the first data packet from the sending device, it can determine that the first data packet is the first data packet in the second data packet set. Further, it may be determined that the first data packet set transmission is completed. That is, the receiving device will not start a timer for packets with sequence numbers 89-100 in the first set of packets that were not received to wait for receipt.

Example B, the encoding policy is a numbering condition satisfied by the sequence number of the first packet in a set of packets.

Alternatively, the transmitting device may transmit first indication information to the receiving device, where the first indication information may be used to indicate the first data packet. The specific indication manner of the first indication information may be, for example, a sequence number indicating the first data packet.

Optionally, the first data packet may be an end data packet actually transmitted in the first data packet set, and the encoding policy may be: the sequence number of the first data packet in a data packet set is the sequence number of the last data packet in the last data packet set plus 1.

After receiving the first data packet, the receiving device can determine the sequence number of the first data packet in the second data packet set according to the coding strategy of the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set and the sequence number of the first data packet, and further, after receiving the first data packet in the second data packet set, can determine that the receiving of the first data packet set is completed.

It should be noted that the sequence number of the end packet actually transmitted in the first packet set is not necessarily the last packet in sequence number order in the first packet set. For example, the last packet with sequence number in the first packet set may be a packet with sequence number 100, and due to poor quality of the air interface, the transmitting device may actively discard the packet with sequence number 100, and the end packet actually transmitted in the first packet set may be a packet with sequence number 99.

Optionally, the first data packet may also be a start data packet actually transmitted in the second data packet set. The receiving device can directly determine that the receiving of the first data packet set is completed according to the serial number of the first data packet.

It should be noted that the sequence number of the initial packet actually transmitted in the second packet set is not necessarily the first packet in sequence number in the second packet set. For example, the first packet with the sequence number in the second packet set may be a packet with the sequence number 1, and due to poor quality of the air interface, the transmitting device may actively discard the packet with the sequence number 1, and the initial packet actually transmitted in the second packet set may be a packet with the sequence number 2.

Example C, the encoding policy is a number condition satisfied by the maximum number of data packets that one data packet set supports to include, and the sequence number of the first data packet in one data packet set.

Alternatively, the first data packet may be a first data packet in the second data packet set, and the transmitting device may assign a sequence number to the first data packet by the PDCP entity according to a coding policy of the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set. For example, assume that the first set of packets is the first set of packets, and that sequence numbers of packets in the first set of packets are assigned starting at 1. The coding strategy is that the maximum number of data packets supported by a data packet set is 80, and the number condition satisfied by the serial number of the first data packet in the data packet set: the sequence number of the first packet in the ith packet set is (80 x (i-1) +1), where i is a positive integer. Then the sequence number of the first packet in the second set of packets (i.e. the first packet) is assigned 81.

After receiving the first data packet (for example, the sequence is 81), the receiving device may determine that the sequence number of the first data packet is the first data packet in the second data packet set, that is, determine that the first data packet is the first data packet in the second data packet set, according to the coding policy of the sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set (the maximum number of the data packets included in the support of one data packet set is 80, and the numbering condition satisfied by the sequence number of the first data packet in the data packet set is (80×1) +1). Further, it may be determined that the reception of the first set of data packets is complete.

Optionally, for uplink packet transmission, the sending device is a terminal device, and the terminal device may receive fourth indication information from the network device; for downlink data packet transmission, the sending device is a network device, and the network device may send fourth indication information to the terminal device. The fourth indication information may be used to indicate a packet processing manner adopted by the at least one packet set. Alternatively, the fourth indication information may be carried through an RRC message.

The data packet processing indicated by the fourth indication information comprises: the transmitting device agrees with the receiving device on the sequence number of the first data packet in the second data packet set so that the receiving device determines that the reception of the first data packet set is completed.

It should be noted that, if the fourth indication information is not indicated, at least one data packet set adopts a default data packet processing mode, and the default data packet processing mode can be specifically referred to the description of the "data packet sequential processing mode". If the fourth indication information indicates the data packet in-order processing mode, the data packet in-order processing mode is adopted.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 8, the sending device sends the first data packet to the receiving device, so that the receiving device determines that the receiving of the first data packet set is completed according to the sequence number of the first data packet, thereby avoiding the receiving device from starting the timer to wait for receiving the first data packet set, and further improving the data transmission efficiency.

Referring to fig. 9, a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown in fig. 9, and the communication device 90 includes a communication unit 901 and a processing unit 902.

In a first implementation, the communication apparatus 90 is a transmitting device or an apparatus matching the transmitting device:

A processing unit 902, configured to determine first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one data packet; wherein, at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in the data packet set, or at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set;

a communication unit 901, configured to send first indication information.

Optionally, the first indication information includes a sequence number of at least one data packet.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to send media access control MAC control information, where the MAC control information includes first indication information.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to determine at least one data packet by using the MAC entity, and determine the first indication information according to the at least one data packet.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to directly determine at least one data packet by the MAC entity.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to indicate, by the PDCP entity, the at least one data packet to the MAC entity.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to send a protocol data unit PDU, where the PDU includes the first indication information.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to determine at least one data packet by using the PDCP entity, and determine the first indication information according to the at least one data packet.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to indicate, by the MAC entity, at least one data packet to the PDCP entity.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to directly determine at least one data packet by the DCP entity.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to indicate, by the MAC entity, to the PDCP entity, a maximum amount of data supported by air interface transmission.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to send second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate a packet processing manner adopted by at least one packet set; or receiving second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; wherein the at least one data packet set comprises a data packet set.

Optionally, the first indication information is sent before a transmittable data packet in the data packet set is sent; or the first indication information is sent in the process of sending the data packets which can be transmitted in the data packet set; alternatively, the first indication information is sent after a data packet that is transmittable in the set of data packets.

Optionally, the data packet set is a data packet set of a burst transmission.

In a second implementation, the communication apparatus 90 is a receiving device or an apparatus matched to a receiving device:

A communication unit 901, configured to receive first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one data packet; wherein, at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in the data packet set, or at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set;

the processing unit 902 is configured to determine that a discarded packet in the packet set is received according to the first indication information.

Optionally, the first indication information includes a sequence number of the at least one data packet.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to receive media access control MAC control information, where the MAC control information includes first indication information.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to determine, by the PDCP entity, that a discarded packet in the set of packets has been received based on at least one packet.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to receive a protocol data unit PDU, where the PDU includes the first indication information.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to receive second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate a packet processing manner adopted by at least one packet set; or, sending second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; wherein at least one data packet set comprises the data packet set.

Optionally, the first indication information is received before a data packet transmittable in the data packet set is received; alternatively, the first indication information is received during reception of a data packet transmittable in the data packet set; alternatively, the first indication information is received after a data packet that is transmittable in the data packet set.

Optionally, the data packet set is a data packet set of a burst transmission.

In a third implementation, the communication apparatus 90 is a transmitting device or an apparatus matched to a transmitting device:

a processing unit 902, configured to determine at least one discarded data packet in the data packet set;

a communication unit 901, configured to send other data packets except for at least one discarded data packet in the data packet set, where sequence numbers of the other data packets in the data packet set are consecutive.

Optionally, the discarded at least one data packet is not assigned a sequence number.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to determine at least one dropped data packet in the data packet set if the data volume of the data packet set is greater than the maximum data volume supported by air interface transmission.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to determine, by the packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity, at least one data packet discarded in the set of data packets.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to directly determine at least one discarded data packet in the data packet set by the PDCP entity.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to indicate, to the PDCP entity, a maximum amount of data supported by air interface transmission and/or an amount of discarded data through the MAC entity.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to indicate, by the MAC entity, to the PDCP entity, at least one packet discarded in the set of packets.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to re-allocate a sequence number to another data packet except for the discarded at least one data packet in the data packet set by the PDCP entity, and perform corresponding processing.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to send indication information, where the indication information is used to indicate a packet processing manner adopted by at least one packet set; or receiving indication information, wherein the indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set.

Optionally, the data packet set is a data packet set of a burst transmission.

In a fourth implementation, the communication apparatus 90 is a transmitting device or an apparatus matched to a transmitting device:

a processing unit 902, configured to assign a sequence number to each data packet in the data packet set, where the sequence numbers of the data packets in the data packet set are consecutive; determining at least one data packet in the data packet set;

A communication unit 901, configured to send other data packets except at least one data packet in the data packet set and at least one data packet with a data payload removed, where sequence numbers before and after removing the data payload by the at least one data packet are unchanged.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to determine at least one data packet in the data packet set if the data volume of the data packet set is greater than the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to remove, by the MAC entity, a data payload of the at least one data packet.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to remove, by the PDCP entity, a data payload of the at least one data packet.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to send indication information, where the indication information is used to indicate a packet processing manner adopted by at least one packet set; or receiving indication information, wherein the indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; wherein at least one data packet set comprises the data packet set.

Optionally, the data packet set is a data packet set of a burst transmission.

In a fifth implementation, the communication apparatus 90 is a receiving device or an apparatus matched with a receiving device:

a communication unit 901, configured to receive a first data packet, where the first data packet is located in a first data packet set, or the first data packet is located in a second data packet set, and the second data packet set is received after the first data packet set;

the processing unit 902 is configured to determine that the receiving of the first data packet set is completed according to the sequence number of the first data packet.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to receive first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate the first data packet; the first data packet is an end data packet actually transmitted in the first data packet set, or the first data packet is a start data packet actually transmitted in the second data packet set.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to determine that the first data packet is a data packet in the second data packet set according to a coding policy of a sequence number of a data packet in the data packet set.

Optionally, the coding strategy includes a maximum number of data packets supported by a data packet set and/or a numbering condition satisfied by a sequence number of a first data packet in the data packet set.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to determine, by the PDCP entity, that the first data packet is a data packet in the second data packet set according to a coding policy of a sequence number of the data packet in the data packet set.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to receive third indication information; or, sending third indication information; the third indication information is used for indicating the coding strategy.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to send fourth indication information, where the fourth indication information is used to indicate a packet processing manner adopted by at least one packet set; or receiving fourth indication information, wherein the fourth indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; wherein at least one set of data packets comprises the first set of data packets and the second set of data packets.

Optionally, the first data packet set and the second data packet set are respectively data packet sets of one burst transmission.

In a sixth implementation, the communication apparatus 90 is a transmitting device or an apparatus matched with a transmitting device:

a communication unit 901, configured to send a first data packet; the first data packet is located in the first data packet set, or the first data packet is located in the second data packet set, and the second data packet set is located after the first data packet set and is sent; and the sequence number of the first data packet is used to characterize completion of the transmission of the first data packet set.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to send first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate the first data packet; the first data packet is an end data packet actually transmitted in the first data packet set, or the first data packet is a start data packet actually transmitted in the second data packet set.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is configured to assign a sequence number to the first packet in the second set of packets according to a coding policy of the sequence number of the packet in the set of packets.

Optionally, the processing unit 902 is further configured to allocate, by the PDCP entity, a sequence number for a first packet in the second set of packets according to a coding policy of the sequence number of the packet in the set of packets.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to send third indication information, where the third indication information is used to indicate the coding policy.

Optionally, the communication unit 901 is further configured to send fourth indication information, where the fourth indication information is used to indicate a packet processing manner adopted by at least one packet set; or receiving fourth indication information, where the fourth indication information is used to indicate a packet processing mode adopted by at least one packet set.

Referring to fig. 10, fig. 10 is another communication device 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 100 may include a transceiver 1001 and a processor 1002. Optionally, the communication device may also include a memory 1003. Wherein the transceiver 1001, processor 1002, memory 1003 may be connected by bus 1004 or otherwise. The bus is shown in fig. 10 with bold lines, and the manner in which other components are connected is merely illustrative and not limiting. The buses may be divided into address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is shown in fig. 10, but not only one bus or one type of bus.

The coupling in the embodiments of the present application is an indirect coupling or communication connection between devices, units, or modules, which may be in electrical, mechanical, or other forms for information interaction between the devices, units, or modules. The specific connection medium between the transceiver 1001, the processor 1002, and the memory 1003 is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

Memory 1003 may include read-only memory and random access memory and provides instructions and data to processor 1002. A portion of memory 1003 may also include non-volatile random access memory.

The processor 1002 may be a central processing unit (Central Processing Unit, CPU), the processor 1002 may also be other general purpose processors, digital signal processors (Digital Signal Processor, DSP), application specific integrated circuits (Application Specific Integrated Circuit, ASIC), field-programmable gate arrays (Field-Programmable Gate Array, FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, or the like. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor 1002 may be any conventional processor or the like.

In a first alternative embodiment, memory 1003 is used to store program instructions; a processor 1002 for invoking program instructions stored in memory 1003 for performing the steps performed by the transmitting device in the corresponding embodiment of fig. 5.

In a second alternative embodiment, memory 1003 is used to store program instructions; a processor 1002 for invoking program instructions stored in memory 1003 for performing the steps performed by the receiving device in the corresponding embodiment of fig. 5.

In a third alternative embodiment, memory 1003 is used to store program instructions; a processor 1002 for invoking program instructions stored in memory 1003 for performing the steps performed by the transmitting device in the corresponding embodiment of fig. 6.

In a fourth alternative embodiment, memory 1003 is used to store program instructions; a processor 1002 for invoking program instructions stored in memory 1003 for performing the steps performed by the transmitting device in the corresponding embodiment of fig. 7.

In a fifth alternative embodiment, memory 1003 is used to store program instructions; a processor 1002 for invoking program instructions stored in memory 1003 for performing the steps performed by the receiving device in the corresponding embodiment of fig. 8.

In a sixth alternative embodiment, memory 1003 is used to store program instructions; a processor 1002 for invoking program instructions stored in the memory 1003 for performing the steps performed by the transmitting device in the corresponding embodiment of fig. 8.

In the embodiments of the present application, the methods provided in the embodiments of the present application may be implemented by running a computer program (including program code) capable of executing the steps involved in the above-described methods on a general-purpose computing device such as a computer including a processing element such as a CPU, a random access storage medium (Random Access Memory, RAM), a Read-Only Memory (ROM), or the like, and a storage element. The computer program may be recorded on, for example, a computer-readable recording medium, and loaded into and run in the above-described computing device through the computer-readable recording medium.

Based on the same inventive concept, the principle and the beneficial effects of the communication device 100 for solving the problems provided in the embodiments of the present application are similar to those of the embodiments of fig. 5 to 8 of the present application, and may refer to the principle and the beneficial effects of implementation of the method, which are not described herein for brevity.

The communication device may be, for example: a chip, or a chip module.

The embodiment of the application also provides a chip, and in a first implementation manner, the chip can be used for: determining first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating at least one data packet; wherein, at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in the data packet set, or at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set; and sending the first indication information.

In a second implementation, the chip may be used to: receiving first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating at least one data packet; wherein, at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in the data packet set, or at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set; and determining that the discarded data packet in the data packet set is received according to the first indication information.

In a third implementation, the chip may be used to: determining at least one discarded data packet in the data packet set; and transmitting other data packets except the discarded at least one data packet in the data packet set, wherein the sequence numbers of the other data packets in the data packet set are continuous.

In a fourth implementation, the chip may be used to: assigning a sequence number to each data packet in the data packet set, wherein the sequence numbers of the data packets in the data packet set are continuous; determining at least one data packet in the data packet set; transmitting other data packets except at least one data packet in the data packet set and removing at least one data packet of the data payload; wherein, the sequence numbers before and after the data payload of at least one data packet is removed are unchanged.

In a fifth implementation, the chip may be configured to: receiving a first data packet, wherein the first data packet is positioned in a first data packet set, or the first data packet is positioned in a second data packet set, and the second data packet set is received after the first data packet set; and determining that the receiving of the first data packet set is finished according to the sequence number of the first data packet.

In a sixth implementation, the chip may be used to: transmitting a first data packet; the first data packet is located in the first data packet set, or the first data packet is located in the second data packet set, and the second data packet set is located after the first data packet set and is sent; and the sequence number of the first data packet is used to characterize completion of the transmission of the first data packet set.

Referring to fig. 11, fig. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of a chip module according to an embodiment of the present application. The chip module 110 may perform the steps related to the communication device 90 in the foregoing method embodiment, where the chip module 110 includes: a communication interface 1101 and a chip 1102.

The communication interface is used for carrying out internal communication of the chip module or carrying out communication between the chip module and external equipment; the chip is used for realizing the functions of the communication device in the embodiment of the application, and particularly, the corresponding embodiment of fig. 5-8 is referred. Optionally, the chip module 110 may further include a memory module 1103 and a power module 1104. The storage module 1103 is used for storing data and instructions. The power module 1104 is used for providing power for the chip module.

For each device and product applied to or integrated in the chip module, each module included in the device and product may be implemented by hardware such as a circuit, and different modules may be located in the same component (e.g. a chip, a circuit module, etc.) of the chip module or different components, or at least some modules may be implemented by using a software program, where the software program runs on a processor integrated in the chip module, and the remaining (if any) modules may be implemented by hardware such as a circuit.

The present application provides a computer readable storage medium having stored therein computer readable instructions which when executed implement the methods provided by the method embodiments described above.

With respect to each of the apparatuses and each of the modules/units included in the products described in the above embodiments, it may be a software module/unit, a hardware module/unit, or a software module/unit, and a hardware module/unit. For example, for each device or product applied to or integrated on a chip, each module/unit included in the device or product may be implemented in hardware such as a circuit, or at least part of the modules/units may be implemented in software program, where the software program runs on a processor integrated inside the chip, and the rest (if any) of the modules/units may be implemented in hardware such as a circuit; for each device and product applied to or integrated in the chip module, each module/unit contained in the device and product can be realized in a hardware manner such as a circuit, different modules/units can be located in the same component (such as a chip, a circuit module and the like) or different components of the chip module, or at least part of the modules/units can be realized in a software program, the software program runs on a processor integrated in the chip module, and the rest (if any) of the modules/units can be realized in a hardware manner such as a circuit; for each device, product, or application to or integrated with the terminal, each module/unit included in the device, product, or application may be implemented by using hardware such as a circuit, different modules/units may be located in the same component (for example, a chip, a circuit module, or the like) or different components in the terminal, or at least part of the modules/units may be implemented by using a software program, where the software program runs on a processor integrated inside the terminal, and the remaining (if any) part of the modules/units may be implemented by using hardware such as a circuit.

It should be noted that, for simplicity of description, the foregoing method embodiments are all expressed as a series of action combinations, but it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present application is not limited by the described order of action, as some steps may take other order or be performed simultaneously according to the present application. Further, those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the embodiments described in the specification are all preferred embodiments, and that the acts and modules referred to are not necessarily required in the present application.

The steps in the method of the embodiment of the application can be sequentially adjusted, combined and deleted according to actual needs.

The modules in the device of the embodiment of the application can be combined, divided and deleted according to actual needs.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that all or part of the steps in the various methods of the above embodiments may be implemented by a program to instruct related hardware, the program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, and the readable storage medium may include: flash disk, ROM, RAM, magnetic or optical disk, etc.

The foregoing disclosure is merely a preferred embodiment of the present application, but is merely a partial embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of communication, the method comprising:

determining first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating at least one data packet; wherein the at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in a data packet set, or the at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set;

and sending the first indication information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the first indication information comprises:

and sending Media Access Control (MAC) control information, wherein the MAC control information comprises the first indication information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the first indication information comprises:

and determining at least one data packet through the MAC entity, and determining the first indication information according to the at least one data packet.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said determining at least one data packet by the MAC entity comprises:

the MAC entity directly determines the at least one data packet.

5. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the method further comprises:

the at least one data packet is indicated to the MAC entity by a packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the first indication information comprises:

and transmitting a protocol data unit PDU, wherein the PDU comprises the first indication information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining the first indication information comprises:

determining at least one data packet by the PDCP entity, and determining the first indication information according to the at least one data packet.

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

the at least one data packet is indicated to the PDCP entity by a MAC entity.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining at least one data packet by the PDCP entity comprises:

the PDCP entity directly determines the at least one data packet.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein before the PDCP entity determines the at least one data packet, further comprising:

the maximum data amount supported by the air interface transmission is indicated to the PDCP entity by the MAC entity.

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

transmitting second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; or,

Receiving second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set;

wherein the at least one data packet set comprises the data packet set.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indication information is sent prior to the sending of a transmissible data packet in the set of data packets; or,

the first indication information is sent in the process of sending the data packets which can be transmitted in the data packet set; or,

the first indication information is sent after a data packet that is transmittable in the set of data packets.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data packets is a set of data packets for a burst transmission.

14. A method of communication, the method comprising:

receiving first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating at least one data packet; wherein the at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in a data packet set, or the at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set;

and determining that the discarded data packet in the data packet set is received according to the first indication information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving the first indication information comprises:

and receiving Media Access Control (MAC) control information, wherein the MAC control information comprises the first indication information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

indicating, by the MAC entity, the at least one data packet to a packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity;

the determining, according to the first indication information, that the discarded data packet in the data packet set has been received includes:

and determining, by the PDCP entity, that a discarded packet in the set of packets has been received according to the at least one packet.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving the first indication information comprises:

a protocol data unit, PDU, is received, the PDU comprising the first indication information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining that a dropped packet of the set of packets has been received based on the first indication information comprises:

19. The method according to any one of claims 14-18, further comprising:

receiving second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating a processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; or,

transmitting second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating a processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set;

wherein the at least one data packet set comprises the data packet set.

20. The method according to any of claims 14-18, wherein the first indication information is received before a transmittable data packet of the set of data packets is received; or,

the first indication information is received in the process of receiving data packets which can be transmitted in the data packet set; or,

the first indication information is received after a data packet that is transmittable in the set of data packets.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the set of data packets is a set of data packets for a burst transmission.

22. A method of communication, the method comprising:

determining at least one discarded data packet in the data packet set;

and sending other data packets except the discarded at least one data packet in the data packet set, wherein the sequence numbers of the other data packets in the data packet set are continuous.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the discarded at least one packet is not assigned a sequence number.

24. The method according to claim 22 or 23, wherein said determining at least one dropped data packet of the set of data packets comprises:

and if the data volume of the data packet set is larger than the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission, determining at least one discarded data packet in the data packet set.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein determining at least one dropped packet in the set of packets comprises:

determining, by the packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity, at least one dropped data packet of the set of data packets.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the determining, by the PDCP entity, the discarded at least one of the set of data packets comprises:

The PDCP entity directly determines at least one dropped data packet of the set of data packets.

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

the maximum amount of data supported by the air interface transmission, and/or the amount of discarded data, is indicated to the PDCP entity by the MAC entity.

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

indicating, by the MAC entity, to the PDCP entity at least one discarded data packet of the set of data packets.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein prior to said transmitting the other data packets in the set of data packets than the discarded at least one data packet, the method further comprises:

the PDCP entity re-distributes serial numbers to other data packets except the discarded at least one data packet in the data packet set and processes the data packets correspondingly.

30. The method according to any one of claims 22-29, further comprising:

transmitting indication information, wherein the indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set; or,

receiving indication information, wherein the indication information is used for indicating a data packet processing mode adopted by at least one data packet set;

Wherein the at least one data packet set comprises the data packet set.

31. The method according to any of claims 22-29, wherein the set of data packets is a set of data packets for a burst transmission.

32. A method of communication, the method comprising:

assigning a sequence number to each data packet in a data packet set, wherein the sequence numbers of the data packets in the data packet set are continuous;

determining at least one data packet in the data packet set;

transmitting other data packets except the at least one data packet in the data packet set and removing the at least one data packet of the data payload; wherein the sequence numbers before and after the data payload of the at least one data packet is removed are unchanged.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said determining at least one data packet in the set of data packets comprises:

and if the data volume of the data packet set is larger than the maximum data volume supported by the air interface transmission, determining at least one data packet in the data packet set.

34. The method according to claim 32 or 33, characterized in that the method further comprises:

And removing the data payload of the at least one data packet by the MAC entity.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

the data payload of the at least one data packet is removed by the PDCP entity.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises:

at least one data packet is indicated to the PDCP entity by the MAC entity.

37. The method according to claim 32 or 33, characterized in that the method further comprises:

wherein the at least one data packet set comprises the data packet set.

38. The method according to claim 32 or 33, wherein the set of data packets is a set of data packets of a burst transmission.

39. A communication device, the device comprising:

the processing unit is used for determining first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating at least one data packet; wherein the at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in a data packet set, or the at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set;

And the communication unit is used for sending the first indication information.

40. A communication device, the device comprising:

the communication unit is used for receiving first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating at least one data packet; wherein the at least one data packet is a data packet which can be transmitted in a data packet set, or the at least one data packet is a data packet which is discarded in the data packet set;

and the processing unit is used for determining that the discarded data packet in the data packet set is received according to the first indication information.

41. A communication device, the device comprising:

a processing unit, configured to determine at least one discarded data packet in the data packet set;

and the communication unit is used for sending other data packets except the discarded at least one data packet in the data packet set, and the sequence numbers of the other data packets in the data packet set are continuous.

42. A communication device, the device comprising:

a processing unit, configured to assign a sequence number to each data packet in a data packet set, where the sequence numbers of the data packets in the data packet set are consecutive; determining at least one data packet in the data packet set;

A communication unit, configured to send other data packets except the at least one data packet in the data packet set, and remove the at least one data packet of the data payload; wherein the sequence numbers before and after the data payload of the at least one data packet is removed are unchanged.

43. A communication device comprising a processor, a memory and a computer program or instructions stored on the memory, characterized in that the processor executes the computer program or instructions to implement the steps of the method of any one of claims 1-13, or to implement the steps of the method of any one of claims 14-21, or to implement the steps of the method of any one of claims 22-31, or to implement the steps of the method of any one of claims 32-38.

44. A chip comprising a processor, characterized in that the processor performs the steps of the method of any one of claims 1-13, or performs the steps of the method of any one of claims 14-21, or performs the steps of the method of any one of claims 22-31, or performs the steps of the method of any one of claims 32-38.

45. The utility model provides a chip module, its characterized in that, chip module includes communication module, power module, storage module and chip, wherein: the power supply module is used for providing electric energy for the chip module; the storage module is used for storing data and instructions; the communication module is used for carrying out internal communication of the chip module or carrying out communication between the chip module and external equipment; the chip being adapted to perform the steps of the method of any one of claims 1 to 13, or the steps of the method of any one of claims 14 to 21, or the steps of the method of any one of claims 22 to 31, or the steps of the method of any one of claims 32 to 38.

46. A computer readable storage medium, characterized in that it stores a computer program or instructions which, when executed, implements the steps of the method of any one of claims 1-13, or implements the steps of the method of any one of claims 14-21, or implements the steps of the method of any one of claims 22-31, or implements the steps of the method of any one of claims 32-38.