RU2780823C2 - Device and method for processing of wireless communication by transit connection - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: wireless communication.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to means for processing of wireless transit communication. The second network device is determined by the first network device as a secondary access device of a wireless transit device for double connection, in which the wireless transit device is connected to the first network device as a primary access device and to the second network device as a secondary access device, in which the wireless transit device is made with the possibility of provision of data transit for a terminal device. A request message for addition of the secondary access device transmitting the first information to the second network device is sent by the first network device, in which the first information indicates that the wireless transit device performs access.

EFFECT: improvement of the performance of data transmission.

13 cl, 16 dwg

Description

The present invention claims the priority of the previous application No. 201810153124.1, filed February 14, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The technical field to which the invention belongs

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of wireless communication and, in particular, to the processing technology of wireless backhaul.

State of the art

In a wireless communication system, a wireless hopping device forwards and amplifies a radio signal sent to or received from a network device (eg, a base station) to increase the signal coverage area and increase the signal-to-noise ratio of a terminal device when the terminal device is located at the edge of the coverage area. signal, thereby improving the quality of data transmission.

In Release 10 of the specification formulated by the 3rd generation partnership project ( ^3GPP ) for a long-term evolution (LTE) wireless communication system, as shown in FIG. 1, after power-on, the wireless router first establishes, as a common terminal, a connection with the network device through a random access process to obtain a list of all cells that the wireless router has access to. Then, the wireless hop device disconnects from the current network device, selects a cell from the list, and re-initiates random access, and when the connection is established, sends indication information to the network device to which the cell belongs. The indication information is used to indicate that the wireless hopping device is accessing the network device and asking the network device to configure a temporary transmission block for the radio link of the wireless hopping device. Additionally, the wireless hop device further initiates the establishment of an X2 interface and an S1 interface with the network device. After accessing the network, the wireless router obtains the cell ID from the Operations, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) system of the wireless router, so that the wireless router communicates as a cell for the network device to provide signal coverage for the end device. .

In Release 15 of the 3GPP specification, the first deployment scenario for the New Radio (NR) communications system (also referred to as 5G) is a non-standalone deployment scenario. In particular, the first network device (for example, an LTE base station) serves as a primary access device, and the second network device (for example, a non-standalone NR base station) serves as a secondary access device, to realize dual connection (connection of at least two network devices) of the target device. In a non-autonomous deployment scenario, a wireless hop device is used for data backhaul, so that a terminal device transmits data through a secondary access device, thereby improving data transfer performance. Therefore, in a non-autonomous deployment scenario, it is urgent to solve the technical problem of making the wireless hop-by device access the second network device.

The essence of the invention

In view of the above technical problem, embodiments of the present invention provide a wireless backhaul processing method and a corresponding apparatus.

The first aspect of the present invention provides a wireless backhaul processing method, including:

after determining the second network device as the secondary access device of the wireless transit device, sending by the first network device the first information to the second network device, where the first information includes at least one of the following indication information: an indication that the wireless transit device is accessing, whether the wireless router is a non-standalone device or a standalone device, whether the wireless router supports full duplex or half duplex, whether the wireless router supports the in-band backhaul function or the out-of-band backhaul function, and supports whether the wireless tandem device has a data forwarding function above the Packet Data Convergence Protocol layer PDCP or a data forwarding function at the PDCP layer and below.

According to the solution provided in the first aspect, after determining the secondary access device of the wireless passthrough device, the first network device sends wireless passthrough device capability indication information to the secondary access device, so that the wireless passthrough device establishes a radio link with the secondary access device.

Optionally, the method further includes: receiving by the first network device the configuration information generated by the second network device, where the configuration information is used to configure the radio link between the wireless hop-by device and the second network device. In this exemplary implementation, upon learning that the wireless hop-by device needs access to the second network device, the second network device configures the radio link for the wireless hop-on device so that the wireless hop-off device accesses the second network device.

Possibly, the configuration information includes at least one of the radio link temporary transmission unit configuration and the wireless hop cell ID. In this possible implementation, the possible configured content is described in the configuration information.

Optionally, the method further includes: before the first network device sends the first information to the second network device, the first network device receives the second information sent by the wireless hop-by device, where the second information includes at least one of the following indication information: indication that the wireless hop device performs access, so that the wireless hop device supports the dual connection function, regardless of whether the wireless hop device is a non-standalone device or a standalone device, regardless of whether the wireless hop device supports full-duplex or half-duplex mode, regardless of whether whether the wireless router supports the in-band or out-of-band backhaul function, regardless of whether the wireless router supports the data forwarding function above the packet data convergence protocol layer s PDCP or data forwarding function at the PDCP level and below. In this exemplary implementation, the wireless hopping device sends a wireless hopping device capability indication to the first network device such that the first network device determines the secondary access device for the wireless hopping device, helping to implement dual connectivity in a non-autonomous scenario.

Optionally, the method further includes: receiving, by the first network device, third information sent by the second network device, where the third information indicates an association relationship between the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop-by device, an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop-by device, or a relationship an association between the cell of the second network device and the wireless tandem device. In this exemplary implementation, the first network device learns from the second network device of the existence of an association relationship when the wireless tandem device connects to the second network device, so that the first network device optimizes system control.

A second aspect of embodiments of the present invention provides a wireless backhaul processing method, including:

the wireless tandem device initiating a random access process to the first network device; and

sending by the wireless hop-by device, during the random access process or after completion of the random access process, at least one of the following indication information to the first network device:

an indication that the wireless hopping device is accessing, that the wireless hopping device supports the dual connection function, regardless of whether the wireless hopping device is a non-standalone device or a standalone device, regardless of whether the wireless hopping device supports full-duplex mode or half-duplex mode, regardless of whether the wireless tandem device supports the in-band backhaul function or the out-of-band backhaul function, regardless of whether the wireless tandem device supports the data forwarding function above the PDCP layer or the data forwarding function at the PDCP layer and below.

According to the solution provided in the second aspect, the wireless hopping device sends an indication of the capabilities of the wireless hopping device to the first network device, so that the first network device determines the secondary access device for the wireless hopping device, helping to implement dual connection in a non-autonomous scenario.

Possibly, when the wireless transit device supports the dual connection function, the method further includes: receiving, by the wireless transit device, configuration information generated by the second network device, where the configuration information is used to configure the radio link between the wireless transit device and the second network device. In this exemplary implementation, the wireless tandem device may establish a radio link with the second network device using configuration information generated by the second network device to access the second network device.

Possibly, the configuration information includes at least one of the radio link temporary transmission unit configuration and the wireless hop cell ID. In this possible implementation, the possible configured content is described in the configuration information.

Possibly, after accessing the second network device, the wireless hop-off device notifies the second network device of the association relationship between the second network device and the cell of the wireless hop device, the association relationship between the cell of the second network device and the cell of the wireless hop device, or the association relationship between the cell of the second network device and of the wireless pass-through device, so that the wireless pass-through device extends the signal coverage area of the second network device.

It is possible that the wireless hopping device notifies the first network device of the association relationship, so that the first network device knows that the wireless hopping device is contacting the second network device to expand the signal coverage area of the second network device.

A third aspect of the present invention provides a wireless backhaul processing method, including:

wireless hopping device receiving system information sent by the second network device, where the system information includes at least one of the following indication information: an indication of the access permission of the wireless hopping device and a random access resource used by the wireless hopping device to access the second network device ; and initiating by the wireless tandem device a random access process to the second network device based on the indication information.

According to the technical solution provided in the third aspect, the wireless tandem device can access the second network device based on an indication in the system information sent by the second network device.

Optionally, the method further includes: sending by the wireless tandem device, during the random access process or after completion of the random access process, at least one of the following indication information to the second network device:

an indication that the wireless hop device is accessing, regardless of whether the wireless hop device is a non-standalone device or a standalone device, regardless of whether the wireless hop device supports full duplex or half duplex mode, regardless of whether the wireless hop device supports the in-band or out-of-band function backhaul, regardless of whether the wireless tandem device supports the data forwarding function above the PDCP layer or the data forwarding function at the PDCP layer and below.

In this exemplary implementation, the wireless passthrough device may send a function indication to the second network device to help the second network device learn basic information about the wireless passthrough device, thereby establishing a radio link.

Optionally, the method further includes: sending a notification to the second network device by the wireless hop device, where the notification indicates an association relationship between the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, or an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and a wireless passthrough device. In this exemplary implementation, the wireless hopping device notifies the existence of an association relationship when the wireless hopping device accesses the second network device, helping to implement a dual connection after a radio link is established.

A fourth aspect of embodiments of the present invention provides a wireless tandem device, including:

sending, by the second network device, system information, where the system information includes at least one of the following indication information: an indication of the access permission of the wireless backhaul device and a random access resource used by the wireless backhaul device to access the second network device; and performing, by the second network device, a random access process with the wireless tandem device based on the indication information.

According to the solution provided in the fourth aspect, the second network device indicates, using system information, a random access resource used when the wireless hop device accesses the second network device, and that the access of the wireless hop device is allowed, so that the wireless hop device accesses to the second network device.

Possibly, the method further includes: receiving, by the second network device, during the random access process or after completion of the random access process, at least one of the following indication information that is sent by the wireless passthrough device:

an indication that the wireless hop device is accessing, regardless of whether the wireless hop device is a non-standalone device or a standalone device, regardless of whether the wireless hop device supports full duplex or half duplex mode, regardless of whether the wireless hop device supports the in-band or out-of-band function backhaul, regardless of whether the wireless tandem device supports the data forwarding function above the PDCP layer or the data forwarding function at the PDCP layer and below. In this exemplary implementation, the wireless hopping device sends a wireless hopping device capability indication to the second network device to establish a radio link between the second network device and the wireless hopping device, helping to implement dual connectivity in a non-autonomous scenario.

Possibly, the method further includes: receiving by the second network device, during the random access process or after completion of the random access process, a notification sent by the wireless hop device, where the notification indicates an association relationship between the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and the cell of the wireless hop device, or an association relationship between the cell of the second network device and the wireless hop device. In this exemplary implementation, the wireless hopping device notifies the existence of an association relationship when the wireless hopping device accesses the second network device, helping to implement a dual connection after a radio link is established.

Optionally, the method further includes: sending, by the second network device, a notification to the first network device, where the notification indicates an association relationship between the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, or an association relationship between a cell a second network device and a wireless passthrough device. In this exemplary implementation, the second network device notifies the first network device of the existence of an association relationship when the wireless tandem device accesses the second network device, helping to implement the dual connection.

A fifth aspect of embodiments of the present invention provides a network device. The network device includes a receiving unit, a processing unit, and a sending unit. The receiving unit is configured to perform receiving actions in any of the first aspect, the possible implementations of the first aspect, the fourth aspect, and the possible implementations of the fourth aspect. The processing unit is configured to perform processing actions, such as a determination action, in any of the first aspect, the possible implementations of the first aspect, the fourth aspect, and the possible implementations of the fourth aspect. The sender is configured to perform actions, such as a send action, in any of the first aspect, the possible implementations of the first aspect, the fourth aspect, and the possible implementations of the fourth aspect. In a specific physical implementation, a receive unit may be a receive circuit or a receiver, a processing unit may be a processing circuit or a processor, and a send unit may be a send circuit or a transmitter. Optionally, the network device may be an independent network device, or may be a chip or circuitry within a network device. The chip or circuit system includes a plurality of gateway circuits for realizing the functions of the above functional blocks. The network device provided in the fifth aspect may realize the benefit obtained in any of the first aspect, the possible implementations of the first aspect, the fourth aspect, and the possible implementations of the fourth aspect. Details are again not described.

A sixth aspect of embodiments of the present invention provides a wireless backhaul device. The wireless transit device includes a receiving unit, a processing unit, and a sending unit. The receiving unit is configured to perform receiving actions in any of the second aspect, the possible implementations of the second aspect, the third aspect, and the possible implementations of the third aspect. The processing unit is configured to perform processing actions, such as a determination action, in any of the first aspect, the possible implementations of the first aspect, the third aspect, and the possible implementations of the third aspect. The sender is configured to perform actions, such as a send action, in any of the first aspect, the possible implementations of the first aspect, the third aspect, and the possible implementations of the third aspect. In a specific physical implementation, the receive unit may be a receive circuit or a receiver, the processing unit may be a processor or a processor, and the send unit may be a send circuit or a transmitter. Optionally, the network device may be an independent network device, or may be a chip or circuitry within a network device. The chip or circuit system includes a plurality of gateway circuits for realizing the functions of the above functional blocks. The network device provided in the sixth aspect may realize the benefit obtained in any of the first aspect, the possible implementations of the first aspect, the third aspect, and the possible implementations of the third aspect. Details are again not described.

A seventh aspect of embodiments of the present invention provides a network device. The network device includes a sending unit and a receiving unit. The send block is configured to perform send actions in any of the second aspect and possible implementations of the second aspect, and the receive block is configured to perform receive actions in any one of the second aspect and possible implementations of the second aspect. In a particular physical implementation, a send block may be a send circuit and a receive block may be a receive circuit. Optionally, the network device may be an independent network device (eg, a base station) or may be a chip or circuitry within the network device. The chip or circuit system includes a plurality of gateway circuits for realizing the functions of the above functional blocks. The communication processing device provided in the fourth aspect can realize the benefit obtained in any of the second aspect and possible implementations of the second aspect. Details are again not described.

An eighth aspect of embodiments of the present invention provides a communication processing apparatus including a processor and a memory. The instruction code is stored in the memory, and when the code is called by the processor, the method according to any of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, the fourth aspect, and possible implementations is implemented. Possibly, the communication processing device provided in the eighth aspect may be a chip system, or a network device, or a wireless backhaul device that includes the chip system. The communication processing device provided in the eighth aspect can realize the benefit obtained in any of the above aspects and possible implementations. Details are again not described.

A ninth aspect of the present invention provides a computer storage medium. The computer storage medium stores the code, and this code is used to implement the method according to any of the above aspects and possible implementations. The computer storage medium provided in the ninth aspect may be included in a chip system, or a network device, or a wireless backhaul device that includes the chip system. The computer storage medium provided in the sixth aspect can realize the beneficial effect obtained in any of the above aspects and possible implementations. Details are again not described.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 is an interaction diagram of accessing a wireless communication system by a wireless tandem device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2A is a system architecture diagram according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2B is a system interaction diagram that is based on the system architecture shown in FIG. 2A according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2C shows a possible implementation of sending indication information by a wireless hop-by device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2D shows another possible implementation of sending indication information by a wireless hop-by device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3A is a system architecture diagram according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3B is a system interaction diagram that is based on the system architecture shown in FIG. 3A according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4A is a system architecture diagram according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4B is a system interaction diagram based on the system architecture shown in FIG. 4A according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4C is an architectural diagram of a protocol stack based on FIG. 4A according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4D is an architectural diagram of another protocol stack based on FIG. 4A according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5A is a system architecture diagram according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5B is a system interaction diagram that is based on the system architecture shown in FIG. 5A according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5C is an architectural diagram of a protocol stack based on FIG. 5A according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 6 is a block diagram of a communication processing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 7 is a hardware diagram of a communication processing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Description of Embodiments

In embodiments of the present invention, the wireless communication system includes a network device and a wireless hop device, and optionally further includes a terminal device and a main network device (including a main control plane network device and a main user plane network device). The network device may be various transmission reception points (TRPs), such as a base station or a wireless LAN access point, and provide a licensed spectrum access service or an unlicensed spectrum access service. The network device connects to the main network device by wired or wireless. The wireless tandem device may be a wireless LAN base station or access point and is configured to provide data transmission over the backhaul connection. The network device may directly provide a service to a terminal device or may provide a service to a terminal device via a wireless hop. The link between the network device and the wireless hop-off device is a radio link, and the link between the wireless hop-off device and the terminal device is an access link. In the LTE system, a wireless hop device is also called a relay device. In an NR system, a wireless backhaul device is also referred to as an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node. In the LTE system, the base station is an evolved node B (evolved nodeB, eNB). In the NR system, the base station is the next generation node B (gNB). The network device may communicate with the wireless hop or end device based on protocol layers. The protocol layers include, but are not limited to, the physical (PHY) layer, the media access control (MAC) layer, the radio link control (RLC) layer, and the Packet Data Convergence Protocol layer. Convergence Protocol, PDCP), radio resource control (RRC), etc. Possibly a non-access stratum (NAS) layer is additionally located between the wireless hop or end device and the main network device.

The network device may be used as an independent device or may be separated into different devices based on protocol layers. For example, after a network device is separated based on protocol layers, the network device may include one control unit (CU) and at least one distributed unit (DU). The CU is configured to implement network device functions at the PDCP layer, RRC layer, and protocol layer above the PDCP layer or RRC layer. The DU is configured to implement network device functions at the RLC level, MAC level, and PHY level. One skilled in the art can understand that, in the following implementations, the network device function in the PDCP layer, RRC layer, or protocol layer above the PDCP layer or RRC layer can be performed by the CU, and the network device function in the RLC layer, MAC layer, or PHY layer is performed, at least one DU.

In embodiments of the present invention, in terms of physical implementation, the wireless hop device may be a base station or wireless LAN access point, or may be a chip or circuitry in a base station or wireless LAN access point. The network device may be a base station or wireless LAN access point, or may be a chip or circuitry in a base station or wireless LAN access point. The network device includes a non-standalone network device and a standalone network device.

The wireless tandem device can be connected to the non-standalone network device and the standalone network device at the same time, thereby realizing a dual connection. However, since the online network device indicates with a system message to prohibit the end device from being idle in the online network device, the wireless hop-by device cannot also be idle in the online network device and, therefore, the wireless hop-by device cannot access the network. and therefore cannot provide backhaul for the end device.

The first embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless backhaul processing method. A diagram of the system architecture shown in Fig. 2A and the system interaction diagram shown in FIG. 2B include the following content. In this embodiment, the wireless tandem device establishes a radio link with the second network device and connects through the second network device and the first network device to the main network device of the network in which the first network device resides.

201: The wireless tandem device initiates the random access process to the first network device.

202: The wireless tandem device sends, during the random access process or after completion of the random access process, at least one of the following indication information to the first network device:

an indication that the wireless router is accessing, that the wireless router supports the dual link function, regardless of whether the wireless router is a non-standalone device or a standalone device, regardless of whether the wireless router supports full-duplex mode or half-duplex mode, regardless of whether the wireless hop device supports the in-band backhaul function or the out-of-band backhaul function, and whether the wireless hop device supports the data forwarding function above the PDCP layer or the data forwarding function at the PDCP layer and below.

A standalone device is a device that can function independently, that can be accessed by a terminal device, and can provide the end device with control plane end-to-end connectivity and user plane end-to-end connectivity. A non-standalone device is a device that cannot function independently and can only provide services to a terminal device in conjunction with a standalone device. The non-autonomous device does not allow the idle state device to be idle, and prevents the idle state device from initiating random access in the cell of the non-autonomous device.

In full duplex mode, the wireless passthrough device supports simultaneous send and receive operations. In the half-duplex mode, the wireless router does not support simultaneous send and receive operations, that is, at the same time, the wireless router either performs a receive operation or performs a send operation. In particular, the wireless tandem device may use the logical type indication information to indicate full duplex support. When boolean is "Yes", full duplex is supported; or, when boolean is "None", then half duplex is supported by default. Alternatively, the wireless transit device uses the {full duplex, half duplex} enum type indication information and selects one of them to indicate whether full duplex or half duplex is currently supported.

When the in-band backhaul function is supported, the radio link between the wireless hop and the network device being accessed and the radio link used to access the terminal device operate on the same frequency or adjacent frequencies (where the frequency difference between adjacent frequencies is less than the threshold values). When the out-of-band backhaul function is supported, the radio link between the wireless backhaul device and the network device being accessed and the radio link used to access the terminal device operate at different frequencies or frequencies whose frequency difference is greater than a threshold value. In particular, the wireless tandem device may use the boolean indication information to indicate whether the in-band backhaul function is supported. When boolean is "Yes", the in-band backhaul feature is supported; or when the Boolean type is "No", then the out-of-band backhaul function is supported. Alternatively, the wireless tandem device uses the enumeration type indication information {in-band backhaul, out-of-band backhaul} and selects one of them to indicate whether the in-band backhaul function or the out-of-band backhaul function is currently supported.

The above PDCP layer data forwarding function refers to the forwarding of data based on a PDCP service data unit (SDU) or IP packet, and a wireless hop device supporting the above PDCP layer data forwarding function is an L3 wireless hop device defined by 3GPP standards. . The data forwarding function of the PDCP layer and below refers to the data forwarding function based on the PDCP protocol data unit (PDU), RLC PDU, etc., and also the wireless backhaul device supporting the data forwarding function of the PDCP layer and below. is a wireless L2 hop defined in 3GPP standards. Specifically, the wireless hop device may use the boolean indication information to indicate whether the wireless hop device is an L2 wireless hop device. When the logical type is "Yes", the wireless hop is a L2 wireless hop; or, if the logical type is No, the wireless hop is a L3 wireless hop. Alternatively, the wireless hop device uses the enum type indication information {L2, L3} and selects one of them to indicate whether the wireless hop device is an L2 wireless hop device or an L3 wireless hop device.

In step 201, the wireless transit device initiates a random access process to the first network device, and the wireless transit device establishes an RRC connection with the first network device through the random access process. In addition, the wireless hop device establishes a control plane connection with the first network device and the main network device of the network in which the first network device is located, and the wireless hop device establishes a user plane connection with the first network device and the main network device of the user plane in the network in which the first network device is located. The primary user plane network device that provides the service to the wireless tandem device may be located within the first network device or may be located outside the first network device.

In step 202, the wireless router sends indication information to the first network device, so that the first network device can know that the wireless router is accessing the first network device, and can learn information about the capabilities of the wireless router, such as whether the dual connection function is supported. whether the wireless hop is a standalone device or a non-standalone device, whether full duplex or half duplex is supported, whether the in-band backhaul function is supported or the out-of-band backhaul function is supported, and whether the data forwarding function is supported above the Packet Data Convergence Protocol layer PDCP or data forwarding function at PDCP level and below. It is possible that when the wireless backhaul device supports the LTE-NR dual connection function, the first network device uses LTE technology, the second network device uses NR technology, the main network device connected to the first network device is the LTE main network device, and the second network device connected to LTE to the main network device through the first network device. In the network mode in the first embodiment, the second network device is not connected to the NR main network device. Whether the dual connection function is supported may be: whether the LTE-NR dual connection function is supported, whether the NR-NR dual connection function is supported, whether the LTE-LTE dual connection function is supported, and so on.

Perhaps, as shown in Fig. 2C, at least one of the indication information may be carried in an RRC message and sent by a wireless hop to a first network device, and the first network device may parse the RRC message to obtain at least one of the indication information.

Perhaps, as shown in Fig. 2D, at least one of the indication information may alternatively be sent in a non-access stratum (NAS) message. Since the first network device does not have a NAS, the first network device transparently transmits the NAS message to the primary network device on the network where the first network device resides. After receiving the indication information by parsing the NAS message, the main network device sends the indication information (for example, contained in the S1 interface message or the NG interface message between the first network device and the main network device) to the first network device, where the NG interface is the interface between the network device and the main network device. network device in an NR system.

203: The first network device determines the second network device as a secondary access device that provides a dual connection service for a wireless hop-by device, and sends at least one of the indication information to the second network device:

an indication that the wireless hopping device is accessing whether the wireless hopping device is a non-standalone device or a standalone device, whether the wireless hopping device supports full-duplex or half-duplex mode, regardless of whether the wireless hopping device supports the in-band backhaul function connection or out-of-band backhaul function, and whether or not the wireless backhaul device supports the data forwarding function above the PDCP layer or the data forwarding function at the PDCP layer and below.

Optionally, at least one indication information may be sent in a Secondary Access Device Add Request message, such as an SgNB Add Request, so that the second network device learns that the second network device is operating as a secondary access device of the wireless backhaul device.

Perhaps the first network device is the primary access device and the second network device is the secondary access device. Accordingly, the cell of the first network device belongs to the primary cell group and the cell of the second network device belongs to the secondary cell group. The primary cell group includes one primary cell and at least one secondary cell, and the secondary cell group includes a primary cell and at least one secondary cell that are in the same secondary cell group.

It is possible that the first network device is a standalone network device and the second network device is a non-standalone network device.

Possibly, after the wireless tandem device establishes a connection with the first network device in the random access process, the first network device may send a measurement configuration to the wireless hop device, where the measurement configuration indicates a frequency to be measured by a cell of at least one network device. The wireless hop device performs the measurement based on the measurement configuration and informs the first network device of the measurement result for the cell of at least one network device. The first network device selects, based on the measurement result, one network device as the second network device to be accessed by the wireless tandem device. The second network device and the first network device may have the same network technology or may have different network technologies. The second network device and the first network device use the same network technology, such as LTE technology or NR technology. Alternatively, the second network device and the first network device use different network technologies, for example, the second network device uses NR technology and the first network device uses LTE technology. An eNB serving as a primary access device may be represented as a master eNB (MeNB) and a gNB serving as a secondary access device may be represented as a secondary gNB (SgNB).

204: The second network device sends to the first network device configuration information that is generated by the second network device and used to configure the radio link between the wireless transport device and the second network device.

Possibly, the configuration information may be conveyed in a Secondary Access Device Add Response message, eg, SgNB Addition Request Acknowledge, so that the first network device knows that the second network device receives the secondary access device add request.

Possibly, the configuration information includes one or a combination of the following: the configuration of the temporary transmission unit of the radio link and the cell ID of the wireless tandem device. The radio link transmission time block is, in particular, the time that can be used for data transmission over the radio link, and can be expressed in milliseconds, a time domain symbol (symbol), a slot (slot), and the like.

Optionally, the second network device further indicates to the first network device an association relationship between the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, or an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and the wireless hop device. The association relationship may be implemented as a cell ID of the wireless hop. The cell of the wireless hopping device serves as the cell of the second network side device, namely, the cell ID of the wireless hopping device and the cell ID of the second network device include the same network device ID (eg, base station ID). Therefore, after receiving the cell ID of the wireless hop device sent by the second network device, the first network device can know, based on the ID of the network device (e.g., base station) included in the cell ID of the wireless hop device, that the cell of the wireless hop device is the cell of the second network device. devices.

205: The first network device sends configuration information to the wireless passthrough device.

Possibly, the configuration information may be carried in an RRC message (eg, RRC connection reconfiguration) and sent to the wireless hop.

Possibly, if the configuration information does not include the cell ID of the wireless transport device, the wireless hop device can notify the network management system that the wireless hop device provides a wireless backhaul service for the second network device, so that the network management system (e.g., OAM system ) assigns a cell ID to the wireless hop. That is, the wireless tandem device obtains the assigned cell ID from the network management system. The wireless tandem device may notify the received cell ID to both the first network device and the second network device. Alternatively, the wireless hop-by device notifies the received cell ID to the first network device, and the first network device further notifies the cell ID to the second network device. Alternatively, the wireless hop-by device notifies the received cell ID to the second network device, and the second network device further notifies the cell ID to the first network device.

In order to notify the received cell ID to the second network device, the wireless transit device may notify, after accessing the second network device, the second network device in the process of initiating the establishment of an X2 interface with the second network device by the wireless transit device. That the second network device notifies the first network device of the cell ID of the wireless hop device may be implemented by the second network device initiating a base station configuration update procedure by the first network device.

206: The wireless tandem device establishes a radio link with the second network device based on the configuration information.

According to the solution provided in the first embodiment of the present invention, the wireless hop-off device can access the first network device and perform authentication and authorization on the main network device in the network in which the first network device is located. Upon learning that the wireless backhaul device supports the dual connection function (or supports the wireless backhaul functions of various access technologies), the first network device configures the second network device as a secondary access device for the wireless communication device to realize the dual connection of the wireless backhaul device.

The second embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless backhaul processing method. A diagram of the system architecture shown in Fig. 3A and the system interaction diagram shown in FIG. 3B include the following content. In this embodiment, the wireless tandem device establishes a radio link with the second network device and connects through the second network device to the main network device in the network in which the second network device resides.

301: The second network device sends the system information, the system information including at least one of the following indication information: an access permission indication to the wireless hop-by device and a random access resource used by the wireless hop-by device to access the second network device.

At 301, the indication information in the system information indicates that only access of the wireless hop-by device is allowed. Therefore, a non-wireless hop-by-hop device, such as an all end device in Release 15 and earlier versions of the 3GPP standard specification, cannot access the second network device.

The system information may be carried in a master information block (MIB) or may be carried in a system information block (SIB), such as SIB 1.

302: The wireless transit device receives the system information and initiates a random access process based on the indication information.

303: The wireless tandem device sends, during the random access process or after completion of the random access process, at least one of the following indication information to the second network device:

an indication that the wireless hopping device is accessing whether the wireless hopping device is a non-standalone device or a standalone device, whether the wireless hopping device supports full-duplex or half-duplex mode, regardless of whether the wireless hopping device supports the in-band or out-of-band backhaul, regardless of whether the wireless backhaul device supports the data forwarding function above the PDCP layer or the data forwarding function at the PDCP layer and below.

Possibly, the method further includes:

304: The wireless hop device sends a notification to the second network device, where the notification indicates an association relationship between the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, or an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and the wireless hop device . The association relationship may be implemented as a cell ID of the wireless hop. The cell of the wireless hopping device serves as the cell of the second network side device, namely, the cell ID of the wireless hopping device and the cell ID of the second network device include the same network device ID. Therefore, after receiving the wireless hop cell ID sent by the wireless hop device, the second network device can know, based on the network device ID included in the wireless hop cell ID, that the wireless hop cell is the cell of the second network device.

In order to notify the received cell ID to the second network device, the wireless transit device may notify, after accessing the second network device, the second network device in the process of initiating the establishment of an X2 interface with the second network device by the wireless transit device.

305: The second network device notifies the first network device in an association relation notification.

It is possible that the second network device notifies the association relationship in a network configuration update sent to the first network device. The association relationship may be implemented as a cell ID of the wireless hop. For example, that the second network device notifies the first network device of the cell ID of the wireless hop device may be implemented by the second network device initiating a network configuration update procedure by the first network device.

306: The first network device stores the association relation in the received notification.

Possibly, after storing the association relationship, the first network device may send a network device configuration response to the second network device.

In this embodiment, the main network device that provides the service to the wireless tandem device is the main network device in the network in which the second network device resides. The core user plane network device may be located within the second network device, or both the user plane device and the core network control plane device may be located within the second network device.

According to the technical solution provided in the second embodiment of the present invention, the wireless tandem device can connect directly, but not through the first network device, to the second network device, thereby establishing a radio link.

A third embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless backhaul processing method. The system architecture diagram shown in Fig. 4A and the system interaction diagram shown in FIG. 4B include the following content. In this embodiment, the wireless tandem device establishes a radio link with the second network device and connects through the second network device and the first network device to the main network device in the network in which the first network device resides. It is possible that the first network device is a standalone network device and the second network device is a non-standalone network device. It is possible that the first network device belongs to LTE technology, the second network device belongs to NR technology, and the second network device is connected to the LTE main network device via the first network device. In the network mode in this embodiment, the second network device is not connected to the NR main network device.

401: The second network device sends the system information, the system information including at least one of the following indication information: an access permission indication of the wireless passthrough device and a random access resource used by the wireless passthrough device to access the second network device.

At 401, the indication information in the system information indicates that only wireless hop access is allowed. Therefore, a non-wireless hop-by-hop device, such as all end devices of Release 15 and earlier versions of the 3GPP standard specification, cannot access the second network device.

The system information may be carried in an overhead block, or it may be carried in a system information block, such as SIB 1.

402: The wireless tandem device initiates a random access process to the second network device based on system information, and sends, in the random access process or after the random access process is completed, at least one of the following indication information for the second network device:

an indication that the wireless hopping device is accessing, whether the wireless hopping device is a non-autonomous device, that the wireless hopping device supports the dual-link wireless backhaul network function, regardless of whether the wireless hopping device supports full duplex mode or half duplex mode, supports whether the wireless tandem device has an in-band backhaul function or an out-of-band backhaul function; and whether the wireless tandem device supports a data forwarding function above a PDCP layer or a data forwarding function at a PDCP layer and below.

403: The second network device selects the first network device for the wireless hop-by device and sends at least one of the indication information to the first network device.

At 403, the first network device selected by the second network device for the wireless backhaul device is the network device that allows access of the wireless backhaul device. For example, the primary user plane network device that provides a service to the wireless hop-by device is located within the first network device. The first network device selects, based on the indication information, a main network device that provides a service to the wireless tandem device, where the main network device is the main network device in the network in which the first network device is located. In a possible implementation, as shown in the protocol stack architecture diagram of FIG. 4C, after receiving the random access request sent by the wireless hop device, the second network device may encapsulate the NAS message of the wireless hop device into a first interface message (eg, an X2 interface (X2AP) message) to be sent to the first network device, and send the first interface message to the first network device. The first network device extracts the NAS message from the first interface message; generates, based on the first interface message, a second interface message (for example, an S1 interface message (S1AP)) between the first network device and the main network device in the network in which the first network device resides; re-encapsulates the NAS message in a second interface message; and sends the second interface message to the underlying network device. Thus, the main network device obtains the NAS message of the wireless hop device by parsing the second interface message, thereby realizing the connection between the wireless hop device and the main network device. SCTP is an abbreviation for stream control transmission protocol layer, IP is an abbreviation for internet protocol layer (IP), L1 layer is a physical layer and L2 layer is a data link layer. For example, L1 is the physical layer defined by the open system interconnection reference model (OSI) and L2 is the OSI defined data link layer (DLL).

In another possible implementation, as shown in the protocol stack architectural diagram of FIG. 4D, after receiving the random access request sent by the wireless hop device, the second network device can generate, based on the RRC message in which the NAS message of the wireless hop device is encapsulated, an S1 interface message between the first network device and the main network device in the network in which the the first network device; and send to the first network device an X2 interface message to be sent to the first network device, which includes an S1 interface message encapsulated by the NAS message. After receiving the X2 interface message, the first network device extracts the S1 interface message from the X2 interface message and forwards the S1 interface message to the primary network device in the network where the first network device resides. Thus, the main network device obtains the NAS message of the wireless hop device by parsing the interface message, thereby realizing the connection between the wireless hop device and the main network device.

In this embodiment, the second network device is a non-standalone network device, and the second network device is not connected to the main network device on the network in which the second network device is located.

According to the technical solution provided in the third embodiment of the present invention, the second network device (in particular, the non-autonomous network device) can serve as the access device of the wireless backhaul device and connects through the first network device to the main network device in the network in which the first network device is located. device, thereby realizing the process of accessing the network of the wireless backhaul device.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless backhaul processing method. A diagram of the system architecture shown in Fig. 5A and the system interaction diagram shown in FIG. 5B include the following.

501: The end device establishes an RRC connection with the first network device during random access.

502: The first network device sends the measurement configuration to the terminal device and selects, based on the measurement result reported by the terminal device, the wireless hop device as the secondary access device of the terminal device, where the first network device is the primary access device of the terminal device.

At 502, optionally, the first network device and the wireless tandem device may have the same network technology, or may have different network technologies. The first network device and the wireless backhaul device use the same network technology, such as LTE technology or NR technology. Alternatively, the first network device and the wireless backhaul device use different network technologies, for example, the first network device uses LTE technology and the wireless backhaul device uses NR technology.

The first network device may further select the second network device for the wireless tandem device based on the measurement result. In particular, the first network device finds a corresponding second network device based on the cell ID of the wireless hop device reported by the terminal device and based on the previously obtained association relationship between the wireless hop device and the second network device. For example, the first network device may know, based on the network device ID included in the cell ID of the wireless hop device, that the cell of the wireless hop device is the cell of the second network device.

503: The first network device sends a secondary access device addition request message, such as SgNB Addition Request, to the wireless hop device via a second network device connected to the wireless hop device to request the wireless hop device to function as a secondary access device of the terminal device.

504: The wireless hopping device sends to the first network device via the second network device an Add Secondary Access Response message, eg, SgNB Addition Request Acknowledge, where the response message includes the radio resource configuration between the wireless hopping device and the terminal device.

In steps 503 and 504, a GTP tunnel corresponding to the user data link is established for the terminal device between the first network device and the second network device, and a GTP tunnel corresponding to the user data link is additionally established for the terminal device between the second network device and the wireless backhaul device. . Additionally, as shown in FIG. 5C, two GTP tunnels have a one-to-one correspondence. GTP is an abbreviation for general packet radio service tunneling protocol layer, and UDP is an abbreviation for user datagram protocol layer.

505: The first network device sends the radio resource configuration to the end device.

506: The terminal device completes the link configuration between the terminal device and the wireless hop-by device based on the radio resource configuration.

According to the technical solution provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the second network device (in particular, the non-autonomous network device) can use the wireless hop device connected to the second network device as a secondary access device to the terminal device, thereby realizing a dual connection terminal device.

The fifth embodiment of the present invention provides a communication processing apparatus 600 . Fig. 6 is a block structure diagram of a communication processing apparatus. The communication processing apparatus 600 includes a receiving unit 601, a sending unit 602, and a processing unit 603.

The communication processing device 600 provided in the fifth embodiment of the present invention may be a wireless hop device configured to implement the method performed by the wireless hop device in any of the first embodiment, the second embodiment, the third embodiment, and the fourth embodiment. In particular, the receiving unit 601 is configured to perform receiving actions of the wireless hopping device, the sending unit 602 is configured to perform sending actions of the wireless hopping device, and the processing unit is configured to perform processing actions of the wireless hopping device. For details, refer to the content described in the first embodiment, the second embodiment, the third embodiment, and the fourth embodiment.

The communication processing device 600 presented in the fifth embodiment of the present invention may alternatively be a network device capable of implementing the method performed by the first network device or the second network device in any of the first embodiment, the second embodiment, the third embodiment, and the fourth embodiment. implementation. Specifically, the receiving unit 601 is configured to perform network device receiving operations, the sending unit 1102 is configured to perform network device sending operations, and the processing unit is configured to perform network device processing operations. For details, refer to the content described in the first embodiment, the second embodiment, the third embodiment, and the fourth embodiment.

In a particular hardware implementation, as shown in the hardware structure diagram of the communication processing device in FIG. 7, the function of the receiving unit 601 may be specifically implemented by the receiver 701, the function of the sending unit 602 may be implemented by the transmitter 702, and the function of the processing unit 703 may be specifically implemented by the processor 703. The communication processing apparatus may further include various electronic circuits, such as a bus 704, memory 705, and communication interface 706. The memory may include an instruction code. When the instruction code is called by the processor 703, the instruction code is used to implement the method performed by the first network device, the second network device, or the wireless tandem device in any of the first embodiment, the second embodiment, the third embodiment, and the fourth embodiment. The instruction code includes a data structure used to implement the functions of the protocol layers (eg, RRC layer, MAC layer, and PHY layer).

The communication interface may be a wired communication interface, a wireless communication interface, or a combination thereof. The wired interface may be, for example, an Ethernet interface. The Ethernet interface may be an optical interface, an electrical interface, or a combination of both. The wireless communication interface may be a wireless LAN interface.

The bus may be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus, an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus, or the like. The bus can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, and the like.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that an embodiment of the present invention may be provided as a method, system, or computer program product. Therefore, the present invention may use the form of a hardware-only embodiment, a software-only embodiment, or a combination of software and hardware embodiment. Moreover, the present invention may use the form of a computer program product that is implemented on one or more computer-usable media (including, but not limited to, magnetic disk memory, CD-ROM, optical memory, and the like), including computer program code.

The present invention is described with reference to flowcharts and/or flowcharts of a method, apparatus (system), and computer program product according to embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that each procedure and/or each block in the flowcharts and/or flowcharts and the combination of a procedure and/or block in the flowcharts and/or flowcharts may be implemented using computer program instructions. Computer program instructions may be provided to a mainframe computer, a specialized computer, an embedded processor, or a processor of another programmable data processing device to form a machine such that instructions executed by the computer or processor of another programmable data processing device generate a device to implement the function specified in one or multiple procedures in flowcharts and/or one or more blocks in flowcharts.

Alternatively, computer program instructions may be stored in computer readable memory, which may instruct the computer or other programmable processing device to operate in a certain way, such that the instructions stored in computer readable memory form an artifact that includes the instruction. The instruction device implements a function specified in one or more procedures in the flowcharts and/or in one or more blocks in the flowcharts.

Alternatively, computer program instructions may be downloaded to a computer or other programmable processing device such that a series of operations and steps are performed on the computer or other programmable device, thereby generating computer-implemented processing. Therefore, instructions executable on a computer or other programmable device provide steps for implementing a function indicated in one or more processes in the flowcharts and/or in one or more blocks in the flowcharts.

Claims (22)

1. A method for processing a wireless backhaul, comprising: determining, by the first network device, a second network device as a secondary access device of a wireless backhaul device for a dual connection, in which the wireless backhaul device is connected to the first network device as a primary access device and to the second network device as a secondary access device, in which the wireless backhaul device configured to provide data transit for the terminal device; and sending, by the first network device, an add secondary access device request message, transmitting the first information to the second network device, wherein the first information indicates that the wireless hop-by device is accessing. 2. The method according to p. 1, further comprising: receiving by the first network device from the second network device a secondary access device addition response message transmitting configuration information generated by the second network device, in which the configuration information configures a radio link between the wireless hopping device and the second network device. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first information is transmitted in a Secondary Access Device Add Request message, which is a Next Generation Second Generation Node B (SgNB) Add Request message; and the configuration information is transmitted in the secondary access device add response message, which is the SgNB add request acknowledgment message. 4. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, additionally containing: before the first network device sends the secondary access device addition request message transmitting the first information to the second network device, the first network device receiving the second information sent by the wireless hop-by device, in which the second information indicates that the wireless tandem device is accessing. 5. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-4, additionally containing: the first network device receiving the third information sent by the second network device, wherein the third information indicates an association relationship between the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, or an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and wireless passthrough. 6. A method for processing a wireless backhaul, comprising: reception by the second network device from the first network device of a request message to add a secondary access device for a dual connection, in which the wireless tandem device is connected to the first network device as a primary access device and to the second network device as a secondary access device, in which the message about adding a secondary the access device carries first information indicating that the wireless hopping device is performing an access, in which the wireless hopping device is configured to provide data backhaul for the terminal device; sending, by the second network device, to the first network device, an add response message of the secondary access device transmitting configuration information that configures a radio link between the wireless hop-by device and the second network device. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the secondary access device add request message is a Next Generation Second Generation Node B (SgNB) add request message and the secondary access device add response message is an SgNB add request confirmation message. 8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising: sending by the second network device to the first network device information indicating an association relationship between the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and a cell of the wireless hop device, or an association relationship between a cell of the second network device and the wireless hop device. 9. The first network access device, which is configured to perform the method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-5. 10. The second network access device, which is configured to perform the method according to any one of paragraphs. 6-8. 11. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that it contains an instruction store in which instructions are executed by a computer to perform the method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-5. 12. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that it contains an instruction store in which instructions are executed by a computer to perform the method according to any one of paragraphs. 6-8 13. System containing: the first network device, which is configured to perform the method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-5, and a second network device that is configured to perform the method according to any one of paragraphs. 6-8.

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