WO2023123336A1

WO2023123336A1 - Communication method and device

Info

Publication number: WO2023123336A1
Application number: PCT/CN2021/143641
Authority: WO
Inventors: 付喆; 张博源; 卢前溪
Original assignee: Oppo广东移动通信有限公司
Priority date: 2021-12-31
Filing date: 2021-12-31
Publication date: 2023-07-06

Abstract

The present application relates to a communication method and device. The communication method comprises: a communication device performs a network coding (NC) operation on a data packet according to an NC input. The communication method of embodiments of the present application can improve the reliability of data transmission.

Description

Communication method and equipment

technical field

The present application relates to the communication field, and more specifically, to a communication method and device.

Background technique

Network coding (network coding, NC) is an information exchange technology that combines routing and coding. Network coding mainly includes: each node in the network performs linear or nonlinear processing on the information received on each data stream, and then forwards it to the downstream node, and the intermediate node plays the role of encoder or signal processor. It is necessary to consider how to use network coding to improve the reliability of data transmission.

Contents of the invention

Embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and device, which can improve the reliability of data transmission.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, including:

The communication device performs an NC operation on the data packet according to the network coding NC input.

The communication device performs an NC operation on the data packet according to the NC input, and the NC operation includes a network decoding operation.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, including:

The processing unit is configured to perform an NC operation on the data packet according to the network coding NC input.

The processing unit is configured to perform an NC operation on the data packet according to the NC input, and the NC operation includes a network decoding operation.

An embodiment of the present application provides a communications device, including a processor and a memory. The memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is used to invoke and run the computer program stored in the memory, so that the communication device executes the communication method of any embodiment of the present application.

An embodiment of the present application provides a chip configured to implement the communication method in any embodiment of the present application.

Specifically, the chip includes: a processor, configured to invoke and run a computer program from a memory, so that a device installed with the chip executes the communication method of any embodiment of the present application.

An embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is used to store a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a device, the device executes the communication method of any embodiment of the present application.

An embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, including computer program instructions, where the computer program instructions cause a computer to execute the communication method of any embodiment of the present application.

An embodiment of the present application provides a computer program that, when running on a computer, causes the computer to execute the communication method of any embodiment of the present application.

In the embodiment of the present application, the reliability of data transmission can be improved through network coding.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario according to an embodiment of the present application.

Figure 2 is the PDU session in the 5GS system and the data flow (QoS Flow) it contains.

Fig. 3 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 4 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method according to another embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 7 is a flow chart of Example 1 of the communication method according to the embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 8 is a flow chart of Example 2 of the communication method according to the embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 9 is a flow chart of Example 3 of the communication method according to the embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 10a and Fig. 10b are schematic diagrams of NC located under the PDCP layer and on the RLC layer.

Fig. 11a, Fig. 11b and Fig. 11c are schematic diagrams in which the NC is located under the SDAP layer and above the PDCP layer.

Fig. 12a and Fig. 12b are schematic diagrams of NC located under the RLC layer and on the MAC layer.

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of NC located under the MAC layer and on the PHY layer.

Fig. 14 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 15 is a schematic block diagram of a chip according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 16 is a schematic block diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed ways

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

The technical solution of the embodiment of the present application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Global System of Mobile communication (Global System of Mobile communication, GSM) system, code division multiple access (Code Division Multiple Access, CDMA) system, broadband code division multiple access (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, WCDMA) system, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, Advanced long term evolution (LTE-A) system , New Radio (NR) system, evolution system of NR system, LTE (LTE-based access to unlicensed spectrum, LTE-U) system on unlicensed spectrum, NR (NR-based access to unlicensed spectrum) on unlicensed spectrum unlicensed spectrum (NR-U) system, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) system, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), Wireless Fidelity (Wireless Fidelity, WiFi), fifth-generation communication (5th-Generation, 5G) system or other communication systems, etc.

Generally speaking, the number of connections supported by traditional communication systems is limited and easy to implement. However, with the development of communication technology, mobile communication systems will not only support traditional communication, but also support, for example, Device to Device (Device to Device, D2D) communication, Machine to Machine (M2M) communication, Machine Type Communication (MTC), Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) communication, or Vehicle to everything (V2X) communication, etc. , the embodiments of the present application may also be applied to these communication systems.

In an implementation manner, the communication system in the embodiment of the present application can be applied to a carrier aggregation (Carrier Aggregation, CA) scenario, can also be applied to a dual connectivity (Dual Connectivity, DC) scenario, and can also be applied to an independent (Standalone, SA) Network deployment scene.

In one embodiment, the communication system in the embodiment of the present application can be applied to an unlicensed spectrum, where the unlicensed spectrum can also be considered as a shared spectrum; or, the communication system in the embodiment of the present application can also be applied to a licensed spectrum , where the licensed spectrum can also be considered as a non-shared spectrum.

The embodiments of the present application describe various embodiments in conjunction with network equipment and terminal equipment, wherein the terminal equipment may also be referred to as user equipment (User Equipment, UE), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication device, user agent or user device, etc.

The terminal device can be a station (STAION, ST) in the WLAN, a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a Session Initiation Protocol (Session Initiation Protocol, SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (Wireless Local Loop, WLL) station, a personal digital processing (Personal Digital Assistant, PDA) devices, handheld devices with wireless communication functions, computing devices or other processing devices connected to wireless modems, vehicle-mounted devices, wearable devices, next-generation communication systems such as terminal devices in NR networks, or future Terminal equipment in the evolved public land mobile network (Public Land Mobile Network, PLMN) network, etc.

In the embodiment of this application, the terminal device can be deployed on land, including indoor or outdoor, handheld, wearable or vehicle-mounted; it can also be deployed on water (such as ships, etc.); it can also be deployed in the air (such as aircraft, balloons and satellites) superior).

In this embodiment of the application, the terminal device may be a mobile phone (Mobile Phone), a tablet computer (Pad), a computer with a wireless transceiver function, a virtual reality (Virtual Reality, VR) terminal device, an augmented reality (Augmented Reality, AR) terminal Equipment, wireless terminal equipment in industrial control, wireless terminal equipment in self driving, wireless terminal equipment in remote medical, wireless terminal equipment in smart grid , wireless terminal equipment in transportation safety, wireless terminal equipment in smart city, or wireless terminal equipment in smart home.

As an example but not a limitation, in this embodiment of the present application, the terminal device may also be a wearable device. Wearable devices can also be called wearable smart devices, which is a general term for the application of wearable technology to intelligently design daily wear and develop wearable devices, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothing and shoes. A wearable device is a portable device that is worn directly on the body or integrated into the user's clothing or accessories. Wearable devices are not only a hardware device, but also achieve powerful functions through software support, data interaction, and cloud interaction. Generalized wearable smart devices include full-featured, large-sized, complete or partial functions without relying on smart phones, such as smart watches or smart glasses, etc., and only focus on a certain type of application functions, and need to cooperate with other devices such as smart phones Use, such as various smart bracelets and smart jewelry for physical sign monitoring.

In the embodiment of the present application, the network device may be a device for communicating with the mobile device, and the network device may be an access point (Access Point, AP) in WLAN, a base station (Base Transceiver Station, BTS) in GSM or CDMA , or a base station (NodeB, NB) in WCDMA, or an evolved base station (Evolutional Node B, eNB or eNodeB) in LTE, or a relay station or access point, or a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, and an NR network The network equipment (gNB) in the network or the network equipment in the future evolved PLMN network or the network equipment in the NTN network, etc.

As an example but not a limitation, in this embodiment of the present application, the network device may have a mobile feature, for example, the network device may be a mobile device. Optionally, the network equipment may be a satellite or a balloon station. For example, the satellite can be a low earth orbit (low earth orbit, LEO) satellite, a medium earth orbit (medium earth orbit, MEO) satellite, a geosynchronous earth orbit (geosynchronous earth orbit, GEO) satellite, a high elliptical orbit (High Elliptical Orbit, HEO) satellite. ) Satellite etc. Optionally, the network device may also be a base station installed on land, water, and other locations.

In this embodiment of the application, the network device may provide services for a cell, and the terminal device communicates with the network device through the transmission resources (for example, frequency domain resources, or spectrum resources) used by the cell, and the cell may be a network device ( For example, a cell corresponding to a base station), the cell may belong to a macro base station, or may belong to a base station corresponding to a small cell (Small cell), and the small cell here may include: a metro cell (Metro cell), a micro cell (Micro cell), a pico cell ( Pico cell), Femto cell, etc. These small cells have the characteristics of small coverage and low transmission power, and are suitable for providing high-speed data transmission services.

FIG. 1 exemplarily shows a communication system 100 . The communication system includes a network device 110 and two terminal devices 120 . In an implementation manner, the communication system 100 may include multiple network devices 110, and the coverage of each network device 110 may include other numbers of terminal devices 120, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

In one embodiment, the communication system 100 may also include other network entities such as a mobility management entity (Mobility Management Entity, MME) and an access and mobility management function (Access and Mobility Management Function, AMF). Examples are not limited to this.

Wherein, the network equipment may further include access network equipment and core network equipment. That is, the wireless communication system also includes multiple core networks for communicating with access network devices. The access network device may be a long-term evolution (long-term evolution, LTE) system, a next-generation (mobile communication system) (next radio, NR) system or an authorized auxiliary access long-term evolution (LAA- Evolved base station (evolutional node B, abbreviated as eNB or e-NodeB) macro base station, micro base station (also called "small base station"), pico base station, access point (access point, AP), Transmission point (transmission point, TP) or new generation base station (new generation Node B, gNodeB), etc.

It should be understood that a device with a communication function in the network/system in the embodiment of the present application may be referred to as a communication device. Taking the communication system shown in Figure 1 as an example, the communication equipment may include network equipment and terminal equipment with communication functions. It may include other devices in the communication system, such as network controllers, mobility management entities and other network entities, which are not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

It should be understood that the terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably herein. The term "and/or" in this article is just an association relationship describing associated objects, which means that there can be three relationships, for example, A and/or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and there exists alone B these three situations. In addition, the character "/" in this article generally indicates that the contextual objects are an "or" relationship.

It should be understood that the "indication" mentioned in the embodiments of the present application may be a direct indication, may also be an indirect indication, and may also mean that there is an association relationship. For example, A indicates B, which can mean that A directly indicates B, for example, B can be obtained through A; it can also indicate that A indirectly indicates B, for example, A indicates C, and B can be obtained through C; it can also indicate that there is an association between A and B relation.

In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "corresponding" may indicate that there is a direct or indirect correspondence between the two, or that there is an association between the two, or that it indicates and is indicated, configuration and is configuration etc.

In order to facilitate the understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the related technologies of the embodiments of the present application are described below. The following related technologies can be combined with the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application as optional solutions, and all of them belong to the embodiments of the present application. protected range.

1. NC is used for 3GPP (NC for 3GPP)

3GPP will consider how to apply network coding (network coding, NC) in the network to improve the reliability of data transmission while using less transmission resources. One usage method is to use NC-based packet data convergence protocol (Packet Data Convergence Protocol, PDCP) duplication.

Research on layers that perform network coding includes research on protocol stacks for network coding based on PDCP replication, e.g., between the network coding layers between Radio Link Control (RLC) and PDCP (RAN2). Study of protocol stacks (Study of layer(s) on which network coding should be performed including study of protocol stacks of network coding based on PDCP duplication, e.g., network coding layer between RLC and PDCP(RAN2))

2. NC mechanism

The main idea of network coding includes: each node in the network performs linear or nonlinear processing on the information received on each data stream, and then forwards it to the downstream node, and the intermediate node plays the role of encoder or signal processor.

For example, the intermediate node may combine the data byte groups (x, y) on multiple paths into a group of data byte groups (xXORy) through logical operation processing (such as XOR processing) for transmission. On the premise of knowing x and/or y in advance, the receiving terminal can solve each data bit group (x, y) in (xXORy) through logic operation processing. Here, the number N of data streams or data packet processing supported by the NC is 2.

As a new technology that can reach network capacity, network coding may have great gains in the following scenarios:

(1) For point-to-point multi-channel replication transmission, the gain of separate transmission is limited by the worst path condition, while network coding transmission can adapt and adjust the data flow direction, so that the transmission mainly depends on the best path condition.

(2) For multi-hop network transmission, the simple forwarding strategy will make the transmission rate decrease exponentially with the increase of the packet loss rate, and the network coding can basically reach the network capacity.

3. NR Service Quality (Quality of Service, QoS)

In order to guarantee the transmission rate, the QoS mechanism of 5GS is needed. As shown in Figure 2, in a mobile communication network, in order to be able to transmit user plane data, one or more QoS Flows (data flows) need to be established, and different data flows correspond to different QoS parameters. As an important measure of communication quality, QoS parameters are usually used to indicate the characteristics of QoS Flow. QoS parameters can include but are not limited to: 5G QoS Indicator (5G QoS Identifier, 5QI), Address Resolution Protocol (Address Resolution Protocol) , ARP), guaranteed flow bit rate (GuaranteedFlow Bit Rate, GFBR), maximum flow bit rate (Maximum Flow Bit Rate, MFBR), maximum packet loss rate (Maximum Packet Loss Rate) (UL, DL), end-to-end PDB, AN-PDB, Packet Error Rate, Priority Level, Averaging Window, Resource Type, Maximum Data Burst Volume, UE-aggregation maximum Bit rate (Aggregate Maximum Bit Rate, AMBR), session (Session)-AMBR, etc.

A filter (or called an SDF template) contains parameters describing the characteristics of a data packet, and is used to filter out a specific data packet bound to a specific QoS Flow. Here, a commonly used Filter is an IP quintuple, that is, source and destination IP addresses, source and destination port numbers, and protocol type.

In the scenario where the packet data unit (PDU) session includes Qos Flow, the reliability requirements of Qos Flow are different, and the Qos Flow with relatively high reliability requirements can improve reliability and/or reduce delay through the NC function. Similarly, different services have different reliability and/or delay requirements, which can be achieved by using NC. The higher the number of data streams or data packet processing N of the supported NC, the higher the reliability; and the higher the number of N, the higher the processing complexity.

In this embodiment of the present application, the NC function can be used in combination with 3GPP. For example, the embodiment of the present application may provide an NC support method that introduces a separate protocol layer for the NC.

Fig. 3 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 300 according to an embodiment of the present application. The method can optionally be applied to the system shown in Fig. 1, but is not limited thereto. The method includes at least some of the following.

S310. The communication device performs an NC operation on the data packet according to a network coding (NC) input.

In this embodiment of the present application, NC may also be referred to as a network codec, and NC operations may include encoding (Encoding) operations and/or decoding (Decoding) operations in devices with different roles. For example, the communication device in this embodiment may be a sending end device. The NC operation performed by the sending end device may include an encoding operation and/or some preparatory operations before encoding, such as segmentation (Segment), padding (Padding), and the like. The peer end of the sending end device may be a receiving end device, and the NC operation performed by the receiving end device may include a decoding operation and/or some preparatory operations before decoding, such as buffering, reorganization, concatenation, and defilling.

In this embodiment of the present application, the communication device may be a terminal device such as a UE, or may be a network device such as a base station. In one case, as a terminal device, the communication device may be a sending end device, and a peer network device may also be a receiving end device. In another case, the communication device as a network device may also be a sending end device, and the opposite end device may be a receiving end device.

In this embodiment of the application, NC input may be referred to as NC input information, NC input indication, NC input command, NC input element, and the like. NC inputs may include input parameters for NC algorithms. The NC input may further include data packets received from an upper layer or an upper sublayer.

In one embodiment, the NC input includes at least one of the following: the code configuration file identifier used, the maximum segment length L supported, the maximum segment number K supported, the number of data streams supported by the NC, or Number of data packets processed N, NC algorithm, whether to perform NC operation.

In one embodiment, the NC input is for at least one of the following: bearer, PDCP entity, radio link control (Radio Link Control, RLC) entity, NC entity, user equipment, cell, media access control (Media Access Control, MAC) entity.

For example, the NC input is for at least one of the following: each bearer, each PDCP entity, each RLC entity, each NC entity, each user equipment, each cell, and each MAC entity. Wherein, the bearer (Radio Bearer, RB) may be a user plane bearer ((user) Data Radio Bearer, DRB). Of course, it does not rule out that it can be used for bearing the control plane.

In one embodiment, the NC input or NC transmission path includes at least one of the following: a path (leg) identifier used, a default path (default leg), a primary path (primary leg), a secondary path (secondary leg), From the path (slave leg).

In an implementation manner, the path identifier includes at least one of the following: an RLC identifier, a logical channel identifier, a MAC entity identifier, a carrier identifier, and a PDCP identifier.

In one embodiment, the manner of obtaining the NC input includes at least one of the following: configured by the network, determined by the NC layer of the communication device, and predefined.

In one embodiment, the method further includes: the NC layer of the communication device receives the data packet from the upper layer. Further, the data packet is an NC service data unit (Service Data Unit, SDU).

In one embodiment, the method further includes: the NC layer of the communication device submits the data packet to the lower layer. Further, the data packet is NC PDU.

In one embodiment, the high layer is the first protocol layer, and the low layer is the second protocol layer.

In an implementation manner, the first protocol layer is one of the following: Service Data Adaptation Protocol (Service Data Adaptation Protocol, SDAP), PDCP, RLC, and MAC.

In an implementation manner, the second protocol layer is one of the following: PDCP, RLC, MAC, and physical (Physical, PHY).

In one embodiment, the NC layer is a newly added protocol layer or protocol entity.

In an embodiment, the user plane protocol stack includes an NC layer or functions supporting NC; and/or, the control plane protocol stack includes an NC layer or functions supporting NC.

For example, only the user plane protocol stack may include the NC layer or support NC functions, or both the user plane protocol stack and the control plane protocol stack may include the NC layer or support NC functions. In addition, the functions supporting NC can be implemented in other non-NC layers by supporting or assisting NC function modules.

In one embodiment, the NC layer is located in one of the following:

Under the SDAP layer;

Under the PDCP layer;

Under the RLC layer;

Under the MAC layer;

Under the PHY layer;

on the SDAP layer.

In one embodiment, the NC layer is located in one of the following:

Under the SDAP layer, above the PDCP layer;

Under the PDCP layer, above the RLC layer;

Under the RLC layer, above the MAC layer;

Below the MAC layer, above the PHY layer.

For example, the location of the NC layer under the SDAP layer may include multiple situations: under the SDAP layer, above the PDCP layer; below the PDCP layer, above the RLC layer; below the RLC layer, above the MAC layer; below the MAC layer, above the PHY layer; below the PHY layer.

For another example, the location of the NC layer under the PDCP layer may include multiple situations: below the PDCP layer, above the RLC layer; below the RLC layer, above the MAC layer; below the MAC layer, above the PHY layer; below the PHY layer.

For another example, the location of the NC layer under the RLC layer may include multiple situations: below the RLC layer, above the MAC layer; below the MAC layer, above the PHY layer; below the PHY layer.

For another example, the location of the NC layer under the MAC layer may include multiple situations: under the MAC layer, above the PHY layer, or under the PHY layer.

In one embodiment, the data packet includes at least one of the following:

Perform NC segmentation (Segment) packets;

packets for which NC segmentation is not performed;

Perform NC padding (Padding) packets;

Packets for which NC padding was not performed.

For example, the data packet received by the NC layer may be a data packet that only performs NC segmentation but does not perform NC filling at the first protocol layer, or may be a data packet that only performs NC filling but does not perform NC segmentation at the first protocol layer The data packet may also be a data packet for which both NC stuffing and NC segmentation are performed at the first protocol layer, or a data packet for which neither NC stuffing nor NC segmentation is performed at the first protocol layer.

In an embodiment, the NC input is obtained by the first protocol layer from network configuration information, predefined information, indicated by the peer device or the NC layer. For example, the first protocol layer of the communication device receives configuration information from the network device, and the configuration information includes NC input. For another example, predefined information including NC input may be stored in the communication device, and the first protocol layer may obtain the NC input from the predefined information.

In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first protocol layer may perform operations such as NC segmentation and padding on the data packet, or may directly submit the data packet without performing NC segmentation, padding, etc. operations to the NC layer.

In an implementation manner, the method further includes: the first protocol layer is not aware of the NC layer, or the first protocol layer does not perform or assist in performing NC operations.

In an implementation manner, the method further includes: the first protocol layer submitting the data packet to the NC layer.

In an implementation manner, the method further includes: the first protocol layer performs NC segmentation to obtain the data packet, and the data packet is a PDU of the first protocol layer. Further, the segmented first protocol layer PDU may be an NC SDU.

In one embodiment, the first protocol layer PDU obtained by performing NC segmentation on the first protocol layer includes first information, and the first information is used to indicate at least one of the following:

Sequence Number (Sequence Number, SN), whether it is the first packet, whether it is the last packet, whether the fragmentation operation is performed, and the number of fragmented packets.

In one embodiment, the method further includes: the first protocol layer performs padding to obtain the data packet, and the data packet is a PDU of the first protocol layer. Further, the padded first protocol layer PDU may be an NC SDU.

In one embodiment, the first protocol layer PDU obtained by the first protocol layer performing padding includes second information, and the second information is used to indicate at least one of the following information: whether to add padding, padding size, occupancy information.

In one embodiment, performing the NC operation on the data packet includes: the NC layer of the communication device generates an NC PDU, or generates an NC PDU for the data packet. For example, NC PDU can include NC PDU packet header and NC PDU data part. For another example, the NC PDU may include at least one NC sub-PDU. Each NC sub-PDU corresponds to an NC PDU sub-packet header and the NC sub-PDU part corresponding to the sub-packet header (for example, data, padding, segmentation, corresponding to different sub-PDUs).

In one embodiment, the NC PDU includes an NC PDU header and a data portion; or, the NC PDU includes at least one NC sub-PDU, and each NC sub-PDU corresponds to an NC PDU sub-header and the corresponding NC sub-PDU data portion of the sub-header / Control information section.

In an implementation manner, performing the NC operation on the data packet includes: adding an NC header to the data packet at the NC layer of the communication device. For example, the data packet (NC SDU) received by the NC layer may include data packet A and data packet B. The data packet after the NC layer adds the header to the data packet A can be an NC PDU, and the data packet after adding the header to the data packet B can also be an NC PDU, and the data packet after adding the header to the data packet A is XORed to the data packet B It can also be NC PDU. That is to say, the NC PDU may include at least one of the data packets after the header is added to the data packet A, the data packet after the header is added to the data packet B, and at least one of the data packets after the header is added to the exclusive OR data packet B of the data packet A. That is to say, the NC PDU is a data packet processed by the NC layer or NC function or NC entity, or a data packet processed by using the NC algorithm.

In one embodiment, the NC PDU or NC packet header includes at least one of the following:

SN, the maximum supported segment length L, the maximum supported segment number K, the supported number of NC data streams or the number N of data packets processed, the encoding configuration file identifier used, the NC algorithm, and whether to perform NC operations.

In the embodiment of the present disclosure, after segmenting the received data packet, the obtained segmented data packet length is less than or equal to the supported maximum segment length L. The number of segmented data packets obtained by segmenting one data packet may be N. For example, when a packet is received, it is divided into two packets according to L. The number of these two packets is N. For another example, use fountain code (for example, the configuration file flag is 1) to execute NC code. In another implementation, NC encoding may be performed on the received N data packets using fountain code (for example, the configuration file identifier is 1). Optionally, regardless of the implementation method, when the two data packets are obtained, a padding operation may also be performed to ensure that the sizes of the two data packets match or are equal.

In an implementation manner, performing the NC operation on the data packet further includes: performing NC segmentation on the data packet by the NC layer of the communication device. For example, at the NC layer, NC segmentation may be performed on the received data packet, and segmentation is performed according to L to obtain multiple segmented data packets with length L.

In one embodiment, the NC layer obtains the NC PDU obtained by performing NC segmentation and includes third information, and the third information is used to indicate at least one of the following: SN, whether it is the first packet, whether it is the last packet , Whether to perform fragmentation operation, the number of fragmented packets.

In one embodiment, the third information is carried in the header of the NC PDU or the header of the NC sub-PDU.

In an implementation manner, performing the NC operation on the data packet further includes: the NC layer of the communication device performing padding on the data packet. For example, if the length of the received data packet is less than L, the received data packet may be filled, and the length of the filled data packet is L. For another example, if the length of the received data packet is greater than L, the received data packet may be segmented according to L. If the remaining length of the segment to the last packet is less than L, the last packet may be filled to have a length equal to L. In this way, multiple segmented data packets of equal length can be obtained.

In one embodiment, the NC PDU obtained by performing padding at the NC layer includes fourth information, where the fourth information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to add padding, padding size, and occupancy information. For example, whether padding is added may indicate whether padding is added in the NC PDU. The filling size can indicate how many bits (such as bit (bit) or byte (byte)) are filled in the NC PDU, and the occupancy information can indicate the specific information filled in the NC PDU.

In one embodiment, the fourth information is carried in the header of the NC PDU or the header of the NC sub-PDU.

In one embodiment, the packet header and/or the data part include: padding and a corresponding sub-packet header.

In one embodiment, the NC layer of the communication device submits the NC PDU to the lower layer, including: the NC layer submits the NC result obtained by performing the NC operation to the second protocol layer. In the sending end device, the NC result may also be called NC output (NC output), NC output result, NC encoding result, and the like. For example, NC results may include NC PDUs. The NC result may include the data packet after the header is added to the received data packet A, or the data packet after the header is added to the data packet B, or the data packet after the header is added after the XOR of the data packet A.

In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the NC PDU may be an SDU of the next layer, for example, an SDU of the second protocol layer.

In one embodiment, the NC PDU or NC result obtained by the communication device performing the NC operation is submitted through the same path, or through different paths. For example, the data packet obtained by adding a header to the received data packet A is delivered through the first path, and the data packet obtained by adding the header to the received data packet B is delivered through the second path, and the received data packet A is XORed with B and then added The data packet obtained by the packet header is delivered through the third path. For another example, the data packet obtained by adding a header to the received data packet A and the data packet obtained by adding a header to the received data packet B are delivered through the first path, and the data obtained by adding the header to the received data packet A is XORed Packages are delivered via the second path. Alternatively, each package randomly selects a configured or predefined or acquired path for delivery.

In an implementation manner, the path includes at least one of the following: RLC, carrier, PDCP, and MAC entities.

In one embodiment, the path is configured by the network, or selected by the communication device from the network configuration. For example, in the case that the path is configured by the network, the communication device may directly use the path configured by the network. For another example, in the case that the path is selected by the communication device from the network configuration, the path configured by the network may include a path set, and the communication device selects a part of the path set to use.

In an implementation manner, the communication device is a user equipment, and the method further includes: the user equipment receives NC configuration information from a network device.

In an implementation manner, the communication device is a network device, and the method further includes: the network device sends NC configuration information to the user equipment.

In one embodiment, the NC configuration information is included in at least one of the following: radio resource control (Radio Resource Control, RRC) configuration information, radio bearer configuration information, PDCP configuration information, RLC configuration information, MAC configuration information, cell Configuration information, logical channel configuration information.

In an implementation manner, the NC configuration information is for at least one of the following: bearer, PDCP entity, RLC entity, NC entity, user equipment, cell, and MAC entity. For example, the NC configuration information is for at least one of the following: each bearer, each PDCP entity, each RLC entity, each NC entity, each user equipment, each cell, and each MAC entity.

In one embodiment, the NC configuration information includes at least one of the following:

Physical layer parameters of NC PDU transmission;

Encoding;

Whether to support NC indication information;

NC enabled identification;

Indicates whether to execute the NC.

For example, the indication information of whether to support NC may indicate different states through different values. For example, if the indication information of whether to support NC is a first value, it indicates that NC protocol or NC function is supported; if it is a second value, it indicates that NC protocol or NC function is not supported.

For another example, the NC-enabled flag may represent different states through different flags. For example, the NC enabled flag is the first flag, which means that the NC is enabled, the NC protocol is enabled, or the NC protocol function is used; it is the second flag, which means that the NC function is not used, or the NC protocol function is not used, or the NC protocol is not used. Or, the appearance of a specific information element (Information Element, IE) means enabling, and the absence means disenabling.

For another example, the indication information of whether to execute NC may indicate different states through different values. For example, if the indication information of whether to execute NC is a first value, it indicates that an NC operation is performed; if it is a second value, it indicates that an NC operation is not performed. Alternatively, the presence of a specific IE means execution, and the absence of specific IE means no execution.

In an implementation manner, the physical layer parameters include at least one of the following: code rate and transmission power. For example, the code rate may be a bit rate, indicating the number of transmitted bits per unit time. For another example, the transmission power may represent the power used to transmit the NC PDU.

In one embodiment, the NC configuration information includes at least one of the following: used path identifier; default path; primary path; secondary path; secondary path.

For example, the path identifier used to transmit the NC PDU can be configured through the NC configuration information. For another example, different paths can be configured for the NC PDU through the NC configuration information. For example, the path of the segmented NC PDU is the master path, and the path of the non-segmented NC PDU is the slave path. For another example, the path of the NC PDU that is filled is the default path, and the path of the NC PDU that is not filled is the secondary path. For another example, the path of the NC PDU directly adding the header is the default path, and the path of the NC PDU adding the header after XOR is the secondary path. For another example, the protocol layer or the protocol function randomly selects the path to be used by the specific data packet (transmitting from the path corresponding to the configured path identifier).

Fig. 4 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 400 according to another embodiment of the present application. The method can optionally be applied to the system shown in Fig. 1, but is not limited thereto. The method includes at least some of the following. The same descriptions in this embodiment and the method 300 have the same meanings, and reference may be made to the relevant descriptions in the above method 300 , and details are not repeated here for brevity.

S410. The communication device performs an NC operation on the data packet according to the NC input, where the NC operation includes a network decoding operation.

The communication device in this embodiment may be a receiving end device. The NC operation performed by the receiving end device may include a decoding operation and/or some preparatory operations before decoding, such as buffering, reorganization, concatenation, and defilling. The opposite end of the receiving end device may be the sending end device. The NC operation performed by the sending end device may include an encoding operation and/or some preparatory operations before encoding, such as segmentation (Segment), padding (Padding), and the like.

In this embodiment of the present application, the communication device may be a terminal device such as a UE, or may be a network device such as a base station. In one case, the communication device as a terminal device may be a receiving end device, and the network device at the opposite end may also be a sending end device. In another case, the communication device may also be a receiving end device as a network device, and the opposite end device may be a sending end device.

In an implementation manner, the NC input is for at least one of the following: a bearer, a PDCP entity, an RLC entity, an NC entity, a user equipment, a cell, and a MAC entity.

In one embodiment, the NC input or NC transmission path includes at least one of the following: a used path identifier, a default path, a primary path, a secondary path, and a secondary path.

In one embodiment, the manner of obtaining the NC input includes at least one of the following: configured by the network, determined by the NC layer of the communication device, predefined, and indicated by the peer communication device.

In one embodiment, the method further includes: the NC layer of the communication device receives the data packet from the lower layer. Further, the data packet is NC PDU.

In one embodiment, the method further includes: the NC layer of the communication device submits the data packet to a higher layer. Further, the data packet is NC SDU.

In one embodiment, the user plane protocol stack includes an NC layer or a function supporting NC; and/or

The control plane protocol stack includes the NC layer or functions supporting NC.

In one embodiment, the NC layer is located in one of the following:

Under the SDAP layer;

Under the PDCP layer;

Under the RLC layer;

Under the MAC layer;

Under the PHY layer;

on the SDAP layer.

In one embodiment, the NC layer is located in one of the following:

Under the SDAP layer, above the PDCP layer;

Under the PDCP layer, above the RLC layer;

Under the RLC layer, above the MAC layer;

Below the MAC layer, above the PHY layer.

In one embodiment, performing the NC operation on the data packet includes:

The NC layer of the communication device performs buffer operation and/or buffer maintenance on the data packet.

In one embodiment, performing cache operations and/or cache maintenance includes performing at least one of the following:

Redundancy detection, packet deletion, segment redundancy detection, segment deletion, reassembly, concatenation, defilling.

In one embodiment, the NC layer performing redundancy detection or segmentation redundancy detection on the data packet includes: when the received data packet is the same as the data packet in the cache, or, when the received data packet If the packet is the same as the fragmented packet in the cache, the received packet is deleted. For example, if the received data packet A is the same as the data packet A in the cache, the data packet A may be deleted. For another example, if the received data packet A1 is the same as the segmented data packet A1 in the cache, the data packet A1 may be deleted.

In one embodiment, the NC layer performing packet deletion or segment deletion on the packet includes:

Deleting a fragmented packet from the buffer if a partially fragmented packet has not been received, has not been successfully received, or has not been successfully acknowledged; and/or,

In the case of a packet not received, not successfully received, or not successfully acknowledged, the packet is deleted from the cache.

For example, a data packet A includes multiple segmented data packets A1, A2, and A3. If the data packet A1 is not successfully received, the data packets A2 and A3 in the buffer may be deleted.

In one embodiment, the NC layer performing reassembly or concatenation on the data packet includes:

In the case that the segmented data packets are all received, the reorganized or concatenated NC SDU is delivered to the upper layer of the NC layer. For example, a data packet A includes multiple segmented data packets A1, A2, and A3, and the data packet received first is stored in the cache. If data packets A1 and A2 are included in the cache, and data packet A3 is received, data packets A1, A2 and A3 can be reassembled or concatenated to obtain data packet A, which is NC SDU. The NC layer may submit the NC SDU to the first protocol layer.

In an implementation manner, the NC layer performs reassembly or concatenation according to the third information or fifth information, or determines whether to perform reassembly or concatenation according to the third information or fifth information.

In one embodiment, the third information is used to indicate at least one of the following:

SN, whether it is the first packet, whether it is the last packet, whether fragmentation is performed, and the number of fragmented packets.

In one embodiment, the third information is carried in the header of the NC PDU or the header of the NC sub-PDU. For example, the third information may be carried in the header of the received NC PDU or the header of the NC sub-PDU, and the NC PDU may be obtained after the NC layer or the first protocol layer of the sending end device performs NC segmentation. The third information may also be default or predefined.

In an implementation manner, the fifth information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to perform reorganization, whether to perform reorganization and cascading, to perform reorganization, and to perform cascading.

In an implementation manner, the fifth information is carried in the NC PDU. For example, the fifth information may be carried in the header of the received NC PDU or the header of the NC sub-PDU. The fifth information may also be default or predefined.

In one embodiment, the NC layer performing defilling on the data packet includes:

In case de-stuffing is required, packets that have not been de-stuffed remain in the cache;

If it needs to be defilled, after the data packets in the cache are defilled, it is submitted to the upper layer of the NC layer.

In an implementation manner, the NC layer performs de-stuffing according to the fourth information or the sixth information, or determines whether to perform de-stuffing.

In an implementation manner, the fourth information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to add padding, padding size, and occupancy information.

In one embodiment, the fourth information is carried in the header of the NC PDU or the header of the NC sub-PDU. For example, the fourth information may be carried in the header of the received NC PDU or the header of the NC sub-PDU, and the NC PDU may be obtained after the NC layer or the first protocol layer of the sending end device performs padding and segmentation. The fourth information may also be default or predefined.

In an implementation manner, the sixth information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to perform de-stuffing, and to perform de-stuffing.

In an implementation manner, the sixth information is carried in the NC PDU. For example, the sixth information may be carried in the header of the received NC PDU or the header of the NC sub-PDU. The sixth information may also be default or predefined.

For NC PDU, it can be an NC PDU header and a data part of NC PDU, that is, NC SDU. Or, for an NC PDU, at least one NC sub-PDU is included. Each NC sub-PDU includes an NC sub-PDU header and a data part of an NC sub-PDU, that is, an NC sub-SDU. The NC sub-SDU may include NC data or NC information (such as padding, etc.).

In an embodiment, the NC input is obtained by the first protocol layer from network configuration information, predefined information, an instruction from the peer device or the NC.

In an implementation manner, the first protocol layer is one of the following: SDAP, PDCP, RLC, and MAC.

In one embodiment, the method also includes:

The first protocol layer performs a cache operation and/or cache maintenance on the data packet.

In one embodiment, the first protocol layer performing redundancy detection or segmentation redundancy detection on the data packet includes:

In case the received data packet is the same as the data packet in the cache, or, in the case that the received data packet is the same as the fragmented data packet in the cache, the received data packet is deleted.

In one embodiment, the first protocol layer performing data packet deletion or segment deletion on the data packet includes:

In one embodiment, the first protocol layer recombining or concatenating the data packet includes:

In the case that the segmented data packets are all received, the reassembled or concatenated NC SDU is delivered to the upper layer of the first protocol layer.

In an implementation manner, the first protocol layer performs reassembly or concatenation according to the seventh information or determines whether to perform reassembly or concatenation according to the seventh information.

In an implementation manner, the seventh information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to perform reorganization, whether to perform reorganization and cascading, to perform reorganization, and to perform cascading.

In an implementation manner, the first protocol layer performing defilling on the data packet includes:

In an implementation manner, the first protocol layer performs de-stuffing according to the eighth information, or determines whether to perform de-stuffing.

In an implementation manner, the eighth information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to perform de-stuffing, and to perform de-stuffing.

In an implementation manner, the method further includes: the NC layer of the communication device obtains the data packet from the cache of other layers.

In one embodiment, the data packets acquired from other layer caches include data packets for performing NC segmentation and/or NC filling. In addition, the data packets obtained from other layer caches may also be data packets that do not perform NC segmentation and/or padding, but perform data packet redundancy detection and/or deletion at the receiving end.

In one embodiment, the NC layer of the communication device obtains the data packet from the cache of other layers, including: in the case of performing network decoding, the NC layer obtains the data packet from the cache of the first protocol layer or the second protocol layer Get that packet. For example, if the NC layer does not have a buffer, the required data packet may be acquired from buffers of other layers such as the first protocol layer or the second protocol layer.

In one embodiment, the NC layer of the communication device submits the NC PDU to a high layer, including: the NC layer submits the NC result obtained by performing the NC operation to the first protocol layer. In the sending device, the NC result may also be called NC output (NC output), NC output result, NC decoding result, and the like.

In one embodiment, the NC PDU or NC result obtained by the communication device performing the NC operation is submitted through the same path, or through different paths.

In one embodiment, the path is configured by the network, or selected by the communication device from the network configuration.

In an implementation manner, the communication device is a user equipment, and the method further includes:

The user equipment receives NC configuration information from a network device.

In one embodiment, the communication device is a network device, and the method further includes:

The network device sends NC configuration information to the user equipment.

In one embodiment, the NC configuration information is included in at least one of the following:

RRC configuration information, radio bearer configuration information, PDCP configuration information, RLC configuration information, MAC configuration information, cell configuration information, logical channel configuration information.

In an implementation manner, the NC configuration information is for at least one of the following: bearer, PDCP entity, RLC entity, NC entity, user equipment, cell, and MAC entity.

Physical layer parameters of NC PDU transmission;

Encoding;

Whether to support NC indication information;

NC enabled identification;

Indicates whether to execute NC.

In an implementation manner, the physical layer parameters include at least one of the following: code rate and transmission power.

Fig. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 500 according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 500 may include:

The processing unit 510 is configured to perform an NC operation on the data packet according to the network coding NC input.

In one embodiment, the processing unit of the device is further configured to perform at least one of the following:

Receive the NC SDU from the upper layer through the NC layer;

Submit the NC PDU to the lower layer through the NC layer.

In one embodiment, the NC layer is located in one of the following:

Under the SDAP layer;

Under the PDCP layer;

Under the RLC layer;

Under the MAC layer;

Under the PHY layer;

on the SDAP layer.

In one embodiment, the NC layer is located in one of the following:

Under the SDAP layer, above the PDCP layer;

Under the PDCP layer, above the RLC layer;

Under the RLC layer, above the MAC layer;

Below the MAC layer, above the PHY layer.

In one embodiment, the data packet includes at least one of the following:

Perform NC segmented packets;

packets for which NC segmentation is not performed;

Perform NC filled packets;

Packets for which NC padding was not performed.

In an embodiment, the NC input is obtained by the first protocol layer from network configuration information, predefined information, indicated by the peer device or the NC layer.

In an implementation manner, the first protocol layer of the device is not aware of the NC layer, or the first protocol layer does not perform or assist in performing NC operations.

In an implementation manner, the processing unit of the device is further configured to deliver the data packet to the NC layer through the first protocol layer.

In an implementation manner, the processing unit of the device is further configured to perform NC segmentation through the first protocol layer to obtain the data packet, where the data packet is a PDU of the first protocol layer.

In an implementation manner, the processing unit of the device is further configured to perform padding on the first protocol layer to obtain the data packet, where the data packet is a PDU of the first protocol layer.

In one embodiment, the processing unit performing the NC operation on the data packet includes: generating an NC PDU through the NC layer, or generating an NC PDU for the data packet.

In one embodiment, the NC PDU includes an NC PDU header and a data portion; or, the NC PDU includes at least one NC sub-PDU, each NC sub-PDU corresponds to an NC PDU sub-header and the corresponding NC sub-PDU data portion of the sub-header / Control information section.

In one embodiment, the processing unit performing the NC operation on the data packet includes: adding an NC header to the data packet through the NC layer.

In an implementation manner, the processing unit performing the NC operation on the data packet further includes: performing NC segmentation on the data packet through the NC layer.

In one embodiment, the NC layer performs NC segmentation and includes third information in the NC PDU obtained by NC segmentation, and the third information is used to indicate at least one of the following:

In one embodiment, the processing unit performing the NC operation on the data packet further includes: performing padding on the data packet through the NC layer.

In one embodiment, the NC PDU obtained by performing padding at the NC layer includes fourth information, where the fourth information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to add padding, padding size, and occupancy information.

In one embodiment, the NC layer of the communication device submits the NC PDU to the lower layer, including:

The NC layer submits the NC result obtained by executing the NC operation to the second protocol layer.

In an implementation manner, the second protocol layer is one of the following: PDCP, RLC, MAC, and PHY.

In an implementation manner, the communication device is a user equipment, and the user equipment further includes:

The receiving unit is configured to receive NC configuration information from the network device.

In one embodiment, the communication device is a network device, and the network device further includes:

A sending unit, configured to send NC configuration information to the user equipment.

Physical layer parameters of NC PDU transmission;

Encoding;

Whether to support NC indication information;

NC enabled identification;

Indicates whether to execute the NC.

In an implementation manner, the communication device is a receiving end device.

The communication device 500 in the embodiment of the present application can implement the corresponding functions of the communication device in the foregoing method 300 embodiment. For the processes, functions, implementations and beneficial effects corresponding to each module (submodule, unit or component, etc.) in the communication device 500, refer to the corresponding description in the above method embodiment 300, and details are not repeated here. It should be noted that the functions described by the various modules (submodules, units or components, etc.) in the communication device 500 of the embodiment of the application can be realized by different modules (submodules, units or components, etc.), or by the same Module (submodule, unit or component, etc.) implementation.

Fig. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 600 according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 600 may include:

The processing unit 610 is configured to perform an NC operation on the data packet according to the NC input, where the NC operation includes a network decoding operation.

The NC layer receives the NC PDU from the lower layer;

The NC layer submits the NC SDU to the upper layer.

In one embodiment, the NC layer is located in one of the following:

Under the SDAP layer;

Under the PDCP layer;

Under the RLC layer;

Under the MAC layer;

Under the PHY layer;

on the SDAP layer.

In one embodiment, the NC layer is located in one of the following:

Under the SDAP layer, above the PDCP layer;

Under the PDCP layer, above the RLC layer;

Under the RLC layer, above the MAC layer;

Below the MAC layer, above the PHY layer.

In an implementation manner, the processing unit performing the NC operation on the data packet includes: performing a cache operation and/or cache maintenance on the data packet through the NC layer.

In one embodiment, the processing unit performing cache operation and/or cache maintenance includes performing at least one of the following:

In one embodiment, the processing unit performs redundancy detection or segmentation redundancy detection on the data packet through the NC layer, including:

In one embodiment, the processing unit performs packet deletion or segment deletion on the data packet through the NC layer including:

In one embodiment, the processing unit performing reassembly or concatenation on the data packet through the NC layer includes:

In the case that the segmented data packets are all received, the reorganized or concatenated NC SDU is delivered to the upper layer of the NC layer.

In an embodiment, the processing unit executes reassembly or concatenation according to the third information or fifth information through the NC layer, or determines whether to perform reassembly or concatenation according to the third information or fifth information.

In an implementation manner, the fifth information is carried in the NC PDU.

In one embodiment, the processing unit performing defilling on the data packet through the NC layer includes:

In an implementation manner, the sixth information is carried in the NC PDU.

In an implementation manner, the processing unit of the device is further configured to perform a cache operation and/or cache maintenance on the data packet on the data packet through the first protocol layer.

In one embodiment, the processing unit performing cache operation and/or cache maintenance through the first protocol layer includes performing at least one of the following:

In one embodiment, the processing unit performs redundancy detection or segmentation redundancy detection on the data packet through the first protocol layer including:

In one embodiment, the processing unit performing data packet deletion or segment deletion on the data packet through the first protocol layer includes:

In one embodiment, the processing unit performing reassembly or concatenation on the data packet through the first protocol layer includes:

In an implementation manner, the processing unit performing defilling on the data packet through the first protocol layer includes:

In an implementation manner, the processing unit of the device is further configured to acquire the data packet from the cache of other layers through the NC layer.

In one embodiment, the data packets include data packets for performing NC segmentation and/or NC padding.

In one embodiment, the processing unit obtains the data packet from the buffer of other layers through the NC layer, including: in the case of performing network decoding, the NC layer obtains the data packet from the buffer of the first protocol layer or the second protocol layer Get that packet.

Physical layer parameters of NC PDU transmission;

Encoding;

Whether to support NC indication information;

NC enabled identification;

Indicates whether to execute the NC.

In an implementation manner, the communication device is a sending end device.

The communication device 600 in the embodiment of the present application can implement the corresponding functions of the communication device in the foregoing method 400 embodiment. For the processes, functions, implementations and beneficial effects corresponding to each module (submodule, unit or component, etc.) in the communication device 600, refer to the corresponding description in the above method embodiment, and details are not repeated here. It should be noted that the functions described by the various modules (submodules, units or components, etc.) in the communication device 600 of the embodiment of the application can be realized by different modules (submodules, units or components, etc.), or by the same Module (submodule, unit or component, etc.) implementation.

The communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application is a network coding implementation method, which has at least one of the following characteristics: a new protocol layer (user plane protocol layer) is introduced to support NC functions. Interlayer interaction is performed between the NC protocol layer and the first protocol layer, and the interaction information includes at least NC input. Interlayer interaction of NC input between the NC protocol layer and the first protocol layer does not need to be performed, or the first protocol layer is not aware of NC input. The first protocol layer obtains NC input from network configuration or pre-definition, without performing interlayer interaction of NC input between the NC protocol layer and the first protocol layer. The support of the protocol stack and/or NC functions can only be applied to the UP plane. The following are several specific application examples.

Example 1: Introducing a new protocol layer (user plane protocol layer) to support NC functions. Interlayer interaction is performed between the NC protocol layer and the first protocol layer, and the interaction information includes at least NC input (input)

In this example, the above behavior is an example, and the downlink is also applicable, as shown in Figure 7. The specific implementation process is as follows:

S11. The UE (for example, the NC layer UE_NC of the UE) receives configuration information from the network (NW, for example gNB). Specifically, the configuration information may include at least one of the following:

PDCP configuration information (config), NC config, RLC config, SDAP config, MAC config, PHY config, etc.

The configuration information is for a radio bearer (radio bearer, RB). Optionally, the RB is a DRB.

Optionally, NC config is an optional configuration.

Optionally, the NC config is included in at least one of the following: RRC config, radio bearer (radio bearer) config, PDCP config, RLC config, MAC-config, cell (cell) config, logical channel (logical channel) config.

Optionally, the NC config is configured for at least one of the following: each bearer (Per bearer), each PDCP entity (per PDCP entity), each RLC entity (per RLC entity), RLC entity, NC entity ( per NC entity), each user equipment (per UE), cell (cell common), MAC entity (MAC entity).

S12. The NC layer determines the NC input (input), and performs interlayer interaction with the first protocol layer (high layer, which can be represented as UE_upperL), and the interaction information includes at least the NC input. specific:

Optionally, at least one of the NC inputs is: configured by the network, determined by the UE NC layer, predefined, or indicated by the peer device.

Optionally, the NC input includes but is not limited to at least one of the following: used coding profile ID (coding profile ID), supported maximum segment length L, supported maximum segment number K, supported NC The number of data streams or the number N of data packets processed (for example, two or more data NCs), NC algorithm, and whether to perform NC operations.

Optionally, the NC input is configured for at least one of the following: bearer, PDCP entity, RLC entity, NC entity, user equipment, cell, and MAC entity.

Optionally, the NC input is configured for at least one of the following: each bearer (Per bearer), each PDCP entity (per PDCP entity), each RLC entity (per RLC entity), each NC entity (per NC entity), each user equipment (per UE), each cell (cell common), MAC entity (MAC entity).

Optionally, the NC input, NC configuration information or NC transmission path includes at least one of the following: the used path (leg) identifier (such as RLC identifier, MAC entity identifier, carrier identifier, etc.), default path (default leg), main Path (primary leg), secondary path (secondary leg), slave path (slave leg). The first protocol layer is one of the following: SDAP, PDCP, RLC, MAC.

S13. The first protocol layer performs at least one of the following actions:

a) The first protocol layer delivers the assembled packet to the NC layer.

b) Optionally, the first protocol layer (such as the sender) performs segmentation (segment) to ensure that the length of the data packets arriving at the NC layer is consistent.

Optionally, in the case of performing segmentation, the packet information composed of the first protocol layer carries one of the following information indications: SN, whether it is the first packet, whether it is the last packet, whether the segmentation operation is performed , the number of fragmented packets.

Optionally, in the case of performing segmentation, the above-mentioned information is carried in the header information of the packet composed of the first layer.

c) Optionally, the first protocol layer (such as the receiving side) performs reassembly or concatenation to restore the original data.

Optionally, according to the indication information carried in the packet information of the first protocol layer, it is determined whether to perform reassembly or concatenation, and/or, perform reassembly or concatenation.

Optionally, the first protocol layer (receiving side) performs buffering and/or maintains a buffer (buffer). Optionally, when all the segmented data in the cache are received, submit the reorganized or concatenated data to the upper layer.

d) Optionally, the first protocol layer (such as the sending side) performs padding. Correspondingly, the first protocol layer needs to indicate at least one of the following: whether to add padding, padding length (size), and occupancy information.

e) Optionally, the first protocol layer (such as the receiving side) performs de-filling to restore the original data.

Optionally, according to the indication information carried in the packet information of the first protocol layer, it is determined whether to perform de-stuffing, and/or, perform de-stuffing.

Optionally, the first protocol layer (such as the receiving side) performs caching and/or maintains caching. Optionally, if padding is required, the unpopulated data remains in the cache; if padding is required, the reorganized or concatenated data is delivered to the upper layer after padding is required.

S14. The NC layer performs at least one of the following actions: receiving packets from the first protocol layer, performing NC operations, generating NC output (output), and delivering (deliver) the data processed by the NC to the second protocol layer (lower layer, representing for UE_lowerL). The second protocol layer is the lower layer of the NC layer. Specifically, the second protocol layer is one of the following: PDCP, RLC, MAC, and PHY.

Specifically include at least one of the following:

a) Obtaining a data packet from the first protocol layer: the data packet is at least one of the following: NC segmented (segment) packet, non-NC segmented packet, filled packet or unfilled packet.

b) Execute NC operation and obtain NC output. For example, perform NC operations based on NC input and data packets obtained from upper layers.

c) Add an NC header to the data packet. Optionally, the NC header includes at least one of the following information: SN, N, L, K, encoding profile ID (coding profile ID)

d) Generate NC PDU. The NC PDU includes NC PDU header and data part.

The NC PDU packet header and/or data part may also include: padding and a sub-packet header corresponding to padding.

When the NC layer supports segments, the NC packet (NC PDU) carries one of the following information indications: SN, whether it is the first packet, whether it is the last packet, whether the segmentation operation is performed, and the segmented packet quantity. Optionally, the information is carried in the NC header or sub-header.

e) NC output results can be delivered through the same leg deliverer or through different leg deliverers.

This output includes only source data and/or data acquired by the NC algorithm. Such as: X, Y, X&Y.

The leg can be: RLC, carrier, PDCP, MAC entity. Optionally, the leg may be configured by the network, or may be selected by the UE from network configuration.

f) Optionally, the NC (such as the sending side) executes a segment operation to ensure that the length of the data packet targeted by the NC operation is consistent. For example, in the case where the first protocol layer (such as the sending side) does not execute the segment.

Optionally, in the case of executing a segment, the NC packet information carries one of the following information indications: SN, whether it is the first packet, whether it is the last packet, whether the segmentation operation is performed, the segmented packet quantity. Optionally, the information is carried in the header information of the packet composed of the first layer.

g) Optionally, the NC layer (such as the receiving side) performs reassembly or concatenation to restore the original data.

Optionally, according to the indication information carried in the NC PDU information, determine whether to perform reassembly or concatenation, and/or, perform reassembly or concatenation.

Optionally, the NC layer (receiving side) performs caching and/or maintains a caching buffer. Optionally, when all the segment data in the cache buffer is received, submit the reassembly or concatenated data to the upper layer.

h) Optionally, the NC layer (such as the sending side) performs padding work. Correspondingly, NC PDU needs to indicate whether padding is added, padding size, and occupancy information.

i) Optionally, the NC layer (such as the receiving side) performs padding removal to restore the original data.

Optionally, according to the indication information carried in the NC PDU layer packet information, it is determined whether to perform padding removal, and/or, perform padding removal.

Optionally, the NC layer (such as the receiving side) performs caching and/or maintains a caching buffer. Optionally, if padding is required, the data that has not been padded remains in the cache buffer; if padding is required, after padding is removed, the reassembly or cascaded data is submitted to the upper layer.

j) Optionally, when performing network decoding, the first protocol layer exchanges the data cached in the buffer to the NC layer (receiving end). The data in the buffer is at least one of the input and output data of the NC sender (such as X, Y, X&Y). At this time, both the first protocol layer and the NC layer (such as the receiving side) have buffers.

In this example, when the NC is an independent protocol layer, the NC process is implemented based on inter-layer interaction to ensure reliability and improve air interface resource utilization.

Example 2: Introducing a new protocol layer (user plane protocol layer) to support NC functions. Interlayer interaction of NC input between the NC protocol layer and the first protocol layer does not need to be performed, or the first protocol layer is not aware of NC input.

In this example, the above behavior is an example, and the downlink is also applicable, as shown in Figure 8. The specific implementation process is as follows:

S21. The UE (for example, the NC layer UE_NC of the UE) receives configuration information from the network (NW, for example gNB). Specifically, the configuration information may include at least one of the following: PDCP configuration information (config), NC config, RLC config, SDAP config, MAC config, PHY config, etc.

This configuration is for radio bearers (RBs). Optionally, the RB is a DRB.

Optionally, NC config is an optional configuration.

Optionally, the NC config is included in at least one of the following: RRC config, radio bearer (radio bearer) config, PDCP config, RLC config, MAC-config, cell (cell) config, logical channel (logical channel) config. .

S22. The first protocol layer delivers the packaged package to the NC layer.

The first protocol layer is one of the following: SDAP, PDCP, RLC, MAC.

This first protocol layer is located above the NC layer.

S23. The NC layer performs at least one of the following actions: receiving packets from the first protocol layer, determining NC input, performing NC operations, outputting NC outputs, and delivering (deliver) NC PDUs to the second protocol layer. Optionally, the characteristics of the NC layer include one of the following:

Optionally, the NC input includes but is not limited to at least one of the following: the encoding configuration file identifier used, the maximum segment length L supported, the maximum segment number K supported, the number of data streams or data streams supported by the NC Packet processing number N (for example, two or more data NC), NC algorithm, whether to perform NC operation.

Optionally, the NC input is configured for at least one of the following: each bearer, each PDCP entity, each RLC entity, each NC entity, each user equipment, each cell, and each MAC entity.

Optionally, the NC input, NC configuration information or NC transmission path includes at least one of the following: the used path (leg) identifier (such as RLC identifier, MAC entity identifier, carrier identifier, etc.), default path (default leg), main Path (primary leg), secondary path (secondary leg), slave path (slave leg).

The first protocol layer is one of the following: SDAP, PDCP, RLC, MAC.

The second protocol layer is the lower layer of the NC layer. Specifically, the second protocol layer is one of the following: PDCP, RLC, MAC, and PHY.

The NC layer performs at least one of the following actions:

a) Obtain a data packet from the upper layer: the data packet is a packet that has not executed the NC segment.

b) Perform NC operations according to NC input and data packets obtained from the upper layer

c) Add an NC header to the data packet. Optionally, the NC header includes at least one of the following information: SN, N, L, K, encoding configuration information identifier.

d) Generate NC PDU. The NC PDU includes NC PDU header and data part. The NC PDU packet header and/or data may also include at least one of the following: padding, padding length and padding corresponding sub-packet header.

In the case that the NC layer supports segments, the NC packet carries one of the following information indications: SN, whether it is the first packet, whether it is the last packet, whether a segmentation operation is performed, and the number of segmented packets. Optionally, this information is carried in the NC header.

e) NC output results can be delivered through the same leg deliverer or through different leg deliverers. This output includes only source data and/or data acquired by the NC algorithm. Such as: X, Y, X&Y.

f) Optionally, the NC (such as the sending side) executes a segment operation to ensure that the length of the data packet targeted by the NC operation is consistent.

Optionally, in the case of executing a segment, the NC packet information carries one of the following information indications: SN, whether it is the first packet, whether it is the last packet, whether the segmentation operation is performed, the segmented packet quantity. (Optional, this information is carried in the header information of the packet composed of the first layer)

In this example, when the NC is an independent protocol layer, the method of implementing the NC process ensures reliability and improves air interface resource utilization. Compared with Example 1, the NC high-level does not need to know NC-related information, but only needs to send the package to the NC layer, avoiding the complexity of the NC high-level implementation.

Example 3: Introducing a new protocol layer (user plane protocol layer) to support NC functions. The first protocol layer obtains NC input from network configuration or pre-definition, without performing interlayer interaction of NC input between the NC protocol layer and the first protocol layer.

In this example, the above behavior is an example, and the downlink is also applicable. The specific implementation process is as follows:

S31. The UE receives configuration information from the network (gNB) (for example, through the NC layer UE_NC of the UE). Specifically, the configuration information may include at least one of the following: PDCP configuration information (config), NC config, RLC config, SDAP config, MAC config, PHY config, etc.

This configuration is for radio bearers (RBs). Optionally, the RB is a DRB.

Optionally, NC config is an optional configuration.

S32. The first protocol layer performs at least one of the following actions: the first protocol layer obtains the NC input from the network configuration, and/or performs related operations according to the NC input, and may also predefine the NC input.

The first protocol layer is one of the following: SDAP, PDCP, RLC, MAC.

a) The first protocol layer determines the NC input.

Optionally, at least one of the NC inputs is: determined by the NC protocol function, configured by the network, predefined or indicated by the peer device. For example NC algorithms are predefined. For another example, the encoding configuration file ID is determined by the NC layer.

The NC input is configured for at least one of the following: each bearer (Per bearer), each PDCP entity (per PDCP entity), each RLC entity (per RLC entity), each NC entity (per NC entity), Each user equipment (per UE), each cell (cell common), MAC entity (MAC entity).

b) The first protocol layer delivers the assembled package to the NC layer.

c) Optionally, the first protocol layer (such as the sending side) executes segments to ensure that the lengths of data packets arriving at the NC layer are consistent.

Optionally, execute segment according to NC input.

Optionally, in the case of executing a segment, the packet information composed of the first protocol layer carries one of the following information indications: SN, whether it is the first packet, whether it is the last packet, whether a segmentation operation is performed, The number of fragmented packets. Optionally, the information is carried in the header information of the packet composed of the first layer.

d) Optionally, the first protocol layer (such as the receiving side) performs reassembly or concatenation to restore the original data.

Optionally, according to the indication information carried in the packet information of the first protocol layer, it is determined whether to perform reassembly or concatenation, and/or, to perform reassembly or concatenation.

Optionally, the first protocol layer (receiving side) implements buffering and/or maintains buffering buffers. Optionally, when all the segment data in the cache buffer is received, submit the reassembly or concatenated data to the upper layer.

e) Optionally, the first protocol layer (such as the sending side) performs padding work. Correspondingly, the first protocol layer needs to indicate at least one of the following: whether to add padding, padding length (size), and occupancy information.

f) Optionally, the first protocol layer (such as the receiving side) performs padding removal to restore the original data.

Optionally, according to the indication information carried in the packet information of the first protocol layer, it is determined whether to perform padding removal, and/or, perform padding removal.

Optionally, the first protocol layer (such as the receiving side) performs buffering and/or maintains buffering buffers. Optionally, if padding is required, the data that has not been padded remains in the cache buffer; if padding is required, after padding is removed, the reassembly or cascaded data is submitted to the upper layer.

S33. The NC layer performs at least one of the following actions: receiving packets from the first protocol layer, performing NC operations, obtaining NC output, and delivering data processed by the NC to the second protocol layer. Specifically include at least one of the following:

a) Obtain a data packet from the upper layer: the data packet is an NC segment packet, or a non-NC segment packet. The upper layer may be the first protocol layer.

c) Add an NC header to the data packet. Optionally, the NC header includes at least one of the following information:

SN, N, L, K, coded profile identification.

d) Generate NC PDU. The NC PDU includes NC PDU header and data part.

Indicates in the NC PDU whether the packet has performed an NC operation.

The NC PDU header and/or data may also include at least one of the following: padding, padding length, sub-packet header corresponding to padding.

Example 4: Introducing a new protocol layer (user plane protocol layer) to support NC functions.

Possible air interface architectures are as follows:

Optionally, the support of the protocol stack and/or NC function is only applicable to the UP side

Optionally, the support of the protocol stack and/or NC function is applicable to the UP plane and the CP plane.

A: NC is located: under the PDCP layer, above the RLC layer

As shown in Figure 10a and Figure 10b: After the NC reaches the RLC, the corresponding data packets use different RLC paths (legs), or, different RLC legs. For the NR system, there is an SDAP layer on top of the PDCP layer

B: NC is located: under the SDAP layer, above the PDCP layer

As shown in Figure 11a, Figure 11b and Figure 11c: After NC arrives at PDCP, the corresponding data packets use different PDCP legs, or the same PDCP leg but different RLC legs, or the same PDCP leg and the same RLC leg.

C: NC is located: under the RLC layer, above the MAC layer

As shown in Figure 12a and Figure 12b: NC to MAC can correspond to the same RLC leg (correspondingly, use the same carrier or different carriers), or different RLC legs. NC transmission uses multiple legs, representing the use of different RLC entities, or different carriers. For the NR system, there is an SDAP layer on top of the PDCP layer.

D: NC is located: under the MAC layer, above the PHY layer, see Figure 13.

E: NC is located under: PHY layer

Cases D and E: NC transmission uses one leg or multiple legs. Using multiple legs means using different carriers. For the NR system, there is an SDAP layer on top of the PDCP layer

Fig. 14 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 1400 according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 1400 includes a processor 1410, and the processor 1410 can invoke and run a computer program from a memory, so that the communication device 1400 implements the method in the embodiment of the present application.

In an implementation manner, the communication device 1400 may further include a memory 1420 . Wherein, the processor 1410 may call and run a computer program from the memory 1420, so that the communication device 1400 implements the method in the embodiment of the present application.

Wherein, the memory 1420 may be an independent device independent of the processor 1410 , or may be integrated in the processor 1410 .

In one embodiment, the communication device 1400 may further include a transceiver 1430, and the processor 1410 may control the transceiver 1430 to communicate with other devices, specifically, to send information or data to other devices, or to receive information sent by other devices. information or data.

Wherein, the transceiver 1430 may include a transmitter and a receiver. The transceiver 1430 may further include antennas, and the number of antennas may be one or more.

In one embodiment, the communication device 1400 may be the communication device 500 of the embodiment of the present application, and the communication device 500 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the sending end device in each method of the embodiment of the present application. For the sake of brevity, the This will not be repeated here.

In one embodiment, the communication device 1400 may be the communication device 600 of the embodiment of the present application, and the communication device 600 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the receiving end device in each method of the embodiment of the present application. For the sake of brevity, the This will not be repeated here.

FIG. 15 is a schematic structural diagram of a chip 1500 according to an embodiment of the present application. The chip 1500 includes a processor 1510, and the processor 1510 can invoke and run a computer program from a memory, so as to implement the method in the embodiment of the present application.

In one embodiment, the chip 1500 may further include a memory 1520 . Wherein, the processor 1510 may invoke and run a computer program from the memory 1520, so as to implement the method executed by the communication device 500 or the communication device 600 in the embodiment of the present application.

Wherein, the memory 1520 may be an independent device independent of the processor 1510 , or may be integrated in the processor 1510 .

In an implementation manner, the chip 1500 may further include an input interface 1530 . Wherein, the processor 1510 can control the input interface 1530 to communicate with other devices or chips, specifically, can obtain information or data sent by other devices or chips.

In an implementation manner, the chip 1500 may further include an output interface 1540 . Wherein, the processor 1510 can control the output interface 1540 to communicate with other devices or chips, specifically, can output information or data to other devices or chips.

In one implementation, the chip can be applied to the communication device 500 in the embodiment of the present application, and the chip can implement the corresponding process implemented by the sending end device in each method of the embodiment of the present application. For the sake of brevity, the Let me repeat.

In one embodiment, the chip can be applied to the communication device 600 in the embodiment of the present application, and the chip can implement the corresponding process implemented by the receiving end device in each method of the embodiment of the present application. For the sake of brevity, the Let me repeat.

The chips applied to the communication device 500 and the communication device 600 may be the same chip or different chips.

It should be understood that the chip mentioned in the embodiment of the present application may also be called a system-on-chip, a system-on-chip, a system-on-a-chip, or a system-on-a-chip.

The processor mentioned above can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an off-the-shelf programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or Other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. Wherein, the general-purpose processor mentioned above may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor or the like.

The aforementioned memories may be volatile memories or nonvolatile memories, or may include both volatile and nonvolatile memories. Among them, the non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (read-only memory, ROM), programmable read-only memory (programmable ROM, PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (erasable PROM, EPROM), electrically programmable Erases programmable read-only memory (electrically EPROM, EEPROM) or flash memory. The volatile memory may be random access memory (RAM).

It should be understood that the above-mentioned memory is illustrative but not restrictive. For example, the memory in the embodiment of the present application may also be a static random access memory (static RAM, SRAM), a dynamic random access memory (dynamic RAM, DRAM), Synchronous dynamic random access memory (synchronous DRAM, SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (double data rate SDRAM, DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (enhanced SDRAM, ESDRAM), synchronous connection Dynamic random access memory (synch link DRAM, SLDRAM) and direct memory bus random access memory (Direct Rambus RAM, DR RAM), etc. That is, the memory in the embodiments of the present application is intended to include, but not be limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

Fig. 16 is a schematic block diagram of a communication system 1600 according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication system 1600 includes a sending end device 1610 and a receiving end device 1620 .

The sending end device 1610 is configured to perform an NC operation on the data packet according to the NC input.

The receiver device 1620 is configured to perform an NC operation on the data packet according to the NC input, where the NC operation includes a decoding operation.

Wherein, the sending end device 1610 may be used to implement corresponding functions implemented by the communication device 500 in the above method, and the receiving end device 1620 may be used to implement corresponding functions implemented by the communication device 600 in the above method. For the sake of brevity, details are not repeated here.

In the above embodiments, all or part of them may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it may be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on the computer, the processes or functions according to the embodiments of the present application will be generated in whole or in part. The computer can be a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium, e.g. (such as coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (Digital Subscriber Line, DSL)) or wireless (such as infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) to another website site, computer, server or data center. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer, or a data storage device such as a server or a data center integrated with one or more available media. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, or a magnetic tape), an optical medium (such as a DVD), or a semiconductor medium (such as a solid state disk (Solid State Disk, SSD)), etc.

It should be understood that, in various embodiments of the present application, the sequence numbers of the above-mentioned processes do not mean the order of execution, and the execution order of the processes should be determined by their functions and internal logic, and should not be used in the embodiments of the present application. The implementation process constitutes any limitation.

Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that for the convenience and brevity of the description, the specific working process of the above-described system, device and unit can refer to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

The above is only the specific implementation of the application, but the scope of protection of the application is not limited thereto. Anyone familiar with the technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the application, and should covered within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

A method of communication comprising:

The communication device performs an NC operation on the data packet according to the network coding NC input.
The method according to claim 1, wherein the NC input includes at least one of the following: used encoding configuration file identification, supported maximum segment length L, supported maximum segment number K, supported NC The number of data streams or the number of data packets processed N, NC algorithm, whether to perform NC operations.
The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the NC input is for at least one of the following: bearer, packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity, radio link control RLC entity, NC entity, user equipment, cell, media Access control MAC entity.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the NC input or NC transfer path includes at least one of the following: used path identifier, default path, primary path, secondary path, secondary path.
The method according to claim 4, wherein the path identifier includes at least one of the following: an RLC identifier, a logical channel identifier, a MAC entity identifier, a carrier identifier, and a PDCP identifier.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the manner of obtaining the NC input includes at least one of the following: configured by the network, determined by the NC layer of the communication device, and predefined.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the method further comprises at least one of the following:

The NC layer of the communication device receives the NC service data unit SDU from the upper layer;

The NC layer of the communication device delivers the NC packet data unit PDU to the lower layer.
The method according to claim 7, wherein the upper layer is a first protocol layer, and the lower layer is a second protocol layer.
The method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the NC layer is a newly added protocol layer or protocol entity.
A method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein,

The user plane protocol stack includes an NC layer or a function supporting NC; and/or

The control plane protocol stack includes the NC layer or functions supporting NC.
The method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the NC layer is located in one of the following:

Under the SDAP layer of the business data adaptation protocol;

Under the PDCP layer;

Under the RLC layer;

Under the MAC layer;

Under the physical PHY layer;

on the SDAP layer.
The method of claim 11, wherein the NC layer is located in one of the following:

Under the SDAP layer, above the PDCP layer;

Under the PDCP layer, above the RLC layer;

Under the RLC layer, above the MAC layer;

Below the MAC layer, above the PHY layer.
The method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the data packet includes at least one of the following:

Perform NC segmented packets;

packets for which NC segmentation is not performed;

Perform NC filled packets;

Packets for which NC padding was not performed.
The method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the NC input is obtained by the first protocol layer from network configuration information, predefined information, indicated by a peer device or the NC layer.
The method according to any one of claims 8 to 14, wherein the method further comprises:

The first protocol layer is not aware of the NC layer, or the first protocol layer does not perform or assist in performing NC operations.
The method according to any one of claims 8 to 15, wherein the first protocol layer is one of the following: SDAP, PDCP, RLC, MAC.
The method according to any one of claims 8 to 16, wherein the method further comprises:

The first protocol layer delivers the data packet to the NC layer.
The method according to any one of claims 8 to 17, wherein the method further comprises:

The first protocol layer performs NC segmentation to obtain the data packet, and the data packet is a PDU of the first protocol layer.
The method according to claim 18, wherein the first protocol layer PDU obtained by performing NC segmentation on the first protocol layer includes first information, and the first information is used to indicate at least one of the following:

SN, whether it is the first packet, whether it is the last packet, whether fragmentation is performed, and the number of fragmented packets.
The method according to any one of claims 8 to 19, wherein the method further comprises:

The first protocol layer performs padding to obtain the data packet, and the data packet is a PDU of the first protocol layer.
The method according to claim 20, wherein the PDU of the first protocol layer obtained by performing padding on the first protocol layer includes second information, and the second information is used to indicate at least one of the following information: whether to add padding , padding size, and placeholder information.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein performing an NC operation on a data packet comprises:

The NC layer of the communication device generates an NC PDU, or generates an NC PDU for the data packet.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the NC PDU includes an NC PDU header and a data portion; or, the NC PDU includes at least one NC sub-PDU, and each NC sub-PDU corresponds to an NC The PDU sub-packet header and the NC sub-PDU data part/control information part corresponding to the sub-packet header.
A method according to any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein performing an NC operation on a data packet comprises:

The NC layer of the communication device adds an NC header to the data packet.
The method according to claim 23 or 24, wherein said NC PDU or NC packet header comprises at least one of the following:

SN, the maximum supported segment length L, the maximum supported segment number K, the supported number of NC data streams or the number N of data packets processed, the encoding configuration file identifier used, the NC algorithm, and whether to perform NC operations.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein performing an NC operation on a data packet further comprises:

The NC layer of the communication device performs NC segmentation on the data packet.
The method according to claim 26, wherein, the NC PDU obtained by performing NC segmentation at the NC layer includes third information, and the third information is used to indicate at least one of the following:

SN, whether it is the first packet, whether it is the last packet, whether fragmentation is performed, and the number of fragmented packets.
The method according to claim 27, wherein the third information is carried in the header of the NC PDU or the header of the NC sub-PDU.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 28, wherein performing an NC operation on a data packet further comprises:

The NC layer of the communication device performs padding on the data packet.
The method according to claim 29, wherein the NC PDU obtained by the NC layer performing padding includes fourth information, and the fourth information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to add padding, padding size, and occupancy information.
The method according to claim 30, wherein the fourth information is carried in the header of the NC PDU or the header of the NC sub-PDU.
The method according to claim 31, wherein the packet header and/or the data part include: padding and padding corresponding sub-packet headers.
The method according to claim 7, wherein the NC layer of the communication device submits the NC PDU to the lower layer, comprising:

The NC layer submits the NC result obtained by executing the NC operation to the second protocol layer.
The method according to claim 33, wherein the second protocol layer is one of the following: PDCP, RLC, MAC, PHY.
The method according to claim 33 or 34, wherein, the NC PDU or NC result obtained by performing the NC operation of the communication device is submitted through the same path, or through different paths.
The method according to claim 35, wherein the path includes at least one of the following: RLC, carrier, PDCP, and MAC entity.
A method according to claim 35 or 36, wherein the path is configured by a network or selected by the communication device from a configuration of a network.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 37, wherein the communication device is a user equipment, the method further comprising:

The user equipment receives NC configuration information from a network device.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 37, wherein the communication device is a network device, the method further comprising:

The network device sends NC configuration information to the user equipment.
The method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein the NC configuration information is included in at least one of the following:

Radio resource control RRC configuration information, radio bearer configuration information, PDCP configuration information, radio link control RLC configuration information, MAC configuration information, cell configuration information, logical channel configuration information.
The method according to any one of claims 38 to 40, wherein the NC configuration information is for at least one of the following: bearer, PDCP entity, RLC entity, NC entity, user equipment, cell, and MAC entity.
The method according to any one of claims 38 to 41, wherein the NC configuration information includes at least one of the following:

Physical layer parameters of NC PDU transmission;

Encoding;

Whether to support NC indication information;

NC enabled identification;

Indicates whether to execute the NC.
The method according to claim 42, wherein the physical layer parameters include at least one of the following: code rate and transmission power.
The method according to any one of claims 38 to 43, wherein the NC configuration information includes at least one of the following: used path identification; default path; primary path; secondary path; secondary path.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 44, wherein the communication device is a sending end device.
A method of communication comprising:

The communication device performs an NC operation on the data packet according to the NC input, and the NC operation includes a network decoding operation.
The method according to claim 46, wherein the NC input includes at least one of the following: the code configuration file identification used, the maximum segment length L supported, the maximum segment number K supported, the NC supported The number of data streams or the number of data packets processed N, NC algorithm, whether to perform NC operations.
The method according to claim 46 or 47, wherein the NC input is for at least one of the following: bearer, PDCP entity, RLC entity, NC entity, user equipment, cell, MAC entity.
The method according to any one of claims 46 to 48, wherein said NC input or NC transmission path comprises at least one of: a used path identifier, a default path, a primary path, a secondary path, a secondary path.
The method according to claim 49, wherein the path identifier includes at least one of the following: RLC identifier, logical channel identifier, MAC entity identifier, carrier identifier, and PDCP identifier.
The method according to any one of claims 46 to 50, wherein the acquisition method of the NC input includes at least one of the following: network configuration, determined by the NC layer of the communication device, predefined, peer indicated by the communication device.
The method according to any one of claims 46 to 51, wherein the method further comprises at least one of the following:

The NC layer of the communication device receives the NC PDU from the lower layer;

The NC layer of the communication device submits the NC SDU to the upper layer.
The method of any one of claims 52, wherein the upper layer is a first protocol layer and the lower layer is a second protocol layer.
The method according to claim 52 or 53, wherein the NC layer is a newly added protocol layer or protocol entity.
A method according to any one of claims 52 to 54, wherein,

The user plane protocol stack includes an NC layer or a function supporting NC; and/or

The control plane protocol stack includes the NC layer or functions supporting NC.
A method according to any one of claims 52 to 55, wherein the NC layer is located in one of the following:

Under the SDAP layer;

Under the PDCP layer;

Under the RLC layer;

Under the MAC layer;

Under the PHY layer;

on the SDAP layer.
The method of claim 56, wherein the NC layer is located in one of the following:

Under the SDAP layer, above the PDCP layer;

Under the PDCP layer, above the RLC layer;

Under the RLC layer, above the MAC layer;

Below the MAC layer, above the PHY layer.
A method according to any one of claims 46 to 57, wherein performing an NC operation on a data packet comprises:

The NC layer of the communication device performs buffer operation and/or buffer maintenance on the data packet.
The method of claim 58, wherein performing cache operations and/or cache maintenance includes performing at least one of:

Redundancy detection, packet deletion, segment redundancy detection, segment deletion, reassembly, concatenation, defilling.
The method according to claim 59, wherein the NC layer performing redundancy detection or segment redundancy detection on the data packet comprises: in the case that the received data packet is the same as the data packet in the cache, or , in case the received packet is the same as the fragmented packet in the cache, delete the received packet.
The method according to claim 59 or 60, wherein the NC layer performs packet deletion or segment deletion on the data packet comprising:

Deleting a fragmented packet from the buffer if a partially fragmented packet has not been received, has not been successfully received, or has not been successfully acknowledged; and/or,

In the case of a packet not received, not successfully received, or not successfully acknowledged, the packet is deleted from the cache.
The method according to any one of claims 59 to 61, wherein said NC layer performing reassembly or concatenation on said data packets comprises: when all fragmented data packets are received, sending a message to said NC Higher layers of the layer deliver reassembled or concatenated NC SDUs.
The method according to claim 62, wherein the NC layer performs reassembly or concatenation according to third information or fifth information, or determines whether to perform reassembly or concatenation according to the third information or fifth information.
The method according to claim 63, wherein the third information is used to indicate at least one of the following:

SN, whether it is the first packet, whether it is the last packet, whether fragmentation is performed, and the number of fragmented packets.
The method according to claim 63 or 64, wherein the third information is carried in the header of the NC PDU or the header of the NC sub-PDU.
The method according to any one of claims 63 to 65, wherein the fifth information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to perform reorganization, whether to perform reorganization concatenation, perform reorganization, and perform concatenation.
The method according to any one of claims 63 to 66, wherein the fifth information is carried in the NC PDU.
The method according to any one of claims 59 to 67, wherein the NC layer performing de-filling on the data packet comprises:

In case de-stuffing is required, packets that have not been de-stuffed remain in the cache;

In the case that defilling is required, after the data packets in the buffer are defilled, it is submitted to the upper layer of the NC layer.
The method according to claim 68, wherein the NC layer performs de-stuffing according to the fourth information or the sixth information, or determines whether to perform de-stuffing.
The method according to claim 69, wherein the fourth information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to add padding, padding size, and occupancy information.
The method according to claim 69 or 70, wherein the fourth information is carried in the header of the NC PDU or the header of the NC sub-PDU.
The method according to any one of claims 69 to 71, wherein the sixth information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to perform de-stuffing, and whether to perform de-stuffing.
The method according to any one of claims 69 to 72, wherein the sixth information is carried in the NC PDU.
The method according to any one of claims 46 to 73, wherein the NC input is acquired by the first protocol layer from network configuration information, predefined information, indicated by a peer device or the NC.
The method according to any one of claims 53 to 74, wherein the first protocol layer is one of the following: SDAP, PDCP, RLC, MAC.
The method according to any one of claims 53 to 75, wherein the method further comprises:

The first protocol layer performs a cache operation and/or cache maintenance on the data packet.
The method of claim 76, wherein performing cache operations and/or cache maintenance comprises performing at least one of:

Redundancy detection, packet deletion, segment redundancy detection, segment deletion, reassembly, concatenation, defilling.
The method according to claim 77, wherein said first protocol layer performing redundancy detection or segment redundancy detection on said data packet comprises: in the case that the received data packet is the same as the data packet in the cache , or, in the case that the received packet is the same as the fragmented packet in the cache, delete the received packet.
The method according to claim 77 or 78, wherein said first protocol layer performing packet deletion or segment deletion on said data packet comprises:

Deleting a fragmented packet from the buffer if a partially fragmented packet has not been received, has not been successfully received, or has not been successfully acknowledged; and/or,

In the case of a packet not received, not successfully received, or not successfully acknowledged, the packet is deleted from the cache.
The method according to any one of claims 77 to 79, wherein said first protocol layer performing reassembly or concatenation on said data packets comprises:

In the case that all the segmented data packets are received, submit the reassembled or concatenated NC SDU to the upper layers of the first protocol layer.
The method according to claim 80, wherein the first protocol layer performs reassembly or concatenation according to the seventh information or determines whether to perform reassembly or concatenation according to the seventh information.
The method according to claim 81, wherein the seventh information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to perform reorganization, whether to perform reorganization concatenation, perform reorganization, and perform concatenation.
The method according to any one of claims 77 to 82, wherein said first protocol layer performing de-stuffing on said data packet comprises:

In case de-stuffing is required, packets that have not been de-stuffed remain in the cache;

In the case that defilling is required, after the data packets in the buffer are defilled, it is submitted to the upper layer of the NC layer.
The method according to claim 83, wherein the first protocol layer performs de-stuffing according to the eighth information, or determines whether to perform de-stuffing.
The method according to claim 83 or 84, wherein the eighth information is used to indicate at least one of the following: whether to perform de-stuffing, and whether to perform de-stuffing.
The method according to any one of claims 46 to 85, wherein the method further comprises:

The NC layer of the communication device obtains the data packet from the cache of other layers.
The method of claim 86, wherein the data packets include data packets performing NC segmentation and/or NC padding.
The method according to claim 86 or 87, wherein the NC layer of the communication device obtains the data packet from the cache of other layers, comprising:

In the case of performing network decoding, the NC layer obtains the data packet from the cache of the first protocol layer or the second protocol layer.
The method according to any one of claims 46 to 88, wherein the communication device is a user equipment, and the method further comprises: the user equipment receives NC configuration information from a network device.
The method according to any one of claims 46 to 88, wherein the communication device is a network device, the method further comprising:

The network device sends NC configuration information to the user equipment.
The method according to claim 89 or 90, wherein the NC configuration information is included in at least one of the following:

RRC configuration information, radio bearer configuration information, PDCP configuration information, RLC configuration information, MAC configuration information, cell configuration information, logical channel configuration information.
The method according to any one of claims 89 to 91, wherein the NC configuration information is for at least one of the following: bearer, PDCP entity, RLC entity, NC entity, user equipment, cell, and MAC entity.
The method according to any one of claims 89 to 92, wherein the NC configuration information includes at least one of the following:

Physical layer parameters of NC PDU transmission;

Encoding;

Whether to support NC indication information;

NC enabled identification;

Indicates whether to execute the NC.
The method according to claim 93, wherein the physical layer parameters include at least one of the following: code rate and transmission power.
The method according to any one of claims 89 to 94, wherein the NC configuration information includes at least one of the following: used path identification; default path; primary path; secondary path; secondary path.
A method as claimed in any one of claims 46 to 95, wherein the communication device is a receiving end device.
A communication device comprising:

The processing unit is configured to perform an NC operation on the data packet according to the network coding NC input.
The communication device of claim 97, wherein the communication device is a receiving end device.
A communication device comprising:

The processing unit is configured to perform an NC operation on the data packet according to the NC input, and the NC operation includes a network decoding operation.
The communication device of claim 99, wherein the communication device is a sending end device.
A communication device, comprising: a processor and a memory, the memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is used to invoke and run the computer program stored in the memory, so that the communication device performs the tasks described in claims 1 to 45 Any one of or the method described in any one of 46 to 96.
A chip, comprising: a processor, configured to call and run a computer program from a memory, so that a device equipped with the chip executes the method described in any one of claims 1 to 45 or any one of claims 46 to 96 method.
A computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program, which causes the device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 45 or any one of claims 46 to 96 when the computer program is run by a device .
A computer program product comprising computer program instructions for causing a computer to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 45 or any one of claims 46 to 96.
A computer program that causes a computer to execute the method of any one of claims 1-45 or 46-96.