CN114980318A

CN114980318A - Method for indicating reference signal availability and communication device

Info

Publication number: CN114980318A
Application number: CN202110333533.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 薛祎凡; 薛丽霞
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-02-24
Filing date: 2021-03-29
Publication date: 2022-08-30
Also published as: WO2022179388A1

Abstract

The application discloses a method for indicating reference signal availability and a communication device, wherein the method comprises the following steps: the method comprises the steps that terminal equipment receives system information sent by network equipment, the system information is used for configuring an indication period of availability of a reference signal, the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to one or more paging periods, and the reference signal is configured by the network equipment through the system information; the terminal equipment receives first indication information sent by the network equipment based on the indication period, wherein the first indication information indicates the availability of the reference signal in the time length corresponding to the indication period. Based on the method described in the present application, the network device does not need to send the indication signaling for indicating the availability of the reference signal in each paging cycle, which is beneficial to reducing the overhead of the indication signaling for indicating the availability of the reference signal.

Description

Method for indicating reference signal availability and communication device

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a method for indicating availability of a reference signal and a communications apparatus.

Background

In Long Term Evolution (LTE) and New Radio (NR), a Reference Signal (RS) may be used for various purposes. For example, the method is used for User Equipment (UE) to perform Automatic Gain Control (AGC) adjustment, time-frequency synchronization, beam measurement, and the like. In LTE, a cell-level reference signal is a cell specific reference signal (CRS), and the CRS is present in each downlink subframe. In NR, too many cell-level reference signals are not introduced from the beginning of the design in order to reduce the resource overhead of the network. The reference signals of the finally determined cell level are transmitted in a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB). Wherein each SSB includes a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) and a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS).

The UE is in a non-connected state (including idle state and inactive state), and periodically receives a page. Before the UE receives the paging, in order to ensure that the paging receiving performance is good enough, operations such as AGC adjustment and time-frequency synchronization need to be performed in advance. As previously mentioned, these operations require reference signals transmitted by the network device. As shown in fig. 1, there is CRS for each subframe in LTE. Assuming that the UE needs to measure 2 CRSs to complete AGC adjustment, time-frequency synchronization, etc., the UE only needs to wake up a short time (e.g., 2ms) in advance. As shown in fig. 1, in NR, the SSB period is relatively large. Suppose that the UE needs to measure 2 SSBs to complete AGC adjustment, time-frequency synchronization, and other operations. The UE needs to wake up long ahead of time (e.g., 30 ms). In this case, the sleep time of the UE is shortened, which may result in waste of power consumption of the UE.

To solve this problem, some configurations of an auxiliary reference signal (association RS) may be transmitted through system information of the network device. If the locations of the secondary reference signals are close enough to the Paging Occasion (PO), the above-mentioned problems caused by the SSB design can be solved. To avoid placing a burden on the network device, these auxiliary reference signals are not guaranteed to be transmitted at all times, and thus the network device needs to indicate the availability of the auxiliary reference signals. How to reduce the overhead of the indication signaling indicating the availability of the secondary reference signal is an urgent problem to be solved at present.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a reference signal availability indication method and a communication device, which are beneficial to reducing the overhead of indication signaling for indicating the reference signal availability.

In a first aspect, the present application provides a method for indicating availability of a reference signal, the method comprising: the method comprises the steps that terminal equipment receives a system message sent by network equipment, wherein the system message is used for configuring an indication period of availability (availability) of a reference signal, the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to one or more paging periods, and the reference signal is configured by the network equipment through the system message; the terminal equipment receives first indication information sent by the network equipment based on the indication period, wherein the first indication information indicates the availability of the reference signal in the time length corresponding to the indication period.

Based on the method described in the first aspect, the network device does not need to send indication signaling for indicating the availability of the reference signal in each paging cycle. It is advantageous to reduce the overhead of indication signaling for indicating the availability of reference signals.

In a possible implementation, a specific implementation manner in which the terminal device receives the first indication information sent by the network device based on the indication period is as follows: the terminal equipment receives first Downlink Control Information (DCI) sent by the network equipment based on an indication period, wherein the first DCI comprises first indication information, the first DCI is positioned before a first Paging Occasion (PO), and the first DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the first PO or not;

the terminal device may further receive a second DCI sent by the network device, where the second DCI is located before a second PO, the second DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information; and the number of bits included in the first DCI is greater than the number of bits included in the second DCI.

In this possible implementation, the number of bits of the first DCI is greater than the number of bits of the second DCI, which is beneficial to saving signaling overhead of the second DCI.

the terminal device may further receive a second DCI sent by the network device, where the second DCI is located before a second PO, the second DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information; the number of bits included in the first DCI is equal to the number of bits included in the second DCI; target bits in the second DCI are used to indicate other information than availability of the reference signal, and bit positions of the target bits in the second DCI are the same as bit positions of the first indication information in the first DCI.

In this possible implementation, by using the target bit in the second DCI to indicate other information than the availability of the reference signal, the second DCI can be made to indicate more information.

In a possible implementation, the specific implementation manner that the terminal device receives the first indication information sent by the network device based on the indication period is as follows: the terminal equipment receives first Downlink Control Information (DCI) sent by the network equipment based on the indication period, wherein the first DCI comprises first indication information, the first DCI is positioned in a first Paging Occasion (PO), and the first DCI is used for scheduling paging messages in the first PO;

the terminal device may further receive a second DCI sent by the network device, where the second DCI is located in a second PO, the second DCI is used to schedule a paging message in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information; the number of bits included in the first DCI is equal to the number of bits included in the second DCI; the target bit in the second DCI is used to indicate other information than the availability of the reference signal, and the bit position of the target bit in the second DCI is the same as the bit position of the first indication information in the first DCI.

In one possible implementation, the other information than the availability of the reference signal includes paging packet information.

In this possible implementation manner, the target bit in the second DCI is used to indicate the paging group information, so that the paging group can be divided more finely in the second DCI, the paged terminal device can be indicated more finely, the probability that the terminal device receives the paging DCI and/or the paging message is reduced, and power consumption of the terminal device is saved.

In one possible implementation, the paging cycle is a cell-specific paging cycle. Since the reference signal is sent by the network device in a broadcast manner, the period of indication of the availability of the reference signal should also be the same for all terminal devices in the cell. Therefore, the paging cycle is simple, feasible and reasonable.

In one possible implementation, the first indication information indicates availability of all reference signals configured by the system message within a time length corresponding to one indication period; alternatively, the first indication information indicates availability of a reference signal associated with the PO of the terminal device for a length of time corresponding to the indication period.

In this possible implementation, by making the first indication information only indicate availability of the reference signal associated with the PO of the terminal device, it is beneficial to save overhead of the indication signaling.

In a second aspect, the present application provides a method for indicating availability of a reference signal, the method comprising: the method comprises the steps that network equipment sends system information, the system information is used for configuring an indication period of availability of a reference signal, the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to one or more paging periods, and the reference signal is configured by the network equipment through the system information; the network equipment transmits first indication information to the terminal equipment based on the indication period, wherein the first indication information indicates the availability of the reference signal in the time length corresponding to the indication period.

In a possible implementation, a specific implementation manner in which the network device sends the first indication information to the terminal device based on the indication period is as follows: the network equipment sends first Downlink Control Information (DCI) to the terminal equipment based on the indication period, wherein the first DCI comprises first indication information, the first DCI is positioned before a first Paging Occasion (PO), and the first DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the first PO or not;

the network device may further send a second DCI to the terminal device, where the second DCI is located before a second PO, the second DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information; and the number of bits included in the first DCI is greater than the number of bits included in the second DCI.

the network device may further send a second DCI to the terminal device, where the second DCI is located before a second PO, the second DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information; the bit number included in the first DCI is equal to the bit number included in the second DCI; target bits in the second DCI are used to indicate information other than availability of the reference signal, and bit positions of the target bits in the second DCI are the same as bit positions of the first indication information in the first DCI.

In a possible implementation, a specific implementation manner in which the network device sends the first indication information to the terminal device based on the indication period is as follows: the network equipment sends first Downlink Control Information (DCI) to the terminal equipment based on the indication period, wherein the first DCI comprises first indication information, the first DCI is positioned in a first Paging Occasion (PO), and the first DCI is used for scheduling paging messages in the first PO;

the network device may further send a second DCI to the terminal device, where the second DCI is located in a second PO, the second DCI is used to schedule a paging message in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information; the bit number included in the first DCI is equal to the bit number included in the second DCI; the target bit in the second DCI is used to indicate other information than availability of the reference signal, and a bit position of the target bit in the second DCI is the same as a bit position of the first indication information in the first DCI.

In one possible implementation, the paging cycle is a cell-specific paging cycle.

In one possible implementation, the first indication information indicates availability of all reference signals configured within a time length corresponding to one indication period; alternatively, the first indication information indicates availability of a reference signal associated with the PO of the terminal device for a time length corresponding to one indication period.

The first aspect and the second aspect are based on the same inventive concept, and the beneficial effects of the second aspect can be referred to the beneficial effects of the first aspect, which are not described herein in detail.

In a third aspect, the present application provides a method for indicating availability of a reference signal, including: the terminal equipment receives a first signaling sent by the network equipment, wherein the first signaling comprises first indication information, the first signaling is positioned before a first paging occasion PO, and the first signaling indicates whether a paging message is sent in the first PO; the terminal equipment receives a second signaling sent by the network equipment, wherein the second signaling comprises second indication information, the second signaling is DCI (downlink control information) located in a second PO, the second signaling is used for scheduling paging messages in the second PO, and the first PO and the second PO are the same or different; the first indication information and the second indication information respectively indicate the availability of a first reference signal, and the first reference signal is configured by the network equipment through a system message.

Based on the method described in the third aspect, it is beneficial for both the terminal device that does not support the first signaling and the terminal device that supports the first signaling to determine the availability of the reference signal, and the system compatibility is improved.

In one possible implementation, if the terminal device receives the first indication information and the second indication information, the terminal device determines the availability of the first reference signal based on the first indication information and the second indication information, and the first indication information and the second indication information indicate the same availability of the first reference signal.

Based on the possible implementation, the terminal device is facilitated to accurately determine the availability of the first reference signal.

In one possible implementation, if the terminal device receives the first indication information and the second indication information, the terminal device determines availability of the first reference signal based on target indication information, where the target indication information is one of the first indication information and the second indication information.

In one possible implementation, the target indication information is the latest one of the first indication information and the second indication information received at the latest time. The availability of the first reference signal is determined by adopting the indication information sent by the network equipment at the latest, so that the network equipment can change the availability of the first reference signal at any time, and the network equipment is favorable for indicating the availability of the first reference signal more flexibly.

In one possible implementation, the target indication information is the highest priority one of the first indication information and the second indication information.

Based on this possible implementation, it is advantageous for the network device to indicate the availability of the first reference signal more flexibly.

In a possible implementation, the terminal device receives configuration information sent by the network device, where the configuration information is used to configure priorities of the first indication information and the second indication information.

In one possible implementation, the priority of the first indication information and the second indication information is predefined by the protocol.

In one possible implementation, if the terminal device receives the first indication information and the second indication information, the terminal device determines availability of a reference signal group based on the first indication information, the reference signal group including the first reference signal; if the reference signal group is not available, the terminal device determines the availability of each reference signal in the reference signal group based on the second indication information.

Based on the possible implementation mode, the power consumption of the terminal equipment is saved.

In another possible implementation, if the terminal device receives the first indication information and the second indication information, the terminal device determines availability of a reference signal group based on the second indication information, where the reference signal group includes the first reference signal; if the reference signal group is not available, the terminal device determines the availability of each reference signal in the reference signal group based on the first indication information.

In one possible implementation, if the terminal device does not receive the first indication information and the second indication information, the terminal device determines that the first reference signal is unavailable. Based on the possible implementation manner, even if the terminal device does not receive the first indication information and the second indication information, the terminal device can accurately determine that the first reference signal is unavailable.

In a possible implementation, if the terminal device receives the first indication information and does not receive the second indication information, the terminal device determines availability of the first reference signal based on the first indication information; and if the terminal equipment receives the second indication information and does not receive the first indication information, the terminal equipment determines the availability of the first reference signal based on the second indication information. Based on the possible implementation manner, the terminal device can also accurately determine the availability of the first reference signal when only one of the first indication information and the second indication information is received by the terminal device.

In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be a terminal device, an apparatus in a terminal device, or an apparatus capable of being used in cooperation with a terminal device. Wherein, the communication device can also be a chip system. The communication device may perform the method of the first or third aspect. The functions of the communication device can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more units or modules corresponding to the above functions. The unit or module may be software and/or hardware. The operations and advantageous effects performed by the communication device may refer to the methods and advantageous effects described in the first aspect or the third aspect, and repeated details are not repeated.

In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a communication apparatus, which may be a network device, an apparatus in a network device, or an apparatus capable of being used with a network device. The communication device can also be a chip system. The communication device may perform the method of the second aspect. The functions of the communication device can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more units or modules corresponding to the above functions. The unit or module may be software and/or hardware. The operations and advantageous effects performed by the communication device may refer to the method and advantageous effects described in the second aspect, and repeated details are not repeated.

In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a communication device comprising a processor, wherein the method according to any one of the first to third aspects is performed when the processor invokes a computer program in a memory.

In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a communications apparatus comprising a processor and a memory for storing computer-executable instructions; the processor is configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored by the memory to cause the communication device to perform the method according to any one of the first to third aspects.

In an eighth aspect, the present application provides a communication device comprising a processor, a memory, and a transceiver for receiving signals or transmitting signals; the memory for storing program code; the processor is configured to call the program code from the memory to perform the method according to any one of the first to third aspects.

In a ninth aspect, the present application provides a communication device comprising a processor and an interface circuit for receiving code instructions and transmitting the code instructions to the processor; the processor executes the code instructions to perform a method as described in any one of the first to third aspects.

In a tenth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions that, when executed, cause a method as described in any one of the first to third aspects to be implemented.

In an eleventh aspect, the present application provides a computer program or a computer program product, which includes code or instructions, when the code or instructions are run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method according to any one of the first to third aspects.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a reference signal of the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a system architecture provided by an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 3a is a schematic diagram of another system architecture provided by embodiments of the present application;

FIG. 3b is a schematic diagram of another system architecture provided by an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a paging occasion and a paging cycle according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for indicating availability of a reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6a is a schematic diagram illustrating that first indication information indicates availability of a reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6b is a schematic diagram illustrating that first indication information indicates availability of a reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7a is a schematic diagram of another first indication information indicating reference signal availability provided by an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7b is a schematic diagram of another first indication information indicating reference signal availability provided by an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8a is a schematic diagram illustrating that still another first indication information indicates availability of a reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8b is a schematic diagram illustrating that still another first indication information indicates availability of a reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an exponential cycle provided by an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of another exponential cycle provided by an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 11 is a flowchart illustrating another method for indicating availability of a reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of a first DCI and a second DCI provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of another first DCI and a second DCI provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 14 is a schematic diagram of still another first DCI and a second DCI provided in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 15 is a flowchart illustrating another method for indicating availability of a reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 16 is a flowchart illustrating another method for indicating availability of a reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating that first indication information and second indication information respectively indicate availability of a first reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating that first indication information and second indication information respectively indicate availability of a first reference signal according to another embodiment of the present application;

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

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

Detailed Description

Specific embodiments of the present application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The terms "first" and "second," and the like in the description, claims, and drawings of the present application are used for distinguishing between different objects and not for describing a particular order. Furthermore, the terms "include" and "have," as well as any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of steps or elements is not limited to only those steps or elements listed, but may alternatively include other steps or elements not listed, or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

Reference herein to "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the application. The appearances of the phrase in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by one skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

In this application, "at least one" means one or more, "a plurality" means two or more, "at least two" means two or three and three or more, "and/or" for describing the correspondence of the associated objects, indicating that there may be three relationships, for example, "a and/or B" may indicate: only A, only B and both A and B are present, wherein A and B may be singular or plural. The character "/" generally indicates that the former and latter associated objects are in an "or" relationship. "at least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single item(s) or plural items. For example, at least one (one) of a, b, or c, may represent: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", wherein a, b, c may be single or plural.

The system architecture of the embodiments of the present application is introduced below:

referring to fig. 2, fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system architecture may include one or more terminal devices and one or more network devices. Fig. 2 exemplifies two terminal devices and one network device.

Terminal equipment

Terminal equipment, also referred to as User Equipment (UE), includes equipment that provides voice and/or data connectivity to a user and may include, for example, handheld devices having wireless connection capabilities or processing devices connected to wireless modems. The terminal device may communicate with a core network via a Radio Access Network (RAN), exchanging voice and/or data with the RAN. The terminal device may include a wireless terminal device, a mobile terminal device, a device-to-device communication (D2D) terminal device, a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) terminal device, a machine-to-machine/machine-type communication (M2M/MTC) terminal device, an internet of things (IoT) terminal device, a subscriber unit, a subscriber station, a mobile station, a remote station, an Access Point (AP), a remote terminal, an access terminal, a user agent, or user equipment, etc. For example, mobile telephones (or so-called "cellular" telephones), computers with mobile terminal equipment, portable, pocket, hand-held, computer-included mobile devices, and the like may be included. For example, Personal Communication Service (PCS) phones, cordless phones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, Wireless Local Loop (WLL) stations, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and the like. Also included are constrained devices, such as devices that consume less power, or devices that have limited storage capabilities, or devices that have limited computing capabilities, etc. Examples of information sensing devices include bar codes, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), sensors, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), laser scanners, and the like.

Network device

A network device is a node or a device that accesses a terminal device to a wireless network, and may also be referred to as a base station or an access network device. Network devices include, for example but are not limited to: a new generation base station (gbb), an evolved Node B (eNB), a Radio Network Controller (RNC), a Node B (NB), a Base Station Controller (BSC), a Base Transceiver Station (BTS), a home base station ((home evolved Node B, HeNB) or (home Node B, HNB)), a Base Band Unit (BBU), a Transmission and Reception Point (TRP), a Transmission Point (TP), or a mobile switching center (msc) in a 5G communication system.

The interface between the network device and the terminal device may be a Uu interface (or referred to as an air interface). Of course, in future communications, the names of these interfaces may be unchanged or replaced by other names, which are not limited in this application. Illustratively, the communication between the network device and the terminal device follows a certain protocol layer structure, for example, the control plane protocol layer structure may include an RRC layer, a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, and a physical layer; the user plane protocol layer structure may include a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, an MAC layer, and a physical layer, and in a possible implementation, the PDCP layer may further include a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer.

The network device may implement the functions of the RRC, PDCP, RLC, and MAC protocol layers by one node, or may implement the functions of the protocol layers by a plurality of nodes. For example, in an evolution structure, a network device may include one or more Centralized Units (CUs) and one or more Distributed Units (DUs), which may be centrally controlled by one CU. As an example, the interface between a CU and a DU may be referred to as an F1 interface, where a Control Plane (CP) interface may be F1-C and a User Plane (UP) interface may be F1-U. CUs and DUs may be partitioned according to protocol layers of the wireless network. For example, as shown in fig. 3a, the functions of the PDCP layer and the above protocol layers are set in the CU, and the functions of the PDCP layer and the below protocol layers (e.g., the RLC layer, the MAC layer, etc.) are set in the DU.

It is understood that the above-mentioned division of the processing functions of the CUs and the DUs according to the protocol layers is only an example, and the division may also be performed in other manners, for example, the functions of the protocol layers above the RLC layer are disposed in the CUs, the functions of the RLC layer and the protocol layers below are disposed in the DUs, for example, the CUs or the DUs may be divided into functions having more protocol layers, for example, the CUs or the DUs may also be divided into partial processing functions having protocol layers. In one design, some of the functions of the RLC layer and the functions of protocol layers above the RLC layer are provided in the CUs, and the remaining functions of the RLC layer and the functions of protocol layers below the RLC layer are provided in the DUs. In another design, the functions of the CU or the DU may also be divided according to the service type or other system requirements, for example, divided by time delay, and the function that processing time needs to meet the delay requirement is set in the DU, and the function that does not need to meet the delay requirement is set in the CU. In another design, a CU may also have one or more functions of the core network. Illustratively, CUs may be located on the network side to facilitate centralized management; the DU may have multiple rf functions, or may have a remote rf function. This is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

Illustratively, the functionality of a CU may be implemented by one entity, or by different entities. For example, as shown in fig. 3b, the functionality of the CU may be further divided, i.e. the control plane and the user plane are separated and implemented by different entities, respectively a control plane CU entity (i.e. CU-CP entity) and a user plane CU entity (i.e. CU-UP entity), which may be coupled with the DU to jointly perform the functionality of the network device. The interface between the CU-CP entity and the CU-UP entity may be an E1 interface, the interface between the CU-CP entity and the DU may be an F1-C interface, and the interface between the CU-UP entity and the DU may be an F1-U interface. Wherein one DU and one CU-UP may be connected to one CU-CP. One DU may be connected to a plurality of CUs-UPs and one CU-UP may be connected to a plurality of DUs under the control of the same CU-CP.

It should be noted that: in the above-mentioned architectures illustrated in fig. 3a and 3b, the signaling generated by the CU may be sent to the terminal device through the DU, or the signaling generated by the terminal device may be sent to the CU through the DU. The DU may directly encapsulate the signaling through a protocol layer without parsing and then transmit the encapsulated signaling to the terminal device or the CU. In the following embodiments, if transmission of such signaling between the DU and the terminal device is involved, then the transmission or reception of signaling by the DU includes such a scenario. For example, the signaling of the RRC or PDCP layer is eventually processed as data of the physical layer to be transmitted to the terminal device, or converted from received data of the physical layer. Under this architecture, the signaling of the RRC or PDCP layer can also be considered to be sent by the DU, or by the DU and the radio frequency device.

For a better understanding of the solution provided by the present application, the following description is given to terms related to the present application:

first, radio resource control idle (RRC idle) state: in the RRC idle state, the terminal device and the access network device have no dedicated RRC connection.

Second, radio resource control inactive (RRC inactive) state: in the RRC inactive state, the dedicated RRC connection of the terminal device with the access network device is suspended (suspended). In the RRC inactive state and the RRC idle state, the terminal device can only receive the content (paging, broadcast) of the common search space, and can perform cell reselection, where the cell reselection in the RRC inactive state is the same as the cell reselection in the RRC idle state.

Third, paging: paging technology is an important technology in wireless communication systems, and a network device can find a terminal device through paging and initiate a service to the terminal device. When the UE is in a non-connected state (e.g. RRC idle state or RRC inactive state), the network device only knows the paging area where the terminal device is located. Therefore, when the network device needs to search for a terminal device, it needs to first check the paging area to which the terminal device belongs, and then send a paging message to all cells in the paging area.

Fourth, Paging Occasion (PO): a location where paging downlink control information (paging DCI) and/or a paging message is located is referred to as a PO. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a PO of a terminal device. As shown in fig. 4, one paging occasion includes a location where the paging DCI is located and a time domain location where the paging message is located. The terminal device may self-calculate its corresponding PO based on relevant parameters (e.g., its own identification number information and paging-related parameters provided by the system message). So as to receive the paging DCI and the paging message at the corresponding PO.

The paging DCI is used to schedule the paging message, that is, the paging DCI indicates a time-frequency resource of the paging message. After receiving the paging DCI, the terminal device may receive the paging message based on the time-frequency resource of the paging message indicated by the paging DCI.

The paging message is carried in a paging physical downlink shared channel (paging PDSCH) and used for paging the terminal device, where the paging message includes an identifier of the paged terminal device. That is, if the identity of a certain terminal device is included in the paging message, it indicates that the terminal device is paged by the network device.

Fifthly, paging cycle: in order to save power consumption of the terminal device, the terminal device in the unconnected state periodically receives the paging message. The paging cycle refers to a period in which a paging occasion occurs. As shown in fig. 4, for a terminal device, each paging cycle includes a paging occasion. The paging cycle may also be referred to as a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) cycle. For a terminal device, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer or higher layer may configure the terminal device with a terminal device-specific paging cycle, and the network device broadcasts a default paging cycle (also referred to as a cell-specific paging cycle). When the terminal device is configured with a terminal-specific paging cycle, the terminal device will receive pages using the terminal-device-specific paging cycle, otherwise pages will be received using a default paging cycle (i.e., a cell-specific paging cycle).

Sixthly, system information: the system message is control information at a cell level, and the terminal device (e.g., a mobile phone, a computer, etc.) can successfully access the cell only after acquiring the system message, so that the terminal device can correctly work. The system message may include three types, namely, a Master Information Block (MIB), a system information block 1 (SIB 1), and System Information (SI), wherein the system information includes other system information blocks except for the SIB1, such as SIB2, SIB3, and the like.

The UE is in a non-connected state (including idle state and inactive state), and periodically receives a page. Before the UE receives the paging, in order to ensure that the receiving performance of the paging is good enough, operations such as AGC adjustment, time-frequency synchronization, and the like need to be performed in advance. As previously mentioned, these operations require reference signals transmitted by the network device. As shown in fig. 1, there is CRS for each subframe in LTE. Assuming that the UE needs to measure 2 CRSs to complete AGC adjustment, time-frequency synchronization, etc., the UE only needs to wake up a short time (e.g., 2ms) in advance. As shown in fig. 1, in NR, the SSB period is relatively large. Suppose that the UE needs to measure 2 SSBs to complete AGC adjustment, time-frequency synchronization, and other operations. The UE needs to wake up long time ahead (e.g. 30 ms). In this case, the sleep time of the UE is shortened, which may result in waste of power consumption of the UE.

To solve this problem, some configurations of an auxiliary reference signal (association RS) may be transmitted through system information of the network device. If the locations of the secondary reference signals are close enough to the Paging Occasion (PO), the above-mentioned problems caused by the SSB design can be solved. However, there are a plurality of POs from the network device, and if the secondary reference signal is configured before each PO, the network device needs to configure a large number of secondary reference signals. To avoid placing a burden on the network devices, these auxiliary reference signals are not guaranteed to be transmitted at all times. For example, after the network device broadcasts configuration information of a plurality of reference signals, the corresponding reference signals may be sent for a while, and not sent for a while, and the change may be frequent. However, in general, the system information does not change very frequently. If the UE is informed of "whether reference signals are transmitted" by changing the system information (i.e. by not configuring some reference signals, indicating that these reference signals are no longer transmitted), the UE may not be informed in time. In order to be able to inform the UE of the availability (availabilities) of the reference signals more dynamically, the availability of the reference signals may be indicated by dynamic signaling per paging cycle. However, if the network device indicates the availability of the reference signal in each paging cycle, a problem of high indication signaling overhead is caused.

The following describes the communication method and communication apparatus provided in the present application in detail:

referring to fig. 5, fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for indicating availability of a reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 5, the method for indicating the availability of the reference signal includes the following steps 501 and 502. The method execution subject shown in fig. 5 may be a network device and a terminal device. Alternatively, the method execution subject shown in fig. 5 may be a chip in a network device and a chip in a terminal device. Fig. 5 illustrates a network device and a terminal device as examples. The main execution body of the subsequent flow chart is the same, and is not described in detail later. Wherein:

501. the network equipment sends a system message, wherein the system message is used for configuring an indication period of availability of a reference signal, the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to one or more paging periods, and the reference signal is configured by the network equipment through the system message.

In the embodiment of the present application, the system message configuring the indication period may be the same as or different from the system message configuring the reference signal. The reference signal may be a Tracking Reference Signal (TRS), a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), or the like. Hereinafter, the tracking reference signal TRS is exemplarily described as a reference signal.

In this embodiment of the present application, the indication period refers to a period in which the network device sends the first indication information. For example, assume that one paging cycle corresponds to a time length of 1280ms (milliseconds). If the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 2 paging periods, the network device sends a first indication message every 2560 ms. And if the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 3 paging periods, the network equipment sends a first indication message every 3840 ms.

The first indication information is used for indicating the availability (availability) of the reference signal in the time length corresponding to the indication period. In the embodiment of the present application, the availability of the reference signal is used to indicate an assumption of whether the reference signal is transmitted by the terminal device. When the first indication information indicates that the reference signal is available, the terminal equipment considers that the reference signal is to be sent; when the first indication information indicates that the reference signal is not available, the terminal device considers that the reference signal is not transmitted. Alternatively, the availability of the reference signal is used to indicate whether the network device transmits the reference signal. When the first indication information indicates that the reference signal is available, indicating the network equipment to send the reference signal; when the first indication information indicates that the reference signal is unavailable, the network equipment is instructed not to transmit the reference signal.

The position of the first indication information may be the following two cases:

the first condition is as follows: the first indication information is located within the PO. The first indication information may be carried in the paging DCI if the first indication information is located within the PO. When the first indication information is carried in the paging DCI, the first indication information indicates availability of a reference signal starting before a next PO. The next PO refers to a PO that the terminal device needs to receive paging in the next paging cycle.

For example, as shown in fig. 6a, when the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 1 paging period, the first indication information indicates the availability of the TRS before the PO 2.

As another example, as shown in fig. 6b, when the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 2 paging periods, the first indication information may indicate the availability of the TRS before the PO3 in addition to the availability of the TRS before the PO2, that is, the first indication information indicates the availability of the TRS in the next paging period and indicates the availability of the TRS in the next paging period.

Case two: the first indication information is located before the PO. If the first indication information is located before the PO, the first indication information may be located in DCI or a sequence for indicating whether a paging message is transmitted in the PO. For convenience of description, the DCI or sequence for indicating whether a paging message is transmitted in the PO is hereinafter referred to as a Paging Early Indication (PEI), although the DCI or sequence may be referred to by other names. Or, when the first indication information is located before the PO, the first indication information may also be carried in other DCI or sequences besides the PEI, which is not limited in this embodiment of the application.

When the first indication information is carried in the PEI, the first indication information may indicate availability of a reference signal starting before the next PO. The next PO refers to a PO for which the terminal device needs to receive a page in the next paging cycle.

For example, as shown in fig. 7a, PEI before PO1 is used to indicate whether a paging message is sent in PO 1. When the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 1 paging period, the first indication information indicates the availability of the TRS before the PO 2.

As another example, as shown in fig. 7b, when the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 2 paging periods, the first indication information may indicate the availability of the TRS before the PO3 in addition to the availability of the TRS before the PO2, that is, the first indication information indicates the availability of the TRS in the next paging period and indicates the availability of the TRS in the next paging period.

Alternatively, when the first indication information is carried in the PEI, the first indication information may indicate availability of a reference signal starting before the current PO. The current PO refers to a PO which the terminal device needs to receive paging in the paging cycle in which the first indication information is located.

For example, as shown in fig. 8a, PEI before PO1 is used to indicate whether there is a paging message sent in PO 1. When the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 1 paging period, the first indication information indicates the availability of the TRS before the PO 1.

As another example, as shown in fig. 8b, when the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 2 paging periods, the first indication information may indicate the availability of the TRS before the PO2 in addition to the availability of the TRS before the PO1, that is, the first indication information indicates the availability of the TRS in the current paging period and indicates the availability of the TRS in the next paging period.

The following further describes the case where the indication period and the first indication information indicate availability of the reference signal by using a specific example:

for example, the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 2 paging periods, the first indication information is carried in the paging DCI, and the reference signal is the TRS, for example. As shown in fig. 9, the first indication information 1 is transmitted in the 0 th paging cycle, and the first indication information is not transmitted in the 1 st paging cycle. And sending the first indication information 2 in the 2 nd paging cycle, not sending the first indication information in the 3 rd paging cycle, and so on, and sending the first indication information every 2 paging cycles corresponding time lengths.

Referring to fig. 6a and fig. 6b together, since the first indication information is carried in the paging DCI, the first indication information indicates the availability of TRSs starting before the next PO. Therefore, the first indication information 1 indicates the availability of TRSs for 1 st to 2 nd paging cycles. The first indication information 2 indicates the availability of TRSs for 3 rd to 4 th paging cycles. That is, the availability of the TRS indicated by the first indication information 1 is valid for the 1 st to 2 nd paging cycles. The availability of the TRS indicated by the first indication information 2 is valid for the 3 rd to 4 th paging cycles. The availability of the TRSs indicated by the first indication information 1 and the first indication information 2 may be the same or different. For example, the first indication information 1 indicates that the TRS1 is available and the TRS2 is available for the 1 st to 2 nd paging cycles. The first indication information 2 indicates that the TRS1 is unavailable and the TRS2 is available in 3 rd to 4 th paging cycles.

For another example, the time length corresponding to the indication period is a time length corresponding to 2 paging periods, the first indication information is carried in the PEI, and the reference signal is the TRS, for example. As shown in fig. 10, the first indication information 1 is transmitted in the 0 th paging cycle, and the first indication information is not transmitted in the 1 st paging cycle. And sending the first indication information 2 in the 2 nd paging cycle, not sending the first indication information in the 3 rd paging cycle, and so on, and sending the first indication information every 2 paging cycles corresponding time lengths.

Referring to fig. 7a and 7b together, it is assumed that the first indication information indicates the availability of TRSs starting before the next PO when the first indication information is carried by PEI. Then, the first indication information 1 indicates the availability of TRSs for 1 st to 2 nd paging cycles. The first indication information 2 indicates the availability of TRSs for 3 rd to 4 th paging cycles. That is, the availability of the TRS indicated by the first indication information 1 is valid for the 1 st to 2 nd paging cycles. The availability of the TRS indicated by the first indication information 2 is valid for the 3 rd to 4 th paging cycles. For example, the availability of the TRS indicated by the first indication information 1 and the first indication information 2 may be the same or different.

Referring to fig. 8a and 8b, it is assumed that the first indication information indicates the availability of TRSs starting before the current PO when the first indication information is carried in PEI. Then, the first indication information 1 indicates the availability of TRSs for 0 th to 1 st paging cycles. The first indication information 2 indicates the availability of TRSs for the 2 nd to 3 rd paging cycles. That is, the availability of the TRS indicated by the first indication information 1 is valid for the 0 th to 1 st paging cycles. The availability of the TRS indicated by the first indication information 2 is valid for the 2 nd to 3 rd paging cycles.

In one possible implementation, the first indication information indicates availability of all reference signals configured within a time length corresponding to one indication period; alternatively, the first indication information indicates availability of a reference signal associated with the PO of the terminal device for a time length corresponding to one indication period. The PO of the terminal device means a PO in which the terminal device needs to receive the paging message, which is calculated by the terminal device based on the identifier of the terminal device. The reference signal associated with the PO of the terminal device refers to: the terminal device needs a measured reference signal before the PO. The relationship of these reference signals to the POs may be determined by the network device configuration.

For example, as shown in fig. 9 and fig. 10, it is assumed that the network device configures a total of 2 reference signals, which are TRS1 and TRS2, through the system message. The first indication information may include 2 bits, each bit corresponding to one TRS, and each bit indicating availability of its corresponding TRS for a time length corresponding to one indication period. Alternatively, as shown in fig. 9 and 10, assuming that only the TRS2 is associated with the PO of the terminal device, the first indication information may include 1 bit for indicating the availability of the TRS2 for a time length corresponding to one indication period. The first indication information only indicates the availability of the reference signal associated with the PO of the terminal equipment, which is beneficial to saving the overhead of indication signaling.

In one possible implementation, the paging cycle is a cell-specific paging cycle. Since the reference signal is transmitted by the network device in a broadcast manner, the period of indication of the availability of the reference signal should also be the same for all terminal devices in the cell. Therefore, the paging cycle is simple, feasible and reasonable.

502. The network equipment sends first indication information to the terminal equipment based on the indication period, wherein the first indication information indicates the availability of the reference signal in the time length corresponding to the indication period.

In the embodiment of the application, after the network device sends the system message, the first indication information may be sent to the terminal device based on the indication period. For example, assume that a paging cycle corresponds to a time length of 1280 ms. If the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 2 paging periods, the network device sends a first indication message every 2560 ms. And if the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 3 paging periods, the network equipment sends a first indication message every 3840 ms.

Accordingly, the terminal device can receive the system message sent by the network device. After the terminal device receives the system message sent by the network device, the first indication information sent by the network device may be received based on the indication period. For example, assume that a paging cycle corresponds to a time length of 1280 ms. And if the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 2 paging periods, the terminal equipment receives first indication information every 2560 ms. And if the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to 3 paging periods, the terminal equipment receives first indication information every 3840 ms.

It can be seen that by implementing the method described in fig. 5, the network device does not need to send indication signaling for indicating the availability of the reference signal every paging cycle. It is advantageous to reduce the overhead of indication signaling for indicating the availability of reference signals.

As described above, the first indication information may occur once in each indication period, and at this time, the first indication information may indicate the availability of the reference signal in the time length corresponding to the indication period. For example, it is assumed that the availability of the reference signal is indicated by PEI, and the length of time corresponding to the indication period is a length of time corresponding to 5 paging periods. At this time, 0 th PEI indicates the availability of the reference signal, and 1 st to 4 th PEI do not indicate the availability of the reference signal. Then the 5 th PEI indicates once again the availability of the reference signal and the 6 th to 9 th PEI does not indicate the availability of the reference signal. At this time, the reference signal availability in the first 5 paging cycles is determined based on the indication of the 0 th PEI, or the availability/unavailability of the reference signal in the 5 paging cycles is considered to be the same. Alternatively, the availability of the reference signals in 1 st to 5 th paging cycles is determined based on the indication of the 0 th PEI, or the availability/unavailability of the reference signals in 1 st to 5 th paging cycles is considered to be the same.

Based on the scheme, the method is further designed as follows:

in a first mode, the first indication information is in the PEI, and the PEI is a DCI.

In one possible embodiment, the length of the PEI including the first indication information may be different from the PEI that does not include the first indication information. It will be appreciated that PEI including the first indicating information is longer in length than PEI not including the first indicating information.

In another possible embodiment, the PEI including the first indication information has the same length as the PEI not including the first indication information, but its content interpretation may be different. For example, the first indication information occupies 5 bits, and when the PEI contains the first indication information, the 5 bits are used for indicating the availability of the reference signal; when PEI does not include the first indication information, these 5 bits are used to indicate other information, e.g., indicating whether more subgroups (sub-groups) of terminal devices need to receive paging messages at the following POs.

For the first mode, exemplarily refer to fig. 11, and fig. 11 is a schematic flowchart of another method for indicating availability of a reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 11, the method for indicating the availability of the reference signal includes the following steps 1101 to 1103.

1101. The network equipment sends a system message, wherein the system message is used for configuring an indication period of availability of a reference signal, the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to one or more paging periods, and the reference signal is configured by the network equipment through the system message.

Accordingly, the terminal device receives the system message sent by the network device.

For a specific implementation manner of step 1101, reference may be made to the above-mentioned specific implementation manner of step 501, which is not described herein again.

1102. The network equipment sends first DCI to the terminal equipment based on the indication period, wherein the first DCI comprises first indication information, the first DCI is positioned before a first paging occasion PO, and the first DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the first PO; the first indication information indicates availability of the reference signal within a time length corresponding to the indication period.

Accordingly, after the terminal device receives the system message, the first DCI sent by the network device is received based on the indication period.

1103. And the network equipment sends a second DCI to the terminal equipment, wherein the second DCI is positioned before a second PO, the second DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information.

Accordingly, the terminal device may receive the second DCI transmitted by the network device.

In the embodiment of the present application, the first DCI and the second DCI may be understood as the foregoing PEI. The first DCI is PEI carrying first indication information. The second DCI is PEI which does not carry the first indication information.

For example, as shown in fig. 10, for the 1 st indication period, PEI in the 0 th paging period is the first DCI, and PO in the 0 th paging period is the first PO. The PEI in the 1 st paging cycle is a second DCI, and the PO in the 1 st paging cycle is a second PO.

For the 2 nd indication period, the PEI in the 2 nd paging period is the first DCI, and the PO in the 2 nd paging period is the first PO. The PEI in the 3 rd paging cycle is the second DCI, and the PO in the 3 rd paging cycle is the second PO.

In the embodiment of the present application, the bit numbers of the first DCI and the second DCI have the following two situations:

the first condition is as follows: the first DCI includes a larger number of bits than the second DCI. By making the bit number of the first DCI larger than that of the second DCI, the signaling overhead of the second DCI is saved.

As shown in fig. 12, it is assumed that the first DCI has 10 bits in total and the second DCI has 5 bits in total. The first indication information in the first DCI occupies 5 bits. The first DCI is 5 bits more than the second DCI.

Case two: the first DCI includes a number of bits equal to the number of bits included in the second DCI. Target bits in the second DCI are used to indicate other information than availability of the reference signal, and bit positions of the target bits in the second DCI are the same as bit positions of the first indication information in the first DCI. By having the target bit in the second DCI to indicate other information than the availability of the reference signal, the second DCI can be made to indicate more information.

For example, as shown in fig. 13, it is assumed that the first DCI has 10 bits in total and the second DCI has 10 bits in total. The first indication information in the first DCI occupies the lowest order 5 bits of the first DCI. The lowest-order 5 bits of the second DCI are target bits for indicating information other than availability of a reference signal.

Wherein the paging group information is used to indicate whether each of a plurality of paging groups is paged, each paging group including one or more terminal devices. By using the target bit in the second DCI to indicate the paging group information, the paging group can be more finely divided in the second DCI, the paged terminal device can be more finely indicated, the probability that the terminal device receives the paging DCI and/or the paging message is reduced, and power consumption of the terminal device is saved.

One PO may correspond to a plurality of terminal devices. The plurality of terminal devices may be divided into a plurality of paging groups, each paging group including one or more terminal devices. If a terminal device in a paging group is paged, it needs to be indicated before the PO that the paging group is paged, so that all terminal devices in the paging group receive the paging message at the PO. If all the terminal devices in a paging group are not paged, it can be indicated before the PO that the paging group is not paged, so that the terminal devices in the paging group do not receive paging messages at the PO, and the power consumption of the terminal devices is saved.

For example, assume that there are 10 terminal devices corresponding to the first PO and the second PO. The first DCI and the second DCI each have 10 bits. As shown in fig. 14, the highest 5 bits in the first DCI are paging packet information, and the lowest 5 bits are first indication information. For the first DCI, 10 terminal devices may be divided into 5 paging groups of 2 terminal devices per paging group. Paging group 1 comprises terminal device 1 and terminal device 2, paging group 2 comprises terminal device 3 and terminal device 4, and so on, paging group 5 comprises terminal device 9 and terminal device 10. The first bit of the paging packet information indicates whether paging group 1 is paged. The second bit of the paging packet information indicates whether paging group 2 is paged. By analogy, the fifth bit of the paging packet information indicates whether paging group 5 is paged. Assuming that only the terminal device 1 is paged, the bit value of the paging packet information is 10000. Wherein a bit value of 1 indicates that the corresponding paging group is paged. A bit value of 0 indicates that the corresponding paging group is not paged. It can be seen that even if terminal device 2 in paging group 1 is not paged, all terminal devices of paging group 1 (i.e. terminal device 1 and terminal device 2) will receive the paging message at the first PO, which is not favorable for saving power consumption of the terminal devices.

As shown in fig. 14, 10 bits in the second DCI are all paging packet information. For the second DCI, 10 terminal devices may be divided into 10 paging groups, each paging group including 1 terminal device. Paging group 1 includes terminal device 1, paging group 2 includes terminal device 2, and so on, paging group 10 includes terminal device 10. The first bit of the paging packet information indicates whether paging group 1 is paged. The second bit of the paging packet information indicates whether paging group 2 is paged. And so on, the 10 th bit of the paging packet information indicates whether the paging group 10 is paged. Assuming that only terminal device 1 is paged, the value of 10 bits in the first DCI is 1000000000. Wherein a bit value of 1 indicates that the corresponding paging group is paged. A bit value of 0 indicates that the corresponding paging group is not paged. Therefore, only the terminal device 1 needs to receive the paging message in the second PO, and other terminal devices do not need to receive the paging message in the second PO, which is beneficial to saving the power consumption of the terminal device.

Therefore, the paging group can be divided more finely in the second DCI by using the target bit in the second DCI to indicate the paging group information, so that the paged terminal device can be indicated more finely, the probability of receiving the paging DCI and/or the paging message by the terminal device is reduced, and power consumption of the terminal device is saved.

In another possible implementation, when the number of bits included in the first DCI is equal to the number of bits included in the second DCI, the target bit in the second DCI may not indicate any information.

In a second mode, the first indication information is included in the paging DCI.

In one possible embodiment, the paging DCI including the first indication information has the same length as the paging DCI not including the first indication information, but the content interpretation is different.

In another possible embodiment, when the paging DCI does not include the first indication information, the spare bit is used to indicate other information, for example, whether terminal devices of more sub-groups (sub-groups) need to receive a paging message at the current PO.

For the second mode, exemplarily, please refer to fig. 15, and fig. 15 is a schematic flowchart of another method for indicating availability of a reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 15, the method for indicating the availability of the reference signal includes the following steps 1501 to 1503.

1501. The network equipment sends a system message, wherein the system message is used for configuring an indication period of availability of a reference signal, the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to one or more paging periods, and the reference signal is configured by the network equipment through the system message.

For a specific implementation manner of step 1501, reference may be made to the above-mentioned specific implementation manner of step 501, which is not described herein again.

1502. The network device sends a first DCI to the terminal device based on an indication period, wherein the first DCI comprises first indication information, the first DCI is located in a first paging occasion PO, the first DCI is used for scheduling a paging message in the first PO, and the first indication information indicates the availability of a reference signal in a time length corresponding to the indication period.

1503. And the network equipment sends a second DCI to the terminal equipment, wherein the second DCI is positioned in a second PO and is used for scheduling the paging message in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information.

In the embodiment of the present application, the first DCI and the second DCI may be understood as paging DCI. The first DCI is paging DCI carrying first indication information. The second DCI is a paging DCI not carrying the first indication information.

For example, as shown in fig. 9, when the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to two paging periods, the paging DCI in the 0 th paging period is the first DCI 1, and the PO in the 0 th paging period is the first PO 1; the paging DCI in the 2 nd paging cycle is first DCI 2, and PO in the 2 nd paging cycle is first PO 2. The paging DCI in the 1 st paging cycle is a second DCI 1, and PO in the 1 st paging cycle is a second PO 1; the paging DCI in the 3 rd paging cycle is the second DCI 2, and the PO in the 3 rd paging cycle is the second PO 2.

The number of bits included in the first DCI is equal to the number of bits included in the second DCI; target bits in the second DCI are used to indicate other information than availability of the reference signal, and bit positions of the target bits in the second DCI are the same as bit positions of the first indication information in the first DCI. By having the target bit in the second DCI to indicate other information than the availability of the reference signal, the second DCI can be made to indicate more information.

In one possible implementation, the other information than the availability of the reference signal includes paging packet information. The paging group information is used to indicate whether each of a plurality of paging groups, each paging group including one or more terminal devices, is paged. By using the target bit in the second DCI to indicate the paging group information, the paging group can be divided more finely in the second DCI, the paged terminal device can be indicated more finely, the probability that the terminal device receives the paging message is reduced, and power consumption of the terminal device is saved.

PEI and the reference signals mentioned in this application are two independent functions, and not all terminal devices that support the above reference signals support PEI. If the availability of the reference signal is indicated by PEI. This may result in that a terminal device that does not support PEI cannot determine the availability of the reference signal. Therefore, in order to enable both a terminal device that does not support PEI and a terminal device that supports PEI to determine availability of a reference signal and improve system compatibility, the embodiment of the present application further provides another method for indicating availability of a reference signal.

Referring to fig. 16, fig. 16 is a schematic flowchart of another method for indicating availability of a reference signal according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 16, the method for indicating the availability of the reference signal includes the following steps 1601 to 1602.

1601. The terminal device receives a first signaling sent by the network device, the first signaling includes first indication information, the first signaling is located before a first paging occasion PO, and the first signaling indicates whether a paging message is sent in the first PO.

Wherein the first signaling is PEI. The first PO is the PO of the paging cycle in which the PEI is located.

1602. The terminal device receives a second signaling sent by the network device, where the second signaling includes second indication information, the second signaling is DCI located in a second PO, the second signaling is used to schedule a paging message in the second PO, and a first PO is the same as or different from the second PO, where the first indication information and the second indication information respectively indicate availability of a first reference signal, and the first reference signal is configured by the network device through a system message.

Accordingly, the network device may send the first signaling and the second signaling.

Wherein the second signaling is paging DCI. The first PO may be the same as the second PO, or the second PO may be a previous PO to the first PO.

In the embodiment of the present application, the first indication information indicates availability of the first reference signal, and the second indication information also indicates availability of the first reference signal. The first indication information and the second indication information indicate availability of the same reference signal. The first reference signal may be a Tracking Reference Signal (TRS), a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), or the like.

The first indication information and the second indication information respectively indicate that the following two scenarios exist for the availability of the first reference signal:

scene one: the first signaling and the second signaling are in the same paging cycle, both indicating availability of the first reference signal for the next paging cycle, the first PO and the second PO being the same. As shown in fig. 17, the first signaling is PEI, and the second signaling is the first paging DCI. Both indicating the availability of the same TRS. The first PO and the second PO are both the first PO in fig. 17. The first signaling comprises first indication information, and the second signaling comprises second indication information.

Scene two: the second signaling is in a previous paging cycle of the first signaling, the second signaling indicates the availability of the first reference signal of a next paging cycle, the first signaling indicates the availability of the first reference signal of the paging cycle in which the second signaling is located, and the second PO is a PO previous to the first PO. As shown in fig. 18, the first signaling is PEI, and the second signaling is the first paging DCI. Both indicating the availability of the same TRS. The first signaling comprises first indication information, and the second signaling comprises second indication information.

In one possible implementation, the first reference signal may be any one of reference signals configured by the system message, or the first reference signal may be a reference signal associated with a PO of the terminal device.

It can be seen that by implementing the method described in fig. 16, the availability of the same reference signal can be indicated through the first signaling and the second signaling, and since all terminal devices support the function of receiving the second signaling, by implementing the method described in fig. 16, it is beneficial for both the terminal device that does not support the first signaling and the terminal device that supports the first signaling to determine the availability of the reference signal, and system compatibility is improved.

In the first scenario or the second scenario, the terminal device receives the first indication information and the second indication information in the following three cases:

the first condition is as follows: and the terminal equipment receives the first indication information and the second indication information.

Since the first indication information and the second indication information indicate the availability of the same reference signal. If the terminal device receives the first indication information and the second indication information, the terminal device cannot determine which indication information to use to determine the availability of the first reference signal, resulting in the terminal device being unable to determine the availability of the first reference signal. In order to enable the terminal device to accurately determine the availability of the first reference signal after receiving the first indication information and the second indication information, the embodiment of the present application proposes 3 ways for the terminal device to determine the availability of the first reference signal.

Mode 1: by constraining the network device, the availability of the first reference signal determined by the terminal device based on the first indication information and the second indication information is the same. The terminal device may further determine the availability of the first reference signal following the first indication information and/or the second indication information.

Mode 2: the terminal device determines availability of the first reference signal based on target indication information, which is one of the first indication information and the second indication information.

That is, the terminal device receives two pieces of indication information, but selects one piece of indication information from the two pieces of indication information to determine the availability of the first reference signal.

In one possible implementation, the target indication information is the latest one of the first indication information and the second indication information received at the latest time. That is, the terminal device determines the availability of the first reference signal using the indication information transmitted by the network device at the latest.

The availability of the first reference signal is determined by adopting the indication information sent by the network equipment at the latest, so that the network equipment can change the availability of the first reference signal at any time, and the network equipment is favorable for indicating the availability of the first reference signal more flexibly.

In another possible implementation, the target indication information is the highest priority one of the first indication information and the second indication information. That is, the terminal device determines the availability of the first reference signal using the indication information having the highest priority of the first indication information and the second indication information. Based on this possible implementation, it is advantageous for the network device to indicate the availability of the first reference signal more flexibly.

Optionally, the terminal device receives configuration information sent by the network device, where the configuration information is used to configure priorities of the first indication information and the second indication information. That is, the priority of the first indication information and the second indication information may be configured by the network device. The configuration information may also be carried in a system message configuring the first reference signal. Alternatively, the configuration information may be carried in other system messages.

Optionally, the priority of the first indication information and the priority of the second indication information are predefined by the protocol.

Mode 3: the terminal device determines availability of a reference signal group based on the first indication information, the reference signal group including a first reference signal; if the reference signal group is not available, the terminal device determines the availability of each reference signal in the reference signal group based on the second indication information. That is, the availability of the first reference signal is jointly indicated by the first indication information and the second indication information. In this possible implementation, the first indication information precedes the second indication information. For example, the availability of the first reference signal may be determined using mode 3 in the scenario depicted in fig. 17.

Optionally, the reference signal group includes all reference signals of the system message configuration. Alternatively, the reference signal group includes only reference signals associated with POs of the terminal device, and the first reference signal is one of the reference signals associated with POs of the terminal device.

For example, assume that the reference signal group includes reference signals 1 to 10. The first indication information includes 1 bit. When the bit of the first indication information is 1, it indicates that the corresponding reference signal group is available. The set of reference signals is available means that all reference signals in the set of reference signals are available. When the bit of the first indication information is 0, it indicates that the corresponding reference signal group is unavailable. The set of reference signals is unavailable means that all reference signals in the set of reference signals are not available. The second indication information includes 10 bits, each bit corresponds to a reference signal, and the bit corresponding to each reference signal is used for indicating whether the reference signal is available. If the first indication information indicates that the reference signal group is not available, the terminal device needs to continue interpreting the second indication information and determine the availability of individual reference signals in the reference signal group based on the second indication information. If the first indication information indicates that the reference signal group is available, that is, each reference signal in the reference signal group is available, the terminal device does not need to continuously interpret the second indication information, so that the number of signals received by the terminal device can be reduced, and the power consumption of the terminal device can be saved. In other embodiments, it may also be that when the bit of the first indication information is 0, it indicates that the reference signal group is available; when the bit of the first indication information is 1, it indicates that the reference signal group is not available, and the embodiment of the present application is not limited.

A first signaling may also indicate whether a paging message is transmitted in a plurality of POs. For example, if two POs are located close together, whether a paging message is transmitted in the two POs may be indicated through a first signaling. Therefore, the reference signals may also be grouped by PO. Assume that the first signaling indicates whether a paging message is transmitted in PO1 and PO 2. Reference signals 1-5 are associated with PO 1. Reference signal 6-reference signal 10 are associated with PO 2. Then, the reference signal may be divided into two reference signal groups. The reference signal group 1 includes reference signals 1 to 5. The reference signal group 2 includes reference signals 6 to 10. The first indication information includes 2 bits. The first bit is used to indicate the availability of reference signal group 1. The second bit is used to indicate the availability of reference signal group 2. Assuming that the reference signal 1 is unavailable and the reference signals 2 to 10 are all available, the bit value of the first indication information is 01. When the bit of the first indication information is 0, it indicates that the corresponding reference signal group is unavailable. When the bit of the first indication information is 1, it indicates that the corresponding reference signal group is available. The second indication information in PO1 includes 5 bits indicating the availability of reference signals 1 to 5, respectively, and the second indication information in PO2 includes 5 bits indicating the availability of reference signals 6 to 10, respectively. Assume that PO1 is the PO of terminal 1 and PO2 is the PO of terminal 2. The terminal device 1 will continue to interpret the second indication information in the PO1 to determine the availability of the respective reference signal in the reference signal group 1. The terminal device 2 does not need to continuously interpret the second indication information in the PO2, which is beneficial to saving power consumption of the terminal device.

In another possible implementation, the availability of the reference signal group may also be indicated by the second indication information, and the first indication information indicates the availability of each reference signal in the reference signal group. That is, the terminal device may determine availability of a set of reference signals based on the second indication information, the set of reference signals including the first reference signal; if the reference signal group is not available, the terminal device determines the availability of each reference signal in the reference signal group based on the first indication information. In this possible implementation, the second indication information precedes the first indication information. This approach may be used, for example, in the scenario depicted in fig. 18 to determine the availability of the first reference signal.

Case two: the terminal equipment does not receive the first indication information and the second indication information.

The terminal device does not receive the first indication information, which may be because the network device does not send the first indication information at the sending position of the first indication information. It is also possible that the network device has sent the first indication but the terminal device has failed to receive the first indication. The terminal device does not receive the second indication information, possibly because the network device did not send the second indication information. It is also possible that the network device has sent the second indication information but the terminal device has failed to receive the second indication information.

In one possible implementation, if the terminal device does not receive the first indication information and the second indication information, the terminal device determines that the first reference signal is unavailable. Based on the possible implementation, even if the terminal device does not receive the first indication information and the second indication information, the terminal device can accurately determine that the first reference signal is unavailable.

And a third situation: the terminal device receives one of the first indication information and the second indication information.

The situation that the terminal equipment receives the first indication information but does not receive the second indication information comprises 1) no paging message is sent after the first signaling indication, and the terminal equipment does not naturally receive the second signaling; or 2) the first signaling indicates that a paging message was sent but the terminal device failed to receive successfully. The situation that the terminal equipment receives the second signaling but does not receive the first signaling comprises 1) the network equipment does not send the first signaling at the sending position of the first signaling; or 2) the network device sent the first signaling but the terminal device failed to receive successfully.

In one possible implementation, if the terminal device receives the first indication information and does not receive the second indication information, the terminal device determines availability of the first reference signal based on the first indication information; and if the terminal equipment receives the second indication information and does not receive the first indication information, the terminal equipment determines the availability of the first reference signal based on the second indication information. Based on the possible implementation manner, the terminal device can also accurately determine the availability of the first reference signal when only one of the first indication information and the second indication information is received by the terminal device.

Referring to fig. 19, fig. 19 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication apparatus shown in fig. 19 may be configured to perform part or all of the functions of the terminal device in the method embodiments described in fig. 5, fig. 11, and fig. 15. The device may be a terminal device, or a device in the terminal device, or a device capable of being used in cooperation with the terminal device. Wherein, the communication device can also be a chip system. The communication apparatus shown in fig. 19 may include a communication unit 1901 and a processing unit 1902. The processing unit 1902 is configured to perform data processing. The communication unit 1901 is integrated with a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. The communication unit 1901 may also be referred to as a transceiving unit. Alternatively, communication section 1901 may be divided into a reception section and a transmission section. The processing unit 1902 and the communication unit 1901 are similar, and will not be described in detail below. Wherein:

a communication unit 1901, configured to receive a system message sent by a network device, where the system message is used to configure an indication period of availability of a reference signal, and a time length corresponding to the indication period is a time length corresponding to one or more paging periods, where the reference signal is configured by the network device through the system message; the communication unit 1901 is further configured to receive, based on the indication period, first indication information sent by the network device, where the first indication information indicates availability of the reference signal in a time length corresponding to the indication period.

In a possible implementation, the manner that the communication unit 1901 receives the first indication information sent by the network device based on the indication period is specifically: a communication unit 1901 receives, based on the indication period, a first downlink control information DCI sent by the network device, where the first DCI includes first indication information, the first DCI is located before a first paging occasion PO, and the first DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the first PO;

a communication unit 1901, further configured to receive a second DCI sent by the network device, where the second DCI is located before a second PO, the second DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information; the bit number of the first DCI is greater than that of the second DCI.

In a possible implementation, the communication unit 1901 is further configured to receive, based on the indication period, the first indication information sent by the network device specifically: the terminal equipment receives first Downlink Control Information (DCI) sent by the network equipment based on an indication period, wherein the first DCI comprises first indication information, the first DCI is positioned before a first Paging Occasion (PO), and the first DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the first PO or not;

a communication unit 1901, further configured to receive a second DCI sent by the network device, where the second DCI is located before a second PO, the second DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information; the number of bits included in the first DCI is equal to the number of bits included in the second DCI; target bits in the second DCI are used to indicate information other than availability of the reference signal, and bit positions of the target bits in the second DCI are the same as bit positions of the first indication information in the first DCI.

In a possible implementation, the manner that the communication unit 1901 receives the first indication information sent by the network device based on the indication period is specifically: a communication unit 1901 receives, based on the indication period, a first downlink control information DCI sent by the network device, where the first DCI includes first indication information, the first DCI being located in a first paging occasion PO, and the first DCI being used to schedule a paging message in the first PO;

a communication unit 1901, further configured to receive a second DCI sent by the network device, where the second DCI is located in a second PO, the second DCI is used to schedule a paging message in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information; the number of bits included in the first DCI is equal to the number of bits included in the second DCI; the target bit in the second DCI is used to indicate other information than the availability of the reference signal, and the bit position of the target bit in the second DCI is the same as the bit position of the first indication information in the first DCI.

Referring to fig. 19, fig. 19 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication apparatus shown in fig. 19 may be used to perform part or all of the functions of the network device in the method embodiments described in fig. 5, fig. 11, and fig. 15. The device may be a network device, a device in the network device, or a device capable of being used in cooperation with the network device. Wherein, the communication device can also be a chip system. The communication apparatus shown in fig. 19 may include a communication unit 1901 and a processing unit 1902. Wherein:

a communication unit 1901, configured to send a system message, where the system message is used to configure an indication period of availability of a reference signal, and a time length corresponding to the indication period is a time length corresponding to one or more paging periods, where the reference signal is configured by a network device through the system message; the communication unit 1901 is further configured to send, to the terminal device, first indication information based on the indication period, where the first indication information indicates availability of the reference signal in a time length corresponding to the indication period.

In a possible implementation, the manner of sending, by the communication unit 1901, the first indication information to the terminal device based on the indication period is specifically: a communication unit 1901 transmits first downlink control information DCI to a terminal device based on an indication period, where the first DCI includes first indication information, the first DCI is located before a first paging occasion PO, and the first DCI indicates whether a paging message is transmitted in the first PO;

a communication unit 1901, further configured to send a second DCI to the terminal device, where the second DCI is located before a second PO, the second DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information; the bit number of the first DCI is greater than that of the second DCI.

a communication unit 1901, further configured to send a second DCI to the terminal device, where the second DCI is located before a second PO, the second DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information; the number of bits included in the first DCI is equal to the number of bits included in the second DCI; target bits in the second DCI are used to indicate information other than availability of the reference signal, and bit positions of the target bits in the second DCI are the same as bit positions of the first indication information in the first DCI.

In a possible implementation, the manner of sending, by the communication unit 1901, the first indication information to the terminal device based on the indication period is specifically: a communication unit 1901 transmits first downlink control information DCI to a terminal device based on an indication period, where the first DCI includes first indication information, the first DCI is located within a first paging occasion PO, and the first DCI is used to schedule a paging message in the first PO;

a communication unit 1901, further configured to send a second DCI to the terminal device, where the second DCI is located in a second PO, the second DCI is used to schedule a paging message in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information; the number of bits included in the first DCI is equal to the number of bits included in the second DCI; the target bit in the second DCI is used to indicate other information than the availability of the reference signal, and the bit position of the target bit in the second DCI is the same as the bit position of the first indication information in the first DCI.

Referring to fig. 19, fig. 19 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication apparatus shown in fig. 19 may be used to perform part or all of the functions of the terminal device in the method embodiment described in fig. 16. The device may be a terminal device, or a device in the terminal device, or a device capable of being used in cooperation with the terminal device. Wherein, the communication device can also be a chip system. The communication apparatus shown in fig. 19 may include a communication unit 1901 and a processing unit 1902. Wherein:

a communication unit 1901, configured to receive a first signaling sent by a network device, where the first signaling includes first indication information, and the first signaling is located before a first paging occasion PO, where the first signaling indicates whether a paging message is sent in the first PO; a communication unit 1901, further configured to receive a second signaling sent by the network device, where the second signaling includes second indication information, the second signaling is DCI located in a second PO, the second signaling is used to schedule a paging message in the second PO, and the first PO is the same as or different from the second PO; the first indication information and the second indication information respectively indicate the availability of a first reference signal, and the first reference signal is configured by the network equipment through a system message.

In one possible implementation, if the communication unit 1901 receives the first indication information and the second indication information, the processing unit 1902 determines the availability of the first reference signal based on the first indication information and the second indication information, and the first indication information and the second indication information indicate the same availability of the first reference signal.

In one possible implementation, if the communication unit 1901 receives the first indication information and the second indication information, the processing unit 1902 determines availability of the first reference signal based on target indication information, which is one of the first indication information and the second indication information.

In one possible implementation, the target indication information is the latest one of the first indication information and the second indication information received at the latest time.

In a possible implementation, the communication unit 1901 is further configured to receive configuration information sent by the network device, where the configuration information is used to configure priorities of the first indication information and the second indication information.

In one possible implementation, if the communication unit 1901 receives the first indication information and the second indication information, the processing unit 1902 determines availability of a set of reference signals based on the first indication information, the set of reference signals including the first reference signal; if the set of reference signals is not available, the processing unit 1902 determines the availability of the respective reference signals in the set of reference signals based on the second indication information.

In another possible implementation, if the communication unit 1901 receives the first indication information and the second indication information, the processing unit 1902 determines availability of a set of reference signals based on the second indication information, the set of reference signals including the first reference signal; if the reference signal group is not available, the processing unit 1902 determines the availability of the respective reference signals in the reference signal group based on the first indication information.

In one possible implementation, if the communication unit 1901 does not receive the first indication information and the second indication information, the processing unit 1902 determines that the first reference signal is not available.

In one possible implementation, if the communication unit 1901 receives the first indication information and does not receive the second indication information, the processing unit 1902 determines availability of the first reference signal based on the first indication information; if the communication unit 1901 receives the second indication information and does not receive the first indication information, the processing unit 1902 determines the availability of the first reference signal based on the second indication information.

Fig. 20 shows a communication apparatus 200 according to an embodiment of the present application, which is used to implement the functions of the terminal device in fig. 5, fig. 11, fig. 15, or fig. 16. The apparatus may be a terminal device or an apparatus for a terminal device. The means for the terminal device may be a system of chips or a chip within the terminal device. The chip system may be composed of a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

Or, the communication apparatus 200 is configured to implement the functions of the network device in fig. 5, fig. 11, or fig. 15. The apparatus may be a network device or an apparatus for a network device. The means for the network device may be a system-on-chip or a chip within the network device.

The communications apparatus 200 includes at least one processor 2020 for implementing the data processing functions of the terminal device or the network device in the methods provided by the embodiments of the present application. The communication apparatus 200 may further include a communication interface 2010, configured to implement transceiving operations of a terminal device or a network device in the method provided in the embodiment of the present application. In embodiments of the present application, the communication interface may be a transceiver, circuit, bus, module, or other type of communication interface for communicating with other devices over a transmission medium. For example, the communication interface 2010 provides for the apparatus in the communications apparatus 200 to communicate with other devices. Processor 2020 may use communication interface 2010 to send and receive data and may be configured to implement the methods described in the method embodiments above with respect to fig. 5, 11, 15, or 16.

Communications device 200 may also include at least one memory 2030 for storing program instructions and/or data. The memory 2030 is coupled to the processor 2020. The coupling in the embodiments of the present application is an indirect coupling or a communication connection between devices, units or modules, and may be an electrical, mechanical or other form for information interaction between the devices, units or modules. The processor 2020 may cooperate with the memory 2030. Processor 2020 may execute program instructions stored in memory 2030. At least one of the at least one memory may be included in the processor.

When the communication device 200 is powered on, the processor 2020 may read the software program in the memory 2030, interpret and execute the instructions of the software program, and process the data of the software program. When data needs to be transmitted wirelessly, the processor 2020 performs baseband processing on the data to be transmitted, and outputs a baseband signal to a radio frequency circuit (not shown), and the radio frequency circuit performs radio frequency processing on the baseband signal and transmits the radio frequency signal to the outside in the form of electromagnetic waves through an antenna. When data is transmitted to the communication apparatus 200, the radio frequency circuit receives a radio frequency signal through the antenna, converts the radio frequency signal into a baseband signal, and outputs the baseband signal to the processor 2020, and the processor 2020 converts the baseband signal into data and processes the data.

In another implementation, the rf circuitry and antennas may be provided separately from the processor 2020 which performs baseband processing, for example in a distributed scenario, the rf circuitry and antennas may be in a remote arrangement separately from the communication device.

The specific connection media between the communication interface 2010, the processor 2020, and the memory 2030 are not limited in this embodiment. In fig. 20, the memory 2030, the processor 2020, and the communication interface 2010 are connected through a bus 2040, the bus is shown by a thick line in fig. 20, and the connection manner among other components is only for illustrative purposes and is not limited thereto. The bus may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is shown in FIG. 20, but this is not intended to represent only one bus or type of bus.

When the communication apparatus 200 is specifically an apparatus for a terminal device or a network device, for example, when the communication apparatus 200 is specifically a chip or a chip system, the baseband signal may be output or received by the communication interface 2010. When the communication apparatus 200 is specifically a terminal device or a network device, the communication interface 2010 may output or receive a radio frequency signal. In the embodiments of the present application, the processor may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, or a discrete hardware component, and may implement or execute the methods, operations, and logic blocks disclosed in the embodiments of the present application. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor or the like. The operations of the methods disclosed in connection with the embodiments of the present application may be directly performed by a hardware processor, or may be performed by a combination of hardware and software modules in a processor.

Embodiments of the present application further provide a computer-readable storage medium, in which instructions are stored, and when the computer-readable storage medium is executed on a processor, the method flow of the above method embodiments is implemented.

Embodiments of the present application further provide a computer program product, where when the computer program product runs on a processor, the method flow of the above method embodiments is implemented.

It is noted that, for simplicity of explanation, the foregoing method embodiments are described as a series of acts or combination of acts, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present application is not limited by the order of acts, as some acts may, in accordance with the present application, occur in other orders and/or concurrently. Further, those skilled in the art should also appreciate that the embodiments described in the specification are preferred embodiments and that the acts and modules referred to are not necessarily required in this application.

The descriptions of the embodiments provided in the present application may refer to each other, and the descriptions of the embodiments have respective emphasis, and for parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, reference may be made to the related descriptions of other embodiments. For convenience and brevity of description, for example, the functions and operations performed by the devices and apparatuses provided in the embodiments of the present application may refer to the related descriptions of the method embodiments of the present application, and may also be referred to, combined with or cited among the method embodiments and the device embodiments.

In the above embodiments, the implementation may be wholly or partially realized by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, 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 loaded and executed on a computer, cause the processes or functions described in accordance with the embodiments of the invention to occur, in whole or in part. The computer may be a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a network of computers, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer readable storage medium to another, for example, from one website site, computer, server, or data center to another website site, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.). The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device, such as a server, a data center, etc., that incorporates one or more of the available media. The usable medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., Solid State Drive (SSD)), among others.

Claims

1. A method for indicating reference signal availability, the method comprising:

the method comprises the steps that terminal equipment receives system information sent by network equipment, wherein the system information is used for configuring an indication period of availability of a reference signal, the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to one or more paging periods, and the reference signal is configured by the network equipment through the system information;

the terminal device receives first indication information sent by the network device based on the indication period, wherein the first indication information indicates the availability of the reference signal in the time length corresponding to the indication period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, by the terminal device, the first indication information sent by the network device based on the indication period comprises:

the terminal device receives first Downlink Control Information (DCI) sent by the network device based on the indication period, wherein the first DCI comprises the first indication information, and the first DCI is located before a first Paging Occasion (PO) and indicates whether a paging message is sent in the first PO;

the method further comprises the following steps:

the terminal device receives a second DCI sent by the network device, wherein the second DCI is located before a second PO, the second DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information;

wherein the first DCI includes a number of bits greater than the number of bits included in the second DCI.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device receives the first indication information sent by the network device based on the indication period, and the method comprises:

the method further comprises the following steps:

the terminal equipment receives second DCI sent by the network equipment, wherein the second DCI is positioned before a second PO, the second DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information;

wherein the first DCI includes a number of bits equal to the number of bits included in the second DCI; target bits in the second DCI are used for indicating other information except for availability of the reference signals, and bit positions of the target bits in the second DCI are the same as bit positions of the first indication information in the first DCI.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, by the terminal device, the first indication information sent by the network device based on the indication period comprises:

the terminal device receives first Downlink Control Information (DCI) sent by the network device based on the indication period, wherein the first DCI comprises the first indication information, the first DCI is located in a first Paging Occasion (PO), and the first DCI is used for scheduling a paging message in the first PO;

the method further comprises the following steps:

the terminal device receives a second DCI sent by the network device, where the second DCI is located in a second PO, the second DCI is used to schedule a paging message in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information;

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the other information than the availability of the reference signal comprises paging packet information.

6. The method according to any of claims 1-5, wherein the paging cycle is a cell-specific paging cycle.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first indication information indicates availability of all reference signals configured by a system message within a time length corresponding to one of the indication periods; or, the first indication information indicates availability of a reference signal associated with the PO of the terminal device within a time length corresponding to the indication period.

8. A method for indicating reference signal availability, the method comprising:

the method comprises the steps that network equipment sends system information, wherein the system information is used for configuring an indication period of availability of a reference signal, the time length corresponding to the indication period is the time length corresponding to one or more paging periods, and the reference signal is configured by the network equipment through the system information;

and the network equipment sends first indication information to the terminal equipment based on the indication period, wherein the first indication information indicates the availability of the reference signal in the time length corresponding to the indication period.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the network device sends first indication information to a terminal device based on the indication period, and wherein the first indication information comprises:

the network equipment sends first Downlink Control Information (DCI) to terminal equipment based on the indication period, wherein the first DCI comprises the first indication information, the first DCI is located before a first Paging Occasion (PO), and the first DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the first PO or not;

the method further comprises the following steps:

the network equipment sends a second DCI to the terminal equipment, wherein the second DCI is positioned before a second PO, the second DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information;

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the network device sends first indication information to a terminal device based on the indication period, and wherein the first indication information comprises:

the network equipment sends first Downlink Control Information (DCI) to terminal equipment based on the indication period, wherein the first DCI comprises the first indication information, the first DCI is positioned before a first Paging Occasion (PO), and the first DCI indicates whether a paging message is sent in the first PO or not;

the method further comprises the following steps:

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the network device sends first indication information to the terminal device based on the indication period, and wherein the sending comprises:

the network equipment sends first Downlink Control Information (DCI) to terminal equipment based on the indication period, wherein the first DCI comprises the first indication information, the first DCI is located in a first Paging Occasion (PO), and the first DCI is used for scheduling paging messages in the first PO;

the method further comprises the following steps:

the network equipment sends a second DCI to the terminal equipment, wherein the second DCI is located in a second PO, the second DCI is used for scheduling paging messages in the second PO, and the second DCI does not include the first indication information;

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the other information than the availability of the reference signal comprises paging packet information.

13. The method according to any of claims 8-12, wherein the paging cycle is a cell-specific paging cycle.

14. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the first indication information indicates availability of all reference signals configured within a time length corresponding to one indication period; or, the first indication information indicates availability of a reference signal associated with the PO of the terminal device within a time length corresponding to one of the indication periods.

15. A communications device comprising means for performing a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 or comprising means for performing a method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 14.

16. A communication device comprising a processor, the method of any one of claims 1 to 7 being performed, or the method of any one of claims 8 to 14 being performed, when the processor executes a computer program in a memory.

17. A communication device comprising a processor and a memory;

the memory is used for storing computer execution instructions;

the processor is configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored by the memory to cause the communication device to perform the method of any of claims 1-7 or to cause the communication device to perform the method of any of claims 8-14.

18. A communication device comprising a processor, a memory, and a transceiver;

the transceiver is used for receiving signals or sending signals;

the memory for storing a computer program;

the processor for invoking the computer program from the memory to perform the method of any of claims 1-7 or for invoking the computer program from the memory to perform the method of any of claims 8-14.

19. A communication device comprising a processor and a communication interface;

the communication interface is used for communicating with other communication devices; the processor is configured to run a program to cause the communication device to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 7 or to cause the communication device to implement the method of any one of claims 8 to 14.

20. A computer-readable storage medium, in which a computer program or instructions is stored which, when executed by a communication device, implements a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, or implements a method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 14.