Patent Application
20240430921
The present application relates to the field of communications, and in particular, to a backscatter communication method, a terminal device, and a network device.
In zero-power communications, with the development of industry, the number of devices connected to the network has increased dramatically, and the number of zero-power devices used in cellular systems will also be huge. In the related art, since the backscatter communication process of the zero-power communication is not effectively controlled, serious backscatter communication conflicts and mutual interference problems may occur.
Embodiments of the present application provide a backscatter communication method, a terminal device, and a network device.
Embodiments of the present application provide a backscatter communication method, and the method includes:
Embodiments of the present application provide a backscatter communication method, and the method includes:
Embodiments of the present application provide a terminal device, and the terminal device includes:
Embodiments of the present application provide a network device, and the network device includes: a sending module configured to send a first signal on a first signal time domain resource, the first signal being associated with one or more backscatter time domain resources.
Embodiments of the present application provide a terminal device, and the terminal device includes a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to store a computer program, and the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory to cause the terminal device to perform the backscatter communication method above.
Embodiments of the present application provide a network device, and the network device includes a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to store a computer program, and the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory to cause the network device to perform the backscatter communication method above.
Embodiments of the present application provide a chip configured to perform the backscatter communication method above.
In some embodiments, the chip includes: a processor configured to call and run a computer program from a memory to cause a device equipped the chip to perform the backscatter communication method above.
Embodiments of the present application provide a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is configured to store a computer program. The computer program, when executed by a device, causes a device to perform the backscatter communication method.
Embodiments of the present application provide a computer program product, and the computer program product includes computer program instructions. The computer program instructions cause a computer to perform the backscatter communication method above.
Embodiments of the present application provide a computer program, and the computer program, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the backscatter communication method.
Technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application.
The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application may be applied to a zero-power communication system. A typical zero-power device is a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, which based on a technology that uses spatial coupling of wireless radio frequency signals to achieve automatic transmission and identification of information of contactless tag. RFID tags are also referred to as radio frequency tags or electronic tags. The types of electronic tags may be divided into an active electronic tag, a passive electronic tag and a semi-passive electronic tag according to different power supply methods. The active electronic tag, also known as a self-motivated electronic tag, refers to an active electronic tag with the working power provided by a battery and composed of the battery, a memory and an antenna together. Different from the passive radio frequency activation manner, the active electronic tag sends information through a set frequency band before the battery is replaced. The passive electronic tag, also known as an inactive electronic tag, does not support built-in batteries. When the passive electronic tag approaches a reader/writer, the tag is located within a near field formed by radiation of an antenna of the reader/writer. An antenna of the electronic tag generates an induced current through electromagnetic induction, and the induced current drives a chip circuit of the electronic tag. The chip circuit sends identification information stored in the tag to the reader/writer through the antenna of the electronic tag. The semi-active electronic tag inherits advantages of small size, light weight, low price and long service life of the passive electronic tag. The built-in battery only provides power for a small number of circuits in the chip when there is no reader/writer access. Only when the reader/writer accesses, the built-in battery supplies power to the RFID chip, so as to increase the reading and writing distance of the tag and improve the reliability of communication.
RFID is a wireless communication technology. The most basic RFID system consists of two parts: an electronic tag (TAG) and a reader/writer (Reader/Writer). The electronic tag is composed of a coupling component and a chip. Each electronic tag has a unique electronic code that is placed on a target to be measured to achieve the purpose of marking the target object. The reader/writer can not only read the information on the electronic tag, but also write the information on the electronic tag, and provide the electronic tag with the power required for communication at the same time.
The key technologies of zero-power communication include power harvesting and backscatter communication as well as low-power computing. As shown in
(1) A terminal does not actively send signals, but modulates incoming signals to achieve backscatter communication.
(2) A terminal does not rely on a traditional active power amplifier transmitter and uses low-power computing units, greatly reducing hardware complexity.
(3) Combined with power harvesting, battery-free communication may be achieved.
The power supply signal in the zero-power communication system, from the perspective of the power supply signal carrier, may be carried by a base station, a smart phone, a smart gateway, a charging station, a micro base station, etc.; from the perspective of the frequency band, the radio waves used as the power supply signal may be low-frequency, medium-frequency, high-frequency and other radio waves; from the perspective of the waveform, the radio waves used as the power supply signal may be sine waves, square waves, triangular waves, pulse waves, rectangular waves and other radio waves. In addition, the functional signal may be a continuous wave or a discontinuous wave (i.e., with a certain period of interruption allowed). The power supply may be a certain signal specified in the 3GPP standard, such as Sounding Reference Signal (SRS), Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH), Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH), Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), or Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).
The trigger signal in the zero-power communication system, from the perspective of the trigger signal carrier, may be carried by a base station, a smart phone, a smart gateway, etc.; from the perspective of the frequency band, the radio waves used as the trigger signal may be low-frequency, medium-frequency, high-frequency and other radio waves; from the perspective of the waveform, the radio waves used as the trigger signal may be sine waves, square waves, triangular waves, pulse waves, rectangular waves and other radio waves. In addition, the trigger signal may be a continuous wave or a discontinuous wave (i.e., with a certain period of interruption allowed). The trigger signal may be a certain signal specified in the 3GPP standard, such as SRS, PUSCH, PRACH, PUCCH, PDCCH, PDSCH, or PBCH, alternatively, it may be a new signal.
It should be understood that the terms “system” and “network” herein are often used interchangeably herein. The term “and/or” herein is merely an association relationship for describing associated objects, and indicates that three relationships may exist. For example, “A and/or B” may represent: A alone, both A and B, and B alone. In addition, the character “/” herein generally indicates that associated objects before and after this character is in an “or” relationship.
It should be understood that the term “indicate” mentioned in the embodiments of the present application may mean a direct indication or an indirect indication, or represent that there is an association relationship. For example, the description of “A indicating B” may mean that A directly indicates B (e.g., B may be obtained through A); or it may mean that A indirectly indicates B (e.g., A indicates C, and B may be obtained through C); or it may mean that there is an association relationship between A and B.
The term “correspond” described in the embodiments of the present application may mean that there is a relationship of direct correspondence or indirect correspondence between the two, there is a relationship of association between the two, there is a relationship of indicating and being indicated, configuring and being configured, or the like.
In the embodiments of the present application, each embodiment is described in conjunction with a terminal device and a network device. The network device may be a device used for communicating with a mobile device. The network device may be an access point (AP) in WLAN, a base station (base transceiver station, BTS) in GSM or CDMA, a base station (NodeB, NB) in WCDMA, an evolutional base station (evolutional Node B, eNB or eNodeB) in LTE, a relay station or an access point, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device, a network device (e.g., gNB) in an NR network, or a network device in a future evolutional PLMN network, or the like.
In the embodiments of the present application, a network device provides services for a cell, and a terminal device communicates with the network device through transmission resources (e.g., frequency domain resources, or spectrum resources) used by the cell. The cell may be a cell corresponding to the network device (e.g., a base station). The cell may belong to a macro base station or a base station corresponding to a small cell. The small cell here may include a metro cell, a micro cell, a pico cell, a femto cell, or the like. These small cells have the characteristics of small coverage and low transmission power, and are suitable for providing high-speed data transmission services.
In the embodiments of the present application, a terminal device may also be referred to as a user equipment (UE), an access terminal, a user unit, a user station, a mobile station, a mobile platform, a remote station, a remote terminal, a mobile device, a user terminal, a terminal, a wireless communication device, a user agent, a user device, or the like. The terminal device may be a station (ST) in WLAN, which may be a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (PDA) device, a handheld device with a wireless communication function, a computing device or one of other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device, a terminal device in a next-generation communication system (e.g., a terminal device in an NR network or a terminal device in a future evolutional public land mobile network (PLMN)), a zero-power device, or the like.
As an example but not limitation, in the embodiments of the present application, the terminal device may be a wearable device. The wearable device may also be referred to as a wearable smart device, which is a general term for wearable devices developed by performing intelligent design on daily wear (such as glasses, a glove, a watch, clothing, or shoes) using wearable technology. The wearable device is a portable device that is worn directly on a body or is integrated into a user's clothing or accessory. The wearable device is not merely a hardware device, and achieves powerful functions through software support, data interaction and cloud interaction. Generalized wearable smart devices include a full-functionality and large-sized device (such as a smart watch or smart glasses) that may realize complete or partial functionality without relying on smart phones, and a device (such as various smart bracelets or smart jewelries for monitoring physical signs) that focus on a certain type of application functionality only and need to be used in conjunction with other devices (such as smart phones).
It should be understood that a zero-power device may be understood as a device with a power consumption lower than a preset power consumption. For example, the zero-power device includes a passive terminal and even a semi-passive terminal.
For example, the zero-power device is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, which based on a technology that uses spatial coupling of wireless radio frequency signals to achieve automatic transmission and identification of information of the contactless tag. RFID tags are also called radio frequency tags or electronic tags. The types of electronic tags may be divided into an active electronic tag, a passive electronic tag and a semi-passive electronic tag according to different power supply methods. The active electronic tags, also known as a self-motivated electronic tag, refers to an active tag with the working power provided by a battery and composed of the battery, a memory and an antenna together. Different from the passive radio frequency activation manner, the active electronic tag sends information through a set frequency band before the battery is replaced. The passive electronic tag, also known as an inactive electronic tag, does not support built-in batteries. When the passive electronic tag approaches a reader/writer, the tag is located within a near field formed by radiation of an antenna of the reader/writer. An antenna of the electronic tag generates an induced current through electromagnetic induction, and the induced current drives a chip circuit of the electronic tag. The chip circuit sends the identification information stored in the tag to the reader/writer through the antenna of the electronic tag. The semi-passive electronic tag, also known as a semi-active electronic tag, inherits the advantages of small size, light weight, low price and long service life of the passive electronic tag. The built-in battery only provides power for a small number of circuits in the chip when there is no reader/writer access. Only when the reader/writer accesses, the built-in battery supplies power to the RFID chip, so as to increase the reading and writing distance of the tag and improve the reliability of communication.
The RFID system is a wireless communication system. The RFID system consists of two parts: an electronic tag (TAG) and a reader/writer (Reader/Writer). The electronic tag includes a coupling component and a chip. Each electronic tag has a unique electronic code that is placed on a target to be measured to achieve the purpose of marking the target object. The reader/writer can not only read the information on the electronic tag, but also write the information on the electronic tag, and provide the electronic tag with the power required for communication at the same time.
It should be understood that the above-mentioned terminal device may be a zero-power device (such as a passive terminal or even a semi-passive terminal), and even the terminal device may be a non-zero-power device, such as an ordinary terminal, but the ordinary terminal may perform backscatter communication in some cases.
To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the related art of the embodiments of the present application will be described below. The following related art, as an optional solution, may be arbitrarily combined with the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, and those combined solutions all belong to the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application.
In the zero-power communication, with the development of industry, the number of devices connected to the network has increased dramatically, and the number of zero-power devices used in cellular systems will also be huge. In some typical scenarios such as logistics and warehousing management, supermarket shopping, and industrial sensor networks, a large number of tags need to be connected.
Since the zero-power communication process is not controlled in the related art, serious backscatter communication conflicts and mutual interference problems may occur. For example, when a zero-power terminal device (which may be referred to as a terminal device for short) receives a scheduling signal, it is uncertain at what moment to perform backscatter communication, which may cause conflicts and mutual interference between the backscatter communication signals sent by all zero-power terminal devices. The embodiments of the present application provide a method for associating a scheduling signal (or scheduling signal time domain resources) with backscatter (or backscatter time domain resources) in signal zero-power communication for triggering or scheduling backscatter communication, which facilitates control over the zero-power communication process by the network device.
In the embodiments, a backscatter communication method is provided, which includes:
In some embodiments, the first signal has at least one of following functions:
In some embodiments, determining, by the terminal device, the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
In some embodiments, the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal are located after a first signal time domain resource where the received first signal is located, and/or overlap with a location of the first signal time domain resource where the received first signal is located.
In some embodiments, a first signal time domain resource where the received first signal is located overlaps with one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with another first signal; or a first signal time domain resource where the received first signal is located does not overlap with one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with another first signal.
In some embodiments, a unit of the time domain offset includes: microseconds, milliseconds, seconds, OFDM symbols, time slots, subframes, frames or basic time units of backscatter communication.
In some embodiments, the time domain offset includes an offset from a first reference point to a second reference point; where the first reference point is associated with the received first signal; and the second reference point is associated with the backscatter time domain resource.
In some embodiments, the first reference point includes at least one of a starting point of the received first signal, an end point of the received first signal, a starting point of a time unit where the received first signal is located, or an end point of the time unit where the received first signal is located.
In some embodiments, the second reference point includes at least one of the starting point of the backscatter time domain resource, an end point of the backscatter time domain resource, a starting point of a time unit where the backscatter time domain resource is located, or an end point of the time unit where the backscatter time domain resource is located.
In some embodiments, a time unit includes: orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols, time slots, subframes, frames or basic time units of backscatter communication.
In some embodiments, time domain offsets corresponding to all first signals are configured uniformly or independently.
In some embodiments, the first signal is associated with one backscatter time domain resource or a plurality of backscatter time domain resources.
In some embodiments, an association relationship between the first signal and the backscatter time domain resource is determined by a time domain offset.
In some embodiments, an association relationship between the first signal and the plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by one or more time domain offsets.
In some embodiments, in a case where the association relationship between the first signal and the plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by a plurality of time domain offsets, each time domain offset is used to determine a backscatter time domain resource associated with the first signal.
In some embodiments, the association relationship between the first signal and the plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by a time domain offset and the number of the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal.
In some embodiments, the association relationship between the first signal and the plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by a time domain offset, the number of the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal, and an interval between two adjacent backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal.
In some embodiments, at least one of the starting point of the backscatter time domain resource, the duration of the backscatter time domain resource, the number of the backscatter time domain resource(s) associated with the first signal, or the interval between two adjacent backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal is specified by a protocol; and/or
In some embodiments, the at least one of the starting point of the backscatter time domain resource, the duration of the backscatter time domain resource, the number of the backscatter time domain resource(s) associated with the first signal, or the interval between two adjacent backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal is configured by the network device through the first signal.
In some embodiments, a format of the first signal includes at least one of a first format, a second format or a third format, where
In some embodiments, backscatter time domain resources associated with different first signals are completely identical, completely different or partially identical.
In some embodiments, durations of different backscatter time domain resources are same or different.
In some embodiments, the method further includes:
In some embodiments, determining, by the terminal device, the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
In some embodiments, determining, by the terminal device, the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
In some embodiments, determining, by the terminal device, the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
In some embodiments, the N1 is a preset value; or the N1 is configured by a network device.
In some embodiments, the N1 is configured by the network device through the first signal.
In some embodiments, determining, by the terminal device, the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
In some embodiments, in a case where a number of the backscatter time domain resources satisfying the second condition is greater than or equal to N2, the terminal device uses the N2 backscatter time domain resource(s) satisfying the second condition as the backscatter time domain resource(s) associated with the first signal; or
In some embodiments, the second condition includes:
In some embodiments, the second condition includes:
In some embodiments, the N2 is a preset value; or the N2 is configured by a network device.
In some embodiments, the N2 is configured by the network device through the first signal.
In some embodiments, determining, by the terminal device, the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
In some embodiments, determining, by the terminal device, the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
In some embodiments, in a case where a number of backscatter time domain resources satisfying the association rule in the first time domain resource set is greater than or equal to N3, the terminal device uses the N3 backscatter time domain resource(s) satisfying the association rule as the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal; and
In some embodiments, in a case where a number of backscatter time domain resources satisfying the association rule in a second time domain resource set to which the first time domain resource set belongs is greater than or equal to N3, the terminal device uses the N3 backscatter time domain resources satisfying the association rule as the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal; and
In some embodiments, a number of the first time domain resource sets in the second time domain resource set is specified by a protocol or configured by a network device.
In some embodiments, the number of the first time domain resource sets in the second time domain resource set is configured by the network device through the first signal.
In some embodiments, the N3 or the association rule is preset; or the N3 or the association rule is configured by a network device.
In some embodiments, the N3 or the association rule is configured by the network device through the first signal.
In some embodiments, the association rule is represented by a bitmap.
In some embodiments, the bitmap includes M1 bits; each bit corresponds to X1 backscatter time domain resources or X1 basic communication units in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located; or one bit of the bitmap corresponds to Y1 backscatter time domain resources or Y1 basic communication units in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located, and each bit in remaining bits of the bitmap corresponds to X1 backscatter time domain resources or X1 basic communication units in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located; a relationship between the M1 and the X1 satisfies M1=T1/X1, M1=┌T1/X1┐, or M1=└T1/X1┘, where the T1 represents a number of backscatter time domain resources or a number of basic communication units satisfying a third condition in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located.
In some embodiments, the third condition includes:
In some embodiments, the bitmap includes M2 bits, and each bit corresponds to X2 basic communication units or X2 backscatter time domain resources; the X2 or the M2 is a positive integer.
In some embodiments, the bitmap includes M3 bits; each bit corresponds to X3 backscatter time domain resources or X3 basic communication units; or one bit of the bitmap corresponds to Y3 backscatter time domain resources or Y3 basic communication units, and each bit in remaining bits of the bitmap corresponds to X3 backscatter time domain resources or X3 basic communication units; a relationship between the M3 and the X3 satisfies M3=T3/X3, M3=┌T3/X3┐, or M3=└T3/X3┘, where the T3 represents a number of backscatter time domain resources or a number of basic communication units satisfying a fourth condition in K first time domain resource sets, and K is a positive integer.
In some embodiments, the T3 represents a number of backscatter time domain resources or a number of basic communication units satisfying the fourth condition in K consecutive first time domain resource sets; or
In some embodiments, the fourth condition includes:
In some embodiments, numbers of backscatter time domain resources associated with all first signal time domain resources are configured independently; or numbers of backscatter time domain resources associated with all first signal time domain resources in each first time domain resource set are configured uniformly.
In some embodiments, a backscatter time domain resource associated with the first signal time domain resource is located after the first signal time domain resource; or
In some embodiments, the first time domain resource set includes one or more first signal time domain resources.
In some embodiments, the first time domain resource set includes one or more backscatter time domain resources.
In some embodiments, the method further includes: receiving location information of first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources in the first time domain resource set; where the location information includes a starting location and/or a duration.
In some embodiments, first time domain resource sets includes first-type first time domain resource sets and second-type first time domain resource sets, the first-type first time domain resource sets are each a first time domain resource set including first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources, and the second-type first time domain resource sets are each a first time domain resource set including neither first signal time domain resources nor backscatter time domain resources; and
In some embodiments, patterns of different first time domain resource sets are same or different; and a pattern includes distribution information of first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources in the first time domain resource set.
In some embodiments, all first signal time domain resources in the first time domain resource set are located before any backscatter time domain resource in the first time domain resource set; or
In some embodiments, basic communication units are component units of the first time domain resource set; and
In some embodiments, backscatter time domain resources associated with different first signal time domain resources are completely identical, completely different or partially identical.
In some embodiments, different first signal time domain resources in a same first time domain resource set are allowed to a same first signal.
In some embodiments, monitoring, by the terminal device, the first signal on the first time domain resource set, includes:
In some embodiments, monitoring, by the terminal device, the first signal on the first time domain resource set, includes:
In some embodiments, in a case where the terminal device determines a plurality of backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, performing, by the terminal device, backscatter communication based on the one or more backscatter time domain resources, includes:
In some embodiments, the backscatter time domain resource(s) include backscatter communication occasions.
In some embodiments, the first signal time domain resource includes a first signal transmitting occasion.
In the embodiments, a backscatter communication method is provided, which includes: sending, by a network device, a first signal on a first signal time domain resource, the first signal being associated with one or more backscatter time domain resources.
In some embodiments, the first signal has at least one of following functions:
In some embodiments, the method further includes:
In some embodiments, the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal are located after the first signal time domain resource where the first signal is located, and/or overlap with a location of the first signal time domain resource where the first signal is located.
In some embodiments, the first signal time domain resource where the first signal is located overlaps with one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with another first signal; or
In some embodiments, a time interval between the first signal time domain resource where the first signal is located and a backscatter time domain resource associated with the first signal is a time domain offset, and a unit of the time domain offset includes: microseconds, milliseconds, seconds, OFDM symbols, time slots, subframes, frames or basic time units of backscatter communication.
In some embodiments, the time domain offset includes an offset from a first reference point to a second reference point; where
In some embodiments, the first reference point includes at least one of: a starting point of the first signal, an end point of the first signal, a starting point of a time unit where the first signal is located, or an end point of the time unit where the first signal is located.
In some embodiments, the second reference point includes at least one of: a starting point of the backscatter time domain resource, an end point of the backscatter time domain resource, a starting point of a time unit where the backscatter time domain resource is located, or an end point of the time unit where the backscatter time domain resource is located.
In some embodiments, a time unit includes OFDM symbols, time slots, subframes, frames, or basic time units of backscatter communication.
In some embodiments, time domain offsets corresponding to all first signals are configured uniformly or independently.
In some embodiments, the first signal is associated with one backscatter time domain resource or a plurality of backscatter time domain resources.
In some embodiments, an association relationship between the first signal and the backscatter time domain resource is determined by a time domain offset.
In some embodiments, an association relationship between the first signal and the plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by one or more time domain offsets.
In some embodiments, in a case where the association relationship between the first signal and the plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by a plurality of time domain offsets, each time domain offset is used to determine a backscatter time domain resource associated with the first signal.
In some embodiments, the association relationship between the first signal and the plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by a time domain offset and a number of the backscatter time domain resource(s) associated with the first signal.
In some embodiments, the association relationship between the first signal and the plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by a time domain offset, a number of the backscatter time domain resource(s) associated with the first signal, and an interval between two adjacent backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal.
In some embodiments, the method further includes:
In some embodiments, the network device configures the time domain offset, the number of the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal or the interval between two adjacent backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal through the first signal.
In some embodiments, a format of the first signal includes at least one of a first format, a second format or a third format, where the first signal in the first format is associated with one or more backscatter time domain resources;
In some embodiments, backscatter time domain resources associated with different first signals are completely identical, completely different or partially identical.
In some embodiments, durations of different backscatter time domain resources are same or different.
In some embodiments, sending, by the network device, the first signal on the first signal time domain resource, includes:
In some embodiments, the method further includes: configuring, by the network device, a number of the backscatter time domain resource(s) associated with the first signal.
In some embodiments, the network device configures the number of the backscatter time domain resource(s) associated with the first signal through the first signal.
In some embodiments, the method further includes: configuring, by the network device, an association rule between the first signal and the backscatter time domain resource(s).
In some embodiments, the association rule is represented by a bitmap.
In some embodiments, the bitmap includes M1 bits; each bit corresponds to X1 backscatter time domain resources or X1 basic communication units in a first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located; or one bit of the bitmap corresponds to Y1 backscatter time domain resources or Y1 basic communication units in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located, and each bit in remaining bits of the bitmap corresponds to X1 backscatter time domain resources or X1 basic communication units in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located; a relationship between the M1 and the X1 satisfies M1=T1/X1, M1=┌T1/X1┐, or M1=└T1/X1┘, where the T1 represents a number of backscatter time domain resources or a number of basic communication units that satisfy a third condition in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located.
In some embodiments, the third condition includes:
In some embodiments, the bitmap includes M2 bits, and each bit corresponds to X2 basic communication units or X2 backscatter time domain resources; the X2 or the M2 is a positive integer.
In some embodiments, the bitmap includes M3 bits; each bit corresponds to X3 backscatter time domain resources or X3 basic communication units; or one bit of the bitmap corresponds to Y3 backscatter time domain resources or Y3 basic communication units, and each bit in remaining bits of the bitmap corresponds to X3 backscatter time domain resources or X3 basic communication units; a relationship between the M3 and the X3 satisfies M3=T3/X3, M3=┌T3/X3┐, or M3=└T3/X3┘, where the T3 represents a number of backscatter time domain resources or a number of basic communication units that satisfy a fourth condition in K first time domain resource sets, and K is a positive integer.
In some embodiments, the T3 represents a number of backscatter time domain resources or a number of basic communication units that satisfy the fourth condition in K consecutive first time domain resource sets; or
In some embodiments, the fourth condition includes:
In some embodiments, the method further includes:
In some embodiments, the network device configures the second time domain resource set through the first signal.
In some embodiments, numbers of backscatter time domain resources associated with all first signal time domain resources are configured independently; or numbers of backscatter time domain resources associated with all first signal time domain resources in each first time domain resource set are configured uniformly.
In some embodiments, a backscatter time domain resource associated with the first signal time domain resource is located after the first signal time domain resource; or
In some embodiments, the first time domain resource set includes one or more first signal time domain resources.
In some embodiments, the first time domain resource set includes one or more backscatter time domain resources.
In some embodiments, the method further includes: sending, by the network device, location information of first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources in the first time domain resource set; where the location information includes a starting location and/or a duration.
In some embodiments, first time domain resource sets include first-type first time domain resource sets and second-type first time domain resource sets, the first-type first time domain resource sets are each a first time domain resource set including first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources, and the second-type first time domain resource sets are each a first time domain resource set including neither first signal time domain resources nor backscatter time domain resources; and
In some embodiments, patterns of different first time domain resource sets are same or different; and a pattern includes distribution information of first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources in the first time domain resource set.
In some embodiments, all first signal time domain resources in the first time domain resource set are located before any backscatter time domain resource in the first time domain resource set; or
In some embodiments, basic communication units are component units of the first time domain resource set; and
In some embodiments, backscatter time domain resources associated with different first signal time domain resources are completely identical, completely different or partially identical.
In some embodiments, different first signal time domain resources in a same first time domain resource set are allowed to a same first signal.
In some embodiments, the backscatter time domain resource(s) include backscatter communication occasions.
In some embodiments, the first signal time domain resource includes a first signal transmitting occasion.
S310: determining, by a terminal device, one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with a received first signal; and
S330: performing, by the terminal device, backscatter communication based on the one or more backscatter time domain resources.
In some implementations, the first signal has at least one of the following functions:
In zero-power communication, since a zero-power terminal device (hereinafter referred to as the terminal device for short) is not powered by a battery, power harvesting is required first, where the power used for communication may be obtained based on a radio frequency signal, or based on environmental energy (such as kinetic energy, thermal energy, solar energy). Then, the corresponding communication process is carried out based on backscatter.
Typically, when the power harvesting is performed based on the radio frequency signal, the signal for power harvesting may be provided by a network device or a dedicated power node, and the signal for power harvesting will hereinafter be referred to as a power supply signal.
When communication is performed based on scheduling, the network device needs to provide control information to schedule information transmission. The control information provided by the network device may be the first signal mentioned above; and the first signal may also be referred to as a scheduling signal or a trigger signal. The first signal and the power supply signal may be the same signal or two independent signals. When the terminal device communicates, a carrier capable of carrying the communication is required. The carrier may be a signal independent of the power supply signal and the first signal, or may be the same signal as the power supply signal, or may be the same signal as the first signal. The carrier may also be called a carrier signal.
The frequency bands of the power supply signal, the carrier signal, and the first signal may be completely different, completely identical, or partially identical. The power supply signal may be transmitted continuously or intermittently in a certain frequency band. The terminal device uses the power supply signal to perform power harvesting, and after obtaining power, performs the corresponding communication process (such as measurement, channel/signal reception, or channel/signal transmission).
In zero-power communication, the power harvesting capabilities of different terminal devices may be different. For the same power source (which may be a network device, a base station, a smart terminal, a smart gateway, a dedicated power supply node, or the like), different terminal devices are located at different positions. Since the power supply signal is attenuated, the power supply signal has different powers when reaching different positions. Therefore, it may take different terminal devices different times to obtain the powers required for communication through power harvesting.
The embodiments of the present application provide a time domain resource design and mapping relationship between a first signal and a backscatter communication signal in zero-power communication.
In the embodiments of the present application, a time domain resource used to carry a first signal is referred to as a first signal time domain resource or a scheduling signal time domain resource, and a resource used to carry a backscatter communication signal is referred to as a backscatter time domain resource.
It can be seen from the above content in the embodiments of the present application that when receiving a first signal, the terminal device determines backscatter time domain resource(s) associated with the first signal, and performs backscatter communication on the backscatter time domain resource(s), thereby realizing control over the time domain resource(s) occupied by backscatter communication and greatly reducing the problems of backscatter communication conflicts and mutual interference.
It will be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, the zero-power terminal may perform power harvesting, and then monitor the first signal and perform the backscatter communication process; alternatively, the zero-power terminal may perform power harvesting based on the first signal, and then perform the backscatter communication process.
In an implementation, the first signal time domain resources may be first signal transmitting occasions, or referred to as backscatter control occasions (BCO). The backscatter time domain resources may be backscatter communication occasions, or referred to as backscatter occasions (BO) for short.
The embodiments of the present application may at least realize two association modes of a first signal (or a first signal time domain resource) and backscatter (or backscatter time domain resource(s)). The two association modes include: Mode 1 in which each first signal is associated with one or more backscatter communication occasions; and Mode 2 in which a first signal is associated with backscatter communication occasion(s) configured based on a first time domain resource set. The above two modes are respectively introduced below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In this mode, each first signal is associated with one or more backscatter communication occasions. The first signal time domain resources (such as the first signal transmitting occasions) and the backscatter time domain resources (such as backscatter communication occasions) are not limited themselves and do not need to be located at specific locations in time domain resources. The network device may dynamically send a first signal. The backscatter time domain resources may be uplink time domain resources or downlink time domain resources or flexible time domain resources used for other channel communications in new radio (NR).
The first signal may have at least one of the following functions:
Taking an example where the first signal is a scheduling signal and the first signal time domain resource is a scheduling signal time domain resource,
BCO1 and BCO2 are dynamically selected by the network device when the network device sends the scheduling signals. The terminal device monitors a scheduling signal on any time domain resource. For example, when the terminal device monitors and receives the scheduling signal on BCO1, according to the association relationship between BCO1 and the backscatter communication occasion, it can be determined that the backscatter communication occasion associated with BCO1 is BO1. The terminal device may then perform backscatter communication on BO1 for the scheduling signal, for example, send a backscatter communication signal.
Accordingly, if the network device sends the scheduling signal on BCO1, the network device can determine that the backscatter communication occasion associated with BCO1 is BO1 according to the association relationship between BCO1 and the backscatter communication occasion. Then the network device will monitor the backscatter communication on BO1, and when monitoring and receiving the backscatter communication signal on BO1, the network device will process the backscatter communication signal.
In some implementations, the terminal device may determine the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal according to at least one of the following:
Based on at least one of the above information, the terminal device may determine the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal. The backscatter time domain resource(s) may be after the first signal time domain resource where the first signal is located; alternatively, the backscatter time domain resource(s) may be after the first signal time domain resource where the first signal is located or overlap with the location of the first signal time domain resource where the first signal is located.
In some implementations, the terminal device may determine the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal through a starting point of the backscatter time domain resource(s). For example, a plurality of backscatter time domain resources are pre-configured in a time domain, and the terminal device determines, based on the starting point of the backscatter time domain resources, one or more backscatter time domain resources starting from the starting point as the backscatter time domain resource(s) associated with the first signal. The network device may use the first signal to indicate the starting point of the backscatter time domain resource(s) to the terminal device, or may use other signals to indicate the starting point of the backscatter time domain resource(s) to the terminal device. Furthermore, the terminal device may also determine one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal according to the duration of the backscatter time domain resource. In some embodiments, the starting point of the backscatter communication occasion or the duration of the backscatter time domain resource may be specified by a protocol; and/or the starting point of the backscatter communication occasion or the duration of the backscatter time domain resource may be configured by the network device. For example, the network device may perform configuration through the first signal.
In some implementations, the first signal is associated with one backscatter time domain resource or a plurality of backscatter time domain resources.
For example, an association relationship between the first signal and the backscatter time domain resource may be determined through a time domain offset.
Taking
For another example, an association relationship between the first signal and the plurality of backscatter time domain resources may be determined by one or more time domain offsets.
In some implementations, in a case where an association relationship between the first signal and a plurality of backscatter time domain resources may be determined by a plurality of time domain offsets, each time domain offset is used to determine a backscatter time domain resource associated with the first signal.
Taking
In some implementations, an association relationship between the first signal and a plurality of backscatter time domain resources may be determined by a time domain offset and the number of the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal.
Taking
Furthermore, the terminal device may also determine the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal based on the duration of the backscatter time domain resource, for example, determining the time durations of BO2 and BO3 associated with BCO2 in
In some implementations, an association relationship between the first signal and a plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by a time domain offset, the number of the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal, and an interval between two adjacent backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal.
Taking
In addition, for a case where backscatter time domain resources are periodically configured in the time domain, an interval between two adjacent backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal in this embodiment may be expressed as a multiple of the period of the backscatter time domain resources configured in the time domain. For example, the value of ΔT in
As shown in
Accordingly, if the network device sends the first signal on BCO1, the network device can determine that the backscatter communication occasion associated with BCO1 is BO1 according to the association relationship between BCO1 and the backscatter communication occasion. Then, the network device will monitor the backscatter communication on BO1, and when the backscatter communication signal is monitored and received on BO1, the network device will process the backscatter communication signal. For another example, when the terminal device monitors and receives the first signal on BCO2, according to the association relationship between BCO2 and the backscatter communication occasions, it can be determined that the backscatter communication occasions associated with BCO2 are BO2 and BO3. The terminal device may then select BO2 or BO3 for backscatter communication, or perform backscatter communication on both BO2 and BO3. Accordingly, if the network device sends the first signal on BCO2, the network device can determine that the backscatter communication occasions associated with BCO2 are BO2 and BO3 according to the association relationship between BCO2 and the backscatter communication occasions, and then the network device can monitor the backscatter communication on BO2 and/or BO3.
In some implementations, for all first signals, at least one of time domain offsets, the numbers of associated backscatter time domain resources, or intervals each between adjacent backscatter time domain resources may be configured uniformly, i.e., each first signal is configured with at least one of the same time domain offset, the same number of associated backscatter time domain resources, or the same interval between adjacent backscatter time domain resources; alternatively, in some implementations, for all first signals, at least one of time domain offsets, the numbers of associated backscatter time domain resources, or intervals each between adjacent backscatter time domain resources may be configured uniformly by groups, i.e., each first signal in the same group (e.g., in the same time domain resource set) is configured with at least one of the same time domain offset, the same number of associated backscatter time domain resources, or the same interval between adjacent backscatter time domain resources; alternatively, in some implementations, for all first signals, at least one of time domain offsets, the numbers of associated backscatter time domain resources, or intervals each between adjacent backscatter time domain resources may be configured independently for each first signal, i.e., each first signal may independently configure at least one of the time domain offset, the number of associated backscatter time domain resources, or the interval between adjacent backscatter time domain resources.
Alternatively, in some implementations, the number of the backscatter time domain resources associated with a scheduling signal may be determined according to the format of the scheduling signal.
For example, a format of a first signal includes at least one of a first format, a second format, or a third format, where
When the terminal device receives the first signal, it may determine the number of backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal according to the format of the first signal, and determine the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal in combination with the above-mentioned other information.
In some implementations, one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal received by the terminal device are located after a scheduling signal time domain resource where the received first signal is located, and/or overlap with the location of the first signal time domain resource where the received scheduling signal is located. For example, the backscatter communication occasion(s) associated with the first signal may be located after the first signal transmitting occasion, and/or located at the same location as the first signal transmitting occasion.
In some implementations, the first signal time domain resource where the first signal received by the terminal device is located is allowed to overlap with one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with another first signal; alternatively, the first signal time domain resource where the received first signal is located is not allowed to overlap with one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with another first signal.
As shown in
BO1 may overlap or partially overlap with BCO2.
In some implementations, the unit of the time domain offset includes: microseconds, milliseconds, seconds, OFDM symbols, time slots, subframes, frames, or basic time units of backscatter communication.
In some implementations, the time domain offset includes an offset from a first reference point to a second reference point; where
In some embodiments, the first reference point may include at least one of a starting point of a received first signal, an end point of a received first signal, a starting point of a time unit where a received first signal is located, or an end point of a time unit where a received first signal is located.
In some embodiments, the second reference point may include at least one of a starting point of a backscatter time domain resource, an end point of a backscatter time domain resource, a starting point of a time unit where a backscatter time domain resource is located, or an end point of a time unit where a backscatter time domain resource is located.
The time unit may include orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols, time slots, subframes, frames or basic time units of backscatter communication.
In some implementations, time domain offsets corresponding to all first signals are configured uniformly or independently. For example, the time domain offsets corresponding to all first signals are configured uniformly, and the time domain offsets corresponding to all first signals are the same; alternatively, the time domain offsets corresponding to all first signals are configured independently, and the time domain offsets corresponding to all first signals may be the same or different.
In some implementations, backscatter time domain resources associated with different scheduling signals are completely identical, completely different, or partially identical.
In some implementations, durations of different backscatter time domain resources are the same or different.
The above introduces the association mode 1 of the first signal (or the first signal time domain resource) and the backscatter (or the backscatter time domain resource(s)), that is, the association mode of each first signal associated with one or more backscatter communication occasions, and a backscatter communication method of the terminal device in this mode.
Embodiments of the present application further provides an association mode 2 of the first signal (or the first signal time domain resource) and the backscatter (or the backscatter time domain resource(s)), and details are as follows.
In this mode, an association between a first signal and backscatter communication occasion(s) based on a first time domain resource set is provided. Compared with the above Mode 1, the Mode 2 is more standardized and may semi-statically configure a first signal transmitting occasion and a backscatter communication occasion in a first time domain resource. The network device can only send a scheduling signal at the first signal transmitting occasion in the first time domain resource.
When designing zero-power communication, basic communication units of the zero-power communication may be defined. The first time domain resource set may be determined based on the number of basic communication units of zero-power communication or based on an absolute time duration (such as microseconds, milliseconds, or seconds).
In some embodiments, the first time domain resource set may include one or more first signal time domain resources, such as one or more scheduling signal transmitting occasions; and
The network device may pre-configure location information of first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources in the first time domain resource set. Accordingly, the terminal device receives location information of first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources in the first time domain resource set, and the location information may include the starting location and/or duration.
In some implementations, first time domain resource sets include first-type first time domain resource sets and second-type first time domain resource sets, the first-type first time domain resource set is a first time domain resource set including first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources, and the second-type first time domain resource set is a first time domain resource set including neither first signal time domain resources nor backscatter time domain resources;
The description is made by taking
Distribution information of first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources included in a first time domain resource set may be represented by a pattern, and the patterns of different first time domain resource sets may be the same or different.
In some implementations, all first signal time domain resources in the first time domain resource set are before any backscatter time domain resource in the first time domain resource set; alternatively,
For example, in a case where first signal transmitting occasions and backscatter communication occasions exist simultaneously in a first time domain resource set, the first signal transmitting occasions may all be located before an xth basic communication unit (or called basic time unit) in the first time domain resource set, and the backscatter communication occasions may all be located after a yth (y>=x) basic time unit in the first time domain resource set. In other words, all first signal transmitting occasions are located before all backscatter communication occasions, where x and y are indexes of the basic time units. This method may be seen in detail in
For another example, in a case where both signal transmitting occasions and backscatter communication occasions exist simultaneously in a first time domain resource set, there is a case where a first signal transmitting occasion is located after a backscatter communication occasion, that is, it is not required that all first signal transmitting occasions are located before all backscatter communication occasions. As shown in
For another example, as shown in
In some implementations, backscatter time domain resources associated with different first signal time domain resources may be completely identical, completely different, or partially identical.
In some implementations, different first signal time domain resources in the same first time domain resource set are allowed to transmit the same first signal.
Embodiments of the present application may also configure a second time domain resource set, and the second time domain resource set may include a plurality of first time domain resource sets.
In some implementations, the number of first time domain resource sets in a second time domain resource set may be specified by a protocol or configured by a network device. In some embodiments, the network device may configure the number of the first time domain resource sets in the second time domain resource set through the first signal or other signals.
First time domain resource sets included in a second time domain resource set may all be first-type first time domain resource sets;
As shown in
In some implementations, the terminal device monitors the first signal on a first time domain resource set.
The association relationship between the first signal and backscatter time domain resources can be realized in at least the following modes.
Accordingly, in some implementations, the terminal device determining one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
Taking
Alternatively, in some implementations, the terminal device determining one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
Taking
It can be seen from the examples shown in
Accordingly, in some implementations, the terminal device determining one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
Taking
It can be seen from the example shown in
In some implementations, the above N1 is a preset value; alternatively, N1 is configured by the network device.
In some embodiments, the N1 may be configured by the network device using the first signal or other signals.
In mode 3, both the number of the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal and the locations of the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal may be limited. For example, a first signal is limited to be associated with at most N2 backscatter time domain resources. In a case where the number of the backscatter time domain resources meeting the location condition is greater than or equal to N2, it can be determined that the first signal is associated with N2 backscatter time domain resources. In a case where the number of the backscatter time domain resources meeting the aforementioned location condition is less than N2, it is determined that the first signal is associated with L (L is the number of the backscatter time domain resources meeting the aforementioned location condition) backscatter time domain resources.
Accordingly, in some implementations, the terminal device determining one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
In some implementations, the second condition above may include:
In some other implementations, the second condition above may include:
Taking
For example, the terminal device receives the first signal on a first scheduling signal transmitting occasion in the first time domain resource set shown in
For another example, the terminal device receives the first signal on a second scheduling signal transmitting occasion in the first time domain resource set shown in
In some implementations, the above N2 is a preset value; alternatively, N2 is configured by the network device.
In some embodiments, the N2 may be configured by the network device using the first signal or other signals.
In mode 4, the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal may be limited by using an association rule.
Accordingly, in some implementations, the terminal device determining one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
The above association rule may be preset, or configured by the network device. For example, the network device may configure the association rule using the first signal.
In some implementations, the association rule may be represented by a bitmap.
Taking
For example, the terminal device receives the first signal on the first scheduling signal transmitting occasion in the first time domain resource set shown in
In mode 5, not only may the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal be limited by using the association rule, but also the locations of the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal are limited. For example, limiting the use of association rule to determine the backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal. When the number of the backscatter communication occasion(s) that satisfy the association rule is greater than or equal to N3, it may be determined that the first signal is associated with N3 backscatter time domain resource(s); and when the number of the backscatter communication occasion(s) that satisfy the association rule is less than N3, it may be determined that the first signal is associated with L (L is the number of the backscatter time domain resources that satisfy the association rule) backscatter time domain resources. N3 is the number of the backscatter time domain resources indicated by the association rule and associated with the first signal time domain resource where the first signal is located.
Accordingly, in some implementations, the terminal device determining one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, includes:
The above location limitation may be that the backscatter communication occasions associated with the first signal are limited to be within the first time domain resource set where the first signal is located, or the backscatter communication occasions associated with the first signal are limited to be within the second time domain resource set where the first signal is located.
In some implementations, in a case where the number of backscatter time domain resources satisfying the association rule in the first time domain resource set is greater than or equal to N3, the terminal device uses the N3 backscatter time domain resource(s) satisfying the association rule as the backscatter time domain resource(s) associated with the first signal; and
Alternatively, in some implementations, in a case where the number of backscatter time domain resources satisfying the association rule in a second time domain resource set to which the first time domain resource set belongs is greater than or equal to N3, the terminal device uses the N3 backscatter time domain resource(s) satisfying the association rule as the backscatter time domain resource(s) associated with the first signal; and
In some implementations, the association rule may be preset or configured by the network device. For example, the network device may configure the association rule using the first signal.
The association rule may be represented by a bitmap.
Taking
For example, the terminal device receives the first signal on the first scheduling signal transmitting occasion in the first time domain resource set shown in
For another example, the terminal device receives the first signal on the second scheduling signal transmitting occasion in the first time domain resource set shown in
In the above-mentioned mode 4 and mode 5, an association rule is adopted to represent the backscatter time domain resources that are associated with the first signal time domain resource. The association rule may be represented by a bitmap. The embodiments of the present application provide an expressing method of a plurality of association rules.
For example, in some implementations, a bitmap includes M1 bits. Each bit corresponding to X1 backscatter time domain resources or X1 basic communication units in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located; alternatively, one bit of the bitmap corresponds to Y1 backscatter time domain resources or Y1 basic communication units in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located, and each bit in the remaining bits of the bitmap corresponds to X1 backscatter time domain resources or X1 basic communication units in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located. The relationship between M1 and X1 satisfies M1=T1/X1, M1=┌T1/X1┐, or M1=└T1/X1┘, where T1 represents the number of backscatter time domain resources or the number of basic communication units satisfying the third condition in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located.
In some implementations, the third condition may include:
In some implementations, the bitmap includes M2 bits, and each bit corresponds to X2 basic communication units or X2 backscatter time domain resources; X2 or M2 is a positive integer.
In some implementations, the bitmap includes M3 bits. Each bit corresponds to X3 backscatter time domain resources or X3 basic communication units; alternatively, one bit of the bitmap corresponds to Y3 backscatter time domain resources or Y3 basic communication units, and each bit in the remaining bits of the bitmap corresponds to X3 backscatter time domain resources or X3 basic communication units. The relationship between M3 and X3 satisfies M3=T3/X3, M3=┌T3/X3┐, or M3=└T3/X3┘, where T3 represents the number of backscatter time domain resources or the number of basic communication units satisfying a fourth condition in the K first time domain resource sets, and K is a positive integer.
In some implementations, T3 represents the number of backscatter time domain resources or the number of basic communication units satisfying the fourth condition in the K consecutive first time domain resource sets;
The fourth condition mentioned above may include:
In addition to the association rule shown in
In
As shown in
Taking
In
As shown in
Taking
In
As shown in
Taking
Similar to
For the case where the number of backscatter communication occasions that exist after the scheduling signal transmitting occasion is not exactly divided by the number of backscatter communication occasions indicated by a bit in the bitmap, a method similar to that shown in
Taking
For example, when a value of any bit is 1, it means that the above two requirements are met; and when a value of any bit is 0, it means that any one of the above two requirements is not met, or only one of the above two requirements is met. Alternatively, it may be set that a value of 0 indicates that the above two requirements are met.
As shown in
In some implementations, numbers of backscatter time domain resources associated with all first signal time domain resources are independently configured (e.g., all BCOs are configured separately); alternatively, the numbers of backscatter time domain resources associated with all first signal time domain resources in each first time domain resource set are uniformly configured (e.g., all first time domain resource sets are configured separately).
In some implementations, the backscatter time domain resource associated with the first signal time domain resource is located after the first signal time domain resource;
In some implementations, the terminal device monitoring the first signal on the first time domain resource set, includes:
For example, a first signal sent by the network device to any terminal device may be transmitted on all first signal time domain resources in the first time domain resource set. Accordingly, the terminal device may monitor the first signal on all first signal time domain resources in the first time domain resource set.
Alternatively, the first signal time domain resources in the first time domain resource set are divided into at least two parts, and each part corresponds to some terminal devices. When the network device sends a first signal to a terminal device, the network device determines which first signal time domain resources correspond to the terminal device, and then sends the first signal to the terminal device on these first signal time domain resources. Accordingly, when the terminal device monitors the sent signal, the terminal device only monitors on the first signal transmitting occasions corresponding thereto. That is, the network device determines the first signal time domain resources available to the terminal device in the first time domain resource set according to the user equipment (UE) identification (ID) (or the terminal group identification), and sends the first signal on the first signal time domain resources; alternatively, the network device determines the first signal time domain resources available to the terminal device in the first time domain resource set according to the user equipment (UE) identification (ID) (or the terminal group identification) and the cell ID, and sends the first signal on the first signal time domain resources.
For example, the first signal transmitting occasions in the first time domain resource set are divided into a first part and a second part, and the correspondence relationship between each part and the UE ID of the terminal device is preset. If (UE ID) mod 2=1, the terminal device corresponds to the first signal transmitting occasions in the first part; if (UE ID) mod 2=0, the terminal device corresponds to the first signal transmitting occasions in the second part. According to this setting, when the network device sends a first signal to the terminal device, the network device determines which part of the backscatter communication occasions are used for transmitting the first signal according to the UE ID of the terminal device, and sends the first signal to the terminal device on the determined backscatter communication occasions. Accordingly, the terminal device also determines the corresponding backscatter communication occasions according to its own UE ID, and monitors the first signal on the determined backscatter communication occasions.
For another example, the first signal transmitting occasions in the first time domain resource set are divided into a first part and a second part, and the correspondence relationship between each part and both the UE ID and the cell ID of the terminal device is preset. If (UE ID+cell ID) mod 2=1, the terminal device corresponds to the first signal transmitting occasions in the first part; if (UE ID+cell ID) mod 2=0, the terminal device corresponds to the first signal transmitting occasions in the second part. According to this setting, when the network device sends a first signal to the terminal device, the network device determines which part of the backscatter communication occasions are used for transmitting the first signal according to the UE ID of the terminal device and the cell ID of the cell in which the terminal device is located, and sends the first signal to the terminal device on the determined backscatter communication occasions. Accordingly, the terminal device also determines the corresponding backscatter communication occasions according to its own UE ID and the cell ID of the cell in which the terminal device is located, and monitors the first signal on the determined backscatter communication occasions.
The above-mentioned UE ID may be replaced by the group ID of the UE group where the terminal device is located. For example, the terminal device determines the first signal time domain resources that needs to be monitored based on the group ID of the UE group where the terminal device is located, or based on the group ID of the UE group where the terminal device is located and the cell ID of the cell where the terminal device is located. Accordingly, when sending the first signal, the network device may determine the first signal time domain resources corresponding to different terminal devices based on the group identification of the UE group where the terminal device is located, or based on the group identification of the UE group where the terminal device is located and the cell ID of the cell where the terminal device is located, and send the first signal of the corresponding terminal device on the determined first signal time domain resources.
In some implementations, backscatter time domain resources associated with different first signal time domain resources may be completely identical, completely different, or partially identical.
In some implementations, different first signal time domain resources in the same first time domain resource set are allowed to send the same first signal control information.
The above introduces two association modes of the first signal (or the first signal time domain resource) and the backscatter (or the backscatter time domain resource), and the operation modes of the terminal device and the network device under different modes.
In a case where the terminal device determines a plurality of backscatter time domain resources associated with the received first signal, the terminal device performs backscatter communication based on the one or more backscatter time domain resources, which includes, for example:
Embodiments of the present application further provide a backscatter communication method, and the backscatter communication method may be applied to a network device.
S810: sending, by a network device, a first signal on a first signal time domain resource,
In some implementations, the first signal has at least one of the following functions:
In some implementations, the method further includes: monitoring, by the network device, backscatter communication on one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal.
In some implementations, the one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal are located after the first signal time domain resource where the first signal is located and/or overlap with the first signal time domain resource where the first signal is located.
In some implementations, the first signal time domain resource where the first signal is located overlaps with one or more backscatter time domain resources associated with another first signal; alternatively,
In some implementations, a time interval between a first signal time domain resource where the first signal is located and a backscatter time domain resource associated with the first signal is a time domain offset, and the unit of the time domain offset includes: microseconds, milliseconds, seconds, OFDM symbols, time slots, subframes, frames or basic time units of backscatter communication.
In some implementations, the time domain offset includes an offset from a first reference point to a second reference point; where
In some implementations, the first reference point includes at least one of a starting point of the first signal, an end point of the first signal, a starting point of a time unit where the first signal is located, or an end point of a time unit where the first signal is located.
In some implementations, the second reference point includes at least one of a starting point of the backscatter time domain resource, an end point of the backscatter time domain resource, a starting point of a time unit where the backscatter time domain resource is located, or an end point of a time unit where the backscatter time domain resource is located.
In some implementations, the time unit includes OFDM symbols, time slots, subframes, frames, or basic time units of backscatter communication.
In some implementations, the time domain offsets corresponding to first signals are configured uniformly or independently.
In some implementations, the first signal is associated with one backscatter time domain resource or a plurality of backscatter time domain resources.
In some implementations, the association relationship between the first signal and the backscatter time domain resource is determined by a time domain offset.
In some implementations, the association relationship between the first signal and the plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by one or more time domain offsets.
In some implementations, in a case where the association relationship between the first signal and a plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by a plurality of time domain offsets, each of the time domain offsets is used to determine a backscatter time domain resource that has an association relationship with the first signal.
In some implementations, the association relationship between the first signal and a plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by a time domain offset and the number of backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal.
In some implementations, the association relationship between the first signal and a plurality of backscatter time domain resources is determined by a time domain offset, the number of backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal, and an interval between two adjacent backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal.
In some implementations, the method further includes: configuring, by the network device, the time domain offset, the number of backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal, or an interval between two adjacent backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal.
In some implementations, the network device configures the time domain offset, the number of backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal, or the interval between two adjacent backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal through the first signal.
In some implementations, the format of the first signal includes at least one of a first format, a second format or a third format, where the first signal in the first format is associated with one or more backscatter time domain resources;
In some implementations, backscatter time domain resources associated with different first signals are completely identical, completely different or partially identical.
In some implementations, durations of different backscatter time domain resources are the same or different.
In some implementations, the network device sending the first signal on the first signal time domain resource, includes:
In some implementations, the method further includes: configuring, by the network device, the number of backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal.
In some implementations, the network device configures the number of backscatter time domain resources associated with the first signal through the first signal.
The above method may further include: configuring, by the network device, an association rule between the first signal and the backscatter time domain resources.
In some implementations, the association rule is represented by a bitmap.
In some implementations, the bitmap includes M1 bits. Each bit corresponds to X1 backscatter time domain resources or X1 basic communication units in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located; alternately, one bit of the bitmap corresponds to Y1 backscatter time domain resources or Y1 basic communication units in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located, and each bit in the remaining bits of the bitmap corresponds to X1 backscatter time domain resources or X1 basic communication units in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located. The relationship between M1 and X1 satisfies M1=T1/X1, M1=┌T1/X1┐, or M1=└T1/X1┘, where T1 represents the number of backscatter time domain resources or the number of basic communication units that satisfy the third condition in the first time domain resource set where the first signal time domain resource is located.
In some implementations, the third condition includes:
In some implementations, the bitmap includes M2 bits, and each bit corresponds to X2 basic communication units or X2 backscatter time domain resources; X2 or M2 is a positive integer.
In some implementations, the bitmap includes M3 bits. Each bit corresponds to X3 backscatter time domain resources or X3 basic communication units; alternately, one bit of the bitmap corresponds to Y3 backscatter time domain resources or Y3 basic communication units, and each bit in the remaining bits of the bitmap corresponds to X3 backscatter time domain resources or X3 basic communication units respectively. The relationship between M3 and X3 satisfies M3=T3/X3, M3=┌T3/X3┐, or M3=└T3/X3┘, where T3 represents the number of backscatter time domain resources or the number of basic communication units that satisfy the fourth condition in the K first time domain resource sets, and K is a positive integer.
In some implementations, T3 represents the number of backscatter time domain resources or the number of basic communication units that satisfy the fourth condition in the K consecutive first time domain resource sets;
The fourth condition may include:
In some implementations, the method further includes:
In some embodiments, the network device configures the second time domain resource set through the first signal.
In some implementations, the numbers of backscatter time domain resources associated with all first signal time domain resources are configured independently; alternatively,
In some implementations, the backscatter time domain resource associated with the first signal time domain resource is located after the first signal time domain resource; alternatively, the backscatter time domain resource associated with the first signal time domain resource is located after the first signal time domain resource or overlaps with the first signal time domain resource.
In some implementations, the first time domain resource set includes one or more first signal time domain resources.
In some implementations, the first time domain resource set includes one or more backscatter time domain resources.
The above method may further include: sending, by the network device, location information of the first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources in the first time domain resource set; the location information including a starting location and/or duration.
In some implementations, the first time domain resource sets include first-type first time domain resource sets and second-type first time domain resource sets, the first-type first time domain resource set is a first time domain resource set including first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources, and the second-type first time domain resource set is a first time domain resource set including neither first signal time domain resources nor backscatter time domain resources; and
In some implementations, the patterns of different first time domain resource sets are the same or different. The patterns include distribution information of the first signal time domain resources and/or backscatter time domain resources in the first time domain resource set.
In some implementations, all first signal time domain resources in the first time domain resource set are before any backscatter time domain resource in the first time domain resource set; alternatively,
In some implementations, the basic communication unit is a component unit of the first time domain resource set; and
In some implementations, backscatter time domain resources associated with different first signal time domain resources are completely identical, completely different or partially identical.
In some implementations, different first signal time domain resources in the same first time domain resource set are allowed to send the same first signal.
In some implementations, the backscatter time domain resources include backscatter communication occasions.
In some implementations, the first signal time domain resources include first signal transmitting occasions.
In summary, the backscatter communication method provided in embodiments of the present application provides a method for associating the scheduling signal transmitting occasion with the backscatter communication occasions in zero-power communication, and provides at least the following two modes. In the first mode, each scheduling signal is associated with one or more backscatter communication occasions. In the second mode, the scheduling signal is associated with the backscatter communication occasions based on the first time domain resource set. Based on the above two association modes, in an aspect, the network device may determine the backscatter occasions associated with the scheduling signal transmitting occasion based on the time domain offset; in another aspect, for semi-statically configured resources, the scheduling signal transmitting occasion and the backscatter communication occasions associated thereto may be determined in the first time domain resource set. Based on embodiments of the present application, it is convenient for a network device to control the zero-power communication process, and both the timing relationship and the mapping relationship between the scheduling signal and the backscatter communication occasions are clarified. Thus, the conflicts and collisions of the zero-power device during backscatter communication may be effectively reduced.
The terminal device 900 in embodiments of the present application can achieve the corresponding functions of the terminal device in the aforementioned method embodiments. For processes, functions, implementations and beneficial effects corresponding to all modules (sub-modules, units or components) in the terminal device 900, reference may be made to the corresponding description in the above method embodiments, and details are not repeated here. It will be noted that the functions described in the various modules (sub-modules, units or components) in the terminal device 900 of the embodiments of the present application may be achieved by different modules (sub-modules, units or components) or by the same module (sub-module, unit or component).
The network device 1000 in the embodiments of the present application can achieve the corresponding functions of the network device in the aforementioned method embodiments. For processes, functions, implementations and beneficial effects corresponding to all modules (sub-modules, units or components) in the network device 1000, reference may be made to the corresponding description in the above method embodiments, and details are not repeated here. It will be noted that the functions described in the various modules (sub-modules, units or components) in the network device 1000 of the embodiments of the present application may be achieved by different modules (sub-modules, units or components) or by the same module (sub-module, unit or component).
In a possible implementation, the communication device 1100 may further include a memory 1120. The processor 1110 may call and run a computer program from the memory 1120 to enable the communication device 1100 to implement the method in embodiments of the present application.
The memory 1120 may be a separate device independent of the processor 1110, or may be integrated into the processor 1110.
In a possible implementation, the communication device 1100 may further include a transceiver 1130, and the processor 1110 may control the transceiver 1130 to communicate with other devices, for example, may send information or data to other devices, or receive information or data sent by other devices.
The transceiver 1130 may include a transmitter and a receiver. The transceiver 1130 may further include an antenna, and there may be one or more antenna(s).
In a possible implementation, the communication device 1100 may be the network device in the embodiments of the present application, the communication device 1100 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the network device in each method in the embodiments of the present application, and details are not repeated here for the sake of brevity.
In a possible implementation, the communication device 1100 may be the terminal device in the embodiments of the present application, the communication device 1100 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the terminal device in each method in the embodiments of the present application, and details are not repeated here for the sake of brevity.
In a possible implementation, the chip 1200 may further include a memory 1220. The processor 1210 may call and run a computer program from the memory 1220 to implement the method performed by the terminal device or the network device in the embodiments of the present application.
The memory 1220 may be a separate device independent of the processor 1210, or may be integrated into the processor 1210.
In a possible implementation, the chip 1200 may further include an input interface 1230. The processor 1210 may control the input interface 1230 to communicate with other devices or chips, and for example, may obtain information or data sent by other devices or chips.
In a possible implementation, the chip 1200 may further include an output interface 1240. The processor 1210 may control the output interface 1240 to communicate with other devices or chips, and or example, may output information or data to other devices or chips.
In a possible implementation, the chip may be applied to the network device in the embodiments of the present application, and the chip may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the network device in each method of the embodiments of the present application, and details are not repeated here for the sake of brevity.
In a possible implementation, the chip may be applied to the terminal device in the embodiments of the present application, and the chip may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the terminal device in each method of the embodiments of the present application, and details are not repeated here for the sake of brevity.
The network device and the terminal device may use the same chip or different chips.
It should be understood that the chip mentioned in the embodiments of the present application may also be referred to as a system-level chip, a system chip, a chip system or a system-on-chip, or the like.
The processor mentioned above may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), other programmable logic devices, a transistor logic device, a discrete hardware component, or the like. The general purpose processor mentioned above may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, or the like.
The memory mentioned above may be a volatile (transitory) memory or a non-volatile (non-transitory) memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memories. Here, the non-volatile memory may be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (erasable PROM, EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (electrically EPROM, EEPROM), or a flash memory. The volatile memory may be a random access memory (RAM).
It should be understood that the above-mentioned memory is exemplary but not restrictive. For example, the memory in the embodiments of the present application may also be a static random access memory (static RAM, SRAM), a dynamic random access memory (dynamic RAM, DRAM), a synchronous dynamic random access memory (synchronous DRAM, SDRAM), a double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (double data rate SDRAM, DDR SDRAM), an enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (enhanced SDRAM, ESDRAM), a synchronous link dynamic random access memory (synch link DRAM, SLDRAM), a direct memory bus random access memory (Direct Rambus RAM, DR RAM), or the like. That is, the memory in the embodiments of the present application is intended to include but is not limited to these and any other suitable types of memory.
The terminal device 1310 may be used to implement the corresponding functions implemented by the terminal device in the above method, and the network device 1320 may be used to implement the corresponding functions implemented by the network device in the above method, which will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.
The above embodiments may be implemented in whole or in part through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When the embodiments are implemented by using software, the software may be implemented in a form of a computer program product in whole or in part. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions.
When computer program instructions are loaded on and executed by a computer, processes or functions according to the embodiments of the present application are generated in whole or in part. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a dedicated computer, a computer network, or any other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to non-transitory another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from a website, computer, server or data center to another website, computer, server or data center via a wired manner (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, or digital subscriber line (DSL)) or a wireless manner (e.g., infrared, radio or microwave). The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium accessible by the computer, or may be a data storage device, such as a server or a data center, integrated by one or more available media. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk or a magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., a DVD), a semiconductor medium (e.g., a solid state drive (SSD)), or the like.
It should be understood that in the various embodiments of the present application, the magnitude of the serial number of each of the above-mentioned processes does not mean the order of execution. The order of execution of each process shall be determined by its function and internal logic, and shall not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.
Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, the working processes of the systems, devices and units described above may refer to the corresponding processes in the above method embodiments, and details will not be repeated here.
The foregoing descriptions are merely exemplary implementations of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any skilled person in the art could readily conceive of changes or replacements within the technical scope of the present application, which shall all be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.
This application is a Continuation Application of International Application No. PCT/CN2022/081037 filed on Mar. 15, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/CN2022/081037 | Mar 2022 | WO |
| Child | 18829836 | US |
