MULTI-CARRIER BASED TRANSMISSION METHOD, DEVICE, AND SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a multi-carrier based transmission method, a device, and a system.

BACKGROUND

With continuous development of society, automobiles are becoming more popular. While bringing convenience to people, a driving trip also brings some negative impact on human society, for example, frequent traffic accidents. To reduce an occurrence probability of traffic accidents, currently, vehicles can obtain road condition information or receive information services in time through vehicle to X (V2X) communication (for example, vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication, vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) communication, vehicle to pedestrian (V2P) communication, or vehicle to network (V2N) communication), for example, obtain information broadcast by another vehicle, such as a vehicle speed, a driving direction, a specific location, and whether an emergency brake is applied, and sense a traffic condition outside a line of sight based on the obtained information, thereby making a prediction and taking a timely avoidance operation for a dangerous condition. In view of this, a related standard is executed in a current mainstream wireless communications technology, namely, long term evolution (LTE), for a V2X service feature and transmission requirement, to support LTE-based V2X direct communication.

However, with development of technologies such as automated driving, a vehicle not only can exchange, with surrounding vehicles, people, or infrastructures through V2X direct communication, information such as a vehicle speed, a driving direction, and a specific location that are of the vehicle and whether an emergency brake is applied, but also can share large-capacity data such as sensor data, video data, and map data with the surrounding vehicles. An amount of data of such services is greater than that of data of conventional V2X services. This requires that the LTE-based V2X direct communications technology can support a higher transmission rate for a transmit end.

To implement a higher transmission rate in V2X direct communication, for a transmit end, when an amount of service data is relatively large, a plurality of carriers are selected to transmit the service data (to be specific, transmission resources on the plurality of carriers are aggregated to improve a transmission rate of the service data). However, a receive end has a limited receiving capability. When the transmit end uses the plurality of carriers to send the data, a failure in completely listening on, by the receive end, the carriers used by the transmit end to send the data is easily caused due to the limited capability, leading to a large quantity of packet losses and seriously affecting transmission performance. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a transmit end uses a carrier 1 and a carrier 2 to send a specified type of service data. It is assumed that a receive end has only two receive links for respectively listening on the carrier 2 and a carrier 3. When the receive end is interested in a service sent by the transmit end, due to a limited receiving capability, the receive end 2 cannot sense that a service in which the receive end is interested is transmitted on the carrier 1, and the receive end continues to listen on the carrier 2 and the carrier 3, but misses all service data on the carrier 1, leading to a large quantity of packet losses and seriously affecting transmission performance.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-carrier based transmission method, a device, and a system, to resolve problems that a packet loss is caused and transmission performance is seriously affected during existing multi-carrier based transmission.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the following technical solutions are used in the embodiments of the present invention.

According to an aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-carrier based transmission method, including:

obtaining, by a first terminal device, first direct link data, and sending the first direct link data and first indication information to a second terminal device on a first transmission carrier, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device sends second direct link data on at least one second transmission carrier.

The first terminal device and the second terminal device may communicate with each other in direct connection mode. The first terminal device may be a transmit end, and the second terminal device may be a receive end. It should be noted that the transmit end and the receive end are relative concepts. The transmit end is a terminal device sending data or information to a peer end. Relatively, the receive end is a terminal device receiving data or information that is sent by a peer end.

The first direct link data and the second direct link data may be data of a same type, or may be service data of different types. The first direct link data and the second direct link data may be same data or different data.

The first transmission carrier and the at least one second transmission carrier are different transmission carriers between the first terminal device and the second terminal device, and are used to carry data and/or information.

Compared with the prior art, in this embodiment of the present invention, when the transmit end sends data to a peer end on a plurality of transmission carriers, the transmit end sends indication information to the peer end to indicate that the transmit end sends the data on the plurality of transmission carriers, so that the receive end learns, according to the indication information, that the transmit end sends the data on the plurality of transmission carriers, and adjusts a receive link corresponding to the plurality of transmission carriers to receive the corresponding data, thereby avoiding a packet loss caused because the receive end misses a carrier, and improving data transmission performance.

In a possible design, the first terminal device may send the first direct data and the first indication information to the second terminal device in any one of the following manners:

Manner 1: The first direct link data and the first indication information are included in a media access control protocol data unit (MAC PDU), and the first terminal device sends the first direct link data and the first indication information to the second terminal device by sending the MAC PDU on the first transmission carrier.

The MAC PDU has a format shown in FIG. 5a, and may include a MAC header and a MAC payload. The MAC payload may include the first indication information and the first direct link data, and the MAC header may include a dedicated MAC sub-header, where the dedicated MAC sub-header is used to indicate the first indication information included in the MAC payload and a location of the first indication information in the MAC payload.

The dedicated MAC sub-header may be a dedicated logical channel identifier (LCID).

In addition, to clarify the format of the MAC PDU and a service type of the data carried in the MAC PDU, the MAC PDU shown in FIG. 5a may further include a version identifier, a source address, and a destination address. The version identifier is used to identify the format of the MAC PDU, and the source address and the destination address may be used to indicate the service type of the direct link data carried in the MAC PDU.

Optionally, to reduce information transmission redundancy, that the first terminal device determines to send the direct link data on at least K (where K is greater than or equal to 1) transmission carriers may be used as a trigger condition for the MAC PDU to carry the dedicated sub-header and the first indication information. When the first terminal device determines to send the direct link data on the at least K transmission carriers, the first terminal device adds the dedicated MAC sub-header and the first indication information to the MAC PDU and sends the MAC PDU to the second terminal device. Otherwise, the first terminal device does not transmit the dedicated MAC sub-header and the first indication information. Optionally, the first terminal device obtains a value of K through pre-configuration, network configuration, or protocol specification.

It should be noted that FIG. 5a is only an example diagram of the MAC PDU. In addition to content shown in FIG. 5a, the MAC PDU may further include other content. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

Manner 2: The first direct link data and the first indication information are included in a media access control protocol data unit (MAC PDU), and the first terminal device sends the first direct link data and the first indication information to the second terminal device by sending the MAC PDU on the first transmission carrier.

The MAC PDU has a format shown in FIG. 5b, and may include a MAC header and a MAC payload. The MAC payload may include the first direct link data, and the MAC header may include the first indication information. In addition, to clarify the format of the MAC PDU and a service type of the data carried in the MAC PDU, the MAC PDU shown in FIG. 5b may further include a version identifier, a source address, and a destination address. The version identifier is used to identify the format of the MAC PDU, and the source address and the destination address may be used to indicate the service type of the direct link data carried in the MAC PDU.

Optionally, the first indication information may occupy fixed bits in the MAC header, and becomes a fixed component of the MAC header. When the version identifier of the MAC PDU is a fixed value, the first indication information needs to be carried in the MAC PDU each time and sent to the second terminal device. That is, when the first terminal device determines to send direct link data on at least one transmission carrier, the first terminal device sends the first indication information to the second terminal device by adding the first indication information to the fixed bits in the MAC header. When the first terminal device does not determine to send direct link data on at least one transmission carrier, the first terminal device fills, with 0 or other information, the fixed bits used to carry the first indication information, to indicate that the first terminal device does not perform multi-carrier based transmission.

Optionally, the first indication information may be carried in a dedicated MAC control element in the MAC header, and the MAC control element may be identified by using a dedicated logical channel identifier.

It should be noted that FIG. 5b is only an example diagram of the MAC PDU. In addition to content shown in FIG. 5b, the MAC PDU may further include other content. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

Manner 3: As shown in FIG. 5c, the first indication information is included in scheduling assignment (SA) data corresponding to the first direct link data, and the first direct link data is included in a MAC PDU. The first terminal device sends the first direct link data to the second terminal device by sending the MAC PDU on the first transmission carrier, and sends the first indication information to the second terminal device by sending the SA data on the first transmission carrier.

The SA data may include control information related to transmission of the first direct link data, such as a time-frequency resource location, a modulation and coding scheme, a service priority, and a transmission interval period.

The MAC PDU may include a MAC header and a MAC payload. The MAC payload may include the first direct link data, and the MAC header may include a version identifier, a source address, and a destination address. The version identifier is used to identify a format of the MAC PDU, and the source address and the destination address may be used to indicate a service type of direct link data carried in the MAC PDU.

It should be noted that FIG. 5c is only an example diagram of the MAC PDU. In addition to content shown in FIG. 5c, the SA data may further include other content, and the MAC PDU may further include other content. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

In this way, the first terminal device may add the first direct link data and the first indication information to the MAC PDU or to the MAC PDU and the SA data, and send the first direct link data and the first indication information to the second terminal device by using the MAC PDU or by using the MAC PDU and the SA data. The first indication information is encapsulated into an existing data format for sending, with no deed to develop a new information format to transmit the first indication information, thereby reducing design complexity.

In a possible design, the first indication information in Manner 1 to Manner 3 may be frequency information of the at least one second transmission carrier, where the frequency band information is used to identify the at least one second transmission carrier. For example, the frequency information may be a carrier identifier of the at least one second transmission carrier or an index number corresponding to the at least one transmission carrier.

Alternatively, the first indication information in Manner 1 to Manner 3 may be a bit string including at least one bit. The at least one bit corresponds to the at least one second transmission carrier in a one-to-one manner, and information carried in each bit is used to indicate whether the first terminal device sends the second direct link data on a second transmission carrier corresponding to the bit. A correspondence between the at least one bit and the at least one second transmission carrier is pre-configured, or a correspondence between the at least one bit and the at least one second transmission carrier is configured in a network, or a correspondence between the at least one bit and the at least one second transmission carrier is protocol-specified.

Alternatively, the first indication information in Manner 1 to Manner 3 may be information used to indicate whether the first terminal device sends direct link data on a plurality of transmission carriers, where the information does not need to indicate specific transmission carriers used by the first terminal device to send the direct link data. Optionally, the information may be 1-bit indication information. For example, a hit value 0 may be used to indicate that the first terminal device does not transmit direct link data on a plurality of carriers, and a bit value 1 may be used to indicate that the first terminal device transmits direct link data on a plurality of carriers.

Alternatively, the first indication information in Manner 1 to Manner 3 may be a value of a quantity of used transmission carriers, where the value of the quantity of the transmission carriers is used to indicate a quantity of transmission carriers used by the first terminal device. For example, if the first indication information indicates that the first terminal uses 1 transmission carriers, it represents that the first terminal performs transmission on first K transmission carriers based on transmission priorities. The transmission carriers (which include the second transmission carrier or may include the first transmission carrier) and corresponding priorities may be obtained through pre-configuration, network configuration, or protocol specification. The first transmission carrier may be or may not be included for calculation of the value of the carrier quantity.

In this way, the first indication information may be designed in any one of the foregoing manners. This improves information transmission flexibility.

In a possible design, data sent by the first terminal on the first transmission carrier and the second transmission carrier may be data of a same service type.

Optionally, to indicate that the first direct link data and the second direct link data are service data of a same type, the MAC PDU in which the first direct link data is located may include first service identification information, and a MAC PDU in which the second direct link data is located may include second service identification information, where the first service identification information is the same as the second service identification information.

The first service identification information is used to identify a service type of the first direct link data, and the second service identification information is used to identify a service type of the second direct link data. The first service identification information and the second service identification information each may include at least one of the following information: a source address, a target address, a service type identifier, a priority identifier, a direct link bearer identifier, a logical channel identifier, and a stream identifier.

It should be noted that the first direct link data and the second direct link data may be service data of different types. In this case, the first service identification information may be different from the second service identification information.

In this way, service identification information used to indicate a service type of direct link data may be carried in a MAC PDU in which the direct link data is located, so that when receiving the direct link data, the second terminal device identifies the service type of the received direct link data based on the service identification information. If the direct link data is service data in which the second terminal device is interested, the second terminal device transmits the received direct link data to an upper layer for processing. Otherwise, the second terminal device performs no processing.

In a possible design, the method may further include:

obtaining, by the first terminal device, carrier configuration information, where the carrier configuration information includes a first transmission carrier identifier and at least one second transmission carrier identifier, the first transmission carrier identifier is used to identify the first transmission carrier, the at least one second transmission carrier identifier is used to identify the at least one second transmission carrier, and a transmission priority of the first transmission carrier is higher than a transmission priority of any one of the at least one second transmission carrier.

Optionally, the first terminal device may obtain the carrier configuration information from an access network device, where the carrier configuration information may be included in dedicated radio resource control (\RRC) signaling or a system message. That is, the first terminal device may obtain the carrier configuration information by using the dedicated RRC signaling or the system message sent by the access network device.

Optionally, the first terminal device may alternatively obtain the carrier configuration information from a core network device.

The carrier configuration information is used by the first terminal device to determine, based on the carrier configuration information, a transmission carrier used to transmit direct link data.

For example, the first terminal device sends, based on the carrier configuration information, the first direct link data on the first transmission carrier whose transmission priority is highest. When the first terminal device determines to send the second direct link data on a transmission carrier other than the first transmission carrier, the first terminal device sends, based on the carrier configuration information, the second direct link data on a second transmission carrier whose transmission priority is lower than the transmission priority of the first transmission carrier.

The first terminal device may determine, based on at least one data cache amount in a MAC layer, a radio link control (RLC) layer, a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, or an upper layer of the first terminal device, a network indication, an upper layer indication, or another predetermined rule, whether to send the second direct link data on the transmission carrier other than the first transmission carrier.

In this way, after obtaining the carrier configuration information, the first terminal device may transmit, based on the carrier configuration information, direct link data on a suitable transmission carrier. For example, important information (for example, the first indication information) is transmitted on the first transmission carrier having a highest priority, so that the second terminal device can well receive the first indication information, thereby improving data transmission performance.

With reference to the foregoing possible implementations, in another possible implementation,

the carrier configuration information may indicate a priority of each transmission carrier in the following manners:

transmission carrier identifiers are sorted in descending order of transmission priorities of transmission carriers; or

transmission carrier identifiers are sorted in ascending order of transmission priorities of transmission carriers; or

the carrier configuration information further includes a first transmission priority identifier and at least one second transmission priority identifier, where the first transmission priority identifier corresponds to the first transmission carrier identifier, the at least one second transmission priority identifier corresponds to the at least one second transmission carrier identifier in a one-to-one manner, and a transmission priority corresponding to the first transmission priority identifier is higher than a transmission priority corresponding to any one of the at least one second transmission priority identifier,

The first transmission priority identifier may be a digit, a letter, or another identifier. For example, a highest priority may be identified by using a digit 1 or a letter A.

In this way, the first terminal device may determine, based on a transmission carrier identifier and a priority corresponding to the transmission carrier identifier, a transmission carrier having a highest priority and a transmission carrier having a second highest priority.

In a possible design, to clarify which type of service data is transmitted on which transmission carrier, the carrier configuration information may further include third service identification information and at least one piece of fourth service identification information.

The at least one piece of fourth service identification information corresponds to the at least one second transmission carrier identifier in a one-to-one manner, the third service identifier is used to indicate a service type of direct link data sent on a transmission carrier identified by the first transmission carrier identifier, and each piece of fourth service identification information is used to indicate a service type of direct link data sent on a transmission carrier identified by a second transmission carrier identifier corresponding to the fourth service identification information.

Any one of the at least one piece of fourth service identification information may be the same as or different from the third service identification information. The third service identification information and the fourth service identification information each include at least one of the following information: a source address, a target address, a service type identifier, a priority identifier, a direct link bearer identifier, a logical channel identifier, and a stream identifier.

In this way, the first terminal device may transmit, based on service identification information corresponding to a transmission carrier, direct link data corresponding to the service identification information on the transmission carrier, or may add the service identification information to a MAC PDU in which the direct link data is located, to transmit both the service identification information and the direct link data to the second terminal device.

It should be noted that when the service identification information is carried in the MAC PDU in which the direct link data is located, and sent to the second terminal device, the service identification information may be service identification information that corresponds to a transmission carrier and that is obtained by the first terminal device from the carrier configuration information. For example, the first service identification information may be the third service identification information, and the second service identification information may be the fourth service identification information.

In a possible design, the method further includes:

sending, by the first terminal device to the second terminal device, SA data corresponding to the second direct link data, where the SA data corresponding to the second direct link data may be used to indicate control information (for example, a time-frequency resource location, a modulation and coding scheme, a service priority, and a transmission time interval) related to transmission of the second direct link data, so that when receiving the SA data, the second terminal device receives the second direct link data based on the control information indicated by the SA data.

In a possible design, the method further includes:

obtaining, by the first terminal device, the first direct link data from an upper layer.

The upper layer may be an RLC layer or a PDCP layer of the first terminal device.

It should be noted that in addition to obtaining the first direct link data from the upper layer, the first terminal device may further obtain, from the upper layer, primitive information corresponding to the first direct link data, where the primitive information may include information such as a transmission parameter or a service feature that is used to indicate the first direct link data, for example, may include information such as a source address and a target address, where the target address and the service type of the first direct link data may have a mapping relationship. Each type of direct link data delivered by the upper layer corresponds to at least one target address.

According to an aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a first terminal device, including:

an obtaining unit, configured to obtain first direct link data; and

a sending unit, configured to send the first direct link data obtained by the obtaining unit and first indication information to a second terminal device on a first transmission carrier, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device sends second direct link data on at least one second transmission carrier.

For a specific implementation of the first terminal device, refer to a behavioral function of the first terminal device in the multi-carrier based transmission method provided in the foregoing aspect or the possible implementations of the foregoing aspect, and details are not further provided herein. Therefore, the first terminal device provided in this aspect may have beneficial effects the same as those in the foregoing aspect.

According to an aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a first terminal device. The first terminal device may implement functions performed by the first terminal device in the foregoing method embodiment. The functions may be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the foregoing functions.

In a possible design, a structure of the first terminal device includes a processor and a transceiver. The processor is configured to support the first terminal device in performing a corresponding function in the foregoing method. The transceiver is configured to support the first terminal device in communicating with another network element. The first terminal device may further include a memory. The memory is configured to couple to the processor, and the memory stores a program instruction and data that are necessary to the first terminal device.

According to an aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer storage medium, configured to store a computer software instruction used by the foregoing first terminal device, where the computer software instruction includes a program for performing the solution described in the foregoing aspect.

According to an aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer program product. The program product stores a computer software instruction used by the foregoing first terminal device, where the computer software instruction includes a program for performing the solution described in the foregoing aspect.

According to an aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus. The apparatus exists in a product form of a chip. A structure of the apparatus includes a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to couple to the processor, and the memory stores a program instruction and data that are necessary to the apparatus. The processor is configured to execute the program instruction stored in the memory, so that the apparatus performs functions corresponding to the first terminal device in the foregoing method.

According to another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-carrier based transmission method, including:

receiving, by a second terminal device on a first receive carrier, first direct link data and first indication information that are sent by a first terminal device, and receiving second direct link data on at least one second receive carrier, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device sends the second direct link data on the at least one second receive carrier.

The first direct link data and the second direct link data may be data of a same type or may be service data of different types.

The first receive carrier and the at least one second receive carrier are different receive carriers between the first terminal device and the second terminal device, and are used to carry data and/or information.

It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present invention, a receive carrier and a transmission carrier are relative concepts. The receive carrier may be a carrier used by a receive end (that is, the second terminal device) to receive direct link data. Relatively, the transmission carrier may be a carrier used by a transmit end (that is, the first terminal device) to send direct link data. Usually, the transmission carrier used by the first terminal device to send the direct link data and the receive carrier used by the second terminal device to receive the direct link data may be a same carrier.

Compared with the prior art, in this embodiment of the present invention, when the transmit end sends data to a peer end on a plurality of transmission carriers, the transmit end sends indication information to the peer end to indicate that the transmit end sends the data on the plurality of transmission carriers, so that the receive end learns, according to the indication information, that the transmit end sends the data on the plurality of transmission carriers, and adjusts a receive link corresponding to the plurality of receiving carriers to receive corresponding data, thereby avoiding a packet loss caused because the receive end misses a carrier, and improving data transmission performance.

In a possible design, the first direct link data and the first indication information are included in a media access control protocol data unit MAC PDU. The second terminal device may receive the first direct link data and the first indication information by receiving the MAC PDU on the first receive carrier. The MAC PDU has a format shown in Manner 1 or Manner 2 in the possible implementation of the foregoing aspect, and details are not further provided herein.

Alternatively, the second terminal device may receive the first direct link data by receiving a MAC PDU on the first receive carrier, and receive the first indication information by receiving scheduling assignment SA data on the first receive carrier, where the first indication information is included in the SA data corresponding to the first direct link data, and the first direct link data is included in the MAC A format of the SA data and a format of the MAC PDU are the same as those in Manner 3, and details are not further provided herein.

In this way, the second terminal device may receive the first direct link data and the first indication information by using the MAC PDU or by using the MAC PDU and the SA data, that is, receive the first direct link data and the first indication information by using an existing data format, with no deed to develop a new information format to carry the first indication information, thereby reducing design complexity.

In a possible design, the first indication information may be frequency information of the at least one second receive carrier, where the frequency band information is used to identify the at least one second receive carrier, for example, may be a carrier identifier of the at least one second receive carrier or an index number corresponding to the at least one receive carrier.

Alternatively, the first indication information may be a bit string including at least one bit. The at least one bit corresponds to the at least one second receive carrier in a one-to-one manner, and information carried in each bit is used to indicate whether the first terminal device sends the second direct link data on a second receive carrier corresponding to the bit. A correspondence between the at least one bit and the at least one second receive carrier is pre-configured, or a correspondence between the at least one bit and the at least one second receive carrier is configured in a network, or a correspondence between the at least one bit and the at least one second receive carrier is protocol-specified.

Alternatively, the first indication information may be information used to indicate whether the second terminal device receives direct link data on a plurality of receive carriers, where the information does not need to indicate specific receive carriers used by the second terminal device to receive the direct link data. Optionally, the information may be 1-bit indication information. For example, a bit value 0 may be used to indicate that the second terminal device does not receive direct link data on a plurality of receive carriers, and a bit value 1 may be used to indicate that the second terminal device receives direct link data on a plurality of receive carriers.

Alternatively, the first indication information may be a value of a quantity of used receive carriers, where the value of the quantity of the receive carriers is used to indicate a quantity of receive carriers used by the second terminal device. For example, if the first indication information indicates that the second terminal uses K receive carriers, it represents that the second terminal performs receiving on first K receive carriers based on receiving priorities. The receive carriers (which include the second receive carrier or may include the first receive carrier) and corresponding priorities may be obtained through pre-configuration, network configuration, or protocol specification. The first receive carrier may be or may not be included for calculation of the value of the carrier quantity.

In this way, the first indication information may be designed in any one of the foregoing manners. This improves information receiving flexibility.

In a possible design, to indicate that the first direct link data and the second direct link data are service data of a same type, the MAC PDU in which the first direct link data is located may include first service identification information, and a MAC PDU in which the second direct link data is located may include second service identification information, where the first service identification information is the same as the second service identification information.

It should be noted that the first direct link data and the second direct link data may alternatively be service data of different types. In this case, the first service identification information may be different from the second service identification information.

In this way, the second terminal device may identify, based on service identification information carried in a MAC PDU in which direct link data is located, a service type of the to-be-received direct link data. If the direct link data is service data in which the second terminal device is interested, the second terminal device transmits the received direct link data to an upper layer for processing. Otherwise, the second terminal device performs no processing.

In a possible design, the method may further include:

obtaining, by the second terminal device, carrier configuration information, where the carrier configuration information includes a first receive carrier identifier and at least one second receive carrier identifier, the first receive carrier identifier is used to identify the first receive carrier, the at least one second receive carrier identifier is used to identify the at least one second receive carrier, and a receiving priority of the first receive carrier is higher than a receiving priority of any one of the at least one second receive carrier.

Optionally, the second terminal device may obtain the carrier configuration information from an access network device, where the carrier configuration information may be included in dedicated RRC signaling or a system message. That is, the first terminal device may obtain the carrier configuration information by using the dedicated RRC signaling or the system message sent by the access network device.

The carrier configuration information is used by the second terminal device to determine, based on the carrier configuration information, a carrier used to receive direct link data. For example, the second terminal device receives, based on the carrier configuration information, the first direct link data and the first indication information on the first receive carrier whose receiving priority is highest. After receiving the first indication information, the second terminal device receives, based on the carrier configuration information, the second direct link data on the at least one second receive carrier whose receiving priority is lower than that of the first receive carrier.

In this way, after obtaining the carrier configuration information, the second terminal device may receive, based on the carrier configuration information, direct link data on a suitable receive carrier. For example, important information (for example, the first indication information) is received on the first receive carrier having a highest priority, thereby improving data receiving accuracy.

In a possible design, the carrier configuration information may indicate a priority of each receive carrier in the following manners:

receive carrier identifiers are sorted in descending order of receiving priorities of receive carriers; or

receive carrier identifiers are sorted in ascending order of receiving priorities of receive carriers; or

the carrier configuration information further includes a first receiving priority identifier and at least one second receiving priority identifier, where the first receiving priority identifier corresponds to the first receive carrier identifier, the at least one second receiving priority identifier corresponds to the at least one second receive carrier identifier in a one-to-one manner, and a receiving priority corresponding to the first receiving priority identifier is higher than a receiving priority corresponding to any one of the at least one second receiving priority identifier.

The first receiving priority identifier may be a digit, a letter, or another identifier. For example, a highest priority may be identified by using a digit 1 or a letter A.

In this way, the second terminal device may determine, based on a receive carrier identifier and a priority corresponding to the receive carrier identifier, a receive carrier having a highest priority and a receive carrier having a second highest priority.

In a possible design, to clarify which type of service data is received on which receive carrier, the carrier configuration information may further include third service identification information and at least one piece of fourth service identification information.

The at least one piece of fourth service identification information corresponds to the at least one second receive carrier identifier in a one-to-one manner, the third service identifier is used to indicate a service type of direct link data received on a receive carrier identified by the first receive carrier identifier, and each piece of fourth service identification information is used to indicate a service type of direct link data received on a receive carrier identified by a second receive carrier identifier corresponding to the fourth service identification information.

In this way, the second terminal device may identify, based on service identification information corresponding to a receive carrier, a service type of direct link data received on the receive carrier.

It should be noted that service identification information carried in a MAC PDU in which the direct link data received by the second terminal device is located may be the same as service identification information that corresponds to a receive carrier and that is identified by the second terminal device from the carrier configuration information. That is, the first service identification information may be the same as the third service identification information, and the second service identification information may be the same as the fourth service identification information.

In a possible design, the method further includes:

receiving, by the second terminal device from the first terminal device, SA data corresponding to the second direct link data; and

processing, by the second terminal device based on the SA data, the second direct link data received from the at least one second receive carrier.

The SA data corresponding to the second direct link data may be used to indicate control information (for example, a time-frequency resource location, a modulation and coding scheme, a service priority, and a transmission time interval) related to transmission of the second direct link data.

According to another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a second terminal device, including:

a receiving unit, configured to: receive, on a first receive carrier, first direct link data and first indication information that are sent by a first terminal device, and receive second direct link data on at least one second receive carrier, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device sends the second direct link data on the at least one second receive carrier.

For a specific implementation of the second terminal device, refer to a behavioral function of the second terminal device in the multi-carrier based transmission method provided in the foregoing aspect or the possible implementations of the foregoing aspect, and details are not further provided herein. Therefore, the second terminal device provided in this aspect may have beneficial effects the same as those in the foregoing aspect.

According to another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a second terminal device. The second terminal device may implement functions performed by the second terminal device in the foregoing method embodiment. The functions may be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the foregoing functions.

In a possible design, a structure of the second terminal device includes a processor and a transceiver. The processor is configured to support the second terminal device in performing a corresponding function in the foregoing method. The transceiver is configured to support the second terminal device in communicating with another network element. The second terminal device may further include a memory. The memory is configured to couple to the processor, and the memory stores a program instruction and data that are necessary to the second terminal device.

According to another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer storage medium, configured to store a computer software instruction used by the foregoing second terminal device, where the computer software instruction includes a program for performing the solution described in the foregoing aspect.

According to another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer program product. The program product stores a computer software instruction used by the foregoing second terminal device, where the computer software instruction includes a program for performing the solution described in the foregoing aspect.

According to another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus. The apparatus exists in a product form of a chip. A structure of the apparatus includes a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to couple to the processor, and the memory stores a program instruction and data that are necessary to the apparatus. The processor is configured to execute the program instruction stored in the memory, so that the apparatus performs functions corresponding to the second terminal device in the foregoing method.

According to still another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-carrier based transmission method, including:

generating, by an access network device, carrier configuration information, and sending the carrier configuration information to a terminal device, where the carrier configuration information includes a first transmission carrier identifier and at least one second transmission carrier identifier, the first transmission carrier identifier is used to identify a first transmission carrier, the at least one second transmission carrier identifier is used to identify at least one second transmission carrier, and a receiving priority of the first transmission carrier is higher than a transmission priority of any one of the at least one second transmission carrier.

The sending, by the access network device, the carrier configuration information to a terminal device may be: sending, by the access network device, the carrier configuration information to a transmit end sending direct link data.

In this way, the access network device may send the carrier configuration information to the terminal device, so that the terminal device sends, based on the carrier configuration information, the direct link data on a suitable transmission carrier, or adjusts, based on the carrier configuration information, a carrier for receiving the direct link data.

In a possible design, the carrier configuration information may indicate a priority of each transmission carrier in the following manners:

transmission carrier identifiers are sorted in descending order of transmission priorities of transmission carriers; or

transmission carrier identifiers are sorted in ascending order of transmission priorities of transmission carriers; or

The first transmission priority identifier may be a digit, a letter, or another identifier. For example, a highest priority may be identified by using a digit 1 or a letter A.

In this way, after receiving the carrier configuration information, the terminal device may determine, based on a transmission carrier identifier and a priority corresponding to the transmission carrier identifier, a transmission carrier having a highest priority and a transmission carrier having a second highest priority.

In a possible design, to clarify which type of service data is transmitted on which transmission carrier, the carrier configuration information may further include first service identification information and at least one piece of second service identification information.

The at least one piece of second service identification information corresponds to the at least one second transmission carrier identifier in a one-to-one manner, the second service identifier is used to indicate a service type of direct link data sent on a transmission carrier identified by the first transmission carrier identifier, and each piece of second service identification information is used to indicate a service type of direct link data sent on a transmission carrier identified by a second transmission carrier identifier corresponding to the second service identification information.

Any one of the at least one piece of second service identification information may be the same as or different from the first service identification information. The first service identification information and the second service identification information each include at least one of the following information: a source address, a target address, a service type identifier, a priority identifier, a direct link bearer identifier, a logical channel identifier, and a stream identifier,

In this way, after receiving direct link data, the terminal device may identify a service type of the direct link data based on service identification information corresponding to a transmission carrier for sending the direct link data.

In a possible design, the access network device may obtain the carrier configuration information from an upper layer.

The upper layer may be an RLC layer or a PDCP layer of the access network device,

In a possible design, the access network device may send the carrier configuration information to the terminal device by using RRC signaling or a system message.

In this way, the carrier configuration information may be carried in the RRC signaling or the system message and sent to the terminal device, thereby providing information sending security.

According to still another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an access network device, including:

a generation unit, configured to generate carrier configuration information; and a sending unit, configured to send the carrier configuration information obtained by the generation unit to a terminal device, where the carrier configuration information includes a first transmission carrier identifier and at least one second transmission carrier identifier, the first transmission carrier identifier is used to identify a first transmission carrier, the at least one second transmission carrier identifier is used to identify at least one second transmission carrier, and a receiving priority of the first transmission carrier is higher than a transmission priority of any one of the at least one second transmission carrier.

For a specific implementation of the access network device, refer to a behavioral function of the access network device in the multi-carrier based transmission method provided in the foregoing aspect or the possible implementations of the foregoing aspect, and details are not further provided herein. Therefore, the access network device provided in this aspect may have beneficial effects the same as those in the foregoing aspect.

According to still another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an access network device. The access network device may implement functions performed by the access network device in the foregoing method embodiment. The functions may be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the foregoing functions.

In a possible design, a structure of the access network device includes a processor and a communications interface. The processor is configured to support the access network device in performing a corresponding function in the foregoing method. The communications interface is configured to support the access network device in communicating with another network element. The access network device may further include a memory. The memory is configured to couple to the processor, and the memory stores a program instruction and data that are necessary to the access network device.

According to still another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer storage medium, configured to store a computer software instruction used by the foregoing access network device, where the computer software instruction includes a program for performing the solution described in the foregoing aspect.

According to still another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer program product. The program product stores a computer software instruction used by the foregoing access network device, where the computer software instruction includes a program for performing the solution described in the foregoing aspect.

According to still another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus. The apparatus exists in a product form of a chip. A structure of the apparatus includes a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to couple to the processor, and the memory stores a program instruction and data that are necessary to the apparatus. The processor is configured to execute the program instruction stored in the memory, so that the apparatus performs functions corresponding to the access network device in the foregoing method.

According to still another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-carrier based transmission method, including:

generating, by an access network device, carrier configuration information, and sending the carrier configuration information to a terminal device, where the carrier configuration information includes a first receive carrier identifier and at least one second receive carrier identifier, the first receive carrier identifier is used to identify a first receive carrier, the at least one second receive carrier identifier is used to identify at least one second receive carrier, and a receiving priority of the first receive carrier is higher than a receiving priority of any one of the at least one second receive carrier.

In this way, the access network device may send the carrier configuration information to the terminal device, so that the terminal device sends, based on the carrier configuration information, the direct link data on a suitable receive carrier, or adjusts, based on the carrier configuration information, a carrier for receiving the direct link data.

In a possible design, the carrier configuration information may indicate a priority of each receive carrier in the following manners:

receive carrier identifiers are sorted in descending order of receiving priorities of receive carriers; or

receive carrier identifiers are sorted in ascending order of receiving priorities of receive carriers; or

The first receiving priority identifier may be a digit, a letter, or another identifier. For example, a highest priority may be identified by using a digit 1 or a letter A.

In this way, after receiving the carrier configuration information, the terminal device may determine, based on a receive carrier identifier and a priority corresponding to the receive carrier identifier, a receive carrier having a highest priority and a receive carrier having a second highest priority.

In a possible design, to clarify which type of service data is received on which receive carrier, the carrier configuration information may further include first service identification information and at least one piece of second service identification information.

The at least one piece of second service identification information corresponds to the at least one second receive carrier identifier in a one-to-one manner, the second service identifier is used to indicate a service type of direct link data received on a receive carrier identified by the first receive carrier identifier, and each piece of second service identification information is used to indicate a service type of direct link data received on a receive carrier identified by a second receive carrier identifier corresponding to the second service identification information.

In this way, after receiving direct link data, the terminal device may identify a service type of the direct link data based on service identification information corresponding to a receive carrier for receiving the direct link data.

In a possible design, the access network device may obtain the carrier configuration information from an upper layer.

The upper layer may be an RLC layer or a PDCP layer of the access network device.

In a possible design, the access network device may send the carrier configuration information to the terminal device by using RRC signaling or a system message.

In this way, the carrier configuration information may be carried in the RRC signaling or the system message and sent to the terminal device, thereby providing information sending security.

According to still another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an access network device, including:

a generation unit, configured to generate carrier configuration information; and

a sending unit, configured to send the carrier configuration information obtained by the generation unit to a terminal device, where the carrier configuration information includes a first receive carrier identifier and at least one second receive carrier identifier, the first receive carrier identifier is used to identify a first receive carrier, the at least one second receive carrier identifier is used to identify at least one second receive carrier, and a receiving priority of the first receive carrier is higher than a receiving priority of any one of the at least one second receive carrier.

According to still another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-carrier based transmission system, including the first terminal device according to any one of the foregoing aspects or the possible implementations of the foregoing aspects and the second terminal device according to any one of the foregoing aspects or the possible implementations of the foregoing aspects; or

the first terminal device according to any one of the foregoing aspects or the possible implementations of the foregoing aspects, the second terminal device according to any one of the foregoing aspects or the possible implementations of the foregoing aspects, and the access network device according to any one of the foregoing aspects or the possible implementations of the foregoing aspects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of existing multi-carrier based transmission;

FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram of a system architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic composition diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic composition diagram of an access network device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a multi-carrier based transmission method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5a is a schematic composition diagram of a MAC PDU according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5b is a schematic composition diagram of another MAC PDU according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5c is a schematic composition diagram of a MAC PDU and SA data according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a multi-carrier based transmission method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic composition diagram of a first terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic composition diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic composition diagram of a second terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic composition diagram of another apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic composition diagram of an access network device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic composition diagram of still another apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-carrier based transmission method. A basic principle thereof is: When transmitting direct link data on a plurality of carriers, a first terminal device sends, to a second terminal device, indication information used to instruct the second terminal device to perform transmission on a plurality of carriers, so that the second terminal device adjusts, according to the indication information, a receive link to receive corresponding data.

The following describes implementations of the embodiments of the present invention in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

The multi-carrier based transmission method provided in the embodiments of the present invention may be applied to any communications system supporting multi-carrier based transmission, for example, a V2X communications system. In the V2X communications system, communication may be performed through V2V communication, V2I communication, V2P communication, or V2N communication. In the following descriptions, a communications system using V2V communication shown in FIG. 2 is used as a simplified schematic diagram of a system architecture of the embodiments of the present invention, to describe the multi-carrier based transmission method provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the communications system may include a first terminal device, a second terminal device, and an access network (AN) device. The first terminal device is a transmit end, the second terminal device is a receive end, and the first terminal device and the second terminal device may transmit direct link data to each other. The first terminal device and the second terminal device may be or may not be located in a coverage area of the access network device. The access network device may connect to the first terminal device and the second terminal device in a wireless manner. It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present invention, the transmit end and the receive end are relative concepts. The transmit end may be a terminal device sending direct link data to another device. Correspondingly, the receive end may be a terminal device receiving direct link data sent by another device. In addition, FIG. 2 is only an example of an architectural diagram. In addition to functional nodes shown in FIG. 2, the 5G system may further include other functional nodes. This is not limited in the embodiments of the present invention.

The first terminal device and the second terminal device in FIG. 2 may be user equipment (UE), for example, vehicles, cellular phones, cordless phones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, smart phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDA), laptop computers, handheld communications devices, handheld computing devices, satellite radio devices, wireless modern cards, and/or other devices configured to communicate in a wireless system. The access network device in FIG. 2 may be a network including a plurality of AN nodes, and is configured to implement a wireless physical layer function, resource scheduling and radio resource management, wireless access control, and a mobility management function. The AN node may be an access node, a NodeB, an enhanced NodeB, a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a transmission and reception point (TRP), a transmission point (TP), or another type of access network device.

Specifically, the first terminal device and the second terminal device in FIG. 2 may include components shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a schematic composition diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the terminal device may include at least one processor 31, a memory 32, a transceiver 33, and a communications bus 34. It should be noted that the device structure shown in FIG. 3 constitutes no limitation on a control plane node. More or fewer components than those shown in the figure may be included, or sonic components may be combined, or a different component deployment may be used. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention. The following specifically describes the components of the control plane node with reference to FIG. 3.

The processor 31 is a control center of the control plane node, and may be a processor or may be a general term of a plurality of processing elements. For example, the processor 31 is a central processing unit (CPU) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or may be one or more integrated circuits configured to implement this embodiment of the present invention, for example, one or more microprocessors (digital signal processor, DSP) or one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGA). The processor 31 may perform various functions of the control plane node by running or executing a software program stored in the memory 32 and invoking data stored in the memory 32.

During specific implementation, in an embodiment, the processor 31 may include one or more CPUs, for example, a CPU 0 and a CPU 1 in FIG. 3. During specific implementation, in an embodiment, the control plane node may include a plurality of processors such as the processor 31 and a processor 35 in FIG. 3. Each of these processors may be a single-core (single-CPU) processor, or may be a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor. Herein, the processor may be one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores used for processing data (for example, a computer program instruction).

The memory 32 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or another type of static storage device that can store static information and a static instruction, a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device that can store information and an instruction, or may be an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), another compact disc storage medium, optical disc storage medium (including a compact disc, a laser disc, an optical disc, a digital versatile disc, a Blu-ray disc, or the like), or magnetic disk storage medium, another magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be configured to carry or store expected program code in a form of an instruction or a data structure and that is accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory 32 may exist independently, and is connected to the processor 31 by using the communications bus 34. Alternatively, the memory 32 may be integrated with the processor 31. The memory 32 is configured to store the software program used to perform solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention, and the software program is controlled and executed by the processor 31.

The transceiver 33 is configured to communicate with another device or a communications network, for example, an Ethernet, a radio access network (RAN), or a wireless local area network (WLAN). The transceiver 33 may include a receiving unit to implement a receiving function and a sending unit to implement a sending function. Optionally, the transceiver 33 may be a radio frequency module.

The communications bus 34 may be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus, an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus, or the like. The bus may be classified into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, and the like. For ease of representation, only one thick line is used to represent the bus in FIG. 3, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

It should be noted that the terminal device is not limited to the device structure shown in FIG. 3. More or fewer components than those shown in the figure may be included, or some components may be combined, or a different component deployment may be used. Although not shown, the terminal device may further include modules such as a display screen, a battery, a camera, a Bluetooth module, and a global positioning system (GPS) module. Details are not further provided herein.

When the terminal device shown in FIG. 3 is the first terminal device in the embodiments of the present invention, the terminal device can perform a function of the first terminal device in the multi-carrier based transmission method provided in the embodiments of the present invention. For example, the processor 31 of the terminal device may be configured to obtain first direct link data, and the transceiver 33 of the terminal device may be configured to send, to another terminal device, the first direct link data and first indication information used to indicate that the terminal device sends second direct link data on at least one second transmission carrier.

When the terminal device shown in FIG. 3 is the second terminal device in the embodiments of the present invention, the terminal device can perform a function of the second terminal device in the multi-carrier based transmission method provided in the embodiments of the present invention. For example, the transceiver 33 of the terminal device may be configured to receive first direct link data and first indication information from a first receive carrier, the processor 31 of the terminal device may be configured to determine, according to the indication information, that another terminal device sends second direct link data on a plurality of second receive carriers, and the transceiver 33 of the terminal device may be configured to receive the second direct link data from the second receive carriers.

FIG. 4 is a schematic composition diagram of an access network device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the access network device may include at least one processor 41, a memory 42, a communications interface 43, and a communications bus 44. The components of the access network device are specifically described below with reference to FIG. 4.

The processor 41 is a control center of the access network device, and may be a processor or may be a general term of a plurality of processing elements. For example, the processor 41 is a CPU, an ASIC, or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement this embodiment of the present invention, for example, one or more DSPs or one or more FPGAs. The processor 41 may perform various functions of the access network device by running or executing a software program stored in the memory 42 and invoking data stored in the memory 42.

During specific implementation, in an embodiment, the processor 41 may include one or more CPUs, for example, a CPU 0 and a CPU 1 in FIG. 4. During specific implementation, in an embodiment, the access network device may include a plurality of processors such as the processor 41 and a processor 45 in FIG. 4. Each of these processors may be a single-CPU processor, or may be a multi-CPU processor. Herein, the processor may be one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores used for processing data (for example, a computer program instruction).

The memory 42 may be a ROM or another type of static storage device that can store static information and a static instruction, a RAM or another type of dynamic storage device that can store information and an instruction, or may be an EEPROM, a CD-ROM, another compact-disc storage medium, optical disc storage medium (including a compact disc, a laser disc, an optical disc, a digital versatile disc, a Blu-ray disc, or the like), or magnetic disk storage medium, another magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be configured to carry or store expected program code in a form of an instruction or a data structure and that is accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory 42 may exist independently, and is connected to the processor 41 by using the communications bus 44. Alternatively, the memory 42 may be integrated with the processor 41. The memory 42 is configured to store the software program used to perform solutions in the present invention, and the software program is controlled and executed by the processor 41.

The communications interface 43 is configured to communicate with another device or a communications network such as an Ethernet or a WLAN. The communications interface 43 may include a receiving unit to implement a receiving function and a sending unit to implement a sending function. Specifically, the communications interface 43 may be a radio frequency module.

The communications bus 44 may be an ISA bus, a PCI bus, an EISA bus, or the like. The bus may be classified into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, and the like. For ease of representation, only one thick line is used to represent the bus in FIG. 4, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

The access network device shown in FIG. 4 may perform an operation performed by an access network device in the multi-carrier based transmission method provided in the embodiments of the present invention. For example, the processor 41 of the access network device generates first carrier configuration information and second carrier location information, and the communications interface 43 of the access network device sends the first carrier configuration information to a first terminal device, and sends the second carrier configuration information to a second terminal device.

With reference to the communications system shown in FIG. 2, the multi-carrier based transmission method provided in the embodiments of the present invention is described in detail, where a device in the following method embodiment may correspondingly include the components shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4. It should be noted that although a logical order is shown in the following method flowchart, in some cases, steps that are shown or described may be performed in an order different from this order.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a multi-carrier based transmission method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the method may include the following steps.

Step 501: A first terminal device obtains first direct link data.

The first terminal device may be a terminal device in coverage of an access network, or may be a terminal device beyond coverage of an access network,

For example, the first terminal device may obtain the first direct link data from an upper layer (for example, an RLC layer, a PDCP layer, or any other layer) of the first terminal device.

Step 502: The first terminal device sends the first direct link data and first indication information to a second terminal device on a first transmission carrier.

The first transmission carrier may be a transmission carrier having a relatively high transmission priority in transmission carriers.

The first indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device sends second direct link data on at least one second transmission carrier.

The second direct link data and the first direct link data may be data of a same service type, or may be data of different service types. The first direct link data and the second direct link data may be same data or different data.

It should be noted that, that the first terminal device sends the first direct link data and first indication information to a second terminal device on a first transmission carrier may be: When determining to send the second direct link data on a plurality of transmission carriers, the first terminal device sends the first direct link data and the first indication information to the second terminal device on the first transmission carrier. That is, that the first terminal device determines to send the second direct link data on the plurality of transmission carriers is used as a trigger condition for the first terminal device to send the first direct link data and the first indication information to the second terminal device on the first transmission carrier.

Optionally, the first terminal device may determine, based on at least one data cache amount in the upper layer (for example, a MAC layer, an RLC layer, a PDCP layer, or another layer) of the first terminal device, a network indication, an upper layer indication, or another predetermined rule, whether to send the second direct link data on the plurality of transmission carriers.

Step 503: The second terminal device receives, from the first transmission carrier, the first direct link data and the first indication information that are sent by the first terminal device, and receives second direct link data on at least one second transmission carrier according to the first indication information.

That the second terminal device receives second direct link data on at least one second transmission carrier according to the first indication information may be: The second terminal device determines, based on content included in the first indication information, that the first terminal device sends the second direct link data on the at least one second transmission carrier, and receives the second direct link data on the at least one second transmission carrier,

Compared with the prior art, in the solution shown in FIG. 5, when sending direct link data to the second terminal device on a plurality of transmission carriers, the first terminal device sends indication information to the second terminal device to indicate that the first terminal device sends the direct link data on the plurality of transmission carriers. The second terminal device learns, according to the indication information, that the first terminal device sends the direct link data on the plurality of transmission carriers, and adjusts a receive link corresponding to the plurality of transmission carriers to receive corresponding data, thereby avoiding a packet loss caused because the second terminal device misses a carrier, and improving data transmission performance.

For example, step 502 of the sending, by the first terminal device, the first direct link data and first indication information to a second terminal device on a first transmission carrier may include any one of the following manners:

Manner 1: The first direct link data and the first indication information are included in a MAC PDU, and the first terminal device sends the first direct link data and the first indication information to the second terminal device by sending the MAC PDU on the first transmission carrier,

The dedicated MAC sub-header may be a dedicated LCD.

In addition, to clarify the format of the MAC PDU and a service type of the data carried in the MAC PDU, the MAC PDU shown in FIG. 5a may further include a version identifier, a source address, and a destination address. The version identifier is used to identify the format of the MAC PDU, and the source address and the destination address are used to indicate the service type of the direct link data carried in the MAC PDU.

The first indication information in Manner 1 may be information in any one of the following forms:

(1) The first indication information includes frequency information of the at least one second transmission carrier, where the frequency band information is used to identify the at least one second transmission carrier. For example, the frequency information may be a carrier identifier of the at least one second transmission carrier or an index number corresponding to the at least one transmission carrier. For example, the at least one second transmission carrier includes eight transmission carriers, namely, the first to the eighth transmission carriers. In this case, index numbers 1 to 8 may be used as the first indication information to identify the eight transmission carriers.

(2) The first indication information is a bit string including at least one bit. The at least one bit corresponds to the at least one second transmission carrier in a one-to-one manner, and information carried in each bit is used to indicate whether the first terminal device sends the second direct link data on a second transmission carrier corresponding to the bit. Optionally, a value 0 filled in a bit may be used to indicate that the first terminal device does not transmit direct link data on a second transmission carrier corresponding to the bit, and a value 1 may be used to indicate that the first terminal device transmits direct link data on the second transmission carrier corresponding to the bit A correspondence between the at least one bit and the at least one second transmission carrier is pre-configured, or a correspondence between the at least one bit and the at least one second transmission carrier is configured in a network, or a correspondence between the at least one bit and the at least one second transmission carrier is protocol-specified.

In various embodiments of the present invention, the pre-configuration may be a configuration carried in dedicated configuration signaling, and the configuration can be refreshed and changed. The protocol specification may be a standard specified in a communication protocol, and the standard cannot be refreshed or changed.

For example, there are eight second transmission carriers, namely, the first to the eighth second transmission carriers, and the eight second transmission carriers correspond to eight bits in the first indication information in a one-to-one manner. The 1^stsecond transmission carrier corresponds to a lower-order bit 1 in the eight bits, the 2^ndsecond transmission carrier corresponds to a lower-order bit 2 in the eight bits, and by analog, the 8^thsecond transmission carrier corresponds to a higher-order bit 8 in the eight bits. That is, a k^thbit corresponds to a k^thtransmission carrier. When the first terminal device sends the second direct link data on the 1^st, the 3^rd, and the 5^thsecond transmission carriers, the first indication information may be 00010101. To be specific, bit values filled on the 1^st, the 3^rd, and the 5^thbits of the bit string are 1, to indicate that the first terminal device sends the second direct link data on the 1^st, the 3^rd, and the 5^thsecond transmission carriers.

(3) The first indication information is information used to indicate whether the first terminal device sends direct link data on a plurality of transmission carriers, where the information does not need to indicate specific transmission carriers used by first terminal device to send the direct link data.

Optionally, the information may be 1-bit indication information. For example, a bit value 0 may be used to indicate that the first terminal device does not transmit direct link data on a plurality of carriers, and a bit value 1 may be used to indicate that the first terminal device transmits direct link data on a plurality of carriers.

(4) The first indication information is a value of a quantity of used transmission carriers, where the value of the quantity of the transmission carriers is used to indicate a quantity of transmission carriers used by the first terminal device. For example, if the first indication information indicates that the first terminal uses K transmission carriers, it represents that the first terminal performs transmission on first K transmission carriers based on transmission priorities.

K is an integer greater than or equal to 1. The transmission carriers (which include the second transmission carrier or may include the first transmission carrier) and corresponding priorities may be obtained through pre-configuration, network configuration, or protocol specification. The first transmission carrier may be or may not be included for calculation of the value of the carrier quantity.

The MAC PDU has a format shown in FIG. 5b, and may include a MAC header and a MAC payload. The MAC payload may include the first direct link data, and the MAC header may include the first indication information. In addition, to clarify the format of the MAC PDU and a service type of the data carried in the MAC PDU, the MAC PDU shown in FIG. 5b may further include a version identifier, a source address, and a destination address. The version identifier is used to identify the format of the MAC PDU, and the source address and the destination address are used to indicate the service type of the direct link data carried in the MAC PDU.

Optionally, the first indication information may be carried in a dedicated MAC control element (CE) in the MAC header, and the MAC CE may be identified by using a dedicated logical channel identifier.

For the first indication information in Manner 2, refer to the first indication information in Manner 1, and details are not further provided herein.

Manner 3: As shown in FIG. 5c, the first indication information is included in SA data corresponding to the first direct link data, and the first direct link data is included in a MAC PDU. The first terminal device sends the first direct link data to the second terminal device by sending the MAC PDU on the first transmission carrier, and sends the first indication information to the second terminal device by sending the SA data on the first transmission carrier.

The MAC PDU may include a MAC header and a MAC payload. The MAC payload may include the first direct link data, and the MAC header may include a version identifier, a source address, and a destination address. The version identifier is used to identify a format of the MAC PDU, and the source address and the destination address are used to indicate a service type of direct link data carried in the MAC PDU.

For the first indication information in Manner 3, refer to the first indication information in Manner 1, and details are not further provided herein.

It should be noted that in various embodiments of the present invention, transmission and receiving are relative concepts. A transmission carrier may be replaced with a receive carrier. To be specific, a transmission carrier used by the first terminal device is a receive carrier for the second terminal device. Therefore, for a receive end (that is, the second terminal device), the second terminal device receives some indication information used to indicate that the first terminal device sends the second direct link data on the at least one second receive carrier. That is, from a perspective of the second terminal device, the second terminal device may receive the first indication information in the foregoing Manner 1 to Manner 3. The first indication information may include the following content:

(1) The first indication information includes frequency information of the at least one second receive carrier, where the frequency band information is used to identify the at least one second receive carrier, for example, may be a carrier identifier of the at least one second receive carrier or an index number corresponding to the at least one receive carrier. For example, the at least one second receive carrier includes eight receive carriers, namely, the first to the eighth receive carriers. In this case, index numbers 1 to 8 may be used as the first indication information to identify the eight receive carriers.

(2) The first indication information is a bit string including at least one bit. The at least one bit corresponds to the at least one second receive carrier in a one-to-one manner, and information carried in each bit is used to indicate whether the first terminal device sends the second direct link data on a second receive carrier corresponding to the bit. A correspondence between the at least one bit and the at least one second receive carrier is pre-configured, or a correspondence between the at least one bit and the at least one second receive carrier is configured in a network, or a correspondence between the at least one bit and the at least one second receive carrier is protocol-specified.

Optionally, a value 0 filled in a bit may be used to indicate that the first terminal device does not send direct link data on a second receive carrier corresponding to the bit, and a value 1 may be used to indicate that the first terminal device sends direct link data on the second receive carrier corresponding to the bit.

For example, there are eight second receive carriers, namely, the first to the eighth second receive carriers, and the eight second receive carriers correspond to eight bits in the first indication information in a one-to-one manner. The 1St second receive carrier corresponds to a lower-order bit 1 in the eight bits, the 2^ndsecond receive carrier corresponds to a lower-order bit 2 in the eight bits, and by analog, the 8^thsecond receive carrier corresponds to a higher-order bit 8 in the eight bits. That is, a k^thbit corresponds to a k^threceive carrier. When the first terminal device sends the second direct link data on the 1^st, the 3^rd, and the 5^thsecond receive carriers, the first indication information may be 00010101. To be specific, bit values filled on the 1^st, the 3^rd, and the 5^thbits of the bit string are 1, to indicate that the second terminal device receives the second direct link data on the 1^st, the 3^rd, and the 5^thsecond receive carriers.

(3) The first indication information is information used to indicate whether the first terminal device sends direct link data on a plurality of receive carriers, where the information does not need to indicate specific receive carriers used by the first terminal device to send the direct link data.

Optionally, the information may be 1-bit indication information. For example, a bit value 0 may be used to indicate that the second terminal device does not receive direct link data on a plurality of carriers, and a bit value 1 may be used to indicate that the second terminal device receives direct link data on a plurality of carriers,

(4) The first indication information is a value of a quantity of used receive carriers, where the value of the quantity of the receive carriers is used to indicate a quantity of receive carriers used by the first terminal device. For example, if the first indication information indicates that the first terminal uses K receive carriers, it represents that the first terminal performs receiving on first K receive carriers based on receiving priorities.

K is an integer greater than or equal to 1. The receive carriers (which include the second receive carrier or may include the first receive carrier) and corresponding priorities may be obtained through pre-configuration, network configuration, or protocol specification. The first receive carrier may be or may not be included for calculation of the value of the carrier quantity.

For example, the receiving, by the second terminal device, second direct a on at least one second receive carrier according to the first indication information may include:

when the first indication information is the information described in the foregoing (1), identifying, by the second terminal device based on the frequency information included in the first indication information, at least one second receive carrier identified by the frequency information, and receiving the second direct link data on the at least one second receive carrier; or

when the first indication information is the information described in the foregoing (2), determining, by the second terminal device based on a mapping relationship between a bit in the bit string and a transmission carrier and a value of each bit in the bit string, a second receive carrier used by the first terminal device to send the second direct link data.

For example, a k^thbit corresponds to a k^thtransmission carrier. When the first indication information received by the second terminal device is 00010101, the second terminal device determines that the first terminal device sends the second direct link data on the 1^st, the 3^rd, and the 5^thsecond receive carriers.

Alternatively, when the first indication information is the information described in the foregoing (3), the second terminal device obtains a receive carrier list corresponding to direct link data through pre-configuration or network configuration. After receiving the first indication information, the second terminal device searches, for the direct link data, a plurality of receive carriers indicated by the receive carrier list, and after finding corresponding direct link data on a second receive carrier, listens on the second receive carrier to receive the second direct link data,

The receive carrier list includes at least one receive carrier. Optionally, the second terminal device may obtain the receive carrier list from an access network device by using RRC signaling or a system message.

For example, the second terminal device obtains, from the access network in advance, receive carriers, which are a carrier 1, a carrier 2, and a carrier 3, included in the receive carrier list corresponding to the direct link data. The first terminal device currently sends the direct link data on the carrier 1. When determining to also use the carrier 2 to send the direct link data, the first terminal device adds the first indication information to a MAC PDU sent on the carrier 1. After receiving the first indication information, the second terminal device begins to receive the direct link data on the carrier 1, the carrier 2, and the carrier 3 based on the receive carrier list, and finally finds that there is corresponding direct link data on the carrier 1 and the carrier 2. In this case, the second terminal device subsequently continues to listen on the carrier 1 and the carrier 2 to receive direct link data.

Optionally, in the solution shown in FIG. 5, to clarify the service type of the first direct link data sent on the first transmission carrier and a service type of the second direct link data sent on the second transmission carrier, a MAC PDU in which the first direct link data is located may include first service identification information, and a MAC PDU in which the second direct link data is located may include second service identification information.

The first service identification information is used to identify the service type of the first direct link data, and the second service identification information is used to identify the service type of the second direct link data. The first service identification information may be the same as the second service identification information. In this case, it indicates that the two pieces of direct link data are direct link data of a same type. The first service identification information and the second service identification information each may include at least one of the following information: a source address, a target address, a service type identifier, a priority identifier, a direct link bearer identifier, a logical channel identifier, and a stream identifier,

Correspondingly, the receiving, by the second terminal device, second direct link data on a second transmission carrier may alternatively include:

identifying, by the second terminal device, the service type of the second direct link data based on the second service identification information; and if the service type of the second direct link data is a service type in which the second terminal device is interested, receiving the second direct link data on the second transmission carrier; otherwise, abandoning receiving the second direct link data.

Specifically, a method used by the second terminal device to adjust a receive link of the second terminal device to receive a service of a specified type is not limited in the present invention. For example, the second terminal device may alternatively sort priorities of services in which the second terminal device is interested, and receive direct link data based on a service priority order. For example, the second terminal device is more interested in direct link data of a service type 1 than direct link data of a service type 2. It is assumed that the direct link data of the service type 1 is sent on the carrier 1 and the carrier 2, and the direct link data of the service type 2 is sent on the carrier 3. When the second terminal device can receive direct link data on only two carriers, after obtaining first indication information corresponding to the direct link data of the service type 1, that is, when learning, according to the first indication information, that the direct link data of the service type 1 is sent on a plurality of carriers, the second terminal device abandons, based on the service priority order and a receiving capability of the second terminal device, receiving the direct link data of the service type 2, and receives the direct link data of the service type 1 on the carrier 1 and the carrier 2.

Optionally, to enable the first terminal device to send the direct link data on a suitable transmission carrier, the technical solution shown in FIG. 5 may further include:

obtaining, by the first terminal device, first carrier configuration information, where the first carrier configuration information includes a first transmission carrier identifier and at least one second transmission carrier identifier, the first transmission carrier identifier is used to identify the first transmission carrier, the at least one second transmission carrier identifier is used to identify the at least one second transmission carrier, and a transmission priority of the first transmission carrier is higher than a transmission priority of any one of the at least one second transmission carrier.

Correspondingly, the first terminal device sends, based on the first carrier configuration information, the first direct link data on the first transmission carrier whose transmission priority is highest. When the first terminal device determines to send the second direct link data on a transmission carrier other than the first transmission carrier, the first terminal device sends, based on the first carrier configuration information, the second direct link data on a second transmission carrier whose transmission priority is lower than the transmission priority of the first transmission carrier.

The first terminal device may obtain the first carrier configuration information from an access network device, where the first carrier configuration information may be included in dedicated RRC signaling or a system message. That is, the first terminal device may obtain the first carrier configuration information by using the dedicated RRC signaling or the system message sent by the access network device.

The first carrier configuration information is used by the first terminal device to determine, based on the first carrier configuration information, a transmission carrier used to send direct link data. Each carrier identifier in the transmission carrier information may be a frequency of a transmission carrier or an index number of the transmission carrier.

Specifically, the first carrier configuration information may be any one of the following information (a), (b), (c), and (d):

(a) Transmission carrier identifiers in the first carrier configuration information may be sorted in descending order of transmission priorities of transmission carriers. After obtaining the first carrier configuration information, the first terminal device determines to send the first direct link data and the first indication information on a transmission carrier corresponding to a transmission carrier identifier that is ranked first.

For example, transmission identifiers corresponding to the first to the eighth transmission carriers are 1 to 8, and transmission priorities of the first to the eighth transmission carriers are sorted in descending order. In this case, the transmission carrier identifiers in the first carrier configuration information are ranked as 12345678.

(b) Transmission carrier identifiers in the first carrier configuration information may alternatively be sorted in ascending order of transmission priorities of transmission carriers. After obtaining the first carrier configuration information, the first terminal device determines to send the first direct link data and the first indication information on a transmission carrier corresponding to a transmission carrier identifier that is ranked last.

(c) The first carrier configuration information may further include a first transmission priority identifier and at least one second transmission priority identifier, where the first transmission priority identifier corresponds to the first transmission carrier identifier, the at least one second transmission priority identifier corresponds to the at least one second transmission carrier identifier in a one-to-one manner, and a transmission priority corresponding to the first transmission priority identifier is higher than a transmission priority corresponding to any one of the at least one second transmission priority identifier. Each transmission priority identifier is used to identify a priority of a transmission carrier identified by a transmission carrier identifier corresponding to the transmission priority identifier.

After obtaining the first carrier configuration information, the first terminal device determines a transmission carrier identified by a transmission carrier identifier corresponding to the first transmission priority identifier, to send the first direct link data and the first indication information.

The transmission priority may be a digit, a letter, or another identifier. For example, a highest priority may be identified by using a digit 1 or a letter A. For example, transmission identifiers corresponding to the first to the eighth transmission carriers are 1 to 8, and transmission priorities of the first to the eighth transmission carriers are sorted in descending order. In this case, eight transmission priority identifiers A to H are set in the first carrier configuration information, where transmission priorities identified by the eight transmission priority identifiers A to H are sorted in descending order of A to H. The letter A corresponds to a transmission carrier identifier 1, the letter B corresponds to a transmission carrier identifier 2, the letter C corresponds to a transmission carrier identifier 3, the letter D corresponds to a transmission carrier identifier 4, the letter E corresponds to a transmission carrier identifier 5, the letter F corresponds to a transmission carrier identifier 6, the letter G corresponds to a transmission carrier identifier 7, and the letter H corresponds to a transmission carrier identifier 8.

(d) The first carrier configuration information may further include third service identification information and at least one piece of fourth service identification information, the at least one piece of fourth service identification information corresponds to the at least one second transmission carrier identifier in a one-to-one manner, the third service identifier is used to indicate a service type of direct link data sent on a transmission carrier identified by the first transmission carrier identifier, and each piece of fourth service identification information is used to indicate a service type of direct link data sent on a transmission carrier identified by a second transmission carrier identifier corresponding to the fourth service identification information.

After obtaining the first carrier configuration information, the first terminal device adds the third service identifier to a MAC PDU in which direct link data sent on the first transmission carrier having a highest transmission priority is located, and adds the fourth service identifier to a MAC PDU in which direct link data sent on a second transmission carrier having a second highest transmission priority is located. That is, the first service identification information may be the third service identification information, and the second service identification information may be the fourth service identification information.

In this way, after obtaining the first carrier configuration information, the first terminal device may transmit, based on the first carrier configuration information, direct link data on a suitable transmission carrier. For example, important information (for example, the first indication information) is transmitted on the first transmission carrier having a highest priority, so that the second terminal device can well receive the first indication information, thereby improving data transmission performance.

Optionally, to enable the second terminal device to receive the direct link data on a suitable receive carrier, the solution shown in FIG. 5 may further include:

obtaining, by the second terminal device, second carrier configuration information, where the second carrier configuration information includes a first receive carrier identifier and at least one second receive carrier identifier, the first receive carrier identifier is used to identify the first receive carrier, the at least one second receive carrier identifier is used to identify the at least one second receive carrier, and a receiving priority of the first receive carrier is higher than a receiving priority of any one of the at least one second receive carrier.

Correspondingly, the second terminal device receives, based on the second carrier configuration information, the first direct link data and the first indication information on the first receive carrier whose receiving priority is highest. After receiving the first indication information, the second terminal device receives, based on the second carrier configuration information, the second direct link data on the at least one second receive carrier whose receiving priority is lower than that of the first receive carrier.

The second carrier configuration information is used by the second terminal device to determine, based on the second carrier configuration information, a carrier for receiving the direct link data. The second terminal device may obtain the second carrier configuration information from the access network device. The second carrier configuration information may be included in dedicated RRC signaling or a system message. That is, the second terminal device may obtain the second carrier configuration information by using the dedicated RRC signaling or the system message sent by the access network device.

Specifically, with reference to the second carrier configuration information sent by the access network device to the first terminal device, the second carrier configuration information may be any one of the following information:

Receiving carrier identifiers in the second carrier configuration information may be sorted in descending order of receiving priorities of receive carriers. After obtaining the second carrier configuration information, the second terminal device determines to send the first direct link data and the first indication information on a receive carrier corresponding to a receive carder identifier that is ranked first.

For example, receiving identifiers corresponding to the first to the eighth receive carriers are 1 to 8, and receiving priorities of the first to the eighth receive carriers are sorted in descending order. In this case, the receive carrier identifiers in the second carrier configuration information are ranked as 12345678.

Alternatively, receive carrier identifiers in the second carrier configuration information may be sorted in ascending order of receiving priorities of receive carriers. After obtaining the second carrier configuration information, the second terminal device determines to send the first direct link data and the first indication information on a receive carrier corresponding to a receive carrier identifier that is ranked last.

Alternatively, the second carrier configuration information may further include a first receiving priority identifier and at least one second receiving priority identifier, where the first receiving priority identifier corresponds to the first receive carrier identifier, the at least one second receiving priority identifier corresponds to the at least one second receive carrier identifier in a one-to-one manner, and a receiving priority corresponding to the first receiving priority identifier is higher than a receiving priority corresponding to any one of the at least one second receiving priority identifier. Each receiving priority identifier is used to identify a priority of a receive carrier identified by a receive carrier identifier corresponding to the receiving priority identifier.

After obtaining the second carrier configuration information, the second terminal device determines to send the first direct link data and the first indication information on a receive carrier identified by a receive carrier identifier corresponding to the first receiving priority identifier.

The receiving priority identifier may be a digit, a letter, or another identifier. For example, a highest priority may be identified by using a digit 1 or a letter A. For example, receiving identifiers corresponding to the first to the eighth receive carriers are 1 to 8, and receiving priorities of the first to the eighth receive carriers are sorted in descending order. In this case, eight receiving priority identifiers A to H are set in the second carrier configuration information, where receiving priorities identified by the eight receiving priority identifiers A to H are sorted in descending order of A to H. The letter A corresponds to a receive carrier identifier 1, the letter B corresponds to a receive carrier identifier 2, the letter C corresponds to a receive carrier identifier 3, the letter corresponds to a receive carrier identifier 4, the letter F corresponds to a receive carrier identifier 5, the letter corresponds to a receive carrier identifier 6, the letter G corresponds to a receive carrier identifier 7, and the letter H corresponds to a receive carrier identifier 8.

Alternatively, the second carrier configuration information may further include third service identification information and at least one piece of fourth service identification information, the at least one piece of fourth service identification information corresponds to the at least one second receive carrier identifier in a one-to-one manner, the third service identifier is used to indicate a service type of direct link data received on a receive carrier identified by the first receive carrier identifier, and each piece of fourth service identification information is used to indicate a service type of direct link data received on a receive carrier identified by a second receive carrier identifier corresponding to the fourth service identification information.

After obtaining the second carrier configuration information, the second terminal device adds the third service identifier to a MAC PDU in which direct link data sent on the first receive carrier having a highest receiving priority is located, and adds the fourth service identifier to a MAC PDU in which direct link data sent on a second receive carrier having a second highest receiving priority is located. That is, the first service identification information may be the third service identification information, and the second service identification information may be the fourth service identification information.

In this way, after obtaining the second carrier configuration information, the second terminal device may receive, based on the second carrier configuration information, direct link data on a suitable receive carrier. For example, important information (for example, the first indication information) is received on the first receive carrier having a highest priority, so that the second terminal device can well receive the first indication information, thereby improving data receiving performance.

Optionally, to enable the second terminal device to demodulate the received second direct link data, the solution shown in FIG. 5 may further include:

Optionally, the solution shown in FIG. 5 may further include:

receiving, by the second terminal device from the first terminal device, SA data corresponding to the second direct link data; and

processing, by the second terminal device based on the SA data, the second direct link data received from the at least one second transmission carrier.

For a process of processing, by the second terminal device, direct link data based on the SA data, refer to the prior art, and details are not further provided herein.

Specifically, for the foregoing optional steps, refer to related descriptions in FIG. 6, and details are not further provided.

FIG. 6 shows another multi-carrier based transmission method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method may include the following steps.

Step 601: An access network device sends first carrier configuration information to a first terminal device, and sends second carrier configuration information to a second terminal device.

The first carrier configuration information is carrier configuration information obtained by the first terminal device in this embodiment of the present invention, the second carrier configuration information is carrier configuration information obtained by the second terminal device in this embodiment of the present invention, and the first carrier configuration information and the second carrier configuration information are the same as the first carrier configuration information and the second carrier configuration information in the solution shown in FIG. 5. Details are not further provided herein.

For example, the access network device may send the carrier configuration information to the first terminal device and the second terminal device by using dedicated RRC signaling or a system message.

It should be noted that the access network device may simultaneously send the carrier configuration information to the first terminal device and the second terminal device, or may send the carrier configuration information to the first terminal device and the second terminal device in sequence. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

Step 602: The first terminal device receives the first carrier configuration information from the access network device, and the second terminal device receives the second carrier configuration information from the access network device.

For example, the first terminal device and the second terminal device may receive the first carrier configuration information and the second carrier configuration information by using dedicated RRC signaling or a system message.

It should be noted that the first terminal device and the second terminal device may simultaneously receive the carrier configuration information, or may receive the carrier configuration information in sequence. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

Step 603: The first terminal device obtains first direct link data.

Step 603 may be performed with reference to step 501, and details are not further provided herein.

Step 604: The first terminal device sends, based on the first carrier configuration information, the first direct link data and first indication information to the second terminal device on a first transmission carrier.

For example, the sending, by the first terminal device based on the first carrier configuration information, the first direct link data and first indication information to the second terminal device on a first transmission carrier may include:

determining, by the first terminal device based on the first carrier configuration information, the first transmission carrier whose transmission priority is highest, and sending the first direct link data and the first indication information to the second terminal device on the first transmission carrier.

Specifically, for how the first terminal device determines, based on the first carrier configuration information, the first transmission carrier whose transmission priority is highest, refer to the solution shown in FIG. 5, and details are not further provided herein.

Step 605: The second terminal device receives the first direct link data and the first indication information from the first transmission carrier based on the second carrier configuration information, and receives second direct link data on at least one second transmission carrier according to the first indication information.

Step 605 may be performed with reference to step 503, and details are not further provided herein.

It should be noted that in the solution shown in FIG. 6, step 601, step 602, and step 603 may be not limited to an execution order shown in FIG. 6. Optionally, step 601 and step 602 may be performed after step 603. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

The foregoing describes the solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention mainly from the perspective of interaction between nodes. It may be understood that to achieve the foregoing functions, the nodes such as the first terminal device, the second terminal device, and the access network device include corresponding hardware structures and/or software modules for performing the functions. A person of ordinary skill in the art should easily be aware that, in combination with the examples described in the embodiments disclosed in this specification, algorithms and steps may be implemented by hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is performed by hardware or hardware driven by computer software depends on particular applications and design constraints of the technical solutions. A person skilled in the art may use different methods to implement the described functions for each particular application, but it should not be considered that the implementation goes beyond the scope of the present invention.

In the embodiments of the present invention, functional module division may be performed on the first terminal device, the second terminal device, and the access network device according to the examples of the methods. For example, various functional modules may be divided according to the corresponding functions, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module may be implemented in a form of hardware, or may be implemented in a form of a software functional module. It should be noted that, in the embodiments of the present invention, module division is exemplary, and is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, another division manner may be used.

When various functional modules are divided corresponding to various functions, FIG. 7 is a possible schematic composition diagram of a first terminal device. The first terminal device may be configured to perform a function of the first terminal device in the foregoing embodiments. As shown in FIG. 7, the first terminal device may include an obtaining unit 70 and a sending unit 71.

The obtaining unit 70 is configured to support the first terminal device in performing step 501 in FIG. 5 and step 602 and step 603 in FIG. 6.

The sending unit 71 is configured to support the first terminal device in performing step 502 in FIG. 5 and step 604 in FIG. 6.

It should be noted that all related content of the steps in the foregoing method embodiments may be referred for the functional descriptions of the corresponding functional modules. Details are not further provided herein. The first terminal device provided in this embodiment of the present invention is configured to perform the foregoing multi-carrier based transmission method, and therefore, can achieve a same effect as the foregoing multi-carrier based transmission method.

When an integrated unit is used, FIG. 8 shows an apparatus. The apparatus exists in a product form of a chip, and is configured to perform a function of the first terminal device in the foregoing embodiments. As shown in FIG. 8, the apparatus may include a processing module 80 and a communications module 81.

The processing module 80 is configured to control and manage an action of the apparatus. For example, the processing module 80 is configured to support the apparatus in performing step 501 in FIG. 5, step 603 in FIG. 6, and/or another process in a technology described in this specification. The communications module 81 is configured to support the apparatus in communicating with another network entity, for example, communicating with a functional module or a network entity shown in FIG. 2. The apparatus may further include a storage module 82, configured to store program code and data of the apparatus.

The processing module 80 may be a processor or a controller. The controller/processor may implement or execute various example logical blocks, modules, and circuits described with reference to content disclosed in the present invention. Alternatively, the processor may be a combination of processors implementing a computing function, for example, a combination of one or more microprocessors, or a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor. The communications module 81 may be a transceiver, a transmission/receiving circuit, or the like. The storage module 82 may be a memory.

When the processing module 80 is a processor, the communications module 81 is a transceiver, and the storage module 82 is a memory, the apparatus in this embodiment of the present invention may be the apparatus shown in FIG. 3.

When various functional modules are divided corresponding to various functions, FIG. 9 is a possible schematic composition diagram of a second terminal device. The second terminal device may be configured to perform a function of the second terminal device in the foregoing embodiments. As shown in FIG. 9, the second terminal device may include a receiving unit 90 and an obtaining unit 91.

The receiving unit 90 is configured to support the second terminal device in performing step 503 in FIG. 5 and step 605 in FIG. 6.

The obtaining unit 91 is configured to support the second terminal device in performing step 602 in FIG. 6.

It should be noted that all related content of the steps in the foregoing method embodiments may be referred for the functional descriptions of the corresponding functional modules. Details are not further provided herein. The second terminal device provided in this embodiment of the present invention is configured to perform the foregoing multi-carrier based transmission method, and therefore, can achieve a same effect as the foregoing multi-carrier based transmission method.

When an integrated unit is used, FIG. 10 shows an apparatus. The apparatus exists in a product form of a chip, and is configured to perform a function of the second terminal device in the foregoing embodiments. As shown in FIG. 10, the apparatus may include a processing module 100 and a communications module 101.

The processing module 100 is configured to control and manage an action of the apparatus. For example, the processing module 100 is configured to support the apparatus in performing step 602 in FIG. 6 and/or another process in a technology described in this specification. The communications module 101 is configured to support the apparatus in communicating with another network entity, for example, communicating with a functional module or a network entity shown in FIG. 2. The apparatus may further include a storage module 102, configured to store program code and data of the apparatus.

The processing module 100 may be a processor or a controller. The controller/processor may implement or execute various example logical blocks, modules, and circuits described with reference to content disclosed in the present invention. Alternatively, the processor may be a combination of processors implementing a computing function, for example, a combination of one or more microprocessors, or a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor. The communications module 101 may be a transceiver, a transmission/receiving circuit, or the like. The storage module 102 may be a memory.

When the processing module 100 is a processor, the communications module 101 is a transceiver, and the storage module 102 is a memory, the apparatus in this embodiment of the present invention may be the apparatus shown in FIG. 3.

When various functional modules are divided corresponding to various functions, FIG. 11 is a possible schematic composition diagram of an access network device. As shown in FIG. 11, the access network device may include a generation unit 110 and a sending unit 111.

The generation unit 110 is configured to support the access network device in generating carrier configuration information.

The sending unit 111 is configured to support the access network device in performing step 601 in FIG. 6.

It should be noted that all related content of the steps in the foregoing method embodiments may be referred for the functional descriptions of the corresponding functional modules. Details are not further provided herein. The access network device provided in this embodiment of the present invention is configured to perform the foregoing multi-carrier based transmission method, and therefore, can achieve a same effect as the foregoing multi-carrier based transmission method.

When an integrated unit is used, FIG. 12 shows an apparatus. The apparatus exists in a product form of a chip, and is configured to perform a function of the access network device in the foregoing embodiments. As shown in FIG. 12, the apparatus may include a processing module 120 and a communications module 121.

The processing module 120 is configured to control and manage an action of the apparatus. For example, the processing module 120 is configured to support the apparatus in performing a function of obtaining carder configuration information. The communications module 121 is configured to support the apparatus in communicating with another network entity, for example, communicating with a functional module or a network entity shown in FIG. 2. The apparatus may further include a storage module 122, configured to store program code and data of the apparatus.

The processing module 120 may be a processor or a controller. The controller/processor may implement or execute various example logical blocks, modules, and circuits described with reference to content disclosed in the present invention. Alternatively, the processor may be a combination of processors implementing a computing function, for example, a combination of one or more microprocessors, or a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor. The communications module 121 may be a transceiver, a transmission/receiving circuit, a communications interface, or the like. The storage module 122 may be a memory.

When the processing module 120 is a processor, the communications module 121 is a communications interface, and the storage module 122 is a memory, the apparatus in this embodiment of the present invention may be the apparatus shown in FIG. 4.

The foregoing descriptions about implementations allow a person skilled in the art to understand that, for the purpose of convenient and brief description, division of the foregoing function modules is taken as an example for illustration. In actual application, the foregoing functions can be allocated to different modules and implemented according to a requirement, that is, an inner structure of an apparatus is divided into different function modules to implement all or some of the functions described above.

In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and method may be implemented in other manners. For example, the described apparatus embodiment is merely exemplary. For example, the module or unit division is merely logical function division and may be other division in actual implementation. For example, a plurality of units or components may be combined or integrated into another apparatus, or some features may be ignored or not performed. In addition, the displayed or discussed mutual couplings or direct couplings or communication connections may be implemented by using some interfaces. The indirect couplings or communication connections between the apparatuses or units may be implemented in electronic, mechanical, or other forms.

The units described as separate parts may or may not be physically separate, and parts displayed as units may be one or more physical units, may be located in one place, or may be distributed on different places. Some or all of the units may be selected based on actual requirements to achieve the objectives of the solutions of the embodiments.

In addition, functional units in the embodiments of the present invention may be integrated into one processing unit, or each of the units may exist alone physically, or two or more units are integrated into one unit. The integrated unit may be implemented in a form of hardware, or may be implemented in a form of a software functional unit.

When the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, the integrated unit may be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on such an understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention essentially, or the part contributing to the prior art, or all or some of the technical solutions may be implemented in the form of a software product. The software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for instructing a device (which may be a single-chip microcomputer, a chip or the like) or a processor to perform all or some of the steps of the methods described in the embodiments of the present invention. The foregoing storage medium includes: any medium that can store program code, such as a USB flash drive, a removable hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disc.

The foregoing descriptions are merely specific implementations of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any variation or replacement within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

	Number	Date	Country
Parent	PCT/CN2018/100107	Aug 2018	US
Child	16662638		US

MULTI-CARRIER BASED TRANSMISSION METHOD, DEVICE, AND SYSTEM

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