A scheduling method, comprising: determining, by a first device, information about a transmission time difference, wherein the transmission time difference is a time difference between a control channel of a first link and a data channel that is of the first link and that is scheduled by the control channel of the first link; the first link is a link between the first device and a second device, the first device comprises a base station and the second device comprises a first relay device, or the first device comprises a second relay device and the second device comprises a third relay device; the control channel of the first link is a channel used to send control information on the first link; and the data channel of the first link is a channel used to send data on the first link; and sending, by the first device, the information about the transmission time difference to the second device, characterized in that the information about the transmission time difference comprises at least one of the following: information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M; information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K; information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference; or information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference, wherein N is greater than or equal to 0, M is greater than or equal to 0, and K is greater than or equal to 0. determining, by a first device, information about a transmission time difference, wherein the transmission time difference is a time difference between a control channel of a first link and a data channel that is of the first link and that is scheduled by the control channel of the first link; the first link is a link between the first device and a second device, the first device comprises a base station and the second device comprises a first relay device, or the first device comprises a second relay device and the second device comprises a third relay device; the control channel of the first link is a channel used to send control information on the first link; and the data channel of the first link is a channel used to send data on the first link; and sending, by the first device, the information about the transmission time difference to the second device, characterized in that the information about the transmission time difference comprises at least one of the following: information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M; information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K; information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference; or information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference, wherein N is greater than or equal to 0, M is greater than or equal to 0, and K is greater than or equal to 0. information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M; information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K; information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference; or information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference, wherein N is greater than or equal to 0, M is greater than or equal to 0, and K is greater than or equal to 0.