Patent Description:
Embodiments of the present application relates to the field of communications, and more specifically, to a communication method, a terminal device, and a network device.

With the development of mobile communication technologies, in the fifth generation (<NUM>) mobile communication systems, in order to improve efficiencies of resource utilization, some traffic that requires low latency communication, for example, an ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC) traffic can preempt a resource originally allocated to enhanced mobile broad band (eMBB) traffic for data transmission. Therefore, how to indicate that the resource originally allocated to the eMBB traffic is preempted by other traffic so as to reduce the impact on the eMBB traffic is a problem that needs to be studied. Document "<NPL>)" discloses a discussion on UL URLLC announcement. Document "<NPL>)" discloses resource allocation for UL URLLC transmission schemes. Document "<NPL>)" discloses a discussion on the multiplexing method for eMBB and URLLC in a NR DL carrier. <CIT> is a later published document which discloses a resource allocation method for satisfying the requirement of a usage scenario such as the URLLC in a long time domain resource allocation structure.

Any embodiment, invention or example that is not claimed is presented only as information.

The present application provides a communication method, a terminal device, and a network device to indicate a preempted eMBB resource.

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

The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can be applied to various communication systems, such as a global system of mobile communication (GSM) system, a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) system, a general packet radio service (GPRS), a long term evolution (LTE) system, an LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) system, LTE time division duplex (TDD), a universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) communication system or a <NUM> system in future, etc..

<FIG> shows a wireless communication system <NUM> to which an embodiment of the present application is applied. The wireless communication system <NUM> may include a network device <NUM>. The network device <NUM> may be a device that communicates with a terminal device. The network device <NUM> can provide communication coverage for a specific geographic area and can communicate with a terminal device (e.g., an UE) located within the coverage area. In an implementation, the network device <NUM> may be a base transceiver station (BTS) in a GSM system or a CDMA system, or may be a nodeB (NB) in a WCDMA system, or may be an Evolutional Node B (eNB or eNodeB) in an LTE system, or may be a wireless controller in a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a relay station, an access point, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device, a network side device in a future <NUM> network, or a network device in a future evolved public land mobile network (PLMN) and the like.

The wireless communication system <NUM> further includes at least one terminal device <NUM> located in the coverage range of the network device <NUM>. The terminal device120 may be mobile or fixed. In an implementation, the terminal device <NUM> may refer to an access terminal, a user equipment (UE), a user unit, a user station, a mobile station, a mobile platform, a remote station, a remote terminal, a mobile device, a user terminal, a terminal, a wireless communication device, a user agent or a user device. The access terminal may be a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld device with a wireless communication capability, a computing device with a wireless communication capability or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device, a terminal device in a future <NUM> network, or a terminal device in a future evolved PLMN etc..

In an implementation, a <NUM> system or network can also be called a new radio (NR) system or network.

<FIG> is a schematic flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application. The method <NUM> in the <FIG> includes:
<NUM>: a terminal device starts a preconfigured timer.

The timer may be preconfigured for the terminal device by a network device. For example, the timer may be configured for the terminal device by the network device before transmitting resource preemption indication information to the terminal device.

In the claimed implementation, the terminal device starts the timer in a case that a trigger threshold of the timer is reached.

The trigger threshold of the timer is determined by receiving indication information transmitted by the network device. Specifically, the terminal device receiving first indication information transmitted by the network device, where the first indication information is used to configure the trigger threshold of the timer.

Furthermore, the trigger threshold of the timer may also be configured by the network device when configuring the timer for the terminal device, or the network device may configure an initial trigger threshold for the timer when configuring the timer for the terminal device, and then, the network device may configure a new trigger threshold for the terminal device through new indication information.

In an implementation, the trigger threshold of the timer may be a time trigger threshold or an event trigger threshold. The time trigger threshold means that the terminal device starts a timer upon a certain amount of time being reached, where the event trigger threshold means that the terminal device may also start the timer after a specific event occurs.

Specifically, the trigger threshold of the timer may be that the terminal device starts demodulating a downlink control signaling (which is transmitted by the network device). That is, the timer is started when the terminal device begins to demodulate the downlink control signaling. Or, the trigger threshold of the timer may also be that the terminal device demodulates the downlink control signaling successfully, that is, the timer is started if the downlink control signaling is demodulated by the terminal device successfully.

The trigger threshold of the timer may also be that the terminal device starts demodulating the Nth (N being an integer greater than or equal to <NUM>) data symbol. The timer may also be started when the terminal device begins to demodulate the Nth data symbol.

Furthermore, the trigger threshold of the timer may also be that time of the terminal device receiving the downlink data exceeds a preset time. The timer may also be started by the terminal device when the time of the terminal device receiving the downlink data exceeds the preset time.

The time of the terminal device receiving the downlink data exceeding the preset time may be that the time from starting receiving the downlink data by the terminal device to receiving the downlink data by the terminal device exceeds the present time.

There may be one or more timers, that is, the network device may configure one or more timers for one terminal device. When there are multiple timers, starting time points of the multiple timers may be different.

As shown in <FIG>, the terminal device is preconfigured with two timers, which are Timer <NUM> and Timer <NUM>, respectively. A starting time point of Timer <NUM> is earlier than a starting time point of Timer <NUM>, where a duration of Timer <NUM> is two time domain units, and a duration of Timer <NUM> is three time domain units. When the downlink control information is demodulated by the terminal device successfully, the trigger threshold of Timer <NUM> is triggered, and Timer <NUM> is started by the terminal device. When the downlink control information is demodulated by the terminal device successfully and four time domain units have elapsed, Timer <NUM> is triggered, and Timer <NUM> is started by the terminal device.

<NUM>: the terminal device monitors resource preemption indication information transmitted by a network device in a preconfigured target frequency monitoring area within a duration of the timer, where the resource preemption indication information is used to indicate a resource that is preempted by other traffic in an evolved mobile broadband traffic (eMBB) resource, the eMBB resource is a time-frequency resource used to schedule eMBB traffic, the other traffic is different from the eMBB traffic.

The other traffic may be traffic that requires low latency communication, for example, URLLC traffic.

When the terminal device is a terminal device that has both URLLC traffic and eMBB traffic, the URLLC traffic of the terminal device can preempt an eMBB resource pre-allocated to the eMBB traffic of the terminal device to perform data transmission of the URLLC traffic.

The duration of the timer may be the length of time from the start of the timer to the expiration of the timer, that is, the terminal device monitors the resource preemption indication information after the timer is started, and the terminal device doesn't stop monitoring the resource preemption indication information until the timer expires.

In an implementation, the terminal device may receive second indication information transmitted by the network device, and determine the duration of the timer according to the second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate the duration of the timer.

That is, the network device may configure the duration of the timer for the terminal device by using the second indication information.

In an implementation, the terminal device may receive third indication information transmitted by the network device, and determine a target frequency monitoring area according to the third indication information, where the third indication information is used to indicate a location of the target frequency monitoring area in a system frequency resource area.

In an implementation, the method <NUM> of <FIG> further includes: the terminal device restarts the timer, and the terminal device monitors resource preemption indication information transmitted by the network device in the target frequency monitoring area again within the duration of the timer.

In some cases, the terminal device needs to restart the timer, and monitors resource preemption indication information again within a time range of counting of the timer.

For example, if the duration of the timer is <NUM>, the terminal device starts to receive the resource preemption indication information when counting time is about to reach <NUM>; however, since the counting time of the timer is about to reach <NUM>, the terminal device may not receive the resource preemption indication information successfully. In order to ensure that the terminal device can receive the resource preemption indication information, the terminal device needs to restart the timer to achieve successful receiving of the resource preemption indication information.

Furthermore, in some cases, after the terminal device receives the resource preemption indication information, which indicates that the eMBB resource of the terminal device is to be preempted, at this time, the eMBB resource of the terminal device is more likely to be preempted by other traffic, therefore, the terminal device may also receive other resource preemption indication information. In order to ensure that the terminal device can receive resource preemption indication information of the other device, the terminal device also needs to restart the timer to continue to monitor the resource preemption indication information.

It should be understood that the target frequency monitoring area corresponds to a timer, and each timer corresponds to a target frequency monitoring area, where target frequency monitoring areas corresponding to different timers may be the same or different. Furthermore, the target frequency monitoring area may be located in a resource area where an eMBB scheduled resource is located, or may be a resource area where a resource other than the eMBB scheduled resource is located.

In addition, the target frequency monitoring area is only an area where the terminal device receives the resource preemption indication information, and the target frequency monitoring area is generally different from an area where a resource of the terminal device is ultimately preempted by other traffic.

As shown in <FIG>, the terminal device is configured with Timer <NUM> and Timer <NUM>, a resource area <NUM> is an area where the time-frequency resource in which the terminal device receives the downlink control information is located. After the terminal device successfully demodulates the downlink control information, Timer <NUM> is started, and after the terminal device successfully demodulates the downlink control information and four time domain units have elapsed, Timer <NUM> is started. Timer <NUM> corresponds to a monitoring area <NUM>, Timer <NUM> corresponds to a monitoring area <NUM>, and the monitoring area <NUM> and the monitoring area <NUM> are both located in an area where the eMBB scheduled resource is located.

Comparing with <FIG>, trigger thresholds of two timers in <FIG> are the same as in <FIG>, but a monitoring area <NUM> corresponding to Timer <NUM> and a monitoring area <NUM> corresponding to Timer <NUM> are located in a resource area where a resource other than the eMBB scheduled resource is located.

It should be understood that the corresponding relationships between timers and monitoring areas in <FIG> and <FIG> are only two specific cases, in fact, a monitoring area corresponding to Timer <NUM> and a monitoring area corresponding to Timer <NUM> may also be located in an area where the eMBB scheduled resource is located and outside the area where the eMBB scheduled resource is located, respectively.

According to the embodiment of the present application, a terminal device can determine whether an eMBB resource of the terminal device is preempted by other traffic by monitoring resource indication information in a duration of a timer, so that an avoiding measure can be made by the terminal device in a case that an eMBB resource is preempted. Furthermore, the terminal device only monitors indication information within a duration, thereby reducing monitoring time of the terminal device, and improving a monitoring efficiency of the terminal device.

As an implementation, the terminal device transmits at least one of traffic information, capability information, and buffer information of the terminal device to the network device.

The traffic information may be information indicating a traffic type of the terminal device, the capability information may be information indicating a capability of the terminal device to process data, and the buffer information may be information indicating a buffer size of the terminal device.

After receiving information of a plurality of terminal devices, the network device can prioritize the plurality of terminals. For example, a terminal device having both eMBB traffic and URLLC traffic has a lower priority, and a terminal device having only eMBB traffic has a higher priority, a terminal device with a strong capability of data processing has a higher priority, and a terminal device with a smaller buffer has a higher priority.

For a terminal device with a higher priority, an impact of an eMBB resource being preempted on the terminal device is relatively small, therefore, after receiving a URLLC traffic request, the network device will allocate an eMBB resource of a terminal device with a higher priority to the URLLC traffic.

The network device preferentially configures a timer and a monitoring area corresponding to the timer for a terminal device with a higher priority, therefore, after receiving a URLLC traffic request, the network device can transmit resource preemption indication information to a terminal device that has been configured with a timer on a frequency domain resource included in a monitoring area within a counting time range of the timer, according to the timer and the monitoring area corresponding to the timer that are preconfigured for the terminal device.

As an implementation, the method <NUM> of <FIG> further includes:
When resource preemption indication information is monitored by the terminal device in a target frequency monitoring area, the terminal device determines a first resource preempted by other traffic in an eMBB resource of the terminal device according to the resource preemption indication information.

After resource preemption indication information is monitored by the terminal device, the terminal device can determine a preempted eMBB resource, so that an avoiding measure can be made by the terminal device. For example, the terminal device does not demodulate data of eMBB traffic received on the preempted eMBB resource, so as to avoid demodulation errors.

As shown in <FIG>, taking a Timer <NUM> as an example, a monitoring area <NUM> corresponding to Timer <NUM> is located within an area where an eMBB scheduled resource is located, after resource preemption indication information transmitted by the network device is monitored by the terminal device in the monitoring area, the terminal device determines a first resource that is preempted according to the resource preemption indication information, an area where the first resource is located is as shown in <FIG>.

As an implementation, the above mentioned resource preemption indication information is further used to indicate traffic information of other traffic. The method <NUM> of <FIG> further includes: the terminal device demodulates data of eMBB traffic received in the first resource according to the traffic information of the other traffic.

The traffic information of the other traffic may include at least one of a data transmission format, a modulation and coding scheme, and power information of transmitted data of the other traffic.

In an implementation, when the resource preemption indication information indicates a resource preempted by other traffic in an eMBB resource, it may only indicate an area where the resource preempted by the other traffic is located. In this way, the resource preemption indication information only needs to use a small number of bits to achieve an indication of a preempted resource, thereby saving signaling overheads.

In an implementation, when the resource preemption indication information indicates a resource preempted by other traffic in an eMBB resource, it may also indicate a time-frequency resource block included in the resource preempted by the other traffic directly. That is, the resource preemption indication information indicates which time-frequency resource block is included in the resource preempted by the other traffic directly, thereby a resource of the terminal device preempted by the other traffic can be indicated more accurately, so that a reasonable avoidance measure can be made by the terminal device according to the preempted resource.

In an implementation, the above mentioned target frequency monitoring area may be located within a resource area where an eMBB resource is located or outside the resource area where the eMBB resource is located.

The communication method according to embodiments of the present application has been described in detail from the perspective of a terminal device with reference to <FIG>, in the following, a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application is described from the perspective of a network device with reference to <FIG>. It should be understood that the communication method according to an embodiment of the present application that is described from the perspective of the network device, is corresponding to the communication method according to embodiments of the present application that is described from the perspective of the terminal device in <FIG>, repeated description is omitted as appropriate below for the sake of brevity.

<FIG> is a schematic flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application. The method <NUM> of <FIG> includes:.

In the embodiment of the present application, the network device transmits resource preemption indication information to the terminal device in the target frequency monitoring area within the duration of the timer, so that the terminal device can determine that an eMBB resource is preempted by the other traffic after receiving the resource preemption indication information, and thus make an avoidance measure. Furthermore, since the network device only transmits the resource preemption indication information within the duration, which indirectly reduces monitoring time of the terminal device and improves monitoring efficiency of the terminal device.

As an implementation, the method <NUM> of <FIG> further includes: the network device transmits first indication information to the terminal device, where the first indication information is used to indicate the trigger threshold of the timer.

As an implementation, the trigger threshold of the timer is that the terminal device starts demodulating a downlink control signaling.

As an implementation, the trigger threshold of the timer is that time of the terminal device receiving downlink data exceeds a preset time.

As an implementation, the method further includes: the network device transmits second indication information to the terminal device, where the second indication information is used to indicate the duration of the timer.

As an implementation, the method <NUM> of <FIG> further includes: the network device transmits third indication information to the terminal device, where the third indication information is used to indicate a location of a target frequency monitoring area in a system frequency resource area.

As an implementation, the resource preemption indication information is further used to indicate traffic information of the other traffic.

As an implementation, the traffic information includes at least one of a data transmission format, a modulation and coding scheme, and power information of transmitted data of the other traffic.

As an implementation, the resource preemption indication information is used to indicate an area where the resource preempted by the other traffic is located.

As an implementation, the resource preemption indication information is used to indicate a time-frequency resource block included in the resource preempted by the other traffic.

As an implementation, the target frequency monitoring area is outside a resource area where the eMBB resource is located.

As an implementation, the target frequency monitoring area is within a resource area where the eMBB resource is located.

The communication method according to the embodiment of the present application has been described in detail with reference to <FIG>, a terminal device and a network device according to an embodiment of the present application will be described below with reference to <FIG>.

It should be understood that the terminal device and the network device described in <FIG> can implement respective steps of the communication methods described in <FIG>, repeated description is omitted as appropriate for the sake of brevity.

<FIG> is a schematic block diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application. The terminal device <NUM> of <FIG> includes:.

As an implementation, the processing module <NUM> is specifically configured to: start the timer in a case that a trigger threshold of the timer is reached.

As an implementation, the receiving module <NUM> is further configured to: receive first indication information transmitted by the network device, where the first indication information is used to configure the trigger threshold of the timer.

As an implementation, the trigger threshold of the timer is that the terminal device <NUM> starts demodulating a downlink control signaling, the processing module <NUM> is specifically configured to: start the timer when the terminal device <NUM> begins to demodulate the downlink control signaling.

As an implementation, the trigger threshold of the timer is that time of the terminal device <NUM> receiving downlink data exceeds a preset time, the processing module <NUM> is specifically configured to: start the timer when the time of the terminal device <NUM> receiving the downlink data exceeds the preset time.

As an implementation, the receiving module <NUM> is further configured to: receive second indication information from the network device, where the second indication information is used to indicate the duration of the timer.

As an implementation, the receiving module <NUM> is further configured to: receive third indication information transmitted by the network device, where the third indication information is used to indicate a location of a target frequency monitoring area in a system frequency resource area.

As an implementation, the processing module <NUM> is specifically configured to: in a case that the resource preemption indication information is monitored in the target frequency monitoring area, determine a first resource preempted by the other traffic in the eMBB resource of the terminal device <NUM> according to the resource preemption indication information.

As an implementation, the resource preemption indication information is further used to indicate traffic information of the other traffic, the processing module <NUM> is further configured to: demodulate data of the eMBB traffic received in the first resource according to the traffic information of the other traffic.

<FIG> is a schematic block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application. The network device <NUM> of <FIG> includes:.

As an implementation, the transmitting module <NUM> is further configured to: transmit first indication information to the terminal device, where the first indication information is used to indicate a trigger threshold of the timer.

As an implementation, the transmitting module <NUM> is further configured to: transmit second indication information to the terminal device, where the second indication information is used to indicate the duration of the timer.

As an implementation, the transmitting module <NUM> is further configured to: transmit third indication information to the terminal device, where the third indication information is used to indicate a location of a target frequency monitoring area in a system frequency resource area.

As an implementation, the resource preemption indication information used is for indicating an area where the resource preempted by the other traffic is located.

<FIG> is a schematic block diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application. The terminal device1000 of <FIG> includes:.

As an implementation, the processor <NUM> is specifically configured to: start the timer in a case that a trigger threshold of the timer is reached.

As an implementation, the transceiver <NUM> is further configured to: receive first indication information transmitted by the network device, where the first indication information is used to configure the trigger threshold of the timer.

As an implementation, the trigger threshold of the timer is that the terminal device <NUM> starts demodulating a downlink control signaling, the processor <NUM> is specifically configured to: start the timer when the terminal device <NUM> begins to demodulate the downlink control signaling.

As an implementation, the trigger threshold of the timer is that time of the terminal device <NUM> receiving downlink data exceeds a preset time, the processor <NUM> is specifically configured to: start the timer when the time of the terminal device <NUM> receiving the downlink data exceeds the preset time.

As an implementation, the transceiver <NUM> is further configured to: receive second indication information from the network device, where the second indication information is used to indicate the duration of the timer.

As an implementation, the transceiver <NUM> is further configured to: receive third indication information transmitted by the network device, where the third indication information is used to indicate a location of a target frequency monitoring area in a system frequency resource area.

As an implementation, the processor <NUM> is specifically configured to: in a case that the resource preemption indication information is monitored in the target frequency monitoring area, determine a first resource preempted by the other traffic in the eMBB resource of the terminal device <NUM> according to the resource preemption indication information.

As an implementation, the resource preemption indication information is further used to indicate traffic information of the other traffic, the processor <NUM> is further configured to: demodulate data of the eMBB traffic received in the first resource according to the traffic information of the other traffic.

As an implementation, the transceiver <NUM> is further configured to: transmit first indication information to the terminal device, where the first indication information is used to indicate a trigger threshold of the timer.

As an implementation, the transceiver <NUM> is further configured to: transmit second indication information to the terminal device, where the second indication information is used to indicate the duration of the timer.

As an implementation, the transceiver <NUM> is further configured to: transmit third indication information to the terminal device, where the third indication information is used to indicate a location of a target frequency monitoring area in a system frequency resource area.

<FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of a system chip according to a non-claimed embodiment of the present application. The system chip <NUM> of <FIG> includes an input interface <NUM>, an output interface <NUM>, a processor <NUM>, and a memory <NUM> which are connected via a bus <NUM>, and the processor <NUM> is configured to execute a code in the memory <NUM>.

In an implementation, when the code is executed, the processor <NUM> implements a method performed by a terminal device according to the method embodiments. For the sake of brevity, details are not described herein again.

In an implementation, when the code is executed, the processor <NUM> implements a method performed by a network device according to the method embodiments. For the sake of brevity, details are not described herein again.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that elements and algorithm steps of the various examples described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on a specific application and design constraints of the technical scheme. Professionals can use different methods for each specific application to implement the described functionality, but this kind of implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the present application.

A person skilled in the art can clearly understand that for the convenience and brevity of the description, specific working processes of a system, a device and a unit described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and details are not described herein again.

In the several embodiments provided by the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed system, device, and method may be implemented in other manners. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of the unit is only a logical function division, in actual implementation, there may be another division manner, for example, multiple units or components may be combined or can be integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units, and may be electrical, mechanical or otherwise.

The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, may be located in one site, or may be distributed to multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of the embodiments.

Furthermore, each functional unit in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may be separate physically, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

The functions may be stored in a computer readable storage medium if implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as a standalone product. Based on such understanding, the technical solution of the present application, in nature, or which makes contributions to the prior art, or a part of the technical solution, may be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium, where a plurality of instructions are included to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in the embodiments of the present application. The foregoing storage medium includes: a USB flash disk, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, and the like which can store program codes.

Claim 1:
A communication method, comprising:
starting (<NUM>), by a terminal device, a preconfigured timer; and
monitoring (<NUM>), by the terminal device, resource preemption indication information transmitted by a network device in a preconfigured target frequency monitoring area within a duration of the timer, wherein the resource preemption indication information is used to indicate a resource that is preempted by other traffic in an evolved mobile broadband traffic, eMBB, resource, the eMBB resource is a time-frequency resource used to schedule eMBB traffic, the other traffic is different from the eMBB traffic;
wherein starting (<NUM>), by a terminal device, a preconfigured timer comprises:
in a case that a trigger threshold of the timer is reached, starting, by the terminal device, the timer.