Patent Description:
In an existing wireless communication system, for example, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, a sub-frame is taken as a scheduling unit. As illustrated in <FIG>, first few symbols in each sub-frame may be configured as control channel resources, and the control channel resources span the whole system bandwidth on a frequency domain. A starting symbol of a data transmission resource is usually a first symbol immediately next to a control channel resource, and an ending symbol of the data transmission channel is usually an ending symbol of a sub-frame. Therefore, a length of a data transmission resource on a time domain is kept unchanged in a sub-frame and on the whole system bandwidth.

A future wireless communication system (for example, 5th-Generation (<NUM>)) focuses on supporting higher system performance, and is required to support various service types, different deployment scenarios and a wider spectral range. How to improve system performance is a research hot spot in this field.

<CIT> discloses a method for receiving an enhanced control channel E-PDCCH. <NPL>, discloses that indication the index of starting OFDM symbol of PUSCH shall be introduced into DCI. <NPL>, discloses that dynamic indication of reserved resources should be supported in NR. <NPL>, discloses that NR supports dynamic signaling of reservation resources within a slot. <NPL>, discloses that different frequency partitions of the same carrier can be configured with different numerologies. <CIT> discloses the content about indicating the starting symbol of the downlink data time-domain resource.

The embodiments of the disclosure provide a data transmission method, which may improve system performance.

The features of the method and device according to the present invention are defined in the independent claims, and the preferable features according to the present invention are defined in the dependent claims.

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the disclosure will be described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the disclosure.

The technical solutions of the embodiments of the disclosure may be applied to various communication systems, for example, a Global System of Mobile Communication (GSM), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), an 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, a future evolved Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) or a future <NUM> system.

<FIG> illustrates a wireless communication system <NUM> to which the embodiments of the disclosure are applied not being part of the invention. The wireless communication system <NUM> may include at least one network device <NUM>. The network device <NUM> may be a device communicating with a terminal device. Each network device <NUM> may provide communication coverage for a specific geographical region and may communicate with a terminal device (for example, UE) in the coverage. The network device <NUM> may be a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) in the GSM or the CDMA system, may also be a NodeB (NB) in the WCDMA system, and may further be an Evolutional Node B (eNB or eNodeB) in the LTE system or a wireless controller in a Cloud Radio Access Network (CRAN). Or the network device may be a relay station, an access point, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, a network-side device in a future <NUM> network, a network device in the future evolved PLMN or the like.

The wireless communication system <NUM> further includes multiple terminal devices <NUM> located within the coverage of the network device <NUM>. The terminal devices <NUM> may be mobile or fixed. The terminal device <NUM> may refer to an access terminal, UE, a user unit, a user station, a mobile station, a mobile radio station, 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 cell 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 function, a computing device, another processing device connected to a wireless modem, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, a terminal device in the future <NUM> network, a terminal device in the future evolved PLMN or the like.

A network device and two terminal devices are exemplarily illustrated in <FIG>. Optionally, the wireless communication system <NUM> may include multiple network devices and another number of terminal devices may be included in coverage of each network device. There are no limits made thereto in the embodiments of the disclosure.

Optionally, the wireless communication system <NUM> may further include another network entity such as a network controller and a mobility management entity. The embodiments of the disclosure are not limited thereto.

In the wireless communication system <NUM>, a time-frequency resource region may include a control channel resource and a data transmission channel. Herein, the control channel resource may include at least one physical resource block configured to transmit a control channel, and the data transmission resource may include at least one physical resource block for data transmission. The control channel resource may not span the whole system bandwidth but only appears in some physical resource blocks, and then the terminal device is not required to detect the control channel on the whole system bandwidth, so that power consumption of the terminal device is reduced.

In the embodiments of the disclosure, a scheduling unit may refer to a time-domain resource element implementing a data transmission of the terminal device scheduled by the network device. For example, a scheduling unit may correspond to one or more sub-frames, slots or mini-slots on a time domain. Herein, an uplink/downlink scheduling time-domain resource may refer to a time-domain resource occupied by scheduled data transmission, and may specifically be a time-domain resource configured to transmit uplink/downlink data in the scheduling unit, or may be part of the time-domain resource configured to transmit the uplink/downlink data in the scheduling unit. There are no limits made thereto in the embodiments of the disclosure.

Data transmission time-domain resources in different scheduling units may be at different positions, and for example, have different starting symbols and/or different time-domain lengths. For facilitating data transmitting and/or demodulation of the terminal device, the network device may notify an uplink scheduling time-domain resource and/or downlink scheduling time-domain resource in a specific scheduling unit to the terminal device.

<FIG> illustrates a transmission method <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The transmission method <NUM> may be applied to the wireless communication system <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

In S210, a network device determines a first downlink scheduling time-domain resource in a first time-frequency resource region. The frequency-domain resource in the first time-frequency resource region is a part of a system bandwidth.

The first time-frequency resource region may include multiple physical resource blocks. The time-frequency resource region corresponds to a scheduling unit on a time domain, and corresponds to part of the system bandwidth on a frequency domain. The downlink scheduling time-domain resource may correspond to a data transmission resource configured to transmit downlink data in the time-frequency resource region. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

In the embodiment of the disclosure, downlink data time-domain resources in different time-frequency resource regions may be at different positions in the time-frequency resource regions. Different time-frequency resource regions corresponding to a same time-domain resource and corresponding to different frequency bands include different downlink data time-domain resources. For example, the first time-frequency resource region and a second time-frequency resource region correspond to a same time-domain resource and correspond to different frequency-domain resources respectively, a starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource in the first time-frequency resource region may be different from a starting symbol of a second downlink data time-domain resource in the second time-frequency resource region, and an ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource is the same as an ending symbol of the second downlink data time-domain resource, for example, both of them are ending symbols of the first time-frequency resource region and the second time-frequency resource region; or, the starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource is the same as the starting symbol of the second downlink data time-domain resource, but a time-domain length of the first downlink data time-domain resource is different from a time-domain length of the second downlink data time-domain resource. The embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

In S220, the network device sends indication information to a terminal device. The indication information indicates the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource.

The indication information is specifically configured to indicate the starting symbol, time-domain length and ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource.

Optionally, the network device may transmit high-layer signaling to the terminal device, the high-layer signaling carrying the indication information. Or, the network device may transmit physical-layer signaling to the terminal device, the physical-layer signaling carrying the indication information. Optionally, the physical-layer signaling may specifically be a physical-layer common signal or a UE-specific control signal. There are no limits made thereto in the embodiment of the disclosure. Or, the network device may indicate the downlink scheduling time-domain resource allocated for the terminal device through both of the high-layer signaling or the physical-layer signaling. For example, the network device may indicate a starting symbol (or time-domain length) of a downlink data time-domain resource in each time-frequency resource region through the high-layer signaling and indicate the time-domain length (or starting symbol) of the downlink data time-domain resource allocated for the terminal device through the physical-layer signaling. Or, the network device may indicate the downlink scheduling time-domain resource allocated for the terminal device through secondary Downlink Control Information (DCI). Herein, primary DCI may be configured to indicate the downlink scheduling time-domain resource of each time-frequency resource region, and the secondary DCI may be configured to indicate a specific data scheduling configuration for the terminal device, for example, indicating the downlink scheduling time-domain resource allocated for the terminal device. Then, the terminal device may determine the downlink scheduling time-domain resource allocated by the network device in combination with the primary DCI and the secondary DCI. Optionally, the primary DCI may be a common control channel, and all terminal devices may acquire information from the channel. The secondary DCI may be a UE-specific control channel. The embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

In S230, the terminal device, after receiving the indication information from the network device, determines the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource according to the indication information.

As an optional embodiment, the indication information may explicitly indicate the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource. For example, the indication information may include at least one of information about the starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource, information about the time-domain length and information about the ending symbol. For example, the network device may indicate at least one of the starting symbol, time-domain length and ending symbol of the downlink data time-domain resource in each time-frequency resource region through the high-layer signaling. Or, the network device may also dynamically indicate at least one of a starting symbol, time-domain length or ending symbol of at least one physical resource block allocated for the terminal device through the physical-layer signaling. The embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

As another optional embodiment, the indication information may also implicitly indicate the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource. For example, the indication information may implicitly indicate the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource through information about the control channel resource in the first time-frequency resource region. For example, the indication information may include a time-domain length of the control channel resource. In such case, optionally, the network device may transmit a physical-layer common broadcast signal, the common broadcast signal carrying the indication information. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

In such case, the terminal device may determine the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource according to the information, in the indication information, about the control channel resource. For example, the terminal device may determine the starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource according to the time-domain length, in the indication information, of the control channel resource and determine the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource according to the starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource. Specifically, the terminal device may determine an ending symbol of the control channel resource according to the time-domain length of the control channel resource and determine the starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource to be an Nth symbol after the ending symbol of the control channel resource. N may be an integer more than or equal to <NUM>, and a specific numerical value of N may be defined or preconfigured in a protocol. The embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a time-frequency resource region <NUM> and a time-frequency resource region <NUM> include control channel resources, and a time-frequency resource region <NUM> includes no control channel resource. In such case, starting symbols of downlink data time-domain resources of the time-frequency resource region <NUM> and the time-frequency resource region <NUM> may be first symbols after the control channel resources. Time-domain lengths of the control channel resources in the time-frequency resource region <NUM> and the time-frequency resource region <NUM> may be different, and correspondingly, the starting symbols of the downlink data time-domain resources in the time-frequency resource region <NUM> and the time-frequency resource region <NUM> may be different. Since the time-frequency resource region <NUM> includes no control channel resource, a starting symbol of a downlink data time-domain resource in the time-frequency resource region <NUM> may be a first symbol of the time-frequency resource region <NUM>.

In the example illustrated in <FIG>, the downlink data time-domain resource is a close neighbor after the control channel resource of the same time-frequency resource region, that is, the starting symbol of the downlink data time-domain resource is a first symbol immediately next to an ending symbol of the control channel resource. Optionally, there may also be a certain time interval between the downlink data time-domain resource and control channel resource in the same time-frequency resource region, that is, the starting symbol of the downlink data time-domain resource may be any symbol after the control channel resource. Therefore, a system may support service requirements of different service types. For example, in Coordination of Multiple Points (CoMP), starting symbols of data resources of different network nodes participating in coordination are required to be kept consistent; and in interference coordination of neighbor cells/beams, starting symbols of the neighbor cells/beams may coordinate with each other; and when resource allocation multiplexing for different services is supported, starting symbols of data resources for some delay-insensitive services may be configured after services with high delay requirements. As illustrated in <FIG>, a data time-domain resource for Enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB) data is positioned after a data time-domain resource for Ultra Reliability and Low Latency Communication (URLLC).

In such case, the network device may optionally determine the downlink data time-domain resource allocated for the terminal device according to a service type of the terminal device. The network device may transmit the UE-specific control signal to the terminal device. The UE-specific control signal indicates a time domain of the downlink data time-domain resource allocated by the network device for the terminal device. For example, the UE-specific control signal contains the information about the starting symbol of the downlink data time-domain resource. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Optionally, the starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource is a next symbol of the ending symbol of the control channel resource in the first time-frequency resource region; or the starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource is spaced from the ending symbol of the control channel resource in the first time-frequency resource region by at least one symbol.

The indication information is specifically configured to indicate the starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource. In such case, the ending symbol or time-domain length of the first downlink data time-domain resource may be defined or preconfigured in the protocol. For example, the ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource may be an ending symbol of the first time-frequency resource region, and in such case, the terminal device may determine the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource according to the starting symbol and ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

The indication information is also specifically configured to indicate the time-domain length of the first downlink data time-domain resource. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, if the service type of the terminal device is eMBB, the network device may optionally transmit the UE-specific control signal to the terminal device. The UE-specific control signal is configured for the time-domain length of the first downlink data time-domain resource allocated by the network device for the terminal device. In such case, the terminal device may determine the ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource to be the ending symbol of the first time-frequency resource region and determine the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource according to the determined ending symbol and the time-domain length indicated by the UE-specific control signal. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto. For another example, as illustrated in <FIG>, the time-frequency resource region <NUM> includes multiple mini-slots. Herein, each mini-slot may include four symbols. The first downlink scheduling time-domain resource may include at least two mini-slots. Optionally, the network device may perform cross-mini-slot scheduling. For example, the network device may transmit the UE-specific control signal to the terminal device on a first mini-slot in the time-frequency resource region <NUM>. The UE-specific control signal indicates the time-domain length of the first downlink data time-domain resource. Herein, the first downlink data time-domain resource occupies at least two mini-slots after the first mini-slot. For example, the UE-specific control signal may indicate the number of symbols configured to bear data in the first downlink data time-domain resource. In such case, the terminal device may determine the time-domain length of the first downlink data time-domain resource according to the indication information and determine the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource according to the determined time-domain length. The embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

The indication information is also specifically configured to indicate the ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource. As illustrated in <FIG>, the time-frequency resource region <NUM> corresponds to a self-contained scheduling unit on the time domain. The self-contained scheduling unit may include a downlink transmission time period, an uplink and downlink switching time period and an uplink transmission time period. In such case, the indication information may specifically be configured to indicate the ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource in the downlink transmission time period. For example, the network device may transmit a common control signal, and the common control signal may contain the information about the ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource. Or, the common control signal may contain information about the uplink and downlink switching time period in the self-contained scheduling unit. In such case, the terminal device may determine the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource in the downlink transmission time period according to the information about the uplink and downlink switching time period. For example, the terminal device may determine a starting symbol of the uplink and downlink switching time period according to the information about the uplink and downlink switching time period, determine the ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource to be a symbol immediately previous to the starting symbol of the uplink and downlink switching time period and determine the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource according to the determined ending symbol. Optionally, the starting symbol or time-domain length of the first downlink data time-domain resource may be defined in the protocol, or, the indication information may further contain the information about the starting symbol or time-domain length of the first downlink data time-domain resource or contain the information about the control channel resource. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Optionally, since different subcarrier spacings correspond to different symbol lengths, downlink data transmission resources allocated by the network device for the terminal device, if including different subcarrier spacings, correspond to different slot lengths. For increasing a spectrum utilization rate, it may be defined or preconfigured in the protocol that time-domain lengths of multiple downlink data time-domain resources with different subcarrier spacings are kept consistent. For example, downlink data time-domain resources in multiple time-frequency resource regions with different subcarrier spacings may be based on the downlink data time-domain resource in the time-frequency resource region with a largest time-domain granularity, so that it may be ensured that the downlink data time-domain resources at different subcarrier spacings end at the same time. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto. As illustrated in <FIG>, the network device allocates time-frequency resource regions with three different subcarrier spacings f, 2f and 4f for the terminal device, and downlink data time-domain resources in these time-frequency resource regions may be based on the downlink data time-domain resource in the time-frequency resource region with the subcarrier spacing f.

The network device configures multiple time-frequency resource regions including the first time-frequency resource region for the terminal device, the multiple time-frequency resource regions having different subcarrier spacings, the indication information contains information about a third downlink scheduling time-domain resource in a third time-frequency resource region. The third time-frequency resource region is the time-frequency resource region with a minimum subcarrier spacing in the multiple time-frequency resource regions. In such case, the terminal device determines an ending moment of the third downlink data time-domain resource according to the indication information and determines an ending moment of the first downlink data time-domain resource as the ending moment of the third downlink data time-domain resource. In such case, a moment corresponding to the ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource is the ending moment of the third downlink data time-domain resource. Therefore, the terminal device determines the ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource according to the ending moment of the third downlink data time-domain resource. The network device configures the multiple time-frequency resource regions for downlink data transmission of the terminal device. Herein, the multiple time-frequency resource regions correspond to a same time-domain resource. Optionally, a starting moment of the first downlink data time-domain resource may be the same as or different from a starting moment of the third downlink data time-domain resource. There are no limits made thereto in the embodiment of the disclosure.

In S240, the terminal device performs data transmission with the network device on the first downlink data time-domain resource.

According to the data transmission method provided in the embodiment of the disclosure, the network device determines the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource in the first time-frequency resource region and sends the indication information configured to indicate the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource to the terminal device. The frequency-domain resource in the first time-frequency resource region is a part of the system bandwidth. The terminal device determines the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource according to the indication information and receives the downlink data from the network device on the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource, so that system performance may be improved, and different service requirements are favorably supported.

<FIG> illustrates a transmission method <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure not being part of the invention. The transmission method <NUM> may be applied to the wireless communication system <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

In S310, a network device determines an uplink scheduling time-domain resource, called a first uplink scheduling time-domain resource hereinafter, configured to transmit uplink data in a first scheduling unit.

In the embodiment of the disclosure, uplink scheduling time-domain resources in different scheduling units may be at different time-domain positions in the scheduling units, and for example, have different starting symbols and/or different time-domain lengths. For example, a starting symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource configured to transmit the uplink data in the first scheduling unit is a first symbol of the first scheduling unit, and a starting symbol of a second uplink scheduling time-domain resource configured to transmit the uplink data in a second scheduling unit may be an Mth symbol in the second scheduling unit, where M is an integer larger than <NUM>. The embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

In S320, the network device sends indication information to a terminal device. The indication information indicates the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource in the first scheduling unit.

Optionally, the indication information may specifically be configured to indicate at least one of the starting symbol, time-domain length and ending symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource.

Optionally, the network device may transmit high-layer signaling to the terminal device, the high-layer signaling carrying the indication information. Or, the network device may transmit physical-layer signaling to the terminal device, the physical-layer signaling carrying the indication information. Optionally, the physical-layer signaling may specifically be a physical-layer common signal or a UE-specific control signal. There are no limits made thereto in the embodiment of the disclosure. Or, the network device may indicate the uplink scheduling time-domain resource allocated for the terminal device through both of the high-layer signaling or the physical-layer signaling. For example, the network device may indicate a starting symbol (or time-domain length) of an uplink scheduling time-domain resource in each scheduling unit through the high-layer signaling and indicate the time-domain length (or starting symbol) of the uplink scheduling time-domain resource allocated for the terminal device through the physical-layer signaling. Or, the network device may indicate the uplink scheduling time-domain resource allocated for the terminal device through secondary DCI. Herein, primary DCI may be configured to indicate the uplink scheduling time-domain resource in each scheduling unit, and the secondary DCI may be configured to indicate a specific data scheduling configuration for the terminal device, for example, indicating the scheduling unit allocated for the terminal device. Then, the terminal device may determine the uplink scheduling time-domain resource allocated by the network device in combination with the primary DCI and the secondary DCI. Optionally, the primary DCI may be a common control channel, and all terminal devices may acquire information from the channel. The secondary DCI may be a UE-specific control channel. The embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

In S330, the terminal device, after receiving the indication information from the network device, may determine the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource according to the indication information.

As an optional embodiment, the indication information may explicitly or implicitly indicate the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource. For example, the indication information may include at least one of information about the starting symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource, information about the time-domain length and information about the ending symbol. For example, the network device may indicate at least one of the starting symbol, time-domain length and ending symbol of the uplink scheduling time-domain resource in each scheduling unit through the high-layer signaling. Or, the network device may also dynamically indicate at least one of a starting symbol, time-domain length or ending symbol of at least one physical resource block allocated for the terminal device through the physical-layer signaling. The embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Optionally, the indication information may specifically be configured to indicate the starting symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource. In such case, the ending symbol or time-domain length of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource may be defined or preconfigured in the protocol. For example, the ending symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource may be an ending symbol of the first scheduling unit, and in such case, the terminal device may determine the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource according to the starting symbol and ending symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Optionally, the first scheduling unit may specifically a self-contained scheduling unit. In such case, the network device may transmit a common control signal, and the common control signal may contain information about the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource. Or, the common control signal may contain information about an uplink and downlink switching time period in the first scheduling unit. In such case, the terminal device may determine the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource according to the information about the uplink and downlink switching time period. For example, the terminal device may determine an ending symbol of the uplink and downlink switching time period according to the information about the uplink and downlink switching time period, determine the starting symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource to be a first symbol immediately next to the ending symbol of the uplink and downlink switching time period and determine the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource according to the determined starting symbol. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Optionally, the indication information may also be specifically configured to indicate the time-domain length of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource. For example, the first scheduling unit may include multiple mini-slots. The first uplink scheduling time-domain resource may include at least two mini-slots in the multiple mini-slots. Optionally, the network device may perform cross-mini-slot scheduling. For example, the network device may transmit the UE-specific control signal to the terminal device on a first mini-slot in the first scheduling unit. The UE-specific control signal indicates the time-domain length of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource. Herein, the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource includes at least two mini-slots after the first mini-slot. For example, the UE-specific control signal may indicate the number of symbols in the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource. In such case, the terminal device may determine the time-domain length of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource according to the indication information and determine the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource according to the determined time-domain length. The embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Optionally, the indication information may also be specifically configured to indicate the ending symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Optionally, uplink scheduling time-domain resources in different self-contained scheduling units may be at different positions. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, the starting symbol of the uplink scheduling time-domain resource may specifically be a starting symbol of a control channel of a short format at the tail of a slot, and the ending symbol of the uplink scheduling time-domain resource may specifically be an ending symbol of the control channel of the short format. Or, the starting symbol of the uplink scheduling time-domain resource may be a first symbol immediately next to an uplink and downlink switching symbol, and the ending symbol of the uplink scheduling time-domain resource may be a symbol immediately previous to the starting symbol of the control channel of the short format. Or, the starting symbol of the uplink scheduling time-domain resource may be a first symbol immediately next to the uplink and downlink switching time period, and the ending symbol of the uplink scheduling time-domain resource may be the ending symbol of the control channel of the short format. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Optionally, if uplink data transmission resources allocated by the network device for the terminal device include different subcarrier spacings, it may be defined or preconfigured in the protocol that time-domain lengths of multiple uplink scheduling time-domain resources with different subcarrier spacings are kept consistent. For example, the multiple uplink scheduling time-domain resources with different subcarrier spacings may be based on the uplink scheduling time-domain resource with a largest time-domain granularity. However, the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Optionally, if the network device configures multiple time-frequency resource regions in the first scheduling unit for the terminal device, the multiple time-frequency resource regions having different subcarrier spacings, the indication information may contain information about a third uplink scheduling time-domain resource in a third time-frequency resource region, the third time-frequency resource region is a scheduling unit with a minimum subcarrier spacing in the multiple time-frequency resource regions. In such case, the terminal device may determine an ending moment of the third uplink scheduling time-domain resource according to the indication information and determine a moment corresponding to the ending symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource to be the ending moment of the third uplink scheduling time-domain resource. Therefore, the terminal device may determine the ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource according to the ending moment of the third downlink data time-domain resource. The network device may configure the multiple time-frequency resource regions for uplink data transmission of the terminal device in the first scheduling unit. Optionally, a starting moment of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource may be the same as or different from a starting moment of the third uplink scheduling time-domain resource. There are no limits made thereto in the embodiment of the disclosure.

In S340, the terminal device performs data transmission with the network device on the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource.

According to the data transmission method provided in the embodiment of the disclosure, the network device determines the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource in the first scheduling unit and sends the indication information configured to indicate the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource to the terminal device, and the terminal device determines the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource according to the indication information and sends the uplink data to the network device on the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource, so that system performance may be improved, and different service requirements are favorably supported.

It is to be understood that magnitudes of sequence numbers of each process are not intended to represent an execution sequence and the execution sequence of each process should be determined by their functions and internal logic and shall not form any limit to an implementation process of the embodiments of the disclosure.

It is also to be understood that the examples of <FIG> and <FIG> are adopted not to limit the scope of the embodiments of the disclosure but only to help those skilled in the art to better understand the embodiments of the disclosure. It is apparent that those skilled in the art may make various equivalent modifications or variations according to the illustrated examples, and such modifications or variations shall also fall within the scope of the embodiments of the disclosure.

The data transmission method according to the embodiments of the disclosure is described above in combination with <FIG> in detail. A data transmission device according to the embodiments of the disclosure will be described below in combination with <FIG> in detail not being part of the invention.

<FIG> illustrates a data transmission device <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure, which includes a receiving unit <NUM> and a determination unit <NUM>.

The receiving unit <NUM> is configured to receive indication information from a network device. The indication information indicates a first downlink scheduling time-domain resource in a first time-frequency resource region and a frequency-domain resource in the first time-frequency resource region is a part of a system bandwidth.

The determination unit <NUM> is configured to determine the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource according to the indication information received by the receiving unit <NUM>.

The receiving unit <NUM> is further configured to receive data from the network device on the first downlink data time-domain resource determined by the determination unit <NUM>.

Optionally, the indication information is configured to indicate at least one of a starting symbol, time-domain length or ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource.

Optionally, the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource is different from a second downlink scheduling time-domain resource in a second time-frequency resource region, and the first time-frequency resource region and the second time-frequency resource region correspond to a same time-domain resource and correspond to different frequency-domain resources respectively.

Optionally, that the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource is different from the second downlink scheduling time-domain resource in the second time-frequency resource region includes that:.

Optionally, a starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource is immediately next to an ending symbol of a control channel resource in the first time-frequency resource region; or
the starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource is a spaced from the ending symbol of the control channel resource in the first time-frequency resource region by at least one symbol.

Optionally, the indication information includes information about the control channel resource in the first time-frequency resource region. In such case, the determination unit <NUM> is specifically configured to determine the starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource according to the information about the control channel resource.

Optionally, the first time-frequency resource region includes a self-contained scheduling unit, and the self-contained scheduling unit includes a downlink transmission time period, an uplink and downlink switching time period and an uplink transmission time period.

In such case, optionally, the indication information includes information about the uplink and downlink switching time period in the self-contained scheduling unit. Correspondingly, the determination unit <NUM> is specifically configured to determine the ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource according to the information about the uplink and downlink switching time period.

Optionally, the receiving unit <NUM> is specifically configured to receive high-layer signaling from the network device, the high-layer signaling or a physical-layer common signal carrying the indication information; or.

Optionally, the first downlink data time-domain resource includes multiple mini-slots, and the indication information is configured to indicate a total length of the multiple mini-slots.

Optionally, if the network device configures multiple time-frequency resource regions including the first time-frequency resource region for the terminal device, the multiple time-frequency resource regions having different subcarrier spacings, the indication information includes information about a third downlink scheduling time-domain resource in a third time-frequency resource region. The third time-frequency resource region is the time-frequency resource region with a minimum subcarrier spacing in the multiple time-frequency resource regions. Correspondingly, the determination unit <NUM> is specifically configured to determine an ending moment of the third downlink data time-domain resource according to the indication information and determine a moment corresponding to the ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource as the ending moment of the third downlink data time-domain resource.

It is to be understood that the device <NUM> described herein is embodied in form of functional unit. In an optional example, those skilled in the art may know that the device <NUM> may specifically be the terminal device in the abovementioned embodiments and the device <NUM> may be configured to execute each flow and/or step corresponding to the terminal device in the abovementioned method embodiments, which will not be elaborated herein for avoiding repetitions.

<FIG> illustrates a data transmission device <NUM> according to another embodiment of the disclosure, which includes a receiving unit <NUM>, a determination unit <NUM> and a transmitting unit <NUM>.

The receiving unit <NUM> is configured to receive indication information from a network device. The indication information indicates a first uplink scheduling time-domain resource which is configured to transmit uplink data and in a first scheduling unit. A time-domain position of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource in the first scheduling unit is different from a time-domain position of a second uplink scheduling time-domain resource in a second scheduling unit and the second uplink scheduling time-domain resource is a time-domain resource which is configured to transmit the uplink data and in the second scheduling unit.

The determination unit <NUM> is configured to determine the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource according to the indication information received by the receiving unit <NUM>.

The transmitting unit <NUM> is configured to transmit data to the network device on the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource determined by the determination unit <NUM>.

Optionally, the indication information is configured to indicate at least one of a starting symbol, time-domain length or ending symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource.

Optionally, that the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource is different from a second uplink scheduling time-domain resource includes that:.

Optionally, the first scheduling unit is specifically a self-contained scheduling unit, and the self-contained scheduling unit includes a downlink transmission time period, an uplink and downlink switching time period and an uplink transmission time period.

Optionally, the starting symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource is a starting symbol of a control channel of a short format, and the ending symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource is an ending symbol of the control channel of the short format.

Optionally, the starting symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource is a first symbol immediately next to the uplink and downlink switching time period, and the ending symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource is a symbol immediately previous to the control channel of the short format.

Optionally, the starting symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource is a first symbol immediately next to the uplink and downlink switching time period, and the ending symbol of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource is the ending symbol of the control channel of the short format.

Optionally, the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource includes multiple mini-slots, and the indication information is configured to indicate a total length of the multiple mini-slots.

Optionally, if the network device configures multiple time-frequency resource regions in the first scheduling unit for the terminal device, the multiple time-frequency resource regions having different subcarrier spacings, the indication information includes information about a third uplink scheduling time-domain resource in a third time-frequency resource region. The third time-frequency resource region is the time-domain resource region with a minimum subcarrier spacing in the multiple time-frequency resource regions.

The determination unit <NUM> is specifically configured to determine an ending moment of the third uplink data time-domain resource according to the indication information and determine a moment corresponding to the ending symbol of the first uplink data time-domain resource to be the ending moment of the third uplink data time-domain resource.

<FIG> illustrates a data transmission device <NUM> according to another embodiment of the disclosure, which includes a determination unit <NUM> and a transmitting unit <NUM>.

The determination unit <NUM> is configured to determine a first downlink scheduling time-domain resource in a first time-frequency resource region. The frequency-domain resource in the first time-frequency resource region is a part of a system bandwidth.

The transmitting unit <NUM> is configured to transmit indication information to a terminal device. The indication information indicates the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource determined by the determination unit <NUM>.

Optionally, the indication information includes information about the control channel resource in the first time-frequency resource region.

Optionally, the first time-frequency resource region includes a self-contained scheduling unit, and the self-contained scheduling unit includes a downlink transmission time period, an uplink and downlink switching time period and an uplink transmission time period. In such case, the indication information optionally includes information about the uplink and downlink switching time period in the self-contained scheduling unit.

Optionally, the transmitting unit <NUM> is specifically configured to transmit high-layer signaling, the high-layer signaling carrying the indication information; or.

Optionally, if a network device configures multiple time-frequency resource regions including the first time-frequency resource region for the terminal device, the multiple time-frequency resource regions having different subcarrier spacings, the indication information includes information about a third downlink scheduling time-domain resource in a third time-frequency resource region. The third time-frequency resource region is the time-frequency resource region with a minimum subcarrier spacing in the multiple time-frequency resource regions.

It is to be understood that the device <NUM> described herein is embodied in form of functional unit. In an optional example, those skilled in the art may know that the device <NUM> may specifically be the network device in the abovementioned embodiments and the device <NUM> may be configured to execute each flow and/or step corresponding to the network device in the abovementioned method embodiments, which will not be elaborated herein for avoiding repetitions.

The determination unit <NUM> is configured to determine a first uplink scheduling time-domain resource which is configured to transmit uplink data and in a first scheduling unit. A position of the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource in the first scheduling unit is different from a position of a second uplink scheduling time-domain resource in a second scheduling unit and the second uplink scheduling time-domain resource is a time-domain resource which is configured to transmit the uplink data and in the second scheduling unit.

The transmitting unit <NUM> is configured to transmit indication information to a terminal device. The indication information indicates the first uplink scheduling time-domain resource, determined by the determination unit <NUM>, in the first scheduling unit.

Optionally, that the time-domain resource which is configured to transmit uplink data and in the first scheduling unit is different from the time-domain resource configured to transmit the uplink data in the second scheduling unit includes that:.

Optionally, if a network device configures multiple time-frequency resource regions in the first scheduling unit for the terminal device, the multiple time-frequency resource regions having different subcarrier spacings, the indication information includes information about a third uplink scheduling time-domain resource in a third time-frequency resource region. The third time-frequency resource region is the time-domain resource region with a minimum subcarrier spacing in the multiple time-frequency resource regions.

It is also to be understood that term "unit" in the embodiments of the disclosure may refer to an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (for example, a shared processor, a dedicated processor or a group processor) and memory configured to execute one or more software or firmware programs, a merged logic circuit and/or another proper component supporting the described functions.

<FIG> illustrates a data transmission device <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure, which includes a processor <NUM> and a memory <NUM>. Herein, the memory <NUM> is configured to store an instruction, and the processor <NUM> is configured to execute the instruction stored in the memory <NUM>. Herein, executing the instruction enables the processor <NUM> to execute the following operations:.

Optionally, the indication information includes information about a control channel resource in the first time-frequency resource region. In such case, the processor <NUM> is specifically configured to determine a starting symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource according to the information about the control channel resource.

In such case, optionally, the indication information includes information about an uplink and downlink switching time period in a self-contained scheduling unit. Correspondingly, the processor <NUM> is specifically configured to determine an ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource according to the information about the uplink and downlink switching time period.

Optionally, if the network device configures multiple time-frequency resource regions including the first time-frequency resource region for a terminal device, the multiple time-frequency resource regions having different subcarrier spacings, the indication information includes information about a third downlink scheduling time-domain resource in a third time-frequency resource region. The third time-frequency resource region is the time-frequency resource region with a minimum subcarrier spacing in the multiple time-frequency resource regions. Correspondingly, the processor <NUM> is specifically configured to determine an ending moment of the third downlink data time-domain resource according to the indication information and determine a moment corresponding to the ending symbol of the first downlink data time-domain resource as the ending moment of the third downlink data time-domain resource.

In an optional example, those skilled in the art may know that the device <NUM> may specifically be the terminal device in the abovementioned embodiments and the device <NUM> may be configured to execute each flow and/or step corresponding to the terminal device in the abovementioned method embodiments, which will not be elaborated herein for avoiding repetitions.

<FIG> illustrates a data transmission device <NUM> according to another embodiment of the disclosure, which includes a processor <NUM> and a memory <NUM>. Herein, the memory <NUM> is configured to store an instruction, and the processor <NUM> is configured to execute the instruction stored in the memory <NUM>. Herein, executing the instruction enables the processor <NUM> to execute the following operations:.

In an optional example, those skilled in the art may know that the device <NUM> may specifically be the network device in the abovementioned embodiments and the device <NUM> may be configured to execute each flow and/or step corresponding to the network device in the abovementioned method embodiments, which will not be elaborated herein for avoiding repetitions.

It is to be understood that, in the embodiments of the disclosure, the processor may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and the processor may also be another universal processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an ASIC, a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or another programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device and discrete hardware component and the like. The universal processor may be a microprocessor or the processor may also be any conventional processor and the like.

The memory may include a Read-Only Memory (ROM) and a Random Access Memory (RAM) and provides an instruction and data for the processor. A part of the memory may further include a nonvolatile RAM. For example, the memory may further store information of a device type. The processor may be configured to execute the instruction stored in the memory, and when the processor executes the instruction, the processor may execute each step corresponding to the terminal equipment in the abovementioned method embodiments.

In an implementation process, each step of the method may be completed by an integrated logic circuit of hardware in the processor or an instruction in a software form. The steps of the method disclosed in combination with the embodiments of the disclosure may be directly embodied to be executed and completed by a hardware processor or executed and completed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor. The software module may be located in a mature storage medium in this field such as a RAM, a flash memory, a ROM, a programmable ROM or electrically erasable programmable ROM and a register. The storage medium is located in the memory, and the processor reads the instruction in the memory, and completes the steps of the method in combination with hardware. No more detailed descriptions will be made herein to avoid repetitions.

It is to be understood that the above descriptions about the embodiments of the disclosure are made with emphasis on differences between each embodiment and the same or similar parts which are not mentioned may refer to each other and will not be elaborated herein for simplicity.

In addition, terms "system" and "network" in the disclosure may usually be exchanged in the disclosure. In the disclosure, term "and/or" is only an association relationship describing associated objects and represents that three relationships may exist. For example, A and/or B may represent three conditions: i.e., independent existence of A, existence of both A and B and independent existence of B. In addition, character "/" in the disclosure usually represents that previous and next associated objects form an "or" relationship.

Those of ordinary skill in the art may realize that the steps and units of each method described in combination with the embodiments disclosed in the disclosure may be implemented by electronic hardware, computer software or a combination of the two. For clearly describing exchangeability of hardware and software, the steps and compositions of each embodiment have been generally described in the foregoing descriptions according to functions. Whether these functions are executed in a hardware or software manner depends on specific applications and design constraints of the technical solutions. Those of ordinary skill in the art may realize the described functions for each specific application by virtue of different methods, but such realization shall fall within the scope of the disclosure.

Those skilled in the art may clearly learn about that specific working processes of the system, device and unit described above may refer to the corresponding processes in the method embodiments and will not be elaborated herein for convenient and brief description.

Part or all of the units may be selected to achieve the purpose of the solutions of the embodiments of the disclosure according to a practical requirement.

The integrated unit may be implemented in a hardware form and may also be implemented in form of software functional unit.

When being implemented in form of software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, the integrated unit may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on such an understanding, the technical solutions of the disclosure substantially or parts making contributions to the conventional art or all or part of the technical solutions may be embodied in form of software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including a plurality of instructions configured to enable a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, a network device or the like) to execute all or part of the steps of the method in each embodiment of the disclosure. The storage medium includes: various media capable of storing program codes such as a U disk, a mobile hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk or an optical disk.

Claim 1:
A method for data transmission, comprising:
receiving (S220), by a terminal device, indication information from a network device, the indication information indicating a first downlink scheduling time-domain resource in a first time-frequency resource region and a frequency-domain resource in the first time-frequency resource region being a part of a system bandwidth, the first time-frequency resource region corresponding to a scheduling unit on a time domain, and the frequency-domain resource in the first time-frequency resource region being part of the system bandwidth, wherein the indication information is configured to indicate a starting symbol, time-domain length and ending symbol of the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource for data transmission; and
receiving (S240), by the terminal device, data from the network device on the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource for data transmission according to the indication information;
wherein a plurality of time-frequency resource regions comprising the first time-frequency resource region for the terminal device are received from the network device, the plurality of time-frequency resource regions have different subcarrier spacings, the indication information contains information about a third downlink scheduling time-domain resource in a third time-frequency resource region, the third time-frequency resource region is a time-frequency resource region with a minimum subcarrier spacing in the plurality of time-frequency resource regions and the plurality of time-frequency resource regions are located in different frequency bands in a same time-domain resource, and
the method further comprises:
determining, by the terminal device, an ending moment of the third downlink scheduling time-domain resource for data transmission according to the indication information, and
determining, by the terminal device, a moment corresponding to the ending symbol of the first downlink scheduling time-domain resource for data transmission as the ending moment of the third downlink scheduling time-domain resource for data transmission.