Patent Description:
Development of mobile communications technologies and an increasing quantity of user equipments are accompanied with increasingly high load on limited licensed frequencies of mobile communications networks. To alleviate load on a licensed frequency, an unlicensed frequency may be used to provide a service such as data for user equipment. The unlicensed frequency is a type of frequency that can be directly used in conformity with relevant regulations of a department such as a government without a license. When an unlicensed frequency is used, listening needs to be performed before a signal is sent. That is, a signal can be transmitted on the unlicensed frequency only when it is detected through listening that the unlicensed frequency is idle. More user equipments using a frequency bring higher load on the frequency and a shorter time for which the frequency can be used by each user equipment. Therefore, a base station selects a frequency that has relatively low load and that is relatively idle from unlicensed frequencies as far as possible, to provide a communications service for user equipment. A received signal strength indicator (Received Signal Strength Indicator, RSSI) is used to indicate total signal strength on a frequency. A larger RSSI value indicates that load on the frequency is higher, and a smaller RSSI value indicates that the load on the frequency is lower and the frequency is relatively idle. Therefore, the base station may select, by detecting an RSSI value of a signal on each candidate unlicensed frequency, an unlicensed frequency that has relatively low load and that is relatively idle, and provide a communications service for user equipment on the selected unlicensed frequency.

However, when the base station detects the RSSI value of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the base station may detect only a signal that is sent on the unlicensed frequency by a neighboring base station that is relatively close to the base station. However, the base station may fail to detect a signal that is sent by a hidden base station that is relatively far from the base station but is relatively close to user equipment served by the base station. When the base station selects an unlicensed frequency according to the RSSI value obtained through detection, the RSSI value may be less than an actual value. Consequently, the selected unlicensed frequency may be not idle. Therefore, when the user equipment uses the unlicensed frequency selected by the base station to perform communication, the user equipment is likely to be interfered by the hidden base station. Therefore, how to improve accuracy of the RSSI value according to which the base station serving the user equipment selects an idle unlicensed frequency is a problem urgently to be resolved. <NPL>) discloses issues related with RSSI measurements and reporting. <CIT> discloses that a network access node identifies a component carrier within an unlicensed radio spectrum, determines whether or not to configure the component carrier for use as a secondary component carrier, and based on the determining configures the component carrier for use as a secondary component carrier companion to a primary component carrier within a licensed radio spectrum, The network node senses the component carrier within the unlicensed radio spectrum, and as more data is needed to make the determination employs a mobile device to also sense and further to measure the component carrier within the unlicensed radio spectrum. Specific procedures are detailed for both the network node and the mobile device. <NPL>) discloses design principles and requirements for LAA RRM.

Preferable embodiments are defined by the dependent claims. Embodiments of the present invention disclose signal processing methods, devices and computer readable media so as to improve accuracy of an RSSI value according to which a base station serving user equipment selects an idle unlicensed frequency.

A first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention discloses a signal processing method, performed by a user equipment or a processor of the user equipment, including:.

A first example not claimed but helpful to understand the present application discloses a signal processing method, including:.

With reference to an implementation of the first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, in a first possible implementation of an example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes a reporting condition and the reporting condition indicates single reporting, and the reporting, by the user equipment, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station includes:.

With reference to the implementation of the first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, in a second possible implementation of an example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes a reporting condition and the reporting condition indicates reporting according to a preset reporting period, and the reporting, by the user equipment, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station includes:.

With reference to the implementation of the first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, in a third possible implementation of an example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes a reporting condition and the reporting condition is reporting according to a preset event, and the method further includes:.

With reference to any one of the first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, or the first to the third possible implementations of an example to understand the present application, in a fourth possible implementation of an example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes at least one RSSI threshold, and the determining, by the user equipment, statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments according to the at least one statistical window, and obtaining an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency includes:
dividing, by the user equipment, for each of the at least one statistical window according to the at least one RSSI threshold, RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments included in the statistical window into at least one RSSI value range; and obtaining a ratio of a quantity of RSSI values at sampling moments that are included in the at least one RSSI value range to a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the statistical window, and using the ratio of the at least one RSSI value range as a statistical result.

With reference to the fourth possible implementation of an example to understand the present application, in a fifth possible implementation of the first example to understand the present application, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency further includes at least one of or a combination of the following information: a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the at least one statistical window, the sampling interval at which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled, an average value of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments, or signal attribute information of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, where the signal attribute information includes wireless local area network WLAN configuration information or cell configuration information.

With reference to any one of the first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, or the first to the fifth possible implementations of the first example to understand the present application, in a sixth possible implementation of the first aspect of the first example to understand the present application, the sampling parameter information further includes a sampling window and a sampling window period that correspond to the unlicensed frequency, the sampling window is used to indicate a time length in which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled in each sampling window period, and a time length of the sampling interval is less than the time length of the sampling window, and the sampling, by the user equipment, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, and obtaining the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments includes:
sampling, by the user equipment, for the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval according to the time length of the sampling window and the sampling window period, and obtaining the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments.

With reference to any one of the first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, or the first to the fifth possible implementations of the first example to understand the present application, in a seventh possible implementation of the first example to understand the present application, the sampling parameter information further includes a measurement time length and a measurement period, and the sampling, by the user equipment, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, and obtaining the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments includes:
sampling, by the user equipment, for the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval according to the measurement time length and the measurement period, and obtaining the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments.

With reference to any one of the first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, or the first to the seventh possible implementations of the first example to understand the present application, in an eighth possible implementation of the first example to understand the present application, any one of the statistical window, the sampling parameter information, or the reporting condition that is included in the configuration information is preset by the user equipment or obtained from the base station serving the user equipment.

With reference to any one of the first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, or the first to the eighth possible implementations of the first example to understand the present application, in a ninth possible implementation of the first example to understand the present application, the user equipment includes a physical layer and a radio resource control layer, where.

With reference to any one of the first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, or the first to the ninth possible implementations of the first example to understand the present application, in a tenth possible implementation of the first example to understand the present applicationn, the configuration information further includes frequency indication information, and the user equipment determines, according to the frequency indication information, the unlicensed frequency on which the RSSI value statistical result of the signal needs to be obtained.

A second aspect of the embodiments of the present invention discloses a signal processing method, performed by a base station or a processor of the base station, including:.

A second example not claimed but helpful to understand the present application discloses a signal processing method, including:.

With reference to an implementation of the second aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, in a first possible implementation of the second aspect of the second example to understand the present application, the configuration information includes sampling parameter information and/or at least one statistical window that are/is used to sample the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the sampling parameter information includes a sampling interval, and the at least one statistical window is a time length in which statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments are determined.

With reference to the second aspect of the embodiments of the present invention or the first possible implementation of the second example to understand the present application, in a second possible implementation of the second example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes a reporting condition used to trigger the user equipment to report the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, and the reporting condition includes any one of performing single reporting of an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to a single statistical window of the at least one statistical window, performing periodical reporting according to a preset reporting period, or performing event-based reporting according to information that indicates a preset event and that is included in the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency.

With reference to the second aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, or the first or the second possible implementation of the second example to understand the present application, in a third possible implementation of the second example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes at least one RSSI threshold, and the at least one RSSI threshold is used to divide, for each of the at least one statistical window, RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments included in the statistical window into at least one RSSI value range, and a ratio of a quantity of RSSI values at sampling moments that are included in the at least one RSSI value range to a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the statistical window is used as the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency.

With reference to the third possible implementation of the second aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, in a fourth possible implementation of the second example to understand the present application, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency further includes at least one of or a combination of the following information: a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the at least one statistical window, the sampling interval at which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled, an average value of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments, or signal attribute information of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, where the signal attribute information includes wireless local area network WLAN information or cell configuration information.

With reference to any one of the second aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, or the first to the fourth possible implementations of the second example to understand the present application, in a fifth possible implementation of the second example to understand the present application, the sampling parameter information further includes a sampling window and a sampling window period that correspond to the unlicensed frequency, the sampling window is used to indicate a time length in which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled in each sampling window period, and a time length of the sampling interval is less than the time length of the sampling window.

With reference to any one of the second aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, or the first to the fourth possible implementations of the second example to understand the present application, in a sixth possible implementation of the second example to understand the present application, the sampling parameter information further includes a measurement time length and a measurement period, the measurement time length is used to indicate a time length in which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled in each measurement period, and a time length of the sampling interval is less than the time length of the measurement time length.

A third example not claimed but helpful to understand the present application discloses user equipment, including:.

With reference to an implementation of the third example to understand the present application, in a first possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes a reporting condition and the reporting condition indicates single reporting, and the reporting module is specifically configured to report, to the base station, an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to a single statistical window of the at least one statistical window; and
the user equipment further includes:
a control module, configured to: after the reporting module reports, to the base station, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to the single statistical window of the at least one statistical window, control to stop sampling the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval.

With reference to the third example to understand the present application or the first possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, in a second possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes a reporting condition and the reporting condition indicates reporting according to a preset reporting period, and the reporting module includes:.

With reference to the third example to understand the present application, or the first or the second possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, in a third possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes a reporting condition and the reporting condition is reporting according to a preset event, and the user equipment further includes:
a judging module, configured to: determine whether the RSSI value statistical result includes information indicating the preset event; and if it is determined that the information indicating the preset event is included, trigger the reporting module to perform the operation of reporting the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station.

With reference to the third possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, in a fourth possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes at least one RSSI threshold, and the statistics determining module is specifically configured to: divide, for each of the at least one statistical window according to the at least one RSSI threshold, RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments included in the statistical window into at least one RSSI value range; and obtain a ratio of a quantity of RSSI values at sampling moments that are included in the at least one RSSI value range to a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the statistical window, and use the ratio of the at least one RSSI value range as a statistical result.

With reference to any one of the third example to understand the present application, or the first to the fourth possible implementations of the third example to understand the present application, in a fifth possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency further includes at least one of or a combination of the following information: a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the at least one statistical window, the sampling interval at which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled, an average value of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments, or signal attribute information of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, where the signal attribute information includes wireless local area network WLAN configuration information or cell configuration information.

With reference to any one of the third example to understand the present application, or the first to the fifth possible implementations of the third example to understand the present application, in a sixth possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, the sampling parameter information further includes a sampling window and a sampling window period that correspond to the unlicensed frequency, the sampling window is used to indicate a time length in which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled in each sampling window period, and a time length of the sampling interval is less than the time length of the sampling window, and the sampling module is specifically configured to: sample, for the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval according to the time length of the sampling window and the sampling window period, and obtain the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments.

With reference to any one of the third example to understand the present application, or the first to the fifth possible implementations of the third example to understand the present application, in a seventh possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, the sampling parameter information further includes a measurement time length and a measurement period, and the sampling module is specifically configured to: sample, for the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval according to the measurement time length and the measurement period, and obtain the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments.

With reference to any one of the third example to understand the present application, or the first to the seventh possible implementations of the third example to understand the present application, in an eighth possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, any one of the statistical window, the sampling parameter information, or the reporting condition that is included in the configuration information is preset by the user equipment or obtained from the base station serving the user equipment.

With reference to any one of the third example to understand the present application, or the first to the eighth possible implementations of the third example to understand the present application, in a ninth possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, the user equipment includes a physical layer and a radio resource control layer, where.

With reference to any one of the third example to understand the present application, or the first to the ninth possible implementations of the third example to understand the present application, in a tenth possible implementation of the third example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes frequency indication information, and the user equipment determines, according to the frequency indication information, the unlicensed frequency on which the RSSI value statistical result of the signal needs to be obtained.

A fourth example not claimed but helpful to understand the present application discloses a base station, including:.

With reference to an implementation of the fourth example to understand the present application, in a first possible implementation of the fourth example to understand the present application, the configuration information includes sampling parameter information and/or at least one statistical window that are/is used to sample the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the sampling parameter information includes a sampling interval, and the at least one statistical window is a time length in which statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments are determined.

With reference to the fourth example to understand the present application or the first possible implementation of the fourth example to understand the present application, in a second possible implementation of the fourth example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes a reporting condition used to trigger the user equipment to report the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, and the reporting condition includes any one of performing single reporting of an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to a single statistical window of the at least one statistical window, performing periodical reporting according to a preset reporting period, or performing event-based reporting according to information that indicates a preset event and that is included in the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency.

With reference to the fourth example to understand the present application, or the first or the second possible implementation of the fourth example to understand the present application, in a third possible implementation of the fourth example to understand the present application, the configuration information further includes at least one RSSI threshold, and the at least one RSSI threshold is used to divide, for each of the at least one statistical window, RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments included in the statistical window into at least one RSSI value range, and a ratio of a quantity of RSSI values at sampling moments that are included in the at least one RSSI value range to a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the statistical window is used as the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency.

With reference to the fourth example to understand the present application, or the third possible implementation of the fourth example to understand the present application, in a fourth possible implementation of the fourth example to understand the present application, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency further includes at least one of or a combination of the following information: a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the at least one statistical window, the sampling interval at which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled, an average value of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments, or signal attribute information of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, where the signal attribute information includes wireless local area network WLAN information or cell configuration information.

With reference to any one of the fourth example to understand the present application, or the first to the fourth possible implementations of the fourth aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, in a fifth possible implementation of the fourth example to understand the present application, the sampling parameter information further includes a sampling window and a sampling window period that correspond to the unlicensed frequency, the sampling window is used to indicate a time length in which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled in each sampling window period, and a time length of the sampling interval is less than the time length of the sampling window.

With reference to any one of the fourth example to understand the present application, or the first to the fourth possible implementations of the fourth example to understand the present application, in a fifth possible implementation of the fourth example to understand the present application, the sampling parameter information further includes a measurement time length and a measurement period, the measurement time length is used to indicate a time length in which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled in each measurement period, and a time length of the sampling interval is less than the time length of the measurement time length.

In the embodiments of the present invention, user equipment may obtain configuration information used to detect a received signal strength indicator RSSI value of a signal on an unlicensed frequency, sample the signal on the unlicensed frequency according to a sampling interval in the configuration information, obtain RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments, determine statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments included in at least one statistical window in the configuration information, and obtain an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency and report the RSSI value statistical result to a base station. The user equipment samples the signal on the unlicensed frequency, and can obtain all signals using the unlicensed frequency within a particular range from the user equipment, thereby avoiding interference of a hidden base station to the user equipment when the user equipment uses a selected idle unlicensed frequency. Further, in the embodiments of the present invention, RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at multiple sampling moments are obtained, and statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the multiple sampling moments are determined to obtain the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, thereby further improving accuracy of an RSSI value according to which the base station serving the user equipment selects an idle unlicensed frequency.

To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention more clearly, the following briefly describes the accompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments.

The following clearly and completely describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, each of <FIG> is a schematic diagram of a system architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention. A signal processing method disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention is applicable to, but not limited to, the foregoing three system architectures. As shown in <FIG>, single user equipment is connected to a core network by using a single base station. The base station includes two carriers; and one is a licensed carrier corresponding to a licensed frequency, and the other is an unlicensed carrier corresponding to an unlicensed frequency. As shown in <FIG>, single user equipment is connected to a core network by using multiple base stations. One of the base stations may include two carriers; and similarly, one is a licensed carrier corresponding to a licensed frequency, and the other is an unlicensed carrier corresponding to an unlicensed frequency. As shown in <FIG>, single user equipment may first be connected to a base station by using a carrier, and then the base station is connected to a base station controller, and the single user equipment is connected to a core network by using the base station controller. Similarly, the base station may include two carriers; and similarly, one is a licensed carrier corresponding to a licensed frequency, and the other is an unlicensed carrier corresponding to an unlicensed frequency. For the unlicensed frequency in <FIG>, in the signal processing method disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention, an RSSI value statistical result of a signal on the unlicensed frequency may be obtained, so that the base station selects an idle unlicensed frequency as a carrier for information exchange between the user equipment and the base station. The signal processing method can improve accuracy of an RSSI value according to which the base station serving the user equipment selects the idle unlicensed frequency. Detailed descriptions are separately provided below.

Referring to <FIG> is a schematic flowchart of a signal processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The signal processing method shown in <FIG> is described from the perspective of user equipment. As shown in <FIG>, the signal processing method may include the following steps.

The user equipment obtains configuration information used to detect a received signal strength indicator RSSI value of a signal on an unlicensed frequency, where the configuration information includes sampling parameter information and at least one statistical window that are of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the sampling parameter information includes a sampling interval, and the at least one statistical window is a time length in which statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments are determined.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the sampling parameter information and the statistical window in the configuration information used to detect the received signal strength indicator (Received Signal Strength Indicator, RSSI) value of the signal on the unlicensed frequency may be received from a base station, or may be preset by the user equipment. A manner of receiving the configuration information from the base station may be setting the configuration information by the base station according to a power consumption requirement or a requirement for accuracy of selecting an idle unlicensed frequency. A manner of directly obtaining the configuration information from the user equipment can reduce communications resources, signaling overheads, or the like between the user equipment and the base station. The configuration information includes multiple different unlicensed frequencies. The unlicensed frequencies may correspond to different sampling parameter information, or may correspond to same sampling parameter information. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, the sampling interval indicates a time interval between every two times of sampling. For example, the sampling interval may be one subframe or one symbol, indicating that sampling is performed once in each subframe or each symbol. Further, each time of sampling includes sampling duration that indicates a measurement time length of each time of sampling by the user equipment. If the sampling duration is equal to the sampling interval, it indicates that the user equipment performs continuous sampling. The sampling duration may be a predefined time length, or a time length configured by the base station.

The user equipment samples the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, and obtains the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments.

In this embodiment of the present invention, referring to <FIG> is a schematic diagram of sampling of a signal on an unlicensed frequency according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in <FIG>, the user equipment samples the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, and obtains RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments. The RSSI values at the sampling moments indicate idle degrees of the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments, and a smaller RSSI value indicates that the unlicensed frequency is idler at a sampling moment.

In another optional implementation, the sampling parameter information further includes a measurement time length and a measurement period, and the sampling, by the user equipment, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, and obtaining the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments includes:
sampling, for the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval according to the measurement time length and the measurement period, and obtaining the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments.

The user equipment determines statistics on the sampled RSSI values that are of the signal on the unlicensed frequency and that are included in the at least one statistical window, and obtains an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency.

In this embodiment of the present invention, as shown in <FIG>, the user equipment determines statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments by using a time length corresponding to the statistical window as a unit, and obtains an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency. The RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency may include RSSI value statistical results of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that correspond to multiple statistical windows.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the configuration information may further include at least one RSSI threshold. Correspondingly, in step S103, the determining, by the user equipment, statistics on the sampled RSSI values that are of the signal on the unlicensed frequency and that are included in the at least one statistical window, and obtaining an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency may be: dividing, for each of the at least one statistical window according to the at least one RSSI threshold, RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments that correspond to the statistical window into at least one RSSI value range; and obtaining a ratio of a quantity of RSSI values included in the at least one RSSI value range of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to a total quantity of the RSSI values at the sampling moments in the statistical window, and using the ratio of the at least one RSSI value range of the signal on the unlicensed frequency as a statistical result.

For example, a quantity of RSSI values at sampling moments that are included in one statistical window may be determined according to a time length of the statistical window and a time length of the sampling interval. It is set that the configuration information includes one RSSI threshold that is an RSSI threshold A. As shown in <FIG>, a single statistical window may include RSSI values at eight sampling moments. That is, an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to the single statistical window may include the eight RSSI values, an average RSSI value of the eight RSSI values, and a ratio of a quantity of RSSI values greater than the RSSI threshold A to the eight RSSI values and/or a ratio of a quantity of RSSI values less than the preset RSSI threshold A to the eight RSSI values. Correspondingly, as shown in <FIG>, the configuration information further includes another RSSI threshold B. The RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments that correspond to the statistical window may be divided into multiple ranges according to the RSSI threshold A and the RSSI threshold B. As shown in Table <NUM>, an RSSI value less than the RSSI threshold A is an RSSI value R5 at a sampling moment <NUM>, and a ratio is <NUM>/<NUM>. RSSI values greater than the RSSI threshold A and less than the RSSI threshold B are RSSI values R6 and R7 at sampling moments <NUM> and <NUM>, and a ratio is <NUM>/<NUM>. RSSI values greater than the RSSI threshold B are RSSI values R1, R2, R3, R4, and R8 at sampling moments <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, and a ratio is <NUM>/<NUM>. In this case, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to the single statistical window may further include the RSSI values at the sampling moments that are included in the at least one RSSI value range and the ratio of the RSSI values at the sampling moments that are included in the at least one RSSI value range to the total quantity of the RSSI values at the sampling moments in the statistical window.

In an optional implementation, the sampling parameter information in the configuration information may further include a sampling window and a sampling window period that correspond to the unlicensed frequency, the sampling window is used to indicate a time length in which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled in each sampling window period, and the time length of the sampling interval is less than the time length of the sampling window. If signals on multiple unlicensed frequencies need to be sampled, a respective sampling window or sampling window period may be configured for each unlicensed frequency. Correspondingly, in step S102, the sampling, by the user equipment, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, and obtaining the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments may be:
sampling, for the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval according to the time length of the sampling window and the sampling window period, and obtaining the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments.

Correspondingly, in step S103, the determining, by the user equipment, statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the at least one statistical window, and obtaining an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency may be: determining, by the user equipment according to the sampling window period, a quantity of at least one sampling window included in a single statistical window, determining statistics on sampled RSSI values included in each of the quantity of the at least one sampling window, obtaining an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to the single statistical window, and obtaining an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to the at least one statistical window and using the statistical result as the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency. It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the present invention, the multiple different unlicensed frequencies in the configuration information may correspond to different sampling windows and sampling window periods.

For example, as shown in <FIG>, a sampling window included in each sampling window period may include two sampling moments according to the time length of the sampling interval and one statistical window. The single statistical window on which statistics are determined may include two sampling windows. In this case, statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments included in the two sampling windows are determined, and an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency is obtained. For example, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency may include the RSSI values R1, R2, R3, and R4 at the sampling moments <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, that RSSI values at sampling moments in the statistical window that are greater than the RSSI threshold A and less than the RSSI threshold B are R3 and R4, that RSSI values at sampling moments in the statistical window that are greater than the RSSI threshold B are R1 and R2, and each sampling window included in the statistical window.

In another optional implementation, a sampling time may be controlled by configuring the measurement time length and the measurement period. In addition, the configuration information further includes frequency indication information, and the user equipment determines, according to the frequency indication information, the unlicensed frequency on which the RSSI value statistical result of the signal needs to be obtained. Multiple unlicensed frequencies may be determined according to the frequency indication information. If the multiple unlicensed frequencies need to be measured, the multiple unlicensed frequencies are in turn measured in the sampling time controlled by using the measurement time length and the measurement period. Correspondingly, in step S102, the sampling, by the user equipment, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, and obtaining the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments may be: sampling, for the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the signal on the unlicensed frequency in the measurement time length of the measurement period at the sampling interval according to the measurement time length and the measurement period, and obtaining the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments. If multiple unlicensed frequencies need to be measured, the measurement time length is used to sample signals on the multiple unlicensed frequencies in turn. For example, signals on different unlicensed frequencies may be sampled in measurement time lengths of different measurement periods at the sampling interval. Correspondingly, in step S103, the determining statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments according to the statistical window, and obtaining an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency may be: determining, for each of the at least one statistical window according to the measurement time length and the measurement period, at least one measurement time length included in the statistical window; and determining statistics on sampled RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency in each of the at least one measurement time length included in each statistical window, and obtaining the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency.

For example, as shown in <FIG>, a measurement time length included in each measurement period may include two sampling moments according to the time length of the sampling interval. Correspondingly, it may be determined according to a time length of a statistical window that one statistical window may include two measurement time lengths. Statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments included in the two measurement time lengths are determined, and an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency is obtained. For example, in the two measurement time lengths included in the statistical window, sampled RSSI values included in the first measurement time length are both greater than the RSSI threshold B, and sampled RSSI values included in the second measurement time length are both less than the RSSI threshold B.

The user equipment reports the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to a base station.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the user equipment may separately report RSSI value statistical results of signals on unlicensed frequencies to the base station, or may report RSSI value statistical results of signals on multiple unlicensed frequencies to the base station at the same time, to trigger the base station to select, according to the RSSI value statistical results of the signals on the multiple unlicensed frequencies, an idle unlicensed frequency. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency may include at least one of or a combination of the following information: a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the at least one statistical window, the sampling interval at which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled, an average value of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments, or signal attribute information of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, where the signal attribute information includes wireless local area network WLAN configuration information or cell configuration information.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the user equipment has a physical layer and a radio resource control layer. The physical layer samples the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, obtains the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments, and sends the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments to the radio resource control layer, and the radio resource control layer determines statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the at least one statistical window, and obtains the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency. Alternatively, the physical layer samples the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, obtains the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments, determines statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the at least one statistical window, obtains the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, and sends the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the radio resource control layer. The radio resource control layer reports the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station, to trigger the base station to select, according to the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, an idle unlicensed frequency.

In an optional implementation, if the configuration information further includes a reporting condition and the reporting condition is reporting according to a preset event, before performing step S104, the user equipment may further determine whether the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency includes information indicating the preset event; and if the RSSI value statistical result includes the information indicating the preset event, the user equipment performs step S104 to report the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station, to trigger the base station to select, according to the RSSI value statistical result, an idle unlicensed frequency. In this implementation, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency may be reported to the base station when the RSSI value statistical result includes the information indicating the preset event, so that the base station can learn a current state of the unlicensed frequency in time, and select an idle unlicensed frequency according to the preset event more accurately.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the information indicating the preset event may be information indicating that a ratio of a quantity of RSSI values at sampling moments in a single statistical window that are greater than or less than the RSSI threshold to a quantity of RSSI values at all sampling moments in the statistical window is greater than a preset ratio, or information indicating that the average value of the sampled RSSI values in the statistical window in the RSSI value statistical result corresponding to the unlicensed frequency is greater than or less than an RSSI value corresponding to a particular licensed frequency.

In the signal processing method described in <FIG>, user equipment may obtain configuration information used to detect a received signal strength indicator RSSI value of a signal on an unlicensed frequency, sample the signal on the unlicensed frequency according to a sampling interval in the configuration information, obtain RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments, determine statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments included in at least one statistical window in the configuration information, and obtain an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency and report the RSSI value statistical result to a base station. It can be learnt that, in this embodiment of the present invention, the user equipment samples the signal on the unlicensed frequency, and can obtain all signals using the unlicensed frequency within a particular range from the user equipment, thereby avoiding interference of a hidden base station to the user equipment when the user equipment uses a selected idle unlicensed frequency. Further, in this embodiment of the present invention, RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at multiple sampling moments are obtained, and statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the multiple sampling moments are determined to obtain the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, thereby further improving accuracy of an RSSI value according to which the base station serving the user equipment selects an idle unlicensed frequency.

Referring to <FIG> is a schematic flowchart of another signal processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. A difference between the signal processing method shown in <FIG> and the signal processing method shown in <FIG> lies in that configuration information in the signal processing method shown in <FIG> may further include a reporting condition, and user equipment may report an RSSI value statistical result of a signal on an unlicensed frequency to a base station according to the reporting condition. Specifically, the signal processing method may include the following steps.

The user equipment obtains configuration information used to detect a received signal strength indicator RSSI value of a signal on an unlicensed frequency.

The configuration information includes sampling parameter information and a statistical window that correspond to the unlicensed frequency, the sampling parameter information includes a sampling interval, and the at least one statistical window is a time length in which statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments are determined.

The user equipment samples the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, and obtains the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments.

The user equipment determines statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the at least one statistical window, and obtains an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency.

The user equipment reports the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station according to a reporting condition.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the user equipment reports the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station according to the reporting condition, to trigger the base station to select, according to the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, an idle unlicensed frequency.

In this embodiment of the present invention, step S201 to step S203 are the same as step S101 to step S103 in the foregoing embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, reference may be made to the related implementations and explanations in the foregoing embodiment of the present invention, and details are not described in this embodiment of the present invention again.

In an optional implementation, if the reporting condition in the configuration information is single reporting, in step S204, the reporting, by the user equipment, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station according to a reporting condition may be: reporting, by the user equipment to the base station, an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to a single statistical window. The user equipment may further control to stop sampling the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval. This implementation can not only improve accuracy of an RSSI value according to which the base station serving the user equipment selects an idle unlicensed frequency, but also can reduce power consumption of the user equipment and the base station during single reporting.

In another optional implementation, if the reporting condition in the configuration information is reporting according to a preset reporting period, in step S204, the reporting, by the user equipment, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station according to a reporting condition may be: determining, by the user equipment, a target quantity of statistical windows included in the preset reporting period; and reporting, to the base station, an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to the target quantity of statistical windows. This implementation can improve accuracy of an RSSI value according to which the base station serving the user equipment selects an idle unlicensed frequency, so that the base station evaluates an idle degree of the unlicensed frequency in each period according to an RSSI value having relatively high accuracy, so as to select an idle unlicensed frequency in each period more accurately.

For example, if the preset reporting period is six seconds, and a time length of a statistical window is two seconds, it may be determined that the target quantity of statistical windows included in the preset reporting period is <NUM>/<NUM>=<NUM>, and RSSI value statistical results of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that correspond to the three statistical windows may be reported to the base station.

In the signal processing method described in <FIG>, user equipment obtains configuration information used to detect an RSSI value of a signal on an unlicensed frequency, samples a signal on each unlicensed frequency according to a sampling interval included in sampling parameter information in the configuration information, obtains RSSI values of the signal on each unlicensed frequency at sampling moments, determines statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments according to a statistical window, obtains an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, and reports the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to a base station according to single reporting or reporting according to a preset reporting period that is indicated by a reporting condition in the configuration information. It can be learnt that, in this embodiment of the present invention, not only accuracy of an RSSI value according to which the base station serving the user equipment selects an idle unlicensed frequency can be improved, but also power consumption of the user equipment or the base station can be reduced.

Referring to <FIG> is a schematic flowchart of still another signal processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The signal processing method shown in <FIG> is described from a base station side. Specifically, as shown in <FIG>, the signal processing method may include the following steps.

A base station sends, to user equipment, configuration information used to detect a received signal strength indicator RSSI value of a signal on an unlicensed frequency.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the configuration information includes sampling parameter information and/or a statistical window that are/is of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, and the sampling parameter information includes a sampling interval. The user equipment samples the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, and obtains sampled RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency; the user equipment determines statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments included in at least one statistical window, and obtains an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency; and the user equipment sends the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station.

The base station receives an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that is obtained by the user equipment according to the configuration information.

The base station determines, according to the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, whether the unlicensed frequency is an idle unlicensed frequency used for communication with the user equipment.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the configuration information may further include a reporting condition used to trigger the user equipment to report the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, and the reporting condition includes any one of performing single reporting of an RSSI value statistical result corresponding to a single statistical window, performing periodical reporting according to a preset reporting period, or performing event-based reporting according to information that indicates a preset event and that is included in the RSSI value statistical result.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the configuration information may further include at least one threshold, and the at least one threshold is used to divide the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments into multiple RSSI value ranges, so that ratios of quantities of RSSI values at sampling moments that are included in the RSSI value ranges are used as the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency further includes at least one of or a combination of the following information: a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the at least one statistical window, the sampling interval at which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled, an average value of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments, or signal attribute information of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, where the signal attribute information includes wireless local area network WLAN information or cell configuration information.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the sampling parameter information further includes a sampling window and a sampling window period that correspond to the unlicensed frequency, the sampling window is used to indicate a time length in which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled in each sampling window period, and a time length of the sampling interval is less than the time length of the sampling window. Multiple different unlicensed frequencies in the configuration information may correspond to different sampling windows and sampling window periods.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the sampling parameter information further includes a measurement time length and a measurement period, the measurement time length is used to indicate a time length in which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled in each measurement period, and a time length of the sampling interval is less than the time length of the measurement time length. Multiple unlicensed frequencies in the configuration information may have a same measurement time length and a same measurement period.

In this embodiment of the present invention, before performing step S301, the base station may further send a query instruction, to query the user equipment whether the user equipment can obtain the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency and report the RSSI value statistical result to the base station, or whether the user equipment is willing to perform a related operation of obtaining the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency and reporting the RSSI value statistical result to the base station. If the user equipment returns a confirmation message in response to the query instruction, step S301 to step S303 may be performed.

In the signal processing method described in <FIG>, a base station may send configuration information used to detect an RSSI value of a signal on an unlicensed frequency to user equipment, and receive an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that is obtained by the user equipment according to the configuration information. In this embodiment of the present invention, the user equipment obtains the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency according to the configuration information, so that it can be avoided that the base station serving the user equipment cannot detect a signal of a hidden base station in a process of obtaining the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency and consequently the user equipment is interfered by the hidden base station when the user equipment uses a selected unlicensed frequency. In addition, the base station determines, according to the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, whether the unlicensed frequency is an idle unlicensed frequency used for communication with the user equipment. Therefore, accuracy of an RSSI value according to which the base station selects an idle unlicensed frequency is improved, and further, accuracy of the determined idle unlicensed frequency can be improved.

Referring to <FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of user equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in <FIG>, the user equipment may include an obtaining module <NUM>, a sampling module <NUM>, a statistics determining module <NUM>, and a reporting module <NUM>.

The obtaining module <NUM> is configured to obtain configuration information used to detect a received signal strength indicator RSSI value of a signal on an unlicensed frequency.

The configuration information includes sampling parameter information and at least one statistical window that are of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the sampling parameter information includes a sampling interval, and the at least one statistical window is a time length in which statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments are determined.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the sampling parameter information and the statistical window in the configuration information used to detect the received signal strength indicator (Received Signal Strength Indicator, RSSI) value of the signal on the unlicensed frequency may be received from a base station, or may be preset by the user equipment. A manner of receiving the configuration information from the base station may be setting the configuration information by the base station according to a power consumption requirement or a requirement for accuracy of selecting an idle unlicensed frequency. A manner of directly obtaining the configuration information from the user equipment can reduce communications resources, signaling overheads, or the like between the user equipment and the base station. The configuration information includes multiple different unlicensed frequencies. The unlicensed frequencies may correspond to different sampling parameter information, or may correspond to same sampling parameter information. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the sampling interval indicates a time interval between every two times of sampling. For example, the sampling interval may be one subframe or one symbol, indicating that sampling is performed once in each subframe or each symbol. Further, each time of sampling includes sampling duration that indicates a measurement time length of each time of sampling by the user equipment. If the sampling duration is equal to the sampling interval, it indicates that the user equipment performs continuous sampling. The sampling duration may be a predefined time length, or a time length configured by the base station.

The sampling module <NUM> is configured to: sample the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, and obtain the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments.

The statistics determining module <NUM> is configured to: determine statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the at least one statistical window, and obtain an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency.

The reporting module <NUM> is configured to report the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station.

For example, referring to the schematic diagram of sampling of the signal on the unlicensed frequency shown in <FIG>, the sampling module <NUM> may sample the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, and obtain RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments. The RSSI values at the sampling moments indicate idle degrees of the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments, and a smaller RSSI value indicates that the unlicensed frequency is idler at a sampling moment. In addition, the statistics determining module <NUM> may determine statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments by using a time length corresponding to the statistical window as a unit, and obtains an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency. The RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency may include RSSI value statistical results of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that correspond to multiple statistical windows.

Also referring to <FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of another user equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. The user equipment shown in <FIG> is obtained by optimizing the user equipment shown in <FIG>. The user equipment shown in <FIG> is specifically as follows.

In an optional implementation, the configuration information may further include a reporting condition and the reporting condition indicates single reporting, and the reporting module <NUM> is specifically configured to report, to the base station, an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to a single statistical window of the at least one statistical window.

Correspondingly, the user equipment shown in <FIG> may further include:
a control module <NUM>, configured to: after the reporting module <NUM> reports, to the base station, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to the single statistical window of the at least one statistical window, control to stop sampling the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval.

In an optional implementation, the reporting condition in the configuration information may further indicate reporting according to a preset reporting period, and the reporting module <NUM> in the user equipment shown in <FIG> may include:.

In still another optional implementation, the reporting condition in the configuration information may further indicate reporting according to a preset event, and the user equipment shown in <FIG> may further include:
a judging module <NUM>, configured to: determine whether the RSSI value statistical result includes information indicating the preset event; and if it is determined that the RSSI value statistical result includes the information indicating the preset event, trigger the reporting module to perform the operation of reporting the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station.

It should be noted that, the modules or units corresponding to the reporting manners described in the foregoing three implementations in this embodiment of the present invention may all exist in the user equipment, or one of the modules or units may exist in the user equipment. An example in which all the modules or units exist is used in <FIG> in this embodiment of the present invention, and a corresponding reporting manner is used according to specific content of the reporting condition.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the configuration information may further include at least one RSSI threshold. Correspondingly, the statistics determining module <NUM> is specifically configured to: divide, for each of the at least one statistical window according to the at least one RSSI threshold, RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments included in the statistical window into at least one RSSI value range; and obtain a ratio of a quantity of RSSI values at sampling moments that are included in the at least one RSSI value range to a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the statistical window, and use the ratio of the at least one RSSI value range as a statistical result. Specifically, reference may be made to related descriptions in <FIG> in the foregoing embodiment of the present invention, and details are not described herein again.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency may further include at least one of or a combination of the following information: a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the at least one statistical window, the sampling interval at which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled, an average value of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments, or signal attribute information of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, where the signal attribute information may include wireless local area network WLAN configuration information or cell configuration information.

In an optional implementation, the sampling parameter information further includes a sampling window and a sampling window period that correspond to the unlicensed frequency, the sampling window is used to indicate a time length in which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled in each sampling window period, and a time length of the sampling interval is less than the time length of the sampling window, and the sampling module is specifically configured to: sample, for the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval according to the time length of the sampling window and the sampling window period, and obtain the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments. Specifically, for sampling of the signal on the unlicensed frequency by the sampling module <NUM> according to the time length of the sampling window and the sampling window period, reference may be made to related descriptions corresponding to <FIG> in the foregoing embodiment of the present invention, and details are not described herein again.

In another optional implementation, the sampling parameter information further includes a measurement time length and a measurement period, and the sampling module is specifically configured to: sample, for the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval according to the measurement time length and the measurement period, and obtain the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments. Specifically, for sampling of the signal on the unlicensed frequency by the sampling module <NUM> according to the measurement time length and the measurement period, reference may be made to related descriptions corresponding to <FIG> in the foregoing embodiment of the present invention, and details are not described herein again.

In this embodiment of the present invention, any one of the statistical window, the sampling parameter information, or the reporting condition that is included in the configuration information is preset by the user equipment or obtained from the base station serving the user equipment.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the user equipment includes a physical layer and a radio resource control layer, where the physical layer may include the sampling module to perform the related operations of the sampling module, and send the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments to the radio resource control layer, and correspondingly, the radio resource control layer may include the statistics determining module, and may determine statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments according to the at least one statistical window, and obtain the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency;
or,
the physical layer may include the sampling module and the statistics determining module, and may perform the operations of the sampling module to sample the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling interval, and obtain the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments, and perform the operations of the statistics determining module to determine statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments according to the at least one statistical window, obtain the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, and send the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the radio resource control layer.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the configuration information may further include frequency indication information, and the user equipment determines, according to the frequency indication information, the unlicensed frequency on which the RSSI value statistical result of the signal needs to be obtained.

In addition, referring to <FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of another user equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. The user equipment may include a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, and an antenna <NUM>. The processor <NUM> invokes program code in the memory <NUM>, and may send processed information by using the antenna <NUM> over an <NUM> interface <NUM>, an <NUM> interface <NUM>, or a 3GPP interface <NUM>, or receive, by using the antenna <NUM>, information sent by another terminal to the user equipment. Specifically, the memory <NUM> may store program code corresponding to the obtaining module, the sampling module, the statistics determining module, and the reporting module. The processor <NUM> may invoke the program code in the memory <NUM>, to perform the operations of the obtaining module, the sampling module, the statistics determining module, and the reporting module by using the <NUM> interface <NUM>, the <NUM> interface <NUM>, or the 3GPP interface <NUM> (another communications interface may also be used, and this is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention), and the antenna <NUM>, to report an RSSI value statistical result of a signal on an unlicensed frequency to a base station.

Further, the memory <NUM> may store program code corresponding to the control module or the judging module. The processor <NUM> may invoke the program code in the memory <NUM>, to perform the related operations of the control or the judging module. For a specific optional implementation of an operation of the processor <NUM>, reference may be made to operations and descriptions of related modules in the embodiments of the present invention, and details are not described herein again.

Specifically, the user equipment described in <FIG>, <FIG>, or <FIG> in the embodiment of the present invention may perform some or all of the processes in the embodiment of the signal processing method described in the embodiments of the present invention with reference to <FIG>.

In the user equipments shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the obtaining module may obtain configuration information used to detect a received signal strength indicator RSSI value of a signal on an unlicensed frequency, the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled according to a sampling interval in the configuration information, RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments are obtained, statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments included in at least one statistical window in the configuration information are determined, and an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency is obtained and is reported to a base station. It can be learnt that, in this embodiment of the present invention, the user equipment samples the signal on the unlicensed frequency, and can obtain all signals using the unlicensed frequency within a particular range from the user equipment, thereby avoiding interference of a hidden base station to the user equipment when the user equipment uses a selected idle unlicensed frequency. Further, in this embodiment of the present invention, RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at multiple sampling moments are obtained, and statistics on the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the multiple sampling moments are determined to obtain the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, thereby further improving accuracy of an RSSI value according to which the base station serving the user equipment selects an idle unlicensed frequency. Further, in the user equipment shown in <FIG>, the reporting module may report the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency to the base station according to three reporting manners, that is, single reporting, reporting according to a preset reporting period, and reporting according to a preset event, that are indicated by a reporting condition in the configuration information. Therefore, not only accuracy of an RSSI value according to which the base station serving the user equipment selects an idle unlicensed frequency can be improved, but also power consumption of the user equipment or the base station can be reduced.

Referring to <FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of a base station according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in <FIG>, the base station may include a communications module <NUM> and a judging module <NUM>.

The communications module <NUM> is configured to send, to user equipment, configuration information used to detect a received signal strength indicator RSSI value of a signal on an unlicensed frequency, where the configuration information includes frequency indication information, and the user equipment determines, according to the frequency indication information, the unlicensed frequency on which an RSSI value statistical result of the signal needs to be obtained.

The communications module <NUM> is further configured to receive the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that is obtained by the user equipment according to the configuration information.

The judging module <NUM> is configured to determine, according to the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency received by the communications module <NUM>, whether the unlicensed frequency is an idle unlicensed frequency used for communication with the user equipment.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the configuration information includes sampling parameter information and/or at least one statistical window that are/is used to sample the signal on the unlicensed frequency, the sampling parameter information includes a sampling interval, and the at least one statistical window is a time length in which statistics on RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments are determined. Specifically, the sampling interval indicates a time interval between every two times of sampling. For example, the sampling interval may be one subframe or one symbol, indicating that sampling is performed once in each subframe or each symbol. Further, each time of sampling includes sampling duration that indicates a measurement time length of each time of sampling by the user equipment. If the sampling duration is equal to the sampling interval, it indicates that the user equipment performs continuous sampling. The sampling duration may be a predefined time length, or a time length configured by the base station.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the configuration information further includes a reporting condition used to trigger the user equipment to report the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, and the reporting condition includes any one of performing single reporting of an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that corresponds to a single statistical window of the at least one statistical window, performing periodical reporting according to a preset reporting period, or performing event-based reporting according to information that indicates a preset event and that is included in the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the configuration information may further include at least one RSSI threshold, and the at least one RSSI threshold is used to divide, for each of the at least one statistical window, RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at sampling moments included in the statistical window into at least one RSSI value range, and a ratio of a quantity of RSSI values at sampling moments that are included in the at least one RSSI value range to a total quantity of the RSSI values of the signal on the unlicensed frequency at the sampling moments included in the statistical window is used as the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the sampling parameter information further includes a sampling window and a sampling window period that correspond to the unlicensed frequency, the sampling window is used to indicate a time length in which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled in each sampling window period, and a time length of the sampling interval is less than the time length of the sampling window.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the sampling parameter information further includes a measurement time length and a measurement period, the measurement time length is used to indicate a time length in which the signal on the unlicensed frequency is sampled in each measurement period, and a time length of the sampling interval is less than the time length of the measurement time length.

In addition, referring to <FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of another base station according to an embodiment of the present invention. The base station shown in <FIG> may include a base station processor <NUM>, a transmitter <NUM>, a receiver <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, and an antenna <NUM>. The memory <NUM> may store program code corresponding to the communications module and the judging module. The base station processor <NUM> may invoke the program code in the memory <NUM>, send, to user equipment by using the transmitter <NUM>, configuration information used to detect a received signal strength indicator RSSI value of a signal on an unlicensed frequency, and receive, by using the receiver <NUM>, an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that is obtained by the user equipment according to the configuration information. Correspondingly, the base station processor <NUM> may invoke the program code in the memory <NUM>, to determine whether the unlicensed frequency is an idle unlicensed frequency used for communication with the user equipment. For a specific optional implementation of an operation of the base station processor <NUM>, reference may be made to operations and descriptions of related modules in the embodiments of the present invention, and details are not described herein again.

Specifically, the base station described in <FIG> or <FIG> in the embodiment of the present invention may perform some or all of the processes in the embodiment of the signal processing method described in the embodiments of the present invention with reference to <FIG> or <FIG>.

In the base station shown in <FIG>, the communications module may send configuration information used to detect an RSSI value of a signal on an unlicensed frequency to user equipment, and receive an RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency that is obtained by the user equipment according to the configuration information. In this embodiment of the present invention, the user equipment obtains the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency according to the configuration information, so that it can be avoided that the base station serving the user equipment cannot detect a signal of a hidden base station in a process of obtaining the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency and consequently the user equipment is interfered by the hidden base station when the user equipment uses a selected unlicensed frequency. In addition, the judging module determines, according to the RSSI value statistical result of the signal on the unlicensed frequency, whether the unlicensed frequency is an idle unlicensed frequency used for communication with the user equipment. Therefore, in one aspect, accuracy of an RSSI value according to which the base station selects an idle unlicensed frequency is improved, and further, accuracy of the determined idle unlicensed frequency can be improved.

A person of ordinary skill in the art may understand that all or some of the steps of the methods in the embodiments may be implemented by a program instructing relevant hardware. The program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. The storage medium may include a flash memory, a read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), a random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), a magnetic disk, and an optical disc.

Claim 1:
A method performed by a user equipment or a processor of the user equipment, comprising:
obtaining (S101) from a base station, a statistical window; characterized by further obtaining from the base station a measurement duration in the statistical window and a measurement periodicity in the statistical window, the measurement duration is a time length for which a signal on an unlicensed frequency is sampled in the measurement periodicity and the statistical window is a time length in which received signal strength indicator, RSSI, values of samples of the signal are taken statistics of; and the method further comprising:
determining (S102) according to the measurement duration and the measurement periodicity, the RSSI values of the samples of the signal in the statistical window, comprising:
sampling the signal using a sampling interval of a symbol, according to the measurement duration and the measurement periodicity;
determining the RSSI values of the samples of the signal at the sampling moments in the statistical window;
determining (S103) statistics on the RSSI values of the samples of the signal, and obtaining a statistical result of the RSSI values of the samples of the signal;
reporting (S104) to the base station, the statistical result of the RSSI values of the samples of the signal.