CN115315906B

CN115315906B - Channel measurement method and communication device

Info

Publication number: CN115315906B
Application number: CN202080098856.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 秦启波; 范利; 种稚萌; 葛士斌; 汪洁; 毕晓艳
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-04-09
Filing date: 2020-04-09
Publication date: 2023-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 2040-04-09
Also published as: WO2021203373A1; CN115315906A

Abstract

The application provides a channel measurement method and a communication device, which can reduce pilot frequency overhead. The method comprises the following steps: the terminal equipment generates first indication information based on the received precoding reference signals so as to indicate K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs; the precoding of the precoding reference signal is determined by the K angle delay pairs, and the K angle delay pairs and the K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs are used for constructing a precoding matrix; each of the K weighting coefficients is determined based on the precoded reference signals carried on a portion of the N frequency domain units, but not all of the frequency domain units, so that precoded reference signals corresponding to more angular delay pairs are carried on the same time-frequency resource; the terminal equipment sends first indication information to the network equipment so that the network equipment can determine a precoding matrix corresponding to each frequency domain unit; wherein K and N are integers greater than 1.

Description

Channel measurement method and communication device

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of wireless communication, and more particularly, to a channel measurement method and a communication apparatus.

Background

In a large-scale multiple-input multiple-output (Massive MIMO) technology, a network device may reduce interference between multiple users and interference between multiple signal streams of the same user through precoding, which is beneficial to improving signal quality, implementing space division multiplexing, and improving spectrum utilization.

The terminal device may determine the precoding matrix based on, for example, downlink channel measurements and may wish to cause the network device to obtain, via feedback, the same or a similar precoding matrix as the precoding matrix determined by the terminal device. Specifically, the terminal device may instruct to construct the precoding matrix by feeding back one or more spatial vectors, one or more frequency domain vectors, and one or more weighting coefficients, for example. However, this feedback approach introduces a large feedback overhead.

In some communication technologies, such as frequency division duplex (frequency division duplexing, FDD) technology, there is some reciprocity between the uplink and downlink channels. The network device may use the estimation of the uplink channel to obtain reciprocal information of the downlink channel, such as time delay, angle, etc. The network device may pre-encode the downlink reference signal based on the time delay and the angle and then transmit the downlink reference signal, so as to reduce feedback overhead of the terminal device. However, since the network device performs precoding and transmission of the downlink reference signal for each terminal device separately, pilot overhead increases with the number of terminal devices.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a channel measurement method and a communication device, aiming at reducing pilot frequency overhead.

In a first aspect, a channel measurement method is provided, which may be performed by a terminal device, or may also be performed by a component (e.g. a circuit, a chip, or a chip system, etc.) configured in the terminal device. The application is not limited in this regard.

Specifically, the method comprises the following steps: generating first indication information, wherein the first indication information is determined based on a received precoding reference signal, precoding of the precoding reference signal is determined by K angle delay pairs, and each angle delay pair of the K angle delay pairs comprises an angle vector and a delay vector; the first indication information is used for indicating K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs, and the K angle delay pairs and the K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs are used for constructing a precoding matrix; each of the K weighting coefficients is determined based on a precoded reference signal carried on a portion of the N frequency domain units; wherein N is the number of frequency domain units contained in the transmission bandwidth of the reference signal, and K and N are integers greater than 1; and sending the first indication information.

In a second aspect, a channel measurement method is provided. The method may be performed by a network device or by a component (e.g., a circuit, chip, or system-on-a-chip, etc.) disposed in the network device. The application is not limited in this regard.

Specifically, the method comprises the following steps: receiving first indication information, wherein the first indication information is determined based on a precoding reference signal, precoding of the precoding reference signal is determined by K angle delay pairs, and each angle delay pair of the K angle delay pairs comprises an angle vector and a delay vector; the first indication information is used for indicating K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs, and the K angle delay pairs and the K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs are used for constructing a precoding matrix; each of the K weighting coefficients is determined based on a precoded reference signal carried on a portion of the N frequency domain units; wherein N is the number of frequency domain units contained in the transmission bandwidth of the reference signal, and K and N are integers greater than 1; and determining a precoding matrix corresponding to each frequency domain unit based on the first indication information.

Based on the technical scheme, the network equipment can load K angle delay pairs onto part of the frequency domain units in the N frequency domain units, so that the number of the frequency domain units loaded into one angle delay pair is reduced. If each angle delay pair is loaded on N frequency domain units, N frequency domain units are needed to bear the precoding reference signal corresponding to one angle delay pair; however, if each angle delay pair is loaded onto a part of the N frequency domain units, the N frequency domain units originally used for carrying one angle delay pair may be used for carrying precoding reference signals corresponding to more angle delay pairs. Therefore, under the condition that the number K of the angle delay pairs is fixed, pilot frequency overhead can be reduced, so that effective spectrum resources can be fully utilized. The terminal equipment can also determine the weighting coefficient corresponding to the angle delay pair according to the channel estimation value on the frequency domain unit loaded with the same angle delay pair, so that the calculation amount of the terminal equipment is reduced to a certain extent.

With reference to the first aspect or the second aspect, in some possible implementations, each of the K weight coefficients is determined by a precoded reference signal received on at least one of the N frequency-domain units, the at least one frequency-domain unit is a partial frequency-domain unit of the N frequency-domain units, and at least Q/D-1 frequency-domain units are spaced between any two of the at least one frequency-domain unit; q is an integer greater than 1, Q < K; d is pilot frequency density, D is more than 0 and less than or equal to 1; Q/D is an integer.

That is, the corresponding precoded reference signal for each angle delay pair may be uniformly distributed over the frequency domain at intervals of Q/D-1 frequency domain units, as if each angle delay pair were uniformly loaded onto N frequency domain units. Therefore, the terminal equipment can obtain the channel state information of each frequency domain position, which is favorable for obtaining more accurate measurement results.

In addition, under the condition that the number of the terminal devices is increased rapidly, the network device can reduce pilot frequency overhead by adjusting the angle delay logarithm Q corresponding to each reference signal port, and the method is flexible and convenient.

Further, each of the K weight coefficients is based on a sum of at least one estimate determined from the precoded reference signals received on the at least one frequency-domain unit, each of the at least one estimate being channel estimated based on the precoded reference signals received on one of the at least one frequency-domain unit.

As an embodiment, the pre-encoded reference signal corresponds to P reference signal ports, and the pre-encoding of the pre-encoded reference signal corresponding to each reference signal port includes a spatial domain weight and a frequency domain weight, and the pre-encoding of the pre-encoded reference signal corresponding to each reference signal port is determined by Q angle delay pairs of the K angle delay pairs; p is less than K, and P is a positive integer.

This approach may continue to follow prior art configurations for reference signal ports. That is, the time-frequency resources configured as the same reference signal port are still used to carry the reference signal of that reference signal port, but the reference signal of that reference signal port is a precoded reference signal loaded with Q angular delay pairs. The terminal device does not need to perceive a specific process of generating the pre-coding reference signal by the network device, and only needs to determine how to calculate the weighting coefficient corresponding to each angle delay pair according to the Q value. Therefore, compatibility is strong.

Optionally, Q angle vectors contained in the Q angle delay pairs are Q airspace weight vectors, and each airspace weight vector in the Q airspace weight vectors includes a plurality of airspace weights; the Q airspace weight vectors are used for alternately precoding the reference signals borne on the N frequency domain units; the Q angle delay pairs include Q delay vectors for determining N frequency domain weights, where the N frequency domain weights correspond to the N frequency domain units for precoding reference signals carried on the N frequency domain units.

That is, each of the Q angle vectors may be used as a precoded spatial weight vector. Q angle vectors corresponding to the same reference signal port may be polled on N frequency domain units. A portion of the frequency domain weights in the Q delay vectors may be loaded onto N frequency domain units. Q frequency domain weight vectors can be obtained by recombining the Q time delay vectors, and the length of each frequency domain weight vector is reduced compared with the length of the time delay vector, so that the number of loaded frequency domain units can be reduced.

Further, precoding corresponding to a P-th reference signal port in the P-th reference signal ports received on an N-th frequency domain unit in the N frequency domain units includes a spatial domain weight vector and at least one frequency domain weight; the airspace weight vector is the (p-1) Q+ (n-1)%Q+1 angle vector in the K angle vectors contained in the K angle delay pairs; the at least one frequency domain weight is a matrixThe value of the nth row and the p-th column; matrix->Is determined by a matrix F, which is a matrix constructed from the P delay vectors contained in the P angular delay pairs, matrix +.>And the matrix F satisfies:wherein,% represents the remainder operation, q: q: emd from the Q-th value to the last value, taking the Q as increment; n is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N, P is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to P, and N and P are positive integers.

The foregoing provides a specific implementation. Through the above formula, the spatial weight vector and the frequency domain weight loaded on each frequency domain unit by each reference signal port can be determined. It should be understood that the formulas shown above are only one possible implementation and should not be construed as limiting the application in any way.

With reference to the first aspect, in certain possible implementation manners of the first aspect, the method further includes: and receiving second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating reporting rules of the K weighting coefficients.

Accordingly, with reference to the second aspect, in some possible implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: and sending second indicating information, wherein the second indicating information is used for indicating reporting rules of the K weighting coefficients.

Since Q weighting coefficients may be determined for each reference signal port, the network device may further indicate a reporting rule for p×q (i.e., K) weighting coefficients corresponding to the P reference signal ports, so that the terminal device and the network device generate the first indication information and parse the first indication information according to the same reporting rule.

Optionally, coefficient c of the K weighting coefficients _p，q The P-th reference signal port corresponding to the P-th reference signal ports and the Q-th angle delay pair of the Q-th angle delay pairs corresponding to the P-th reference signal ports are integers, wherein P is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to P, and Q is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to Q.

One possible reporting rule is: and sequentially taking values from 1 to P to P, and reporting the corresponding Q coefficients for each value of P.

If the K weighting coefficients are expressed as a p×q dimensional matrix, the reporting rule is preferentially reported by rows.

Another possible reporting rule is: and sequentially taking values from 1 to Q to Q, and reporting the corresponding P coefficients for each Q value.

If the K weighting coefficients are expressed as a p×q dimensional matrix, the reporting rule is preferentially reported.

As another embodiment, the precoded reference signal corresponds to K reference signal ports, and the precoding of the precoded reference signal corresponding to each reference signal port is determined by one of the K angular delay pairs.

That is, each reference signal port is associated with an angular delay pair, and the number of reference signal ports P is equal to the number of angular delay pairs K. Based on such a design, the K weighting coefficients thus determined by the terminal device are the weighting coefficients corresponding to the K reference signal ports, as well as the weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angular delay pairs. The terminal device may report the K weighting coefficients in an existing manner.

Based on the above design, the frequency domain units corresponding to the pre-coded reference signals of each reference signal port are discretely distributed on the frequency domain. The frequency domain units corresponding to the same reference signal port are uniformly distributed by taking Q/D-1 frequency domain units as intervals.

With reference to the first aspect, in some possible implementations of the first aspect, precoding of the precoded reference signal corresponding to each of the K reference signal ports includes a spatial-domain weight vector and a frequency-domain weight vector; the spatial domain weight vector in the precoding corresponding to the kth reference signal port in the K reference signal ports is the angle vector of the kth angle delay pair in the K angle delay pairs, and the frequency domain weight vector corresponding to the kth reference signal port is determined by the delay vector of the kth angle delay pair.

That is, each of the K angle vectors may be used as a precoded spatial weight vector. The frequency domain units corresponding to the same reference signal port are uniformly distributed with the Q/D-1 frequency domain units as intervals, so that Q angle vectors are alternately used corresponding to the same time frequency position on the N frequency domain units. Each angle vector corresponds to a reference signal port.

K frequency domain weight vectors can be obtained by recombining the K time delay vectors. The frequency domain units corresponding to the same reference signal port are uniformly distributed with the Q/D-1 frequency domain units as intervals, so that the frequency domain weights in the Q time delay vectors are alternately used corresponding to the same time frequency position on the N frequency domain units. And (5) recombining partial frequency domain weight values in the Q time delay vectors to obtain Q frequency domain weight vectors. The length of each frequency domain weight vector is reduced compared with the time delay vector, so that the number of loaded frequency domain units can be reduced.

Further, the pre-coded frequency domain weight of the pre-coded reference signal of the kth reference signal port received on the nth frequency domain unit of the N frequency domain units is the nth element in the delay vector of the kth angle delay pair; n is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N, K is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to K, and N and K are integers.

With reference to the first aspect, in certain possible implementation manners of the first aspect, the method further includes: third indication information is received, and the third indication information is used for indicating the value of Q.

Accordingly, with reference to the second aspect, in some possible implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: and transmitting third indication information, wherein the third indication information is used for indicating the value of Q.

That is, the Q value can be flexibly configured.

The network device sends third indication information to the terminal device to indicate the value of Q, so that the terminal device can determine the frequency domain unit corresponding to each angle delay pair according to the Q value, and further determine the weighting coefficient corresponding to each angle delay pair.

The Q value may be indicated by the network device in various manners, and may be indicated explicitly or implicitly by an existing signaling or a newly added signaling. The application is not limited in this regard.

With reference to the first aspect or the second aspect, in some possible implementations, the value of Q is a predefined value.

That is, the Q value may be fixed.

In a third aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, which may be a terminal device, or a component in a terminal device. The communication device may comprise individual modules or units for performing the method of the first aspect and any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect.

In a fourth aspect, a communication device is provided that includes a processor. The processor is coupled to the memory and operable to execute instructions in the memory to implement the method of any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect. Optionally, the communication device further comprises a memory. Optionally, the communication device further comprises a communication interface, and the processor is coupled with the communication interface, and the communication interface is used for inputting and/or outputting information, and the information comprises at least one of instructions and data.

In one implementation, the communication device is a terminal device. When the communication device is a terminal device, the communication interface may be a transceiver, or an input/output interface.

Alternatively, the transceiver may be a transceiver circuit. Alternatively, the input/output interface may be an input/output circuit.

In another implementation, the communication device is a chip or a system of chips configured in a terminal device. When the communication device is a chip or a chip system configured in a terminal device, the communication interface may be an input/output interface, an interface circuit, an output circuit, an input circuit, a pin, or a related circuit, or the like. The processor may also be embodied as processing circuitry or logic circuitry.

In a fifth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, which may be a terminal device, or a component in a terminal device. The communication device may comprise individual modules or units for performing the method of the second aspect and any of the possible implementations of the second aspect.

In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided that includes a processor. The processor is coupled to the memory and operable to execute instructions in the memory to implement the method of any one of the possible implementations of the second aspect described above. Optionally, the communication device further comprises a memory. Optionally, the communication device further comprises a communication interface, and the processor is coupled with the communication interface, and the communication interface is used for inputting and/or outputting information, and the information comprises at least one of instructions and data.

In one implementation, the communication apparatus is a network device. When the communication apparatus is a network device, the communication interface may be a transceiver, or an input/output interface.

In another implementation, the communication device is a chip or a system of chips configured in a network device. When the communication device is a chip or a chip system configured in a network device, the communication interface may be an input/output interface, an interface circuit, an output circuit, an input circuit, a pin, or related circuits, etc. The processor may also be embodied as processing circuitry or logic circuitry.

In a seventh aspect, there is provided a processor comprising: input circuit, output circuit and processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive signals via the input circuit and to transmit signals via the output circuit, such that the processor performs the method of any one of the possible implementations of the first and second aspects.

In a specific implementation process, the processor may be a chip, the input circuit may be an input pin, the output circuit may be an output pin, and the processing circuit may be a transistor, a gate circuit, a trigger, various logic circuits, and the like. The input signal received by the input circuit may be received and input by, for example and without limitation, a receiver, the output signal may be output by, for example and without limitation, a transmitter and transmitted by a transmitter, and the input circuit and the output circuit may be the same circuit, which functions as the input circuit and the output circuit, respectively, at different times. The embodiment of the application does not limit the specific implementation modes of the processor and various circuits.

In an eighth aspect, a processing device is provided that includes a communication interface and a processor. The communication interface is coupled with the processor. The communication interface is used for inputting and/or outputting information. The information includes at least one of instructions and data. The processor is configured to execute a computer program to cause the processing device to perform the method in any one of the possible implementations of the first and second aspects.

Optionally, the processor is one or more, and the memory is one or more.

In a ninth aspect, a processing apparatus is provided that includes a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to read instructions stored in the memory and is configured to receive a signal via the receiver and to transmit a signal via the transmitter, such that the processing means performs the method of any one of the possible implementations of the first and second aspects.

Optionally, the processor is one or more, and the memory is one or more.

Alternatively, the memory may be integrated with the processor or the memory may be separate from the processor.

In a specific implementation process, the memory may be a non-transient (non-transitory) memory, for example, a Read Only Memory (ROM), which may be integrated on the same chip as the processor, or may be separately disposed on different chips.

It will be appreciated that the relevant information interaction process, for example, transmitting the indication information may be a process of outputting the indication information from the processor, and receiving the indication information may be a process of inputting the received indication information to the processor. Specifically, the information output by the processing may be output to the transmitter, and the input information received by the processor may be from the receiver. Wherein the transmitter and receiver may be collectively referred to as a transceiver.

The apparatus in the eighth and ninth aspects may be a chip, and the processor may be implemented by hardware or software, and when implemented by hardware, the processor may be a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, or the like; when implemented in software, the processor may be a general-purpose processor, implemented by reading software code stored in a memory, which may be integrated in the processor, or may reside outside the processor, and exist separately.

In a tenth aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising: a computer program (which may also be referred to as code, or instructions) which, when executed, causes a computer to perform the method of any one of the possible implementations of the first and second aspects described above.

In an eleventh aspect, a computer readable medium is provided, which stores a computer program (which may also be referred to as code, or instructions) which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method in any one of the possible implementations of the first and second aspects.

In a twelfth aspect, a communication system is provided, comprising the aforementioned terminal device and network device.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system adapted for a channel measurement method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of precoding a reference signal based on a delay vector;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of loading an angular delay pair to a reference signal and determining weighting coefficients;

fig. 4 is a schematic flow chart of a channel measurement method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 and 6 show Q angular delay pairs corresponding to one reference signal port;

FIG. 7 shows the correspondence of weighting coefficients for each RB and each angular delay pair;

fig. 8 is a schematic flow chart of a channel measurement method according to another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of a plurality of reference signal ports distributed over N RBs;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are schematic block diagrams of communication devices provided by embodiments of the present application;

Fig. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13 is a schematic structural diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

The technical scheme of the application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The technical scheme provided by the application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: long term evolution (Long Term Evolution, LTE) system, LTE frequency division duplex (frequency division duplex, FDD) system, LTE time division duplex (time division duplex, TDD), universal mobile telecommunications system (universal mobile telecommunication system, UMTS), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (worldwide interoperability for microwave access, wiMAX) telecommunications system, future fifth generation (5th Generation,5G) mobile telecommunications system, or new radio access technology (new radio access technology, NR). The 5G mobile communication system may include a non-independent Networking (NSA) and/or an independent networking (SA), among others.

The technical scheme provided by the application can be also applied to machine type communication (machine type communication, MTC), inter-machine communication long term evolution (Long Term Evolution-machine, LTE-M), device-to-device (D2D) network, machine-to-machine (machine to machine, M2M) network, internet of things (internet ofthings, ioT) network or other networks. The IoT network may include, for example, an internet of vehicles. The communication modes in the internet of vehicles system are generally called as vehicle to other devices (V2X, X may represent anything), for example, the V2X may include: vehicle-to-vehicle (vehicle to vehicle, V2V) communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure (vehicle to infrastructure, V2I) communication, vehicle-to-pedestrian communication (vehicle to pedestrian, V2P) or vehicle-to-network (vehicle to network, V2N) communication, etc.

The technical scheme provided by the application can also be applied to future communication systems, such as a sixth generation mobile communication system and the like. The application is not limited in this regard.

In the embodiment of the application, the network device can be any device with a wireless receiving and transmitting function. The apparatus includes, but is not limited to: an evolved Node B (eNB), a radio network controller (radio network controller, RNC), a Node B (Node B, NB), a base station controller (base station controller, BSC), a base transceiver station (base transceiver station, BTS), a home base station (home evolved NodeB, or a home Node B, HNB, for example), a Base Band Unit (BBU), an Access Point (AP) in a wireless fidelity (wireless fidelity, wiFi) system, a wireless relay Node, a wireless backhaul Node, a transmission point (transmission point, TP), or a transmission reception point (transmission and reception point, TRP), etc., may also be 5G, e.g., NR, a gNB in a system, or a transmission point (TRP or TP), one or a group of base stations (including multiple antenna panels) in a 5G system, or may also be a network Node constituting a gNB or a transmission point, such as a baseband unit (BBU), or a Distributed Unit (DU), etc.

In some deployments, the gNB may include a Centralized Unit (CU) and DUs. The gNB may also include an active antenna unit (active antenna unit, AAU). The CU implements part of the functionality of the gNB and the DU implements part of the functionality of the gNB, e.g. the CU is responsible for handling non-real time protocols and services, implementing radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC), packet data convergence layer protocol (packet data convergence protocol, PDCP) layer functions. The DUs are responsible for handling physical layer protocols and real-time services, implementing the functions of the radio link control (radio link control, RLC), medium access control (medium access control, MAC) and Physical (PHY) layers. The AAU realizes part of physical layer processing function, radio frequency processing and related functions of the active antenna. Since the information of the RRC layer may eventually become information of the PHY layer or be converted from the information of the PHY layer, under this architecture, higher layer signaling, such as RRC layer signaling, may also be considered to be transmitted by the DU or by the du+aau. It is understood that the network device may be a device comprising one or more of a CU node, a DU node, an AAU node. In addition, the CU may be divided into network devices in an access network (radio access network, RAN), or may be divided into network devices in a Core Network (CN), which the present application is not limited to.

The network device provides services for the cell, and the terminal device communicates with the cell through transmission resources (e.g., frequency domain resources, or spectrum resources) allocated by the network device, where the cell may belong to a macro base station (e.g., macro eNB or macro gNB, etc.), or may belong to a base station corresponding to a small cell (small cell), where the small cell may include: urban cells (metro cells), micro cells (micro cells), pico cells (pico cells), femto cells (femto cells) and the like, and the small cells have the characteristics of small coverage area and low transmitting power and are suitable for providing high-rate data transmission services.

In the embodiment of the present application, the terminal device may also be referred to as a User Equipment (UE), an access terminal, a subscriber unit, a subscriber station, a mobile station, a remote terminal, a mobile device, a user terminal, a wireless communication device, a user agent, or a user equipment.

The terminal device may be a device providing voice/data connectivity to a user, e.g., a handheld device with wireless connectivity, an in-vehicle device, etc. Currently, some examples of terminals may be: a mobile phone (mobile phone), a tablet (pad), a computer with wireless transceiver function (e.g., a notebook, a palm, etc.), a mobile internet device (mobile internet device, MID), a Virtual Reality (VR) device, an augmented reality (augmented reality, AR) device, a wireless terminal in an industrial control (industrial control), a wireless terminal in an unmanned (self-drive), a wireless terminal in a telemedicine (remote medical), a wireless terminal in a smart grid (smart grid), a wireless terminal in a transportation security (transportation safety), a wireless terminal in a smart city (smart city), a wireless terminal in a smart home (smart home), a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a session initiation protocol (session initiation protocol, SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (wireless local loop, WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (personal digital assistant, PDA), a handheld device with wireless communication function, a computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, a wireless terminal in a wearable device, a land-based device, a future-mobile terminal in a smart city (smart city), a public network (35G) or a future mobile communication device, etc.

The wearable device can also be called as a wearable intelligent device, and is a generic name for intelligently designing daily wearing and developing wearable devices by applying a wearable technology, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothes, shoes and the like. The wearable device is a portable device that is worn directly on the body or integrated into the clothing or accessories of the user. The wearable device is not only a hardware device, but also can realize a powerful function through software support, data interaction and cloud interaction. The generalized wearable intelligent device includes full functionality, large size, and may not rely on the smart phone to implement complete or partial functionality, such as: smart watches or smart glasses, etc., and focus on only certain types of application functions, and need to be used in combination with other devices, such as smart phones, for example, various smart bracelets, smart jewelry, etc. for physical sign monitoring.

Furthermore, the terminal device may also be a terminal device in an internet of things (internet of things, ioT) system. IoT is an important component of future information technology development, and its main technical feature is to connect an item with a network through a communication technology, so as to implement man-machine interconnection and an intelligent network for object interconnection. IoT technology may enable massive connectivity, deep coverage, and terminal power saving through, for example, narrowband (NB) technology.

In addition, the terminal device may further include sensors such as an intelligent printer, a train detector, and a gas station, and the main functions include collecting data (part of the terminal device), receiving control information and downlink data of the network device, and transmitting electromagnetic waves to transmit uplink data to the network device.

For the convenience of understanding the embodiments of the present application, a communication system suitable for the channel measurement method provided in the embodiment of the present application will be described in detail with reference to fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a communication system 100 suitable for use in the method provided by an embodiment of the application. As shown, the communication system 100 may include at least one network device, such as network device 101 shown in fig. 1; the communication system 100 may also comprise at least one terminal device, such as the terminal devices 102 to 107 shown in fig. 1. Wherein the terminal devices 102 to 107 may be mobile or stationary. One or more of network device 101 and terminal devices 102-107 may each communicate over a wireless link. Each network device may provide communication coverage for a particular geographic area and may communicate with terminal devices located within the coverage area. For example, the network device may send configuration information to the terminal device, and the terminal device may send uplink data to the network device based on the configuration information; as another example, the network device may send downstream data to the terminal device. Thus, the network device 101 and the terminal devices 102 to 107 in fig. 1 constitute one communication system.

Alternatively, the terminal devices may communicate directly with each other. Direct communication between the terminal devices may be achieved, for example, using D2D technology or the like. As shown in the figure, communication may be directly performed between the terminal devices 105 and 106 and between the terminal devices 105 and 107 using D2D technology. Terminal device 106 and terminal device 107 may communicate with terminal device 105 separately or simultaneously.

Terminal devices 105 to 107 may also communicate with network device 101, respectively. For example, may communicate directly with network device 101, as terminal devices 105 and 106 in the figures may communicate directly with network device 101; or indirectly with the network device 101, as in the figure the terminal device 107 communicates with the network device 101 via the terminal device 105.

It should be appreciated that fig. 1 illustrates schematically one network device and a plurality of terminal devices, as well as communication links between the communication devices. Alternatively, the communication system 100 may include a plurality of network devices, and the coverage area of each network device may include other numbers of terminal devices, such as more or fewer terminal devices. The application is not limited in this regard.

Each of the above-described communication apparatuses, such as the network apparatus 101 and the terminal apparatuses 102 to 107 in fig. 1, may be configured with a plurality of antennas. The plurality of antennas may include at least one transmitting antenna for transmitting signals and at least one receiving antenna for receiving signals. In addition, each communication device may additionally include a transmitter chain and a receiver chain, each of which may include a plurality of components (e.g., processors, modulators, multiplexers, demodulators, demultiplexers, antennas, etc.) associated with the transmission and reception of signals, as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art. Thus, communication between the network device and the terminal device may be via multiple antenna technology.

Optionally, the wireless communication system 100 may further include a network controller, a mobility management entity, and other network entities, which are not limited thereto according to the embodiments of the present application.

For a better understanding of the embodiments of the present application, the following description is made before describing the embodiments of the present application.

First, for convenience of understanding, the following description will be given of the physical meanings indicated by the letters in the embodiments of the present application:

k: the number of the angle delay pairs, K is more than 1 and is an integer;

p: the reference signal port number, namely the port number after spatial domain precoding and frequency domain precoding are carried out on the reference signal, wherein P is more than or equal to 1 and is an integer;

q-1: the frequency domain unit number between two adjacent frequency domain units corresponding to the same angle delay pair is used for describing the minimum interval between the two frequency domain units corresponding to the same angle delay pair, and Q is more than 1 and is an integer;

d: pilot density, D > 0;

n: the number of frequency domain units contained in the transmission bandwidth of the reference signal, N > 1 and is an integer;

t: transmitting antenna port number, T > 1 and is integer;

f: the frequency domain weight matrix may be represented as a matrix with dimension n×k in the embodiment of the present application;

s: the airspace weight matrix can be expressed as a matrix with dimension of T multiplied by K in the embodiment of the application;

C: the coefficient matrix may be represented as a diagonal matrix of dimensions K x K in embodiments of the present application.

Second, in the embodiment of the present application, for convenience of description, when numbering is referred to, numbering may be continued from 1. For example, the N frequency domain units may include the 1 st to nth frequency domain units, the K angle delay pairs may include the 1 st to kth angle delay pairs, the P reference signal ports may include the 1 st to P reference signal ports, and so on. Of course, the specific implementation is not limited thereto. For example, the number may be continuously increased from 0. For example, the N frequency domain units may include the 0 th to N-1 th frequency domain units, the K angular delay pairs may include the 0 th to K-1 th angular delay pairs, the P reference signal ports may include the 0 th to P-1 th reference signal ports, etc., which are not illustrated herein for brevity.

It should be understood that the foregoing is provided for the purpose of illustrating the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present application.

Third, in the present application, a plurality of points relate to the sum of the transformation of the matrix and the vector and the operation of the function. For ease of understanding, a unified description is provided herein. The matrix a, parameters p, q, Q, a, b, N, and the like shown below are examples.

For matrix A, the superscript T denotes the transpose, e.g., A ^T Representing the transpose of matrix (or vector) a. The upper corner mark H indicates the conjugate transpose, e.g. A ^H Representing the conjugate transpose of matrix (or vector) a.

For matrix A, the function A (: p) represents taking the first row to the last row of the p-th column in matrix A, i.e., taking the p-th column in matrix A. A (q: a) represents taking the first column to the last column of the q-th row in matrix A, i.e., taking the q-th row in matrix A.

Further, the function A (a, Q, b, p) represents that the starting behavior a and the ending behavior b in the p-th column in the matrix are taken as increment values by taking Q as increment values. That is, the difference in the corresponding row numbers of the values taken in the matrix a is Q or an integer multiple of Q.

For example, function A (1, Q, end:, p) represents: for the p-th column of the matrix a, from the first row to the last row, the value is taken in increments of Q. Assuming that q=2, if the total number of rows is odd, it means that from row 1 of column p of the matrix a, the values from row 1, row 3, row 5, row 7 to the last row are taken; if the total number of rows is even, it means that the values from the 1 st row of the p-th column of the matrix a, the 1 st row, the 3 rd row, the 5 th row, the 7 th row, and the last but one row are taken.

The function diag () represents a diagonal matrix.

The function N% Q represents the remainder of taking N/Q.

Function ofThe expression rounding up is also denoted floor ().

Fourth, hereinafter, when it is described that Q-1 frequency domain units are spaced between two frequency domains, it may mean that the number of frequency domain units spaced apart excluding the two frequency domain units is Q-1. For example, rb#1 and rb#5 are spaced apart by 3 RBs. It will be appreciated that the number of intervals is different from the increment value described above. When the increment value is Q, the interval number is Q-1. Wherein Q is merely an example.

Fifth, in the embodiments shown below, the embodiments provided by the present application are described by taking the angle vector and the delay vector as column vectors as examples, but this should not be construed as limiting the present application in any way. Other and further possible manifestations will occur to those skilled in the art based on the same concepts.

Sixth, in the present application, "for indication" may include both for direct indication and for indirect indication. When describing that certain indication information is used for indicating A, the indication information may be included to directly indicate A or indirectly indicate A, and does not represent that the indication information is necessarily carried with A.

The information indicated by the indication information is referred to as information to be indicated, and in a specific implementation process, there are various ways of indicating the information to be indicated, for example, but not limited to, the information to be indicated may be directly indicated, such as the information to be indicated itself or an index of the information to be indicated. The information to be indicated can also be indicated indirectly by indicating other information, wherein the other information and the information to be indicated have an association relation. It is also possible to indicate only a part of the information to be indicated, while other parts of the information to be indicated are known or agreed in advance. For example, the indication of the specific information may also be achieved by means of a pre-agreed (e.g., protocol-specified) arrangement sequence of the respective information, thereby reducing the indication overhead to some extent. And meanwhile, the universal part of each information can be identified and indicated uniformly, so that the indication cost caused by independently indicating the same information is reduced. For example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the precoding matrix is composed of precoding vectors, and that each precoding vector in the precoding matrix may have the same portion in terms of composition or other properties.

The specific indication means may be any of various existing indication means, such as, but not limited to, the above indication means, various combinations thereof, and the like. Specific details of various indications may be referred to the prior art and are not described herein. As can be seen from the above, for example, when multiple pieces of information of the same type need to be indicated, different manners of indication of different pieces of information may occur. In a specific implementation process, a required indication mode can be selected according to specific needs, and the selected indication mode is not limited in the embodiment of the present application, so that the indication mode according to the embodiment of the present application is understood to cover various methods that can enable a party to be indicated to learn information to be indicated.

The information to be indicated can be sent together as a whole or can be divided into a plurality of pieces of sub-information to be sent separately, and the sending periods and/or sending occasions of the sub-information can be the same or different. Specific transmission method the present application is not limited. The transmission period and/or the transmission timing of the sub-information may be predefined, for example, predefined according to a protocol, or may be configured by the transmitting end device by transmitting configuration information to the receiving end device. The configuration information may include, for example, but not limited to, one or a combination of at least two of radio resource control signaling, medium access control (medium access control, MAC) layer signaling, and physical layer signaling. Wherein radio resource control signaling such as packet radio resource control (radio resource control, RRC) signaling; the MAC layer signaling includes, for example, a MAC Control Element (CE); the physical layer signaling includes, for example, downlink control information (downlink control information, DCI).

Seventh, the definitions listed for many characteristics (e.g., precoding matrix indicator (precoding matrix indicator, PMI), channel, RB, RBG, subband, PRG, RE, angle, and delay, etc.) by the present application are only used to explain the function of the characteristics by way of example, and reference is made to the prior art for details.

Eighth, the first, second and various numerical numbers in the embodiments shown below are merely for convenience of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of the present application. For example, different indication information is distinguished, etc.

Ninth, "predefined" or "preconfiguration" may be implemented by pre-storing corresponding codes, tables, or other manners in which related information may be indicated in devices (e.g., including terminal devices and network devices), and the present application is not limited to a specific implementation thereof. Where "save" may refer to saving in one or more memories. The one or more memories may be provided separately or may be integrated in an encoder or decoder, processor, or communication device. The one or more memories may also be provided separately as part of a decoder, processor, or communication device. The type of memory may be any form of storage medium, and the application is not limited in this regard.

Tenth, the "protocol" referred to in the embodiments of the present application may refer to a standard protocol in the field of communications, and may include, for example, an LTE protocol, an NR protocol, and related protocols applied in future communication systems, which is not limited in the present application.

Eleventh, "at least one" means one or more, and "plurality" means two or more. "and/or", describes an association relationship of an association object, and indicates that there may be three relationships, for example, a and/or B, and may indicate: a alone, a and B together, and B alone, wherein a, B may be singular or plural. The character "/" generally indicates that the context-dependent object is an "or" relationship. "at least one of" or the like means any combination of these items, including any combination of single item(s) or plural items(s). For example, at least one (one) of a, b, and c may represent: a, or b, or c, or a and b, or a and c, or b and c, or a, b and c. Wherein a, b and c can be single or multiple respectively.

Twelfth, in the embodiment of the present application, descriptions such as "when..times", "in the case of..times", "if" and "if" each refer to that a device (e.g., a terminal device or a network device) will make a corresponding process under some objective condition, are not limited in time, nor do the devices (e.g., terminal devices or network devices) require an action of determining when implemented, nor are other limitations meant to exist.

In order to facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present application, the following terms used in connection with the embodiments of the present application are briefly described.

1. Channel reciprocity: in some communication modes, such as TDD, the uplink and downlink channels transmit signals on different time domain resources on the same frequency domain resource. The channel fading experienced by the signals on the uplink and downlink channels can be considered the same within a relatively short time (e.g., the coherence time of the channel propagation). This is the reciprocity of the uplink and downlink channels. Based on the reciprocity of the uplink and downlink channels, the network device may measure the uplink channel from an uplink reference signal, such as a sounding reference signal (sounding reference signal, SRS). And the downlink channel can be estimated from the uplink channel so that a precoding matrix for downlink transmission can be determined.

However, in other communication modes, such as FDD, the uplink and downlink channels may not have complete reciprocity because the band spacing of the uplink and downlink channels is much greater than the coherence bandwidth, and the use of the uplink channel to determine the precoding matrix for downlink transmission may not be able to adapt to the downlink channel. However, the uplink and downlink channels in FDD mode still have partial reciprocity, e.g., angle reciprocity and delay reciprocity. Thus, the angle and the time delay may also be referred to as reciprocity parameters.

Signals may travel multiple paths from a transmitting antenna to a receiving antenna as they travel through a wireless channel. Multipath delays cause frequency selective fading, i.e., variations in the frequency domain channel. The time delay is the transmission time of the wireless signal on different transmission paths, and is determined by the distance and the speed, and has no relation with the frequency domain of the wireless signal. When signals are transmitted on different transmission paths, different transmission delays exist due to different distances. Since the physical location between the network device and the terminal device is fixed, the multipath profile of the uplink and downlink channels is the same over the delay. Thus, the uplink and downlink channels with delay in FDD mode may be considered the same, or reciprocal.

The angle may be an angle of arrival (AOA) at which a signal arrives at a receiving antenna via a wireless channel, or an angle of departure (angle of departure, AOD) at which a signal is transmitted via a transmitting antenna. In the embodiment of the application, the angle may refer to an arrival angle of an uplink signal reaching the network device, or may refer to an departure angle of the network device transmitting a downlink signal. The angle of arrival of the uplink reference signal and the angle of departure of the downlink reference signal may be considered reciprocal due to the reciprocity of the transmission paths of the uplink and downlink channels on different frequencies.

In an embodiment of the present application, each angle may be characterized by an angle vector. Each delay may be characterized by a delay vector. Thus, in embodiments of the present application, an angle vector may represent an angle and a delay vector may represent a delay.

Each angle vector may be combined with a delay vector described below to obtain an angle delay pair. In other words, an angular delay pair may include an angular vector and a delay vector.

2. Angle vector: may also be referred to as spatial vectors, beam (beam) vectors, etc. The angle vector may be understood as a precoding vector for beamforming (beamforming) the reference signal. The process of precoding the reference signal based on the angle vector may also be regarded as a process of spatial domain (or simply, spatial domain) precoding.

The angle vector may be a vector of length T. Where T may represent the number of transmit antenna ports, T > 1 and is an integer. For an angle vector with a length of T, it includes T spatial weights (or weights for short), where the T weights may be used to weight T transmit antenna ports, so that reference signals transmitted by the T transmit antenna ports have a certain spatial directivity, thereby implementing beamforming.

Precoding the reference signal based on different angle vectors is equivalent to beamforming the transmitting antenna port based on different angle vectors, so that the transmitted reference signal has different spatial directivities.

Optionally, the angle vector is a discrete fourier transform (Discrete Fourier Transform, DFT) vector. The DFT vector may refer to a vector in the DFT matrix.

Optionally, the angle vector is a conjugate transpose of the DFT vector. The DFT conjugate transpose may refer to a column vector in the conjugate transpose of the DFT matrix.

Optionally, the angle vector is an oversampled DFT vector. The oversampled DFT vector may refer to a vector in the oversampled DFT matrix.

In one possible design, the angle vector may be, for example, a two-dimensional (2 d) -DFT vector v defined in a type II codebook in release 15, R15, or R16, version 15 of the third generation partnership (3rd Generation Partnership Project,3GPP) specification (technical specification, TS) 38.214 _l，m . In other words, the angle vector may be a 2D-DFT vector or an oversampled 2D-DFT vector.

It should be understood that the above examples of specific forms of angular vectors are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the application in any way. For example, the delay vector may also be taken from the DFT matrix. The application is not limited to the specific form of the delay vector.

It should also be understood that an angle vector is one form proposed by the present application for representing an angle. The angle vectors are named for ease of distinction from the delay vectors only and should not constitute any limitation of the present application. The application does not exclude the possibility of defining other names in future protocols to represent the same or similar meanings.

If the actual downstream channel is denoted as V, V may be represented as a matrix of dimension R x T. Wherein R is the number of ports of a receiving antenna, and T is the number of ports of a transmitting antenna; r, T are all positive integers. In downlink transmission, a precoded reference signal obtained by precoding a reference signal based on an angle vector may be transmitted to a terminal device through a downlink channel, so that a channel measured by the terminal device according to the received precoded reference signal is equivalent to a channel loaded with the angle vector. For example, the angle vector a _k Loading into downstream channel V, which may be denoted Va _k . In other words, the angle vector is loaded onto the reference signal, i.e. the angle vector is loaded onto the channel.

3. Time delay vector: may also be referred to as a frequency domain vector. The delay vector is a vector for representing the change rule of the channel in the frequency domain. As previously described, multipath delays result in frequency selective fading. The time delay of the signal in the time domain can be equivalent to the phase gradation in the frequency domain as known from fourier transform.

Since the phase change of the channel in each frequency domain unit is related to the time delay, the change rule of the phase of the channel in each frequency domain unit can be represented by the time delay vector. In other words, the delay vector may be used to represent the delay characteristics of the channel.

The delay vector may be a vector of length N. Where N may represent the number of frequency domain units used to carry the reference signal, N > 1 and is an integer. For a delay vector of length N, it contains N frequency domain weights (or weights for short), which can be used to phase rotate N frequency domain units, respectively. By pre-coding the reference signals carried on the N frequency domain units, the frequency selection characteristic caused by multipath time delay can be pre-compensated. Thus, the process of precoding the reference signal based on the delay vector can be regarded as a process of frequency domain precoding.

Precoding the reference signal based on different delay vectors is equivalent to phase rotating each frequency domain unit of the channel based on different delay vectors. Also, the angle of phase rotation of the same frequency domain unit may be different.

Optionally, the delay vector is a DFT vector. The DFT vector may be a vector in the DFT matrix.

For example, the delay vector may be represented as b _k ，Wherein k=1, 2, &..; k can represent the number of delay vectors; f (f) ₁ ，f ₂ ，......，f _N The carrier frequencies of the 1 st, 2 nd to nth frequency domain units are represented, respectively.

Optionally, the delay vector is a conjugate transpose of the DFT vector. The DFT conjugate transpose may refer to a column vector in the conjugate transpose of the DFT matrix.

Optionally, the delay vector is an oversampled DFT vector. The oversampled DFT vector may refer to a vector in the oversampled DFT matrix.

It should be understood that the specific form of the upper Wen Duishi vector is merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the application in any way. For example, the delay vector may also be taken from the DFT matrix. The application is not limited to the specific form of the delay vector.

It should also be appreciated that the delay vector is one form proposed by the present application for representing the delay. The delay vector is named for ease of distinction from the angle vector only and should not be construed as limiting the application in any way. The application does not exclude the possibility of defining other names in future protocols to represent the same or similar meanings.

In downlink transmission, after the reference signal is precoded based on the delay vector, the precoded reference signal can be transmitted to the terminal device through the downlink channel, so that the channel measured by the terminal device according to the received precoded reference signal is equivalent to the channel loaded with the delay vector. In other words, the delay vector is loaded onto the reference signal, i.e. onto the channel. Specifically, a plurality of weights in the delay vector are respectively loaded on a plurality of frequency domain units of the channel, and each weight is loaded on one frequency domain unit.

Taking a frequency domain unit as a Resource Block (RB) as an example, if the reference signal is precoded based on a delay vector with a length of N, N weights in the delay vector may be respectively loaded onto the reference signals carried by N RBs, that is, N elements in the delay vector are respectively loaded onto N RBs. Will delay vector b _k Channel V with nth element loaded on nth RB _n Above, it can be expressed, for example, as

It should be appreciated that the reference signal is precoded based on a delay vector in a similar manner to the spatial precoding process, except that the spatial vector (or angular vector) is replaced with a delay vector.

It should be noted that, the frequency domain precoding of the reference signal based on the delay vector may be performed before the resource mapping, or may be performed after the resource mapping, which is not limited in the present application.

For ease of understanding, the following is a detailed description of the delay vector b _k A process of precoding the reference signal.

Fig. 2 shows a delay vector b based _k Schematic diagram of precoding reference signals carried on N RBs. The N RBs may include, for example, RB#1, RB#2 to RB#N. Each square in the figure represents one RB. Although not shown in the figure, it is understood that each RB in the figure may include one or more Resource Elements (REs) for carrying reference signals.

If the delay vector b is used _k And the phase rotation can be carried out on N RBs respectively by loading the phase rotation to the N RBs. The N weights in the delay vector may be in one-to-one correspondence with the N RBs. For example, the frequency domain vector b _k Elements of (a)Can be loaded on RB#1, the delay vector b _k Element->Can be loaded on RB#2, delay vector b _k Element->May be loaded on rb#n. Similarly, delay vector b _k N element->May be loaded on rb#n. For brevity, this is not a list.

It should be appreciated that FIG. 2 is only an example, showing the delay vector b _k Loaded to one instance of N RBs. But this should not be construed as limiting the application in any way. The N RBs for carrying the reference signal in fig. 2 may be consecutive N RBs or discontinuous N RBs, which is not limited in the present application.

It should also be understood that the foregoing description is only for convenience of understanding, and a time delay vector is taken as an example to illustrate the correspondence between the weights in the time delay vector and the frequency domain units, which should not be construed as limiting the present application. The network device may load more latency vectors onto the N RBs.

An example where RB is a frequency domain unit is shown above in connection with fig. 2. It should be understood that the application is not limited to a particular definition of frequency domain unit.

The frequency domain unit may be, for example, a subband, an RB group (resource block group, RBG), a precoding resource block group (precoding resource block group, PRG), or the like. The application is not limited in this regard.

Optionally, each frequency domain unit is one RB. Each element in the delay vector may be loaded onto one RB. In this case, the length N of the delay vector may be equal to the number of RBs in the wideband. For a delay vector, each weight corresponds to an RB.

Optionally, each frequency domain unit is a subband. Each element in the delay vector may be loaded onto one subband. In this case, the length N of the delay vector may be equal to the number of subbands in the wideband. For a delay vector, each weight corresponds to a subband.

4. Reference Signal (RS): may also be referred to as pilot (pilot), reference sequence, etc. In the embodiment of the present application, the reference signal may be a reference signal for channel measurement. For example, the reference signal may be a channel state information reference signal (channel state information reference signal, CSI-RS) for downlink channel measurement or an SRS for uplink channel measurement. It should be understood that the above listed reference signals are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the application in any way. The application does not exclude the possibility of defining other reference signals in future protocols to achieve the same or similar functionality.

In the embodiment of the application, the network device can precode the reference signal based on the angle vector and the delay vector, and generate the precoded reference signal or simply precoded reference signal. The process of precoding the reference signal based on the angle vector and the delay vector has been described above and is not repeated here for brevity.

Since the reference signals related in the present application are all reference signals subjected to precoding, the reference signals after precoding will be simply referred to as reference signals hereinafter for convenience of description.

5. Port (port): may also be referred to as an antenna port (antenna port). In an embodiment of the present application, the ports may include a transmit antenna port, a reference signal port, and a receive port.

The transmit antenna port may refer to an actual independent transmit unit (TxRU). For example, in downlink transmission, the transmit antenna port may refer to a TxRU of the network device. In the embodiment of the present application, the letter T may be used to indicate the number of transmit antenna ports, T > 1 and is an integer.

The reference signal port may refer to a port corresponding to a reference signal. Since the reference signal is precoded based on the angle vector and the delay vector, the reference signal port may refer to a port of the precoded reference signal. For example, each reference signal port corresponds to an angle vector and a delay vector. In the embodiment of the application, the letter P can be used for indicating the number of ports of the reference signal, and P is more than or equal to 1 and is an integer.

A receiving port may be understood as a receiving antenna of a receiving device. For example, in downlink transmission, the receiving port may refer to a receiving antenna of the terminal device. In the embodiment of the application, the letter R can be used for indicating the number of receiving ports, and R is more than or equal to 1 and is an integer.

The transmit antenna port and the reference signal port may both be referred to as transmit ports, corresponding to the receive ports.

6. Transmission bandwidth of reference signal: may refer to a bandwidth for transmitting a reference signal, which is a reference signal used for channel measurement, such as CSI-RS, etc. The transmission bandwidth of the reference signal may be, for example, a total bandwidth of resources of the reference signal transmitted by a certain terminal device, which is described below, for example, a total bandwidth of resources occupied by precoding reference signal resources of P reference signal ports transmitted by a certain terminal device.

In one possible design, the transmission bandwidth of the reference signal may be the frequency domain occupied bandwidth of the CSI measurement resources. The frequency domain occupied bandwidth of the CSI measurement resources may be configured by higher layer signaling, such as CSI occupied bandwidth range (CSI-Frequency Occupation), for example.

It should be understood that the transmission bandwidth of the reference signal is named for convenience of description only and should not be construed as limiting the application in any way. The application does not exclude the possibility of using other designations to express the same or similar meaning.

7. Pilot density: the ratio of the number of frequency domain units N in the transmission bandwidth of a reference signal to the number of Resource Elements (REs) occupied by the reference signal of the same reference signal port. For example, the pilot density of the reference signal of a certain reference signal port is 1, which may indicate that in the bandwidth occupied by the reference signal of the reference signal port, one RE is in each RB for carrying the reference signal of the reference signal port; for another example, the pilot density of the reference signal of a reference signal port is 0.5, which may indicate that, in the bandwidth occupied by the reference signal of the reference signal port, one RB of every two RBs includes an RE carrying the reference signal of the reference signal port, or that is, at least one RB is spaced between two RBs carrying the reference signal of the port.

In an embodiment of the present application, the pilot density may be a value less than or equal to 1. Alternatively, the pilot density is 1 or 0.5.

8. Space-frequency matrix: it can be understood as a channel matrix in the frequency domain, which can be used to determine the precoding matrix.

In the embodiment of the application, the space-frequency matrix can be used for determining the downlink channel matrix of each frequency domain unit, and further determining the precoding matrix corresponding to each frequency domain unit. The channel matrix corresponding to a certain frequency domain unit may be, for example, a conjugate transpose of a matrix constructed from column vectors corresponding to the same frequency domain unit in a space-frequency matrix corresponding to each receiving port. If the n-th column vector in the space-frequency matrix corresponding to each receiving port is extracted, a matrix with dimension of T x R can be obtained by arranging the n-th column vectors from left to right according to the sequence of the receiving ports, R represents the number of the receiving ports, and R is more than or equal to 1 and is an integer. The matrix is subjected to conjugate transposition to obtain a channel matrix V of an nth frequency domain unit _n 。

Channel matrix V of nth frequency domain unit _n Precoding matrices that can be used to determine the nth frequency domain element, e.g., for channel matrix V _n Singular value decomposition (singular value decomposition, SVD) can be performed to obtain the conjugate transpose of the precoding matrix. Alternatively, the channel matrix V _n SVD is performed to obtain a precoding matrix.

It should be understood that the method of determining the channel matrix and thus the precoding matrix from the space-frequency matrix described above is only one possible implementation provided by the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application in any way.

It should also be appreciated that the space-frequency matrix is an intermediate quantity used to determine the precoding matrix. In the above-described determination of the precoding matrix, the concept of a space-frequency matrix is introduced for ease of understanding and description, but this does not represent that the space-frequency matrix must be generated. Based on the same conception, the person skilled in the art may obtain different forms such as vectors or ordered arrays by different algorithms to replace the space-frequency matrix, thereby determining the precoding matrix. The application is not limited in this regard.

The space-frequency matrix may be denoted as H, and the space-frequency matrix may satisfy: h=fcs ^H . Where F may represent a matrix constructed from one or more delay vectors, S may represent a matrix constructed from one or more angle vectors, and C may represent a matrix constructed from weighting coefficients corresponding to each angle vector and each delay vector.

In the embodiment of the present application, for convenience of understanding and explanation, a matrix F constructed by one or more delay vectors is denoted as a frequency domain weight matrix, a matrix S constructed by one or more angle vectors is denoted as a spatial weight matrix, and a matrix C constructed by weighting coefficients corresponding to each angle vector and each delay vector is denoted as a coefficient matrix.

Wherein the coefficient matrix C may be, for example, a diagonal matrix of KxK, which may be expressed, for example, asThe frequency domain weight matrix F may be, for example, a matrix of dimension nxk, and may be represented as [ b ] ₁ ... b _K ]. The spatial weight matrix S may be, for example, a matrix of dimension T K, and may be represented as [ a ] ₁ ... a _K ]. Thus, the space-frequency matrix may satisfy:

it can be seen that each weighting coefficient in the coefficient matrix C corresponds to one delay vector in the frequency domain weight matrix F and one angle vector in the spatial domain weight matrix S. For example, for any integer value K from 1 to K, element C of the kth row and kth column in coefficient matrix C _k，k Is the weighting coefficient corresponding to the kth time delay vector in the frequency domain weight matrix F and the kth angle vector in the spatial weight matrix S.

The kth time delay vector in the frequency domain weight matrix F and the kth angle vector in the space domain weight matrix S can be combined to obtain an angle time delay pair, or called space frequency vector pair, space frequency pair, etc. Therefore, K angle delay pairs can be obtained by combining K delay vectors in the frequency domain weight matrix and K angle vectors in the airspace weight matrix, and each angle delay pair comprises an angle vector and a delay vector. The K angular delay pairs may correspond one-to-one to K weighting coefficients in coefficient matrix C. For example, the weighting coefficient C in the coefficient matrix C _k，k May correspond to the kth angle delay pair, i.e., the kth angle delay pair, of the kth angle vector and kth angle vector combination.

The K angle delay pairs are different from each other. Any two angle delay pairs may include different angle vectors and/or any two angle delay pairs may include different delay vectors. Alternatively, any two pairs of angular delays differ by at least one of: an angle vector and a delay vector. Thus, it will be appreciated that there may be one or more repetitions in the K delay vectors in the frequency domain weight matrix F One or more repeated angle vectors may exist in the K angle vectors in the spatial weight matrix S, which is not limited in the present application, as long as the K angle delay pairs obtained by combination are different from each other. In other words, the K angle delay pairs may be obtained by combining one or more mutually different angle vectors and one or more mutually different delay vectors. Time delay vector b above ₁ To b ₄ Angle vector a ₁ To a ₄ The subscripts 1 to K in (c) are merely for convenience in distinguishing between delay vectors and angle vectors corresponding to different angle delay pairs, independent of delay or angle in the vectors.

It should be appreciated that the frequency domain weight matrix F, the spatial domain weight matrix S, and the coefficient matrix C listed above are merely examples for ease of understanding. For example, the coefficient matrix C may not be represented in the form of a diagonal matrix. The coefficient matrix C may be represented as a matrix with dimensions l×m, where L represents the number of delay vectors, M represents the number of angle vectors, and L, M are positive integers; the frequency domain weight matrix F may be represented as an nxl matrix; the spatial weight matrix S may then be represented as a matrix of t×m. For any integer value L from 1 to L and any integer value M from 1 to M, element C of the mth column of the first row in the coefficient matrix C _l，m May correspond to the first one of the L delay vectors and the mth one of the M angle vectors, i.e., the weighting coefficients corresponding to the first and mth one of the delay vectors and the mth angle vector.

If the coefficient matrix C is expressed asThe frequency domain weight matrix F is represented as [ b ] ₁ ... b _L ]The spatial weight matrix S is denoted as [ a ] ₁ ... a _M ]The above space-frequency matrix H may satisfy:

it can be understood that the L delay vectors in the frequency domain weight matrix F are different from each other, and the M angle vectors in the angle weight matrix S are also different from each other, so that l×m angle delay pairs can be obtained by combining the L delay vectors and the M angle vectors.

It should be understood that the specific forms of the frequency domain weight matrix, the spatial domain weight matrix, and the coefficient matrix are merely examples for easy understanding, and should not be construed as limiting the present application in any way. Based on the same concepts, one skilled in the art may make mathematical transformations or equivalent substitutions on the frequency domain weight matrices, spatial domain weight matrices, and coefficient matrices listed above, such as transforming the matrices into vectors, or transforming the matrices into ordered sets, etc. Such mathematical transformations or equivalent substitutions do not affect the scope of the methods provided herein, and therefore are intended to fall within the scope of the present application.

It should also be appreciated that the relationship of the space-frequency matrix to the frequency domain weight matrix, the space-domain weight matrix, and the coefficient matrix listed above may be mathematically transformed or equivalently replaced by those skilled in the art based on the same concepts. For example, in another definition, the space-frequency matrix may satisfy: h=scf ^H And so on. Such mathematical transformations or equivalent substitutions do not affect the scope of the methods provided herein, and therefore are intended to fall within the scope of the present application.

From the above relation satisfied by the space-frequency matrix, the space-frequency matrix may be determined by a weighted sum of one or more angular delay pairs. For example, if the space-frequency matrix H satisfies h=fcs ^H The dimension of the space-frequency matrix H may be nxt; if the space-frequency matrix H satisfies h=scf ^H The dimension of the space-frequency matrix H may be t×n.

In connection with the foregoing, the network device may pre-load multiple angular delay pairs onto the reference signal, or alternatively, precode the reference signal based on the multiple angular delay pairs. After the reference signal is transmitted to the terminal device via the downlink channel, the terminal device may perform channel estimation based on the received reference signal, and perform full-band accumulation on the channel estimation values determined based on the reference signal received on the same frequency domain unit and corresponding to the same angle delay pair, so as to obtain a weighting coefficient corresponding to the angle delay pair. The terminal device may feed back weighting coefficients corresponding to the plurality of angle delay pairs to the network device, so that the network device reconstructs the downlink channel, and further determines a precoding matrix adapted to the downlink channel.

Fig. 3 shows a process of determining a weighting coefficient corresponding to one angle delay pair after loading the angle delay pair onto N RBs. As shown, the network device may precode the reference signal based on the kth angle delay pair of the K angle delay pairs, i.e., angle vector a of the kth angle delay pair _k And a delay vector b _k Respectively loaded on the N RBs shown in FIG. 3, the reference signals received on the N RBs can be respectively subjected to channel estimation to obtain N estimated values, and the estimated value on the N RB is recorded asIt is possible to obtain a weighting coefficient corresponding to the kth angle delay pair of +.>

Since the network device performs precoding and transmission of the reference signal for each terminal device separately, pilot overhead will increase linearly with the number of terminal devices. If the number of terminal devices in a cell is large, the pilot overhead becomes unacceptable.

In view of this, the present application provides a channel measurement method in order to reduce pilot overhead.

The channel measurement method provided by the embodiment of the application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It should be understood that the following details of the method provided by the embodiment of the present application are given only for the convenience of understanding and description, taking the interaction between the network device and the terminal device as an example. This should not be construed as limiting the subject matter of the implementation of the method provided by the present application. For example, the terminal device shown in the following embodiments may be replaced with a component (such as a circuit, a chip system, or other functional modules capable of calling and executing a program) configured in the terminal device; the network devices shown in the embodiments below may be replaced with components (e.g., circuits, chips, chip systems, or other functional modules capable of invoking and executing programs, etc.) in the configuration and network devices. As long as channel measurement can be achieved in the method provided according to the embodiment of the present application by running a program recorded with codes of the method provided according to the embodiment of the present application.

To avoid confusion, the following definitions are made: the K time delay pairs comprise K time delay vectors which are used for constructing a frequency domain weight matrix F, and the dimension of the constructed frequency domain weight matrix F is N multiplied by K; the K angle time delay pairs comprise K angle vectors which are used for constructing an airspace weight matrix S, and the dimension of the constructed airspace weight matrix S is T multiplied by K. The frequency domain unit is RB. The reference signal resource contains N RBs.

In addition, for easy understanding and explanation, the following embodiments take a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna port in one polarization direction as examples, and the channel measurement method provided by the embodiments of the present application is described. However, it should be understood that, taking a receiving port as an example, the channel measurement method provided by the embodiment of the present application is described. It will be understood that in the following embodiments, the polarization direction of the transmitting antenna of the network device is not limited, and the number of receiving antenna ports of the terminal device is not limited.

If the transmitting antenna of the network device is a plurality of polarization directions, such as a dual polarized antenna, the angle vector may still be a vector of length T. The network device may transmit the precoded reference signals corresponding to the same angular delay pair through the transmit antennas of both polarization directions. Satisfy h=fcs ^H The space-frequency matrix of (a) can be expressed as an n×2t-dimensional matrix, satisfying h=scf ^H The space-frequency matrix of (a) may be represented as a 2T x N dimensional matrix, and so on.

If there are multiple receiving antenna ports of the terminal device, the terminal device may perform measurement and feedback based on the same method described below. For example, the first indication information generated by the terminal device in the following embodiments may be used to indicate R sets of weighting coefficients, each set of weighting coefficients including K weighting coefficients corresponding to K angle delay pairs.

Fig. 4 is a schematic flow chart of a channel measurement method 400 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 4, the method 400 may include steps 410 through 450. The various steps in method 400 are described in detail below in conjunction with the figures.

In step 410, the network device generates a precoded reference signal.

The network device may precode the reference signal based on the K angular delay pairs to obtain a precoded reference signal. As previously described, the K angular delay pairs include one or more angle vectors and one or more delay vectors. The relationship between the angular delay pairs and the angular and delay vectors has been described in detail above and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

The one or more angle vectors and the one or more delay vectors may be stronger one or more angle vectors and stronger one or more delay vectors determined by the network device based on uplink channel measurements based on reciprocity of the uplink and downlink channels. For example, the network device may perform DFT determination of the spatial domain and the frequency domain on the uplink channel, or may determine the uplink channel by using an existing estimation algorithm, such as an angle and delay joint estimation (joint angle and delay estimation, jace) algorithm, or the like. The application is not limited in this regard.

The one or more angle vectors and the one or more delay vectors may also be statistically determined by the network device based on feedback results of one or more previous downlink channel measurements. The application is not limited in this regard.

In the embodiment of the application, in order to reduce pilot overhead, the network equipment can reduce the number of RBs loaded by each angle delay pair. For example, each delay vector is loaded onto a portion of the N RBs such that RBs loaded with reference signals of the same angular delay pair are discretely distributed among the N RBs. That is, each angular delay pair corresponds to a portion of the RBs of the N RBs.

As an embodiment, the network device may configure P reference signal ports for each terminal device, each reference signal port corresponding to Q angle delay pairs, i.e., the reference signal configured by the network device for each terminal device may be a precoded reference signal loaded with a total of p×q angle delay pairs. In other words, the precoded reference signal received by each terminal device corresponds to P reference signal ports, since each reference signal port corresponds to Q angular delay pairs, i.e., the precoded reference signal generated by the network device for each terminal device may correspond to p×q angular delay pairs. If the number of the angle delay pairs corresponding to the precoded reference signal generated for each terminal device is denoted by K, k=p×q.

For each reference signal port, each of the Q angle vectors included in the Q angle delay pairs includes a plurality of spatial weights, and the Q angle vectors may be used as Q spatial weight vectors for alternately precoding the reference signals on the N RBs. That is, Q angle vectors corresponding to one reference signal port are used for precoding-polling N RBs.

For each reference signal port, Q delay vectors included in the Q angular delay pairs are used to determine N frequency domain weights, which may correspond to N RBs, for precoding reference signals carried on the N RBs. That is, N frequency domain weights are determined from Q delay vectors corresponding to one reference signal port. The N frequency domain weights may be extracted from Q delay vectors.

For ease of understanding, Q angular delay pairs corresponding to one reference signal port are described below in conjunction with fig. 5 and 6. Let P be any integer value from 1 to P, assuming that the reference signal port is the P-th reference signal port of the P reference signal ports. The precoded reference signals shown in fig. 5 and 6 are carried over 18 RBs, with 4 angular delay pairs for each reference signal port. Wherein n=18, q=4. The 18 RBs may include RB#1 to RB#18.

Fig. 5 shows an example in which the pilot density D is 1. The pilot density of 1 indicates that there is one RE in each RB for carrying the reference signal of the same reference signal port. Although the REs in each RB are not shown in the figure, it is understood that one RE is in each of RB #1 to RB #18 in the figure to carry the precoded reference signal of the same reference signal port. Since each reference signal port may correspond to Q angular delay pairs, consecutive Q RBs corresponding to the same reference signal port may correspond to Q different angular delay pairs, i.e., each consecutive Q RBs corresponding to the same reference signal port may correspond to Q different angular delay pairs, respectively. So in fig. 5, every 4 consecutive RBs corresponding to the same reference signal port may correspond to 4 different angular delay pairs, respectively.

Assume that the 4 angle delay pairs shown in the figure corresponding to the same reference signal port include (a ₁ ，b ₁ )、(a ₂ ，b ₂ )、(a ₃ ，b ₃ )、(a ₄ ，b ₄ ). Rb#1, rb#5, rb#9, rb#13, rb#17 may correspond to the same angle delay pair (a ₁ ，b ₁ ) Rb#2, rb#6, rb#10, rb#14, rb#18 may correspond to the same angle delay pair (a ₂ ，b ₂ ) Rb#3, rb#7, rb#11, rb#15 may correspond to the same angle delay pair (a ₃ ，b ₃ ) Rb#4, rb#8, rb#12, rb#16 may correspond to the same angle delay pair (a ₄ ，b ₄ ). It can be seen that the minimum spacing between RBs corresponding to each angular delay pair in fig. 5 is 3 RBs. It can be seen that the number of RBs corresponding to each angle delay pair is not more thanAnd each. As in fig. 5, the number of RBs corresponding to each angle delay pair is 4 or 5.

To avoid confusion, fig. 5 (a) shows the angle vector a ₁ To a ₄ An example of loading onto each RB, FIG. 5 (b) shows the vector b of the time delay ₁ To b ₄ Examples of loading onto RBs.

Looking first at (a) in fig. 5, angle vector a ₁ Can be loaded on RB#1, RB#5, RB#9, RB#13, and RB#17, and angle vector a ₂ Can be loaded on RB#2, RB#6, RB#10, RB#14, and RB#18, angle vector a ₃ Can be loaded on RB#3, RB#7, RB#11, and RB#15, and angle directionQuantity a ₄ May be loaded on rb#4, rb#8, rb#12, rb#16. It can be found that the angle vector a is found on 18 RBs arranged in order of RB#1 to RB#18 ₁ To a ₄ Are alternately loaded onto each RB to form a plurality of loops, i.e., every 4 consecutive RBs corresponding to the same reference signal port may correspond to 4 different angle vectors, respectively.

See again (b) in fig. 5. In the case of n=18, d=1, the delay vector b ₁ To b ₄ The respective expressions are as follows:

as shown, the delay vector b ₁ The 1 st weight of (2)Can be loaded on RB#1, delay vector b ₂ Weight 2 +.>Can be loaded on RB#2, delay vector b ₃ Weight of 3 rd->Can be loaded on RB#3, delay vector b ₄ The 4 th weight of->Can be loaded on RB#4, delay vector b ₁ The 5 th weight of (a)Can be loaded on RB#5, delay vector b ₂ The 6 th weight of->Can be loaded on RB#6, delay vector b ₃ The 7 th weight of (a)>Can be loaded on RB#7, delay vector b ₄ The 8 th weight of (a)>Can be loaded on RB#8, and so on, until delay vector b ₂ The 18 th weight of (a)>Each successive 4 RBs loaded on rb#18, i.e., corresponding to the same reference signal port, may correspond to 4 different delay vectors, respectively.

As can be seen in conjunction with the figure, the pilot density D is 1 and the length of the delay vector is N. In the case of n=18, q=4, 1 out of 18 weights in each delay vector is loaded onto one RB every 4 weights. Weights in the 4 delay vectors are loaded onto each RB in turn. That is, each 4 RBs of the 18 RBs form a loop, and the 4 RBs are alternately loaded from the respective delay vectors b from RB#1 to RB#4 ₁ To b ₄ From RB#5 to RB#8, which in turn are loaded with weights taken from the delay vector b, respectively ₁ To b ₄ From RB#9 to RB#12, which in turn are loaded with weights taken from the delay vector b, respectively ₁ To b ₄ And so on, until 18 RBs are each loaded with a frequency domain weight.

Thus, the 18 RBs are loaded with 4 angle vectors and 4 delay vectors, i.e., 4 angle delay pairs. It can be seen that at a pilot density of 1, every two RBs loaded with the same angular delay pair are separated by at least 3 RBs, i.e., Q-1 RBs.

For each reference signal port, the network device may load Q angular delay pairs corresponding to the reference signal port onto N RBs based on the method described above.

In one implementation, the network device may perform the foregoing frequency domain weight matrix F constructed by K delay vectorsLine reorganization to obtain new frequency domain weight matrixAnd then the frequency domain weight matrix obtained based on recombination>The reference signal is frequency domain precoded.

Specifically, matrixAnd F can satisfy: /> Wherein q: q: end represents the Q-th to last, taking the value in Q as increment. For specific meaning of the function, reference is made to the foregoing description, and for brevity, no further description is given here.

For the p-th reference signal port, Q is traversed from 1 to Q from the corresponding Q delay vectors, so as to determine N frequency domain weights corresponding to the p-th reference signal port.

Q=1, 2, 3, 4 are substituted into the matrixAnd F, can be obtained by the following relation:

when q=1, starting from row 1 of column 1 in matrix F, extracting weights with Q as increment, the extracted weights being used as matrixFor example, in the above example, n=18, q=4, and then take the 1 st row, 5 th row, 9 th row, 13 th row, and 17 th row of the 1 st column in the matrix F.

When q=2, starting from row 2 of column 2 in matrix F, Q is taken asIncrement to extract weight, and the extracted weight is used as matrixFor example, in the above example, the 2 nd row, 6 th row, 10 th row, 14 th row, 18 th row of the 1 st column in the matrix F is taken.

When q=3, starting from row 3 of column 3 in matrix F, extracting weights with Q as increment, the extracted weights being used as matrixFor example, in the above example, the 3 rd row, 7 th row, 11 th row, 15 th row of the 3 rd column in the matrix F is taken.

When q=4, starting from row 4 of column 4 in matrix F, extracting weights in increments of Q, the extracted weights being used as matrixFor example, in the above example, the 4 th row, 8 th row, 12 th row, 16 th row of the 4 th column in the matrix F is taken.

For example, by a delay vector b ₁ To b ₄ The N frequency domain weights corresponding to the N RBs may be determined to be, in order, respectively:

based on the same method as described above, the network device may determine n×p frequency domain weights corresponding to P reference signal ports from K delay vectors. The N P frequency domain weights may construct an N P dimensional matrix, i.e., a matrixIs an N x P dimensional matrix.

Network equipment is based on matrixThe matrix is +.>The weight of the nth row and the nth column is loaded on the nth RB corresponding to the nth reference signal port.

It should be appreciated that matrix F-based recombination matricesThe frequency domain precoding of the reference signal is only one possible implementation, and should not be construed as limiting the application in any way. In the actual implementation, the matrix +.>May not necessarily be generated. The above procedure can be implemented by different algorithms based on the same idea by a person skilled in the art. The application is not limited in this regard.

When the network device performs spatial precoding on the reference signal, the spatial weight vector used can also be determined based on the reference signal port and RB number. The spatial weight vector used by the nth RB corresponding to the nth reference signal port may be the (p-1) th + (n-1)%q+1 th angle vector of the K angle vectors.

In combination with the above examples, q=4 and n=18, when p=1 and n=1, the corresponding spatial weight vector is the 1 st angle vector of the K angle vectors; when p=1 and n=2, the corresponding airspace weight vector is the 2 nd angle vector in the K angle vectors; when p=1 and n=3, the corresponding airspace weight vector is the 3 rd angle vector in the K angle vectors; when p=1 and n=4, the corresponding airspace weight vector is the 4 th angle vector in the K angle vectors; when p=1 and n=5, the corresponding airspace weight vector is the 1 st angle vector in the K angle vectors; when p=1 and n=6, the corresponding airspace weight vector is the 2 nd angle vector in the K angle vectors; when p=1 and n=7, the corresponding airspace weight vector is the 3 rd angle vector in the K angle vectors; when p=1 and n=8, the corresponding airspace weight vector is the 4 th angle vector in the K angle vectors; and so on. It can be found that the 1 st to 4 th angle vectors among the K angle vectors can be alternately loaded onto N RBs.

In the above, for the sake of understanding, the process of loading the reference signal with the plurality of angle delay pairs corresponding to each reference signal port in the embodiment of the present application is described with reference to a specific example. However, these examples are merely shown for the sake of understanding, and the above-listed correspondence between each spatial weight vector and each frequency domain weight and each reference signal port and each RB, and the formulas shown for the sake of understanding these correspondence are merely examples. Based on the same conception, one skilled in the art may make various possible mathematical transformations or equivalent substitutions to the above formulas. Such mathematical transformations or equivalent substitutions are intended to fall within the scope of the present application.

For a better understanding of the present embodiment, an example will be described below. Fig. 6 shows an example of the pilot density D of 0.5. The pilot density is 0.5, indicating that there is one RE in every two RBs for carrying the reference signal of the same reference signal port. For ease of distinction, RBs carrying precoded reference signals are shown with filled-in squares, and RBs not carrying precoded reference signals are shown with blank squares. It should be understood that fig. 6 shows RBs carrying precoded reference signals for only one reference signal port. In the case where there are a plurality of reference signal ports, it is also possible that a part of the precoded reference signals corresponding to the reference signal ports are carried on RBs shown in a blank square. In addition, although the RE in each RB is not shown in the figure, it is understood that every other RB in RB#1 through RB#18 in the figure contains one RE for carrying the reference signals of the same reference signal port. As shown in the figure, rb#1, rb#3, rb#5, rb#7, rb#9, rb#11, rb#13, rb#15, and rb#17 are used to carry reference signals of the same reference signal port, and the other RBs are not used to carry reference signals of the reference signal port. The illustration is only schematic, and the reference signals of the same reference signal port may be carried by 9 RBs of rb#2, rb#4, rb#6, rb#8, rb#10, rb#12, rb#14, rb#16, and rb#18. The description is not intended to be limiting.

Since each reference signal port may correspond to Q angular delay pairs, consecutive Q/D RBs corresponding to the same reference signal port may correspond to Q different angular delay pairs. So in fig. 6, consecutive 8 RBs corresponding to the same reference signal port may correspond to 4 different angular delay pairs.

Assume that the 4 angle delay pairs shown in the figure corresponding to the same reference signal port include (a ₁ ，b ₁ )、(a ₂ ，b ₂ )、(a ₃ ，b ₃ )、(a ₄ ，b ₄ ). Rb#1, rb#9, rb#17 may correspond to the same angle delay pair (a ₁ ，b ₁ ) Rb#3, rb#11 may correspond to the same angle delay pair (a ₂ ，b ₂ ) Rb#5, rb#13 may correspond to the same angle delay pair (a ₃ ，b ₃ ) Rb#7, rb#15 may correspond to the same angle delay pair (a ₄ ，b ₄ )。

Each angle vector is shown loaded onto a different RB in fig. 6. It can be found that the angle vector a is found on 18 RBs arranged in order of RB#1 to RB#18 ₁ To a ₄ Are alternately loaded onto 9 of the RBs for carrying the reference signal, forming a plurality of loops.

In the case of n=18, d=0.5, the delay vector may be a vector of length 9. The frequency domain weight vector for frequency domain weighting may be, for example, a slave delay vector b ₁ To b ₄ Or by the slave delay vector b ₁ To b ₄ The vector reconstructed by the extracted partial weight values.

The following shows the result of the delay vector b ₁ To b ₄ Reconstructed frequency domain weight vector b ₁ ' to b ₄ ' an example. From the delay vector b according to the interval between the loaded RBs ₁ To b ₄ Extracting corresponding weight values to obtain a frequency domain weight vector b ₁ ' to b ₄ ' are respectively represented as follows:

then, as shown in fig. 6, the delay vector b ₁ Weight 1 inCan be loaded on RB#1, delay vector b ₂ Weight 2 in>Can be loaded on RB#3, delay vector b ₃ Weight 3 in>Can be loaded on RB#5, delay vector b ₄ Weight 4 in>Can be loaded on RB#7, delay vector b ₁ Weight 5 in>Can be loaded on RB#9, delay vector b ₂ Weight 6 in>Can be loaded on RB#11, delay vector b ₃ Weight 7 in>Can be loaded on RB#13, delay vector b ₄ Weight 8 in>Can be loaded on RB#15, delay vector b ₁ Weight 9 in>Is loaded on rb#17.

As can be seen in connection with the accompanying drawingsThe frequency density D is 0.5, and the length of the delay vector is N/2. In the case of n=18, q=4, 1 out of 9 weights in each delay vector is loaded onto one RB. Weights in the 4 delay vectors are loaded onto each RB in turn. That is, every 4 RBs of the 18 RBs form a cycle. Starting from RB#1, 4 RBs of RB#1, RB#3, RB#5, and RB#7 are alternately loaded with weights respectively taken from the frequency domain weight vector b ₁ ' to b ₄ The 4 weights in'; the 4 RBs of RB#9, RB#11, RB#13, and RB#15 are alternately loaded with the frequency-domain weight vectors b ₁ ' to b ₄ The 4 weights in'; rb#17 is the last RB corresponding to the same reference signal port, and rb#17 is loaded with a weight vector b taken from the frequency domain ₁ ' 1 weight. Thus, 1 RB is loaded to one frequency domain weight every 1 RB among the 18 RBs.

Thus, the 18 RBs are loaded with 4 angle vectors and 4 delay vectors, i.e., 4 angle delay pairs. It can be seen that at least 7 RBs, i.e., Q/D-1 RBs, are spaced between every two RBs loaded with the same angular delay pair, with a pilot density D of 0.5.

Of course, in the case that the pilot frequency density D is not 1, the network device may still reconstruct the frequency domain weight matrix F based on the above method to obtain the frequency domain weight matrixAnd then the frequency domain weight matrix obtained based on recombination>The reference signal is frequency domain precoded. The specific process is the same as that described above, and for brevity, the description is omitted here.

Furthermore, the spatial weight vector used by the network device in spatial precoding the reference signal may also be determined based on the method described above. The spatial weight vector used by the nth RB corresponding to the nth reference signal port may be the (p-1) th + (n-1)%q+1 th angle vector of the K angle vectors. The specific process is the same as that described above, and for brevity, the description is omitted here.

It should be understood that the above is only for ease of understanding, and the procedure of how Q angle delay pairs corresponding to one reference signal port are loaded onto N RBs is described in detail by taking pilot densities D of 1 and 0.5, respectively. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that for any one of the pilot density values, the network device may precode the reference signal in both the spatial and frequency domains based on the methods described above.

Furthermore, as can be seen from the two examples above, the RBs corresponding to the same angular delay pair are arranged at intervals of Q/D-1 RB. The network device may configure the value of Q and/or D such that the value of Q/D is an integer.

It should also be appreciated that although the process of spatial precoding and frequency precoding of reference signals of one reference signal port by the network device is described in detail above in connection with fig. 5 and 6. But this should not be construed as limiting the application in any way. The same RB may correspond to a plurality of reference signal ports for carrying reference signals of the plurality of reference signal ports. The plurality of reference signal ports may multiplex the resources of the N RBs, for example, by frequency division multiplexing (frequency division multiplexing, FDM), time division multiplexing (time division multiplexing, TDM), code division multiplexing (code division multiplexing, CDM), or the like. The application is not limited in this regard.

The values of D, Q, N and the like described above are examples, and the present application should not be limited to these examples.

In step 420, the network device transmits a precoded reference signal. Accordingly, in step 420, the terminal device receives a precoded reference signal.

The network device may transmit the precoded reference signal to the terminal device over the pre-configured reference signal resources. The process of the network device transmitting the precoded reference signal to the terminal device may be the same as in the prior art, and will not be described in detail herein for brevity.

It will be appreciated that the network device may send reference signals for P reference signal ports, and the terminal device may receive reference signals for P reference signal ports.

In step 430, the terminal device generates first indication information for indicating K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs.

The terminal device may perform channel estimation based on the precoded reference signals received in step 420 to obtain channel estimation values corresponding to the reference signal ports on each RB. In the embodiment of the present application, each reference signal port corresponds to Q angular delay pairs, and the terminal device may determine Q weighting coefficients based on the precoded reference signal of each reference signal port. Then a total of P x Q weighting coefficients, i.e., K weighting coefficients, may be determined corresponding to the P reference signal ports.

When determining the K weighting coefficients, the terminal device needs to determine in advance the number P of reference signal ports, the number Q of angle delay pairs corresponding to each reference signal port, and which RBs each angle delay pair is loaded onto. That is, the D value, Q value, and P value need to be known in advance.

The pilot density D and the reference signal port number P may be indicated by existing signaling, for example, by configuration signaling of reference signal resources.

In this embodiment, Q and P may satisfy: k=p×q, so the terminal device only needs to know the values of any two of K, P, Q.

One possible case is that Q may be a fixed value. Optionally, Q is a predefined value, e.g., a protocol predefines a Q value. In this case, the network device only needs to indicate the D value, the P value by the existing signaling, and the terminal device can determine the D value, the P value, and the Q value.

Another possibility is that Q may be flexibly configured. Optionally, the method further comprises: the network device transmits third indication information for indicating the value of Q. Accordingly, the terminal device receives the third indication information. In other words, the third indication information is used for the terminal device to determine the value of Q.

The indication about Q may be an explicit indication or an implicit indication.

For example, the network device and the terminal device have agreed in advance the correspondence between the multiple possible values of Q and the multiple indexes, and the network device may indicate the Q value by indicating the index corresponding to the current Q value through the third indication information.

Or the network device and the terminal device agree in advance on the corresponding relation between a plurality of possible values of K/P and a plurality of indexes, and the network device can indirectly indicate the value of Q by indicating the ratio of K to P currently used through third indication information.

For another example, the protocol may predefine a correspondence between a plurality of possible values of Q and a plurality of values of the transmission bandwidth of the reference signal. For example, when the transmission bandwidth of the reference signal is 20 megabits (M), q=8; when the transmission bandwidth of the reference signal is 10M, q=4, and so on. The network device may implicitly indicate the Q value currently configured to the terminal device by indicating the bandwidth currently allocated to the terminal device through the third indication information. In this case, the third indication information may be, for example, existing configuration signaling regarding transmission bandwidth of the reference signal. For example, the signaling may be CSI-Frequency Occupation.

For another example, the network device may indicate the value of Q or the value of Q-1 directly by the third indication information.

For example, the network device may indicate the value of Q indirectly by indicating the value of K through the third indication information.

It should be understood that the third indication information may be, for example, an existing signaling, or carried in an existing signaling, or may be a newly added signaling. The application is not limited in this regard.

Of course, the network device may also indicate the value of one or more of D, K, P, Q by an additional signaling. The application is not limited in this regard.

After determining the D value, the P value, and the Q value, the terminal device may determine the K weighting coefficients. In this embodiment, each weighting coefficient of the K weighting coefficients may be determined by a precoding reference signal received on an RB corresponding to the same angle delay pair of the N RBs, and may specifically be obtained by accumulating and summing channel estimation values on the RBs corresponding to the same angle delay pair. As described above, each angle delay pair corresponds to a portion of the RBs of the N RBs, that is, each angle delay pair corresponds to a weighting coefficient obtained by cumulatively summing channel estimates over a portion of the RBs of the N RBs, without cumulatively summing channel estimates over the N RBs.

The following will take the example shown in fig. 5 as an example. The terminal device may receive the information corresponding to the angle delay pair (a ₁ ，b ₁ ) Is received on rb#2, rb#6, rb#10, rb#14, rb#18 corresponding to the pair of angular delays (a ₂ ，b ₂ ) Is received on rb#3, rb#7, rb#11, rb#15 corresponding to the pair of angular delays (a ₃ ，b ₃ ) Is received on rb#4, rb#8, rb#12, rb#16 corresponding to the pair of angular delays (a ₄ ，b ₄ ) Is used for the pre-coding of reference signals. As previously mentioned, the 4 angle delay pairs (a ₁ ，b ₁ )、(a ₂ ，b ₂ )、(a ₃ ，b ₃ )、(a ₄ ，b ₄ ) Corresponding to the p-th reference signal port. Therefore, the terminal device can receive the precoded reference signals corresponding to the same reference signal port on rb#1 to rb#18.

The weighting coefficient corresponding to each angle delay pair may be determined by the channel estimation value of the pre-encoded reference signal corresponding to the angle delay pair, and specifically may be the channel estimation value on each RB loaded with the angle delay pair is accumulated and summed. Each reference signal port in fig. 5 corresponds to 4 angle delay pairs, so that the terminal device performs channel estimation on the pre-coded reference signal of each reference signal port, and may obtain weighting coefficients corresponding to the 4 angle delay pairs.

As shown in fig. 5, the angular delay pair (a ₁ ，b ₁ ) The corresponding weighting coefficients may be based on the weights of RB#1, RB#5, and RB#9Precoding reference signal determination received on rb#13, rb#17. The terminal device is based on the received signal corresponding to the angle delay pair (a ₁ ，b ₁ ) And 5 channel estimation values can be obtained by performing channel estimation on the pre-coded reference signals of the (a). The accumulated sum of the 5 channel estimation values is the angle delay pair (a ₁ ，b ₁ ) Corresponding weighting coefficients.

Angle delay pair (a) ₂ ，b ₂ ) The corresponding weighting coefficients may be determined based on the precoded reference signals received on rb#2, rb#6, rb#10, rb#14, rb#18. The terminal device is based on the received signal corresponding to the angle delay pair (a ₂ ，b ₂ ) And 5 channel estimation values can be obtained by performing channel estimation on the pre-coded reference signals of the (a). The accumulated sum of the 5 channel estimation values is the angle delay pair (a ₂ ，b ₂ ) Corresponding weighting coefficients.

Similarly, the angular delay pair (a ₃ ，b ₃ ) The corresponding weighting coefficients may be an accumulated sum of 4 channel estimates determined based on the precoded reference signals received on rb#3, rb#7, rb#11, rb#15; angle delay pair (a) ₄ ，b ₄ ) The corresponding weighting coefficients may be an accumulated sum of 4 channel estimates determined based on the precoded reference signals received on rb#4, rb#8, rb#12, rb#16.

Fig. 7 shows the correspondence between each RB and the weighting coefficient of each angular delay pair in fig. 5. As shown, channel estimation values determined based on the precoding reference signals received on rb#1, rb#5, rb#9, rb#13, and rb#17 are respectively:the 5 channel estimation values are accumulated and summed to obtain the time delay pair (a ₁ ，b ₁ ) Corresponding weighting coefficients. Therefore, the time delay is equal to the angle delay (a) ₁ ，b ₁ ) Corresponding weighting coefficient c _p，1 Can satisfy the following conditions: />Wherein, the subscript p,1 represents the 1 st angle delay pair corresponding to the p-th reference signal port; the upper corner n represents the nth RB, Γ ₁ Representing RB loaded with the 1 st angle delay pair corresponding to the p-th reference signal port, e.g., Γ ₁ Including RB#1, RB#5, RB#9, RB#13, and RB#17.

Channel estimation values determined based on the precoding reference signals received on rb#2, rb#6, rb#10, rb#14, rb#18 are respectively:the 5 channel estimation values are accumulated and summed to obtain the time delay pair (a ₂ ，b ₂ ) Corresponding weighting coefficients. Therefore, the time delay is equal to the angle delay (a) ₂ ，b ₂ ) Corresponding weighting coefficient c _p，2 Can satisfy the following conditions:wherein, the subscript p,2 represents the 1 st angle delay pair corresponding to the p-th reference signal port; Γ -shaped structure ₂ Representing the RB loaded with the 2 nd angle delay pair corresponding to the p-th reference signal port, e.g. Γ ₂ Including RB#2, RB#6, RB#10, RB#14, and RB#18.

Based on the same method as above, the terminal device can determine the time delay pair (a ₃ ，b ₃ ) Corresponding weighting coefficient c _p，4 Can satisfy the following conditions:and angle delay pair (a) ₄ ，b ₄ ) Corresponding weighting coefficient c _p，4 Can satisfy the following conditions: />Wherein, the subscript p,3 represents the 3 rd angle delay pair corresponding to the p-th reference signal port; Γ -shaped structure ₃ Representing the RB loaded with the 3 rd angle delay pair corresponding to the p-th reference signal port, e.g., Γ ₃ Including RB#3, RB#7, RB#11, RB#15; subscript p,4 tableShowing a 4 th angle delay pair corresponding to a p-th reference signal port; Γ -shaped structure ₄ Representing RB loaded with the 4 th angle delay pair corresponding to the p-th reference signal port, e.g., Γ ₄ Including rb#4, rb#8, rb#12, rb#16.

Thus, the terminal device can determine 4 weighting coefficients corresponding to the p-th reference signal port.

Based on the same method, the terminal device may traverse the P value from 1 to P to obtain Q weighting coefficients corresponding to each reference signal port. The terminal device can determine p×q weighting coefficients, i.e., K weighting coefficients. If the K weighting coefficients are represented by a matrix, the K weighting coefficients can be represented as a coefficient matrix C as follows:

Wherein C in the coefficient matrix C _p，q The weighting coefficients corresponding to the P-th reference signal port of the P-th reference signal ports, the Q-th angle delay pair of the Q-th angle delay pairs corresponding to the P-th reference signal port, may be represented.

If the coefficient matrix C is represented as a p×q dimensional matrix, each row of the matrix corresponds to a reference signal port, and each row includes weighting coefficients of Q angular delay pairs corresponding to the reference signal port. If the coefficient matrix C is represented as a q×p dimensional matrix, each column of the matrix corresponds to a reference signal port, and each column includes weighting coefficients of Q angular delay pairs corresponding to the reference signal port.

The feedback of the terminal device to the K weighting coefficients may be reported in sequence according to a reporting rule indicated by the network device. Optionally, the method further comprises: the network device sends second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating the reporting rule. Accordingly, the terminal device receives the second indication information.

After the network device indicates the reporting rule to the terminal device through the second indication information, the terminal device may generate the first indication information based on the reporting rule and then send the first indication information to the network device in step 440.

The following describes the different reporting rules in detail with reference to specific examples.

Illustratively, one possible reporting rule is to report Q weighting coefficients corresponding to each reference signal port in sequence from the 1 st reference signal port to the P-th reference signal port. I.e., values are sequentially taken from 1 to P for P, and for each value of P, Q weighting coefficients corresponding to the values are reported,

taking the coefficient matrix C as the p×q dimensional matrix as an example, the terminal device may report preferentially according to rows, and report Q weighting coefficients in each row sequentially from row 1 to row P. For example according to c _1，1 、c _1，2 、......、c _1，Q 、c _2，1 、c _2，2 、......、c _2，Q 、......、c _P，1 、c _P，2 、......、c _P，Q And sequentially reporting K weighting coefficients.

Another possible reporting rule is to report the weighting coefficient of the 1 st angle delay pair corresponding to the P reference signal ports first, report the weighting coefficient of the 2 nd angle delay pair corresponding to the P reference signal ports, and so on until finally, report the weighting coefficient of the Q-th angle delay pair corresponding to the P reference signal ports. That is, Q is sequentially valued from 1 to Q, and P weighting coefficients corresponding to each Q are reported.

Taking the coefficient matrix C as the p×q dimensional matrix as an example, the terminal device may report P weighting coefficients in each column in sequence from the 1 st column to the Q column preferentially. For example according to c _1，1 、c _2，1 、......、c _P，1 、c _1，2 、c _2，2 、......、c _P，2 、......、c _1，Q 、c _2，Q 、......、c _P，Q And sequentially reporting K weighting coefficients.

The reporting of the K weighting coefficients by the terminal device may be reported, for example, using a quantized value, an index of quantized values, or other forms. The application is not limited in this regard.

In one possible implementation manner, the terminal device may normalize the K weighting coefficients, and quantize and report the normalized result. The normalization processing is processing for controlling the amplitude values of all the weighting coefficients within a range not exceeding 1 within a range of normalization units.

For example, the terminal device may perform normalization processing with a weighting coefficient having the largest magnitude among the K weighting coefficients as a reference. The terminal device may divide the magnitudes of the rest of the weighting coefficients except for the weighting coefficient having the largest magnitude by the magnitude of the weighting coefficient having the largest magnitude, respectively, to obtain ratios corresponding to the weighting coefficients. After normalization processing, the amplitude of the weighting coefficient with the largest amplitude is normalized to be 1, and the rest weighting coefficients are respectively the ratio of each weighting coefficient to the largest amplitude. The terminal device may generate the first indication information according to the reporting rule described above based on the quantized value of the result after each normalization. The terminal device may indicate the position of the weighting coefficient of the maximum amplitude, for example, a row and a column in the middle of the maximum amplitude of the coefficient matrix, through the first indication information, and may indicate quantized values corresponding to the remaining weighting coefficients through the first indication information.

In yet another example, the terminal device may compare the 1 st weighting coefficient of the K weighting coefficients, e.g., C in coefficient matrix C _1，1 Normalization processing is performed as a reference. The specific processing is similar to that described above and is not repeated here for brevity. Since the normalization processing is performed with the 1 st weighting coefficient among the K weighting coefficients being defined in advance as a reference, when the K weighting coefficients are indicated by the first indication information, the terminal device may directly indicate quantized values corresponding to the remaining weighting coefficients without indicating the positions of the weighting coefficients as references.

In fact, the terminal device may normalize the K weighting coefficients with any one of the K weighting coefficients as a reference. Specific implementations are described above with reference to the drawings, and are not repeated here for brevity.

It should be understood that, when the quantized values after normalization processing indicate the above K weighting coefficients, the terminal device does not necessarily actually indicate all the quantized values of the K weighting coefficients to the network device. For example, in the above example, the quantized value of the weighting coefficient serving as the reference may not be indicated, but the network device may still recover the K weighting coefficients according to the information indicated by the terminal device. The first indication information can thus be considered to indicate K weighting coefficients.

As can be seen from the foregoing description related to fig. 2, when the network device generates the precoded reference signal, each angle delay pair may be loaded onto each RB of the N RBs, and when the terminal device determines the weighting coefficient corresponding to each angle delay pair, the terminal device performs full-band accumulation on the channel estimation values obtained on the N RBs, that is, performs accumulation summation on the N channel estimation values. This method can coexist with the method provided by the present embodiment. The network device may select one of the factors, such as the current resource usage, the number of terminal devices, and the like, to perform downlink channel measurement. In other words, the precoded reference signals sent by the network device may be reference signals of K reference signal ports corresponding to K angle delay pairs, each angle delay pair being loaded onto N RBs; it is also possible that each reference signal port corresponds to Q angular delay pairs, each angular delay pair being loaded onto a portion of the RBs of the N RBs.

However, since the specific implementation of the generation of the precoded reference signal by the terminal device is not perceived by the network device, the terminal device does not know whether one reference signal port corresponds to one or multiple angle delay pairs, or whether the angle delay pairs loaded by the network device at the same location on the N RBs are the same or different delay pairs, i.e., whether the received precoded reference signal is generated in the manner shown in fig. 2 or in the manner shown in fig. 5 or 6. Therefore, the terminal device does not know whether to perform full-band accumulation on the channel estimation values of N RBs or perform accumulation summation on the channel estimation values of a part of the N RBs when determining an angle delay pair corresponding to the weighting coefficients.

In one implementation, the network device may pre-configure the behavior of the terminal device through signaling. For example, the network device may signal the terminal device to perform full-band accumulation on the channel estimation values on N RBs or perform accumulation summation on every other RB of the N RBs when determining an angle delay pair corresponding to the weighting coefficient.

In another implementation, the network device may implicitly indicate by the Q value. For example, if the network device indicates that the Q value is 1, it indicates that the minimum interval between two RBs corresponding to the same angle delay pair is 0, that is, RBs corresponding to the same angle delay pair are continuously distributed in N RBs, and the weighting coefficient corresponding to the angle delay pair may be determined by performing full-band accumulation on the channel estimation values on the N RBs. If the network device indicates that the Q value is greater than 1, it indicates that the minimum interval between two RBs corresponding to the same angle delay pair is 1 RB, that is, RBs corresponding to the same angle delay pair are discontinuously distributed in N RBs, and the channel estimation values may be accumulated and summed every Q/D-1 RB in the N RBs.

There are also many methods for the network device to indicate whether the Q value is greater than 1. For example by 1 indication bit, e.g. "1" for greater than 1 and "0" for equal to 1; also indicated, for example, by indicating a specific value of Q, the indications of which have been described in detail hereinabove and are not repeated here for the sake of brevity.

Further, as described above, the Q value may also be a fixed value. In this case, the system may agree to precode the reference signal and measure the channel in the manner described above.

In step 440, the terminal device transmits the first indication information. Accordingly, the network device receives the first indication information.

The first indication information may be, for example, channel state information (channel state information, CSI), a part of cells in CSI, or other information. Illustratively, the first indication information is a precoding matrix indication (precoding matrix indicator, PMI). The application is not limited in this regard. The first indication information may be carried in one or more messages in the prior art and sent to the network device by the terminal device, or may be carried in one or more messages in the new design and sent to the network device by the terminal device. The terminal device may send the first indication information to the network device, for example, through a physical uplink resource, such as a physical uplink shared channel (physical uplink share channel, PUSCH) or a physical uplink control channel (physical uplink control channel, PUCCH), so that the network device determines the precoding matrix based on the first indication information.

The specific method for the terminal device to send the first indication information to the network device through the physical uplink resource may be the same as that in the prior art, and for brevity, detailed description of the specific process is omitted here.

In step 450, the network device determines, according to the first indication information, a precoding matrix corresponding to each frequency domain unit.

Based on the received first indication information, the network device can recover K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs, and then can combine the frequency domain weighting matrix F and the space domain weighting matrix S used for pre-coding before to determine a pre-coding matrix.

For example, the network device may obtain Q weighting coefficients corresponding to each of the P reference signal ports based on a rule that the terminal device reports the K weighting coefficients. The network device may generate a K x K-dimensional diagonal matrix based on the K weighting coefficients, where K elements on a diagonal in the K x K-dimensional diagonal matrix are the K weighting coefficients. The K weight coefficients are in one-to-one correspondence with the K delay vectors in the frequency domain weight matrix F and the K angle vectors in the spatial domain weight matrix S. Thus, the network device may determine the space-frequency matrix H as follows:

Wherein,,element->Representing a recovery value, the diagonal matrix +.>K weighting coefficients recovered by the above network device may be +.>To->And constructing a K multiplied by K dimension diagonal array. Wherein (1)>And c above _p，q The correspondence of (2) can be determined by: k= (p-1) ×q+q. For example, a->May correspond to c above _1，1 ，/>May correspond to c above _1，2 ，/>May correspond to c above _P，Q . For brevity, this is not a list.

After determining the space-frequency matrix H, the network device may determine precoding applicable to each RB according to the downlink channel corresponding to each RB. Here, the precoding matrix corresponding to an RB may refer to a precoding matrix determined based on a channel matrix corresponding to the RB with an RB as granularity, or a precoding matrix determined based on a precoding reference signal received on the RB, and may be used to precode data transmitted through the RB. The downlink channel corresponding to an RB may be a downlink channel determined based on a precoding reference signal received on the RB, and may be used to determine a precoding matrix corresponding to the RB.

It should be understood that the above-illustrated calculation formula for determining the space-frequency matrix H is only one possible implementation provided by the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application in any way. The skilled person can make mathematical transformations or equivalent substitutions based on the same idea to determine the space-frequency matrix H. In addition, the space-frequency matrix H is not necessarily generated, and a person skilled in the art may even directly obtain the precoding matrix corresponding to each RB by using different algorithms.

Based on the above technical solution, the network device may load K angle delay pairs onto a part of RBs in the N RBs, so that the number of RBs loaded onto one angle delay pair is reduced. If each angle delay pair is loaded on N RBs, N RBs are needed to bear the precoding reference signals corresponding to one angle delay pair; however, if each angle delay pair is loaded onto a part of RBs in the N RBs, the N RBs originally used to carry one angle delay pair may be used to carry precoding reference signals corresponding to more angle delay pairs. In case the angular delay is fixed to the number K, the pilot overhead can be reduced. Under the condition that the number of terminal equipment is increased rapidly, pilot frequency overhead can be reduced by adjusting the angle delay logarithm Q corresponding to each reference signal port, so that effective spectrum resources are guaranteed to be fully utilized.

Correspondingly, in the embodiment of the application, the terminal equipment can also determine the weighting coefficient corresponding to the angle delay pair according to the channel estimation value on the RB loaded with the same angle delay pair, so that the calculated amount of the terminal equipment is reduced.

Meanwhile, the configuration of the reference signal port in the prior art can still be used in the embodiment of the application. That is, the time-frequency resources configured as the same reference signal port are used to carry the corresponding pre-coded reference signals for the Q angle delay pairs. The terminal device does not need to perceive a specific process of generating the pre-coding reference signal by the network device, and only needs to determine how to calculate the weighting coefficient corresponding to each angle delay pair according to the Q value. Therefore, the compatibility is strong, and the realization is flexible and convenient.

Fig. 8 is a schematic flow chart of a channel measurement method 800 according to another embodiment of the present application. Unlike the method shown in fig. 4 above, the reference signal ports in the channel measurement method shown in fig. 8 are in one-to-one correspondence with the angle delay pairs. That is, the reference signal port number P is equal to the angle delay logarithm K. The precoding reference signals corresponding to the same reference signal port are discretely distributed on N RBs.

As shown in fig. 8, the method 800 may include steps 810 through 850. The method shown in fig. 8 will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In step 810, the network device generates a precoded reference signal.

The network device may precode the reference signal based on the K angular delay pairs to obtain a precoded reference signal. As previously described, the K angular delay pairs include one or more angle vectors and one or more delay vectors. The relationship between the angle delay pairs and the angle vectors, the delay vectors, and the determination method of the K angle delay pairs have been described above, and are not repeated here for brevity.

To reduce pilot overhead, the network device may reduce the number of RBs loaded per angle delay pair such that each angle delay pair corresponds to a portion of the N RBs. For example, in the case of a pilot density D of 1, the RBs corresponding to each angular delay pair may be distributed at intervals of Q-1. Alternatively, the RBs corresponding to each angular delay pair may be distributed with Q/D-1 spacing. That is, one of the N RBs corresponds to the same angular delay pair for every Q/D RBs. The minimum distance between any two RBs corresponding to the same angle delay pair is Q/D-1 RB.

As an embodiment, the network device may configure K reference signal ports for each terminal device, where each reference signal port corresponds to an angle delay pair. That is, the reference signal configured by the network device for each terminal device may be a precoded reference signal loaded with K angle delay pairs. In other words, the precoded reference signals received by each terminal device correspond to K reference signal ports. Because the network device loads each angle delay pair onto a portion of the N RBs, and each reference signal port corresponds to one angle delay pair, each reference signal port is also discretely distributed over the N RBs. That is, RBs corresponding to each reference signal port may be distributed at intervals of Q/D-1. The minimum spacing between any two RBs corresponding to the same reference signal port is Q/D-1 RB.

Fig. 9 shows an example in which a plurality of reference signal ports are distributed over N RBs. As shown in fig. 9, n=18, q=4, d=1. The 18 RBs may include RB#1 to RB#18. Although not shown, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in the case where the pilot density D is 1, each RB in the figure has one RE for carrying a precoded reference signal of the same reference signal port.

Fig. 9 shows precoded reference signals for 4 reference signal ports, which may be denoted as port #1 through port #4. Different fill patterns in the figures represent different reference signal ports. Wherein port #1 may correspond to an angular latency pair (a ₁ ，b ₁ ) And are supported by rb#1, rb#5, rb#9, rb#13, and rb#17 out of 18 RBs in the figure. Port #2 may correspond to an angular latency pair (a ₂ ，b ₂ ) And are supported by rb#2, rb#6, rb#10, rb#14, and rb#18 out of 18 RBs in the figure. Port #3 may correspond to an angular latency pair (a ₃ ，b ₃ ) Is carried on rb#3, rb#7, rb#11, and rb#15 out of 18 RBs in the figure. Port #4 may correspond to an angular latency pair (a ₄ ，b ₄ ) And is carried on rb#4, rb#8, rb#12, and rb#16 out of 18 RBs in the figure. It can be seen that the minimum interval between RBs corresponding to each reference signal port in fig. 9 is 3 RBs.

Since each reference signal port corresponds to an angle delay pair, the precoding of the precoded reference signal corresponding to each reference signal port may be determined by an angle delay pair. Specifically, the precoding of the precoded reference signal corresponding to each reference signal port may include a spatial-domain weight vector and a frequency-domain weight vector. Each spatial weight vector is one angle vector in K angle delay pairs, and each frequency domain weight vector is determined by one delay vector in K angle delay pairs.

Let K reference signal ports correspond to K angle delay pairs one by one, and the spatial weight vector in precoding corresponding to the kth reference signal port in the K reference signal ports is the kth angle vector in the K angle delay pairs. The frequency domain weight vector in the precoding corresponding to the kth reference signal port in the K reference signal ports is determined by the kth delay vector in the K angle delay pairs.

In one possible design, each delay vector is a vector of length N. Each delay vector includes N weights. The frequency domain weight of the precoding of the kth reference signal port on the nth RB of the N RBs is the nth weight in the kth delay vector.

To avoid confusion, FIG. 9 (a) shows the angle vector a ₁ To a ₄ An example of loading onto each RB, FIG. 9 (b) shows the vector b of the time delay ₁ To b ₄ Examples of loading onto RBs.

Referring to fig. 9 (a), RBs corresponding to each angle vector are uniformly distributed in 18 RBs at intervals of 3 RBs. Each angle vector is loaded as a spatial weight vector onto the RB corresponding to the pair.

Referring to fig. 9 (b), RBs corresponding to each delay vector are also uniformly distributed in 18 RBs at intervals of 3 RBs. Each delay vector may be used to determine a frequency domain weight vector. As shown in the figure, the delay vector b ₁ The 1 st, 5 th, 9 th, 13 th, and 17 th weights in (a) can be used to construct a frequency domain weight vector, wherein the 5 weights are loaded on rb#1, rb#5, rb#9, rb#13, and rb#17, respectively. Time delay vector b ₂ The 2 nd, 6 th, 10 th, 14 th, 18 th weights can be used to construct a frequency domain weight vector, wherein 5 weights are loaded on rb#2, rb#6, rb#10, rb#14, rb#18, respectively. Time delay vector b ₃ The 3 rd, 7 th, 11 th and 15 th weights of (a) can be used forA frequency domain weight vector is formed, wherein 4 weights are respectively loaded on rb#3, rb#7, rb#11, and rb#15. B in the delay vector ₄ The 4 th, 8 th, 12 th, 16 th weights in the sequence may be used to form a frequency domain weight vector, where the 4 weights are loaded on rb#4, rb#8, rb#12, rb#16, respectively. It can be seen that the frequency domain weight loaded on each reference signal port is reduced, i.e. the length of the frequency domain weight vector is smaller than the length of the delay vector.

In one implementation manner, the network device may reconstruct the frequency domain weight matrix F constructed based on the K delay vectors to obtain a new frequency domain weight matrixAnd then the frequency domain weight matrix obtained based on recombination >The reference signal is frequency domain precoded. Network equipment reorganizes matrix based on matrix F>Reference is made to the relevant description of method 400 above, which is not repeated here for the sake of brevity.

It can be appreciated that a new frequency domain weight matrixThe length of each frequency domain weight vector is reduced compared with each frequency domain weight vector in the frequency domain weight matrix F.

Furthermore, although not shown in the figure, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that more REs for carrying reference signals may be included in the RB for carrying precoded reference signals for more reference signal ports.

In the above, for the sake of understanding, the process of loading the reference signal with the corresponding one angle delay pair of each reference signal port in the embodiment of the present application is described with reference to a specific example. However, these examples are merely shown for the sake of understanding, and the above-listed correspondence between each spatial weight vector and each frequency domain weight and each reference signal port and each RB, and the formulas shown for the sake of understanding these correspondence are merely examples. Based on the same conception, one skilled in the art may make various possible mathematical transformations or equivalent substitutions to the above formulas. Such mathematical transformations or equivalent substitutions are intended to fall within the scope of the present application.

The present embodiment is also applicable to the case where the pilot density is not 1. Such as pilot density of 0.5, etc. As its implementation is similar to that shown in fig. 9 above. Based on the above description related to fig. 6 and fig. 9, those skilled in the art can easily think of the correspondence between each spatial weight vector and each frequency domain weight and each reference signal port and each RB in the case where the pilot density is 0.5, and for brevity, the detailed description is not repeated in conjunction with the drawings.

In addition, similar to the method 400, in this embodiment, the RBs corresponding to the same angle delay pair (or, corresponding to the same reference signal port) are arranged at intervals of Q/D-1 RB. The network device may configure the value of Q and/or D such that the value of Q/D is an integer.

It should also be appreciated that the process of precoding reference signals of multiple reference signal ports by the network device may refer to the above detailed description, and for brevity, will not be repeated here. It is to be appreciated that the same RB can correspond to a plurality of reference signal ports for carrying reference signals of the plurality of reference signal ports. The plurality of reference signal ports may multiplex the resources of the N RBs, for example, by FDD, TDD, CDD or the like. The application is not limited in this regard.

In step 820, the network device transmits a precoded reference signal. Accordingly, in step 820, the terminal device receives a precoded reference signal.

It may be appreciated that the network device may send reference signals of K reference signal ports, and the terminal device may receive the reference signals of K reference signal ports.

In step 830, the terminal device generates first indication information for indicating K weighting coefficients corresponding to K angle delay pairs.

The terminal device may perform channel estimation based on the precoded reference signals received in step 420 to obtain channel estimation values corresponding to the reference signal ports on each RB. In the embodiment of the present application, each reference signal port corresponds to an angular delay pair, and the terminal device may determine a weighting coefficient based on the pre-encoded reference signal of each reference signal port. Then K weighting coefficients may be determined for K reference signal ports in total.

When determining the K weighting coefficients, the terminal device needs to determine in advance which RBs are loaded with the angle delay pair corresponding to each reference signal port, that is, needs to know the interval between the RBs loaded with each angle delay pair. The terminal device needs to know the D value, Q value, and K value in advance.

The pilot density D and the reference signal port number K may be indicated by existing signaling, for example, by configuration signaling of reference signal resources.

For a specific indication of the Q value, reference is made to the description of step 430 of method 400 above, which is not repeated here for brevity.

Of course, the network device may also indicate the value of one or more of D, K, Q by an additional signaling. The application is not limited in this regard.

After determining the D value, the K value, and the Q value, the terminal device may determine the K weighting coefficients. In this embodiment, each weighting coefficient of the K weighting coefficients may be determined by a precoding reference signal received on an RB corresponding to the same angle delay pair of the N RBs, and may specifically be obtained by accumulating and summing channel estimation values on the RBs corresponding to the same angle delay pair. As described above, each angle delay pair corresponds to a portion of the RBs of the N RBs, that is, each angle delay pair corresponds to a weighting coefficient obtained by cumulatively summing channel estimates over a portion of the RBs of the N RBs, without cumulatively summing channel estimates over the N RBs.

The specific method for determining the weighting coefficients corresponding to each angle delay pair by the terminal device is similar to the method in method 400. Taking the example shown in fig. 9, the terminal device is based on the received signal corresponding to the angle delay pair (a ₁ ，b ₁ ) Channel estimation is performed on the pre-encoded reference signals of (a), and 5 channel estimation values can be obtained, for example, respectively: The accumulated sum of the 5 channel estimation values is the angle delay pair (a ₁ ，b ₁ ) Corresponding weighting coefficients. Therefore, the time delay is equal to the angle delay (a) ₁ ，b ₁ ) Corresponding weighting coefficient c ₁ Can satisfy the following conditions: />Wherein, the subscript 1 represents the 1 st one of the K angle delay pairs; the upper corner n represents the nth RB, Γ ₁ Representing RB loaded with the 1 st angle delay pair, e.g., Γ ₁ Including RB#1, RB#5, RB#9, RB#13, and RB#17. It will be appreciated that the above-described pair of angular delays (a ₁ ，b ₁ ) The corresponding weighting coefficient is the weighting coefficient corresponding to the 1 st reference signal port.

Similarly, the terminal device is based on the received signal corresponding to the angle delay pair (a ₂ ，b ₂ ) Channel estimation is performed on the pre-encoded reference signals of (a), and 5 channel estimation values can be obtained, for example, respectively:the accumulated sum of the 5 channel estimation values is the angle delay pair (a ₂ ，b ₂ ) Corresponding weighting coefficients. Therefore, the time delay is equal to the angle delay (a) ₂ ，b ₂ ) Corresponding weighting coefficient c ₂ Can satisfy the following conditions: />Wherein, subscript 2 represents the 2 nd angle delay pair of the K angle delay pairs; the upper corner n represents the nth RB, Γ ₂ Indicating that the 2 nd angle delay pair (a ₂ ，b ₂ ) RB of (e.g., Γ) ₂ Including RB#2, RB#6, RB#10, RB#14, and RB#18.

The terminal device is based on the received corresponding angle delay pair (a ₃ ，b ₃ ) Channel estimation is performed on the pre-coded reference signals of (a), 4 can be obtainedThe channel estimation values are, for example, respectively: the accumulated sum of the 4 channel estimation values is the angle delay pair (a ₃ ，b ₃ ) Corresponding weighting coefficients. Therefore, the time delay is equal to the angle delay (a) ₃ ，b ₃ ) Corresponding weighting coefficient c ₃ Can satisfy the following conditions: />Wherein, the subscript 3 represents the 3 rd angle delay pair of the K angle delay pairs; the upper corner n represents the nth RB, Γ ₃ Indicating that the 3 rd angle delay pair (a) ₃ ，b ₃ ) RB of (e.g., Γ) ₃ Including rb#3, rb#7, rb#12, rb#15.

The terminal device is based on the received corresponding angle delay pairs (a ₄ ，b ₄ ) Channel estimation is performed on the pre-encoded reference signals of (a), 4 channel estimation values can be obtained, for example, respectively: the accumulated sum of the 4 channel estimation values is the angle delay pair (a ₄ ，b ₄ ) Corresponding weighting coefficients. Therefore, the time delay is equal to the angle delay (a) ₄ ，b ₄ ) Corresponding weighting coefficient c ₄ Can satisfy the following conditions: />Wherein, the subscript 4 represents the 4 th angle delay pair of the K angle delay pairs; the upper corner n represents the nth RB, Γ ₄ Indicating that the 4 th angle delay pair (a ₄ ，b ₄ ) RB of (e.g., Γ) ₄ Including rb#4, rb#8, rb#12, rb#16.

Thus, the terminal device can determine 4 weighting coefficients corresponding to the 4 angle delay pairs, that is, determine the weighting coefficients corresponding to the 4 reference signal ports.

Based on the same method, the terminal equipment can traverse the K value from 1 to K to obtain a weighting coefficient corresponding to each angle delay pair. So the terminal device can determine K weighting coefficients in total. If the K weighting coefficients are represented by a diagonal matrix of dimension k×k, it can be represented as a coefficient matrix C as follows:

c in the coefficient matrix C _k The weighting coefficients corresponding to the kth one of the K angular delay pairs, or the weighting coefficients corresponding to the kth one of the K reference signal ports, may be represented.

The terminal device may report K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs sequentially according to the order of the K angle delay pairs pre-agreed with the network device. Therefore, the terminal device may generate the first indication information in the order of the K angle delay pairs in step 830 to indicate the K weight coefficients, and transmit the first indication information in step 840.

In one implementation, the terminal device may normalize the K weighting coefficients, and quantize and report the normalized result. Since the normalization process is described in detail in step 430 of the method 400, the description is omitted here for brevity.

In step 840, the terminal device transmits the first indication information. Accordingly, the network device receives the first indication information.

In step 850, the network device determines, according to the first indication information, a precoding matrix corresponding to each frequency domain unit.

It should be appreciated that the specific procedures of step 840 and step 850 may be referred to the descriptions related to step 440 and step 450 in method 400 above, and are not repeated here for brevity.

It should be noted that, the precoding matrix determined by the channel measurement method provided by the embodiment of the present application may be a precoding matrix directly used for downlink data transmission; some beamforming methods may also be used to obtain a precoding matrix finally used for downlink data transmission, for example, including Zero Forcing (ZF), minimum mean-square error (MMSE), and maximum signal-to-leakage-and-noise (SLNR). The application is not limited in this regard. The precoding matrix related in the embodiment of the application can refer to the precoding matrix determined based on the channel measurement method provided by the application.

It should be understood that in the above embodiments, the terminal device and/or the network device may perform some or all of the steps in the embodiments. These steps or operations are merely examples, and embodiments of the present application may perform other operations or variations of the various operations. Furthermore, the various steps may be performed in a different order than presented in the various embodiments, and it is possible that not all of the operations in the embodiments of the application may be performed. The sequence number of each step does not mean the sequence of execution sequence, and the execution sequence of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not be limited in any way to the implementation process of the embodiment of the present application.

The channel measurement method provided by the embodiment of the application is described in detail above with reference to fig. 4 to 9. The following describes in detail the communication device provided in the embodiment of the present application with reference to fig. 10 to 13.

Fig. 10 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 10, the communication apparatus 1000 may include a processing unit 1100 and a transceiving unit 1200.

Alternatively, the communication apparatus 1000 may correspond to the terminal device in the above method embodiment, for example, may be a terminal device, or a component (such as a circuit, a chip, or a chip system) configured in the terminal device.

It is to be understood that the communication apparatus 1000 may correspond to a terminal device in the method 400 or the method 800 according to an embodiment of the present application, and that the communication apparatus 1000 may comprise means for performing the method 400 in fig. 4 or the method 800 in fig. 8. And, each unit in the communication device 1000 and the other operations and/or functions described above are respectively for implementing the corresponding flow of the method 400 in fig. 4 or the method 800 in fig. 8.

Wherein, when the communication device 1000 is used to perform the method 400 in fig. 4, the processing unit 1100 may be used to perform the step 430 in the method 400, and the transceiver unit 1200 may be used to perform the steps 420 and 440 in the method 400. It should be understood that the specific process of each unit performing the corresponding steps has been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and is not described herein for brevity.

When the communication device 1000 is used to perform the method 800 in fig. 8, the processing unit 1100 may be used to perform the step 830 in the method 800, and the transceiver unit 1200 may be used to perform the steps 820 and 840 in the method 800. It should be understood that the specific process of each unit performing the corresponding steps has been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and is not described herein for brevity.

It should also be understood that when the communication apparatus 1000 is a terminal device, the transceiver unit 1200 in the communication apparatus 1000 may be implemented by a transceiver, for example, may correspond to the transceiver 2020 in the communication apparatus 2000 shown in fig. 11 or the transceiver 3020 in the terminal device 3000 shown in fig. 12, and the processing unit 1100 in the communication apparatus 1000 may be implemented by at least one processor, for example, may correspond to the processor 2010 in the communication apparatus 2000 shown in fig. 11 or the processor 3010 in the terminal device 3000 shown in fig. 12.

It should be further understood that, when the communication device 1000 is a chip or a chip system configured in a terminal device, the transceiver unit 1200 in the communication device 1000 may be implemented by an input/output interface, a circuit, etc., and the processing unit 1100 in the communication device 1000 may be implemented by a processor, a microprocessor, an integrated circuit, etc. integrated on the chip or the chip system.

Alternatively, the communication apparatus 1000 may correspond to the network device in the above method embodiment, for example, may be a network device, or may be a component (such as a circuit, a chip, or a chip system) configured in the network device.

It is to be understood that the communication apparatus 1000 may correspond to a network device in the method 400 or the method 800 according to an embodiment of the present application, and the communication apparatus 1000 may include means for performing the method 400 in fig. 4 or the method 800 in fig. 8. And, each unit in the communication device 1000 and the other operations and/or functions described above are respectively for implementing the corresponding flow of the method 400 in fig. 4 or the method 800 in fig. 8.

Wherein, when the communication device 1000 is used to perform the method 400 in fig. 4, the processing unit 1100 may be used to perform the steps 410 and 450 in the method 400, and the transceiver unit 1200 may be used to perform the steps 420 and 440 in the method 400. It should be understood that the specific process of each unit performing the corresponding steps has been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and is not described herein for brevity.

When the communication device 1000 is used to perform the method 800 in fig. 8, the processing unit 1100 may be used to perform the steps 810 and 850 in the method 800, and the transceiver unit 1200 may be used to perform the steps 820 and 840 in the method 800. It should be understood that the specific process of each unit performing the corresponding steps has been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and is not described herein for brevity.

It should also be appreciated that when the communication apparatus 1000 is a network device, the transceiver unit 1200 in the communication apparatus 1000 may be implemented by a transceiver, for example, may correspond to the transceiver 2020 in the communication apparatus 2000 shown in fig. 11 or the RRU 4100 in the network device 4000 shown in fig. 13, and the processing unit 1100 in the communication apparatus 1000 may be implemented by at least one processor, for example, may correspond to the processor 2010 in the communication apparatus 2000 shown in fig. 11 or the processing unit 4200 or the processor 4202 in the network device 4000 shown in fig. 13.

It should be further understood that, when the communication apparatus 1000 is a chip or a chip system configured in a network device, the transceiver unit 1200 in the communication apparatus 1000 may be implemented by an input/output interface, a circuit, etc., and the processing unit 1100 in the communication apparatus 1000 may be implemented by a processor, a microprocessor, an integrated circuit, etc. integrated on the chip or the chip system.

Fig. 11 is another schematic block diagram of a communication device 2000 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 6, the communication device 2000 includes a processor 2010, a transceiver 2020, and a memory 2030. Wherein the processor 2010, the transceiver 2020, and the memory 2030 are in communication with each other through an internal connection path, the memory 2030 is for storing instructions, and the processor 2010 is for executing the instructions stored in the memory 2030 to control the transceiver 2020 to transmit signals and/or receive signals.

It should be understood that the communication apparatus 2000 may correspond to a terminal device in the above-described method embodiment and may be used to perform various steps and/or procedures performed by a network device or a terminal device in the above-described method embodiment. Alternatively, the memory 2030 may include read only memory and random access memory and provide instructions and data to the processor. A portion of the memory may also include non-volatile random access memory. The memory 2030 may be a separate device or may be integrated within the processor 2010. The processor 2010 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 2030 and when the processor 2010 executes the instructions stored in the memory, the processor 2010 is configured to perform the steps and/or flow of the method embodiments described above corresponding to the network device or the terminal device.

Alternatively, the communication apparatus 2000 is the terminal device in the foregoing embodiment.

Optionally, the communication apparatus 2000 is a network device in the foregoing embodiment.

The transceiver 2020 may include a transmitter and a receiver, among other things. The transceiver 2020 may further include antennas, the number of which may be one or more. The processor 2010 and memory 2030 may be separate devices integrated on different chips than the transceiver 2020. For example, the processor 2010 and the memory 2030 may be integrated in a baseband chip and the transceiver 2020 may be integrated in a radio frequency chip. The processor 2010 and memory 2030 may also be integrated on the same chip as the transceiver 2020. The application is not limited in this regard.

Alternatively, the communication device 2000 is a component configured in a terminal device, such as a circuit, a chip system, or the like.

Alternatively, the communication apparatus 2000 is a component configured in a network device, such as a circuit, a chip system, or the like.

The transceiver 2020 may also be a communication interface such as an input/output interface, circuitry, etc. The transceiver 2020 may be integrated in the same chip as the processor 2010 and the memory 2020, e.g., in a baseband chip.

Fig. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of a terminal device 3000 according to an embodiment of the present application. The terminal device 3000 may be applied to a system as shown in fig. 1, and perform the functions of the terminal device in the above-described method embodiment. As shown, the terminal device 3000 includes a processor 3010 and a transceiver 3020. Optionally, the terminal device 3000 further comprises a memory 3030. Wherein the processor 3010, the transceiver 3020 and the memory 3030 may communicate with each other via an internal connection path for transferring control and/or data signals, the memory 3030 is used for storing a computer program, and the processor 3010 is used for calling and running the computer program from the memory 3030 to control the transceiver 3020 to send and receive signals. Optionally, the terminal device 3000 may further include an antenna 3040, for sending uplink data or uplink control signaling output by the transceiver 3020 through a wireless signal.

The processor 3010 and the memory 3030 may be combined into one processing device, and the processor 3010 is configured to execute program codes stored in the memory 3030 to implement the functions described above. In particular implementations, the memory 3030 may also be integrated into the processor 3010 or independent of the processor 3010. The processor 3010 may correspond to the processing unit 1100 of fig. 10 or the processor 2010 of fig. 11.

The transceiver 3020 may correspond to the transceiver unit 1200 in fig. 10 or the transceiver 2020 in fig. 11. The transceiver 3020 may include a receiver (or receiver, receiving circuitry) and a transmitter (or transmitter, transmitting circuitry). Wherein the receiver is for receiving signals and the transmitter is for transmitting signals.

It should be understood that the terminal device 3000 shown in fig. 12 is capable of implementing the various processes involving the terminal device in the method embodiment shown in fig. 4 or fig. 8. The operations and/or functions of the respective modules in the terminal device 3000 are respectively for implementing the respective flows in the above-described method embodiments. Reference is specifically made to the description in the above method embodiments, and detailed descriptions are omitted here as appropriate to avoid repetition.

The above-described processor 3010 may be used to perform actions described in the foregoing method embodiments as being implemented internally by the terminal device, and the transceiver 3020 may be used to perform actions described in the foregoing method embodiments as being transmitted to or received from the network device by the terminal device. Please refer to the description of the foregoing method embodiments, and details are not repeated herein.

Optionally, the terminal device 3000 may further include a power source 3050 for providing power to various devices or circuits in the terminal device.

In addition to this, in order to make the functions of the terminal device more complete, the terminal device 3000 may further include one or more of an input unit 3060, a display unit 3070, an audio circuit 3080, a camera 3090, a sensor 3100, etc., and the audio circuit may further include a speaker 3082, a microphone 3084, etc.

Fig. 13 is a schematic structural diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application, for example, may be a schematic structural diagram of a base station. The base station 4000 may be applied to the system shown in fig. 1 to perform the functions of the network device in the above-described method embodiment. As shown, the base station 4000 may include one or more radio frequency units, such as a remote radio frequency unit (remote radio unit, RRU) 4100 and one or more baseband units (BBUs) (also referred to as Distributed Units (DUs)) 4200. The RRU 4100 may be referred to as a transceiver unit and may correspond to the transceiver unit 1200 in fig. 10 or the transceiver 2020 in fig. 11. Alternatively, the RRU 4100 may also be referred to as a transceiver, transceiving circuitry, or transceiver, etc., which may include at least one antenna 4101 and a radio frequency unit 4102. Alternatively, the RRU 4100 may include a receiving unit, which may correspond to a receiver (or receiver, receiving circuit), and a transmitting unit, which may correspond to a transmitter (or transmitter, transmitting circuit). The RRU 4100 part is mainly used for receiving and transmitting radio frequency signals and converting radio frequency signals into baseband signals, for example, for sending indication information to a terminal device. The BBU 4200 portion is mainly used for baseband processing, control of a base station, and the like. The RRU 4100 and BBU 4200 may be physically located together or may be physically separate, i.e., distributed base stations.

The BBU 4200 is a control center of the base station, and may also be referred to as a processing unit, and may correspond to the processing unit 1100 in fig. 10 or the processor 2010 in fig. 11, and is mainly configured to perform baseband processing functions, such as channel coding, multiplexing, modulation, spreading, and so on. For example, the BBU (processing unit) may be configured to control the base station to perform the operation procedure with respect to the network device in the above-described method embodiment, for example, generate the above-described indication information, etc.

In one example, the BBU 4200 may be formed by one or more single boards, where the multiple single boards may support a single access radio access network (such as an LTE network) together, or may support different access radio access networks (such as an LTE network, a 5G network, or other networks) respectively. The BBU 4200 also includes a memory 4201 and a processor 4202. The memory 4201 is used to store necessary instructions and data. The processor 4202 is configured to control the base station to perform necessary actions, for example, to control the base station to perform the operation procedures related to the network device in the above-described method embodiment. The memory 4201 and processor 4202 may serve one or more boards. That is, the memory and the processor may be separately provided on each board. It is also possible that multiple boards share the same memory and processor. In addition, each single board can be provided with necessary circuits.

It should be understood that the base station 4000 shown in fig. 13 is capable of implementing various processes involving network devices in the method embodiments shown in fig. 4 or fig. 8. The operations and/or functions of the respective modules in the base station 4000 are respectively for implementing the corresponding procedures in the above-described method embodiments. Reference is specifically made to the description in the above method embodiments, and detailed descriptions are omitted here as appropriate to avoid repetition.

The BBU 4200 described above may be used to perform actions described in the previous method embodiments as being implemented internally by the network device, while the RRU 4100 may be used to perform actions described in the previous method embodiments as being transmitted to or received from the terminal device by the network device. Please refer to the description of the foregoing method embodiments, and details are not repeated herein.

It should be understood that the base station 4000 shown in fig. 13 is only one possible configuration of a network device, and should not be construed as limiting the present application in any way. The method provided by the application can be applied to network equipment in other forms. For example, including AAUs, but also CUs and/or DUs, or BBUs and adaptive radio units (adaptive radio unit, ARUs), or BBUs; the present application is not limited to the specific form of the network device, and the customer premise equipment (customerpremises equipment, CPE) may be used.

Wherein a CU and/or DU may be used to perform actions described in the previous method embodiments as being implemented internally by a network device, and an AAU may be used to perform actions described in the previous method embodiments as being transmitted to or received from a terminal device by the network device. Please refer to the description of the foregoing method embodiments, and details are not repeated herein.

The application also provides a processing device, which comprises at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is used for executing the computer program stored in the memory, so that the processing device executes the method executed by the terminal equipment or the network equipment in any method embodiment.

It should be understood that the processing means described above may be one or more chips. For example, the processing device may be a field programmable gate array (field programmable gate array, FPGA), an application specific integrated chip (application specific integrated circuit, ASIC), a system on chip (SoC), a central processing unit (central processor unit, CPU), a network processor (network processor, NP), a digital signal processing circuit (digital signal processor, DSP), a microcontroller (micro controller unit, MCU), a programmable controller (programmable logic device, PLD) or other integrated chip.

The embodiment of the application also provides a processing device which comprises a processor and a communication interface. The communication interface is coupled with the processor. The communication interface is used for inputting and/or outputting information. The information includes at least one of instructions and data. The processor is configured to execute a computer program, so that the processing apparatus performs a method performed by the terminal device or the network device in any of the method embodiments described above.

The embodiment of the application also provides a processing device which comprises a processor and a memory. The memory is used for storing a computer program, and the processor is used for calling and running the computer program from the memory, so that the processing device executes the method executed by the terminal device or the network device in any method embodiment.

In implementation, the steps of the above method may be performed by integrated logic circuits of hardware in a processor or by instructions in the form of software. The steps of a method disclosed in connection with the embodiments of the present application may be embodied directly in a hardware processor for execution, or in a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor for execution. The software modules may be located in a random access memory, flash memory, read only memory, programmable read only memory, or electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, etc. as well known in the art. The storage medium is located in a memory, and the processor reads the information in the memory and, in combination with its hardware, performs the steps of the above method. To avoid repetition, a detailed description is not provided herein.

It should be noted that the processor in the embodiments of the present application may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capability. In implementation, the steps of the above method embodiments may be implemented by integrated logic circuits of hardware in a processor or instructions in software form. The processor may be a general purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, or discrete hardware components. The disclosed methods, steps, and logic blocks in the embodiments of the present application may be implemented or performed. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor or the processor may be any conventional processor or the like. The steps of the method disclosed in connection with the embodiments of the present application may be embodied directly in the execution of a hardware decoding processor, or in the execution of a combination of hardware and software modules in a decoding processor. The software modules may be located in a random access memory, flash memory, read only memory, programmable read only memory, or electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, etc. as well known in the art. The storage medium is located in a memory, and the processor reads the information in the memory and, in combination with its hardware, performs the steps of the above method.

It will be appreciated that the memory in embodiments of the application may be volatile memory or nonvolatile memory, or may include both volatile and nonvolatile memory. The nonvolatile memory may be a read-only memory (ROM), a Programmable ROM (PROM), an Erasable PROM (EPROM), an electrically Erasable EPROM (EEPROM), or a flash memory. The volatile memory may be random access memory (random access memory, RAM) which acts as an external cache. By way of example, and not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as Static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SLDRAM), and direct memory bus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory of the systems and methods described herein is intended to comprise, without being limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

According to a method provided by an embodiment of the present application, the present application also provides a computer program product, including: computer program code which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method performed by the terminal device or the method performed by the network device in the embodiments shown in fig. 4 or 8.

According to the method provided by the embodiment of the present application, the present application further provides a computer readable storage medium, where the computer readable storage medium stores program code, which when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method performed by the terminal device or the method performed by the network device in the embodiment shown in fig. 4 or fig. 8.

According to the method provided by the embodiment of the application, the application also provides a system which comprises the one or more terminal devices and one or more network devices.

The network device in the above-mentioned respective apparatus embodiments corresponds entirely to the network device or the terminal device in the terminal device and method embodiments, the respective steps are performed by respective modules or units, for example, the steps of receiving or transmitting in the method embodiments are performed by the communication unit (transceiver), and other steps than transmitting and receiving may be performed by the processing unit (processor). Reference may be made to corresponding method embodiments for the function of a specific unit. Wherein the processor may be one or more.

In the above embodiments, the terminal device may be an example of the receiving device, and the network device may be an example of the transmitting device. But this should not be construed as limiting the application in any way. For example, the transmitting apparatus and the receiving apparatus may be both terminal apparatuses or the like. The present application is not limited to the specific type of transmitting apparatus and receiving apparatus.

As used in this specification, the terms "component," "module," "system," and the like are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, firmware, a combination of hardware and software, or software in execution. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a computing device and the computing device can be a component. One or more components may reside within a process and/or thread of execution and a component may be localized on one computer and/or distributed between 2 or more computers. Furthermore, these components can execute from various computer readable media having various data structures stored thereon. The components may communicate by way of local and/or remote processes such as in accordance with a signal having one or more data packets (e.g., data from two components interacting with one another in a local system, distributed system, and/or across a network such as the internet with other systems by way of the signal).

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the various illustrative elements and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, or combinations of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the solution. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that, for convenience and brevity of description, specific working procedures of the above-described systems, apparatuses and units may refer to corresponding procedures in the foregoing method embodiments, and are not repeated herein.

In the several embodiments provided by the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices, and methods may be implemented in other manners. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative, e.g., the division of the units is merely a logical function division, and there may be additional divisions when actually implemented, e.g., multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be omitted or not performed. Alternatively, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed with each other may be an indirect coupling or communication connection via some interfaces, devices or units, which may be in electrical, mechanical or other form.

The units described as separate units may or may not be physically separate, and units shown as units may or may not be physical units, may be located in one place, or may be distributed on a plurality of network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

In addition, each functional unit in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated in one processing unit, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units may be integrated in one unit.

The functions, if implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as a stand-alone product, may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application may be embodied essentially or in a part contributing to the prior art or in a part of the technical solution, in the form of a software product stored in a storage medium, comprising several instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method according to the embodiments of the present application. And the aforementioned storage medium includes: a U-disk, a removable hard disk, a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a random access Memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, or other various media capable of storing program codes.

The foregoing is merely illustrative of the present application, and the present application is not limited thereto, and any person skilled in the art will readily recognize that variations or substitutions are within the scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of channel measurement, comprising:

generating first indication information, wherein the first indication information is determined based on a received precoding reference signal, precoding of the precoding reference signal is determined by K angle delay pairs, and each angle delay pair of the K angle delay pairs comprises an angle vector and a delay vector; the first indication information is used for indicating K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs, and the K angle delay pairs and the K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs are used for constructing a precoding matrix; each weighting coefficient of the K weighting coefficients is determined based on a pre-encoded reference signal carried on a portion of the N frequency domain units; wherein, N is the frequency domain unit number contained in the pilot frequency transmission bandwidth, K and N are integers greater than 1;

And sending the first indication information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the K weight coefficients is determined by a precoded reference signal received on at least one of the N frequency-domain units, the at least one frequency-domain unit being a portion of the N frequency-domain units, and any two of the at least one frequency-domain units being spaced apart by at least Q/D-1 frequency-domain units; q is an integer greater than 1, Q < K; d is pilot frequency density, D is more than 0 and less than or equal to 1; Q/D is an integer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the K weight coefficients is determined based on a sum of at least one estimate of a precoded reference signal received over the at least one frequency-domain unit, each of the at least one estimate being channel estimated based on a precoded reference signal received over one of the at least one frequency-domain unit.

4. A method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the precoded reference signals correspond to P reference signal ports, the precoding of the precoded reference signals corresponding to each reference signal port comprising spatial and frequency domain weights, the precoding of the precoded reference signals corresponding to each reference signal port being determined by Q of the K angular delay pairs; p is less than K, and P is a positive integer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the Q angular delay pairs comprise Q angular vectors of Q spatial weight vectors, each of the Q spatial weight vectors comprising a plurality of spatial weights; the Q airspace weight vectors are used for alternately precoding the reference signals borne on the N frequency domain units;

the Q angle delay pairs comprise Q delay vectors which are used for determining N frequency domain weights, and the N frequency domain weights correspond to the N frequency domain units and are used for precoding reference signals borne on the N frequency domain units.

6. The method of claim 4 or 5, wherein the method further comprises:

and receiving second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used for indicating reporting rules of the K weighting coefficients.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein coefficient c of the K weighting coefficients _p，q The P-th reference signal port corresponding to the P-th reference signal ports and the Q-th angle delay pair of the Q-th angle delay pairs corresponding to the P-th reference signal ports are integers, wherein P is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to P, and Q is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to Q;

The reporting rule comprises the following steps: sequentially taking values from 1 to P to P, and reporting corresponding Q coefficients for each value of P; or sequentially taking values from 1 to Q to Q, and reporting the corresponding P coefficients for each Q value.

8. A method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the precoded reference signal corresponds to K reference signal ports, the precoding of the precoded reference signal corresponding to each reference signal port being determined by one of the K angular delay pairs.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the precoding of the precoded reference signal for each of the K reference signal ports comprises a spatial-domain weight vector and a frequency-domain weight vector; the spatial domain weight vector in the precoding corresponding to the kth reference signal port in the K reference signal ports is the angle vector of the kth angle delay pair in the K angle delay pairs, and the frequency domain weight vector corresponding to the kth reference signal port is determined by the delay vector of the kth angle delay pair.

10. The method of any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the method further comprises:

And receiving third indication information, wherein the third indication information is used for indicating the value of Q.

11. A method according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the value of Q is a predefined value.

12. A method of channel measurement, comprising:

receiving first indication information, wherein the first indication information is determined based on a precoding reference signal, precoding of the precoding reference signal is determined by K angle delay pairs, and each angle delay pair of the K angle delay pairs comprises an angle vector and a delay vector; the first indication information is used for indicating K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs, and the K angle delay pairs and the K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs are used for constructing a precoding matrix; each weighting coefficient of the K weighting coefficients is determined based on a pre-encoded reference signal carried on a portion of the N frequency domain units; wherein N is the frequency domain unit number contained in the pilot frequency transmission bandwidth, and K and N are integers greater than 1;

and determining a precoding matrix corresponding to each frequency domain unit based on the first indication information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the K weight coefficients is determined by a precoded reference signal received on at least one of the N frequency-domain units, the at least one frequency-domain unit being a portion of the N frequency-domain units, and any two of the at least one frequency-domain units being spaced apart by at least Q/D-1 frequency-domain units; q is an integer greater than 1, Q < K; d is pilot frequency density, D is more than 0 and less than or equal to 1; Q/D is an integer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the precoded reference signals correspond to P reference signal ports, the precoding of the precoded reference signals for each reference signal port comprising spatial and frequency domain weights, the precoding of the precoded reference signals for each reference signal port determined by Q of the K angular delay pairs; p is less than K, and P is a positive integer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the Q angular delay pairs comprise Q angular vectors of Q spatial weight vectors, each of the Q spatial weight vectors comprising a plurality of spatial weights; the Q airspace weight vectors are used for alternately precoding the reference signals borne on the N frequency domain units;

16. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein the method further comprises:

and sending second indicating information, wherein the second indicating information is used for indicating reporting rules of the K weighting coefficients.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein coefficient c of said K weighting coefficients _p，q The P-th reference signal port corresponding to the P-th reference signal ports and the Q-th angle delay pair of the Q-th angle delay pairs corresponding to the P-th reference signal ports are integers, wherein P is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to P, and Q is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to Q;

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the precoded reference signal corresponds to K reference signal ports, the precoding of the precoded reference signal corresponding to each reference signal port being determined by one of the K angular delay pairs.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the precoding of the precoded reference signal for each of the K reference signal ports comprises a spatial-domain weight vector and a frequency-domain weight vector; the spatial domain weight vector in the precoding corresponding to the kth reference signal port in the K reference signal ports is the angle vector of the kth angle delay pair in the K angle delay pairs, and the frequency domain weight vector corresponding to the kth reference signal port is determined by the delay vector of the kth angle delay pair.

20. The method of any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein the method further comprises:

and sending third indication information, wherein the third indication information is used for indicating the value of Q.

21. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein the value of Q is a predefined value.

22. A communication device, comprising:

the processing unit is used for generating first indication information, the first indication information is determined based on a received precoding reference signal, the precoding of the precoding reference signal is determined by K angle delay pairs, and each angle delay pair of the K angle delay pairs comprises an angle vector and a delay vector; the first indication information is used for indicating K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs, and the K angle delay pairs and the K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs are used for constructing a precoding matrix; each weighting coefficient of the K weighting coefficients is determined based on a pre-encoded reference signal carried on a portion of the N frequency domain units; wherein, N is the frequency domain unit number contained in the pilot frequency transmission bandwidth, K and N are integers greater than 1;

and the receiving and transmitting unit is used for transmitting the first indication information.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein each of the K weight coefficients is determined by a precoded reference signal received on at least one of the N frequency-domain units, the at least one frequency-domain unit being a portion of the N frequency-domain units, and any two of the at least one frequency-domain unit being spaced apart by at least Q/D-1 frequency-domain units; q is an integer greater than 1, Q < K; d is pilot frequency density, D is more than 0 and less than or equal to 1; Q/D is an integer.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein each of the K weight coefficients is determined based on a sum of at least one estimate of a precoded reference signal received over the at least one frequency-domain unit, each of the at least one estimate being channel estimated based on a precoded reference signal received over one of the at least one frequency-domain unit.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 or 24, wherein the precoded reference signals correspond to P reference signal ports, the precoding of the precoded reference signals corresponding to each reference signal port comprising spatial and frequency domain weights, the precoding of the precoded reference signals corresponding to each reference signal port being determined by Q of the K angular delay pairs; p is less than K, and P is a positive integer.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the Q angular delay pairs comprise Q angular vectors of Q spatial weight vectors, each of the Q spatial weight vectors comprising a plurality of spatial weights; the Q airspace weight vectors are used for alternately precoding the reference signals borne on the N frequency domain units;

27. The apparatus of claim 25 or 26, wherein the transceiver unit is further configured to receive second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate reporting rules for the K weighting coefficients.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein coefficient c of the K weighting coefficients _p，q The P-th reference signal port corresponding to the P-th reference signal ports and the Q-th angle delay pair of the Q-th angle delay pairs corresponding to the P-th reference signal ports are integers, wherein P is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to P, and Q is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to Q;

29. The apparatus of claim 23 or 24, wherein the precoded reference signal corresponds to K reference signal ports, the precoding of the precoded reference signal corresponding to each reference signal port being determined by one of the K angular delay pairs.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the precoding of the precoded reference signal for each of the K reference signal ports comprises a spatial-domain weight vector and a frequency-domain weight vector; the spatial domain weight vector in the precoding corresponding to the kth reference signal port in the K reference signal ports is the angle vector of the kth angle delay pair in the K angle delay pairs, and the frequency domain weight vector corresponding to the kth reference signal port is determined by the delay vector of the kth angle delay pair.

31. The apparatus according to any one of claims 23 to 30, wherein the transceiver unit is further configured to receive third indication information, the third indication information being configured to indicate a value of Q.

32. The apparatus of any one of claims 23 to 30, wherein the value of Q is a predefined value.

33. The apparatus of any one of claims 22 to 32, wherein the processing unit is a processor and the transceiver unit is a transceiver.

34. The apparatus according to any of claims 22 to 33, wherein the apparatus is a terminal device.

35. A communication device, comprising:

the receiving and transmitting unit is used for receiving first indication information, the first indication information is determined based on a precoding reference signal, the precoding of the precoding reference signal is determined by K angle delay pairs, and each angle delay pair of the K angle delay pairs comprises an angle vector and a delay vector; the first indication information is used for indicating K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs, and the K angle delay pairs and the K weighting coefficients corresponding to the K angle delay pairs are used for constructing a precoding matrix; each weighting coefficient of the K weighting coefficients is determined based on a pre-encoded reference signal carried on a portion of the N frequency domain units; wherein N is the frequency domain unit number contained in the pilot frequency transmission bandwidth, and K and N are integers greater than 1;

And the processing unit is used for determining a precoding matrix corresponding to each frequency domain unit based on the first indication information.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein each of the K weight coefficients is determined by a precoded reference signal received on at least one of the N frequency-domain units, the at least one frequency-domain unit being a portion of the N frequency-domain units, and any two of the at least one frequency-domain unit being spaced apart by at least Q/D-1 frequency-domain units; q is an integer greater than 1, Q < K; d is pilot frequency density, D is more than 0 and less than or equal to 1; Q/D is an integer.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the precoded reference signals correspond to P reference signal ports, the precoding of the precoded reference signals for each reference signal port comprising spatial and frequency domain weights, the precoding of the precoded reference signals for each reference signal port determined by Q of the K angular delay pairs; p is less than K, and P is a positive integer.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the Q angular delay pairs comprise Q angular vectors of Q spatial weight vectors, each of the Q spatial weight vectors comprising a plurality of spatial weights; the Q airspace weight vectors are used for alternately precoding the reference signals borne on the N frequency domain units;

39. The apparatus of claim 37 or 38, wherein the transceiver unit is further configured to send second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate reporting rules for the K weighting coefficients.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein coefficient c of the K weighting coefficients _p，q The P-th reference signal port corresponding to the P-th reference signal ports and the Q-th angle delay pair of the Q-th angle delay pairs corresponding to the P-th reference signal ports are integers, wherein P is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to P, and Q is more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to Q;

41. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the precoded reference signal corresponds to K reference signal ports, the precoding of the precoded reference signal corresponding to each reference signal port being determined by one of the K angular delay pairs.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the precoding of the precoded reference signal for each of the K reference signal ports comprises a spatial-domain weight vector and a frequency-domain weight vector; the spatial domain weight vector in the precoding corresponding to the kth reference signal port in the K reference signal ports is the angle vector of the kth angle delay pair in the K angle delay pairs, and the frequency domain weight vector corresponding to the kth reference signal port is determined by the delay vector of the kth angle delay pair.

43. The apparatus of any one of claims 36 to 42, wherein the transceiver unit is further configured to send third indication information, the third indication information being configured to indicate a value of Q.

44. The apparatus of any one of claims 36 to 42, wherein the value of Q is a predefined value.

45. The apparatus of any one of claims 35 to 44, wherein the processing unit is a processor and the transceiver unit is a transceiver.

46. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 35 to 45, wherein the apparatus is a network device.

47. A processing apparatus comprising at least one processor for executing a computer program stored in a memory, to cause the apparatus to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 11.

48. A processing apparatus comprising at least one processor for executing a computer program stored in a memory, to cause the apparatus to implement the method of any one of claims 12 to 21.

49. A processing apparatus, comprising:

a communication interface for inputting and/or outputting information;

a processor for executing a computer program to cause the apparatus to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 11.

50. A processing apparatus, comprising:

a communication interface for inputting and/or outputting information;

a processor for executing a computer program to cause the apparatus to implement the method of any one of claims 12 to 21.

51. A processing apparatus, comprising:

a memory for storing a computer program;

a processor for invoking and running the computer program from the memory to cause the apparatus to implement the method of any of claims 1 to 11.

52. A processing apparatus, comprising:

a memory for storing a computer program;

a processor for invoking and running the computer program from the memory to cause the apparatus to implement the method of any of claims 12 to 21.

53. A computer readable storage medium comprising a computer program which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 11.

54. A computer readable storage medium comprising a computer program which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of any of claims 12 to 21.