Link state switching method and communications device

A relay device, comprising:

• a memory, at least one hardware processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and capable of running on the at least one hardware processor that, when executed, direct the relay device to:
• switch between a first link state and a second link state based on a first guard period, wherein:
• the first link state and the second link state are link states of an integrated access backhaul (IAB) node in different transmission modes;
• the first link state is a link state in a first transmission mode, and the first transmission mode satisfies:
• mobile termination transmission (MT TX) and distributed unit transmission (DU TX) are aligned in time domain units or MT TX and DU TX work synchronously;
• the second link state is a link state in a second transmission mode, and the second transmission mode satisfies:
• DU TX is aligned with DU TX timing of an IAB parent node in time domain units, wherein the IAB parent node is a parent node of the IAB node;
• and
• the first guard period comprises at least one of the following:
• a guard period for switching from a first link state of MT TX and DU TX to a second link state of MT TX;
• or a guard period for switching from a first link state of MT TX and DU TX to a second link state of mobile termination reception (MT RX),
• wherein the first guard period is configured by first signaling;
• and
• wherein the first signaling comprises signaling with which the IAB parent node configures first information for the IAB node, the first information comprising the first guard period.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon executable by at least one hardware processor that, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, direct that at least one hardware processor to:

• switch between a first link state and a second link state based on a first guard period, wherein:
• the first link state and the second link state are link states of an integrated access backhaul (IAB) node in different transmission modes;
• the first link state is a link state in a first transmission mode, and the first transmission mode satisfies:
• mobile termination transmission (MT TX) and distributed unit transmission (DU TX) are aligned in time domain units or MT TX and DU TX work synchronously;
• the second link state is a link state in a second transmission mode, and the second transmission mode satisfies:
• DU TX is aligned with DU TX timing of an IAB parent node in time domain units, wherein the IAB parent node is a parent node of the IAB node;
• and
• the first guard period comprises at least one of the following:
• a guard period for switching from a first link state of MT TX and DU TX to a second link state of MT TX;
• or a guard period for switching from a first link state of MT TX and DU TX to a second link state of mobile termination reception (MT RX),
• wherein the first guard period is configured by first signaling;
• and
• wherein the first signaling comprises signaling with which the IAB parent node configures first information for the IAB node, the first information comprising the first guard period.