# US 2020/0288485 A1 · Scheduling method and device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0288485 A1 - Document ID: US20200288485A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/881,275 - Filed: 2020-05-22 - Published: 2020-09-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-23 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Lei CHEN; Fengwei LIU; Jing QIU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200288485A1 ## CPC - H04L 5/0053: {Allocation of signalling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals} - H04W 72/535: {based on resource usage policies} - H04L 5/0044: {Allocation of payload; Allocation of data channels, e.g. PDSCH or PUSCH} - H04L 5/0078: {Timing of allocation} - H04W 28/26: Resource reservation - H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04W 80/08: Upper layer protocols {(network arrangements or communication protocols for networked applications H04L67/00)} - H04L 5/0007: {the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A) or DMT} - H04L 5/0094: {Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated} - H04W 84/047: {using dedicated repeater stations} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract This application provides a scheduling method, to implement flexible scheduling in a relay network. The method includes: determining, by a first device, information about a transmission time difference, where the transmission time difference is a time difference between a control channel of a first link and a data channel that is of the first link and that is scheduled by the control channel of the first link; notifying a second device of the information about the transmission time difference; and performing, by the second device, scheduling based on the information about the transmission time difference. In this way, the second device determines whether a resource needs to be reserved for the data channel of the first link, and it is possible that a time division resource, a frequency division resource, or a space division resource is shared for data of the first link and data of a second link. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A scheduling method, comprising: determining, by a first device, information about a transmission time difference, wherein the transmission time difference is a time difference between a control channel of a first link and a data channel that is of the first link and that is scheduled by the control channel of the first link; the first link is a link between the first device and a second device; the first device comprises a base station and the second device comprises a first relay device, or the first device comprises a second relay device and the second device comprises a third relay device; the control channel of the first link is a channel used to send control information on the first link; and the data channel of the first link is a channel used to send data on the first link; and sending, by the first device, the information about the transmission time difference to the second device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the information about the transmission time difference comprises at least one of the following: information (1) about the transmission time difference: information about a value N of the transmission time difference; information (2) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M; information (3) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K; information (4) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference; or information (5) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference, wherein N is greater than or equal to 0, M is greater than or equal to 0, and K is greater than or equal to 0. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the sending, by the first device, the information about the transmission time difference to the second device comprises at least one of the following manners: a sending manner (1): the first device sends the information (1) about the transmission time difference to the second device by using higher layer signaling or physical layer signaling; a sending manner (2): the first device sends the information (2) or (3) about the transmission time difference to the second device by using higher layer signaling; a sending manner (3): the first device sends the following information to the second device by using higher layer signaling: the information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or the information that the transmission time difference is greater than M; and the first device sends the information about the value N of the transmission time difference to the second device by using physical layer signaling; or a sending manner (4): the first device sends the following information to the second device by using higher layer signaling: the information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or the information that the transmission time difference is less than K; and the first device sends the information about the value N of the transmission time difference to the second device by using physical layer signaling. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the first device, processing delay information that is of the second device and that is sent by the second device. ### Claim 5 A scheduling method, comprising: receiving, by a second device, information about a transmission time difference that is sent by a first device, wherein the transmission time difference is a time difference between a control channel of a first link and a data channel that is of the first link and that is scheduled by the control channel of the first link; the first link is a link between the first device and the second device; the first device comprises a base station and the second device comprises a first relay device, or the first device comprises a second relay device and the second device comprises a third relay device; the control channel of the first link is a channel used to send control information on the first link; and the data channel of the first link is a channel used to send data on the first link; and performing, by the second device, scheduling based on the information about the transmission time difference. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the information about the transmission time difference comprises at least one of the following: information (1) about the transmission time difference: information about a value N of the transmission time difference; information (2) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M; information (3) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K; information (4) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference; or information (5) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference, wherein N is greater than or equal to 0, M is greater than or equal to 0, and K is greater than or equal to 0. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the receiving, by a second device, information about a transmission time difference that is sent by a first device comprises: receiving, by the second device in at least one of the following manners, the information about the transmission time difference that is sent by the first device: a receiving manner (1): the second device receives the information (1) about the transmission time difference that is sent by the first device by using higher layer signaling or physical layer signaling; a receiving manner (2): the second device receives the information (2) or (3) about the transmission time difference that is sent by the first device by using higher layer signaling; a receiving manner (3): the second device receives the following information sent by the first device by using higher layer signaling: the information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or the information that the transmission time difference is greater than M; and the second device receives the information about the value N that is of the transmission time difference and that is sent by the first device by using physical layer signaling; or a receiving manner (4): the second device receives the following information sent by the first device by using higher layer signaling: the information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or the information that the transmission time difference is less than K; and the second device receives the information about the value N that is of the transmission time difference and that is sent by the first device by using physical layer signaling. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the performing, by the second device, scheduling based on the information about the transmission time difference comprises: determining, by the second device based on the information about the transmission time difference, whether a resource needs to be reserved for the data channel of the first link; and/or scheduling, by the second device, a second link based on the information about the transmission time difference, wherein the second link is a link between the second device and a third device, and the third device comprises a terminal or a fourth relay device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the determining, by the second device based on the information about the transmission time difference, whether a resource needs to be reserved for the data channel of the first link comprises at least one of the following manners: a scheduling manner (1): when the information about the transmission time difference comprises the information (1) about the transmission time difference, if the value N of the transmission time difference is greater than a processing delay of the second device, the second device does not reserve a resource for the data channel of the first link; a scheduling manner (2): when the information about the transmission time difference comprises the information (1) about the transmission time difference, if the value N of the transmission time difference is less than or equal to a processing delay of the second device, the second device reserves a resource for the data channel of the first link; a scheduling manner (3): when the information about the transmission time difference comprises the information (2) or (4) about the transmission time difference, the second device does not reserve a resource for the data channel of the first link; or a scheduling manner (4): when the information about the transmission time difference comprises the information (3) or (5) about the transmission time difference, the second device reserves a resource for the data channel of the first link. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, further comprising: if the information about the transmission time difference comprises the value N of the transmission time difference, determining, by the second device, a location of the data channel of the first link based on the value N of the transmission time difference. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the scheduling, by the second device, a second link based on the information about the transmission time difference comprises at least one of the following manners: a scheduling manner (5): if the second device reserves a resource for the data channel of the first link, the second device schedules the second link on a resource other than the reserved resource; or a scheduling manner (6): if the second device does not reserve a resource for the data channel of the first link, the second device dynamically schedules the second link. ### Claim 12 A first device, comprising: a processing unit, configured to determine information about a transmission time difference, wherein the transmission time difference is a time difference between a control channel of a first link and a data channel that is of the first link and that is scheduled by the control channel of the first link; the first link is a link between the first device and a second device; the first device comprises a base station and the second device comprises a first relay device, or the first device comprises a second relay device and the second device comprises a third relay device; the control channel of the first link is a channel used to send control information of the first link on the first link; and the data channel of the first link is a channel used to send data on the first link; and a sending unit, configured to send the information about the transmission time difference to the second device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein the information about the transmission time difference comprises at least one of the following: information (1) about the transmission time difference: information about a value N of the transmission time difference; information (2) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M; information (3) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K; information (4) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference; or information (5) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference, wherein N is greater than or equal to 0, M is greater than or equal to 0, and K is greater than or equal to 0. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device according to claim 13, wherein the sending unit is configured to send the information about the transmission time difference to the second device in at least one of the following manners: a sending manner (1): the sending unit sends the information (1) about the transmission time difference to the second device by using higher layer signaling or physical layer signaling; a sending manner (2): the sending unit sends the information (2) or (3) about the transmission time difference to the second device by using higher layer signaling; a sending manner (3): the sending unit sends the following information to the second device: the information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or the information that the transmission time difference is greater than M; and the sending unit sends the information about the value N of the transmission time difference to the second device by using physical layer signaling; or a sending manner (4): the sending unit sends the following information to the second device by using higher layer signaling: the information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or the information that the transmission time difference is less than K; and the sending unit sends the information about the value N of the transmission time difference to the second device by using physical layer signaling. ### Claim 15 A second device, comprising: a receiving unit, configured to receive information about a transmission time difference that is sent by a first device, wherein the transmission time difference is a time difference between a control channel of a first link and a data channel that is of the first link and that is scheduled by the control channel of the first link; the first link is a link between the first device and the second device; the first device comprises a base station and the second device comprises a first relay device, or the first device comprises a second relay device and the second device comprises a third relay device; the control channel of the first link is a channel used to send control information of a backhaul link on the first link; and the data channel of the first link is a channel used to send data on the first link; and a processing unit, configured to perform scheduling based on the information about the transmission time difference. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The device according to claim 15, wherein the information about the transmission time difference comprises at least one of the following: information (1) about the transmission time difference: information about a value N of the transmission time difference; information (2) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M; information (3) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K; information (4) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or information that the transmission time difference is greater than M, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference; or information (5) about the transmission time difference: information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or information that the transmission time difference is less than K, and information about a value N of the transmission time difference, wherein N is greater than or equal to 0, M is greater than or equal to 0, and K is greater than or equal to 0. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The device according to claim 16, wherein the receiving unit is configured to receive, in at least one of the following manners, the information about the transmission time difference that is sent by the first device: a receiving manner (1): the receiving unit receives the information (1) about the transmission time difference that is sent by the first device by using higher layer signaling or physical layer signaling; a receiving manner (2): the receiving device receives the information (2) or (3) about the transmission time difference that is sent by the first device by using higher layer signaling; a receiving manner (3): the receiving device receives the following information sent by the first device by using higher layer signaling: the information that the transmission time difference is greater than or equal to M or the information that the transmission time difference is greater than M; and the receiving device receives the information about the value N that is of the transmission time difference and that is sent by the first device by using physical layer signaling; or a receiving manner (4): the receiving device receives the following information sent by the first device by using higher layer signaling: the information that the transmission time difference is less than or equal to K or the information that the transmission time difference is less than K; and the receiving device receives the information about the value N that is of the transmission time difference and that is sent by the first device by using physical layer signaling. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The device according to claim 16, wherein the processing unit is configured to: determine, based on the information about the transmission time difference, whether a resource needs to be reserved for the data channel of the first link, and/or schedule a second link based on the information about the transmission time difference, wherein the second link is a link between the second device and a third device, and the third device comprises a terminal or a fourth relay device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The device according to claim 18, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine, in at least one of the following manners, whether the resource needs to be reserved for the data channel of the first link: a scheduling manner (1): when the information about the transmission time difference comprises the information (1) about the transmission time difference, if the value N of the transmission time difference is greater than a processing delay of the second device, the processing unit does not reserve a resource for the data channel of the first link; a scheduling manner (2): when the information about the transmission time difference comprises the information (1) about the transmission time difference, if the value N of the transmission time difference is less than or equal to a processing delay of the second device, the processing unit reserves a resource for the data channel of the first link; a scheduling manner (3): when the information about the transmission time difference comprises the information (2) or (4) about the transmission time difference, the processing unit does not reserve a resource for the data channel of the first link; or a scheduling manner (4): when the information about the transmission time difference comprises the information (3) or (5) about the transmission time difference, the processing unit reserves a resource for the data channel of the first link. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The device according to claim 15, wherein the processing unit schedules the second link in at least one of the following manners: a scheduling manner (5): if the processing unit reserves a resource for the data channel of the first link, the processing unit schedules the second link on a resource other than the reserved resource; or a scheduling manner (6): if the processing unit does not reserve a resource for the data channel of the first link, the processing unit dynamically schedules the second link.