Mobile relay positioning using physical cell identifiers (PCI)

1 . A method, comprising:

moving, by a mobile relay device, to a permitted area in which the mobile relay device is allowed to use a relay function, wherein the permitted area is a cell covered by a donor base station; and

obtaining, by the mobile relay device in the permitted area, a physical cell identifier (PCI) of a relay cell accessed by a terminal device and through which the relay function is provided for the terminal device, wherein the PCI of the relay cell is determined based on at least one of: a radio access network area code broadcast by the donor base station, or a PCI of a donor cell broadcast by the donor base station.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

sending, by the mobile relay device, first information to a network device, wherein the first information indicates at least one of a provider of the mobile relay device and an application layer service supported by the mobile relay device.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the mobile relay device, second information from the network device, wherein the second information indicates the permitted area; and

obtaining, by the mobile relay device, the PCI of the relay cell comprises:

obtaining, by the mobile relay device based on the second information, the PCI of the relay cell.

4 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein obtaining, by the mobile relay device, the PCI of the relay cell comprises:

receiving, by the mobile relay device, third information from the network device, wherein the third information indicates at least one PCI corresponding to the permitted area; and

obtaining, by the mobile relay device based on the at least one PCI corresponding to the permitted area and the first information, the PCI of the relay cell.

5 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein obtaining, by the mobile relay device, the PCI of the relay cell comprises:

receiving, by the mobile relay device, fourth information from the network device, wherein the fourth information indicates the PCI of the relay cell.

6 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the network device comprises at least one of the donor base station, a core network device, or an operation, administration, and maintenance entity.

7 . An apparatus for use as a mobile relay device, comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions are executed by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to:

move to a permitted area in which the mobile relay device is allowed to use a relay function, wherein the permitted area is a cell covered by a donor base station; and

obtain in the permitted area, a physical cell identifier (PCI) of a relay cell accessed by a terminal device and through which the relay function is provided for the terminal device, wherein the PCI of the relay cell is determined based on at least one of: a radio access network area code broadcast by the donor base station, or a PCI of a donor cell broadcast by the donor base station.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the instructions executed by the at least one processor cause the apparatus to further:

send first information to a network device, wherein the first information indicates at least one of a provider of the mobile relay device and an application layer service supported by the mobile relay device.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the instructions executed by the at least one processor cause the apparatus to further:

receive second information from the network device, wherein the second information indicates the permitted area; and

obtaining the PCI of the relay cell comprises:

obtaining, based on the second information, the PCI of the relay cell.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein obtaining the PCI of the relay cell comprises:

receiving third information from the network device, wherein the third information indicates at least one PCI corresponding to the permitted area; and

obtaining, based on the at least one PCI corresponding to the permitted area and the first information, the PCI of the relay cell.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein obtaining the PCI of the relay cell comprises:

receiving fourth information from the network device, wherein the fourth information indicates the PCI of the relay cell.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the network device comprises at least one of the donor base station, a core network device, or an operation, administration, and maintenance entity.

13 . An apparatus for use as a network device, comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions are executed by the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to:

determine a permitted area in which a mobile relay device is allowed to use a relay function, wherein the permitted area is a cell covered by a donor base station; and

determine that the mobile relay device has moved to the permitted, wherein the PCI of the relay cell is determined based on at least one of: a radio access network area code broadcast by the donor base station, or a PCI of a donor cell broadcast by the donor base station.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the instructions executed by the at least one processor cause the apparatus to further:

receive first information from the mobile relay device, wherein the first information indicates at least one of a provider of the mobile relay device and an application layer service supported by the mobile relay device.

15 . The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the instructions executed by the at least one processor cause the apparatus to further:

send second information to the mobile relay device, wherein the second information indicates the permitted area.

16 . The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the instructions executed by the at least one processor cause the apparatus to further:

send third information to the mobile relay device, wherein the third information indicates at least one PCI corresponding to the permitted area.

17 . The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the instructions executed by the at least one processor cause the apparatus to further:

determining fourth information, wherein the fourth information indicates a PCI of a relay cell via which the mobile relay device provides the relay function for a terminal device; and

send the fourth information to the mobile relay device.

18 . The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the network device comprises at least one of the donor base station, a core network device, or an operation, administration, and maintenance entity.

19 . A method of sending information, the method comprising:

determining, by a network device, that a mobile relay device has moved to a cell, covered by a donor base station, in which the mobile relay device is allowed to use a relay function;

sending to the mobile relay device, by the network device, notification information indicating the mobile relay device to obtain a physical cell identifier (PCI) of a relay cell through which the relay function is provided for a terminal device, wherein the PCI of the relay cell is determined based on at least one of: a radio access network area code broadcast by the donor base station, or a PCI of a donor cell broadcast by the donor base station.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising

receiving from the mobile relay device, by the network device, first information indicating at least one of a provider of the mobile relay device and an application layer service supported by the mobile relay device.