Time configuration method, network device, and UE

1. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors and storing program codes to be executed by the one or more processors, the program codes including instructions for:

determining a sending time of a reference signal according to an overlapping period between a first on duration period of a first user equipment (UE) and a second on duration period of a second UE, wherein the first on duration period and the second on duration period partially overlap in time, and wherein determining the sending time of the reference signal according to the overlapping period between the first on duration period of the first UE and the second on duration period of the second UE comprises:

determining the sending time of the reference signal according to the first on duration period of the first UE, the second on duration period of the second UE, and a time configuration information table of the reference signal; and

sending the reference signal to the UE.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein determining the sending time of the reference signal according to the first on duration period of the first UE, the second on duration period of the second UE, and the time configuration information table of the reference signal comprises:

obtaining an intersection of a sending time in the time configuration information table, the first on duration period of the first UE, and the second on duration period of the second UE; and

selecting the sending time of the reference signal from the intersection.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sending time of the reference signal is within the first on duration period of the first UE.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the sending time of the reference signal being within the first on duration period of the first UE comprises:

a start point of the sending time of the reference signal is the same as a start point of the first on duration period of the first UE;

an end point of the sending time of the reference signal is the same as an end point of the first on duration period of the first UE; or

the start point of the sending time of the reference signal is after the start point of the first on duration period of the first UE, and the end point of the sending time of the reference signal is before the end point of the first on duration period of the first UE.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reference signal is a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS).

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first UE is in a discontinuous reception mode.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors and storing program codes to be executed by the one or more processors, the program codes including instructions for:

grouping a plurality of user equipment (UEs) served by the apparatus into groups according to discontinuous reception configurations of the plurality of UEs;

for each group of UEs, determining an on duration period of UEs in the group according to a sending time of a reference signal; and

for each group of UEs, sending the reference signal to the UEs in the group.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein for each group of UEs, the on duration period of the UEs in the group comprises:

an on duration period of at least one of all UEs in the group that need to receive the reference signal.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein for each group of UEs, determining the on duration period of the UEs in the group according to the sending time of the reference signal comprises:

for each group of UEs, determining that the sending time of the reference signal is within the on duration period of the UEs in the group.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the sending time of the reference signal being within the on duration period of the UEs in the group comprises:

an end point of the on duration period of the UEs in the group is the same as an end point of the sending time.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the program codes further include instructions for:

for each group of UEs, determining the sending time of the reference signal.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein for each group of UEs, determining the sending time of the reference signal comprises:

for each group of UEs, periodically configuring the sending time of the reference signal.

13. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the reference signal is a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS).

14. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of UEs are in a discontinuous reception mode.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors and storing program codes to be executed by the one or more processors, the program codes including instructions for:

collecting statistics for all UEs served by the apparatus for which a reference signal will be configured;

grouping the UEs into groups according to discontinuous reception configurations of the UEs;

for each group of UEs, obtaining an overlapping on duration period in which all UEs in the group are in an duration period;

for each group of UEs, configuring a reference signal to be sent to the UEs in the group in the overlapping on duration period; and

for each group of UEs, sending the reference signal to the UEs in the group in the overlapping on duration period.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the reference signal is a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS).