COMMUNICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

This application relates to the field of communication technologies, and discloses a communication method and apparatus, to avoid a problem of a signal conflict caused when a plurality of backscatter devices simultaneously reflect signals. The method includes: A backscatter device receives an excitation signal from an exciter. The backscatter device determines a backscatter signal pattern in a backscatter signal pattern set, where the backscatter signal pattern set includes a plurality of backscatter signal patterns, and backscatter reference signals in the plurality of backscatter signal patterns do not overlap in time domain. The backscatter device modulates a backscatter reference signal and a backscatter data signal on the excitation signal based on the determined backscatter signal pattern, to obtain a backscatter signal. The backscatter device sends the backscatter signal to a receiver.