In another possible implementation, a payload of downlink control information in the first downlink control information format is greater than a payload of downlink control information in the second downlink control information format.
In another possible implementation, the terminal device detects a third control channel, and if downlink control information carried on the third control channel is successfully checked based on a first check sequence, the terminal device determines that a format of the downlink control information carried on the third control channel is a format corresponding to the first check sequence. The format corresponding to the first check sequence includes at least one of a fallback format or a non-fallback format.
In another possible implementation, the terminal device detects a fourth control channel, and determines, based on indication information in downlink control information carried on the fourth control channel, a format of the downlink control information carried on the fourth control channel.
According to a second aspect, this application provides a control channel detection method. A network device sends a second control channel, and sends a first data channel, where the first data channel is scheduled through the second control channel. The second control channel is a control channel in the at least two candidate control channels, resources of the at least two candidate control channels overlap, and any two of the at least two candidate control channels are located in different search spaces. It should be noted that the method provided in the second aspect is a method applied to a network device side, and specific steps correspond to specific steps in the method that is provided in the first aspect and that is applied to a terminal device side. For details, refer to the related descriptions in the first aspect.