Satellite communication method, device and system

Abstract

Provided are a satellite communication method, device and system, the method comprising: receiving first control information, the first control information comprising first position information and first time information, the first position information being used for indicating the position of a first area to be covered by a beam of a first network device, and the first time information being used for indicating the position of a second area to be covered by a beam of the first network device; the first time information is used for indicating a first time period; a first beam direction is determined according to the first position information and second position information, and the second position information is used for indicating the position of the first network device; and in the first time period, transmitting data along the first beam direction. Based on the method, the information carried by the control signaling can be simplified, and the satellite station can be controlled to realize a beam staring function on the beam position in a plurality of time periods based on the information, so that the signaling overhead caused by sending the control signaling by the network side is reduced, and the transmission pressure of signaling interaction of a communication system is relieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communications, and in particular to methods, devices, and systems for satellite communications. Background Art

[0002] Non-terrestrial networks (NTN) communications have characteristics such as a large coverage area and flexible networking, and are important communication technologies in the field of communications. Among them, satellite communication systems are an important part of NTN. Satellite stations in satellite communication systems can act as network-controlled repeaters (NCR) nodes to forward data from ground base stations to user equipment.

[0003] During the movement of the satellite station, in order to continuously and stably provide services to a fixed wave position on the ground, the satellite station needs to continuously adjust the beam direction so that the beam continuously points to the fixed wave position. This process is also called beam staring. Since the satellite station is continuously moving during operation, the beam direction of the satellite station needs to continuously change. The change in the beam direction of the satellite station needs to be indicated by the ground base station through control signaling. Then, the ground base station needs to continuously send a large amount of control signaling to the satellite station to ensure that the satellite station can accurately point the beam to the fixed wave position on the ground during movement, resulting in a huge signaling overhead for this process. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of this application provide methods, devices, and systems for satellite communications, which can streamline the information carried by control signaling, and based on this information, can control the satellite station to achieve the beam staring function for this wave position in multiple time periods, thereby reducing the signaling overhead caused by the network side sending control signaling, and helping to relieve the transmission pressure of signaling interaction in the communication system.

[0005] In a first aspect, a method for satellite communication is provided. The method includes: receiving first control information, where the first control information includes first position information and first time information, where the first position information is used to indicate the position of a first area to be covered by the beam of a first network device, and the first time information is used to indicate a first time period; determining a first beam direction according to the first position information and second position information, where the second position information is used to indicate the position of the first network device; and transmitting data along the first beam direction within the first time period.

[0006] Exemplarily, the above first control information may be a satellite station of a relay communication system acting as an NCR node.

[0007] Exemplarily, the above first area may be a wave position in the service area under the jurisdiction of the first network device.

[0008] Exemplarily, the above-mentioned first time information, also known as the first time resource, includes the start time of the first time period and the duration of the first time period; alternatively, the above-mentioned first time information may further include the start time and the end time of the first time period; alternatively, the above-mentioned first time information may further include the duration and the end time of the first time period.

[0009] Exemplarily, the above-mentioned first location information and the above-mentioned first time information may also be sent separately through two control signaling.

[0010] Exemplarily, the above-mentioned second location information may be used to indicate the location of the first network device at the first moment before the first time period. Further, the time difference between the first moment and the start time of the first time period needs to be within a preset range.

[0011] Exemplarily, the above-mentioned transmitting data along the first beam direction may be that the first network device forwards data from the core network to the terminal device or network device in the first area pointed by the first beam direction. This data may be amplified and forwarded by the first network device; or it may be forwarded after corresponding data processing by the first network device, and this process is also called decode and forward; or it may be stored and then forwarded by the first network device, and this process is also called store and forward.

[0012] Exemplarily, the above-mentioned transmitted data includes transmitted data and received data. Among them, the transmitted data corresponds to the downlink communication scenario, and the first network device transmits data along the first beam direction to the terminal device or network device in the first area; the received data corresponds to the uplink communication scenario, and the first network device may also receive data from the terminal device or network device in the first area along the first beam direction. Thus, it can be seen that the first beam direction does not only represent a single direction, and the first beam direction may represent the directions corresponding to both ends of the first beam, that is, it can represent two directions.

[0013] Based on the above technical solution, the information carried by the control signaling can be streamlined. For dynamic configuration, the control signaling only needs to carry a location information for indicating the wave position, and then it can control the first network device to achieve the beam gazing function for the wave position in multiple time periods; for static configuration and semi-static configuration, the control signaling only needs to configure the location information of a group of multiple wave positions and the corresponding multiple time information within 1 configuration period, and then it can control the first network device to continuously achieve the gazing function for multiple wave positions in multiple configuration periods. Thereby, the signaling overhead caused by the network side sending control signaling is reduced, which helps to relieve the transmission pressure of signaling interaction in the communication system.

[0014] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the above-mentioned first location information is a first coordinate point, and this first coordinate point belongs to a first area. Alternatively, the above-mentioned first location information is a reference beam direction, and this reference beam direction is used to indicate the direction from a first network device to the first area during a reference period before a first period; the above-mentioned second location information is a second coordinate point, and this second coordinate point is the spatial coordinate of the location of the first network device.

[0015] Based on the above technical solution, by indicating the coordinate point corresponding to the wave position to the first network device or directly indicating the reference beam direction, it is assisted that the first network device can determine the beam direction corresponding to the first network device during multiple periods by itself. At the same time, it can also streamline the information carried by the control signaling configured on the network side, thereby reducing the transmission pressure of signaling interaction in the communication system.

[0016] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, when the first location information is a reference beam direction, a fourth coordinate point is determined according to the reference beam direction and a third coordinate point, where the third coordinate point is the spatial coordinate of the first network device during the reference period; a first beam direction is determined according to the second coordinate point and the fourth coordinate point.

[0017] Based on the above technical solution, the first network device resolves the reference position pointed to by the reference beam direction through the reference beam direction, and then, in subsequent corresponding periods, can determine the direction pointed to by the beam during the corresponding period in combination with its own location information and the reference position, thereby helping to streamline the information carried by the control signaling, reducing the signaling overhead caused by the network side sending the control signaling, and helping to relieve the transmission pressure of signaling interaction in the communication system.

[0018] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the above-mentioned first control information further includes first period information, and this first period information is used to indicate a plurality of first periods. When the above-mentioned first location information is a reference beam direction, the first first period includes the above-mentioned reference period, the Nth first period includes the above-mentioned first period, and the beam direction corresponding to the first period included in the Nth first period is determined based on the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference period included in the first first period, and N is an integer greater than 1.

[0019] Based on the above technical solution, for static configuration and semi-static configuration, the first control information only needs to configure the location information of a group of multiple wave positions and the corresponding multiple time information within 1 period, and then it can control the first network device to continuously implement the staring function for multiple wave positions within multiple configuration periods. Thereby reducing the signaling overhead caused by the network side sending the control signaling, and helping to relieve the transmission pressure of signaling interaction on the network side.

[0020] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first control information further includes a first flag, and the first flag is used to trigger the first network device to determine a first beam direction according to the first position information and the second position information.

[0021] Based on the above technical solution, the corresponding operation of this solution is triggered by the first flag, thereby increasing the flexibility of this solution in application.

[0022] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first control information is downlink control information (DCI) or radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0023] Exemplarily, in the case where the above first position information includes a reference beam direction, the reference beam direction can reuse the current method of indicating the beam direction by DCI or RRC signaling. For example, a beam index is used to represent the beam direction.

[0024] Based on the above technical solution, the data format of the existing control signaling is directly reused without reconstructing the data format of the control signaling, thereby reducing the implementation difficulty of this solution.

[0025] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, first capability information is sent, and the first capability information is used to indicate whether the beam of the first network device can point to any direction.

[0026] Based on the above technical solution, through the reporting of information by the first network device on whether it has the staring function, the network side can accurately know the beamforming capability of the first network device, so that the network side can effectively control the first network device.

[0027] In a second aspect, a method for satellite communication is provided, which is applied to a second network device. The method includes: determining first control information, where the first control information includes first position information and first time information. The first position information is used to indicate the position of a first area to be covered by the beam of the first network device, the first time information is used to indicate a first time period, and the first control information is used to instruct the first network device to determine a first beam direction according to the first position information and transmit data along the first beam direction within the first time period; sending the first control information.

[0028] Exemplarily, the above second network device may be a ground station, or a gateway station, in a satellite-based relay communication system, and this ground station integrates all or part of the functions of a base station. Alternatively, the above second network device may also be a network entity in the core network.

[0029] In combination with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first location information is a first coordinate point, and the first coordinate point belongs to the first area; or, the first location information is a reference beam direction, and the reference beam direction is used to indicate the direction from the first network device to the first area during a reference period before the first period.

[0030] In combination with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first control information further includes first period information, and the first period information is used to indicate a plurality of first periods. When the first location information is a reference beam direction, the first first period includes the reference period, the Nth first period includes the first period, and the beam direction corresponding to the first period included in the Nth first period is determined based on the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference period included in the first first period, where N is an integer greater than 1.

[0031] In combination with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first control information further includes a first flag, and the first flag is used to trigger the first network device to determine a first beam direction according to the first location information and the second location information, and the second location information is used to indicate the location of the first network device.

[0032] In combination with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the first control information is DCI or RRC signaling.

[0033] In combination with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, receive first capability information, and the first capability information is used to indicate whether the beam of the first network device can point in any direction; when the first capability information is used to indicate that the beam of the first network device can point in any direction, determine the first control information.

[0034] In a third aspect, a satellite communication device is provided, which is applied to a first network device. The device includes: a receiving unit, configured to receive first control information, where the first control information includes first location information and first time information, the first location information is used to indicate the location of a first area to be covered by the beam of the first network device, and the first time information is used to indicate a first period; a determining unit, configured to determine a first beam direction according to the first location information and second location information, where the second location information is used to indicate the location of the first network device; and an operating unit 830, configured to transmit data along the first beam direction during the first period.

[0035] In combination with the third aspect, in some implementation manners of the third aspect, the above first position information is a first coordinate point, and the first coordinate point belongs to a first area. Alternatively, the above first position information is a reference beam direction, and the reference beam direction is used to indicate the direction from a first network device to the first area during a reference period before the first period; the above second position information is a second coordinate point, and the second coordinate point is the spatial coordinate of the position of the first network device.

[0036] In combination with the third aspect, in some implementation manners of the third aspect, when the first position information is a reference beam direction, the above determining unit is specifically configured to: determine a fourth coordinate point according to the reference beam direction and a third coordinate point, where the third coordinate point is the spatial coordinate of the first network device during the reference period; determine a first beam direction according to the second coordinate point and the fourth coordinate point.

[0037] In combination with the third aspect, in some implementation manners of the third aspect, the above first control information further includes first period information, and the first period information is used to indicate a plurality of first periods. When the first position information is a reference beam direction, the first first period includes the above reference period, the Nth first period includes the above first period, and the beam direction corresponding to the first period included in the Nth first period is determined based on the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference period included in the first first period, where N is an integer greater than 1.

[0038] In combination with the third aspect, in some implementation manners of the third aspect, the first control information further includes a first flag, and the first flag is used to trigger the above determining unit to determine a first beam direction according to the first position information and the second position information.

[0039] In combination with the third aspect, in some implementation manners of the third aspect, the above first control information is DCI or RRC signaling.

[0040] In combination with the third aspect, in some implementation manners of the third aspect, the device further includes a sending unit, configured to send first capability information, and the first capability information is used to indicate whether the beam of the first network device can point in any direction.

[0041] In a fourth aspect, a device for satellite communication is provided. The device is applied to a second network device and includes: a determining unit, configured to determine first control information, where the first control information includes first position information and first time information. The first position information is used to indicate the position of a first area to be covered by the beam of the first network device, the first time information is used to indicate a first period, and the first control information is used to indicate that the first network device determines a first beam direction according to the first position information and transmits data along the first beam direction during the first period; a sending unit, configured to send the first control information.

[0042] In combination with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the first location information is a first coordinate point, and this first coordinate point belongs to the first area; or, the first location information is a reference beam direction, and this reference beam direction is used to indicate the direction from the first network device to the first area during a reference period before the above-mentioned first period.

[0043] In combination with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the first control information further includes first period information, and this first period information is used to indicate a plurality of first periods. When the first location information is a reference beam direction, the first first period includes the above-mentioned reference period, the Nth first period includes the above-mentioned first period, and the beam direction corresponding to the first period included in the Nth first period is determined based on the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference period included in the first first period, where N is an integer greater than 1.

[0044] In combination with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the first control information further includes a first flag, and this first flag is used to trigger the first network device to determine a first beam direction according to the first location information and the second location information, and the second location information is used to indicate the location of the first network device.

[0045] In combination with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the above-mentioned first control information is DCI or RRC signaling.

[0046] In combination with the fourth aspect, in some implementations of the fourth aspect, the device further includes a receiving device, which is used to receive first capability information, and this first capability information is used to indicate whether the beam of the first network device can point in any direction; the above-mentioned determining unit is specifically used to determine the above-mentioned first control information when the first capability information is used to indicate that the beam of the first network device can point in any direction.

[0047] A fifth aspect provides a network device, including a processor and a memory. Among them, the processor is connected to the memory. The memory is used to store program code, and the processor is used to call the program code to execute the method in any possible implementation manner in the method design of the first aspect or the second aspect above.

[0048] A sixth aspect provides a network device, including a processor, where the processor is used to execute program code to execute the method in any possible implementation manner in the method design of the first aspect or the second aspect above.

[0049] In a seventh aspect, a network device is provided, including a processor, a memory, and a transceiver. The memory is configured to store computer instructions. The transceiver is configured to receive a signal from the memory and send the signal to the processor, where the signal includes the computer instructions. The processor is configured to execute the computer instructions to perform the method in any possible implementation of the method design in the first aspect or the second aspect described above.

[0050] In an eighth aspect, a network device is provided, including an interface circuit and a processor. The interface circuit and the processor are interconnected by a line. The interface circuit is configured to receive a signal and send the signal to the processor, where the signal includes the computer instructions. The processor is configured to execute the computer instructions to perform the method in any possible implementation of the method design in the first aspect or the second aspect described above.

[0051] In a ninth aspect, a network device is provided, including an interface circuit and a logic circuit. The interface circuit and the logic circuit are interconnected by a line. The interface circuit is configured to receive a signal and send the signal to the logic circuit, where the signal includes the computer instructions. The logic circuit is configured to execute the computer instructions to perform the method in any possible implementation of the method design in the first aspect or the second aspect described above.

[0052] In a tenth aspect, a communication system is provided, including a first network device and a second network device. The first network device is configured to perform the method in any possible implementation of the method design in the first aspect described above, and the second network device is configured to perform the method in any possible implementation of the method design in the second aspect described above.

[0053] In an eleventh aspect, a chip system is provided. The chip system is applied to an electronic device. The chip system includes one or more interface circuits and one or more processors. The interface circuits and the processors are interconnected by a line. The interface circuits are configured to receive a signal from the memory of the electronic device and send the signal to the processors, where the signal includes the computer instructions stored in the memory. When the processors execute the computer instructions, the electronic device performs the method in any possible implementation of the method design in the first aspect or the second aspect described above.

[0054] In a twelfth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, storing a computer program or instructions, where the computer program or instructions are used to implement the method in any possible implementation of the method design in the first aspect or the second aspect described above.

[0055] In a thirteenth aspect, a computer program product is provided. When the computer program code or instructions are executed on a computer, the computer is caused to perform the method in any possible implementation of the method design in the first aspect or the second aspect described above. Description of the Drawings

[0056] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a relay solution;

[0057] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the satellite communication system 200 applicable to the embodiments of the present application;

[0058] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an NCR node;

[0059] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the satellite network 400 applicable to the technical solution of the present application;

[0060] Figure 5 It is a schematic flowchart of a satellite communication method 500 proposed by the embodiments of the present application;

[0061] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of an execution process of the method 500 proposed by the embodiments of the present application;

[0062] Figure 7 It is another schematic diagram of an execution process of the method 500 proposed by the embodiments of the present application;

[0063] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of a reference beam direction proposed by the embodiments of the present application;

[0064] Figure 9 It is a schematic block diagram of a satellite communication device 900 provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0065] Figure 10 It is a schematic block diagram of a satellite communication device 1000 provided by the embodiments of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0066] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0067] In order to expand the ground coverage range of the base station signal, it is usually considered to deploy multiple relay nodes on the ground to relay the data sent by the base station, so as to achieve the effect of expanding the ground coverage range of the base station signal. However, traditional relay nodes usually only have the functions of amplification and forwarding, and the controllability is poor. In order to enhance the functionality of the relay nodes, a solution of using NCR as a relay node is proposed. The network side sends corresponding control signals to the NCR node to instruct the NCR node to forward data. Compared with traditional relay nodes that can only perform amplification and forwarding functions, the NCR node allows network-side control and has strong spatial directivity, which helps to improve the service quality of data forwarding.

[0068] However, for the ground relay solution, there are still the following problems.

[0069] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a relay solution.

[0070] refer to Figure 1 As shown, the source base station can directly establish a communication link with the terminal device. When the source base station is far away from the terminal device, a ground relay solution can be adopted, that is, the source base station and multiple relay nodes deployed on the ground establish a communication link from the source base station to the terminal device. When there are high obstacles or other barriers between the source base station and the terminal device, or between multiple relay nodes, or between the source base station and the relay node, or between the relay node and the terminal device, the communication link from the source base station to the terminal device may be blocked. In order to solve this problem of the ground relay solution, a relay solution based on NTN is proposed, that is, data forwarding can be performed through a satellite station as a relay node. In view of the characteristics of NTN communication such as large coverage area and flexible networking, the satellite station can cross the obstacles or barriers between the base station and the destination wave position, and transmit the signal beam to the destination wave position, so that the communication data can be forwarded to the terminal device in the destination wave position. Among them, obstacles can be objects such as high-rise buildings and trees, barriers can be wide sea areas, etc., and the destination wave position is used to indicate a range that needs to be covered by the beam signal.

[0071] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present application, a satellite communication system will be introduced below.

[0072] Figure 2 2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a satellite communication system 200 applicable to an embodiment of the present application.

[0073] The technical solution of this application can be applied to satellite communication systems. Figure 2 , the satellite communication system 200 is usually composed of three parts: space segment, ground segment and user segment.

[0074] Exemplarily, according to the orbital altitude of satellite 201, the satellite communication system can be divided into the following three types: geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite communication system, also known as synchronous orbit satellite communication system; medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite communication system and low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication system. Among them, the orbital altitude of GEO satellite is 35,786 km. Its main advantage is that it can remain stationary relative to the ground and provide a large coverage area. However, GEO satellite communication also has obvious disadvantages: the GEO satellite orbit is far from the earth, and the free space propagation loss is large, resulting in a tight communication link budget. Moreover, in order to increase the transmission or reception gain, a satellite needs to be equipped with a large-aperture antenna; the communication transmission delay of GEO is large, and the round-trip delay can reach about 500 ms, which cannot meet the requirements of low-delay services; the orbital resources of GEO are also relatively tight, the launch cost is high, and it cannot provide coverage for the polar regions of the earth. The orbital altitude of MEO satellites is in the range of 2,000 - 35,786 km. The advantage is that global coverage can be achieved with a relatively small number of satellites. However, its orbital altitude is higher than that of LEO, and the communication transmission delay is still larger than that of LEO satellite communication. The orbital altitude of LEO satellites is in the range of 300 - 2,000 km. LEO satellites have a lower orbital altitude than MEO and GEO, and have the advantages of smaller data propagation delay, smaller transmission loss, and lower launch cost. Therefore, LEO satellites can be used to construct Figure 2 the space segment shown. Of course, in some specific application scenarios, LEO satellites can also be replaced by GEO satellites or MEO satellites, or even a combination of multiple types of satellites.

[0075] The ground segment generally includes a satellite measurement and control center 202, a network control center (NCC) 203, and various gateway stations (gateway) 204, etc. The gateway station is also called a ground station. Among them, the network control center is also called the system control center (SCC). The user segment is composed of various terminal devices. The terminal device can be various mobile terminals 206, for example, mobile satellite phones, or various fixed terminals 207, for example, communication ground stations, etc. Figure 2 The dashed line in the middle refers to the communication signal between the satellite and the terminal. The solid line refers to the communication signal between the satellite and the devices in the ground segment. The double-headed arrow line refers to the communication signal between the network elements in the ground segment. In a satellite communication system, a satellite can also be called a satellite station or a satellite base station. Refer to Figure 2As shown, the satellite station can transmit downlink data to the terminal device. Among them, the downlink data can be transmitted to the terminal device after channel coding and modulation mapping. The terminal device can also transmit uplink data to the satellite station. Among them, the uplink data can also be transmitted to the satellite station after channel coding and modulation mapping.

[0076] The satellite TT&C center 202 in the ground segment has functions such as maintaining, monitoring, and controlling the orbital position and attitude of the satellite, and managing the ephemeris of the satellite. The network control center 203 has functions such as processing user registration, identity confirmation, billing, and other network management functions. In some satellite mobile communication systems, the network control center 203 and the satellite TT&C center 202 are combined into one. The gateway station 204 has functions such as call processing, switching, and an interface with the terrestrial communication network. The terrestrial communication network 205 is an integral part of the ground segment of the satellite network and is used to exchange the data packets of the satellite to the core network and send them to the final terminal device. The terrestrial communication network can be a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a public land mobile network (PLMN), or various other dedicated networks. Different terrestrial communication networks require the gateway station to have different gateway functions.

[0077] In some satellite communication systems, the space segment of the satellite communication system can be a multi-layer structure composed of a management satellite and one or more service satellites. In the networking of the multi-layer satellite communication system, the space segment can include one or more management satellites and the service satellites managed by these management satellites. The satellites or satellite stations mentioned in this application are not limited to management satellites or service satellites.

[0078] The gateway station, satellite station, and terminal device include but are not limited to communicating using the following communication systems: the 5th generation (5G) mobile communication system, such as the new radio (NR) system, and future communication systems, such as the 6th generation (6G) mobile communication system, etc.

[0079] In some possible scenarios, the above-mentioned gateway station and satellite station can be collectively referred to as radio access network (RAN) nodes, and can also be called access network devices, RAN entities, or access nodes, etc.

[0080] In some other possible scenarios, multiple RAN nodes can cooperate to assist the terminal in achieving wireless access, and different RAN nodes respectively implement some functions of the gateway station and the satellite station. For example, the RAN node can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU), etc. The CU and the DU can be set separately, or can also be included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). The CU node and the DU node split the protocol layers of the gNB, and the functions of some protocol layers are centrally controlled by the CU, and the functions of the remaining part or all protocol layers are distributed in the DU, and the DU is centrally controlled by the CU. As an implementation method, the CU deploys the RRC layer, the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, and the service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer in the protocol stack; the DU deploys the radio link control (RLC) layer, the media access control (MAC) layer, and the physical layer (PHY) in the protocol stack. Thus, the CU has the processing capabilities of RRC, PDCP, and SDAP. The DU has the processing capabilities of RLC, MAC, and PHY. It can be understood that the above function splitting is only an example and does not constitute a limitation on the CU and the DU. The RU can be included in the radio frequency device or radio frequency unit, such as included in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH).

[0081] In different systems, the CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may also have different names, but those skilled in the art can understand their meanings. For example, in the ORAN system, the CU may also be referred to as O-CU (Open CU), the DU may also be referred to as O-DU, the CU-CP may also be referred to as O-CU-CP, the CU-UP may also be referred to as O-CU-UP, and the RU may also be referred to as O-RU. For the convenience of description, in this application, the CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, and RU are used as examples for description. Any unit among the CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application may be implemented through a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0082] The terminal device in the embodiments of this application needs to access the mobile satellite communication network through the ground segment of the satellite communication system for mobile communication. The terminal device may refer to a user equipment (UE), an access terminal, a user unit, a user station, a mobile station, a mobile device, a remote station, a remote terminal, a mobile device, a user terminal, a terminal, a wireless communication device, a user agent, or a user device. The terminal device may also be a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld device with wireless communication capabilities, a computing device, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, a terminal device in a 5G network or a future 6G network, or a terminal device in a future evolved public land mobile network (PLMN), etc. Terminal devices represented by satellite phones and vehicle-mounted satellite communication systems can communicate directly with satellites. Fixed terminals represented by ground communication stations need to be relayed by ground stations before they can communicate with satellites. The terminal device sets and obtains the communication status through a wireless transceiver antenna installed thereon to complete communication.

[0083] The satellite communication system is an important part of NTN. The satellite station in the satellite communication system can act as an NCR node to forward the data of the ground base station to the UE.

[0084] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an NCR node.

[0085] Reference Figure 3As shown, the NCR node may include two modules: the NCR-Mobile Termination (NCR-MT) and the NCR-Forwarder (NCR-Fwd). Among them, the NCR-MT establishes a connection with a terrestrial base station, such as a 5G base station (next generation NodeB, gNB), through a control link; the NCR-Fwd is connected to the above-mentioned terrestrial base station through a backhaul link, and is used to forward data from the above-mentioned terrestrial base station and forward the data to the UE through an access link.

[0086] Exemplarily, Figure 3 The NCR node shown may be a satellite station in a satellite communication system, while Figure 3 The terrestrial base station shown may be a kind of gateway station, and this gateway station can send control signaling to the satellite station to control the satellite station to adjust the beam direction.

[0087] At present, for the indication of the beam information of the NCR node, the following three configuration methods are included: static configuration, semi-static configuration, and dynamic configuration.

[0088] Among them, the static configuration is configured by the base station through the RRC signaling sent to the NCR node. Each RRC signaling sent can configure a certain number of forwarding resources at one time. Each forwarding resource can be defined as {beam index, time resource}, where the beam index is used to indicate the beam of the NCR node pointing to a specific direction; the time resource is used to indicate a period of time, which can include the start time and duration. Combining these two pieces of information, the NCR can determine the start time and duration of the external radiation of a specific beam.

[0089] In addition, a time period is also configured in the RRC signaling, and this time period should be greater than or equal to the sum of the durations corresponding to all the time resources among the above-mentioned certain number of forwarding resources. After each time period, when the NCR node can still cover the target wave position, the NCR node will repeat the above-mentioned action of transmitting the corresponding beam in the next time period.

[0090] Exemplarily, the base station is a gateway station, the NCR is a satellite station, and the RRC signaling configures 3 forwarding resources and a time period T at once. Each forwarding resource is defined as {beam1, ΔT1}, {beam2, ΔT2}, and {beam3, ΔT3}, where ΔT1 can also indicate that the starting time is t1, ΔT2 can also indicate that the starting time is t2, and ΔT3 can also indicate that the starting time is t3, and T ≥ ΔT1 + ΔT2 + ΔT3. Then, at time t1, the satellite station transmits beam1 and sends the corresponding beam according to the established beam direction. At time t2, the satellite station transmits beam2 and sends the corresponding beam according to the established beam direction. At time t3, the satellite station transmits beam3 and sends the corresponding beam according to the established beam direction. After one time period, the satellite station repeats the above actions of transmitting the corresponding beams.

[0091] The semi-static configuration is also configured by the base station through the RRC signaling sent to the NCR node. Each time the RRC signaling is sent, a certain number of forwarding resources can be configured at once. Each forwarding resource can be defined as {beam index, time resource}. However, in the semi-static configuration, the base station needs to activate a subset of all the forwarding resources configured by the above RRC signaling through the control element (CE) of the medium access control (MAC).

[0092] In addition, in the semi-static configuration, a time period is also configured in the RRC signaling. After each time period, when the MAC CE does not change the subset of the activated forwarding resources or the NCR node can still cover the target wave position, the NCR node will repeat the action of transmitting the corresponding beam according to the RRC signaling in the next time period.

[0093] The dynamic configuration can carry control information through format 5_0 in the DCI, also known as DCI 5_0. The control information includes beam index information, and this beam index information occupies 6 bits. Therefore, this beam index information can indicate at most 64 beam directions. Moreover, each time the base station uses the DCI, it can indicate at most Lmax beam directions, and each beam direction corresponds to a time resource respectively, where the value of Lmax can be configured through the RRC signaling.

[0094] In the case where the satellite station is the NCR node, since the satellite station is continuously moving during operation, the beam direction of the satellite station needs to change continuously. Then, the ground base station needs to continuously send a large amount of control signaling to the satellite station through the RRC signaling or the DCI to ensure that the satellite station can accurately direct the beam to the fixed wave position on the ground during the movement, that is, to achieve the beam staring function of the satellite station, which results in a huge signaling overhead in this process.

[0095] For dynamic configuration, the current DCI 5_0 can support indicating up to 64 beam directions at most, and it is impossible to control the satellite to achieve omnidirectional beam gazing. Moreover, since the length of the DCI is limited, for example, the maximum length is 140 bits, then the indication of a beam usually requires an information length of more than 20 bits. For example, a 6-bit beam index and several bits of time resource indication information. Therefore, the number of beam directions that can be indicated by only 1 DCI is more limited.

[0096] For static configuration and semi-static configuration, especially in the case where the serving cell adopts multiple synchronization signal / physical broadcast channel blocks (SSBs) configuration, it is provided for the terminal device to access and switch the network through beam scanning, and beam scanning is a commonly used communication technology at the present stage. Among them, beam scanning refers to a technology used in a wireless communication system to improve the signal coverage range and capacity, that is, the base station can send a beam direction at a certain moment, and then send beams in different directions at multiple moments to enable multiple beams to cover the entire cell, thereby realizing beamforming and improving the coverage efficiency. Based on this scenario, it is necessary to configure multiple beams with different directions within one RRC configuration period. In order to implement the beam gazing function of the satellite station, it is necessary to reconfigure multiple beams with different directions for each RRC configuration period. It can be seen that in the static configuration and semi-static configuration scenarios, the signaling overhead of the signaling about beam direction indication in the RRC signaling is still huge.

[0097] In view of this, the embodiments of the present application propose a method, device and system for satellite communication. By sending the reference position information corresponding to the beam to the satellite station, the satellite station can calculate the beam direction corresponding to the beam based on its own position information and the reference position information, so as to realize the beam gazing function of the satellite station for the ground wave position through simplified signaling indication.

[0098] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a satellite network 400 applicable to the technical solution of the present application. This schematic diagram of the architecture takes the 5G scenario as an example. Of course, for the future 6G scenario, the technical solution proposed in the embodiments of the present application is also applicable.

[0099] The satellite network 300 includes: a terminal device, a satellite station, a 5G core network, a ground station, a 5G new air interface, an Xn interface, and an NG interface.

[0100] Among them, the terminal device can be a mobile device supporting the 5G new air interface, such as mobile devices like mobile phones, tablet devices, smart cars, etc. This terminal device can access the satellite network through the 5G new air interface and initiate services such as calls and Internet access.

[0101] The satellite station can be a 5G base station, mainly used to provide wireless access services, schedule wireless resources for the accessed terminal devices, and can provide reliable wireless transmission protocols and data encryption protocols, etc. In addition, the satellite station can also be connected to the core network on the ground through a wireless link. At the same time, the satellite network can include multiple satellite stations, and there are also wireless links between the satellite stations to complete the signaling and data transmission between multiple base stations.

[0102] The 5G core network is used to implement functions such as user access control, mobility management, session management, user security authentication, and charging management. For these functions, the 5G core network is implemented through corresponding functional units, and these functional units can be divided into control plane functional entities and user plane functional entities. For example, the access and mobility management function (AMF) unit is responsible for functions such as user access management, security authentication, and mobility management belonging to the control plane. The session management function (SMF) unit is used to support a customized mobility management solution together with the AMF unit. The user plane function (UPF) unit is responsible for functions such as managing the transmission of user plane data and traffic statistics. Among them, the functional entity can also be called a functional network element.

[0103] The ground station is used to forward the signaling and service data between the satellite station and the 5G core network. This ground station can also implement the functions of a 5G base station.

[0104] The 5G new air interface is used to connect the wireless link between the terminal device and the 5G base station.

[0105] The Xn interface is the interface between the satellite station and the ground station, mainly used for the interaction of signaling such as handover.

[0106] The NG interface is the interface between the ground station and the 5G core network, mainly used for the interaction of signaling such as the non-access stratum (NAS) of the core network and the service data of users.

[0107] Based on the above satellite network 400, the method for satellite communication proposed in the embodiments of the present application can be executed, and the method is as follows.

[0108] Figure 5It is a schematic flowchart of a satellite communication method 500 proposed by an embodiment of the present application. The method 500 can be applied to a first network device, which can be a satellite station serving as an NCR node, or the first network device can also include network devices in an ORAN system, such as CU-UP, CU-CP, DU, and RU.

[0109] S510: Receive first control information, which includes first position information and first time information. Among them, the first position information is used to indicate the position of the first area to be covered by the beam of the first network device, and the first time information is used to indicate the first time period.

[0110] In some possible embodiments, the above-mentioned first area may be a wave position in the service area under the jurisdiction of the first network device.

[0111] In some possible embodiments, the above-mentioned first time information is also called first time resource, and includes the start time of the first time period and the duration of the first time period; alternatively, the above-mentioned first time information may further include the start time and end time of the first time period; alternatively, the above-mentioned first time information may further include the duration and end time of the first time period.

[0112] In some possible embodiments, the above-mentioned first control information is determined and sent by a second network device, which can be a network entity or network element device in the core network. The first control information can be directly sent by the network entity to the first network device, or can be forwarded to the first network device through a relay node. The second network device can also include network devices in an ORAN system. For example, the above-mentioned first control information is determined and sent by the CU-CP of the second network device.

[0113] Taking the first network device as a satellite station as an example, the first control information can be first sent by a network entity of the core network to the ground station corresponding to the satellite station, and then the ground station forwards the first control information to the first network device. Or the ground station determines the first control information according to relevant control signaling from a network entity of the core network and in combination with the current communication scenario, and then sends the first control information to the satellite station.

[0114] In some possible embodiments, in dynamic configuration, the first control information can be DCI, and in static configuration or semi-static configuration, the first control information can be RRC signaling.

[0115] In some possible embodiments, the above-mentioned first position information and the above-mentioned first time information can also be sent through two signaling respectively, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0116] S520: Determine a first beam direction based on the first location information and the second location information, where the second location information is used to indicate the location of the first network device.

[0117] In some possible embodiments, the above second location information may be used to indicate the location of the first network device at a first moment before the first time period. Further, the time difference between the first moment and the start moment of the first time period needs to be within a preset range.

[0118] In some possible embodiments, the first network device may determine the second location information through a global navigation satellite system (GNSS). It should be understood that the second location information may be a spatial coordinate point obtained after processing the location information of the first network device acquired by GNSS. This spatial coordinate point may be in a geodetic coordinate system or in a satellite coordinate system.

[0119] It should be understood that both the first area indicated by the first location information and the location of the first network device indicated by the second location information can be abstracted as a point. In a spatial coordinate system, based on these two determined points, a direction vector can be determined, and this direction vector can be used to represent the above first beam direction.

[0120] S530: Transmit data along the first beam direction within the first time period.

[0121] It should be understood that the above transmission of data along the first beam direction may be that the first network device forwards data from the core network to a terminal device or a network device in the first area pointed to by the first beam direction. This data may be amplified and forwarded by the first network device; or it may be forwarded after corresponding data processing by the first network device, and this process is also called decode and forward; or it may be stored and then forwarded by the first network device, and this process is also called store and forward.

[0122] It should be understood that when the first network device transmits data along the first beam direction, it can provide corresponding communication services for terminal devices in the first area, thereby establishing a communication link from the core network to the terminal devices to realize data interaction between the core network and the terminal devices.

[0123] In some possible embodiments, the above data transmission includes sending data and receiving data. Among them, sending data corresponds to a downlink communication scenario, and the first network device sends data along the first beam direction to a terminal device or a network device in the first area; receiving data corresponds to an uplink communication scenario, and the first network device may also receive data from a terminal device or a network device in the first area along the first beam direction.

[0124] In some possible embodiments, when the above-mentioned first network device is in the ORAN form, the above-mentioned S510 and S520 can be executed by the CU-CP of the first network device, and the above-mentioned S530 can be executed by the DU of the first network device. Of course, with the functional iteration of the ORAN system, the above-mentioned S510 and / or S520 can be executed by other ORAN devices, such as CU-UP, and the above-mentioned S530 can be executed by the RU of the first network device. Before executing the above-mentioned S530, the CU-UP of the first network device can control the first network device to transmit data in the first beam direction within the first time period through control signaling.

[0125] In addition, the first network device also receives second time information, third time information, etc. Among them, the second time information is used to indicate the second time period, the third time information is used to indicate the third time period, and in terms of timing, the second time period is after the first time period, the third time period is after the second time period, and so on. There is usually a time interval between these time periods. Taking dynamic configuration as an example, after the first time period, the first network device will re-acquire its own position to determine the third position information, and then determine the second beam direction according to the third position information and the first position information. All the previous actions can be executed within the time interval between the first time period and the second time period. Within the second time period, the first network device transmits data along the second beam direction. The operation after the second time period is the same. The first network device will update its own position information, then update the beam direction in combination with the first position information received previously, and then adjust its beam pointing.

[0126] Alternatively, if the first network device only receives the first time information, then the first time information is used to indicate multiple first time periods. Based on this, before the 1st first time period, the first network device will acquire its own position to determine the second position information, and then determine the first beam direction according to the second position information and the first position information; within the time interval between the 1st first time period and the 2nd first time period, the first network device will re-acquire its own position to determine the third position information, and then determine the second beam direction according to the third position information and the first position information; the operation within the time interval between the 2nd first time period and the 3rd first time period is the same, and will not be repeated here.

[0127] Based on the foregoing embodiments, it can be seen that at the current stage, the network side directly indicates the beam direction to the NCR node. Taking the example where the transmission direction of each antenna in the antenna array of the NCR node is fixed, the beam directions of each antenna in the antenna array are different. In the application scenario where the network side dynamically configures the beam information of the satellite NCR node, since the satellite NCR node, hereinafter referred to as the satellite station, is in continuous motion, for a wave position, the network side needs to configure multiple beam directions for the satellite station, and each beam direction corresponds to a time period, so that during the motion of the satellite station, the beam can continuously point to the same wave position. The network side can send a DCI including the information shown in Table 1 below to the satellite station to dynamically configure the satellite station to transmit beams that meet the corresponding beam directions in multiple time periods.

[0128] Table 1

[0129] Beam Index Time Information 000 First Period 001 Second Period 010 Third Period … …

[0130] Among them, index number 000 is used to indicate the first beam direction, index number 001 is used to indicate the second beam direction, and index number 010 is used to indicate the third beam direction.

[0131] Combining the content shown in the entire Table 1, it can be seen that this DCI can indicate that the satellite station selects Beam 1 pointing to the first beam direction in the first time period, and then transmits data along the first beam direction through Beam 1; in the second time period, selects Beam 2 pointing to the second beam direction for transmission, and then transmits data along the second beam direction through Beam 2; in the third time period, selects Beam 3 pointing to the third beam direction for transmission, and then transmits data along the third beam direction through Beam 3. It should be understood that the satellite station knows the beam direction corresponding to each antenna of the antenna array, and so on; or, in the case where the satellite station can adjust the direction of the antenna transmitting beam by itself, this DCI can also indicate that the satellite station sets the beam direction to the first beam direction in the first time period, adjusts the beam direction to the second beam direction in the second time period, and adjusts the beam direction to the third beam direction in the third time period, and then transmits data along the corresponding beam direction in each time period, and so on.

[0132] It can be seen that the DCI carries a large amount of information content, and multiple time information and multiple beam directions need to be set accordingly, resulting in a large amount of information overhead. Moreover, the length of the DCI is limited, and it is usually difficult for a single DCI to carry all the information shown in Table 1.

[0133] However, for the method 500 proposed based on the embodiments of this application, more streamlined control information can be used to indicate the beam pointing of the satellite station in each time period, and this control information can also be carried by DCI. Then, the network side can send DCI including the information shown in Table 2 below to the satellite station to dynamically configure the beam directions corresponding to the satellite station in multiple time periods.

[0134] Table 2

[0135]

[0136] Among them, the first position information is used to indicate the position of the first area to be covered by the beam of the NCR node, also known as wave position 1. The first time period and other time information include the start time and duration of the corresponding time period, or include the duration and end time of the corresponding time period, or include the start time and end time of the corresponding time period. The first position information can also be referred to as the first reference information or the first reference position information, which is not limited in this application.

[0137] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of an execution process of the method 500 proposed in the embodiments of this application.

[0138] Combined with Table 1 and Figure 6 As can be seen from the content shown, after the satellite station receives the DCI from the ground station, it combines its own position information and the first position information to calculate the first beam direction. Then, within the first time period, it selects beam 1 pointing to the first beam direction, or adjusts the beam pointing of a certain antenna so that the beam points to the first beam direction, and then transmits data along the first beam direction through this beam; after the first time period ends, the satellite station combines its current own position information and the first position information again to calculate the second beam direction. Then, within the second time period, it selects beam 2 pointing to the second beam direction, or adjusts the beam pointing of a certain antenna so that the beam points to the second beam direction, and then transmits data along the second beam direction through this beam; after the second time period ends, the satellite station combines its current own position information and the first position information again to calculate the third beam direction. Then, within the third time period, it selects beam 3 pointing to the third beam direction, or adjusts the beam pointing of a certain antenna so that the beam points to the third beam direction, and then transmits data along the third beam direction through this beam, and so on.

[0139] By comparing Table 1 and Table 2, it can be seen that in the method 500 proposed in the embodiments of this application, the DCI only needs to carry the first position information, and there is no need to allocate a beam index for each time period respectively to indicate the beam direction. Moreover, the bits occupied by all beam indexes in Table 1 are much larger than the bits occupied by the first position information in Table 2.

[0140] In the application scenarios of static configuration and semi-static configuration, the SSB scanning technology is usually adopted in this application scenario, that is, corresponding time information is configured for multiple wave positions within one RRC configuration period, and then multiple RRC configuration periods are repeatedly executed. The reasons are as follows:

[0141] In the SSB scanning scenario, within multiple time periods in one RRC configuration period, the satellite station needs to transmit beams in different directions in multiple time periods to achieve SSB scanning of a certain area. In RRC configuration period 1, the satellite station emits beams pointing in different directions in the first time period, the second time period, and the third time period. Since the satellite station is moving continuously, in RRC configuration period 2, if the beam staring function for the specified area is to be achieved, the directions of the beams emitted by the satellite station in the first time period, the second time period, and the third time period cannot directly reuse the beam directions corresponding to these three time periods in RRC configuration period 1. Therefore, all the beam directions and time information configured in the previous RRC configuration period may all become invalid. Then, based on the current static configuration and semi-static configuration schemes, for each RRC configuration period, a set of RRC signaling needs to be separately configured to indicate to the satellite station: the beam directions corresponding to multiple beams within the current configuration period, and the time information corresponding to each beam.

[0142] At present, the network side can send RRC signaling including the information shown in Table 3 below to the satellite station to statically or semi-statically configure the satellite station to emit beams that meet the corresponding beam directions within each RRC configuration period (hereinafter referred to as the period). Among them, the RRC configuration period is usually 20 ms, and the duration of this period can also be adjusted adaptively.

[0143] Table 3

[0144]

[0145] Among them, index number 0000 is used to indicate the first beam direction, index number 0001 is used to indicate the second beam direction, index number 0010 is used to indicate the third beam direction, and so on.

[0146] Combining the content shown in Table 3 as a whole, it can be seen that the RRC signaling can instruct the satellite station to select Beam 1 pointing in the first beam direction within the first time period 1, and then transmit data along the first beam direction through this Beam 1; within the second time period 1, select Beam 2 pointing in the second beam direction, and then transmit data along the second beam direction through this Beam 2; within the third time period 1, select Beam 3 pointing in the third beam direction, and then transmit data along the third beam direction through this Beam 3, and so on; alternatively, in the case where the satellite station can adjust the direction of the antenna transmission beam by itself, the RRC signaling can also instruct the satellite station to set the pointing of the beam to the first beam direction within the first time period 1, and then transmit data along the first beam direction through this beam; within the second time period 1, adjust the pointing of the beam to the second beam direction, and then transmit data along the second beam direction through this beam; within the third time period 1, adjust the pointing of the beam to the third beam direction, and then transmit data along the third beam direction through this beam. Within cycle 2, repeat the actions corresponding to cycle 1, and so on.

[0147] It can be seen that in each RRC configuration cycle, the RRC signaling needs to carry a set of beam direction indication information, which brings a relatively large transmission pressure to the interaction of the control signaling of the communication system and generates a relatively large amount of information overhead.

[0148] However, the method 500 proposed based on the embodiments of the present application can use more simplified control information to indicate the beam pointing of the satellite station in each time period within each RRC configuration cycle, and this control information can also be carried by the RRC signaling. Then, the network side can send an RRC signaling including the information shown in Table 4 below to statically or semi-statically configure the beam directions respectively corresponding to the satellite station in multiple time periods of each RRC configuration cycle.

[0149] Table 4

[0150]

[0151] Among them, the first position information 1 is used to indicate the position of the first area to be covered by the beam of the NCR node, also known as wave position 1; the first position information 2 is used to indicate the position of the second area to be covered by the beam of the NCR node, also known as wave position 2; the first position information 3 is used to indicate the position of the third area to be covered by the beam of the NCR node, also known as wave position 3. Based on this RRC signaling, it can be known that the satellite station needs to perform SSB scanning towards multiple wave positions within N RRC configuration cycles.

[0152] Figure 7 It is another schematic diagram of the execution process of the method 500 proposed in the embodiments of the present application.

[0153] Combined with Table 4 and Figure 7As can be seen from the content shown, the satellite station receives the RRC signaling from the ground station, and before the first time period of the RRC configuration cycle 1, combines its own location information and the first location information 1 to calculate the first beam direction; within the first time period of the RRC configuration cycle 1, the satellite station points beam 1 to beam 1 in the first beam direction, or adjusts the beam direction of a certain antenna so that the beam points to the first beam direction, and then transmits data along the first beam direction, where beam 1 points to wave position 1.

[0154] Before the second time period of the RRC configuration cycle 1, the satellite station combines its own location information and the first location information 2 to calculate the second beam direction; within the second time period of the RRC configuration cycle 1, the satellite station points beam 2 to the second beam direction, or adjusts the beam direction of a certain antenna so that the beam points to the second beam direction, and then transmits data along the second beam direction, where beam 2 points to wave position 2.

[0155] Before the third time period of the RRC configuration cycle 1, the satellite station combines its own location information and the first location information 3 to calculate the third beam direction; within the third time period of the RRC configuration cycle 1, the satellite station points beam 3 to the third beam direction, or adjusts the beam direction of a certain antenna so that the beam points to the third beam direction, and then transmits data along the third beam direction, where beam 3 points to wave position 3.

[0156] It should be understood that in the above process, the satellite station has obtained the location information corresponding to wave position 1, wave position 2, and wave position 3 respectively.

[0157] After going through each time period of the RRC configuration cycle 1, the satellite station combines its own location information and the location information corresponding to multiple wave positions to recalculate the beam directions corresponding to each time period of the RRC configuration cycle 2, and within each time period, transmits data along the beam direction corresponding to each time period respectively, so as to realize the staring function for wave position 1, wave position 2, and wave position 3. After going through each time period of the RRC configuration cycle 2, repeat the corresponding actions in the RRC configuration cycle 2 until going through N RRC configuration cycles, and realize the staring function of the satellite station for multiple wave positions within N RRC configuration cycles.

[0158] By comparing Table 3 and Table 4, it can be seen that for the control information corresponding to Table 3, it is necessary to separately configure the beam directions corresponding to each time period within each RRC configuration cycle. For the control information corresponding to Table 4 of the present method 500, only a set of beam pointing information needs to be configured, and it is not necessary to separately configure a set of beam pointing information for each RRC configuration cycle to indicate the beam directions corresponding to each time period within each RRC configuration cycle.

[0159] Based on the control information shown in Table 4, a set of location information corresponding to each time period can be used to configure the location information corresponding to each time period within multiple RRC configuration cycles. It is not until the first network device cannot cover the area indicated by the first location information, or reconfigures and forwards resources through RRC signaling, or activates other forwarded resources configured by RRC through MAC CE signaling that the control information shown in Table 4 will be reconfigured.

[0160] Based on the above technical solution, the information carried by the control signaling can be streamlined. For dynamic configuration, the DCI only needs to carry a location information for indicating the wave position, and it can control the satellite station to achieve the beam gazing function for this wave position within multiple time periods; for static configuration and semi-static configuration, the RRC signaling only needs to configure a set of location information of multiple wave positions and corresponding multiple time information within 1 RRC configuration cycle, and it can control the satellite station to continuously perform SSB scanning on multiple wave positions within multiple RRC configuration cycles, that is, the gazing function for multiple wave positions. Thereby reducing the signaling overhead caused by the network side sending control signaling and helping to relieve the transmission pressure of signaling interaction in the communication system.

[0161] In some possible embodiments, the first location information described in S510 above is a first coordinate point, and this first coordinate point belongs to a first region. The second location information in S520 above includes a second coordinate point, and this second coordinate point is the spatial coordinate of the first network device.

[0162] Then, in the dynamic configuration scenario, for S530 above, it can be executed in the following manner:

[0163] Determine the first beam direction according to the first coordinate point and the second coordinate point.

[0164] In the static configuration or semi-static configuration scenario, the first control information further includes a first cycle information, and this first cycle information is used to indicate multiple first cycles, and this first cycle can be the RRC configuration cycle described in the above embodiments. Taking the first cycle including a first time period and a second time period as an example, the first location information includes a first coordinate point 1 and a first coordinate point 2, where the first coordinate point 1 corresponds to the first time period of the first cycle, and the first coordinate point 2 corresponds to the second time period of the first cycle. For S530 above, it can be executed in the following manner:

[0165] After the forwarded resources indicated by the RRC signaling or MAC CE signaling become effective, before the first time period of the 1st first cycle, determine the first beam direction 1 according to the first coordinate point 1 and the second coordinate point 1 corresponding to the current position of the first network device.

[0166] Based on this, within the first time period of the 1st first cycle, the first network device transmits data along the first beam direction 1.

[0167] Before the second time period of the first first cycle, determine a second beam direction 1 according to a first coordinate point 2 and a second coordinate point 2 corresponding to the current position of the first network device.

[0168] Based on this, within the second time period of the first first cycle, the first network device transmits data along a first beam direction 2.

[0169] Before the first time period of the second first cycle, determine a first beam direction 2 according to a first coordinate point 1 and a second coordinate point 3 corresponding to the current position of the first network device.

[0170] It should be understood that assuming the duration of the first cycle is 20 ms, in terms of timing, if the start time of the first time period of the first first cycle is 5 ms, then the start time of the first time period of the second first cycle is 25 ms. The calculation method for the start times of the other time periods of the second first cycle and the respective time periods of other first cycles is the same.

[0171] Based on this, within the first time period of the second first cycle, the first network device transmits data along a first beam direction 3.

[0172] Before the second time period of the second first cycle, determine a second beam direction 2 according to a first coordinate point 2 and a second coordinate point 4 corresponding to the current position of the first network device.

[0173] Based on this, within the second time period of the first first cycle, the first network device transmits data along a first beam direction 2.

[0174] For subsequent first cycles, repeatedly execute the operations corresponding to the second first cycle until the first network device cannot cover any one of the first coordinate point 1, the first coordinate point 2, and the first coordinate point 3, or the second network device reconfigures and forwards resources through RRC signaling, or the second network device activates other forwarded resources configured by RRC through MAC CE signaling.

[0175] It should be understood that the first coordinate point and the second coordinate point are in the same coordinate system. Among them, the coordinate system can be a geodetic coordinate system, a satellite coordinate system, or a world coordinate system, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this. Alternatively, the first coordinate point and the second coordinate point can be in different coordinate systems, but in S530, an operation of coordinate conversion is required to convert the first coordinate point and the second coordinate point to the same coordinate system.

[0176] In some possible embodiments, the above-mentioned first coordinate point may be any point sampled in the first region, and this point can essentially be understood as a reference point for characterizing the wave position. Taking the above-mentioned first network device as a satellite station as an example, when the satellite station determines the reference point corresponding to the wave position, even if the satellite station is moving, but as long as the satellite station obtains its own position information, it can calculate the direction from the satellite station to the reference point at the current moment, so as to realize the beam gazing function of the satellite station for the position of the reference point.

[0177] In some possible embodiments, considering the limited performance of the satellite station, the beam of the satellite station may not be able to cover any direction. When the satellite station determines the beam direction pointing to the reference point position and determines that any antenna in the antenna array of the satellite station cannot point to this beam direction, the satellite station can select the antenna whose transmitting beam direction is closest to this beam direction and transmit data along the beam direction corresponding to this antenna during the corresponding time period.

[0178] Exemplarily, assume that the beam direction of the satellite station pointing to the reference point position is denoted as reference vector 1, and the antenna array of the satellite station includes M antennas with different beam directions, or the antenna of the satellite station can point to M directions, where M is a positive integer. Then the directions of the transmitting beams of the antennas are denoted as beam vector 1 to spatial vector M. Then, beam vector 1 to beam vector M are respectively operated with reference vector 1 to solve the spatial angles between beam vector 1 to beam vector M and reference vector 1 respectively. Select the beam vector n that forms the smallest spatial angle with reference vector 1 as the output result. This beam vector n can represent an antenna with a fixed pointing or a beam pointing, and is used to indicate that the satellite station transmits the beam corresponding to this beam vector n.

[0179] It should be understood that the method described in the above embodiments is applicable to any beam configuration scheme.

[0180] Based on the above technical solutions, by indicating the coordinate point corresponding to the wave position to the satellite station, it is assisted that the satellite station can independently determine the corresponding beam directions of the satellite station in multiple time periods. At the same time, it can also streamline the information carried by the control signaling configured on the network side, thereby reducing the transmission pressure of the signaling interaction in the communication system.

[0181] In some possible embodiments, the above-mentioned first position information is a reference beam direction, which is used to indicate the direction from the first network device to the first region during the reference time period before the first time period. Among them, the reference time period before the first time period can be called the 0th time period.

[0182] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of a reference beam direction proposed in an embodiment of the present application.

[0183] Reference Figure 8As shown, the reference beam direction is used to indicate the direction from the first network device to the first area during the reference period. For example, from the first reference point of the first network device to the second reference point of the first area, where the first reference point can be any point of the first network device, and usually a point on the antenna panel of the first network device can be used as the reference point, and the second reference point can be any point of the first area, and usually the center point of the first area can be used as the reference point.

[0184] In addition, the above-mentioned second position information of S520 includes a second coordinate point, which is the spatial coordinate of the above-mentioned first network device.

[0185] Then, in the dynamic configuration scenario, the above-mentioned S530 can be executed in the following manner:

[0186] According to the reference beam direction and the third coordinate point, determine the fourth coordinate point, where the third coordinate point is the spatial coordinate of the first network device during the reference period; according to the second coordinate point and the fourth coordinate point, determine the first beam direction.

[0187] It should be understood that the second coordinate point, the third coordinate point, and the fourth coordinate point should be in the same coordinate system. Or, through coordinate conversion operations, these three coordinate points are converted into the same coordinate system.

[0188] Combined with the foregoing S510 to S540, it can be seen that the first time period indicated by the first time information may not be the first time period when the first network device performs the beam gazing function, that is, before the first time period, there is also a reference period. In the case of dynamic configuration, the reference period, the first time information, the first position information, etc. can all be carried by the DCI including the content shown in Table 5 below.

[0189] Table 5

[0190]

[0191] Exemplarily, the reference period shown in Table 5 can be carried by the reference time information, and the reference time information includes the start time and duration of the reference period, or includes the duration and end time of the reference period, or includes the start time and end time of the reference period.

[0192] Taking the first network device as a satellite station as an example, after the satellite station receives the DCI, since the first position information directly indicates the beam direction, the satellite station determines beam 1 pointing to the reference beam direction during the reference period, or adjusts the beam pointing of a certain antenna so that the beam points to the reference beam direction, and then transmits data along the reference beam direction.

[0193] However, the satellite station is moving. Therefore, after a reference period, the previously selected beam may be difficult to cover the wave position pointed to by the reference beam direction within the reference period. Considering that the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference period essentially implies the position information of the first area. In other words, based on the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference period, the position information of the first area can be determined. Therefore, combining the foregoing embodiments, the satellite station can obtain its own spatial position coordinates within the reference period, that is, the above-mentioned third coordinate point; then according to the reference beam direction, the spatial position coordinates of the first area can be deduced, that is, the above-mentioned fourth coordinate point. The reference beam direction can be abstracted as a spatial vector in a coordinate system.

[0194] Before the first period, the satellite station can determine the beam direction corresponding to the satellite station within the first period by obtaining the spatial coordinates of its own current position and then combining the fourth coordinate point determined through the above operations. The same applies to the operations in subsequent periods and will not be repeated here. In this way, the beam staring function of the satellite station for the first area pointed to by the first position information is realized.

[0195] In some possible embodiments, the above-mentioned first position information can be represented by the beamindex in the current DCI.

[0196] In a static configuration or semi-static configuration scenario, the first control information further includes first period information, which is used to indicate a plurality of first periods. The first first period includes the above-mentioned reference period, the Nth first period includes the above-mentioned first period, and the beam direction corresponding to the first period included in the Nth first period is determined based on the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference period included in the first first period, where N is an integer greater than 1.

[0197] In some possible embodiments, the start time of the above-mentioned reference period within the first period may be the same as or different from the start time of the above-mentioned first period within the first period. The embodiments of the present application do not make any limitations in this regard. Taking the start times of these two periods as the same as an example, if the first period length is 20 ms, then in terms of timing, if the start time of the reference period of the first first period is 5 ms, then the start time of the first period of the second first period is 25 ms. In addition, the durations of the above-mentioned reference period and the first period may be the same or different, and the embodiments of the present application do not make any limitations in this regard.

[0198] Among them, the first position information can be indicated by the beamindex in the current RRC signaling. The above S530 can be executed in the following manner:

[0199] After the forwarding resources indicated by the RRC signaling or MAC CE signaling become effective, within the reference period 1 of the first first period, the first network device transmits data along the reference beam direction 1.

[0200] During the reference period 2 of the first first cycle, the first network device transmits data along the reference beam direction 2.

[0201] Before the first period of the second first cycle, according to the reference beam direction 1 and the third coordinate point 1 of the first network device during the reference period 1, determine the fourth coordinate point 1; according to the second coordinate point 1 corresponding to the current position of the first network device and the fourth coordinate point 1, determine the first beam direction 1.

[0202] Based on this, during the first period of the second first cycle, the first network device transmits data along the first beam direction 1.

[0203] It should be understood that assuming the duration of the first cycle is 20 ms, in terms of timing, if the start time of the first period of the first first cycle is 5 ms, then the start time of the first period of the second first cycle is 25 ms. The calculation method for the start times of other periods of the second first cycle and each period of other first cycles is the same.

[0204] Before the second period of the second first cycle, according to the reference beam direction 2 and the third coordinate point 2 of the first network device during the reference period 2, determine the fourth coordinate point 2; according to the second coordinate point 2 corresponding to the current position of the first network device and the fourth coordinate point 2, determine the second beam direction 1.

[0205] Based on this, during the second period of the second first cycle, the first network device transmits data along the second beam direction 1.

[0206] Before the first period of the third first cycle, according to the second coordinate point 3 corresponding to the current position of the first network device and the fourth coordinate point 1, determine the first beam direction 2.

[0207] Based on this, during the first period of the third first cycle, the first network device transmits data along the first beam direction 2.

[0208] Before the second period of the third first cycle, according to the second coordinate point 4 corresponding to the current position of the first network device and the fourth coordinate point 2, determine the first beam direction 2.

[0209] Based on this, during the second period of the third first cycle, the first network device transmits data along the second beam direction 2.

[0210] For subsequent first cycles, repeat the operations corresponding to the second first cycle until the first network device cannot direct the beam to the reference beam direction 1 or the reference beam direction 2, or the second network device reconfigures the forwarding resources through RRC signaling, or the second network device activates other forwarding resources configured by RRC through MAC CE signaling.

[0211] It should be understood that the wave positions referred to by the above reference beam direction 1, the first beam direction 1, and the first beam direction 2 are the same, and the wave positions referred to by the above reference beam direction 2, the second beam direction 1, and the second beam direction 2 are the same, so as to realize the wave position staring function of the satellite station for multiple wave positions within multiple RRC configuration periods.

[0212] In the case of static configuration or semi-static configuration, the reference period, the first time information, the first position information, etc. can all be carried by the RRC signaling including the content shown in Table 6 below.

[0213] Table 6

[0214]

[0215] It should be understood that in the DCI determined by the network side at the current stage for indicating the beam direction of the satellite station or the RRC signaling of the first RRC configuration period, the beam index corresponding to the first period in the DCI or the beam indexes corresponding to multiple periods within the first RRC configuration period in the RRC signaling are the beam directions for indicating the transmit beam of the satellite station. In view of this, the reference beam direction included in the first position information in the foregoing embodiments of the present application can use the beam index corresponding to the first period defined at the current stage. The satellite station can calculate the position information to which the beam is to be directed through this beam index and the current position information of the satellite station within the reference period.

[0216] Based on the above technical solutions, for dynamic configuration, some information formats in the current stage DCI can be reused, and the content of the current stage DCI can be directly streamlined, so as to realize the indication of the beam directions corresponding to multiple periods; for static configuration and semi-static configuration, some information formats in the current stage RRC signaling can be reused, and the content of the RRC signaling in the connection segment can be directly streamlined, so as to realize the indication of the beam directions corresponding to multiple periods within multiple RRC configuration periods respectively. While saving the control signaling overhead, the existing data format of the control signaling can be directly reused, and there is no need to reconstruct the data format of the control signaling, thereby reducing the implementation difficulty of this solution.

[0217] In some possible embodiments, the first control information mentioned in the corresponding embodiment of the above method 500 may further include a first marker, and the first marker may be a trigger Flag. The trigger Flag may be assigned a value of 1 or 0. When the trigger Flag is assigned a value of 1, it indicates that the first network device is triggered to perform the operations of the above method 500. When the trigger Flag is assigned a value of 0, it indicates that the first network device is not triggered to perform the operations of the above method 500; or, when the trigger Flag is assigned a value of 0, it indicates that the first network device is triggered to perform the operations of the above method 500. When the trigger Flag is assigned a value of 1, it indicates that the first network device is not triggered to perform the operations of the above method 500. The first network device may perform subsequent actions of the transmission beam according to the current beam configuration method. When the trigger Flag is assigned a value of 1, it indicates that the first network device is triggered to perform the operations of the above method 500, that is, it instructs the first network device to determine the first beam direction according to the first position information included in the first control information, and then perform the beam gazing function.

[0218] It can be seen that when the trigger Flag is 0, the first control information may carry the configuration information as shown in Table 1 or Table 3 above; it can be seen that when the trigger Flag is 1, the first control information may carry the configuration information as shown in Table 2, Table 4, Table 5 or Table 6 above.

[0219] Of course, the operation of triggering the first network device to perform the above method 500 may also be triggered in an implicit manner. Taking the first control information as DCI or RRC signaling as an example, since the signaling format and signaling length of the DCI or RRC signaling described in this application are different from the signaling format and signaling length of the current DCI or RRC signaling, the DCI or RRC signaling can be used to determine whether the DCI or RRC signaling instructs the first network device to trigger the execution of the above method 500 according to the signaling format and signaling length.

[0220] In some possible embodiments, the first network device may further determine first capability information, and the first capability information is used to indicate whether the beam of the first network device can point to any direction; then the first capability information is sent.

[0221] It should be understood that whether the beam of the first network device can point to any direction is essentially a description of the beamforming capability of the first network device. If the beam of the first network device can point to any direction, it indicates that the first network device has the beamforming capability; if the beam of the first network device cannot point to any direction, it indicates that the first network device does not have the beamforming capability.

[0222] Correspondingly, the second network device receives the first capability information from the first network device. When the first capability information is used to indicate that the beam of the first network device can point in any direction, the second network device further determines and sends the first control information mentioned in the above method 500.

[0223] In some possible embodiments, the above first capability information can also be characterized by an enable flag. When the enable flag is assigned a value of 0, it indicates that the first network device does not have beamforming capability and thus does not support the beam gazing function. When the enable flag is assigned a value of 1, it indicates that the first network device has beamforming capability and thus supports the beam gazing function; or, when the enable flag is assigned a value of 1, it indicates that the first network device does not have beamforming capability and thus does not support the beam gazing function. When the enable flag is assigned a value of 0, it indicates that the first network device has beamforming capability and thus supports the beam gazing function.

[0224] Based on the above technical solution, through the reporting of the information on whether the first network device has the gazing function by the first network device, the network side can accurately know the beamforming capability of the first network device, so that the network side can perform effective control on the first network device.

[0225] It should be understood that since there are only three beam configuration schemes proposed at the present stage, namely dynamic configuration, static configuration, and semi-static configuration, but for other possible configuration schemes in the future, they can also be applied to the satellite communication method proposed in the embodiments of the present application.

[0226] In addition, the embodiments of the present application further provide a device for implementing any of the above methods. For example, a device for satellite communication is provided. The device includes units (or means) for implementing any of the above satellite communication methods.

[0227] Figure 9 It is a schematic block diagram of a satellite communication device 900 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As Figure 9 shown, the device 900 is applied to the above first network device. The device 900 includes:

[0228] A receiving unit 910, configured to receive first control information, where the first control information includes first position information and first time information. The first position information is used to indicate the position of a first area to be covered by the beam of the first network device, and the first time information is used to indicate a first time period;

[0229] A determining unit 920, configured to determine a first beam direction according to the first position information and second position information, where the second position information is used to indicate the position of the first network device;

[0230] An operation unit 930 is configured to transmit data along a first beam direction within a first time period.

[0231] In some possible embodiments, the above-mentioned first position information is a first coordinate point, and this first coordinate point belongs to a first region. Alternatively, the above-mentioned first position information is a reference beam direction, and this reference beam direction is used to indicate the direction from a first network device to the first region during a reference time period before the first time period; the above-mentioned second position information is a second coordinate point, and this second coordinate point is the spatial coordinate of the position of the first network device.

[0232] In some possible embodiments, when the first position information is a reference beam direction, the above-mentioned determination unit 920 is specifically configured to: determine a fourth coordinate point according to the reference beam direction and a third coordinate point, where the third coordinate point is the spatial coordinate of the first network device during the reference time period; determine the first beam direction according to the second coordinate point and the fourth coordinate point.

[0233] In some possible embodiments, in some possible embodiments, the first control information further includes first period information, and this first period information is used to indicate a plurality of first periods. When the first position information is a reference beam direction, the reference time period belongs to the first first period, the first time period belongs to the Nth first period, the first first period includes the reference time period, the Nth first period includes the first time period, and the beam direction corresponding to the first time period included in the Nth first period is determined based on the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference time period included in the first first period, where N is an integer greater than 1.

[0234] In some possible embodiments, the first control information further includes a first flag, and this first flag is used to trigger the above-mentioned determination unit 920 to determine the first beam direction according to the first position information and the second position information.

[0235] In some possible embodiments, the above-mentioned first control information is DCI or RRC signaling.

[0236] In some possible embodiments, the apparatus 900 further includes a sending unit 940, configured to send first capability information, and this first capability information is used to indicate whether the beam of the first network device can point in any direction.

[0237] Figure 10 It is a schematic block diagram of a satellite communication apparatus 1000 provided by an embodiment of the present application. As Figure 10 shown, the apparatus 1000 is applied to the above-mentioned second network device, and the apparatus 1000 includes:

[0238] A determining unit 1010, configured to determine first control information, where the first control information includes first location information and first time information. The first location information is used to indicate the location of a first area to be covered by a beam of a first network device, and the first time information is used to indicate a first time period. The first control information is used to instruct the first network device to determine a first beam direction according to the first location information and transmit data along the first beam direction within the first time period.

[0239] A sending unit 1020, configured to send the first control information.

[0240] In some possible embodiments, the first location information is a first coordinate point, and the first coordinate point belongs to the first area; or, the first location information is a reference beam direction, and the reference beam direction is used to indicate the direction from the first network device to the first area during a reference time period before the first time period.

[0241] In some possible embodiments, the first control information further includes first period information, and the first period information is used to indicate a plurality of first periods. When the first location information is the reference beam direction, the first period of the first period information includes the reference time period, the Nth first period includes the first time period, and the beam direction corresponding to the first time period included in the Nth first period is determined based on the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference time period included in the first period of the first period information, where N is an integer greater than 1.

[0242] In some possible embodiments, the first control information further includes a first flag, and the first flag is used to trigger the first network device to determine the first beam direction according to the first location information and second location information, where the second location information is used to indicate the location of the first network device.

[0243] In some possible embodiments, the first control information is DCI or RRC signaling.

[0244] In some possible embodiments, the apparatus 1000 further includes a receiving device 1030, configured to receive first capability information, where the first capability information is used to indicate whether the beam of the first network device can point in any direction; specifically, when the first capability information is used to indicate that the beam of the first network device can point in any direction, the determining unit 1010 is configured to determine the first control information.

[0245] Those of ordinary skill in the art can realize that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in combination with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented by electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are executed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional technicians can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to exceed the scope of this application.

[0246] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that for the convenience and conciseness of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments and will not be elaborated herein.

[0247] In several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of the units is only a logical function division, and there can be other division methods in actual implementation. For example, multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the displayed or discussed couplings or direct couplings or communication connections to each other can be through some interfaces, and the indirect couplings or communication connections of the devices or units can be in electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0248] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they can be located in one place or distributed to multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0249] In addition, the functional units in each embodiment of this application can be integrated in a processing unit, or each unit can exist physically alone, or two or more units can be integrated in one unit.

[0250] If the function is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a part of this technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to enable a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in each embodiment of this application.

[0251] As described above, it is only the specific implementation manner of the present application. However, the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present application can easily think of changes or substitutions, which should all be covered within the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims described above.

Claims

1. A method for satellite communication, characterized in that, applied to a first network device, the method includes: receiving first control information, the first control information includes first position information and first time information, the first position information is used to indicate the position of a first area to be covered by the beam of the first network device, and the first time information is used to indicate a first time period; determining a first beam direction according to the first position information and second position information, the second position information is used to indicate the position of the first network device; transmitting data along the first beam direction within the first time period.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, the first position information is a first coordinate point, the first coordinate point belongs to the first area, or the first position information is a reference beam direction, the reference beam direction is used to indicate the direction from the first network device to the first area during a reference time period before the first time period; the second position information is a second coordinate point, and the second coordinate point is the spatial coordinate of the position of the first network device.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, in the case where the first position information is the reference beam direction, the determining the first beam direction according to the first position information and the second position information includes: determining a fourth coordinate point according to the reference beam direction and a third coordinate point, the third coordinate point is the spatial coordinate of the first network device during the reference time period; determining the first beam direction according to the second coordinate point and the fourth coordinate point.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, the first control information further includes first period information, the first period information is used to indicate a plurality of first periods, in the case where the first position information is the reference beam direction, the 1st first period includes the reference time period, the Nth first period includes the first time period, and the beam direction corresponding to the first time period included in the Nth first period is determined based on the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference time period included in the 1st first period, and N is an integer greater than 1.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, the first control information further includes a first flag, and the first flag is used to trigger the first network device to determine the first beam direction according to the first position information and the second position information.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, the first control information is a downlink control information DCI or a radio resource control RRC signaling.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, the method further includes: sending first capability information, and the first capability information is used to indicate whether the beam of the first network device can point to any direction.

8. A method for satellite communication, characterized in that, applied to a second network device, the method includes: Determine first control information, where the first control information includes first location information and first time information. The first location information is used to indicate the location of a first area to be covered by a beam of a first network device, and the first time information is used to indicate a first time period. The first control information is used to instruct the first network device to determine a first beam direction according to the first location information and transmit data along the first beam direction within the first time period; Transmit the first control information.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, the first location information is a first coordinate point, and the first coordinate point belongs to the first area; or, the first location information is a reference beam direction, and the reference beam direction is used to indicate the direction from the first network device to the first area within a reference time period before the first time period.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, the first control information further includes first period information, and the first period information is used to indicate a plurality of first periods. When the first location information is the reference beam direction, the first of the first periods includes the reference time period, the Nth of the first periods includes the first time period, and the beam direction corresponding to the first time period included in the Nth of the first periods is determined based on the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference time period included in the first of the first periods, where N is an integer greater than 1.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein, the first control information further includes a first flag, and the first flag is used to trigger the first network device to determine a first beam direction according to the first location information and second location information, where the second location information is used to indicate the location of the first network device.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein, the first control information is downlink control information DCI or radio resource control RRC signaling.

13. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein, the method further includes: Receiving first capability information, where the first capability information is used to indicate whether the beam of the first network device can point in any direction; The determining the first control information includes: When the first capability information is used to indicate that the beam of the first network device can point in any direction, determining the first control information.

14. A satellite communication device, wherein, applied to a first network device, the device includes: A receiving unit, configured to receive first control information, where the first control information includes first location information and first time information, the first location information is used to indicate the location of a first area to be covered by a beam of the first network device, and the first time information is used to indicate a first time period; A determining unit, configured to determine a first beam direction according to the first location information and second location information, where the second location information is used to indicate the location of the first network device; An operating unit, configured to transmit data along the first beam direction within the first time period.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein, the first location information is a first coordinate point, and the first coordinate point belongs to the first area, or the first location information is a reference beam direction, and the reference beam direction is used to indicate the direction from the first network device to the first area during a reference period before the first period; the second location information is a second coordinate point, and the second coordinate point is the spatial coordinate of the location of the first network device.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein, when the first location information is the reference beam direction, the determining unit is specifically configured to: determine a fourth coordinate point according to the reference beam direction and a third coordinate point, where the third coordinate point is the spatial coordinate of the first network device during the reference period; determine the first beam direction according to the second coordinate point and the fourth coordinate point.

17. The device according to claim 15 or 16, wherein, the first control information further includes first period information, and the first period information is used to indicate a plurality of first periods. When the first location information is the reference beam direction, the first of the first periods includes the reference period, the Nth of the first periods includes the first period, and the beam direction corresponding to the first period included in the Nth of the first periods is determined based on the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference period included in the first of the first periods, and N is an integer greater than 1.

18. The device according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein, the first control information further includes a first flag, and the first flag is used to trigger the determining unit to determine the first beam direction according to the first location information and the second location information.

19. The device according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein, the first control information is a downlink control information DCI or a radio resource control RRC signaling.

20. The device according to any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein, the device further includes: a sending unit, configured to send first capability information, and the first capability information is used to indicate whether the beam of the first network device can point in any direction.

21. A device for satellite communication, wherein, applied to a second network device, the device includes: a determining unit, configured to determine first control information, where the first control information includes first location information and first time information, the first location information is used to indicate the location of a first area to be covered by the beam of a first network device, the first time information is used to indicate a first period, and the first control information is used to instruct the first network device to determine a first beam direction according to the first location information and transmit data along the first beam direction during the first period; a sending unit, configured to send the first control information.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein, The first location information is a first coordinate point, and the first coordinate point belongs to the first area; or, the first location information is a reference beam direction, and the reference beam direction is used to indicate the direction from the first network device to the first area during a reference period before the first period.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein, the first control information further includes first period information, and the first period information is used to indicate a plurality of first periods. When the first location information is the reference beam direction, the first of the first periods includes the reference period, the Nth of the first periods includes the first period, and the beam direction corresponding to the first period included in the Nth first period is determined based on the reference beam direction corresponding to the reference period included in the first of the first periods, and N is an integer greater than 1.

24. The apparatus according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein, the first control information further includes a first flag, and the first flag is used to trigger the first network device to determine a first beam direction according to the first location information and a second location information, and the second location information is used to indicate the location of the first network device.

25. The apparatus according to any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein, the first control information is a downlink control information DCI or a radio resource control RRC signaling.

26. The apparatus according to any one of claims 21 to 25, wherein, the apparatus further includes: a receiving device, configured to receive first capability information, and the first capability information is used to indicate whether the beam of the first network device can point to any direction; the determining unit is specifically configured to determine the first control information when the first capability information is used to indicate that the beam of the first network device can point to any direction.

27. A satellite communication apparatus, wherein, it includes a processor and a memory. The processor and the memory are connected. The memory is used to store program codes, and the processor is used to call the program codes to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

28. A chip system, wherein, the chip system is applied to an electronic device; the chip system includes one or more interface circuits and one or more processors; the interface circuits and the processors are interconnected by lines; the interface circuits are used to receive signals from the memory of the electronic device and send the signals to the processors, and the signals include computer instructions stored in the memory; when the processors execute the computer instructions, the electronic device executes the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

29. A computer-readable storage medium, wherein, the computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, and the computer program is executed by a processor to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

30. A computer program product, wherein, When the computer program code or instructions are executed on a computer, the computer is caused to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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