Return to cellular coverage

Abstract

Aspects presented herein may enable a UE to direct its users back to an area with cellular coverage when the UE is about to become OOS and / or after the UE becomes OOS. In one aspect, a UE detects that the UE is within a threshold distance of an edge cell of a set of cells of a network. The UE records a set of locations of the UE with cellular coverage based on detecting that the UE is within a threshold distance of the edge cell. The UE detects that the UE is in an OOS or is about to be in an OOS with respect to the network. The UE indicates at least one location of a set of locations of the UE in response to detecting that the UE is in the OOS.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. nonprovisional patent application No. 18 / 188,387, filed March 22, 2023, entitled “RETURN TO CELLULAR COVERAGE,” the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to communication systems, and more specifically, to wireless communications including positioning. Background Technology

[0004] Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide a variety of telecommunications services, such as telephone, video, data, messaging, and broadcasting. Typical wireless communication systems may employ multiple access technologies capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources. Examples of such multiple access technologies include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) systems, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) systems, Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) systems, and Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) systems.

[0005] These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunications standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate at the city, country, region, and even global levels. An example telecommunications standard is 5G New Radio (NR). 5G NR is part of the continuous evolution of mobile broadband released by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to meet new requirements associated with latency, reliability, security, scalability (e.g., with the Internet of Things (IoT), and other requirements). 5G NR includes services associated with enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type communications (mMTC), and ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC). Some aspects of 5G NR can be based on the 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard. There is a need for further improvements to 5G NR technology. These improvements can also be applied to other multiple access technologies and telecommunications standards that adopt them. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not a comprehensive overview of all anticipated aspects. It neither identifies key or important elements of all aspects nor describes the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed descriptions that follow.

[0007] In one aspect of this disclosure, a method, computer-readable medium, and apparatus are provided. The apparatus detects that a user equipment (UE) is within a threshold distance of an edge cell in a set of cells of a network. Based on the detection that the UE is within the threshold distance of an edge cell, the apparatus records a set of locations of the UE with cellular coverage. The apparatus detects that the UE is in a state of no service (OOS) or about to be in an OOS state with respect to the network. In response to detecting that the UE is in an OOS state, the apparatus indicates at least one location in the set of locations of the UE.

[0008] To achieve the foregoing and related objectives, one or more aspects may include the features fully described below and specifically pointed out in the claims. The following description and drawings set forth certain illustrative features of one or more aspects in detail. However, these features indicate only a few of the various ways in which the principles of each aspect may be employed. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a wireless communication system and an access network.

[0010] Figure 2A This is a diagram illustrating an example of the first frame according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0011] Figure 2B This is a diagram illustrating an example of a downlink (DL) channel within a subframe according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0012] Figure 2C This is a diagram illustrating an example of the second frame according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0013] Figure 2D This is a diagram illustrating an example of an uplink (UL) channel within a subframe according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0014] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating examples of base stations and user equipment (UEs) in an access network.

[0015] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating an example of UE positioning based on reference signal measurements.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) architecture based on transparent payloads according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating an example of an NTN architecture based on a regenerative payload according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0018] Figure 7A This is a diagram illustrating an example network including both NTN and terrestrial network (TN) equipment according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0019] Figure 7B This is a diagram illustrating an example network including both NTN and TN devices according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a UE entering no service (OOS) due to lack of cellular coverage according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating example edge cells / sectors according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0022] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a UE maintenance database according to various aspects of this disclosure, the database comprising a set of locations with cellular coverage.

[0023] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a UE indicating to a user the last known location with cellular coverage according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0024] Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating an example of how a UE can guide its users back to cellular coverage according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0025] Figure 13 This is a diagram illustrating examples of how a UE can obtain / download NTN information from a server, according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0026] Figure 14 This is a flowchart of a wireless communication method.

[0027] Figure 15 This is a flowchart of a wireless communication method.

[0028] Figure 16 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware implementation for an example device and / or network entity. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The aspects presented herein enable a User Equipment (UE) to guide its user back to an area with cellular coverage when the UE is about to become Out of Service (OOS) (e.g., disconnected from the network) and / or after the UE has become OOS. For example, the aspects presented herein enable the UE to record a set of locations with good cellular coverage (e.g., communication link / channel quality above a quality threshold). Then, if the UE becomes OOS, the UE can indicate (e.g., selected from the recorded set of locations) at least one last known location (or the most recent known location) with good cellular coverage, allowing the user to reconnect to the network by taking the UE to the indicated last known location. Therefore, the aspects presented herein provide a cost-effective way to enhance the security of users outside the cellular coverage area of ​​an available network.

[0030] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, describes various configurations, but does not represent the only configuration in which the concepts described herein can be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the various concepts. However, these concepts can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring these concepts.

[0031] Several aspects of a telecommunications system are described with reference to various apparatuses and methods. These apparatuses and methods are described in the following detailed embodiments and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings by various blocks, components, circuits, processes, algorithms, etc. (collectively, "elements"). These elements can be implemented using electronic hardware, computer software, or any combination thereof. Whether these elements are implemented as hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the system as a whole.

[0032] As an example, an element, or any part of an element, or any combination of elements, may be implemented as a "processing system" including one or more processors. Examples of processors include microprocessors, microcontrollers, graphics processing units (GPUs), central processing units (CPUs), application processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), reduced instruction set computing (RISC) processors, system-on-a-chip (SoCs), baseband processors, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functions described throughout this disclosure. One or more processors in a processing system may execute software. Whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or other languages, software should be broadly interpreted to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subroutines, software components, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, threads of execution, procedures, functions, or any combination thereof.

[0033] Accordingly, in one or more example aspects, implementations, and / or use cases, the described functionality can be implemented in hardware, software, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functionality can be stored on or encoded as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include computer storage media. Storage media can be any available medium accessible by a computer. For example, such computer-readable media may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), optical disc storage devices, magnetic disk storage devices, other magnetic storage devices, combinations of various types of computer-readable media, or any other medium that can be used to store computer-executable code in the form of instructions or data structures accessible by a computer.

[0034] While aspects, implementations, and / or use cases are described herein by way of example, additional or different aspects, implementations, and / or use cases may arise in many different arrangements and scenarios. The aspects, implementations, and / or use cases described herein can be implemented across many different platform types, devices, systems, shapes, sizes, and package arrangements. For example, aspects, implementations, and / or use cases may arise via integrated chip implementations and other devices based on non-modular components (e.g., end-user devices, vehicles, communication devices, computing devices, industrial devices, retail / purchasing devices, medical devices, AI-enabled devices, etc.). While some examples may or may not be specific to a particular use case or application, a wide variety of applicability to the described examples is possible. The scope of aspects, implementations, and / or use cases can range from chip-level or modular components to non-modular, non-chip-level implementations, and further to aggregated, distributed, or original equipment manufacturer (OEM) devices or systems incorporating one or more technologies described herein. In some practical settings, devices incorporating the described aspects and features may also include additional components and features for implementations and practices of the claimed and described aspects. For example, the transmission and reception of wireless signals must involve multiple components for analog and digital purposes (e.g., hardware components including antennas, RF chains, power amplifiers, modulators, buffers, processors, interleavers, adders / summers, etc.). The techniques described herein can be implemented in a variety of devices, chip-level components, systems, distributed arrangements, aggregation or deaggregation components, end-user equipment, etc., of various sizes, shapes, and constructions.

[0035] The deployment of communication systems (such as 5G NR systems) can be arranged in a variety of ways using various components or parts. In a 5G NR system or network, network nodes, network entities, network mobility elements, radio access network (RAN) nodes, core network nodes, network elements or network equipment (such as base stations (BS)) or one or more units (or components) performing base station functions can be implemented in aggregated or deaggregated architectures. For example, BSs (such as Node B (NB), evolved NB (eNB), NR BS, 5G NB, access point (AP), transport receiver point (TRP), or cell, etc.) can be implemented as aggregated base stations (also known as self-contained BS or monolithic BS) or deaggregated base stations.

[0036] Aggregation base stations can be configured to utilize a radio protocol stack physically or logically integrated within a single RAN node. Deaggregation base stations can be configured to utilize a protocol stack physically or logically distributed across two or more units (e.g., one or more central or centralized units (CUs), one or more distributed units (DUs), or one or more radio units (RUs)). In some aspects, a CU may be implemented within a RAN node, and one or more DUs may be co-located with that CU, or alternatively, may be geographically or virtually distributed across one or more other RAN nodes. A DU may be implemented to communicate with one or more RUs. Each of the CU, DU, and RU can be implemented as a virtual unit, namely a virtual central unit (VCU), a virtual distributed unit (VDU), or a virtual radio unit (VRU).

[0037] Base station operation or network design can take into account the aggregation characteristics of base station functions. For example, de-aggregating base stations can be utilized in Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) networks, Open Radio Access Networks (O-RAN (such as network configurations sponsored by the O-RAN Alliance)), or Virtualized Radio Access Networks (vRAN, also known as Cloud Radio Access Networks (C-RAN)). De-aggregation can include distributing functions across two or more units in various physical locations, as well as virtually distributing functions to at least one unit, which allows for flexibility in network design. The various units of a de-aggregating base station or de-aggregating RAN architecture can be configured to communicate with at least one other unit via wired or wireless communication.

[0038] Figure 1Figure 100 illustrates an example of a wireless communication system and access network. The wireless communication system shown includes a de-aggregation base station architecture. The de-aggregation base station architecture may include one or more CUs 110, which may communicate directly with the core network 120 via a backhaul link, or indirectly with the core network 120 through one or more de-aggregation base station units (e.g., via a near real-time (near RT) RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) 125 on an E2 link, or a non-real-time (non-RT) RIC 115 associated with a Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) framework 105, or both). CUs 110 may communicate with one or more DUs 130 via a corresponding midhaul link (e.g., an F1 interface). DUs 130 may communicate with one or more RUs 140 via a corresponding fronthaul link. RUs 140 may communicate with a corresponding UE 104 via one or more radio frequency (RF) access links. In some implementations, UE 104 may be served simultaneously by multiple RUs 140.

[0039] Each unit (i.e., CU 110, DU 130, RU 140, and near-RT RIC 125, non-RT RIC 115, and SMO frame 105) may include or be coupled to one or more interfaces configured to receive or transmit signals, data, or information (collectively, signals) via wired or wireless transmission media. Each unit, or its associated processor or controller providing instructions to the unit's communication interface, may be configured to communicate with one or more other units via a transmission medium. For example, a unit may include a wired interface configured to receive or transmit signals to one or more other units via a wired transmission medium. Additionally, a unit may include a wireless interface that may include a receiver, transmitter, or transceiver (such as an RF transceiver) configured to receive or transmit signals to one or more other units via a wireless transmission medium, or to receive and transmit signals.

[0040] In some aspects, CU 110 can host one or more higher-level control functions. Such control functions may include Radio Resource Control (RRC), Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP), etc. Each control function can be implemented using an interface configured to transmit signaling to other control functions hosted by CU 110. CU 110 can be configured to handle user plane functions (i.e., Central Unit-User Plane (CU-UP)), control plane functions (i.e., Central Unit-Control Plane (CU-CP)), or combinations thereof. In some implementations, CU 110 can be logically divided into one or more CU-UP units and one or more CU-CP units. When implemented in an O-RAN configuration, CU-UP units can communicate bidirectionally with CU-CP units via an interface (e.g., an E1 interface). CU 110 can be implemented to communicate with DU 130 as needed for network control and signaling.

[0041] DU 130 may correspond to a logical unit including one or more base station functions for controlling the operation of one or more RU 140s. In some aspects, DU 130 may, at least in part, host one or more of the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, Media Access Control (MAC) layer, and one or more high physical (PHY) layers (e.g., modules for forward error correction (FEC) encoding and decoding, scrambling, modulation, demodulation, etc.) depending on a functional partition (e.g., a functional partition defined by 3GPP). In some aspects, DU 130 may also host one or more low PHY layers. Each layer (or module) may be implemented using an interface configured to signal communication with other layers (and modules) hosted by DU 130 or with control functions hosted by CU 110.

[0042] Lower-layer functions can be implemented by one or more RU 140s. In some deployments, an RU140 controlled by a DU 130 may correspond to a logical node that hosts RF processing functions or low-PHY layer functions (e.g., performing Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), Inverse FFT (iFFT), Digital Beamforming, Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) extraction and filtering, or both, at least partially based on functional partitioning (e.g., lower-layer functional partitioning). In such architectures, one or more RU 140s may be implemented to handle over-the-air (OTA) communications with one or more UE 104s. In some implementations, the real-time and non-real-time aspects of control and user plane communications with the RU 140 may be controlled by the corresponding DU 130. In some scenarios, this configuration allows the DU130 and CU 110 to be implemented in a cloud-based RAN architecture (e.g., vRAN architecture).

[0043] SMO framework 105 can be configured to support RAN deployment and the provisioning of non-virtualized and virtualized network elements. For non-virtualized network elements, SMO framework 105 can be configured to support the deployment of dedicated physical resources for RAN coverage requirements, which can be managed via operation and maintenance interfaces such as the O1 interface. For virtualized network elements, SMO framework 105 can be configured to interact with a cloud computing platform such as an open cloud (O-cloud) 190 to perform network element lifecycle management (such as instantiating virtualized network elements) via a cloud computing platform interface such as the O2 interface. Such virtualized network elements may include, but are not limited to, CU 110, DU 130, RU 140, and near-RT RIC 125. In some implementations, SMO framework 105 can communicate with the hardware aspects of the 4G RAN (such as an open eNB (O-eNB) 111) via the O1 interface. Additionally, in some implementations, SMO framework 105 can communicate directly with one or more RU 140s via the O1 interface. SMO framework 105 may also include a non-RT RIC 115 configured to support the functionality of SMO framework 105.

[0044] The non-RT RIC 115 can be configured to include logical functions for non-real-time control and optimization of RAN elements and resources, artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) workflows including model training and updates, or policy-based guidance for applications / features in the near-RT RIC 125. The non-RT RIC 115 can be coupled to or communicate with the near-RT RIC 125 (e.g., via the A1 interface). The near-RT RIC 125 can be configured to include logical functions that enable near real-time control and optimization of RAN elements and resources through data collection and action via one or more CU 110s, one or more DU 130s, or both, and interfaces (such as via the E2 interface) connecting the O-eNB to the near-RT RIC 125.

[0045] In some implementations, to generate AI / ML models to be deployed in the near-RT RIC 125, the non-RT RIC 115 can receive parameters or external enrichment information from an external server. Such information can be utilized by the near-RT RIC 125 and can be received from non-network data sources or network functions at the SMO framework 105 or the non-RT RIC 115. In some examples, the non-RT RIC 115 or near-RT RIC 125 can be configured to tune RAN behavior or performance. For example, the non-RT RIC 115 can monitor long-term trends and patterns in performance and perform corrective actions using the AI / ML model via the SMO framework 105 (such as reconfiguration via O1) or via the creation of RAN management policies (such as A1 policies).

[0046] At least one of CU 110, DU 130, and RU 140 can be referred to as base station 102. Therefore, base station 102 may include one or more of CU 110, DU 130, and RU 140 (each component is indicated by a dashed line to indicate whether each component may or may not be included in base station 102). Base station 102 provides UE 104 with an access point to core network 120. Base station 102 may include macro cells (high-power cellular base stations) and / or small cells (low-power cellular base stations). Small cells include femtocells, picocells, and microcells. A network that includes both small cells and macro cells can be referred to as a heterogeneous network. A heterogeneous network may also include an evolved home node B (eNB) (HeNB), which can provide service to a restricted group referred to as a closed subscriber group (CSG). The communication link between RU 140 and UE 104 may include uplink (UL) (also known as reverse link) transmission from UE 104 to RU 140 and / or downlink (DL) (also known as forward link) transmission from RU 140 to UE 104. The communication link may utilize multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna techniques, including spatial multiplexing, beamforming, and / or transmit diversity. The communication link may use one or more carriers. Base station 102 / UE 104 may use a spectrum of up to Y MHz (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20, 100, 400, etc.) bandwidth per carrier allocated in carrier aggregation for a total of up to Y x MHz (x component carriers) for transmission in each direction. Carriers may be adjacent to each other or may not be adjacent to each other. Carrier allocation may be asymmetric relative to DL and UL (e.g., more or fewer carriers may be allocated to DL compared to UL). Component carriers may include primary component carriers and one or more secondary component carriers. The primary component carrier can be referred to as the primary cell (PCell), and the secondary component carrier can be referred to as the secondary cell (SCell).

[0047] Some UEs 104 can communicate with each other using device-to-device (D2D) communication link 158. D2D communication link 158 can use DL / UL wireless wide area network (WWAN) spectrum. D2D communication link 158 can use one or more secondary link channels, such as the Physical Secondary Link Broadcast Channel (PSBCH), Physical Secondary Link Discovery Channel (PSDCH), Physical Secondary Link Shared Channel (PSSCH), and Physical Secondary Link Control Channel (PSCCH). D2D communication can be conducted through various wireless D2D communication systems, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, LTE, or NR.

[0048] The wireless communication system may also include a Wi-Fi AP 150 that communicates with the UE 104 (also referred to as a Wi-Fi station (STA)) via a communication link 154 (e.g., in a 5 GHz unlicensed spectrum). When communicating in the unlicensed spectrum, the UE 104 / AP 150 may perform a free channel assessment (CCA) before communicating to determine whether the channel is available.

[0049] The electromagnetic spectrum is typically subdivided into various categories, bands, channels, etc., based on frequency / wavelength. In 5G NR, two initial operating bands have been designated as frequency ranges FR1 (410MHz–7.125GHz) and FR2 (24.25GHz–52.6GHz). Although a portion of FR1 is greater than 6GHz, it is often (interchangeably) referred to as the “sub-6GHz” band in various documents and articles. Similar naming issues sometimes arise with FR2, which is often (interchangeably) referred to as the “millimeter wave” band in documents and articles, although this differs from the Extremely High Frequency (EHF) band (30GHz–300GHz) identified as a “millimeter wave” band by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

[0050] The frequencies between FR1 and FR2 are generally referred to as intermediate frequency (IF) bands. Recent 5G NR studies have identified the operating bands of these IF bands as the frequency range designation FR3 (7.125GHz-24.25GHz). Bands falling within FR3 can inherit FR1 and / or FR2 characteristics, and thus can effectively extend the features of FR1 and / or FR2 to IF band frequencies. Furthermore, higher frequency bands are currently being explored to extend 5G NR operation beyond 52.6GHz. For example, three higher operating frequency bands have been identified as the frequency range names FR2-2 (52.6GHz-71GHz), FR4 (71GHz-114.25GHz), and FR5 (114.25GHz-300GHz). Each of these higher frequency bands falls within the EHF band.

[0051] In light of the foregoing, unless otherwise specified, the term "sub-6GHz" and the like, if used herein, can broadly refer to frequencies that are less than 6GHz, within FR1, or that may include intermediate frequency bands. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the term "millimeter wave" and the like, if used herein, can broadly refer to frequencies that may include intermediate frequency bands, within FR2, FR4, FR2-2, and / or FR5, or within the EHF band.

[0052] Base station 102 and UE 104 may each include multiple antennas (such as antenna elements, antenna panels, and / or antenna arrays) to facilitate beamforming. Base station 102 may transmit beamforming signals 182 to UE 104 in one or more transmit directions. UE 104 may receive beamforming signals from base station 102 in one or more receive directions. UE 104 may also transmit beamforming signals 184 to base station 102 in one or more transmit directions. Base station 102 may receive beamforming signals from UE 104 in one or more receive directions. Base station 102 / UE 104 may perform beamforming training to determine the optimal receive and transmit directions for each of base station 102 / UE 104. The transmit and receive directions of base station 102 may be the same or different. The transmit and receive directions of UE 104 may be the same or different.

[0053] Base station 102 may include and / or be referred to as gNB, Node B, eNB, access point, base transceiver, radio base station, radio transceiver, transceiver function, basic service set (BSS), extended service set (ESS), TRP, network node, network entity, network device, or some other suitable term. Base station 102 may be implemented as an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, relay node, secondary link node, aggregation (monolithic) base station with baseband units (BBU) (including CU and DU) and RU, or as a de-aggregation base station including one or more of CU, DU, and / or RU. A collection of base stations that may include de-aggregation base stations and / or aggregation base stations may be referred to as Next Generation (NG) RAN (NG-RAN).

[0054] The core network 120 may include Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) 161, Session Management Function (SMF) 162, User Plane Function (UPF) 163, Unified Data Management (UDM) 164, one or more location servers 168, and other functional entities. AMF 161 is the control node that handles signaling between UE 104 and the core network 120. AMF 161 supports registration management, connection management, mobility management, and other functions. SMF 162 supports session management and other functions. UPF 163 supports packet routing, packet forwarding, and other functions. UDM 164 supports authentication and key agreement (AKA) credential generation, user identity processing, access authorization, and subscription management. One or more location servers 168 are shown as including a Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) 165 and a Location Management Function (LMF) 166. However, generally, one or more location servers 168 may include one or more location / positioning servers, which may include one or more of GMLC 165, LMF 166, a location determination entity (PDE), a serving mobile location center (SMLC), a mobile location center (MPC), or the like. GMLC 165 and LMF 166 support UE location services. GMLC 165 provides an interface for clients / applications (e.g., emergency services) to access UE location information. LMF 166 receives measurement and assistance information from NG-RAN and UE 104 via AMF 161 to calculate the location of UE 104. NG-RAN may utilize one or more positioning methods to determine the location of UE 104. Positioning UE 104 may involve signal measurement, location estimation, and optional velocity calculation based on measurements. Signal measurement may be performed by UE 104 and / or base station 102 serving UE 104. The measured signals may be based on one or more of the following: Satellite Positioning System (SPS) 170 (e.g., one or more of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) or other satellite positioning / location systems), LTE signals, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) signals, Bluetooth signals, Terrestrial Beacon System (TBS), sensor-based information (e.g., barometric pressure sensor, motion sensor), NR Enhanced Cell ID (NR E-CID) method, NR signal (e.g., multiple round-trip time (multiple RTT), DL departure angle (DL-AoD), DL time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA), UL time difference of arrival (UL-TDOA) and UL angle of arrival (UL-AoA) positioning) and / or other systems / signals / sensors.

[0055] Examples of UE 104 include cellular phones, smartphones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), satellite radios, GPS devices, multimedia devices, video devices, digital audio players (e.g., MP3 players), cameras, game consoles, tablets, smart devices, wearable devices, vehicles, electricity meters, air pumps, large or small kitchen appliances, healthcare devices, implants, sensors / actuators, displays, or any other similar functional devices. Some UE 104 devices may be referred to as IoT devices (e.g., parking timers, air pumps, toasters, vehicles, heart monitors, etc.). UE 104 may also be referred to as a station, mobile station, subscriber station, mobile unit, subscriber unit, wireless unit, remote unit, mobile device, wireless device, wireless communication device, remote device, mobile subscriber station, access terminal, mobile terminal, wireless terminal, remote terminal, handheld device, user agent, mobile client, client, or some other suitable term. In some scenarios, the term UE may also be applied to one or more accompanying devices, such as in an equipment constellation arrangement. One or more of these devices can access the network together and / or access the network individually.

[0056] Refer again Figure 1 In some aspects, UE 104 may include a Last Cellular Coverage Navigation Component 198, which may be configured to detect that the UE is within a threshold distance of an edge cell in the cell set of the network; based on the detection that the UE is within the threshold distance of an edge cell, record a set of locations of UEs with cellular coverage; detect that the UE is in OOS or about to be in OOS with respect to the network; and in response to the detection that the UE is in OOS, indicate at least one location in the set of locations of the UE. In some aspects, base station 102 may have an NTN Information Component 199, which may be configured to provide NTN information to the UE, such as by broadcasting SIB 19 and / or transmitting NTN information collected from other UEs (e.g., based on crowdsourcing).

[0057] Figure 2A Figure 200 shows an example of the first subframe within a 5G NR frame structure. Figure 2B Figure 230 shows an example of a DL channel within a 5G NR subframe. Figure 2C Figure 250 shows an example of a second subframe within a 5G NR frame structure. Figure 2D Figure 280 illustrates an example of a UL channel within a 5G NR subframe. The 5G NR frame structure can be Frequency Division Duplex (FDD), where for a given set of subcarriers (carrier system bandwidth), subframes within that set are dedicated to either DL or UL, or it can be Time Division Duplex (TDD), where for a given set of subcarriers (carrier system bandwidth), subframes within that set are dedicated to both DL and UL. Figure 2A , 2C In the provided example, it is assumed that the 5G NR frame structure is TDD, where subframe 4 is configured with slot format 28 (primarily DL), where D is DL, U is UL, and F is flexibly used between DL / UL, and subframe 3 is configured with slot format 1 (all UL). Although subframes 3 and 4 are shown as having slot formats 1 and 28, respectively, any particular subframe can be configured with any of the various available slot formats 0-61. Slot formats 0 and 1 are all DL and UL, respectively. Other slot formats 2-61 include a mixture of DL, UL, and flexible symbols. The UE configures the slot format via the received Slot Format Indicator (SFI) (dynamically via DL Control Information (DCI) or semi-statically / statically via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling). Note that the following description also applies to the 5G NR frame structure as TDD.

[0058] Figure 2A-2D The frame structure is illustrated, and aspects of this disclosure are applicable to other wireless communication technologies that may have different frame structures and / or different channels. A frame (10 ms) can be divided into 10 equal-sized subframes (1 ms). Each subframe may include one or more time slots. Subframes may also include micro-time slots, which may include 7, 4, or 2 symbols. Each time slot may include 14 or 12 symbols, depending on whether the cyclic prefix (CP) is normal or extended. For normal CP, each time slot may include 14 symbols, and for extended CP, each time slot may include 12 symbols. Symbols on the DL can be CP Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) (CP-OFDM) symbols. Symbols on the UL can be CP-OFDM symbols (for high-throughput scenarios) or Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) Extended OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM) symbols (for power-constrained scenarios, limited to single-stream transmission). The number of time slots within a subframe is based on the CP and digital scheme. The parameter set defines the subcarrier spacing (SCS) (see Table 1). Symbol length / duration can be scaled by 1 / SCS.

[0059]

[0060] Table 1: Parameter Set, SCS, and CP

[0061] For a normal CP (14 symbols / slot), different parameter sets μ 0 through 4 allow 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 slots per subframe, respectively. For an extended CP, parameter set 2 allows 4 slots per subframe. Therefore, for a normal CP and parameter set μ, there are 14 symbols / slot and 2... μ One time slot. The subcarrier spacing can be equal to , where μ is the parameter set from 0 to 4. Therefore, parameter set μ=0 has a subcarrier spacing of 15 kHz, and parameter set μ=4 has a subcarrier spacing of 240 kHz. The symbol length / duration is inversely proportional to the subcarrier spacing. Figure 2A-2D An example of normal CP is provided, with 14 symbols per time slot and parameter set μ=2, and 4 time slots per subframe. The time slot duration is 0.25 ms, the subcarrier spacing is 60 kHz, and the symbol duration is approximately 16.67 μs. Within the frame set, one or more different bandwidth portions (BWPs) of frequency division multiplexing can exist (see [link to example]). Figure 2B Each BWP can have a specific set of parameters and CP (normal or extended).

[0062] A resource grid can be used to represent the frame structure. Each time slot consists of a resource block (RB) that extends 12 consecutive subcarriers (also known as a physical RB (PRB)). The resource grid is divided into multiple resource elements (REs). The number of bits carried by each RE depends on the modulation scheme.

[0063] like Figure 2A As shown, some REs carry reference (pilot) signals (RS) for the UE. RSs may include demodulation RS (DM-RS) (indicated as R for a specific configuration, but other DM-RS configurations are possible) and channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) for channel estimation at the UE. RSs may also include beam measurement RS (BRS), beam refinement RS (BRRS), and phase tracking RS (PT-RS).

[0064] Figure 2BExamples of various DL channels within a subframe of a frame are shown. The Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) carries the DCI within one or more Control Channel Elements (CCEs) (e.g., 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 CCEs), each CCE comprising six RE Groups (REGs), each REG comprising 12 consecutive REs in the OFDM symbols of an RB. The PDCCH within a BWP may be referred to as a Control Resource Set (CORESET). The UE is configured to monitor PDCCH candidates in a PDCCH search space (e.g., a shared search space, a UE-specific search space) during PDCCH monitoring on the CORESET, where the PDCCH candidates have different DCI formats and different aggregation levels. Additional BWPs may be located at higher and / or lower frequencies across the channel bandwidth. The Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) may be located within symbol 2 of a specific subframe of the frame. UE 104 uses the PSS to determine subframe / symbol timing and physical layer identification. The Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) may be located within symbol 4 of a specific subframe of the frame. The UE uses the SSS to determine the Physical Layer Cell Identifier Group Number and radio frame timing. Based on the Physical Layer Identifier and the Physical Layer Cell Identifier Group Number, the UE can determine the Physical Cell Identifier (PCI). Based on the PCI, the UE can determine the location of the DM-RS. The Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH), carrying the Master Information Block (MIB), can be logically grouped with the PSS and SSS to form a Synchronization Signal (SS) / PBCH block (also known as an SS block (SSB)). The MIB provides multiple RBs and System Frame Numbers (SFNs) in the system bandwidth. The Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) carries user data, broadcast system information not transmitted via the PBCH (such as System Information Blocks (SIBs)), and paging messages.

[0065] like Figure 2C As shown, some REs in the REs carry DM-RS (indicated as R for a specific configuration, but other DM-RS configurations are possible) for channel estimation at the base station. The UE can transmit DM-RS for the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) and DM-RS for the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH). The PUSCH DM-RS can be transmitted in the first or second symbol of the PUSCH. The PUCCH DM-RS can be transmitted in different configurations depending on whether a short or long PUCCH is transmitted and on the specific PUCCH format used. The UE can transmit a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS). The SRS can be transmitted in the last symbol of a subframe. The SRS can have a comb structure, and the UE can transmit the SRS on one of the comb teeth. The SRS can be used by the base station for channel quality estimation to implement frequency-dependent scheduling on the UL.

[0066] Figure 2DExamples of various UL channels within a subframe of a frame are shown. The PUCCH can be positioned as indicated in one configuration. The PUCCH carries uplink control information (UCI), such as scheduling requests, channel quality indicators (CQI), precoding matrix indicators (PMI), rank indicators (RI), and hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgment (ACK) (HARQ-ACK) feedback (i.e., one or more HARQ ACK bits indicating one or more ACKs and / or negative ACKs (NACKs)). The PUCCH carries data and can also be used to carry buffer status reports (BSR), power headroom reports (PHR), and / or UCIs.

[0067] Figure 3 This is a block diagram of base station 310 communicating with UE 350 in the access network. In the DL, Internet Protocol (IP) packets can be provided to controller / processor 375. Controller / processor 375 implements Layer 3 and Layer 2 functions. Layer 3 includes the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer, and Layer 2 includes the Serving Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer, Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, and Media Access Control (MAC) layer. The controller / processor 375 provides RRC layer functions associated with broadcasting system information (e.g., MIB, SIB), RRC connection control (e.g., RRC connection paging, RRC connection establishment, RRC connection modification, and RRC connection release), inter-Radio Access Technology (RAT) mobility, and measurement configuration for UE measurement reporting; PDCP layer functions associated with header compression / decompression, security (encryption, decryption, integrity protection, integrity verification), and handover support functions; RLC layer functions associated with upper-layer packet data unit (PDU) transmission, error correction via ARQ, concatenation, segmentation, and reassembly of RLC service data units (SDUs), resegmentation of RLC data PDUs, and reordering of RLC data PDUs; and MAC layer functions associated with mapping between logical channels and transport channels, multiplexing of MAC SDUs onto transport blocks (TBs), demultiplexing of MAC SDUs from TBs, scheduling information reporting, error correction via HARQ, priority handling, and logical channel prioritization.

[0068] Transmit (TX) processor 316 and receive (RX) processor 370 implement Layer 1 functions associated with various signal processing functions. Layer 1, including the physical (PHY) layer, may include error detection on the transport channel, forward error correction (FEC) encoding / decoding of the transport channel, interleaving, rate matching, mapping to the physical channel, modulation / demodulation of the physical channel, and MIMO antenna processing. TX processor 316 processes the mapping to the signal constellation based on various modulation schemes, such as binary phase shift keying (BPSK), quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), M-phase shift keying (M-PSK), and M-quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM). The encoded and modulated symbols can then be split into parallel streams. Each stream can then be mapped to OFDM subcarriers, multiplexed with a reference signal (e.g., a pilot) in the time and / or frequency domains, and subsequently combined using inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) to produce a physical channel carrying a stream of time-domain OFDM symbols. The OFDM streams are spatially precoded to produce multiple spatial streams. The channel estimate from channel estimator 374 can be used to determine coding and modulation schemes and for spatial processing. The channel estimate can be derived from a reference signal transmitted by UE 350 and / or channel condition feedback. Each spatial stream can then be provided to a different antenna 320 via a separate transmitter 318Tx. Each transmitter 318Tx can use the corresponding spatial stream to modulate a radio frequency (RF) carrier for transmission.

[0069] At UE 350, each receiver 354Rx receives signals through its corresponding antenna 352. Each receiver 354Rx recovers the information modulated onto the RF carrier and provides this information to the receive (RX) processor 356. The TX processor 368 and RX processor 356 implement Layer 1 functions associated with various signal processing functions. The RX processor 356 can perform spatial processing on the information to recover any spatial streams destined for UE 350. If multiple spatial streams are destined for UE 350, the RX processor 356 can combine them into a single OFDM symbol stream. The RX processor 356 then uses a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to transform the OFDM symbol stream from the time domain to the frequency domain. The frequency domain signal includes a separate OFDM symbol stream for each subcarrier of the OFDM signal. The symbols and reference signals on each subcarrier are recovered and demodulated by determining the most probable signal constellation points transmitted by base station 310. These soft decisions can be based on channel estimates calculated by channel estimator 358. The soft decision is then decoded and deinterleaved to recover the data and control signals originally transmitted by base station 310 on the physical channel. The data and control signals are then provided to controller / processor 359, which implements Layer 3 and Layer 2 functions.

[0070] The controller / processor 359 may be associated with a memory 360 that stores program code and data. The memory 360 may be referred to as a computer-readable medium. In the UL, the controller / processor 359 provides demultiplexing, packet reassembly, decryption, header decompression, and control signal processing between transport and logical channels to recover IP packets. The controller / processor 359 is also responsible for error detection using ACK and / or NACK protocols to support HARQ operation.

[0071] Similar to the functions described in conjunction with DL transmissions performed by base station 310, controller / processor 359 provides: RRC layer functions associated with system information (e.g., MIB, SIB) acquisition, RRC connectivity, and measurement reporting; PDCP layer functions associated with header compression / decompression and security (encryption, decryption, integrity protection, integrity verification); RLC layer functions associated with upper-layer PDU transmission, error correction via ARQ, concatenation, segmentation and reassembly of RLC SDUs, resegmentation of RLC data PDUs, and reordering of RLC data PDUs; and MAC layer functions associated with mapping between logical channels and transport channels, multiplexing of MAC SDUs to TBs, demultiplexing of MAC SDUs from TBs, scheduling information reporting, error correction via HARQ, priority handling, and logical channel prioritization.

[0072] The TX processor 368 can use the channel estimate derived from the reference signal transmitted by the channel estimator 358 or feedback from the base station 310 to select an appropriate coding and modulation scheme, and to facilitate spatial processing. The spatial stream generated by the TX processor 368 can be provided to different antennas 352 via individual transmitters 354Tx. Each transmitter 354Tx can use the corresponding spatial stream to modulate an RF carrier for transmission.

[0073] UL transmissions are processed at base station 310 in a manner similar to that described in conjunction with the receiver function at UE 350. Each receiver 318Rx receives signals via its respective antenna 320. Each receiver 318Rx recovers the information modulated onto the RF carrier and provides that information to the RX processor 370.

[0074] The controller / processor 375 may be associated with a memory 376 that stores program code and data. The memory 376 may be referred to as a computer-readable medium. In UL, the controller / processor 375 provides demultiplexing, packet reassembly, decryption, header decompression, and control signal processing to recover IP packets between transport and logical channels. The controller / processor 375 is also responsible for error detection using ACK and / or NACK protocols to support HARQ operation.

[0075] At least one of the TX processor 368, RX processor 356, and controller / processor 359 can be configured to combine Figure 1 The final cellular coverage navigation component 198 performs various functions.

[0076] At least one of the TX processor 316, RX processor 370, and controller / processor 375 can be configured to combine Figure 1 The NTN information component 199 is used to perform various aspects.

[0077] Figure 4 Figure 400 illustrates an example of UE positioning based on reference signal measurements (which may also be referred to as "network-based positioning") according to various aspects of this disclosure. UE 404 can be at time T SRS_TX Send UL SRS 412 at time T PRS_RX The location receives the DL Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) (DL PRS) 410. TRP 406 can receive the DL positioning reference signal (PRS) at time T. SRS_RX Receives ULSRS 412 at time T PRS_TX The UE 404 may receive DL PRS 410 before sending UL SRS 412, or it may send UL SRS 412 before receiving DL PRS 410. In both cases, the location server (e.g., location server 168) or the UE 404 may base the signal on ||T. SRS_RX – T PRS_TX | –|T SRS_TX – T PRS_RX || to determine RTT 414. Therefore, multi-RTT positioning can utilize the UE Rx-Tx time difference measurement (i.e., |T) of downlink signals received from multiple TRPs 402, 406 and measured by UE 404. SRS_TX – T PRS_RX |) and DL PRS reference signal received power (RSRP) (DLPRS-RSRP), and the TRP Rx-Tx time difference measurement (i.e., |T) of the uplink signal transmitted from UE 404 at multiple TRPs 402, 406. SRS_RX – T PRS_TX|)) and UL SRS-RSRP. UE 404 uses auxiliary data received from the positioning server to measure the UE Rx-Tx time difference (and / or the DL SRS-RSRP of the received signal), and TRPs 402 and 406 use auxiliary data received from the positioning server to measure the gNB Rx-Tx time difference (and / or the UL SRS-RSRP of the received signal). Measurements can be used at the positioning server or at UE 404 to determine the RTT, which is used to estimate the location of UE 404. Other methods for determining the RTT are possible, such as using DL-TDOA and / or UL-TDOA measurements.

[0078] PRS can be defined for network-based positioning (e.g., NR positioning) to enable the UE to detect and measure more Neighbor Transmitter and Receiver Points (TRPs), supporting various configurations for diverse deployments (e.g., indoor, outdoor, sub-6, mmW, etc.). Beam scanning can also be configured for PRS to support PRS beam operation. The UL positioning reference signal can be based on an enhanced / adjusted Detection Reference Signal (SRS) for positioning purposes. In some examples, the UL-PRS can be referred to as the "SRS for Positioning," and new Information Elements (IEs) can be configured for the SRS for Positioning in RRC signaling.

[0079] DL PRS-RSRP can be defined as the linear average of the power contribution (in [W]) of a resource element at an antenna port carrying a DL PRS reference signal configured for RSRP measurement within the considered measurement frequency bandwidth. In some examples, for FR1, the reference point for DL ​​PRS-RSRP can be the UE's antenna connector. For FR2, DL PRS-RSRP can be measured based on a combined signal from an antenna element corresponding to a given receiver branch. For both FR1 and FR2, if the UE is using receiver diversity, the reported DL PRS-RSRP value can be no less than the corresponding DL PRS-RSRP for any individual receiver branch. Similarly, UL SRS-RSRP can be defined as the linear average of the power contribution (in [W]) of a resource element carrying a probe reference signal (SRS). UL SRS-RSRP can be measured on configured resource elements within the considered measurement frequency bandwidth at a configured measurement time. In some examples, for FR1, the reference point for UL SRS-RSRP can be the antenna connector of a base station (e.g., gNB). For FR2, the UL SRS-RSRP can be measured based on the combined signal from the antenna element corresponding to a given receiver branch. For FR1 and FR2, if the receiver is using base station diversity, the reported UL SRS-RSRP value may not be lower than the corresponding UL SRS-RSRP for any individual receiver branch.

[0080] PRS-Path RSRP (PRS-RSRPP) can be defined as the linearly averaged power of the channel response at the i-th path delay of a resource element carrying a DL PRS signal configured for measurement, where the DL PRS-RSRPP for the first path delay is the power contribution corresponding to the first detected path in time. In some examples, the PRS path phase measurement can refer to the phase associated with the i-th path of the channel derived using the PRS resource.

[0081] DL-AoD positioning utilizes the measured DL PRS-RSRP of downlink signals received at UE 404 from multiple TRPs 402 and 406. UE 404 uses auxiliary data received from the positioning server to measure the DL PRS-RSRP of the received signals, and the resulting measurement, along with the azimuth departure (A-AoD), zenith departure (Z-AoD), and other configuration information, is used to position UE 404 relative to adjacent TRPs 402 and 406.

[0082] DL-TDOA positioning can utilize the DL Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD) (and / or DL ​​PRS-RSRP) of downlink signals received at UE 404 from multiple TRPs 402, 406. UE 404 uses auxiliary data received from the positioning server to measure the DL RSTD (and / or DL ​​PRS-RSRP) of the received signals, and the resulting measurement, along with other configuration information, is used to position UE 404 relative to neighboring TRPs 402, 406.

[0083] UL-TDOA positioning can utilize the UL relative time of arrival (RTOA) (and / or UL SRS-RSRP) at multiple TRPs 402, 406 of the uplink signal transmitted from UE 404. TRPs 402, 406 use auxiliary data received from the positioning server to measure the UL-RTOA (and / or UL SRS-RSRP) of the received signal, and the resulting measurements, along with other configuration information, are used to estimate the location of UE 404.

[0084] UL-AoA positioning can utilize the azimuth angle (A-AoA) and zenith angle (Z-AoA) of the uplink signal transmitted from UE 404, measured at multiple TRPs 402, 406. TRPs 402, 406 use auxiliary data received from the positioning server to measure the A-AoA and Z-AoA of the received signal, and the resulting measurements, along with other configuration information, are used to estimate the position of UE 404. For the purposes of this disclosure, a positioning operation in which measurements are provided by the UE to the base station / positioning entity / server for calculating the UE's position can be described as "UE-assisted," "UE-assisted positioning," and / or "UE-assisted position calculation," while a positioning operation in which the UE measures and calculates its own position can be described as "UE-based," "UE-based positioning," and / or "UE-based position calculation."

[0085] Additional positioning methods can be used to estimate the location of UE 404, such as, for example, UE-side UL-AoD and / or DL-AoA. Note that data / measurements from various technologies can be combined in various ways to increase accuracy, determine and / or enhance certainty, supplement / complement measurements, and / or replace / provide missing information.

[0086] Note that the terms “location reference signal” and “PRS” generally refer to specific reference signals used for positioning in NR and LTE systems. However, as used herein, the terms “location reference signal” and “PRS” can also refer to any type of reference signal that can be used for positioning, such as, but not limited to, PRS, TRS, PTRS, CRS, CSI-RS, DMRS, PSS, SSS, SSB, SRS, UL-PRS, etc., as defined in LTE and NR. Additionally, unless the context otherwise indicates, the terms “location reference signal” and “PRS” can refer to downlink or uplink positioning reference signals. To further distinguish the types of PRS, downlink positioning reference signals can be referred to as “DL PRS”, and uplink positioning reference signals (e.g., SRS, PTRS for positioning) can be referred to as “UL-PRS”. Furthermore, for signals that can be transmitted in both uplink and downlink (e.g., DMRS, PTRS), “UL” or “DL” can be used to prefix the signal to distinguish the direction. For example, “UL-DMRS” can be distinguished from “DL-DMRS”.

[0087] The UE can communicate with non-terrestrial network entities (which may be referred to as a non-terrestrial network (NTN)). An NTN can refer to a network or a segment of a network that uses at least one airborne device (e.g., an aircraft) or satellite (e.g., a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite, a medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite, a geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellite, a highly elliptical orbit (HEO) satellite, and / or a high-altitude pseudosatellite (HAPS) satellite, etc.) to communicate (e.g., to send or receive data). For example, an NTN may support direct communication between a UE (e.g., a handheld device, a mobile phone, etc.) and a satellite (e.g., a LEO satellite, a GEO satellite, etc.), whereby the UE can transmit data (e.g., text messages and / or voice services, etc.) to another UE via the satellite. For the purposes of this disclosure, an NTN may consist only of NTN units, or a mixture of NTN units and terrestrial units. Therefore, for positioning operations associated with NTN, the positioning operations may involve NTN cells without terrestrial cells, a mixture of NTN and terrestrial cells, and / or a hybrid solution involving NTN cells, terrestrial cells, GNSS satellites, and / or other terrestrial positioning reference points (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.).

[0088] In some respects, determining / knowing the UE's location can be a crucial factor for the NTN. For example, the UE's location information can be used in the Radio Access Network (RAN) for initial synchronization, uplink timing and frequency pre-compensation, mobility, and / or handover. Furthermore, the NTN can support different types of UEs, such as those with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) support (e.g., the UE's location can be determined via Global Positioning System (GPS)) and / or those without GNSS support. In some instances, it can be advantageous for the UE to perform a positioning session with the NTN, as the NTN enables the UE to interact with satellites. For example, PRS signals transmitted from satellites can be customized or configured for a specific UE. Thus, since the UE and / or satellite can exchange positioning-related information with each other, the performance and / or accuracy of GNSS-based UE positioning can be further enhanced with the help of the NTN.

[0089] Figure 5 Figure 500 illustrates an example of an NTN architecture based on a transparent payload according to various aspects of this disclosure. A data network 502 (e.g., a 5G core (5GC) network) may be connected to a base station 504 (e.g., a network entity, gNB) via a communication interface (e.g., a next-generation (NG) interface). The base station 504 may be located on the ground and connected to an NTN gateway 506, which may be connected to an NTN payload 508 (e.g., a satellite-borne network node, an unmanned aerial vehicle system (UAS), or HAPS, etc.) via a feeder link 512. The NTN payload 508 may be connected to a UE 510 via a serving link 514 (e.g., using a UE-satellite (Uu) interface). In the transparent payload NTN architecture, base station 504 can be a ground station, and NTN payload 508 (e.g., a satellite) can function as a relay, where NTN payload 508 can provide RF filtering, frequency conversion, and / or amplification for data / payload received from base station 504 via NTN gateway 506, and relay / transmit data / payload to UE 510. Therefore, the waveform or signal relayed / repeated by NTN payload 508 can be invariant. In some examples, the ground area covered by NTN payload 508 can be referred to as a "coverage area" and / or "beam coverage area." The satellite's coverage area can be the ground area covered by its transponder, and the coverage area can also determine the diameter of the dish satellite antenna used to receive signals from each transponder. In some examples, each transponder (or group of transponders) can have a different coverage map, as each transponder can be configured to cover a different area. Table 2 below shows examples of the altitude and coverage area size of different types of satellite platforms, where different satellite platforms can have different distances, delays, and / or coverage ranges on Earth.

[0090]

[0091] Table 2 - Example altitudes and coverage areas for different types of satellite platforms

[0092] Figure 6 Figure 600 illustrates an example of an NTN architecture based on a regenerative payload according to various aspects of this disclosure. In some examples, the NTN network may include at least one satellite with a regenerative payload, enabling the satellite to serve as a distributed unit (DU) or a complete base station supporting a satellite-enabled new radio, radio access network (NR-RAN). For example, for a satellite with a regenerative payload, the satellite may utilize signal processing techniques (e.g., demodulation, decoding, switching, encoding, and modulation) to regenerate the incoming signal before transmission, which can improve spectrum allocation. Additionally, a satellite with a regenerative payload may include onboard processing (e.g., a digital transparent processor (DTP) or a fully regenerative (FR) transponder). In some examples, inter-satellite links (ISLs) may be established between satellites with regenerative payloads for communication, which can increase geographical coverage of receiving ground stations / user terminals.

[0093] In some examples, the communication network may include both NTN and terrestrial (TN) networks. In other words, one segment of the communication network may include non-terrestrial equipment (e.g., NTN base stations), and another segment of the communication network may include terrestrial equipment (e.g., TN / terrestrial base stations). For example, Figure 7A and 7B Figures 700A and 700B illustrate examples of networks including both NTN and TN devices according to various aspects of this disclosure. The network may include one or more TN devices 704 (e.g., terrestrial base stations and / or TRPs) and one or more NTN devices 706 (e.g., satellites and / or aircraft), wherein a UE 702 in a positioning session may transmit or receive signals (e.g., PRS, SRS, etc.) with both TN devices 704 and NTN devices 706. In some examples, as shown in Figure 700A, the serving base station may be a TN base station, allowing the UE 702 to connect to the serving base station via a TN network. In other examples, as shown in Figure 700B, the serving base station may be an NTN satellite base station, allowing the UE 702 to connect to the NTN satellite base station via an NTN network. In both scenarios, auxiliary data (AD) associated with the UE positioning session may include a mixture of TN and NTN base stations. For the purposes of this disclosure, a base station associated with an NTN device (e.g., a satellite, aircraft, or UAS platform, etc.) may be referred to as an "NTN base station," an "NTN satellite base station," and / or an "NTN base station satellite." On the other hand, base stations located on Earth can be referred to as "TN base stations" and / or "terrestrial base stations".

[0094] Each NTN base station can move at a different speed, and the coverage of NTN base stations across the globe can remain variable. In some examples, the changes to NTN base stations can be deterministic and known at LMF levels. For example, Table 3 below shows examples of NTN scenarios and delay constraints:

[0095]

[0096]

[0097] Table 3 - Examples of NTN Scenarios and Delay Constraints

[0098] As shown in Tables 2 and 3, various types or combinations of satellite networks can be configured for NTN, such as GEO satellites, LEO satellites, and HAP. Compared to TN, NTN network satellites can cover a wider ground area. For example, TN base stations can have a coverage distance of approximately 5-8 km (e.g., transmit / receive (Tx / Rx) range), while GEO satellites can have a coverage distance of approximately 100-3500 km, and LEO satellites can have a coverage distance of approximately 50-1000 km, etc. Therefore, in some scenarios, NTN satellites can cover multiple countries at once. However, the network can be designated to serve UEs in a country based on a country-specific policy. Thus, the network can be designated to know the location of the UE. For example, NTN satellites can have a coverage distance of 2000 km, covering three countries with different network policies, where NTN satellites can be designated to serve UEs in the first country based on a first network policy, serve UEs in the second country based on a second network policy, and not serve UEs in the third country, etc.

[0099] In some network implementations (e.g., 5G NR), network entities (e.g., base stations, network servers, etc.) may be configured to broadcast System Information Block (SIB) 19 (SIB19), where the broadcast SIB19 may include satellite auxiliary information that enables the UE to connect to one or more satellites. For example, SIB19 may include information element (IE) ephemeris information (e.g., ephemerisInfo-r17) indicating the position and motion of one or more satellites. In another example, SIB19 may include a timing address IE that provides a timing offset for processing long delays (e.g., ta-Info-r17) and / or an IE that specifies long delays for HARQ due to long distances between the UE and the base station (e.g., DL-DataToUL-ACK-v1700), etc. Typically, satellite neighbors can be defined for a set of cells at the coverage edge of the cellular network coverage area. After the UE successfully decodes the SIB19 broadcast from the network entity, the UE may be able to access satellite services according to the UE's specifications (e.g., access such as combined with Figure 5 and Figure 6 The described NTN).

[0100] Figure 8 Figure 800 illustrates an example of a UE entering no-service (OOS) due to lack of cellular coverage according to various aspects of this disclosure. As shown at 804, in some scenarios, UE 802 may enter no-service (OOS) due to lack of cellular coverage (e.g., when UE 802 is operating in a terrestrial network) (e.g., receiving an OOS notification). In other words, after UE 802 moves out of the network's coverage area, the connection between UE 802 and the network (e.g., via a base station / TRP or a set of base station / TRPs) may become disconnected. After UE 802 becomes OOS, UE 802 may be configured (e.g., by default) to perform periodic scans to find available network signals (e.g., new cells to occupy) so that the UE can latch back to an available network. However, as shown at 806, there may be instances where the cell from which UE 802 declared OOS (e.g., cell 3) could be the last cell in the coverage footprint (coverage area) (e.g., the last cell in the network). Therefore, even if UE 802 can search / scan for new / alternative cells, it may be very difficult or impossible for UE 802 to successfully find a suitable / connectable cell. For example, when the user of UE 802 enters a forest or mountainous area and UE 802 becomes out of service (OOS), it may be very unlikely that UE 802 will find cellular network coverage. Additionally, if the user of UE 802 gets lost in a forest or mountainous area, not only may the user be unable to find his / her return route, but because UE 802 is out of service (OOS), the user may also be unable to call for help.

[0101] The aspects presented herein enable a UE to guide its user back to an area with cellular coverage when the UE is about to become out of service (e.g., disconnected from the network, which may include a set of network entities such as base stations) and / or after the UE becomes out of service. For example, the aspects presented herein enable the UE to record a set of locations with good cellular coverage (e.g., communication link / channel quality above a quality threshold). Then, if the UE becomes out of service, the UE can indicate (e.g., selected from the recorded set of locations) at least one last known location (or the nearest known location) with good cellular coverage, allowing the user to reconnect to the network by taking the UE to the indicated last known location. Therefore, the aspects presented herein provide a cost-effective way to enhance the security of users outside the cellular coverage area of ​​an available network. For the purposes of this disclosure, cellular coverage can refer to a geographical area covered by a service provider's network. Within this area, the UE can access services provided by the network (or partner networks), such as making a call or accessing the Internet. Good cellular coverage can refer to channel quality / conditions between the UE and the network (or cell) being above a quality / condition threshold. No Service (OOS) can refer to a UE that is not within cellular coverage or cannot access services provided by the network (and partner networks), or the connection between the UE and the network (and partner networks) is below a certain threshold.

[0102] In one aspect of this disclosure, the neighbor cell definition of a deployed network sector (e.g., a base station sector, a gNB sector, etc.) may have the ability to indicate whether a cell / sector is deployed in a densely covered area and / or at the edge of the network.

[0103] Figure 9 Figure 900 illustrates an example edge cell / sector according to various aspects of this disclosure. In one example, as shown at 902, a network cell / sector (e.g., a base station cell, gNB cell, etc.) may be classified as an edge cell / sector (e.g., the last cell in a deployed network) based on a low number of inter-frequency neighbors and / or inter-Radio Access Technology (IRAT) neighbors in a neighbor list (e.g., in SIB4 and / or SIB5, etc.). In some examples, these edge cells / sectors may have only co-located cells defined as neighbors, the neighbor list may be non-exhaustive, and sometimes the total number of neighbors may be very small (e.g., less than ten neighbor cells (nearby cells <10, 100, etc.)). For the purposes of this disclosure, the term edge cell / sector may also be referred to as “coverage edge cell / sector,” “cell / sector edge,” and / or “cell / sector edge coverage,” etc., and is used interchangeably therewith. In some aspects, “edge cell” may refer to the edge of a cell or “cell edge” (i.e., the coverage limit or threshold of a cell).

[0104] Additionally, for edge cells / sectors, reselection and / or handover (HO) thresholds can be configured to remain aggressive to trigger early reselection and / or HO to fallback coverage (e.g., to an IRAT neighbor) to ensure cell coverage is extended for the UE. The reselection and / or HO thresholds can be any threshold that enables the UE to perform early handover / HO / reselection to fallback coverage. For example, if 5G NR is the latest RAT and the fallback coverage will be LTE 4G / 3G, the network may want to ensure the UE falls back to 4G / 3G during edge cell coverage because 4G / 3G may have been widely deployed compared to the 5G RAT. Furthermore, an IRAT neighbor can refer to any RAT (e.g., LTE, WCDMA, GSM, etc.) neighbor that serves as fallback coverage. Thus, in one example, the UE can be configured to (intelligently) utilize this information to detect / identify that the current cell has an offset threshold and classify the current cell as an edge cell. In other words, the UE can detect, identify, or determine whether a cell / sector is likely to be an edge cell / sector based on a cell-associated reselection / HO threshold (e.g., obtained via SIB4 / SIB5 broadcast from the cell). In some examples, if backoff coverage also deteriorates (e.g., communication link / channel quality drops below a threshold), the UE can terminate in OOS mode. Therefore, in one aspect of this disclosure, the UE can use this information to estimate the likelihood of the UE becoming OOS.

[0105] In another aspect of this disclosure, the UE can be configured to maintain a database including a set of locations with cellular coverage (e.g., cellular coverage with a channel quality threshold), or at least maintain the UE's last known cellular coverage area before the UE moves into OOS. Then, in response to the UE becoming / declaring OOS, the UE can indicate to its users a location with cellular coverage, which could be the last known coverage area or the most recent known coverage area, etc.

[0106] Figure 10Figure 1000 illustrates an example of a UE maintaining a database comprising a set of locations with cellular coverage according to various aspects of this disclosure. In one example, UE 1002 may be configured to maintain a database comprising a set of locations with cellular coverage (e.g., access to a network (e.g., via a network-associated base station / TRP) with good cellular coverage, channel quality above a quality threshold, etc.). For example, as shown at 1006, when UE 1002 is at a first location with cellular coverage (e.g., at latitude / longitude coordinates XYZ / ABC), UE 1002 may record that first location in its database. Then, as shown at 1008, when UE 1002 is at a second location with cellular coverage (e.g., at latitude / longitude coordinates FGT / HUJ), UE 1002 may record that second location in its database. UE 1002 may be configured to repeat this recording process periodically (e.g., every X minutes), non-periodically, and / or based on the satisfaction of certain conditions or a set of predefined rules.

[0107] For example, UE 1002 can be configured to respond when UE 1002 detects that UE 1002 is in an edge cell / sector (e.g., based on a combination of...). Figure 9 The described cell-associated reselection / HO threshold is used to record the location of a UE with cellular coverage. Since UEs located in edge cells / sectors are more likely to be in OOS (Out of Service), configuring the UE to record its location when UE 1002 detects that it is in an edge cell / sector can reduce power consumption at UE 1002 (compared to periodically recording the location). In one example, UE 1002 can also be able to determine / estimate whether it is likely to be in an edge cell / sector based on the random access channel (RACH) preamble index associated with the cell. For example, a longer RACH preamble is typically used for higher coverage deployment scenarios, and a shorter RACH preamble is used for lower coverage deployment scenarios, etc. Therefore, based on the RACH preamble index, UE 1002 can be configured to intelligently classify whether the cell is deployed for dense urban area coverage or rural area coverage (which is more likely to be an edge cell).

[0108] In another example, UE 1002 can be configured to record its last known location with cellular coverage when UE 1002 detects / predicts that it may / is about to become an Out of Service (OOS). For example, UE 1002 can be configured to record its last known location with cellular coverage when it detects that the data rate (between UE 1002 and the network) drops below a data rate threshold or the channel quality (e.g., Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), and / or Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)) drops below a channel quality threshold. This can further reduce power consumption at UE 1002.

[0109] In one example, as shown at 1010, database 1004 may include various information elements / fields, such as the Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) of the cell, the latitude and longitude coordinates of UE 1002, satellite information decoded from SIB19, or non-terrestrial network (NTN) information (if the cell is configured with SIB19) (as combined with... Figure 5 , 6 The RAT associated with the cell / network (e.g., NR, LTE, etc.), the cell bandwidth, or a combination thereof.

[0110] Figure 11 Figure 1100 illustrates an example of a UE indicating to a user the last known location with cellular coverage according to various aspects of this disclosure. After UE 1002 maintains a database including a set of locations with cellular coverage (or at least the last known locations / areas with cellular coverage), when UE 1002 detects that it is in OOS or is about to be in OOS (e.g., channel quality is below a quality threshold), and / or in response to a user's request (e.g., the user can determine that the current channel quality is poor and wants to know which (or which) locations can provide better / improved channel conditions), UE 1002 may indicate / notify its user of at least one location with cellular coverage.

[0111] In one example, as shown at 1102, an indication / notification from UE 1002 to a location with cellular coverage may include a text instruction instructing the user to move in a specific direction and a specific distance (and / or displaying the latitude and longitude coordinates of the location). In another example, as shown at 1104, the indication / notification may include (e.g., via an offline map) a visual display navigating the user to a location with cellular coverage. For example, a database table (e.g., by utilizing offline map information) may be displayed on a map. Figure 10(Database 1004 is shown at 1010). The user's current location and the last known available cellular coverage area can then be displayed. If satellite information is available (e.g., SIB19), UE 1002 can also indicate the availability of satellite communications. Based on the information (e.g., direction, latitude / longitude coordinates, etc.) displayed to the user of the last known coverage area, the user can comfortably navigate back to the cellular coverage area and access voice / data services. In another example, the indication / notification may include an audio format that guides the user to a location with cellular coverage based on voice instructions. For the purposes of this disclosure, text notifications, visual displays, and audio formats can be collectively referred to as a "user interface." For example, UE 1002 may indicate a location with cellular coverage via a user interface, which may include text instructions, visual displays of maps, and / or audio instructions, etc.

[0112] In one example, if map data (e.g., offline map or data / information associated with the map) for the area where UE 1002 is located is available, UE 1002 can be configured to download the offline map of that area in a specified manner to ensure that map tiles belonging to / close to the "in service area" are given higher priority than map tiles farther away from the service area. For example, map tiles closer to UE 1002's current location can be given higher download priority compared to map tiles farther away from UE 1002's current location.

[0113] In another example, after UE 1002 detects that a cell is configured with SIB19 (e.g., broadcasting SIB19 including satellite information), UE 1002 may also include / update the satellite information along with cell information and latitude / longitude information in its database 1004, such as in Figure 10 As shown at position 1010 (e.g., under the SIB19 field of satellite information).

[0114] In another example, after UE 1002 declares an OOS, UE 1002 can provide its users with a notification about the last known coverage area. In some examples, this notification may include multiple locations with cellular coverage, and the user can select a suitable / desired location from these locations, and UE 1002 can navigate the user to that selected location. For example, UE 1002 may display multiple locations to its users, and the user can select the location that UE 1002 wants to navigate to.

[0115] In another aspect of this disclosure, as shown at 1106, if the cell in which UE 1002 records its location also provides SIB19 including neighbor satellite information (and UE 1002 is able to successfully decode SIB19), then after UE 1002 becomes out of service with the cell / network, UE 1002 can also use the neighbor satellite information to connect to at least a satellite or NTN. On the other hand, if the cell in which UE 1002 records its location is not configured with SIB19 (e.g., does not broadcast SIB19), then the cell's neighbor list can be configured to be limited to only a few cells. Typically, one or more cells residing at the edge of cellular network coverage can have a limited number of neighboring cells, such as... Figure 9 As shown. For the purposes of this disclosure, co-located cells at the same frequency can be defined as intra-frequency neighbors, co-located cells at different frequencies can be defined as inter-frequency neighbors, and co-located cells at different RATs can be defined as IRAT neighbors.

[0116] Figure 12 Block diagram 1200 illustrates an example of enabling a UE to guide its user back to cellular coverage according to various aspects of this disclosure. The numbers associated with block diagram 1200 do not specify a particular time sequence and are used only as a reference to block diagram 1200.

[0117] At 1210, UE 1202 (e.g., UE 1002) can be latched to cell 1204, for example, when UE 1202 is within the cellular coverage of cell 1204. If cell 1204 is associated with SIB19 (e.g., broadcast), UE 1202 can also be configured to download and decode SIB19, and store the decoded information (e.g., information associated with one or more satellites) in a database (e.g., database 1004).

[0118] At position 1212, UE 1202 can detect whether cell 1204 is an edge cell / sector, such as by combining the diagram. Figure 8 and 9 As described. For example, UE 1202 may determine whether cell 1204 is an edge cell / sector based on whether cell 1204 is the last cell in the network (e.g., a network entity or set of base stations), based on the number of inter-frequency or inter-IRAT neighbors of cell 1204 being less than a threshold number, based on reselection and / or HO thresholds associated with cell 1204, based on data rate being less than a rate threshold or channel quality being less than a quality threshold (e.g., perceived by UE 1202), and / or based on the length of the RACH preamble broadcast by cell 1204 being less than a length threshold, etc.

[0119] At 1214, in response to detecting that UE 1202 is an edge cell / sector, UE 1202 can acquire / record its location (e.g., its current location), such as its latitude and longitude coordinates (Lat / Long information) and the cell ID of cell 1204 (e.g., as combined with...). Figure 10 (As described in 1010). In some examples, the UE may use GNSS-based positioning and / or network-based positioning to determine its location (e.g., as in combination with...). Figure 4 (As described). Additionally, if UE 1202 can access a map of its location (e.g., access a map server / map database), UE 1202 can also be configured to download offline maps of its location (and / or locations near the UE's location), where maps closer to the UE 1202's current location can be given higher download priority compared to maps farther away from the UE 1202's current location.

[0120] At 1216, UE 1202 can determine whether it meets one or more conditions specified for declaring UE 1202 to be in OOS (or about to be in OOS). For example, in some scenarios, if the channel quality between UE 1202 and cell 1204 (or the network associated with cell 1204) degrades below a channel quality threshold, UE 1202 can determine that it is in OOS. In other scenarios, UE 1202 can determine that it is in OOS when it cannot establish (or latch) a connection with any available network. If UE 1202 determines that it does not meet the conditions specified for declaring UE 1202 to be in OOS, UE 1202 may take no action (e.g., proceed to the end at 1218). On the other hand, if UE 1202 determines that it meets the conditions specified for declaring UE 1202 to be in OOS, UE 1202 can declare that it is in OOS.

[0121] At 1220, if UE 1202 declares that it is in OOS, UE 1220 can verify the existence of a database for known locations with cellular coverage (e.g., database 1004). If a database of known locations with cellular coverage exists, at 1222, UE 1202 can add location information associated with cell 1204 (e.g., acquired at 1214) to the database, such as the PCI of cell 1204 and / or the latitude and longitude coordinates of UE 1202 when UE 1202 is within the cellular coverage area of ​​cell 1204. On the other hand, if a database of known locations with cellular coverage does not exist, at 1224, UE 1202 can create a new database and add this information (e.g., location information associated with cell 1204) to the database.

[0122] At 1226, UE 1202 may provide or display to its user at least one location with cellular coverage (e.g., latitude and longitude information of at least one location) via a user interface (e.g., based on visual format, audio format, etc.), wherein at least one location may be the last known location of UE 1202 with cellular coverage or the location closest to UE 1202 with cellular coverage (e.g., selected from a database). For example, UE 1202 may provide / display the latitude and longitude coordinates of the location to the user (e.g., on the screen of UE 1202), provide / display directional guidance for moving toward the location, and / or provide / display the distance between UE 1202's current location and the location, and / or provide / display a navigation map that guides the user from UE 1202's current location to the location (e.g., based on an offline map downloaded at 1214), etc. After UE 1202 reaches the location, UE 1202 may then proceed to 1218 and terminate.

[0123] Figure 13 Figure 1300 illustrates an example of enabling a UE to obtain / download NTN information from a server according to various aspects of this disclosure. In another aspect of this disclosure, when the UE detects that the current cell is an edge cell (e.g., as in conjunction with...), Figure 9 and 12 As described, the UE can be configured to store / have information about the NTN constellation (e.g., as combined with...). Figure 5 and 6 The server (e.g., original equipment manufacturer (OEM) key performance indicator (KPI) server, location server, cloud-based server, etc.) described for communication between the UE and one or more satellites.

[0124] For example, as shown at 1310, a group of UEs can be configured to report known NTN information (e.g., obtained from SIB19, from a location server, etc.) to a server whenever it is available (e.g., a crowdsourcing mechanism can be used by the server to collect NTN information from UEs). Then, as shown at 1312, when any UE (such as UE 1302 (e.g., UE 1002, 1202)) anticipates a possible Out of Service (OOS) event, UE 1302 can be configured to obtain / download NTN information (e.g., NTN information associated with its location / cell) from the server. As shown at 1314, if UE 1302 becomes OOS, UE 1302 can establish communication with at least one satellite associated with the NTN and access the network based on the obtained / downloaded NTN information (e.g., as combined with...). Figure 5 and Figure 6(As described). With this configuration / implementation, UE 1302 can be configured not to depend on the presence of SIB19 being broadcast by network entities (e.g., base stations, gNBs, etc.) (or not being broadcast by network entities), because UE 1302 can obtain information about available NTN constellations from the server.

[0125] In another example, based on radio frequency (RF) conditions, the trajectory of UE 1302 (e.g., moving toward or away from the cell) can be considered during OOS detection and / or used to determine whether to download offline maps. For example, if the RF conditions (e.g., channel conditions) between UE 1302 and the cell (or network) change in a degrading manner, this could indicate that UE 1302 is moving away from the cell. Therefore, UE 1302 can be triggered to initiate an OOS detection process to determine that it is about to become OOS, and / or download offline maps, etc. On the other hand, if the RF conditions change in an improving manner, this could mean that UE 1302 is moving toward the cell, and UE 1302 can be prevented from initiating an OOS detection process and / or downloading offline maps, etc. (e.g., to save power).

[0126] Combination Figures 9 to 11 The described aspects can be used in conjunction on UEs (e.g., UE 1002, 1202, 1302) to detect OOS conditions and provide the UE's user with the last known / nearest coverage location (and, if specified, download an offline map), as well as when the cell includes SIB19 transmission / broadcast. On the other hand, if the cell latched by the UE is not configured with SIB19, then... Figure 9 , 10 The aspects described in section 13 can be used in conjunction with each other on the UE. In other examples, they are combined... Figure 10 , 11 The aspects described in 13 can be combined to gracefully handle scenarios where NTN information broadcast from the carrier's SIB19 (e.g., the first service provider) is not aligned with the UE's NTN subscription (e.g., the second service provider).

[0127] Figure 14 This is a flowchart 1400 of a wireless communication method. This method can be performed by a UE (e.g., UE 104, 510, 702, 802, 1002, 1202, 1302; device 1604). This method enables the UE to direct its users to at least one location with cellular coverage after the UE declares an OOS.

[0128] In 1402, the UE can detect that it is within a threshold distance of an edge cell in the network's cell set, such as combining... Figure 8 ,9 And as described in 12. For example, as in combination Figure 12 As discussed in section 1212, UE 1202 can detect that the cell 1204 it has latched to is an edge cell. The component used to detect that the UE is within a threshold distance of the edge cell can be, for example... Figure 16 The device 1604 in the device 1604 is used to execute the final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, cellular baseband processor 1624 and / or transceiver 1622.

[0129] In one example, edge cells can be detected based on the following: the last cell in the network's cell set, the number of inter-frequency or IRAT neighbors being less than a threshold number, the reselection threshold or HO threshold being less than a specified number, the data rate being less than a rate threshold, the length of the RACH preamble being less than a length threshold, or a combination thereof.

[0130] At 1404, the UE can record a set of locations with cellular coverage for the UE based on the detection that the UE is within a threshold distance of an edge cell, such as combining... Figure 10 and 12 As described. For example, as in combination Figure 12 As discussed in section 1214, UE 1202 can acquire and record its latitude and longitude coordinates after detecting that it is in an edge cell. The component used to record the UE's location set can be, for example... Figure 16 The final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, cellular baseband processor 1624 and / or transceiver 1622 of the device 1604 are used to perform this function.

[0131] In one example, the UE's location set may correspond to the UE's latitude and longitude coordinates set. In some implementations, to indicate at least one location in the UE's location set, the UE may provide, via a user interface, the latitude and longitude coordinates set of at least one location, directional guidance for moving towards the at least one location, the distance between the UE's current location and the at least one location, or a combination thereof. In some implementations, to indicate at least one location in the UE's location set, the UE may send an indication of the latitude and longitude coordinates set of at least one location to the network. In some implementations, the UE may store the latitude and longitude coordinates set of at least one location.

[0132] In another example, in order to record the set of locations where the UE has cellular coverage, the UE may record the PCI of at least one cell in the cell set, the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of each location in the UE's location set, satellite information or NTN information decoded from SIB 19, the RAT associated with the network, the bandwidth of at least one cell in the cell set, or a combination thereof.

[0133] At 1406, the UE can detect whether the network is in OOS or about to be in OOS, such as combining... Figure 11 and 12 As described. For example, as in combination Figure 12 As discussed in section 1216, UE 1202 can determine whether it is in OOS or about to become OOS. The component used to detect whether the UE is in OOS can be, for example... Figure 16 The final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, cellular baseband processor 1624 and / or transceiver 1622 of the device 1604 are used to perform this function.

[0134] In one example, to detect that a UE is in OOS with respect to at least one cell, the UE can predict that it is in OOS with respect to at least one cell, determine that the signal strength between the UE and at least one cell is below a signal threshold, estimate that the UE is moving away from the cellular coverage of the network based on the UE's radio frequency (RF) condition set, and determine that the UE meets the condition set specified for declaring that the UE is in OOS, or a combination thereof.

[0135] At 1408, the UE can respond to detecting that the UE is in OOS by indicating at least one location in the UE's location set, such as in conjunction with the diagram. Figure 11 and 12 As described. For example, as in combination Figure 12 As discussed in section 1226, UE 1202 can provide the user with the latitude and longitude information of the last known location with cellular coverage in response to a UE claim of OOS. The component indicating at least one location can be, for example... Figure 16 The final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, cellular baseband processor 1624 and / or transceiver 1622 of the device 1604 are used to perform this function.

[0136] In one example, as shown at 1410, the UE can receive map data from the network associated with a set of locations with cellular coverage for the UE, such as combined with Figure 11 and 12 As described. For example, as in combination Figure 12 As discussed in 1214 and 1226, after UE 1202 detects that it is within an edge cell, UE 1202 can download an offline map, and UE 1202 can navigate the user of UE 1202 to a location with cellular coverage based on the offline map. The component for receiving map data can be, for example... Figure 16The final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, screen 1610, cellular baseband processor 1624, and / or transceiver 1622 of the device 1604 are used to perform this function. In some embodiments, the UE may use map data to provide at least one location in a set of locations.

[0137] In another example, at least one location may correspond to the UE’s last location with cellular coverage (e.g., at which the UE may have service for all cells in that cell set).

[0138] In another example, as shown at 1412, the UE can receive information associated with the NTN from the network based on detecting that the UE is within a threshold distance of the edge cell, and in response to the UE being in OOS, establish a connection with at least one satellite associated with the NTN based on this information, such as combining... Figure 13 As described. For example, as shown at 1312, when UE 1302 predicts it may be in OOS or within an edge cell, UE 1302 can obtain NTN information from a server via a base station. Then, as shown at 1314, after UE 1302 becomes OOS, UE 1302 can establish a connection with at least one NTN satellite based on the obtained NTN information. Components for receiving information associated with the NTN and / or components for establishing a connection with at least one satellite can be, for example, Figure 16 The device 1604 is executed by the final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, cellular baseband processor 1624 and / or transceiver 1622.

[0139] In another example, as shown at 1414, the UE can decode the SIB19 from the network-associated base station based on detecting that the UE is within a threshold distance of the edge cell, and transmit NTN information associated with the base station based on the decoded SIB19, such as combining... Figure 13 As described. For example, as shown at 1310, whenever NTN information is detected / available (e.g., decoded from SIB19), multiple UEs can send information to a server (e.g., an OEM server, a cloud-based server, etc.). The components for decoding SIB19 and / or for transmitting NTN information can be, for example... Figure 16 The device 1604 is used to perform this operation via the final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, cellular baseband processor 1624, and / or (one or more) transceivers 1622. In one example, the UE may update satellite information in the UE's database based on decoded SIB19, utilizing current cell information and location information. In another example, NTN information may include an NTN constellation.

[0140] Figure 15 This is a flowchart 1500 of a wireless communication method. This method can be performed by a UE (e.g., UE 104, 510, 702, 802, 1002, 1202, 1302; device 1604). This method enables the UE to direct its users to at least one location with cellular coverage after the UE declares an OOS.

[0141] In 1502, the UE can detect that it is within a threshold distance of an edge cell in the network's cell set, such as in conjunction with a graph. Figure 8 , 9 And as described in 12. For example, as in combination Figure 12 As discussed in section 1212, UE 1202 can detect that the cell 1204 it has latched to is an edge cell. The component used to detect that the UE is within a threshold distance of the edge cell can be, for example... Figure 16 The device 1604 is executed by the final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, cellular baseband processor 1624 and / or transceiver 1622.

[0142] In one example, edge cells can be detected based on the following: the last cell in the network's cell set, the number of inter-frequency or IRAT neighbors being less than a threshold number, the reselection threshold or HO threshold being less than a specified number, the data rate being less than a rate threshold, the length of the RACH preamble being less than a length threshold, or a combination thereof.

[0143] At 1504, the UE can record a set of locations with cellular coverage for the UE based on the detection that the UE is within a threshold distance of an edge cell, such as combining... Figure 10 and 12 As described. For example, as in combination Figure 12 As discussed in section 1214, UE 1202 can acquire and record its latitude and longitude coordinates after detecting that it is in an edge cell. The component used to record the UE's location set can be, for example... Figure 16 The device 1604 is executed by the final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, cellular baseband processor 1624 and / or transceiver 1622.

[0144] In one example, the UE's location set may correspond to the UE's latitude and longitude coordinates set. In some implementations, to indicate at least one location in the UE's location set, the UE may provide, via a user interface, the latitude and longitude coordinates set of at least one location, directional guidance for moving towards the at least one location, the distance between the UE's current location and the at least one location, or a combination thereof. In some implementations, to indicate at least one location in the UE's location set, the UE may send an indication of the latitude and longitude coordinates set of at least one location to the network. In some implementations, the UE may store the latitude and longitude coordinates set of at least one location.

[0145] In another example, in order to record the UE's set of locations with cellular coverage, the UE may record the PCI of at least one cell in the cell set, the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of each location in the UE's location set, satellite information or NTN information decoded from SIB 19, the RAT associated with the network, the bandwidth of at least one cell in the cell set, or a combination thereof.

[0146] At point 1506, the UE can detect whether the network is in OOS or about to be in OOS, such as in combination with... Figure 11 and 12 As described. For example, as in combination Figure 12 As discussed in section 1216, UE 1202 can determine whether it is in OOS or about to become OOS. The component used to detect whether the UE is in OOS can be, for example... Figure 16 The device 1604 is executed by the final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, cellular baseband processor 1624 and / or transceiver 1622.

[0147] In one example, to detect that the UE is in OOS with respect to at least one cell, the UE can predict that the UE is in OOS with respect to at least one cell, determine that the signal strength between the UE and at least one cell is below a signal threshold, estimate that the UE is moving away from the cellular coverage of the network based on the UE's RF condition set, and determine that the UE meets the condition set specified for declaring that the UE is in OOS, or a combination thereof.

[0148] At 1508, the UE may, in response to detecting that the UE is in OOS, indicate at least one location in the UE's location set, such as combining Figure 11 and 12 As described. For example, as in combination Figure 12 As discussed in section 1226, UE 1202 may provide / display to the user the latitude and longitude information of the last known location with cellular coverage in response to a UE claim of OOS. The component indicating at least one location may be, for example... Figure 16The device 1604 is executed by the final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, screen 1610, cellular baseband processor 1624 and / or transceiver 1622.

[0149] In one example, the UE can receive map data from the network associated with a set of locations with cellular coverage for the UE, such as combined with Figure 11 and 12 As described. For example, as in combination Figure 12 As discussed in 1214 and 1226, UE 1202 can download an offline map after detecting that it is within an edge cell, and UE 1202 can navigate its user to a location with cellular coverage based on the offline map. The component for receiving map data can be, for example... Figure 16 The device 1604 is executed by the final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, screen 1610, cellular baseband processor 1624, and / or transceiver 1622. In some embodiments, the UE may use map data to provide at least one location in a set of locations.

[0150] In another example, at least one location may correspond to the UE’s last location with cellular coverage (e.g., at which the UE may have service from all cells in the cell set).

[0151] In another example, the UE can receive information associated with the NTN from the network based on detecting that the UE is within a threshold distance of the edge cell, and in response to the UE being in OOS, establish a connection with at least one satellite associated with the NTN based on this information, such as combining... Figure 13 As described. For example, as shown at 1312, when UE 1302 predicts it may be in OOS or within an edge cell, UE 1302 can obtain NTN information from a server via a base station. Then, as shown at 1314, after UE 1302 becomes OOS, UE 1302 can establish a connection with at least one NTN satellite based on the obtained NTN information. Components for receiving information associated with the NTN and / or components for establishing a connection with at least one satellite can be, for example, Figure 16 The device 1604 is executed by the final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, cellular baseband processor 1624 and / or transceiver 1622.

[0152] In another example, the UE may decode the SIB19 from a network-associated base station based on detecting that the UE is within a threshold distance of an edge cell, and transmit NTN information associated with the base station based on the decoded SIB19, such as combining... Figure 13As described. For example, as shown at 1310, whenever NTN information is detected / available (e.g., decoded from SIB19), multiple UEs can send information to a server (e.g., an OEM server, a cloud-based server, etc.). The components for decoding SIB19 and / or for sending NTN information can be, for example... Figure 16 The device 1604 is used to perform this operation via the final cellular coverage navigation component 198, application processor 1606, cellular baseband processor 1624, and / or transceiver 1622. In one example, the UE can update satellite information in the UE's database based on the decoded SIB19, utilizing current cell information and location information. In another example, NTN information may include an NTN constellation.

[0153] Figure 16Figure 1600 illustrates an example of a hardware implementation for device 1604. Device 1604 may be a UE, a component of a UE, or may implement UE functionality. In some aspects, device 1604 may include a cellular baseband processor 1624 (also referred to as a modem) coupled to one or more transceivers 1622 (e.g., cellular RF transceivers). Cellular baseband processor 1624 may include on-chip memory 1624'. In some aspects, device 1604 may also include one or more Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards 1620 and an application processor 1606 coupled to a Secure Digital Card (SD) card 1608 and a screen 1610. Application processor 1606 may include on-chip memory 1606'. In some aspects, device 1604 may also include a Bluetooth module 1612, a WLAN module 1614, an SPS module 1616 (e.g., a GNSS module), an ultra-wideband (UWB) module 1636, one or more sensor modules 1618 (e.g., barometric pressure sensors / altimeters; motion sensors such as inertial measurement units (IMUs), gyroscopes, and / or accelerometers; light detection and ranging (LIDAR), radio-assisted detection and ranging (RADAR), sound navigation and ranging (SONAR), magnetometers, audio, and / or other technologies for positioning), additional memory module 1626, power supply 1630, and / or camera 1632. The Bluetooth module 1612, WLAN module 1614, UWB module 1636, and SPS module 1616 may include an on-chip transceiver (TRX) (or in some cases, only a receiver (RX)). Bluetooth module 1612, WLAN module 1614, UWB module 1636, and SPS module 1616 may include their own dedicated antennas and / or communicate using antenna 1680. Cellular baseband processor 1624 communicates with UE 104 and / or with RUs associated with network entity 1602 via transceiver 1622 through one or more antennas 1680. Cellular baseband processor 1624 and application processor 1606 may each include computer-readable media / memory 1624', 1606', respectively. An additional memory module 1626 may also be considered a computer-readable media / memory. Each computer-readable media / memory 1624', 1606', 1626 may be non-transitory. Cellular baseband processor 1624 and application processor 1606 are each responsible for general processing, including executing software stored on the computer-readable media / memory. When executed by the cellular baseband processor 1624 / application processor 1606, the software causes the cellular baseband processor 1624 / application processor 1606 to perform the various functions described above. The computer-readable medium / memory can also be used to store data manipulated by the cellular baseband processor 1624 / application processor 1606 during software execution.Cellular baseband processor 1624 / application processor 1606 may be a component of UE 350 and may include memory 360 and / or at least one of TX processor 368, RX processor 356, and controller / processor 359. In one configuration, device 1604 may be a processor chip (modem and / or application) and may only include cellular baseband processor 1624 and / or application processor 1606, and in another configuration, device 1604 may be the entire UE (see, for example). Figure 3 The UE 350 and other modules of the device 1604 are included.

[0154] As described above, the final cellular coverage navigation component 198 can be configured to detect that device 1604 is within a threshold distance of an edge cell in the network's cell set. The final cellular coverage navigation component 198 can also be configured to record a set of locations of device 1604 with cellular coverage based on the detection that device 1604 is within a threshold distance of an edge cell. The final cellular coverage navigation component 198 can also be configured to detect that device 1604 is in OOS or about to be in OOS with respect to the network. The final cellular coverage navigation component 198 can also be configured to indicate at least one location in the set of locations of device 1604 in response to the detection that device 1604 is in OOS. The final cellular coverage navigation component 198 can be within a cellular baseband processor 1624, an application processor 1606, or both. The final cellular coverage navigation component 198 can be one or more hardware components specifically configured to perform the process / algorithm, implemented by one or more processors configured to perform the process / algorithm, stored in a computer-readable medium for implementation by one or more processors, or some combination thereof. As shown in the figure, device 1604 may include various components configured for various functions. In one configuration, device 1604, particularly cellular baseband processor 1624 and / or application processor 1606, may include components for detecting that device 1604 is within a threshold distance of an edge cell in a set of cells of the network. Device 1604 may also include components for recording a set of locations of device 1604 with cellular coverage based on the detection that device 1604 is within a threshold distance of an edge cell. Device 1604 may also include components for storage or for detecting whether device 1604 is in an OOS or about to be in an OOS with respect to the network. Device 1604 may also include components for indicating at least one location in the set of locations of device 1604 in response to the detection that device 1604 is in an OOS.

[0155] In one configuration, edge cells can be detected based on the following: the last cell in the network's cell set, the number of inter-frequency or IRAT neighbors being less than a threshold number, the reselection threshold or HO threshold being less than a specified number, the data rate being less than a rate threshold, the length of the RACH preamble being less than a length threshold, or a combination thereof.

[0156] In another configuration, the set of locations of device 1604 may correspond to a set of latitude and longitude coordinates of device 1604. In some embodiments, components for indicating at least one location in the set of locations of device 1604 may include configuring device 1604 to provide, via a user interface, a set of latitude and longitude coordinates of at least one location, directional guidance for movement toward at least one location, a distance between the current location of device 1604 and at least one location, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, components for indicating at least one location in the set of locations of device 1604 may include configuring device 1604 to send an indication of the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of the at least one location to a network. In some embodiments, device 1604 may also include components for storing the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of at least one location.

[0157] In another configuration, the components for recording a set of locations with cellular coverage for the device 1604 may include the PCI that configures the device 1604 to record at least one cell in the set of cells, the set of latitude and longitude coordinates for each location in the set of locations of the device 1604, satellite information or NTN information decoded from SIB 19, RAT associated with the network, the bandwidth of at least one cell in the set of cells, or a combination thereof.

[0158] In another configuration, the components for detecting whether the device 1604 is in OOS or about to be in OOS with respect to the network may include configuring the device 1604 to predict that the device 1604 is in OOS with respect to at least one cell, determining that the signal strength between the device 1604 and at least one cell is below a signal threshold, estimating that the device 1604 is moving away from the cellular coverage of the network based on a set of RF conditions of the device 1604, and determining that the device 1604 satisfies a set of conditions, or a combination thereof, specified for declaring that the device 1604 is in OOS.

[0159] In another configuration, the device 1604 may further include components for receiving map data associated with a set of locations having cellular coverage of the device 1604 from a network, wherein the components for indicating at least one location in the set of locations of the device 1604 may include configuring the device 1604 to display at least one location using map data.

[0160] In another configuration, at least one location may correspond to the last location of device 1604 with cellular coverage (e.g., in which device 1604 may have service of all cells in the cell set).

[0161] In another configuration, the device 1604 may further include components for receiving information associated with the NTN from the network based on detecting that the device 1604 is within a threshold distance of the edge cell, and components for establishing a connection with at least one satellite associated with the NTN based on the information in response to the device 1604 being in OOS.

[0162] In another configuration, apparatus 1604 may further include components for decoding SIB19 from a network-associated base station based on detecting that base station 1604 is within a threshold distance of an edge cell, and components for transmitting NTN information associated with the base station based on the decoded SIB19. In one embodiment, apparatus 1604 may also include units for updating satellite information in apparatus 1604's database based on the decoded SIB19 using current cell information and location information. In another embodiment, the NTN information may include an NTN constellation.

[0163] The component may be the last cellular coverage navigation component 198 of device 1604, which is configured to perform the functions described by the component. As described above, device 1604 may include a TX processor 368, an RX processor 356, and a controller / processor 359. Thus, in one configuration, the component may be the TX processor 368, the RX processor 356, and / or the controller / processor 359 configured to perform the functions described by these components.

[0164] It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of the boxes in the disclosed process / flowchart is an illustration of an example method. Based on design preferences, it should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of the boxes in the process / flowchart can be rearranged. Furthermore, some boxes can be combined or omitted. The appended method claims present the elements of the individual boxes in a sample order and are not limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

[0165] The preceding description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects. Therefore, the claims are not limited to the aspects described herein but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language of the claims. Unless otherwise specified, references to singular elements do not imply “one and only one” but rather “one or more.” Terms such as “if,” “in,” and “when” do not imply an immediate temporal relationship or reaction. That is, these phrases (e.g., “when”) do not imply an immediate action in response to the occurrence of an action or during the occurrence of an action, but simply imply that an action will occur if a condition is met, without requiring a specific or immediate time constraint on the occurrence of the action. The word “exemplary” as used herein means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects. Unless otherwise specified, the term “some” means one or more. Combinations such as "at least one of A, B, or C", "one or more of A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", "one or more of A, B, and C", and "A, B, C, or any combination thereof" include any combination of A, B, and / or C, and may include multiples of A, multiples of B, or multiples of C. Specifically, combinations such as "at least one of A, B, or C", "one or more of A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", "one or more of A, B, and C", and "A, B, C, or any combination thereof" may be only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C, where any such combination may include one or more members of A, B, or C. A set should be interpreted as a set of elements, where the elements are numbered one or more. Therefore, for a set of X, X will include one or more elements. If the first device receives data from or sends data to the second device, data can be received / sent directly between the first and second devices, or indirectly between the first and second devices via a set of devices. A device configured to “output” data (such as transmissions, signals, or messages) may, for example, use a transceiver to transmit data, or may send data to a device that transmits data. A device configured to “receive” data (such as transmissions, signals, or messages) may, for example, use a transceiver to receive data, or may obtain data from a device that receives data. All structural and functional equivalents of elements throughout the various aspects described in this disclosure that are known or will later become apparent to those skilled in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are covered by the claims. Furthermore, nothing disclosed herein is intended for public use, whether or not such disclosure is expressly stated in the claims.Terms such as “module,” “mechanism,” “element,” and “device” are not necessarily substitutes for the term “component.” Therefore, no claim can be made that an element should be interpreted as a component plus a function, unless the element is explicitly stated using the phrase “component for…”.

[0166] As used herein, the phrase “based on” should not be interpreted as a reference to a closed set of information, one or more conditions, one or more factors, etc. In other words, the phrase “based on one” (where “one” can be information, condition, factor, etc.) should be interpreted as “based on at least one”, unless otherwise explicitly stated.

[0167] The following aspects are illustrative only and may be combined with, but are not limited to, other aspects or teachings described herein.

[0168] Aspect 1 is a method for wireless communication at a UE, comprising: detecting that the UE is within a threshold distance of an edge cell of a cell set of a network; recording a set of locations of the UE with cellular coverage based on detecting that the UE is within the threshold distance of the edge cell; detecting that the UE is in no service (OOS) or about to be in OOS with respect to the network; and in response to detecting that the UE is in OOS, indicating at least one location of the UE in the set of locations.

[0169] Aspect 2 is the method as described in aspect 1, wherein the edge cell is detected based on the following: the last cell in the cell set of the network, the number of inter-frequency or inter-radio access technology (IRAT) neighbors is less than a threshold number, the reselection threshold or handover (HO) threshold is less than a specified number, the data rate is less than a rate threshold, the length of the random access channel (RACH) preamble is less than a length threshold, or a combination of the above.

[0170] Aspect 3 is a method of aspect 1 or 2, wherein the location set of the UE corresponds to the latitude and longitude coordinate set of the UE.

[0171] Aspect 4 is the method according to aspect 3, wherein indicating the at least one location in the set of locations of the UE includes: providing the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of the at least one location via a user interface, directional guidance for moving toward the at least one location, the distance between the current location of the UE and the at least one location, or a combination thereof.

[0172] Aspect 5 is a method of aspect 3, wherein indicating the at least one location in the set of locations of the UE includes: sending an indication of the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of the at least one location to the network.

[0173] Aspect 6 is the method according to aspect 3, further comprising: storing the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of the at least one location.

[0174] Aspect 7 is a method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6, wherein detecting that the UE is in OOS or about to be in OOS with respect to the network includes: predicting that the UE is in OOS with respect to the at least one cell, determining that the signal strength between the UE and the at least one cell is below a signal threshold, estimating that the UE is moving away from the cellular coverage of the network based on a set of RF conditions of the UE, determining that the UE satisfies a set of conditions specified for declaring that the UE is in OOS, or a combination thereof.

[0175] Aspect 8 is a method according to any one of aspects 1 to 7, further comprising: receiving from the network map data associated with the set of locations of the UE having the cellular coverage, wherein the at least one location in the set of locations of the UE is indicated to include the at least one location using the map data.

[0176] Aspect 9 is the method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 8, further comprising: receiving information associated with an NTN from the network based on detecting that the UE is within the threshold distance of the edge cell; and establishing a connection with at least one satellite associated with the NTN based on the information in response to the UE being in OOS.

[0177] Aspect 10 is the method according to any one of aspects 1 to 9, further comprising: decoding a system information block (SIB) 19 (SIB19) from a base station associated with the network based on detecting that the UE is within the threshold distance of the edge cell; and transmitting NTN information associated with the base station based on the decoded SIB19.

[0178] Aspect 11 is the method of aspect 10, and further includes: updating satellite information in the database of the UE based on the decoded SIB19 using current cell information and location information.

[0179] Aspect 12 is the method as described in aspect 10, wherein the NTN information includes the NTN constellation.

[0180] Aspect 13 is a method as described in any one of Aspects 1 to 12, wherein recording the set of locations of the UE having the cellular coverage includes recording: the physical cell identifier (PCI) of the at least one cell in the cell set, the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of each location in the set of locations of the UE, satellite information or non-terrestrial network (NTN) information decoded from System Information Block (SIB) 19 (SIB 19), the radio access technology (RAT) associated with the network, the bandwidth of the at least one cell in the cell set, or a combination of the above.

[0181] Aspect 14 is a method of any one of aspects 1 to 13, wherein the at least one location corresponds to the last location of the UE having the cellular coverage.

[0182] Aspect 15 is an apparatus for wireless communication at a UE, comprising: a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory and based at least in part on information stored in the memory, the at least one processor being configured to implement any one of aspects 1 to 14.

[0183] Aspect 16 is the apparatus according to aspect 15, further comprising at least one of a transceiver or an antenna coupled to the at least one processor.

[0184] Aspect 17 is a device for wireless communication, including components for implementing any one of aspects 1 to 14.

[0185] Aspect 18 is a computer-readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable medium) storing computer-executable code, wherein the code, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to implement any one of aspects 1 to 14.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising: Memory; as well as At least one processor coupled to the memory, and the at least one processor is configured to: The UE was detected to be within a threshold distance of an edge cell in the network's cell set; Based on the detection that the UE is within the threshold distance of the edge cell, the set of locations of the UE with cellular coverage is recorded; The UE is detected to be in a state of no service (OOS) or about to be in an OOS state with respect to the network. as well as In response to detecting that the UE is in OOS, indicate at least one location of the UE in the set of locations.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The edge cells are detected based on the following: The last cell in the set of cells of the network. The number of inter-frequency or inter-radio access technology (IRAT) neighbors is below a threshold. If the reselection threshold or the HO (House of Interest) threshold is lower than a specified number, Data rate is below the rate threshold. The length of the preamble for the Random Access Channel (RACH) is less than the length threshold, or The above combination.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The location set of the UE corresponds to the latitude and longitude coordinate set of the UE.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, In order to indicate at least one location in the set of locations of the UE, the at least one processor is configured to: The user interface provides the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of the at least one location, the direction of movement toward the at least one location, the distance between the UE's current location and the at least one location, or a combination thereof.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, In order to indicate at least one location in the set of locations of the UE, the at least one processor is configured to: Send an indication of the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of the at least one location to the network.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to: Store the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of the at least one location.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, In order to detect whether the UE is in OOS or about to be in OOS with respect to the network, the at least one processor is configured to: It is predicted that the UE is in OOS with respect to at least one cell. It is determined that the signal strength between the UE and the at least one cell is lower than a signal threshold. Based on the UE's radio frequency (RF) condition set, it is estimated that the UE is moving away from the network's cellular coverage. Determine that the UE satisfies the set of conditions specified for declaring the UE in an OOS state, or The above combination.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to: The at least one processor receives map data associated with the set of locations of the UE having the cellular coverage from the network, wherein the at least one processor is configured to use the map data to display the at least one location in the set of locations of the UE in order to indicate the at least one location.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to: Based on the detection that the UE is within the threshold distance of the edge cell, the UE receives information associated with the non-terrestrial network (NTN) from the network; as well as In response to the UE being in OOS, a connection is established with at least one satellite associated with the NTN based on the information.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to: Based on the detection that the UE is within the threshold distance of the edge cell, the system information block (SIB) 19 (SIB19) from the base station associated with the network is decoded. as well as Based on the decoded SIB19, non-terrestrial network (NTN) information associated with the base station is transmitted.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to: Based on the decoded SIB19, the satellite information in the UE's database is updated using the current cell information and location information.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, The NTN information includes the NTN constellation.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, In order to record the set of locations of the UE with the cellular coverage, the at least one processor is configured to record: The Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) of at least one cell in the cell set. The set of latitude and longitude coordinates for each location in the location set of the UE. Satellite information or non-terrestrial network (NTN) information decoded from System Information Block (SIB) 19 (SIB 19), Radio access technology (RAT) associated with the network. The bandwidth of at least one cell in the cell set, or The above combination.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one location corresponds to the last location where the UE had the cellular coverage.

15. A method for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising: The UE was detected to be within a threshold distance of an edge cell in the network's cell set; Based on the detection that the UE is within the threshold distance of the edge cell, the set of locations of the UE with cellular coverage is recorded; The UE is detected to be in a state of no service (OOS) or about to be in an OOS state with respect to the network. as well as In response to detecting that the UE is in OOS, indicate at least one location of the UE in the set of locations.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The edge cells are detected based on the following: The last cell in the set of cells of the network. The number of inter-frequency or inter-radio access technology (IRAT) neighbors is below a threshold. If the reselection threshold or the HO (House of Interest) threshold is lower than a specified number, Data rate is below the rate threshold. The length of the preamble for the Random Access Channel (RACH) is less than the length threshold, or The above combination.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The location set of the UE corresponds to the latitude and longitude coordinate set of the UE.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, The at least one location in the set of locations indicated by the UE includes: the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of the at least one location provided via a user interface, directional guidance for moving toward the at least one location, the distance between the current location of the UE and the at least one location, or a combination thereof.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein, The at least one location in the set of locations indicating the UE includes: The network sends an indication of the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of the at least one location.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising: Store the set of latitude and longitude coordinates of the at least one location.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein, Detecting that the UE is in OOS or about to be in OOS with respect to the network includes: It is predicted that the UE is in OOS with respect to at least one cell. It is determined that the signal strength between the UE and the at least one cell is lower than a signal threshold. Based on the UE's radio frequency (RF) condition set, it is estimated that the UE is moving away from the network's cellular coverage. Determine that the UE satisfies the set of conditions specified for declaring the UE in an OOS state, or The above combination.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising: Receive map data from the network associated with the set of locations of the UE having the cellular coverage, wherein the at least one location in the set of locations of the UE is indicated to include the at least one location using the map data.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising: Based on the detection that the UE is within the threshold distance of the edge cell, the UE receives information associated with the non-terrestrial network (NTN) from the network; as well as In response to the UE being in OOS, a connection is established with at least one satellite associated with the NTN based on the information.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising: Based on the detection that the UE is within the threshold distance of the edge cell, the system information block (SIB) 19 (SIB19) from the base station associated with the network is decoded. as well as Based on the decoded SIB19, non-terrestrial network (NTN) information associated with the base station is transmitted.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising: Based on the decoded SIB19, the satellite information in the UE's database is updated using the current cell information and location information.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein, The NTN information includes the NTN constellation.

27. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The set of locations with the cellular coverage of the UE that is recorded includes records of: The Physical Cell Identifier (PCI) of at least one cell in the cell set. The set of latitude and longitude coordinates for each location in the location set of the UE. Satellite information or non-terrestrial network (NTN) information decoded from System Information Block (SIB) 19 (SIB 19), Radio access technology (RAT) associated with the network. The bandwidth of at least one cell in the cell set, or The above combination.

28. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The at least one location corresponds to the last location of the UE with the cellular coverage.

29. An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising: Components used to detect that the UE is within a threshold distance of an edge cell in the network's cell set; A component for recording a set of locations with cellular coverage of the UE based on the detection that the UE is within the threshold distance of the edge cell; A component used to detect whether the UE is in a state of no service (OOS) or about to be in an OOS state with respect to the network; as well as A component for indicating at least one location of the UE in the set of locations in response to detecting that the UE is in OOS.

30. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code at a user equipment (UE), the code causing the processor, when executed by a processor, to: The UE was detected to be within a threshold distance of an edge cell in the network's cell set; Based on the detection that the UE is within the threshold distance of the edge cell, the set of locations of the UE with cellular coverage is recorded; The UE is detected to be in a state of no service (OOS) or about to be in an OOS state with respect to the network. as well as In response to detecting that the UE is in OOS, indicate at least one location of the UE in the set of locations.

Images