Data storage and forwarding method and device and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

The invention relates to a data storage and forwarding method and device and a computer readable storage medium. The data storage and forwarding method for the UE is characterized by comprising the following steps: receiving a broadcast message from a first satellite, and reading a working mode included in the broadcast message as a storage and forwarding mode; sending a first message to the first satellite; in response to receiving a second message fed back by the first satellite, entering a radio resource control (RRC) connection state; and sending the third message to the first satellite.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and more particularly to the field of satellite communication technology. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the deepening of space exploration, the research and application of satellite Internet of Things (IoT) have expanded. Currently, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) research on IoT device access to satellite networks mainly focuses on scenarios where both service links and feeder links exist simultaneously, enabling timely transmission of IoT device data to the ground core network via both links. However, in many practical applications, the deployment of gateway stations is limited by various factors, such as geographical environment and policy restrictions, making gateway station deployment impossible. Therefore, the availability of feeder links cannot be guaranteed at all times.

[0003] Considering that IoT devices have a high tolerance for latency, satellites can store terminal data first and then forward it to the ground network when a power supply link is available, which meets the data transmission needs of IoT devices under conditions of discontinuous satellite coverage and limited gateway deployment. However, IoT devices need to ensure the consistency of the UE context in data transmission, and ensuring the consistency of the UE context in store-and-forward mode is a great challenge. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure is proposed. Embodiments of this disclosure provide a data storage and forwarding method, an apparatus, and a computer-readable storage medium.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a data storage and forwarding method for a user terminal (UE) is provided, comprising: receiving a broadcast message from a first satellite and reading that the operating mode included in the broadcast message is a store-and-forward mode; sending a first message to the first satellite; entering a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state in response to receiving a second message fed back by the first satellite; and sending a third message to the first satellite.

[0006] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a data storage and forwarding method for a satellite is provided, comprising: adding to a broadcast message that the satellite's operating mode is a store-and-forward mode; in response to receiving a first message from a user terminal (UE), sending a second message to the UE; in response to receiving a third message from the UE, performing data transmission with the UE, including receiving and storing terminal data from the UE; and, if a power supply link exists, performing transmission of the terminal data to a gateway station.

[0007] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a data storage and forwarding method is provided, comprising: a user terminal (UE) receiving a broadcast message from a first satellite and reading that the operating mode included in the broadcast message is a store-and-forward mode; the UE sending a first message to the first satellite; the first satellite receiving the first message and sending a second message to the UE; the UE receiving the second message and entering an RRC connection state and sending a third message to the first satellite; the first satellite receiving the third message and performing data transmission with the UE, including receiving and storing terminal data from the UE; and the first satellite transmitting the terminal data to a gateway station when a power supply link exists.

[0008] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a user terminal device is provided, comprising: a processor; and a memory storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to implement the data storage and forwarding method as described in the first aspect.

[0009] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a satellite device is provided, comprising: a processor; and a memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to implement the data storage and forwarding method as described in the second aspect.

[0010] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement the data storage forwarding method as described above.

[0011] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement the data storage and forwarding method as described above.

[0012] The above overview is provided to summarize some exemplary embodiments to provide a basic understanding of the aspects of the subject matter described herein. Therefore, the features described above are merely examples and should not be construed as narrowing the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this disclosure to explain the disclosure and do not constitute a limitation thereof. The above and other objects and advantages of this disclosure will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding technical features or components will be represented by the same or corresponding reference numerals.

[0014] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the implementation scenario of the data storage and forwarding method disclosed herein.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the data storage and forwarding method disclosed herein;

[0016] Figure 3 This is a sequence diagram of an embodiment of the data storage and forwarding method of this disclosure;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a sequence diagram of another embodiment of the data storage and forwarding method of this disclosure;

[0018] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the data storage and forwarding method of this disclosure;

[0019] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the user terminal device disclosed herein.

[0020] While the embodiments described in this disclosure may be readily modified and alternatively implemented, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and are described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the drawings and the detailed description thereof are not intended to limit the embodiments to the specific forms disclosed, but rather are intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the spirit and scope of the claims. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. For clarity and brevity, not all features of the embodiments are described in the specification. However, it should be understood that many implementation-specific settings must be made in carrying out the embodiments to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as complying with constraints related to the device and business, and these constraints may vary depending on the implementation. Furthermore, it should be understood that while development work can be very complex and time-consuming, such development work is merely a routine task for those skilled in the art who benefit from the present disclosure.

[0022] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0023] Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the embodiments of this disclosure are only used to distinguish different steps, devices, or modules, and do not represent any specific technical meaning, nor do they indicate a necessary logical order between them.

[0024] It should also be understood that in the embodiments disclosed herein, "a plurality of" may refer to two or more, and "at least one" may refer to one, two or more.

[0025] It should also be understood that any component, data or structure mentioned in the embodiments of this disclosure can generally be understood as one or more unless expressly defined or given to the contrary in the context.

[0026] Furthermore, the term "and / or" in this disclosure is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this disclosure generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0027] It should also be understood that the description of the various embodiments in this disclosure emphasizes the differences between the various embodiments, and the similarities or similarities can be referred to each other. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail.

[0028] At the same time, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn according to actual scale.

[0029] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure or its application or use.

[0030] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0031] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0032] Furthermore, to avoid obscuring this disclosure with unnecessary detail, only processing steps and / or apparatus structures closely related to at least the solutions according to this disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, while other details not closely related to this disclosure are omitted. It should also be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the drawings indicate similar items, and therefore once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be discussed again in subsequent drawings.

[0033] The embodiments disclosed herein can be applied to electronic devices such as terminal devices, computer systems, and servers, and can operate together with a wide range of other general-purpose or special-purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known terminal devices, computing systems, environments, and / or configurations suitable for use with electronic devices such as terminal devices, computer systems, and servers include, but are not limited to: personal computer systems, server computer systems, thin clients, thick clients, handheld or laptop devices, microprocessor-based systems, set-top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputer systems, mainframe computer systems, and distributed cloud computing environments including any of the above systems, etc.

[0034] Electronic devices such as terminal devices, computer systems, and servers can be described in the general context of computer system executable instructions (such as program modules) executed by a computer system. Typically, program modules can include routines, programs, object programs, components, logic, data structures, etc., which perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. Computer systems / servers can be implemented in distributed cloud computing environments, where tasks are executed by remote processing devices linked through communication networks. In distributed cloud computing environments, program modules can reside on local or remote computing system storage media, including storage devices.

[0035] Terminal equipment, also known as user equipment (UE) or a terminal, is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities that can communicate with one or more core networks (CNs) via access network devices in a radio access network (RAN). It can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld, wearable, or vehicle-mounted; on water, such as on ships; and in the air, such as on airplanes, balloons, or satellites. Terminal equipment can include mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminal devices, augmented reality (AR) terminal devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, self-driving, remote medical, smart grid, transportation safety, smart city, and smart home applications, among others.

[0036] Currently, there are two types of wireless access technologies: 3GPP access technologies (e.g., the wireless access technologies used in third-generation (3G), fourth-generation (4G), or fifth-generation (5G) systems) and non-3GPP access technologies. 3GPP access technologies refer to access technologies that conform to 3GPP standards and specifications. For example, in a 5G system, the access network equipment is called a next-generation node base station (gNB) or RAN equipment.

[0037] The inventors recognized that current 3GPP applications for UE access to satellite networks, including IoT devices, primarily target scenarios where both the serving link and the feeder link exist simultaneously. However, due to various limitations in practical applications, the feeder link cannot be guaranteed to be available at all times. Therefore, research is needed on the satellite's store-and-forward (S&F) operating mode. For example, a satellite with store-and-forward mode can communicate with the UE to transmit data at one moment and store the data, then perform separate communication with the ground at another moment when the feeder link is available (such as when it passes near a gateway station). However, IoT devices need to ensure the consistency of the UE context during data transmission. Since the time period when a satellite passes over an IoT device is relatively fixed, after the satellite leaves its designated area, the IoT device needs to re-establish communication with another satellite. Maintaining the consistency of the UE context in S&F mode presents a significant challenge.

[0038] In view of this, this disclosure proposes a data storage and forwarding method for IoT devices based on a single satellite. By leveraging the store-and-forward function of a single satellite, it ensures UE context consistency while enabling data transmission for IoT devices. In summary, this addresses the issue that a satellite cannot simultaneously maintain both a service link and a feeder link. This problem can be solved by introducing a satellite that supports store-and-forward capabilities. First, the satellite broadcasts its current operating mode as S&F on its service link. In S&F mode, IoT devices can communicate with the network while decoupling the service link and feeder link. Second, to ensure UE context consistency, communication is conducted using a single satellite in S&F mode. The UE selects only satellites with the same satellite ID for data transmission.

[0039] First refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1The implementation environment of the technical solution disclosed herein is illustrated. User terminal (UE) devices 101 and 102 accessing the satellite network communicate with gateway station 300 via one or more satellites 201, 202, and / or 203. Generally, each satellite can provide communication services to UEs within a certain coverage area via a service link (such as 1200) when it passes overhead. That is, UE 101 can communicate with satellite 201 or satellite 202, and UE 102 can communicate with satellite 202 or satellite 203. Furthermore, satellites at certain locations can communicate with ground gateway station 300 via feed link 2300. However, due to geographical environment, policy restrictions, etc., the deployment range and number of gateway stations 300 are limited. A satellite may not be able to communicate with a particular gateway station 300 at all times during operation. Therefore, the satellite's operating mode can be divided into a normal mode where both service links and feed links exist simultaneously, and a S&F mode where only a service link exists. Figure 1 As shown, satellite 203 operates in normal mode, while satellites 201 and 202 operate in S&F mode. The embodiments of this disclosure primarily reveal a communication method for a UE to complete data transmission with a single satellite in S&F mode, and the following description will primarily use UE 101 and satellite 201 as examples.

[0040] Next reference Figure 2 , Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the data storage and forwarding method of this disclosure performed by UE 101 and satellite 201. Reference numerals 201-1 to 201-4 represent the operating positions of satellite 201 at different times from T1 to T4. Specifically, satellite 201 passes over UE 101 at position 201-1, indicating a service link between UE 101 and satellite 201. At this time, they can communicate, and UE 101 can send terminal data to be transmitted to satellite 201, which stores the terminal data. Subsequently, when the service time of satellite 201 near position 201-1 ends, such as when it continues to operate to position 201-2, the current communication between satellite 201 and UE 101 is suspended. When satellite 201 reaches position 201-3, the power supply link between satellite 201 and gateway station 300 is established, allowing satellite 201 to communicate with the ground to perform forwarding functions, sending the stored terminal data of UE 101 to gateway station 300. Accordingly, UE 101 enters a hibernation state when satellite 201 moves to positions 201-2 to 201-4, without establishing a communication connection with other over-the-top satellites regarding the terminal data for this time; the communication connection with satellite 201 is restarted when satellite 201 moves to position 201-1 again, that is, when the next service time begins.

[0041] To implement this data storage and forwarding method, on the one hand, satellite 201 needs to include its satellite ID and the current network access mode information, such as normal mode or S&F mode, in its broadcast messages via the service link. On the other hand, UE 101 receives and reads the aforementioned information contained in the broadcast message and selects a suitable satellite based on its own capabilities. It should be understood that UE 101's own capabilities include at least whether it supports S&F mode data communication with satellites. In a non-limiting embodiment, if UE 101 reads from the received broadcast information that a satellite in normal mode is available for communication among the satellites providing coverage, it will preferentially select the satellite in normal mode. Additionally or alternatively, if no satellite in normal mode is available among the satellites providing coverage for UE 101 and UE 101's own capabilities support it, an S&F mode satellite, such as 201, will be selected, and the corresponding satellite ID in the broadcast message will be recorded. Specifically, UE 101's selection of a suitable satellite includes selecting a satellite with better capabilities or configuration, as well as making a selection based on user needs, etc.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a sequence diagram of an embodiment of the data storage and forwarding method disclosed herein. Generally, when the satellite is in S&F mode, since the service link and the feeder link cannot exist simultaneously, if the UE cannot complete all data transmission within one service period after the establishment of the Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection, that is, it needs to complete the transmission within multiple service periods covered by the satellite, then the RRC connection between the two is managed according to the satellite's location. For example... Figure 3 As shown, this diagram illustrates two adjacent service time intervals for satellite 201 to provide communication services to UE 101. These intervals are denoted as the first service time [t1, t2] and the second service time [t3, t4] based on their respective start and end times, and the time interval between the two service times (also called the service period) is denoted as T. It should be understood that the service time of satellite 201 for a specific coverage area depends on factors such as orbital altitude, and the time interval T is generally longer than the service time.

[0043] First, in step S21, satellite 201 includes its operating mode information and satellite ID in the broadcast message, and the operating mode information indicates that satellite 201 only supports S&F mode. UE 101 receives broadcast messages from one or more satellites and prepares to select satellite 201 for communication in step S11. UE 101 then sends a first message to satellite 201 in step S12 to request the establishment of an RRC connection; this first message is an RRC Connection Request message. In a non-limiting embodiment, UE 101 adds a single-satellite store-and-forward indication (hereinafter referred to as the "first indication") to this first message. After receiving the RRC Connection Request message, satellite 201 determines the communication method between satellite 201 and UE 101 based on the first indication included in the message.

[0044] Based on this, in step S22, satellite 201 sends a second message to UE 101, which is an RRC connection establishment message (RRCConnectionSetup). In a non-limiting embodiment, this second message includes information such as the service time during which satellite 201 provides coverage and performs data transmission with the UE in S&F mode, including but not limited to the current first service time [t1, t2], the adjacent second service time [t3, t4], and / or the time interval T between the two service times. In other words, after receiving the RRC connection establishment message, UE 101 can know that the current overpass service time of satellite 201 will end at time t2, and the next service time will begin at t3, etc.

[0045] Subsequently, in step S13, UE 101 sends a third message to satellite 201, which is an RRC connection establishment completion message (RRCConnectionSetupComplete). At this point, UE 101 enters the RRC connection state, communication is established between satellite 201 and UE 101, and data transmission is performed in step S14. Data transmission may include UE 101 sending terminal data associated with UE 101 to satellite 201.

[0046] Continue to refer to Figure 3At time t2, the service time of satellite 201 ends and it can no longer provide services to UE 101. In a non-limiting embodiment, if the terminal data to be uploaded by UE 101 fails to be completed at the end of the first service time (i.e., at time t2), UE 101 needs to communicate with the same satellite 201 again in the second service time to continue data transmission. Therefore, at time t2, UE 101 needs to suspend or release the communication connection with satellite 201. After UE 101 performs data transmission with satellite 201 in RRC connection state, UE 101 receives a fourth message for RRC connection release from the network side of satellite 201. Upon receiving the fourth message, UE 101 enters a sleep state in step S15. Further, based on the service time information contained in the RRC connection establishment message, UE 101 remains in sleep for the time interval T between the first and second service times, and exits the sleep state at the beginning of the second service time (i.e., at time t3). At this point, in step S16, UE 101 exits the hibernation state to restart the communication connection with satellite 201.

[0047] In a non-limiting embodiment, UE 101 receives only signals transmitted by satellite 201 based on the satellite ID, including broadcast messages and paging messages. UE 101 searches for broadcast messages from satellite 201 and listens for paging messages about UE 101 in the service link. In step S25, satellite 201 initiates paging to UEs within its coverage area, and specifically, the network can directly paging UE 101 based on the ID of UE 101 from the previous established communication connection. Additionally or alternatively, in step S17, UE 101 sends a fifth message for RRC connection restart to satellite 201, which is an RRC connection restart request message (RRCConnectionResumeRequest), and in subsequent steps receives an RRC connection restart message (RRCConnectionResume) from satellite 201, thereby re-entering the RRC connection state, reconnecting with satellite 201, and UE 101 and satellite 201 repeat steps S14 and S23 respectively to continue data transmission.

[0048] Alternatively, if the terminal data to be uploaded by UE 101 has already been transmitted, UE 101 does not need to establish a communication connection with satellite 201 again for the data to be transmitted when satellite 201 passes overhead next time; that is, the operations that UE 101 needs to perform in this transmission end at step S14. In this case, UE 101 sends a sixth message to satellite 201, and satellite 201 stores the terminal data of UE 101 received via data transmission in step S14 in step S23. On the other hand, the network through which UE 101 communicates with satellite 201 sends an RRC connection release message to UE 101, notifying UE 101 to end the current communication and release the corresponding RRC connection. Further, when satellite 201 moves to a position where it can establish a power supply link with gateway station 300, data transmission with the ground network is performed in step S31, and the stored terminal data is sent to gateway station 300.

[0049] Furthermore, for UE 101 using single-satellite store-and-forward, communication is established only with the same satellite during terminal data transmission. This also includes satellite switching operations, such as switching from satellite 201 using S&F mode to satellite 202 using S&F mode. The UE can choose to switch satellites based on factors such as the operating duration of coverage provided by the satellite and / or the quality of the service link between the UE and the satellite.

[0050] Please refer to the details. Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a sequence diagram illustrating another embodiment of the data storage and forwarding method of this disclosure. Generally, in S&F mode, single-satellite replacement requires the UE to first release the RRC connection with the original satellite and release the UE context, and then establish an RRC connection with the new satellite. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the procedure for switching from satellite 201 to satellite 202 is illustrated. It should be understood that the satellite switching operation should occur when both satellites are located within the coverage area providing coverage for UE 101, and the interaction with the two satellites should occur during the service hours of their respective satellites. In a non-limiting embodiment, UE 101 has already referred to... Figure 3Steps S11 to S13, as shown, establish a communication connection with satellite 201, and similar to step S14, data transmission is performed in step S14'. At this point, UE 101 prepares to perform satellite replacement, and in step S15', it sends a sixth message to satellite 201, namely an RRC connection release request message (RRCConnectionReleaseRequest). In this message, UE 101 adds an indication that satellite 201 will delete the previously stored UE context of UE 101. Upon receiving the RRC connection release request message, satellite 201 releases the RRC connection with UE 101 and deletes the stored UE context associated with UE 101 (step S21'). Based on this, satellite 201 sends a seventh message to UE 101 in step S22', which is an RRC release message (RRCConnectionRelease).

[0051] Furthermore, UE 101 continues to read broadcast messages from one or more satellites and selects a new communication satellite based on its own needs and / or the comparison results of multiple satellites. Figure 3 Similar to steps S21 and S12, satellite 202 includes a working mode message and satellite ID in its broadcast message (step S21”). UE 101 selects satellite 202 and sends it a first message (RRC connection establishment request message), and UE 101 adds a single-satellite store-and-forward indication to this message (step S17”). Further referencing... Figure 3 The remaining steps are completed by UE 101 and satellite 202 for subsequent data transmission communication.

[0052] In a non-limiting embodiment, refer to Figure 1 UE 101 is covered by both satellites 201 and 202, and UE 102 is covered by both satellites 202 and 203. The contents of each satellite's broadcast message are shown in Table 1 below:

[0053] Satellite ID Satellite 201 Satellite 202 Satellite 203 Mode of operation S&F S&F Normal

[0054] Table 1 Satellite Broadcast Messages

[0055] Specifically, for UE 102, since there is a satellite 203 in normal mode at its location, UE 102 preferentially selects satellite 203 as the satellite for data transmission;

[0056] For UE 101, since its location only has satellites in S&F mode, UE 101 activates S&F mode and selects one of satellites 201 and 202 for data transmission.

[0057] The specific steps are as follows:

[0058] UE 101 reads the operating mode and satellite ID from the broadcast messages of satellite 201 and satellite 202, selects satellite 201 to send an RRC establishment request message, and adds a single-satellite store-and-forward instruction to the message;

[0059] After receiving the RRC establishment request message, satellite 201 sends an RRC connection establishment message to UE 101. This message contains the service time interval [t1,t2] of S&F satellite 201, and the service period is T.

[0060] After receiving the RRC connection establishment message, UE 101 sends an RRC connection establishment complete message within [t1,t2].

[0061] After UE 101 completes data transmission within this service period, satellite 201 sends an RRC connection suspension message to UE 101;

[0062] UE 101 enters a sleep state between two adjacent service times and exits the sleep state at the next service time, searching for broadcast messages from satellite 201 and listening for its paging messages. When satellite 201 initiates a paging of UE 101, it prepares to establish a communication connection with UE 101; alternatively, when UE 101 has uplink data to send, it can send an RRC connection restart request to satellite 201.

[0063] Additionally, when UE 101 needs to switch to satellite 202, UE 101 sends an RRC connection release request to satellite 201, and includes an instruction in the RRC connection release request to request satellite 201 to delete the stored UE context;

[0064] After receiving the RRC connection release request, satellite 201 releases the RRC connection, deletes the stored UE context, and then sends an RRC connection release message to UE 101.

[0065] After the RRC connection with satellite 201 is released, UE 101 reads the operating mode and satellite ID from the broadcast message of satellite 202, selects satellite 202 to send an RRC connection establishment request message, adds a single-satellite store-and-forward instruction to the message, and repeats the communication operation with satellite 201 as described above.

[0066] Therefore, the advantage of the embodiments according to this disclosure lies in indicating whether the satellite is in S&F mode by adding satellite ID and operating mode information to the broadcast message, which facilitates the UE in selecting a specific satellite for single-satellite S&F transmission. Furthermore, by adding a single-satellite S&F transmission indication to the UE's RRC connection establishment request, data transmission is performed only by a specific satellite. In this case, only one satellite needs to maintain the UE context, avoiding the signaling overhead caused by transmitting the UE context between different satellites.

[0067] Another advantage of embodiments according to this disclosure is that it supports satellite replacement for the UE in single-satellite S&F mode. The UE first releases the RRC connection and UE context with the original satellite, and then establishes an RRC connection with the new satellite. Furthermore, considering that the UE can only communicate with the satellite during a specific time when the satellite is overhead, the UE can hibernate during service intervals based on the satellite's service time, thereby saving terminal power consumption.

[0068] It should be recognized that the above advantages do not need to be concentrated in one or a few specific embodiments, but can be partially distributed in different embodiments according to this disclosure. Embodiments according to this disclosure may have one or some of the above advantages, or alternatively or additionally have other advantages.

[0069] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a data storage and forwarding method for a UE provided in one embodiment of this disclosure, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, it includes the following steps:

[0070] In step S501, the UE receives broadcast messages from one or more satellites and reads the operating mode and satellite ID included in the broadcast messages.

[0071] Step S502: Select a first satellite to send a first message about the RRC connection establishment request, and add a first instruction to perform store-and-forward using only a single satellite in the first message.

[0072] In step S503, in response to receiving a second message from the first satellite regarding the establishment of an RRC connection based on a first message, a third message regarding the completion of the connection establishment is sent to the first satellite, thereby entering a communication connection state with the first satellite.

[0073] Step S504: After data transmission is performed during the first service time of the first satellite, a fourth message regarding the suspension of the RRC connection is received.

[0074] Step S505: Enter a hibernation state during the time interval between adjacent first service time and second service time, and exit the hibernation state after the start of the second service time to restart the communication connection with the first satellite.

[0075] It should be understood that the steps S501 to S505 described above are the same as those mentioned earlier. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The description is similar and will not be repeated here.

[0076] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of one embodiment of the user terminal device disclosed herein. Figure 5 As shown, a UE that can be used to execute the data storage and forwarding method of this disclosure includes a processor 601 and a memory 602 / 603. In some embodiments, memory 602 may be a read-only memory (ROM), and memory 603 may be a random access memory (RAM).

[0077] Processor 601 can be any type of processor and may include, but is not limited to, one or more general-purpose processors or special-purpose processors (such as dedicated processing chips). Processor 601 may be a central processing unit (CPU), or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement embodiments of this disclosure. Memory 603 may include high-speed RAM and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device; it may be a memory array or may be partitioned, and the blocks may be combined into virtual volumes according to certain rules.

[0078] In some embodiments, the memory 603 stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor 601, enable the processor 601 to perform the single-satellite data storage and forwarding method as described above.

[0079] Furthermore, the UE may also include an input / output interface 605 connected to the processor 601 via a bus 604, wherein the memories 602 and 603 are connected to the bus 604.

[0080] Bus 604 may include, but is not limited to, Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus.

[0081] In some embodiments, the input / output interface 605 is connected to the following units: an input unit 606 configured with input devices such as a keyboard and mouse for user input of operation commands; an output unit 607 that outputs images of the processing operation screen and processing results to a display device; a storage unit 608 including a hard disk drive for storing programs and various data; and a communication unit 609 including a local area network adapter and performing communication processing via a network such as the Internet. Additionally, a driver 610 is also connected, which reads data from and writes data to a removable storage medium 611. It should be understood that the illustrated UE structure is merely an example; in practice, the UE may include other functional units or components, or be customized according to user needs, etc.

[0082] Accordingly, this disclosure also provides a satellite device that can be used to perform the aforementioned data storage and forwarding method. The satellite device may similarly include a processor and a memory storing computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to implement a single-satellite data storage and forwarding method.

[0083] In addition to the methods and apparatus described above, embodiments of this disclosure may also be computer program products comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of the methods according to various embodiments of this disclosure as described in the "Exemplary Methods" section above.

[0084] The computer program product can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages ​​to perform the operations of the embodiments of this disclosure. The programming languages ​​include object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java and C++, as well as conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as C or similar languages. The program code can be executed entirely on a user's computing device, partially on a user's computing device, as a standalone software package, partially on a user's computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server.

[0085] Furthermore, embodiments of this disclosure may also be computer-readable storage media having computer program instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps in the methods according to various embodiments of this disclosure described in the "Exemplary Methods" section above.

[0086] The computer-readable storage medium may be any combination of one or more readable media. A readable medium may be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. A readable storage medium may, for example, include, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, or devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of readable storage media (a non-exhaustive list) include: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0087] The basic principles of this disclosure have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this disclosure are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this disclosure. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the scope of this disclosure to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.

[0088] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. For system embodiments, since they largely correspond to method embodiments, the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments.

[0089] The block diagrams of devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems disclosed herein are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the block diagrams. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems can be connected, arranged, and configured in any manner. Words such as “comprising,” “including,” “having,” etc., are open-ended terms meaning “including but not limited to,” and are used interchangeably with them. The terms “or” and “and” as used herein refer to the terms “and / or,” and are used interchangeably with them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term “such as” as used herein refers to the phrase “such as but not limited to,” and is used interchangeably with it.

[0090] The methods and apparatus of this disclosure may be implemented in many ways. For example, they may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above-described order of steps for the methods is for illustrative purposes only, and the steps of the methods of this disclosure are not limited to the order specifically described above unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, in some embodiments, this disclosure may also be implemented as a program recorded on a recording medium, the program including machine-readable instructions for implementing the methods according to this disclosure. Thus, this disclosure also covers recording media storing programs for performing the methods according to this disclosure.

[0091] It should also be noted that in the apparatus, devices, and methods of this disclosure, the components or steps can be disassembled and / or recombined. These disassemblies and / or recombinations should be considered as equivalent solutions to this disclosure.

[0092] The above description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to be carried out within the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0093] The above description has been given for illustrative and descriptive purposes. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure to the forms disclosed herein. Although several exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments are illustrative only and do not limit the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments can be combined, modified, or replaced without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A data storage and forwarding method for a user terminal (UE), characterized in that, include: Receive a broadcast message from the first satellite and read that the operating mode included in the broadcast message is store-and-forward mode; Send the first message to the first satellite; Upon receiving the second message from the first satellite, it enters the Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state; as well as Send the third message to the first satellite.

2. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first message is an RRC connection establishment request message, the second message is an RRC connection establishment message, and the third message is an RRC connection establishment completion message.

3. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The UE reads that the broadcast message includes a satellite ID, and sends a first instruction to the first satellite in the first message to perform store-and-forward using only a single satellite.

4. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 3, characterized in that, After the UE performs data transmission with the first satellite in RRC connection mode, it receives a fourth message to suspend the RRC connection.

5. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The UE searches for broadcast messages of the first satellite based on the satellite ID and listens for paging messages about the UE in the service link.

6. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In response to the first satellite initiating a paging to the UE, the UE sends a fifth message to the first satellite to restart the RRC connection.

7. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The UE performs data transmission with the first satellite in RRC connection mode, including sending the UE's terminal data to the first satellite.

8. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second message includes information about the service time for the first satellite to transmit the data.

9. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The UE performs the data transmission during the first service time and the second service time adjacent to the first service time.

10. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The UE enters a sleep state during the time interval between the first service time and the second service time, and exits the sleep state after the start of the second service time to re-enter the RRC connection state.

11. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Send the sixth message to the first satellite; as well as In response to receiving the seventh message from the first satellite, a second satellite is selected to transmit the first message.

12. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The sixth message is an RRC connection release request message, and the seventh message is an RRC connection release message.

13. The data forwarding method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The sixth message includes a second indication that the stored UE context is deleted by the first satellite.

14. A data storage and forwarding method for satellites, characterized in that, include: The broadcast message includes the satellite's operating mode as store-and-forward mode. In response to receiving a first message from a user terminal (UE), a second message is sent to the UE; In response to receiving a third message from the UE, data transmission with the UE is performed, including receiving and storing terminal data from the UE; as well as The terminal data is transmitted to the gateway station when the power supply link is present.

15. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The first message is a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection Establishment Request message, the second message is an RRC Connection Establishment message, and the third message is an RRC Connection Establishment Complete message.

16. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The satellite includes a satellite ID in the broadcast message and receives a first instruction from the UE in the first message to perform store-and-forward using only a single satellite.

17. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The second message includes information about the service time during which the satellite transmits the data.

18. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The satellite performs the data transmission during the first service time and the second service time adjacent to the first service time, wherein After the first service period ends, the communication connection with the UE is suspended, and After the second service period begins, the satellite initiates a paging of the UE via the service link.

19. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 14, characterized in that, Also includes: In response to a sixth message received from the UE including a second instruction regarding the deletion of a stored UE context, the UE context corresponding to the UE is deleted; as well as Send the seventh message to the UE.

20. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The sixth message is an RRC connection release request message, and the seventh message is an RRC connection release message.

21. A data storage and forwarding method, characterized in that, include: The user terminal (UE) receives a broadcast message from the first satellite and reads that the operating mode included in the broadcast message is store-and-forward mode. The UE sends a first message to the first satellite; After receiving the first message, the first satellite sends a second message to the UE; After receiving the second message, the UE enters the RRC connection state and sends a third message to the first satellite; After receiving the third message, the first satellite performs data transmission with the UE, including receiving and storing terminal data from the UE; as well as The first satellite performs the transmission of terminal data to the gateway station when the feed link is available.

22. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The first message is a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection Establishment Request message, the second message is an RRC Connection Establishment message, and the third message is an RRC Connection Establishment Complete message.

23. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The satellite includes a satellite ID in the broadcast message, and the UE sends a first instruction to the first satellite in the first message to perform store-and-forward using only a single satellite.

24. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 21, characterized in that, After the UE performs data transmission with the first satellite in RRC connection mode, it receives a fourth message to suspend the RRC connection.

25. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 21, characterized in that, Also includes: The UE sends a sixth message to the first satellite, and adds a second instruction to the sixth message to have the stored UE context deleted by the first satellite; Upon receiving the sixth message, the first satellite deletes the UE context corresponding to the UE. The first satellite sends a seventh message to the UE; as well as After receiving the seventh message, the UE selects a second satellite to send the first message.

26. The data storage and forwarding method according to claim 25, characterized in that, The sixth message is an RRC connection release request message, and the seventh message is an RRC connection release message.

27. A user terminal device, characterized in that, include: processor; as well as A memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to implement the data storage and forwarding method as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

28. A satellite device, characterized in that, include: processor; as well as A memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to implement the data storage and forwarding method as described in any one of claims 14 to 20.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement the data storage forwarding method as described in any one of claims 1 to 21.

30. A computer program product, characterized in that, It includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement the data storage forwarding method as described in any one of claims 1 to 21.

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