Transmission of non-terrestrial network types and configuration of operation parameters based on non-terrestrial network types

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a communication method and system for integrating a fifth generation (5G) communication system supporting a higher data rate than a fourth generation (4G) system with a technology for the Internet of Things (IoT). The present disclosure can be applied to smart services based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technologies, such as smart homes, smart buildings, smart cities, smart cars, connected cars, health care, digital education, smart retail, safety and security services. A device and method for a network entity in a wireless communication system are provided. The device and method include: identifying an NTN type associated with a non-terrestrial network (NTN); configuring a set of operating parameters for performing wireless communication based on the NTN type; based on a network configuration associated with the NTN, identifying one or more interfaces to send information indicating the NTN type; and sending information indicating the NTN type to a user equipment (UE) or a network function (NF) via the identified one or more interfaces.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to non-terrestrial networks, and more particularly, to non-terrestrial network (NTN) types and operation parameter configurations based on the NTN types. Background Art

[0002] In order to meet the demand for wireless data traffic that has increased since the deployment of the fourth generation (4G) communication system, efforts have been made to develop improved fifth generation (5G) or pre-5G communication systems. Therefore, 5G or pre-5G communication systems are also referred to as "super 4G networks" or "post-LTE (Long Term Evolution) systems". Consider implementing 5G communication systems in higher frequency (mmWave) bands (e.g., 60GHz bands) to achieve higher data rates. In order to reduce the propagation loss of radio waves and increase the transmission distance, beamforming, massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, and massive antenna technology are discussed in 5G communication systems. In addition, in the 5G communication system, system network improvements are being developed based on advanced small cells, cloud radio access networks (RAN), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communications, wireless backhaul, mobile networks, cooperative communications, coordinated multi-points (CoMP), receiving-end interference elimination, etc. In the 5G system, hybrid FSK and QAM modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC) as advanced coding modulation (ACM) and filter bank multi carrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) as advanced access technologies have been developed.

[0003] The Internet, which is a human-centered connected network in which humans generate and consume information, is now evolving into the Internet of Things (IoT), in which distributed entities such as things exchange and process information without human intervention. The Internet of Everything (IoE), which is a combination of IoT technology and big data processing technology through connection with cloud servers, has emerged. Since IoT implementation requires technical elements such as "sensing technology", "wired / wireless communication and network infrastructure", "service interface technology" and "security technology", sensor networks, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, machine type communication (MTC), etc. have been studied recently. Such an IoT environment can provide intelligent Internet technology services that create new value for human life by collecting and analyzing data generated among connected things. IoT can be applied to various fields, including smart homes, smart buildings, smart cities, smart cars or connected cars, smart grids, health care, smart appliances and advanced medical services through the integration and combination between existing information technology (IT) and various industrial applications.

[0004] In line with this, various attempts have been made to apply 5G communication systems to IoT networks. For example, technologies such as sensor networks, machine type communications (MTC), and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications can be implemented through beamforming, MIMO, and array antennas. The application of cloud radio access networks (cloud RANs) as the above-mentioned big data processing technology can also be considered as an example of the fusion between 5G technology and IoT technology.

[0005] A fifth generation (5G) user equipment (UE) or a fourth generation (4G) UE may be connected to a terrestrial network (TN), a non-terrestrial network (NTN), or both a TN and an NTN. There are different types of NTNs using different types of platforms. For example, a platform may be a geostationary orbit (GEO) satellite, a medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite, a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite, a high altitude platform station (HAPS). The platform may take the form of an air-to-ground (ATG) system. Summary of the invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure recognize and take into account that NTNs have different delays and require different parameters for operations such as cell selection, network selection, handover, paging, random access, and data transmission to obtain optimal network performance and user experience. Therefore, various embodiments of the present disclosure provide NTN types and the use of NTN types to facilitate these operations.

[0008] Solution

[0009] The present disclosure relates generally to non-terrestrial networks, and more particularly, to NTN types and operating parameter configurations based on NTN types.

[0010] In one embodiment, a network entity in a wireless communication system provides an NTN type to a UE and other network entities. The network entity includes a processor configured to: identify an NTN type associated with an NTN; configure a set of operating parameters for performing wireless communication based on the NTN type; and identify one or more interfaces to send information indicating the NTN type based on a network configuration associated with the NTN. The network entity also includes a transceiver operably connected to the processor, the transceiver configured to send information indicating the NTN type to a user equipment (UE) or a network function (NF) via the identified one or more interfaces.

[0011] In another embodiment, a UE in a wireless communication system is provided. The UE includes a transceiver configured to receive information indicating an NTN type from a network entity and a processor operably connected to the transceiver, the processor being configured to: determine a set of operating parameters configured based on the NTN type, and perform wireless communication according to the set of operating parameters.

[0012] In yet another embodiment, a method of a network entity in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes: identifying an NTN type associated with an NTN; configuring a set of operating parameters for performing wireless communication based on the NTN type; identifying one or more interfaces to send information indicating the NTN type based on a network configuration associated with the NTN; and sending the information indicating the NTN type to a user equipment (UE) or a network function (NF) via the identified one or more interfaces.

[0013] Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0014] The present disclosure provides types of non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) for transport and describes the use of NTN types to facilitate optimization of various NTN operations through implicit settings of related parameters. Implicit parameter determination avoids or minimizes public signaling or dedicated signaling, improving overall signaling efficiency. In addition, this feature facilitates NTN type-specific innovations in the design and operation of network functions, including UE, gNB, access and mobility management function (AMF), and charging functions in the core network. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts:

[0016] Figure 1 An example wireless network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0017] Figure 2 An example gNB according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0018] Figure 3 An example UE according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0019] Figure 4 An example interface for sending NTN type according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 5 A flow chart showing a method for NTN type application according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 6 A flowchart of a method for a UE according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0022] Figure 7 A flow chart of a method for a network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 8 A flowchart of a UE method for implicit configuration of NTN type and operating parameters based on the NTN type according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0024] Fig. 9 A flowchart showing a network method for implicit configuration of NTN types and operating parameters based on the NTN types according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0025] Fig.10 Example network entities in a networked computing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In order to meet the demand for wireless data traffic that has increased since the deployment of 4G communication systems, efforts have been made to develop improved 5G or pre-5G communication systems. Therefore, 5G or pre-5G communication systems are also referred to as "super 4G networks" or "post-LTE systems." Consider implementing 5G communication systems in higher frequency (mmWave) bands (e.g., 60GHz bands) to achieve higher data rates. In order to reduce the propagation loss of radio waves and increase the transmission distance, beamforming, massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, and massive antenna technology are discussed in 5G communication systems. In addition, in the 5G communication system, system network improvements are being developed based on advanced small cells, cloud radio access networks (RAN), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communications, wireless backhaul, mobile networks, cooperative communications, coordinated multi-points (CoMP), receiving-end interference elimination, etc. In the 5G system, hybrid FSK and QAM modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC) as advanced coding modulation (ACM) and filter bank multi carrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) as advanced access technologies have been developed.

[0027] The Internet, which is a human-centered connected network in which humans generate and consume information, is now evolving into the Internet of Things (IoT), in which distributed entities such as things exchange and process information without human intervention. The Internet of Everything (IoE), which is a combination of IoT technology and big data processing technology through connection with cloud servers, has emerged. Since IoT implementation requires technical elements such as "sensing technology", "wired / wireless communication and network infrastructure", "service interface technology" and "security technology", sensor networks, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, machine type communication (MTC), etc. have been studied recently. Such an IoT environment can provide intelligent Internet technology services that create new value for human life by collecting and analyzing data generated among connected things. IoT can be applied to various fields, including smart homes, smart buildings, smart cities, smart cars or connected cars, smart grids, health care, smart appliances and advanced medical services through the integration and combination between existing information technology (IT) and various industrial applications.

[0028] In line with this, various attempts have been made to apply 5G communication systems to IoT networks. For example, technologies such as sensor networks, machine type communications (MTC), and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications can be implemented through beamforming, MIMO, and array antennas. The application of cloud radio access networks (cloud RANs) as the above-mentioned big data processing technology can also be considered as an example of the fusion between 5G technology and IoT technology.

[0029] A fifth generation (5G) user equipment (UE) or a fourth generation (4G) UE may be connected to a terrestrial network (TN), a non-terrestrial network (NTN), or both a TN and an NTN. There are different types of NTNs using different types of platforms. For example, a platform may be a geostationary satellite (GEO), a medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite, a low earth orbit (LEO), a satellite high altitude platform station (HAPS). The platform may take the form of an air-to-ground (ATG) system.

[0030] The present disclosure relates generally to non-terrestrial networks, and more particularly, to NTN types and operating parameter configurations based on NTN types.

[0031] In one embodiment, a network entity in a wireless communication system provides an NTN type to a UE and other network entities. The network entity includes a processor configured to: identify an NTN type associated with an NTN; configure a set of operating parameters for performing wireless communication based on the NTN type; and identify one or more interfaces to send information indicating the NTN type based on a network configuration associated with the NTN. The network entity also includes a transceiver operably connected to the processor, the transceiver configured to send information indicating the NTN type to a user equipment (UE) or a network function (NF) via the identified one or more interfaces.

[0032] In another embodiment, a UE in a wireless communication system is provided. The UE includes a transceiver configured to receive information indicating an NTN type from a network entity and a processor operably connected to the transceiver, the processor being configured to: determine a set of operating parameters configured based on the NTN type, and perform wireless communication according to the set of operating parameters.

[0033] In yet another embodiment, a method of a network entity in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes: identifying an NTN type associated with an NTN; configuring a set of operating parameters for performing wireless communication based on the NTN type; identifying one or more interfaces to send information indicating the NTN type based on a network configuration associated with the NTN; and sending the information indicating the NTN type to a user equipment (UE) or a network function (NF) via the identified one or more interfaces.

[0034] Those skilled in the art can easily see other technical features from the following drawings, descriptions and claims.

[0035] Before proceeding to the following detailed description, it may be advantageous to set forth the definitions of certain words and phrases used in this patent document. The term "coupling" and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not these elements are in physical contact with each other. The terms "send", "receive" and "communication" and their derivatives include direct communication and indirect communication. The terms "include" and "comprise" and their derivatives refer to including but not limited to. The term "or" is included, meaning and / or. The phrase "associated with..." and its derivatives refer to including, being included therein, interconnected with..., including, being contained therein, being connected to or connected with..., being coupled to or coupled with..., being communicable with..., cooperating with..., interlaced, parallel, close to, bound to or bound with..., having, having the characteristics of..., having a relationship to... or having a relationship with..., etc. The term "controller" refers to any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation. Such a controller can be implemented by hardware or a combination of hardware and software and / or firmware. The functions associated with any particular controller can be centralized or distributed, whether local or remote. The phrase "at least one of" when used with a list of items means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items may be used, and only one of the items in the list may be required. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" includes any combination of: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A, B, and C.

[0036] In addition, the various functions described below may be implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, each of which is formed by a computer-readable program code and embodied in a computer-readable medium. The terms "application" and "program" refer to one or more computer programs, software components, instruction sets, processes, functions, objects, classes, instances, related data, or a portion thereof suitable for implementation in an appropriate computer-readable program code. The phrase "computer-readable program code" includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code, and executable code. The phrase "computer-readable medium" includes any type of medium that can be accessed by a computer, such as a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard drive, a compact disk (CD), a digital video disk (DVD), or any other type of memory. "Non-transitory" computer-readable media do not include wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that transmit temporary electrical or other signals. Non-transitory computer-readable media include media that can permanently store data and media that can store and then overwrite data, such as rewritable optical disks or erasable storage devices.

[0037] Definitions for other specific words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document. Those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most, instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases.

[0038] For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts:

[0039] Figure 1 An example wireless network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0040] Figure 2 An example gNB according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0041] Figure 3 An example UE according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0042] Figure 4 An example interface for sending NTN type according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0043] Figure 5 A flow chart showing a method for NTN type application according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0044] Figure 6 A flowchart of a method for a UE according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0045] Figure 7 A flow chart of a method for a network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0046] Figure 8 A flowchart of a UE method for implicit configuration of NTN type and operating parameters based on the NTN type according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0047] Fig. 9 A flowchart showing a network method for implicit configuration of NTN types and operating parameters based on the NTN types according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0048] Fig.10 Example network entities in a networked computing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown.

[0049] Discussed below Figures 1 to 10 The various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this patent document are only for illustration and should not be interpreted in any way as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure can be implemented in any appropriately arranged system or device.

[0050] The following Figure 1-3Various embodiments are described that are implemented in a wireless communication system and using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) communication techniques. Figure 1-3 The description is not meant to imply physical or architectural limitations to the manner in which different embodiments may be implemented. Different embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged communications system.

[0051] Figure 1 An example wireless network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 The embodiment of the wireless network shown is for illustration only. Other embodiments of the wireless network 100 may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0052] like Figure 1 As shown, the wireless network includes gNB 101 (e.g., base station, BS, Fig.10 The network entity 1000 shown), gNB 102 ( Fig.10 The network entity 1000) and gNB 103 ( Fig.10 1000). gNB 101 communicates with gNB 102 and gNB 103. gNB 101 also communicates with at least one network 130, such as the Internet, a proprietary Internet Protocol (IP) network, or other data network.

[0053] gNB 102 provides wireless broadband access to network 130 for a first plurality of user equipment (UE) within coverage area 120 of gNB 102. The first plurality of UEs include UE 111, which may be located in a small business (SB); UE 112, which may be located in an enterprise (E); UE 113, which may be located in a WiFi hotspot (HS); UE 114, which may be located in a first residence (R); UE 115, which may be located in a second residence (R); and UE 116, which may be a mobile device (M) such as a cellular phone, a wireless laptop, a wireless PDA, etc. gNB 103 provides wireless broadband access to network 130 for a second plurality of UEs within coverage area 125 of gNB 103. The second plurality of UEs include UE 115 and UE 116. In some embodiments, one or more of gNBs 101-103 may communicate with each other and with UEs 111-116 using 5G / NR, LTE, LTE-A, WiMAX, WiFi, or other wireless communication technologies.

[0054] Depending on the network type, the term "base station" or "BS" may refer to any component (or set of components) configured to provide wireless access to a network, such as a transmission point (TP), a transmission reception point (TRP), an enhanced base station (eNodeB or eNB), a 5G / NR base station (gNB), a macro cell, a femto cell, a WiFi access point (AP), or other wirelessly enabled devices. A base station may provide wireless access according to one or more wireless communication protocols, such as 5G / NR 3GPP New Radio Interface / Access (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Advanced LTE (LTE-A), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, etc. For convenience, the terms "BS" and "TRP" are used interchangeably in this patent document to refer to a network infrastructure component that provides wireless access to a remote terminal. In addition, depending on the network type, the term "user equipment" or "UE" may refer to any component such as a "mobile station", "subscriber station", "remote terminal", "wireless terminal", "reception point", or "user equipment". For convenience, the terms "user equipment" and "UE" are used in this patent document to refer to a remote wireless device that wirelessly accesses a BS, whether the UE is a mobile device (such as a mobile phone or smartphone) or a device that is generally considered to be a fixed device (such as a desktop computer or a vending machine).

[0055] The dashed lines show the approximate extents of coverage areas 120 and 125, which are shown as approximately circular for illustration and explanation purposes only. It should be clearly understood that coverage areas associated with a gNB, such as coverage areas 120 and 125, may have other shapes, including irregular shapes, depending on the configuration of the gNB and variations in the radio environment associated with natural and man-made obstacles.

[0056] As described in more detail below, one or more of UEs 111-116 include circuitry, programming, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, one or more of gNBs 101-103 include circuitry, programming, or a combination thereof.

[0057] although Figure 1 shows an example of a wireless network, but can be Figure 1 Various changes may be made. For example, the wireless network may include any number of gNBs and any number of UEs in any suitable arrangement. In addition, gNB 101 may communicate directly with any number of UEs and provide wireless broadband access to network 130 for these UEs. Similarly, each gNB 102-103 may communicate directly with network 130 and provide direct wireless broadband access to network 130 to the UEs. In addition, gNBs 101, 102, and / or 103 may provide access to other or additional external networks, such as an external telephone network or other type of data network.

[0058] Figure 2 An example gNB 102 is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 The embodiment of gNB 102 shown in FIG. is for illustration only. Figure 1 gNBs 101 and 103 may have the same or similar configurations. However, gNBs have a variety of configurations. Figure 2 The scope of the present disclosure is not limited to any particular implementation of the gNB.

[0059] like Figure 2 As shown, gNB 102 includes multiple antennas 205a-205n, multiple RF transceivers 210a-210n, transmit (TX) processing circuitry 215, and receive (RX) processing circuitry 220. gNB 102 also includes a controller / processor 225, a memory 230, and a backhaul or network interface 235.

[0060] The RF transceivers 210a-210n receive input RF signals from the antennas 205a-205n, such as signals transmitted by UEs in the network 100. The RF transceivers 210a-210n down-convert the input RF signals to generate IF or baseband signals. The IF or baseband signals are sent to the RX processing circuit 220, which generates processed baseband signals by filtering, decoding and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signals. The RX processing circuit 220 sends the processed baseband signals to the controller / processor 225 for further processing.

[0061] The TX processing circuit 215 receives analog or digital data (such as voice data, web data, email, or interactive video game data) from the controller / processor 225. The TX processing circuit 215 encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the output baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. The RF transceivers 210a-210n receive the output processed baseband or IF signals from the TX processing circuit 215 and up-convert the baseband or IF signals to RF signals that are transmitted via the antennas 205a-205n.

[0062] The controller / processor 225 may include one or more processors or other processing devices that control the overall operation of the gNB 102. For example, the controller / processor 225 may control the RF transceivers 210a-210n, the RX processing circuitry 220, and the TX processing circuitry 215 to receive forward channel signals and transmit reverse channel signals in accordance with well-known principles. The controller / processor 225 may also support additional functionality, such as more advanced wireless communication functionality. For example, the controller / processor 225 may support beamforming or directional routing operations, in which output / input signals from / to multiple antennas 205a-205n are weighted differently to effectively direct the output signals in a desired direction. The controller / processor 225 may support any of a variety of other functions in the gNB 102.

[0063] Controller / processor 225 is also capable of executing programs and other processes, such as an OS, that reside in memory 230. Controller / processor 225 may move data into or out of memory 230 as required by the executing process.

[0064] The controller / processor 225 is also coupled to a backhaul or network interface 235. The backhaul or network interface 235 allows the gNB 102 to communicate with other devices or systems via a backhaul connection or via a network. The interface 235 may support communication via any suitable (multiple) wired or wireless connections. For example, when the gNB 102 is implemented as part of a cellular communication system (such as a system supporting 5G / NR, LTE, or LTE-A), the interface 235 may allow the gNB 102 to communicate with other gNBs via a wired or wireless backhaul connection. When the gNB 102 is implemented as an access point, the interface 235 may allow the gNB 102 to communicate via a wired or wireless local area network or via a wired or wireless connection to a larger network (such as the Internet). The interface 235 includes any suitable structure that supports communication via a wired or wireless connection (e.g., Ethernet or RF transceiver).

[0065] Memory 230 is coupled to controller / processor 225. A portion of memory 230 may include RAM and another portion of memory 230 may include flash memory or other ROM.

[0066] although Figure 2 An example of a gNB 102 is shown, but Figure 2 For example, gNB 102 may include any number of Figure 2As a specific example, the access point may include multiple interfaces 235, and the controller / processor 225 may support routing functions to route data between different network addresses. As another specific example, although shown as including a single instance of TX processing circuitry 215 and a single instance of RX processing circuitry 220, gNB 102 may include multiple instances of each (such as one for each RF transceiver). In addition, Figure 2 The various components in can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and other components can be added according to specific needs.

[0067] Figure 3 An example UE 116 is shown according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Figure 3 The embodiment of UE 116 shown is for illustration only. Figure 1 UEs 111-115 may have the same or similar configurations. However, UEs have a variety of configurations, and Figure 3 The scope of the present disclosure is not limited to any particular implementation of the UE.

[0068] like Figure 3 As shown, UE 116 includes antenna 305, radio frequency (RF) transceiver 310, TX processing circuit 315, microphone 320 and receive (RX) processing circuit 325. UE 116 also includes speaker 330, processor 340, input / output (I / O) interface (IF) 345, touch screen 350, display 355 and memory 360. Memory 360 includes operating system (OS) 361 and one or more applications 362.

[0069] RF transceiver 310 receives an incoming RF signal from antenna 305 transmitted by a gNB of network 100. RF transceiver 310 downconverts the incoming RF signal to generate an intermediate frequency (IF) or baseband signal. The IF or baseband signal is sent to RX processing circuitry 325, which generates a processed baseband signal by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signal. RX processing circuitry 325 sends the processed baseband signal to speaker 330 (such as for voice data) or processor 340 for further processing (such as for web browsing data).

[0070] The TX processing circuit 315 receives analog or digital voice data from the microphone 320, or receives other outgoing baseband data (such as web data, email, or interactive video game data) from the processor 340. The TX processing circuit 315 encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the outgoing baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. The RF transceiver 310 receives the outgoing processed baseband or IF signal from the TX processing circuit 315 and up-converts the baseband or IF signal to an RF signal that is transmitted via the antenna 305.

[0071] The processor 340 may include one or more processors or other processing devices and execute the OS 361 stored in the memory 360 to control the overall operation of the UE 116. For example, the processor 340 may control the RF transceiver 310, the RX processing circuit 325, and the TX processing circuit 315 to receive forward channel signals and transmit backward channel signals according to well-known principles. In some embodiments, the processor 340 includes at least one microprocessor or microcontroller.

[0072] The processor 340 is also capable of executing other processes and programs resident in the memory 360, such as processes for beam management. The processor 340 can move data into or out of the memory 360 as needed to execute the process. In some embodiments, the processor 340 is configured to execute the application 362 based on the OS 361 or in response to a signal received from the gNB or operator. The processor 340 is also coupled to the I / O interface 345, which provides the UE 116 with the ability to connect to other devices such as laptops and handheld computers. The I / O interface 345 is the communication path between these accessories and the processor 340.

[0073] Processor 340 is also coupled to touch screen 350 and display 355. An operator of UE 116 may enter data into UE 116 using touch screen 350. Display 355 may be a liquid crystal display, light emitting diode display, or other display capable of presenting text and / or at least limited graphics (such as from a website).

[0074] Memory 360 is coupled to processor 340. A portion of memory 360 may include random access memory (RAM) and another portion of memory 360 may include flash memory or other read-only memory (ROM).

[0075] although Figure 3 An example of UE 116 is shown, but the Figure 3 Make various changes. For example, Figure 3 The various components in the embodiment may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and other components may be added as required. As a specific example, processor 340 may be divided into multiple processors, such as one or more central processing units (CPUs) and one or more graphics processing units (GPUs). Figure 3 The UE 116 is shown configured as a mobile phone or smart phone, but the UE may be configured to operate as other types of mobile or stationary devices.

[0076] Embodiments of the present disclosure recognize and take into account that NTNs have different latencies and require different parameters for operations such as cell selection, network selection, switching, paging, random access, and data transmission to achieve optimal network performance and user experience. Therefore, various embodiments of the present disclosure provide NTN types and the use of NTN types to facilitate these operations. The present disclosure provides types of non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) for transmission, and describes the use of NTN types to facilitate the optimization of various NTN operations through implicit settings of related parameters. Implicit parameter determination avoids or minimizes public signaling or dedicated signaling, improving overall signaling efficiency. In addition, this feature contributes to NTN type-specific innovations in the design and operation of network functions, including UE, gNB, access and mobility management function (AMF), and billing functions in the core network.

[0077] Different types of NTNs or platform types (such as GEO satellites with transparent payloads, low earth orbit (LEO) satellites with regenerative payloads (e.g., split gNBs with gNB distributed units (DUs) on satellites and gNB-CUs on the ground), unmanned aerial systems (UAS) with regenerative payloads (e.g., monolithic gNBs on UAS)) have significantly different propagation delays. Therefore, the knowledge of the NTN type can be used to implicitly determine relevant parameters to improve the efficiency of operations such as system acquisition, cell selection, network selection, handover, random access, discontinuous reception (DRX), paging, and data transmission.

[0078] Non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) typically have significantly longer propagation delays compared to terrestrial networks (TNs). In addition, different NTNs have widely different propagation delays. For example, in the case of GEO satellite-based NTNs with transparent satellite payloads, the one-way propagation delay between the UE and the gNB is approximately 240ms. In contrast, in the case of LEO satellite-based NTNs with regenerative satellite payloads, the one-way propagation delay between the UE and the gNB is approximately 2.7 to 15 milliseconds.

[0079] Therefore, if the same radio parameters are used for different NTNs, the operations in different NTNs are affected differently. Using the same parameters for different types of NTNs can result in suboptimal performance for various operations such as random access, discontinuous reception, and data transmission. In order to obtain satisfactory operation, several parameters need to be adjusted differently depending on the NTN type.

[0080] The present disclosure provides an "NTN type" and provides transmission of the "NTN type" on one or more interfaces or links in the NTN. The NTN type can be defined with different granularities. For example, the NTN type can be distinguished among major types of satellites such as GEO, medium earth orbit (MEO) and LEO, and aerial networks based on UAS. Examples of UAS include airplanes and balloons ("blimps").

[0081] While the simplest form of NTN type may just be to distinguish between TN and NTN, NTN types can be very detailed and distinguish among GEO transparent payload, GEO renewable payload (gNB-DU), GEO renewable payload (gNB), MEO transparent payload, MEO renewable payload (gNB-DU), MEO renewable payload (gNB), LEO transparent payload, LEO renewable payload (gNB-DU), LEO renewable payload (gNB), UAS (including high altitude platform system (HAPS)) transparent payload, UAS (including HAPS) renewable payload (gNB-DU), and UAS (including HAPS) renewable payload (gNB). NTN types can also distinguish among different types of beams, such as earth-fixed beams, quasi-earth-fixed beams, and earth-mobile beams. Earth-fixed beams always cover the same geographical area on the earth. Quasi-earth-fixed beams cover a specific geographical area during a given time period and cover a different geographical area during another time period. Earth-mobile beams cover different geographical areas from one moment to the next.

[0082] The NTN type can be directly communicated to the device by signaling a specific number of bits. The NTN type can also be indirectly communicated to the device over the air interface using a scrambling sequence on a physical signal or physical channel.

[0083] The present disclosure also provides how NTN types can be used to determine various parameters to enhance operations in NTN. Examples of operations that can benefit from NTN types include transmission and acquisition of system information, cell selection and network selection, handover, random access, DRX, data transmission, and paging. NTN type transmission also promotes innovation in the design and operation of network functions (NFs) such as NTN UEs, gNBs, and AMFs.

[0084] In one embodiment, the NTN type may be defined and referred to as at least one of the following examples. Note that combinations of these methods and / or examples associated with these methods may be supported.

[0085] In one example, the NTN type may be at least one of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) or a terrestrial network (TN). For example, a field related to the NTN type (e.g., represented as ntn-Type) having a value of 0 may indicate that the associated network / system / gNB is a TN, and a value of 1 may indicate that the associated network / system / gNB is an NTN. Or "0" and "1" may be interpreted in another way. As another example, the absence of a field related to the NTN type may mean that the associated network / system / gNB is a TN, and the presence of a field related to the NTN type may mean that the associated network / system / gNB is an NTN.

[0086] In one example, the NTN type may be at least one of a satellite-based access network or a UAS-based airborne network. For example, a field related to the NTN type (e.g., represented as ntn-Type) with a value of 0 may indicate that the associated network / system / gNB is an airborne network, and a value of 1 may indicate that the associated network / system / gNB is a satellite-based NTN. Alternatively, "0" and "1" may be interpreted in another way.

[0087] In one example, the NTN type may be at least one of a primary type of satellite (such as GEO, MEO, and LEO) and / or a UAS-based airborne network. For example, a field related to the NTN type (e.g., represented as ntn-Type) with a value of 0 may indicate that the associated network / system / gNB is an airborne network, a value of 1 may indicate that the associated network / system / gNB is a GEO-based NTN, a value of 2 may indicate that the associated network / system / gNB is a MEO-based NTN, and a value of 3 means that the associated network / system / gNB is a LEO-based NTN. Note that the mapping between the above values ​​and meanings is one of the examples, and the present embodiment also includes any other examples for mapping between values ​​and meanings.

[0088] In one example, the NTN type may refer to the type of network / system / gNB and the type of payload. Multiple bits may be used to indicate the target number of NTN types. [Table 1] shows an example with a 4-bit identity representing 12 types of NTNs.

[0089] [Table 1]

[0090] Detailed NTN Type Examples

[0091]

[0092]

[0093] In one embodiment, NTN types may be grouped so that some parameters may be set in association with the NTN type groupings. For example, one group may include all GEOs and another group may include all LEOs. In another embodiment, subclassifications or subcategories may be defined within a given type of satellite (e.g., within LEO) based on earth satellite distance. For example, one NTN type may correspond to a LEO system with an earth satellite distance in the range of X km to Y km, while another NTN type may correspond to a LEO system with an earth satellite distance in the range of Y km to Z km.

[0094] In one example, the NTN type may take into account Earth-satellite or Earth-UAS distance or propagation delay, while the payload type (e.g., transparent and renewable) may be specified separately.

[0095] In one example, for NTN types, according to the methods and / or examples specified in the present disclosure, NTN types may be defined as being associated with beam types. For example, NTN types may be further defined for earth-fixed beams or earth-mobile beams (e.g., for non-GEO satellites). Non-GEO satellites such as LEO or MEO satellites may use quasi-earth-fixed beams or earth-mobile beams.

[0096] In one example, according to the methods and / or examples specified in the present disclosure, the NTN type may also include highly elliptical orbit (HEO) satellites.

[0097] Figure 4 An example interface 400 for sending NTN types according to an embodiment of the disclosure is shown. Figure 4 The one embodiment of interface 400 shown is for illustration only. Figure 4 One or more of the components shown may be implemented in dedicated circuits configured to perform the functions described, or one or more of the components may be implemented by one or more processors executing instructions to perform the functions described.

[0098] Figure 4 An interface is shown that can send NTN types to facilitate optimization of operations based on the NTN type.

[0099] For example, the NTN type may be sent on the NR-Uu interface (e.g. Figure 4 The NTN type may be explicitly indicated as part of the system information block 1 (SIB 1) on the downlink channel in the NR-Uu interface. For example, the UE may implicitly obtain the NTN type based on an indication of the timing advance value indicated from the SIB1 in the NR-Uu interface. The NTN type may also be signaled explicitly or implicitly on the master information block (MIB), PBCH, or non-SIB1 system information.

[0100] In one example of implicitly conveying the NTN type, the scrambling sequence of the PBCH content (its carrier MIB and other information) can be used. In another method, the NTN type can also be conveyed through the demodulation reference signal (DMRS) sequence of the PBCH. Other examples of implicitly conveying the NTN type using the physical broadcast channel (PBCH) content include the initial condition of the DMRS sequence, the sequence mapping order of the DMRS sequence, and the cover code of the DMRS sequence.

[0101] In another example, the NTN type may be sent on the X2 / Xn interface (e.g., Figure 4 As shown, the interface between 401 and 402, or between 405 and 406, or between 404 and 406).

[0102] In another example, the NTN type may be sent on the F1 interface (eg, Figure 4 The interface between 401 and 405 shown).

[0103] In yet another example, the NTN type may be sent on the E1 interface between the gNB-CU-CP (control plane) and the gNB-CU-UP (user plane), where the gNB-CU-CP and the gNB-CU-UP are located inside the gNB-CU (e.g., as Figure 4 405 and 406 as shown).

[0104] In yet another example, the NTN type may be sent between a given network function (or even an NTN platform such as a satellite) and an OAM or another suitable configuration and provisioning server.

[0105] In yet another example, the NTN type may be at the N2 interface (e.g., Figure 4 The message is sent on the interface between 405 and 407, or between 404 and 407 as shown.

[0106] In one embodiment, knowledge of the NTN type may be utilized to implicitly determine parameters that affect NTN operations. For example, by signaling the NTN type, several parameters no longer need to be explicitly signaled. The gNB and UE may begin to utilize these parameter settings to make selected operations more efficient. These parameters may belong to any of the radio interface protocol stack layers (i.e., Radio Resource Control (RRC), Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP), Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), Radio Link Control (RLC), Medium Access Control (MAC), and Physical (PHY)) used for air interface operations. Examples of operations that may benefit from the NTN type include transmission and acquisition of system information, cell selection, network selection, handover, random access, DRX, data transmission, and paging.

[0107] Figure 5 A flow chart of a method 500 for NTN type applications according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 5 The one embodiment of method 500 shown is for illustration only. Figure 5 One or more of the components shown in the drawings may be implemented in dedicated circuits configured to perform the functions described, or one or more of the components may be implemented by one or more processors executing instructions to perform the functions described.

[0108] like Figure 5 As shown, parameter settings for various operations are described in this disclosure as follows.

[0109] As part of network provisioning and configuration, an entity in the network determines (at step 501) the NTN type for a given NTN cell and assigns the NTN type to the NTN cell. An example of such an entity is operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM). In another embodiment, the NTN platform (e.g., a satellite or UAS) communicates the NTN type of the NTN platform to the OAM or another suitable centralized or distributed entity.

[0110] In one embodiment, the NTN type is communicated to a given network entity by an entity such as an OAM. In another embodiment, the network entities exchange appropriate messages between them to convey the NTN type. For example, the gNB and the AMF may exchange NG SETUP REQUEST and NG SETUP RESPONSE messages over the N2 interface using NGAP. In addition, the gNB and the AMF exchange configuration update messages such as RAN / AMF CONFIGURATION UPDATE and RAN / AMF CONFIGURATION UPDATE ACKNOWLEAGE messages. These NGAP messages may convey the NTN type.

[0111] In one example, the application of NTN type can be associated with system information. In technologies such as LTE and 5G, information about the system is transmitted to the device through the network using a master information block (MIB), a PBCH payload, and / or one or more system information blocks (SIBs). Since the distance between the satellite (or UAS) and the NTN UE varies greatly for different NTN types, the MIB and / or SIB (e.g., SIB1) can be designed and / or sent differently for different NTN types to achieve reliable detection.

[0112] SIBs such as SIB1 may be designed differently for different NTN types if the NTN type is specified as part of the MIB itself or as a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) payload accompanying the MIB, or if the NTN type is sent before the MIB is decoded (e.g., with the help of a synchronization signal). In the case of a synchronization signal, a new sequence or scrambling of a sequence may be used to transmit the NTN type. Note that based on the knowledge of the NTN type, an NTN UE may handle the SIB differently. For example, one NTN type may use a longer TTI with more repetitions, while another NTN type may use a shorter TTI with fewer repetitions. Furthermore, the MIB may be designed differently for different NTN types or different groups of NTN types. There may be blind detection of a MIB with different repetitions for the NTN type compared to the TN.

[0113] In one example, an application of an NTN type may be associated with an RLC parameter. The RLC layer may be configured differently for different NTN types. For example, RLC parameters such as SN-FieldLengthUM, SN-FieldLengthAM, and t-Reassembly may be set differently for different NTN types. The RLC layer supports a transparent mode (TM), an unconfirmed mode (UM), and an acknowledged mode (AM). An RLC protocol data unit (PDU) for the unconfirmed mode (UM) and acknowledged mode (AM) includes (i) an RLC header and (ii) an RLC service data unit (SDU) that carries an upper layer PDU encapsulating user services or signaling messages.

[0114] Each RLC PDU includes a sequence number in the RLC header in RLC acknowledged mode (AM) and may include a sequence number in unacknowledged mode (UM) in case of RLC SDU segmentation. In 5G Release 15, the RLC sequence number is 12 bits or 18 bits long for AM and 6 bits or 12 bits long for UM. The number of bits in the sequence number (called SN-FieldLengthAM for AM and SN-FieldLengthUM for UM) may be set to one value for one NTN type and another value for another NTN type.

[0115] In particular, when the propagation delay between the transmitter and the receiver is longer, there will be more RLC PDUs in the buffer, which requires longer sequence numbers to identify such RLC PDUs. Due to different delays, the parameter t-Reassembly can be set according to the NTN type. This parameter is used for RLC AM and RLC UM. This parameter helps detect the loss of RLC PDUs in the lower layers, facilitates the reassembly of SDU segments, and triggers ARQ retransmissions of AM. If the knowledge of the NTN type is not used, a set of small t-reassembly values ​​(e.g. ms0 and ms5) will be impractical for one NTN type (such as LEO), while a larger set of small values ​​will be impractical for another NTN type (such as GEO).

[0116] A much larger set is then required, with the risk of many unusable values. Another alternative enabled by this feature is to treat the existing T-Reassembly defined in R15 as a "delta time" beyond the NTN type specific parameters (such as "minimal_NTN_delay"), which represents the minimum round-trip propagation delay specific to the NTN type. For example, the final value of T-reassembly used by the NTN UE may be the sum of "minimal_NTN_delay" and the T-reassembly value defined in R15. This may allow the T-Reassembly defined in R15 to be reused and make the signaling more efficient and relevant. More specifically, this method of determining T-reassembly based on NTN type avoids the need to define a much larger set of values ​​to accommodate different types of NTN (many values ​​are not available for a given NTN type). This NTN type-based approach also avoids the need to define customized T-reassembly sets for different NTN types. This method of adding "minimal_NTN_delay" to the parameter value defined in R-15 can be reused for many time-related parameters involved in this disclosure.

[0117] In one example of "minimal_NTN_delay", the numeric value may be implicitly conveyed to the entity through a mapping between the NTN type and the associated delay defined in the appropriate network function (e.g., gNB or OAM). In another approach, "minimal_NTN_delay" may be explicitly specified on a given interface to reflect a given NTN type.

[0118] In another embodiment, to communicate delays over a given interface (e.g., a radio interface), one or more of (i) a minimum value (corresponding to minimal_NTN_delay), (ii) a typical (or average) value, and (iii) a maximum value of the UE-gNB round trip (or in a given direction (such as UE to gNB or gNB to UE)) delay may be implicitly specified as a function of the NTN type (e.g., in a table of NTN types and numeric values). In another approach, these delay(s) may be explicitly specified.

[0119] In yet another embodiment, in order to transmit delay on a given interface (e.g., a radio interface), a scaling factor for each NTN type may be defined so that the actual value of the incremental timer adjustment will be (scaling factor * existing R15 defined timing value). In this case, the overall adjustment made by the UE will be {minimal_NTN_delay + (scaling factor * existing R15 defined timing value) instead of {minimal_NTN_delay + R15 defined timer value}. In another example, the overall adjustment made by the UE may be {(minimal_NTN_delay + existing R15 defined timing value) * scaling factor} instead of {minimal_NTN_delay + R15 defined timer value}. The parameter minimal_NTN_delay may be predefined in the specification for different NTN types, or may be explicitly broadcast in system information.

[0120] In yet another embodiment, in order to transmit delays on a given interface (e.g., a radio interface), in one approach, the delays that depend on the NTN type can be defined separately for (i) the delay on the service link and (ii) the delay on the feeder link. In another approach, the processing time for the service link to feeder link switch and / or the feeder link to the service link switch can also be defined.

[0121] In one example, the application of NTN type can be associated with PDCP parameters. The PDCP layer can be configured differently for different NTN types. For example, two PDCP timers, discardTimer and t-reordering, can be set differently for different NTNs to help achieve similar reliability levels despite significantly different propagation delays. This can be very helpful for delay-tolerant IoT devices that require multiple retransmissions to achieve reliable coverage.

[0122] The sending PDCP entity discards the PDCP SDU when the discardTimer of the PDCP SDU expires or when the status report from the receiver indicates successful delivery. Timer t-reordering helps detect the loss of PDCP data PDUs. In R15, the range of discardTimer is from 10ms to 1500ms (or infinity), and the range of t-reordering is from 0ms to 3000ms. Due to the long propagation delay in NTN, keeping the same maximum value of discardTimer and t-reordering will limit the number of RLC and hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) retransmissions. For delay-tolerant IoT applications, this limitation will limit the achievable reliability.

[0123] NTN type-based discardTimer and t-reordering settings can alleviate this problem. Similar to the RLC timer approach mentioned above, a better alternative enabled by this feature is to treat the existing discardTimer and t-reordering defined in R15 as a "delta time" beyond the NTN type-specific parameters (such as "minimal_NTN_delay"), which represents the minimum round-trip propagation delay specific to the NTN type. This may allow the reuse of the discardTimer and t-reordering defined in R15 and make the signaling more efficient and relevant.

[0124] In one example, an NTN type application may be associated with a MAC parameter. Based on the configuration, the MAC layer cooperates with a certain number of HARQ processes and a certain maximum number of HARQ retransmissions. In order to achieve continuous data transmission for a given UE, the number of HARQ processes needs to be increased for NTN compared to TN.

[0125] For example, according to TR38.821, in order to achieve continuous data transmission for UE, LEO requires 50, MEO requires 180, and GEO requires 600. For reference, TN typically uses a maximum of 16 HARQ processes. Due to the need for increased buffering, the maximum number of HARQ processes may be limited. Instead of using an overall increase in the number of processes and an increase in the number of bits representing the HARQ process ID, the HARQ process ID can be effectively signaled using the number of bits based on the NTN type. This can reduce signaling overhead and improve detection reliability. In physical layer signaling, such as signaling on the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), every bit is precious. For example, for NTN types with fewer HARQ processes (such as LEO), fewer bits are used to represent the HARQ process ID, and for NTN types with more HARQ processes (such as GEO), more bits are used to represent the HARQ process ID.

[0126] In one example, the application of the NTN type may be associated with a PHY parameter. The NTN type may be used to set adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) and uplink power control (PC) parameters. For example, different CQI-related parameters (e.g., CQI offset and CQI granularity) may be selected based on the NTN type. TR38.821 recommends adding an offset Koffset to an uplink transmission (e.g., a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission) in response to scheduling downlink control information (DCI) in slot n in the NTN to account for long delays in the NTN.

[0127] For example, after the UE receives a downlink assignment in time slot n, the UE needs to send a PUSCH at a specific time n+X. X is shorter in TN, but needs to account for the longer delay in NTN. The value of Koffset may be implicitly set differently for different NTN types. In one approach, NTN_Type may set a common delay based on minimal_NTN_delay, and another parameter or variable may be added to this delay to provide full flexibility for different NTN types.

[0128] In one example, the application of the NTN type may be associated with a random access parameter. Based on the NTN type or the grouping of NTN types, the start of the random access response search window may be determined. For example, for one NTN type (e.g., LEO or HAPS), the NTN UE may start looking for a random access response (RAR) t1 ms after sending the random access preamble. In contrast, for another NTN type (e.g., GEO), the NTN UE may start looking for a RAR t2 ms after sending the random access preamble. Thus, the start of the RA-ResponseWindow may be a function of the NTN type. The UE may be informed of the explicit start time of the RAR window (i.e., the time difference between the completion of the transmission of the random access (RA) preamble and the earliest time of the RAR transmission by the gNB).

[0129] Another random access channel (RACH) parameter that needs to be interpreted differently for NTN is ra-ContentionResolutionTimer. After sending RRCSetupRequest (so-called Msg3), the UE starts the timer ra-ContentionResolutionTimer to monitor Msg4 (e.g., RRCSetup) on the PDCCH. This offset can be a function of the NTN type so that the offset can be implemented in the UE to save processing power at the UE.

[0130] In one example, the application of NTN types can be associated with DRX parameters. The UE observes the PDCCH during the ON period of the DRX cycle. The parameter drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL specifies the minimum duration before a downlink allocation of HARQ retransmissions can occur. Similarly, the parameter drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerUL specifies the minimum duration before an uplink allocation of HARQ retransmissions can occur. The values ​​of drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL and drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerUL can be defined in the standard according to the NTN type, and then the NTN UE can simply start using these values ​​based on the knowledge of the NTN type. In fact, a common Minimal_HARQ_DELAY can be defined according to the NTN type, and the actual HARQ delay can be specified relative to this common Minimal_HARQ_DELAY. Alternatively, the "minimal_NTN_delay" method specified above for the RLC parameters can also be applied to the DRX parameters.

[0131] The knowledge of the NTN type may be used by the UE during cell selection / reselection and network selection procedures, where the UE may prefer a certain cell or network over another.

[0132] The UE may use the knowledge of the NTN type to apply different cell selection or handover criteria or methods.

[0133] In one example, an NTN type of application may be associated with intra-network communication. In the case of dual connectivity between two networks, such as between two NTNs (e.g., GEO NTN and LEO NTN) and between an NTN and a TN, two base stations exchange signaling messages to establish a link between them. For example, in the case of Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access New Radio (E-UTRA-NR) dual connectivity (EN-DC), an LTE eNB and a 5G gNB exchange X2AP messages such as EN-DC X2 SETUP REQUEST and EN-DC X2 SETUP RESPONSE. Similarly, prior to NR-NR dual connectivity setup or handover, two gNBs communicate with each other to establish a non-UE-specific Xn signaling connection between them using XnAP messages such as Xn SETUP REQUEST and Xn SETUP RESPONSE.

[0134] In the case of a decomposed or separated gNB with gNB-CU and gNB-DU, the gNB CU and gNB-DU exchange F1 AP messages such as F1 SETUP REQUEST and F1 SETUP RESPONSE to setup a common F1 interface between them. These X2, Xn or F1 setup messages involve the exchange of serving cell information (e.g., carrier frequency, PCI and duplex type). On the NG or N2 interface between the gNB and AMF, NGAP messages such as NG SETUP REQUEST and NG SETUP RESPONSE setup a common N2 interface between them. The NTN type may be added to such setup messages to optimize many operations (e.g., radio resource management, including scheduling decisions by the gNB and paging retries by the AMF) in an implementation specific manner.

[0135] In one example, the application of NTN type may be associated with timing advance. For NTN, it is necessary to indicate the common timing advance for each cell / beam so that the associated UE in the corresponding cell / beam may only need to consider the remaining timing advance with respect to the common timing advance. If the NTN type is indicated to the UE, for example, via SIB1, the UE may determine the parameters associated with the timing advance based on the indicated NTN type. For example, the field for the indicated timing advance is indicated as t_TA (which may be signaled from a higher layer (e.g., in SIB1)), and then the UE may determine the common timing advance as O_TA+t_TA*s_TA, where the parameters O_TA (e.g., an offset when calculating the timing advance) and / or s_TA (e.g., a scaling factor when calculating the timing advance) may be determined based on the NTN type.

[0136] [Table 2] gives an example of the dependency of O_TA and / or s_TA based on NTN type, where for a sub-example, if NTN type identities 0, 1, 2 and 3 correspond to GEO, MEO, LEO and UAS, respectively, O_TA0>O_TA1>O_TA2>O_TA3 and / or s_TA0>s_TA1>s_TA2>s_TA3.

[0137] [Table 2]

[0138] Example of TA parameter dependency based on NTN type.

[0139] NTN Type Identity O_TA s_TA 0 O_TA0 s_TA0 1 O_TA1 s_TA1 2 O_TA2 s_TA2 3 O_TA3 s_TA3

[0140] In one embodiment, the parameter NTN type may be transmitted to at least one of the UE, gNB, or AMF according to at least one of the following methods. In one example, the parameter NTN type may be transmitted to the UE. The UE may be informed of the NTN type by means such as at least one of the MIB, PBCH, or SIB (e.g., SIB1). Then, both the UE and the network may use the NTN type specific default parameter settings in the standard.

[0141] In one example, the parameter NTN type may be transmitted to at least one of the gNB, gNB-CU, gNB-DU, or AMF. The OAM may transmit the NTN type to the gNB or gNB-CU. The OAM or gNB-DU / gNB-CU may transmit the NTN type to the gNB-CU / gNB-DU. During N2 setup, the AMF may be informed of the NTN type by the gNB.

[0142] Figure 6 A flowchart of a method 600 for a UE according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 6 The one embodiment of method 600 shown is for illustration only. Figure 6 One or more of the components shown in the drawings may be implemented in dedicated circuits configured to perform the functions described, or one or more of the components may be implemented by one or more processors executing instructions to perform the functions described.

[0143] Figure 6 Figure 1 shows the UE behavior related to “NTN type”. Figure 6 As shown, in step S610, the UE observes the system information sent by the eNB / gNB.

[0144] In one embodiment, the UE obtains the “NTN type.” In another embodiment, the UE obtains information about other NTNs (eg, information that helps detect other NTNs for cell selection and dual connectivity).

[0145] In step S620, the UE configures parameters (eg, radio protocol stack parameters, such as various timers) and procedures (eg, cell search / selection, network selection, and handover) that depend on the "NTN type".

[0146] In step S630, the UE and the network exchange NTN-related capabilities as appropriate (eg, as part of registration).

[0147] In one embodiment, the UE provides the UE's NTN type-based capabilities, such as support for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) / GEO-based NTN or LEO-based NTN, and support for dual connectivity across NTN and across NTN and TN and / or support for features such as pre-compensation for facilitating time and / or frequency synchronization. In another embodiment, the network inquires the UE about the UE's NTN-related capabilities (e.g., based on the network's own capabilities and policies).

[0148] In step S640, the UE determines the search and connection criteria related to the NTN based on the configuration provided by the network in the appropriate access layer signaling message (e.g., RRC reconfiguration / recovery) and / or non-access layer signaling message (e.g., registration acceptance). This configuration enables the UE to find a suitable (multiple) NTN to support reselection of a specific NTN and dual connectivity with a suitable (multiple) NTN. For example, the network can configure the UE to prefer one NTN type over another NTN type.

[0149] The UE in step S650 performs typical operations such as cell reselection, registration update and handover based on the RRC state of the UE (ie, RRC_IDLE, RRC_INACTIVE and RRC_CONNECTED). These operations are affected by NTN type related parameters and procedures.

[0150] Figure 7 A flowchart of a method 700 for a network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 7 The one embodiment of method 700 shown is for illustration only. Figure 7 One or more of the components shown in the drawings may be implemented in dedicated circuits configured to perform the functions described, or one or more of the components may be implemented by one or more processors executing instructions to perform the functions described.

[0151] like Figure 7 As shown, in step S710, a network entity such as an OAM or AS determines a suitable "NTN type" for a relevant cell.

[0152] In step S720, the network entity provides the "NTN type" to the appropriate radio access network entities, which include but are not limited to integrated gNB, gNB-CU, gNB-DU, gNB radio / RF unit, gNB baseband unit and gNB remote radio unit / remote radio head. In one embodiment, the gNB broadcasts the "NTN type" and associated NTN parameters of the serving cell and neighboring cells in the same or different NTN in the system information. The radio network and the core network can exchange capabilities related to the NTN type using a suitable interface such as N2.

[0153] In step S730, the UE and the network exchange NTN-related capabilities as appropriate (e.g., as part of registration). In one embodiment, the network obtains NTN capabilities based on the NTN type from the UE, such as support for GNSS / GEO-based NTN or LEO-based NTN, and support for dual connectivity across NTNs and across NTNs and TNs and / or support for features such as pre-compensation. Certain NTN-related UE capabilities may be obtained by the network outside of UE capability exchange procedures (such as random access, RRC setup, RRC reconfiguration, and RRC recovery).

[0154] A network function (NF) can use this NTN capability to select another NF. For example, the gNB can select the AMF based on the AMF's NTN capability (or the AMF has no NTN capability), the AMF can select the SMF based on the SMF's NTN capability, and the SMF can select the UPF based on the UPF's NTN capability. The network can query the UE or configure the UE with NTN-related capabilities based on the network's capabilities and policies as well as the UE capabilities and RAN capabilities.

[0155] In step S740, the operation of the NF may be customized to take advantage of the "NTN type" and related parameters and features. For example, charging may be customized based on the usage of the NTN. UE paging parameters (such as timers) may be adapted to the NTN type. The overload procedure of the AMF may be controlled using the knowledge of the NTN type so that any signaling differences between the TN and NTN may be appropriately reflected in the signaling load calculation at the AMF.

[0156] Figure 7 The network behavior associated with the "NTN type" is shown.

[0157] The present disclosure aims to optimize NTN operations such as acquisition of system information, cell selection, network selection, handover, random access, DRX, data transmission and paging.

[0158] In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides innovations in UE, gNB, and AMF implementations. Knowledge of the NTN type can be used to optimize operations in an implementation-specific manner, encouraging innovation. For example, the AMF can select a value for timer T3513 to minimize paging delays. After sending a paging message to the appropriate GNB, the AMF waits for at least T3513 in an implementation-specific manner before retrying. The UE can save processing power based on knowledge of the NTN type. The gNB can consider the NTN type when scheduling the UE and deciding on transmission parameters (e.g., modulation and coding scheme combination) and the use of PDCP, RLC, and MAC retransmissions. Due to the NTN type-specific minimum expected propagation and processing delays, the specification of the NTN type provides operational flexibility for the UE, gNB, and core network.

[0159] In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides improved signaling efficiency and spectrum efficiency. NTN type specifications allow implicit settings of multiple parameters, thereby reducing overall overhead and improving spectrum efficiency. Through such implicit parameter settings, various operations such as system information acquisition, random access, DRX and data transmission can be optimized or more efficient.

[0160] In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a saving in processing power. Unnecessary processing of more overhead bits is avoided, saving processing power at the transmitter and receiver.

[0161] Figure 8 A UE method 800 for implicit configuration of NTN type and operating parameters based on NTN type according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown (eg, Figure 1 111-116) shown in the flowchart. Figure 8 The one embodiment of method 800 shown is for illustration only. Figure 8One or more of the components shown in the drawings may be implemented in dedicated circuits configured to perform the functions described, or one or more of the components may be implemented by one or more processors executing instructions to perform the functions described.

[0162] like Figure 8 As shown, the method 800 starts from step 802. In step 802, the UE receives information indicating a non-terrestrial network (NTN) type via a radio interface. In such step 802, the NTN type is associated with at least one of a platform type or a beam type of the NTN.

[0163] Next, in step 804, the UE determines a set of operating parameters configured based on the NTN type.

[0164] Finally, in step 806, the UE performs wireless communication according to the set of operating parameters. In step 806, the set of operating parameters includes parameters for network acquisition, cell selection operation, network selection operation, handover operation, random access operation, discontinuous reception (DRX), data transmission, paging operation and charging operation.

[0165] In one embodiment, the UE receives a system information block (SIB) including information indicating the NTN type, and receives the information indicating the NTN type using a non-SIB.

[0166] In one embodiment, the UE uses one of a scrambling sequence of a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) sequence of the PBCH, a sequence mapping order of a DMRS sequence, or a cover code of a DMRS sequence to receive information indicating the NTN type, or receives a common timing advance value for identifying the NTN type, wherein the common timing advance value is typically used for UEs in a cell.

[0167] In one embodiment, the UE receives NTN type based information to facilitate timing and frequency synchronization of the UE and associated pre-compensation.

[0168] In one embodiment, the UE receives a request message to send NTN capabilities, sends the NTN capabilities in response to the request message, the NTN capabilities indicating supportable NTN types, dual connectivity between two NTNs, and dual connectivity between an NTN and a terrestrial network (TN), and receives information to configure a preferred NTN type of the UE.

[0169] In such an embodiment, the NTN capabilities of the UE and the cell are used to select a set of network functions (NFs), including an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), and a user plane function (UPF).

[0170] Fig. 9FIG. 4 shows a network entity (eg, Figure 1 101-103) shown in flowchart of method 900. Fig. 9 The one embodiment of method 900 shown is for illustration only. Fig. 9 One or more of the components shown in the drawings may be implemented in dedicated circuits configured to perform the functions described, or one or more of the components may be implemented by one or more processors executing instructions to perform the functions described.

[0171] like Fig. 9 As shown, method 900 starts at step 902. In step 902, a network entity identifies a non-terrestrial network (NTN) type associated with the NTN. In step 902, the NTN type is associated with at least one of a network type, a platform type, or a beam type of the NTN.

[0172] Subsequently, the network entity configures a set of operating parameters for performing wireless communication based on the NTN type in step 904. In step 904, the set of operating parameters includes at least one of network acquisition, cell selection operation, network selection operation, handover operation, random access operation, discontinuous reception (DRX), data transmission, paging operation or charging operation.

[0173] Next, in step 906, the network entity identifies one or more interfaces to transmit information indicating the type of the NTN based on a network configuration associated with the NTN.

[0174] Finally, in step 908, the network entity sends information indicating the NTN type to a user equipment (UE) or a network function (NF) via the identified one or more interfaces.

[0175] In one embodiment, the network entity transmits a system information block (SIB) including information indicating the NTN type, or transmits the information indicating the NTN type using a first signal.

[0176] In such an embodiment, the network entity uses a first signal to send information indicating the NTN type, the information including at least one of a scrambling sequence of a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) sequence of the PBCH, a sequence mapping order of the DMRS sequence, or a cover code of the DMRS sequence, or uses a second signal to send a common timing advance value for identifying the NTN type, wherein the common timing advance value is a common value for UEs in the cell. In such an embodiment, the first signal is different from the second signal.

[0177] In one embodiment, the network entity sends NTN type based information to facilitate timing and frequency synchronization of the UE and associated pre-compensation.

[0178] In one embodiment, a network entity sends a request message for obtaining NTN capabilities; receives NTN capabilities in response to the request message, the NTN capabilities indicating at least one of: (i) supportable NTN types, (ii) dual connectivity between two NTNs, and (iii) dual connectivity between an NTN and a terrestrial network (TN); and sends information to configure a preferred NTN type for a UE.

[0179] In such an embodiment, the NTN capabilities of the UE and the cell are used to facilitate the selection of a set of NFs, including an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), and a user plane function (UPF).

[0180] In one embodiment, the network entity sends information indicating the NTN type to a NF from the group of NFs via a network interface (e.g., via a different network function of the network interface); and the NF responsible for charging determines the usage cost associated with the NTN of the UE based on the NTN type and the group of NFs configured for charging purposes. In such an embodiment, one or more NFs may be configured to use the NTN type, and based on the NTN type and the group of NFs configured for charging purposes, the UE is facilitated to determine the usage cost associated with the NTN.

[0181] Fig.10 An example network entity 1000 is shown according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The network entity 1000 includes a bus system 1005 that supports communications between at least one processing device such as a processor 1010, at least one storage device 1015, at least one communication interface 1020, and at least one input / output (I / O) interface 1025.

[0182] Processor 1010 executes instructions that may be loaded into memory 1030. Processor 1010 may include any suitable number(s) and type(s) of processors or other devices in any suitable arrangement. Example types of processor 1010 include microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, field programmable gate arrays, application specific integrated circuits, and discrete circuits.

[0183] Memory 1030 and persistent storage 1035 are examples of storage devices 1015, which represent any (multiple) structures capable of storing and facilitating retrieval of information (such as data, program code, and / or other suitable information, whether temporary or permanent). Memory 1030 may represent random access memory or any other suitable (multiple) volatile or non-volatile storage device. Persistent storage 1035 may include one or more components or devices that support long-term storage of data, such as read-only memory, a hard drive, flash memory, or an optical disk.

[0184] Communication interface 1020 supports communication with other systems or devices. Figure 1 As shown, communication interface 1020 may include a network interface card or a wireless transceiver to facilitate communications over network 130. Communication interface 1020 may support communications over any suitable physical or wireless communication link(s).

[0185] I / O interface 1025 allows input and output of data. For example, I / O interface 1025 can provide a connection for user input through a keyboard, mouse, keypad, touch screen, or other suitable input device. I / O interface 1025 can also send output to a display, printer, or other suitable output device.

[0186] As described in more detail below, the network entity 1000 may obtain information related to Figure 1 and Figure 3 The network entity 1000 may then receive information associated with the UE 116 of the network entity 1000. The network entity 1000 may then identify the current context associated with the UE 116 based on the received information. The network entity 1000 may then send the identified context of the UE 116 to the BS, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 BS 102 (such as Fig.10 BS 102 may determine whether to update the mobility management configuration of UE 116 based on the identified context of UE 116. In addition, BS 102 may update the mobility management configuration of UE 116 based on the identified context of UE 116. In various embodiments, for example, network entity 1000 may be a network entity such as a mobility management entity (MME), a core network (CN), or an access and mobility management function (AMF) or may be located in a network entity such as a mobility management entity (MME), a core network (CN), or an access and mobility management function (AMF).

[0187] As described in more detail below, BS 102 may be a UE such as Figure 1BS 102 may set the mobility management configuration for UE 111 and may be a network entity. BS 102 may obtain the current context of UE 111. The current context of UE 111 may be obtained from UE 111 itself or from another device such as Fig.10 The network entity 1000 shown is obtained.

[0188] In one embodiment, Fig.10 The network entity 1000 shown may be a part of the system in the BS ( Figure 1 In another embodiment, the network entity 1000 may be implemented as a single system.

[0189] In some embodiments, BS 102 obtains information from the UE and identifies the current context of UE 111 based on the received information. The information may include, but is not limited to, the current location of UE 111 and the QoS of UE 111. BS 102 then uses the context information associated with UE 111 to customize the mobility management configuration previously set for UE 111. Note that the mobility management configuration of UE 111 may be different from the mobility management configuration of UE 112 based on the difference in the current context associated with UE 111 compared to UE 112. In addition, the mobility management configuration of UE 111 may change over time based on changes in the context of UE 111. For example, when UE 111 moves within the coverage area 120 of BS 102, BS 102 may update (modify or change) the mobility management configuration of UE 111.

[0190] Although the present disclosure has been described with exemplary embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present disclosure encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0191] Any description in this application should not be read as implying that any particular element, step, or function is an essential element that must be included in the claims scope. The scope of the subject matter sought for patent protection is limited solely by the claims.

Claims

1. A network entity in a wireless communication system, the network entity comprising: The processor is configured as: Identify the type of NTN associated with the non-terrestrial network NTN, configuring a set of parameters for performing wireless communication based on the NTN type, and Based on a network configuration associated with the NTN, identifying one or more interfaces to transmit information indicating a type of the NTN; and a transceiver operatively connected to the processor and configured to send information indicating the NTN type to a user equipment UE via the identified one or more interfaces, in, The NTN type includes a combination of the NTN type and the payload type as a single type field, Among them, the NTN type indicates one of the geostationary orbit GEO, medium earth orbit MEO, low earth orbit LEO and unmanned aerial system UAS. wherein the payload type indicates a transparent payload or a reproducible payload, and The information indicating the NTN type is sent based on at least one of a scrambling sequence of a physical broadcast channel PBCH, a demodulation reference signal DMRS sequence of the PBCH, a sequence mapping order of the DMRS sequence, and a cover code of the DMRS sequence.

2. The network entity according to claim 1, in, The set of parameters includes parameters for at least one of network acquisition, cell selection operation, network selection operation, handover operation, random access operation, discontinuous reception DRX, data transmission, paging operation and charging operation, and The parameters for data transmission include a timing offset from downlink control information DCI to uplink transmission scheduled by the DCI, and the timing offset is configured based on the NTN type.

3. The network entity according to claim 2, in, The DRX parameters include a downlink round trip time (RTT) timer and an uplink round trip time (RTT) timer, wherein the downlink RTT timer indicates the minimum duration before a downlink allocation for a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) retransmission occurs, and the uplink RTT timer indicates the minimum duration before an uplink allocation for a HARQ retransmission occurs, and Wherein, a downlink RTT timer and an uplink RTT timer are configured based on the NTN type.

4. The network entity according to claim 1, in, The transceiver is further configured to: Sending a request message to the UE for obtaining the NTN capability of the UE; receiving, from the UE, NTN capabilities of the UE in response to the request message, the NTN capabilities indicating at least one of: (i) a supportable NTN type, (ii) dual connectivity between two NTNs, or (iii) dual connectivity between an NTN and a terrestrial network TN; and Information is sent to the UE to configure the preferred NTN type of the UE.

5. A user equipment UE in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising: a transceiver configured to receive, via an interface, information indicating a type of NTN associated with a non-terrestrial network NTN from a network entity; and A processor operably connected to the transceiver and configured to: determining a set of parameters based on the NTN type configuration, and performing wireless communication according to the set of parameters, wherein the NTN type includes a combination of an NTN type and a payload type as a single type field, The NTN type indicates one of a geostationary orbit GEO, a medium earth orbit MEO, a low earth orbit LEO and an unmanned aerial system UAS, wherein the payload type indicates a transparent payload or a reproducible payload, and The information indicating the NTN type is received based on at least one of a scrambling sequence of a physical broadcast channel PBCH, a demodulation reference signal DMRS sequence of the PBCH, a sequence mapping order of the DMRS sequence, or a cover code of the DMRS sequence.

6. The UE according to claim 5, wherein: The transceiver is further configured to: NTN type based information is received to facilitate timing and frequency synchronization of the UE and associated pre-compensation.

7. The UE according to claim 5, in, The set of parameters includes parameters for at least one of network acquisition, cell selection operation, network selection operation, handover operation, random access operation, discontinuous reception DRX, data transmission, paging operation and charging operation, and The parameters for data transmission include a timing offset from downlink control information DCI to uplink transmission scheduled by the DCI, and the timing offset is configured based on the NTN type.

8. A method performed by a network entity in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: Identify the type of NTN associated with the non-terrestrial network NTN; configuring a set of parameters for performing wireless communication based on the NTN type; identifying, based on a network configuration associated with the NTN, one or more interfaces to transmit information indicating a type of the NTN; and sending information indicating the NTN type to a user equipment UE via the identified one or more interfaces, wherein the NTN type includes a combination of an NTN type and a payload type as a single type field, The NTN type indicates one of a geostationary orbit GEO, a medium earth orbit MEO, a low earth orbit LEO and an unmanned aerial system UAS, wherein the payload type indicates a transparent payload or a reproducible payload, and The information indicating the NTN type is sent based on at least one of a scrambling sequence of a physical broadcast channel PBCH, a demodulation reference signal DMRS sequence of the PBCH, a sequence mapping order of the DMRS sequence, and a cover code of the DMRS sequence.

9. The method according to claim 8, in, The set of parameters includes parameters for at least one of network acquisition, cell selection operation, network selection operation, handover operation, random access operation, discontinuous reception DRX, data transmission, paging operation and charging operation, and The parameters for data transmission include a timing offset from downlink control information DCI to uplink transmission scheduled by the DCI, and the timing offset is configured based on the NTN type.

10. A method performed by a user equipment UE in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving, via an interface, from a network entity, information indicating a type of NTN associated with a non-terrestrial network, NTN; Determining a set of parameters configured based on the NTN type; as well as performing wireless communication according to the set of parameters, wherein the NTN type includes a combination of an NTN type and a payload type as a single type field, The NTN type indicates one of a geostationary orbit GEO, a medium earth orbit MEO, a low earth orbit LEO and an unmanned aerial system UAS, wherein the payload type indicates a transparent payload or a reproducible payload, and The information indicating the NTN type is received based on at least one of a scrambling sequence of a physical broadcast channel PBCH, a demodulation reference signal DMRS sequence of the PBCH, a sequence mapping order of the DMRS sequence, or a cover code of the DMRS sequence.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: NTN type based information is received to facilitate timing and frequency synchronization of the UE and associated pre-compensation.

12. The method according to claim 10, in, The set of parameters includes parameters for at least one of network acquisition, cell selection operation, network selection operation, handover operation, random access operation, discontinuous reception DRX, data transmission, paging operation and charging operation, and The parameters for data transmission include a timing offset from downlink control information DCI to uplink transmission scheduled by the DCI, and the timing offset is configured based on the NTN type.

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