GNSS data in non-terrestrial network system information

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device includes: receiving Auxiliary Global Navigation Satellite System (A-GNSS) information in system information broadcast by a network; receiving signals from a GNSS satellite set (the GNSS satellite set comprising at least three GNSS satellites); and determining the location of the wireless device using the A-GNSS information and the information received from the signals from the GNSS satellite set. The method further includes: determining a Doppler time and frequency offset relative to the network satellites. The Doppler time and frequency offset is determined based on the location of the wireless device. The method further includes: initiating a connection process with the network satellites by transmitting a random access signal with pre-compensated time and frequency based on the determined Doppler time and frequency offset.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Some embodiments of this disclosure generally relate to wireless communication, and more particularly, to providing Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data in non-terrestrial network (NTN) system information. Background Technology

[0002] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 8 specifies the Evolved Packet System (EPS). EPS is based on the Long Term Evolution (LTE) radio network and the Evolved Packet Core (EPC). It was originally designed to provide voice and mobile broadband (MBB) services, but has continued to evolve to broaden its functionality. Since Release 13, Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) and LTE for Machine Type Communications (LTE-M) have been part of the LTE specification, and connectivity has been provided for Massive MTC (mMTC) services.

[0003] Release 15 of 3GPP specifies the first version of the fifth-generation (5G) system (5GS). This next-generation radio access technology is designed to serve a variety of use cases, such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC), and mMTC. 5G includes a new radio (NR) access layer interface and a 5G core network (5GC). The NR physical layer and higher layers reuse portions of the LTE specification and add components as they are spurred by new use cases. As an example, NR introduces a complex framework for beamforming and beam management to extend support for 3GPP technologies beyond the 6 GHz frequency range. In Release 15, 3GPP also began work on preparing NR for operation in non-terrestrial networks (NTNs). This work was performed within the research project “NR to support Non-Terrestrial Networks”, and resulted in Technical Report (TR) 38.811.

[0004] Utilizing TR 38.821, “Solutions for NR to support Non-Terrestrial Networks,” 3GPP Release 16 continued work on preparing NR for operation in NTN networks. Simultaneously (in parallel), the growing interest in adapting NB-IoT and LTE-M for operation in NTNs led to 3GPP Release 17, which includes both a work project on NR NTN (RP-193234, Solutions for NR to support non-terrestrial networks (NTN), 3GPP RAN#86) and a research project on NB-IoT and LTE-M support for NTNs (RP-193235, Study on NB-IoT / eMTC support for Non-Terrestrial Networks, 3GPP RAN#86).

[0005] Non-terrestrial networks

[0006] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates an example of a satellite radio access network. A satellite radio access network is a type of NTN, and it typically includes the following components:

[0007] • Satellite: A space-borne platform, such as Satellite 102.

[0008] • Earth-based gateway 103: Connects satellite 102 to base stations (such as base station 160) or the core network, depending on the architecture chosen.

[0009] • Feeder link: The link between gateway 103 and satellite 102.

[0010] • Access link: The link between satellite 102 and user equipment (UE) (such as radio device 110).

[0011] Based on their orbital altitude, satellites can be classified as low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites (typically ranging from 250 to 1,500 km in altitude and with orbital periods ranging from 90 to 120 minutes), medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites (typically ranging from 5,000 to 25,000 km in altitude and with orbital periods ranging from 3 to 15 hours), or geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellites (approximately 35,786 km in altitude and with an orbital period of 24 hours).

[0012] Communication satellites typically generate several beams over a given area. The coverage area of ​​a beam is usually elliptical in shape and has traditionally been considered a small cell. The coverage area of ​​a beam is also often referred to as a spot beam. The coverage area of ​​a beam can move across the Earth's surface as the satellite moves, or it can be earth-fixed using some beam pointing mechanism that the satellite uses to compensate for its motion. The size of a spot beam depends on the system design and can range from tens of kilometers to thousands of kilometers. Figure 1 An exemplary architecture is shown, illustrating a satellite network with a bend transponder.

[0013] Propagation delay is a crucial aspect of satellite communications, differing from the expected delay in terrestrial mobile systems. Due to orbital altitude, the round-trip delay for curved satellite networks can range from tens of milliseconds (in the case of LEO) to hundreds of milliseconds (for GEO). For comparison, the round-trip delay provided in cellular networks is limited to 1 millisecond. Because of the high speeds of LEO and MEO satellites, propagation delay can be highly variable, varying by approximately 10–100 µs per second depending on orbital altitude and satellite velocity.

[0014] The second important aspect closely related to timing is the Doppler frequency shift caused by satellite motion. Access links can suffer from a Doppler shift of approximately 10–100 kHz at frequencies below 6 GHz, and a proportionally higher Doppler shift at higher frequencies. Furthermore, the Doppler shift is variable, with rates of up to several hundred Hz per second in the S-band and up to several kHz per second in the Ka-band.

[0015] Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)

[0016] GNSS is a satellite navigation system with global coverage. GNSS uses satellites for positioning, navigation, and timing. The global coverage of a GNSS system is typically achieved by a constellation of dozens of MEO satellites in several orbital planes. Each satellite can broadcast a message containing the precise time of transmission, the satellite's ephemeris, and coarse orbital data about all satellites. By receiving GNSS signals from typically at least four different satellites, a receiver can measure the arrival time of the signal from each satellite and determine its position. This also allows the receiver to calculate its current local time with high precision for time synchronization purposes.

[0017] Because acquiring satellite orbit information at low data rates (e.g., 50 bps) takes a long time, the Time to First Position (TTFF) using standalone GNSS can take tens of seconds. Auxiliary GNSS (A-GNSS) can be used to reduce TTFF. An A-GNSS server downloads orbit information from satellites and stores it. GNSS-capable devices can connect to an A-GNSS server to download orbit information using a cellular connection. Since cellular connections offer much higher data rates than GNSS download speeds, downloading orbit data from an A-GNSS server takes significantly less time. 3GPP has defined A-GNSS protocols; see, for example, section 6.5.2 on A-GNSS positioning in Technical Specification (TS) 36.355 of the LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP). Summary of the Invention

[0018] There are certain challenges (or challenges) currently present. For example, in order for a device (UE) to connect to a non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite network, it may be necessary to compensate for relativistic effects in timing and frequency due to the very high satellite velocities. This requires detailed knowledge of the device's location, typically obtained from the GNSS system. This can introduce significant delays, the length of which depends on how long ago the device had access to satellite data, the time period during which the device updated its GNSS satellite data, and how it determined its location. In addition to the introduced delays, long-term continuous reception can significantly reduce the device's lifespan for low-power devices. Therefore, a method is needed for acquiring GNSS information via satellite networks so that the device can find its location more quickly, thereby enabling it to connect to the satellite network. GNSS positioning also benefits other NTN network types, such as geostationary orbit (GSO) satellite networks and high-altitude platform systems (HAPS). For example, GNSS can be used to facilitate mobility. However, the long delays associated with GNSS positioning time, such as in Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection modes, undermine its usefulness.

[0019] Certain aspects of this disclosure and embodiments thereof may provide solutions to these or other challenges. A first example could be a method in a network node for providing relevant auxiliary GNSS (A-GNSS) information in a compact format in System Information (SI) so that the overall SI size is manageable. This is achieved by first identifying an area of ​​the Earth's surface currently covered by a specific network satellite and relevant GNSS satellites used for positioning within that area. The A-GNSS information of the relevant GNSS satellites can then be provided in a System Information message transmitted by the network satellites. A second example could be a method in a network device for connecting to a cellular satellite network. This is achieved by first receiving a System Information message including A-GNSS information and signals from at least three GNSS satellites. Based on the A-GNSS information and the GNSS signals, the device's location can be determined, and thereby, the Doppler time and frequency offset relative to the network satellites can be determined. The Doppler time and frequency offset toward the network satellites depends in part on the current location of a second network satellite. Therefore, to determine the Doppler and frequency offsets, the device may first determine the current location of the network satellites. For example, based on SI messages or a predicted current location of a network satellite, the device can determine the current location of the network satellite, the prediction being based on knowledge of the network satellite's previous location (e.g., possibly through the use of additional data, such as ephemeris data). Determining the Doppler time and frequency offset relative to the network satellite allows the device to perform a connection to the cellular satellite network by transmitting a random access signal with pre-compensated time and frequency.

[0020] This document presents various embodiments that address one or more of the problems disclosed herein. Some, but not all, of the embodiments are listed below:

[0021] 1. A method in a network node for providing GNSS information to a UE connected to a cellular satellite network, the method comprising:

[0022] a. Determine the location of the network satellites associated with the network node;

[0023] b. Identify a subset of GNSS satellites near the network satellites; and

[0024] c. Transmitting system information messages that include information related to nearby GNSS satellites.

[0025] 2. The method as described in Example 1, wherein the network node and the network satellite are located in the same location (co-located).

[0026] 3. The method as described in Example 1, wherein the network satellite is used as a bend in the network node.

[0027] 4. The method as described in any one of Examples 1-3, wherein the satellite subset is determined such that it is feasible to use the location of the subset in a ground area served by or to be served by the network satellite.

[0028] 5. The method as described in any one of Examples 1-5, wherein the GNSS information includes:

[0029] a. Calendar data of the aforementioned subset of GNSS satellites;

[0030] b. Ephemeris data of the aforementioned subset of GNSS satellites;

[0031] c. Timing information; and / or

[0032] d. Ionospheric model data.

[0033] 6. The method as described in Example 5, wherein the data is further modified to adapt to lower positioning requirements.

[0034] 7. The method as described in Example 6, wherein such modification includes data quantization.

[0035] 8. The method as described in any one of Examples 1-7, wherein the system information message further includes the duration of validity of the provided GNSS data.

[0036] 9. The method as described in any one of Examples 1-8, wherein the SI message further includes ephemeris or timing data of the network satellite.

[0037] Additionally, some embodiments provide further details on how to determine which satellites are relevant and / or on how to obtain GNSS data.

[0038] 10. A method in a network device for receiving GNSS information from a cellular satellite network in order to connect to the satellite network, the method comprising:

[0039] a. Receive system information messages, including GNSS information, from the first network satellite;

[0040] b. Receive position data from at least one GNSS satellite, the information of which is included in the SI message;

[0041] c. Determine the location based on the received SI and location data;

[0042] d. Determine the Doppler timing and frequency shift toward the second network satellite based on the determined location; and

[0043] e. Transmit RA to the second network satellite based on the Doppler frequency shift in order to connect to the satellite network.

[0044] The Doppler time and frequency shift toward the second network satellite depends in part on the current position of the second network satellite and its velocity at that current position. Therefore, in order for the network device to determine the Doppler and frequency shift in step 10(d) above, the network device may first determine the current position of the second network satellite. For example, the network device may determine the current position of the second network satellite based on SI messages or on a prediction of its previous position (e.g., possibly using additional data such as ephemeris data).

[0045] 11. The method as described in Example 10, wherein, before transmitting the RA, the method includes determining that the SI information is still valid.

[0046] 12. The method as described in Example 10, wherein, before receiving the SI message, the method includes determining that the previous UE location is invalid.

[0047] According to some embodiments, a method performed by a wireless device includes: receiving A-GNSS information in system information broadcast by a network; receiving signals from a GNSS satellite set (the GNSS satellite set including at least three GNSS satellites); and determining the location of the wireless device using the A-GNSS information and information received from the signals from the GNSS satellite set. The method further includes: determining a Doppler time and frequency offset relative to the network satellites. The Doppler time and frequency offset is determined based on the location of the wireless device. The method further includes: initiating a connection process with the network satellites by transmitting a random access signal with pre-compensated time and frequency based on the determined Doppler time and frequency offset.

[0048] According to some embodiments, a wireless device includes processing circuitry and power supply circuitry. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to the wireless device. The processing circuitry is configured to: receive A-GNSS information in system information broadcast by a network; receive signals from a GNSS satellite set (the GNSS satellite set including at least three GNSS satellites); and determine the location of the wireless device using the A-GNSS information and the information received from the signals from the GNSS satellite set. The processing circuitry is further configured to: determine a Doppler time and frequency offset relative to the network satellites. The Doppler time and frequency offset is determined based on the location of the wireless device. The processing circuitry is further configured to: initiate a connection process with the network satellites by transmitting a random access signal with pre-compensated time and frequency based on the determined Doppler time and frequency offset.

[0049] In some embodiments, the wireless device and / or the method in the wireless device described above may include one or more additional features, such as any one or more of the following features:

[0050] Some embodiments determine the validity period of A-GNSS information and use the A-GNSS information while it is still valid. For example, some embodiments determine the validity period of A-GNSS information based on an indication of the validity period received from the network.

[0051] In some embodiments, at least one GNSS satellite suitable for inclusion in the GNSS satellite set is determined. As described above, the GNSS satellite set includes at least three GNSS satellites from which signals (including information aiding in determining the location of a wireless device) are received. In some embodiments, the determination of the at least one GNSS satellite suitable for inclusion in the GNSS satellite set is based on the ability to use the at least one GNSS satellite for positioning within the current or future coverage area of ​​the network satellite. In some embodiments, the determination of the at least one GNSS satellite suitable for inclusion in the GNSS satellite set is based on GNSS satellite data associated with the at least one GNSS satellite. GNSS satellite data can be received from GNSS or another network node.

[0052] In some embodiments, the location or coverage area of ​​a network satellite is estimated based on past location data associated with the network satellite, and past location data is received from the network satellite or another network node.

[0053] Some embodiments estimate the location or coverage area of ​​a network satellite based on location data associated with the network satellite, and determine the location data based on orbital elements publicly available as a two-line element set (TLE).

[0054] Some embodiments require the wireless device to read A-GNSS information during initial attachment.

[0055] In some embodiments, the wireless device needs to read A-GNSS information in response to a radio link failure or a problem with completing random access.

[0056] In some embodiments, A-GNSS information includes one or more of the following: calendar data of the GNSS satellite set; ephemeris data of the GNSS satellite set; timing information; and / or ionospheric data illustrating ionospheric propagation effects.

[0057] According to some embodiments, a method performed by a network node includes determining the location or coverage area of ​​a network satellite. The location or coverage area corresponds to the current or future location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite. The method further includes: identifying at least one GNSS satellite suitable for providing location information related to the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite; determining A-GNSS information associated with the at least one GNSS satellite; and transmitting system information including the A-GNSS information to a wireless device.

[0058] According to some embodiments, a network node includes processing circuitry and power supply circuitry. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to the network node. The processing circuitry is configured to determine the location or coverage area of ​​a network satellite. The location or coverage area corresponds to the current location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite or its future location or coverage area. The processing circuitry is further configured to: identify at least one GNSS satellite suitable for providing location information related to the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite; determine A-GNSS information associated with the at least one GNSS satellite; and transmit system information including the A-GNSS information to a wireless device.

[0059] In some embodiments, the network node and / or the method in the network node described above may include one or more additional features, such as any one or more of the following features:

[0060] In some embodiments, the validity period of A-GNSS information is determined and indicated to the wireless device. For example, in some embodiments, the validity period of A-GNSS information is based on the time before the wireless device needs to reacquire or update the A-GNSS information.

[0061] In some embodiments, the at least one GNSS satellite is identified based on GNSS satellite data associated with it, wherein the GNSS satellite data is received from a GNSS or another network node. In some embodiments, the GNSS satellite data includes past GNSS satellite data used to predict the current or future position of the at least one GNSS satellite.

[0062] To determine the location or coverage area of ​​a network satellite, some embodiments estimate the location or coverage area based on past location data associated with the network satellite. Past location data can be obtained from the network satellite or another network node.

[0063] To determine the location or coverage area of ​​a network satellite, some embodiments estimate the location or coverage area based on location data associated with the network satellite. The location data is determined based on orbital elements publicly available as TLE.

[0064] In some embodiments, system information indicates whether the wireless device needs to read A-GNSS information upon initial attachment.

[0065] In some embodiments, the wireless device is required to read A-GNSS information in response to a radio link failure or a problem with completing random access.

[0066] In some embodiments, A-GNSS information includes one or more of the following: calendar data of the GNSS satellite set; ephemeris data of the GNSS satellite set; timing information; and / or ionospheric data illustrating ionospheric propagation effects.

[0067] In some embodiments, the network node is part of a network satellite. In other embodiments, the network node is located on the ground and connected to the network satellite.

[0068] Some embodiments process A-GNSS information before transmission in order to reduce the total amount of data transmitted.

[0069] Some embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantages. For example, some embodiments may allow efficient use of GNSS information in cellular networks, such as enabling rapid connection to cellular satellite networks, thereby significantly reducing both connection latency and device power consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0070] To gain a more complete understanding of the disclosed embodiments and their features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0071] Figure 1 The illustration shows an example of a satellite radio access network according to certain embodiments;

[0072] Figure 2 The illustration shows an example of a method performed by a network node according to some embodiments;

[0073] Figure 3The illustration shows an example of GNSS satellite selection based on angular separation according to some embodiments;

[0074] Figure 4 The illustration shows an example of a method in a network device according to some embodiments;

[0075] Figure 5 The illustration shows an example of a wireless network according to some embodiments;

[0076] Figure 6 The illustration shows an example of a user equipment according to some embodiments;

[0077] Figure 7 The illustration shows an example of a virtualized environment according to some embodiments;

[0078] Figure 8 The illustration shows an example of a telecommunications network connected to a host computer via an intermediate network, according to some embodiments.

[0079] Figure 9 The illustration shows an example of a host computer communicating with a user equipment via a base station through a partial wireless connection, according to some embodiments.

[0080] Figure 10 The illustration shows examples of methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment, according to some embodiments.

[0081] Figure 11 The illustration shows examples of methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment, according to some embodiments.

[0082] Figure 12 The illustration shows examples of methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment, according to some embodiments.

[0083] Figure 13 The illustration shows examples of methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment, according to some embodiments.

[0084] Figure 14 The illustration shows an example of a method in a wireless device according to some embodiments;

[0085] Figure 15 The diagram illustrates examples of methods in a network node according to some embodiments; and

[0086] Figure 16 The illustration shows an example of a wireless network according to some embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0087] Generally, all terms used herein should be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the relevant art, unless a different meaning is implied and / or clearly given by the context in which they are used. All references to an element, device, component, part, step, etc., should be openly interpreted as referring to at least one instance of that element, device, component, part, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein need not be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as occurring after or before another step and / or implies that a step must occur after or before another step. Where appropriate, any feature of any embodiment of the examples disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment. Similarly, any advantage of any embodiment of the examples may be applied to any other embodiment, and vice versa. Other objects, features, and advantages of the appended embodiments will become clear from the following description.

[0088] Some embodiments of the ideas contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, other embodiments are included within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein, and the disclosed subject matter should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided as examples to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0089] Cellular satellite networks provide auxiliary GNSS information

[0090] In some embodiments, a method in network nodes provides relevant auxiliary GNSS (A-GNSS) information in a compact format within system information to make the overall SI size manageable. In some instances, this is achieved by first identifying an area of ​​the Earth's surface currently covered by a specific network satellite (which can be anywhere from a few square km to 1000+ square km) and the relevant GNSS satellites used for positioning within that area. The A-GNSS information of the relevant GNSS satellites is then provided in the system information message transmitted by the network satellite. There are two types of satellite systems: regenerative payload systems and transparent payload systems. For regenerative payload systems, the base station (network node) may be located within a satellite. For transparent payload systems, the base station is on the ground, and the satellite is merely a (complex) repeater. Transparent payload systems can also be referred to as "bends."

[0091] In some embodiments, a method for providing A-GNSS information in a network node to devices that need to connect to a cellular satellite network. Figure 2Illustrated example. In step 2000, the network node determines the position of the cellular network satellites. This is done, for example, by receiving satellite position data from another network node or by retrieving such data directly from the satellites, and may also include using past positions to estimate current or future positions. Positions can also be determined based on orbital elements publicly available as a Two-Line Element Set (TLE). A TLE is a data format that encodes a list of orbital elements of an Earth-orbiting object at a given epoch. Using appropriate prediction formulas, the state (position and velocity) at any point in the past or future can be estimated with some accuracy. In step 2010, the network node determines which GNSS satellites are available for positioning on the Earth's surface within areas covered by the cellular network satellites. This step can be performed by receiving such GNSS satellite data from another network node or from the GNSS satellite system itself. Here, the determination may also involve using past satellite positions to predict current or future satellite positions, or it may be based on publicly available TLEs. In step 2020, the network transmits a system information message, which includes A-GNSS information related to a subset of GNSS satellites identified as useful within the current or future coverage area of ​​the cellular network satellites.

[0092] Network nodes may be part of a cellular network satellite, or alternatively, may be located on the ground, using the satellite for bend-through connections toward the coverage area and / or one or more devices. A subset of GNSS satellites may be determined such that they can be used for positioning within the coverage area of ​​the cellular network satellite. Alternatively, the subset may be determined such that it can be used for positioning within a future coverage area of ​​the cellular network satellite. As an example and without limitation, A-GNSS information may include: (a) almanac data of the subset of GNSS satellites; (b) ephemeris data of the subset of GNSS satellites; (c) timing information; (d) ionospheric data illustrating ionospheric propagation effects; and / or (e) any other relevant A-GNSS data. A-GNSS data may be further processed, such as quantized, truncated, or otherwise compressed, to reduce the total amount of data transmitted. This may be acceptable because the accuracy requirements for devices used to connect to the satellite network are lower than typical positioning requirements.

[0093] In addition to A-GNSS information, corresponding information about cellular network satellites may also exist. A validity duration may also be included, indicating the period during which the information is valid. Limited validity may be due to inaccurate satellite trajectories or the subset of GNSS satellites no longer being suitable for positioning within the coverage area of ​​the cellular network satellites. This validity timer can also indicate to the UE how long the A-GNSS information will remain valid, i.e., how long after which the UE will need to reacquire / update the A-GNSS information. This can be beneficial in areas where (mobile) satellites need to update A-GNSS information and some UEs may need to continuously update A-GNSS information, thus consuming power.

[0094] In some embodiments, the UE only needs to read A-GNSS information during initial network attachment. In another embodiment, A-GNSS information is reacquired only when a problem occurs (such as failure to complete random access, radio link failure, or the UE receiving UE-specific A-GNSS information). This helps reduce the use and power consumption of GNSS measurements only for more specific scenarios.

[0095] Determining the GNSS satellites to be included in A-GNSS information

[0096] Figure 2 Step 2010 is used to determine the minimum number (N) of GNSS satellites in the GNSS satellite set to be included in the system information to be broadcast by the cellular NTN. Note that N may be as low as 3, but should preferably be at least 4. In some embodiments, the NTN node (i.e., the satellite or High Altitude Platform System (HAPS)) selects the N GNSS satellites mentioned based on the angular distance or spacing between the line-of-sight direction from the device to the NTN node and the line-of-sight direction from the device to the GNSS satellite. Figure 3 This embodiment is illustrated, using α A and α B Let's define the angular distances between the mentioned cellular NTN node 102 and GNSS satellites 104A and 104B, respectively. In this example, cellular NTN node 102 will select GNSS satellite 104A instead of GNSS satellite 104B to minimize the angular distance, as this minimizes the time required for the UE to retune its receiver beam toward the GNSS satellite. Note that many satellite systems use high-gain electronically controlled parabolic antenna receivers. Because the antenna can be used for both cellular communication and GNSS reception, minimizing the time required to receive GNSS signals is relevant, as this maximizes the time the antenna can be used for cellular system operation. This leads to prioritizing GNSS satellite broadcasts to minimize the mentioned angular distance.

[0097] In some embodiments, a set of N GNSS satellites is selected to maximize the spread of the mentioned angular spacing across the N selected GNSS satellites (within the limits of the allowed angular spacing). Some embodiments may have a maximum allowed angular spacing to limit the UE scan range of the GNSS satellites. Some embodiments may have a minimum allowed angular spacing to improve positioning accuracy (the angular spacing should be higher than the minimum, for example, because N satellites in nearly identical locations will not provide robust positioning information). Some embodiments optimize the angular spacing across the N selected GNSS satellites to limit the UE scan range of the GNSS satellites while optimizing positioning accuracy within a given limited scan range.

[0098] The device connects to the cellular satellite network via A-GNSS information provided by the network.

[0099] In some embodiments, a method performed in a network device can be used to connect the network device to a cellular satellite network. This is achieved by the network device first receiving a system information message including A-GNSS information and signals from a subset of GNSS satellites comprising at least three GNSS satellites. Based on the A-GNSS information and the GNSS signals, the location of the device can be determined, and thereby the Doppler time and frequency offset relative to the network satellites can be determined. This allows the device to establish a connection to the cellular satellite network by transmitting a random access signal with pre-compensated time and frequency.

[0100] Some embodiments include a method in a network device for receiving A-GNSS information in order to connect to a cellular satellite network. For example, in Figure 4 This can be seen in the steps. In step 4000, the device receives a System Information (SI) message from a first cellular network satellite. The SI message includes A-GNSS information about a suitable subset of GNSS satellites used for the positioning of the network device. In step 4010, the device receives GNSS data from at least three satellites in the suitable subset of GNSS satellites. Together with the A-GNSS information, the received GNSS data is used to determine the device's location in step 4020. In step 4030, the network device can use the determined location to calculate the Doppler time and frequency shift caused by the velocity of the cellular network satellite at its current location. Since the Doppler effect is based on the current location of the cellular network satellite, its location must also be known. Its location can be determined based on the SI message, or by predicting the current satellite location from old satellite locations using additional data (e.g., ephemeris data). Once the Doppler shift has been determined, the network device can transmit a random access signal (or preamble) or initiate a random access procedure (step 4040). The random access signal / preamble / procedure can be used to facilitate a connection with the cellular network satellite.

[0101] Some embodiments may include an additional step in which the device first determines that the GNSS satellite information is still valid before attempting to receive GNSS data, and only performs transmission in step 4040 if this is the case. If the data is invalid, the network device may still attempt to obtain its location, and if successful, proceed with random access.

[0102] In some embodiments, before receiving SI data in step 4010, the network device may determine whether a previous location has become invalid. This can be done, for example, by determining whether a timer has exceeded a threshold or by determining whether a sensor (e.g., a magnetic sensor) indicates movement of the network device. This timer threshold may be further set according to the mobility level, such that a lower mobility level (meaning a more stationary UE) will have a higher threshold compared to a UE with a higher mobility level (meaning a more mobile UE).

[0103] While connecting to a cellular satellite network may be possible without the proposed embodiment, such a solution would significantly increase complexity because the receiver would need to perform numerous time and frequency assumptions (which are practically impossible), or the network would need to estimate the required time and frequency compensations and relay that information back to the UE for correction.

[0104] While the topics described in this article can be implemented in any suitable type of system using any suitable components, regarding wireless networks (such as...), Figure 5 The exemplary wireless network illustrated in the figure below describes embodiments disclosed herein. For simplicity, Figure 5 The wireless network depicted only includes network 106, network nodes 160 and 160b, and WDs 110, 110b, and 110c. In practice, the wireless network may also include any additional elements suitable for supporting communication between wireless devices or between a wireless device and another communication device (such as a landline telephone, service provider, or any other network node or terminal device). Among the illustrated components, network node 160 and wireless device (WD) 110 are depicted in more detail. The wireless network may provide communication and other types of services to one or more wireless devices to facilitate access and / or use of services provided by or via the wireless network.

[0105] Wireless networks may include any type of communications, telecommunications, data, cellular and / or radio networks or other similar systems, and / or be connected to any type of communications, telecommunications, data, cellular and / or radio networks or other similar systems via an interface. In some embodiments, a wireless network may be configured to operate according to a specific standard or other type of predefined rules or procedures. Thus, specific embodiments of a wireless network may implement: communication standards such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G or 5G standards; wireless local area network (WLAN) standards such as the IEEE 802.11 standard; and / or any other suitable wireless communication standards such as Global Microwave Access Interoperability (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave and / or ZigBee standards.

[0106] Network 106 may include one or more backhaul networks, core networks, IP networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTN), packet data networks, optical networks, wide area networks (WAN), local area networks (LAN), wireless local area networks (WLAN), wired networks, wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks to enable communication between devices.

[0107] Network node 160 and WD 110 include various components described in more detail below. These components work together to provide network node and / or wireless device functionality, such as providing wireless connectivity in a wireless network. In various embodiments, the wireless network may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices, relay stations, and / or any other components or systems that facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals (whether via wired or wireless connections).

[0108] As used herein, a network node refers to a device that is capable of, configured to, arranged to, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with wireless devices and / or with other network nodes or devices in a wireless network to provide and / or enable wireless access to the wireless devices and / or perform other functions (e.g., management) in the wireless network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points) and base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs), and NR Node Bs (gNBs)). Base stations may be classified based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, in other words, their transmit power level) and may subsequently be referred to as femtocells, picocells, microcells, or macrocells. A base station may be a relay donor node or a relay node that controls a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) portions of a distributed radio base station, such as a centralized digital unit and / or a remote radio unit (RRU) (sometimes referred to as a remote radio head (RRH)). Such remote radio units may be integrated with an antenna as an antenna-integrated radio device, or they may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna-integrated radio device. A portion of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as a node in a distributed antenna system (DAS). Further examples of network nodes include multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment (such as an MSR BS), network controllers (such as a radio network controller (RNC) or base station controller (BSC)), base transceiver stations (BTS), transport points, transport nodes, multi-cell / multicast coordination entities (MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., mobile switching centers (MSCs), mobility management entities (MMEs)), operations and maintenance (O&M) nodes, operations support system (OSS) nodes, self-optimizing network (SON) nodes, location nodes (e.g., evolved servicing mobile location centers (E-SMLCs)), and / or minimized drive testing (MDTs). As another example, a network node may be a virtual network node, as described in more detail below. However, more generally, a network node can represent any suitable device (or group of devices) that is capable of, configured to, arranged to, and / or operable to enable a wireless device to access a wireless network and / or to provide access to the wireless network to a wireless device or to provide some service to a wireless device that is already connected to the wireless network.

[0109] exist Figure 5 In the network node 160, there are processing circuitry 170, device-readable medium 180, interface 190, auxiliary equipment 184, power supply 186, power supply circuitry 187, and antenna 162. Although Figure 5The network node 160 illustrated in the exemplary wireless network may represent an apparatus including a combination of the illustrated hardware components, but other embodiments may include network nodes having different combinations of components. It should be understood that a network node includes any suitable combination of hardware and / or software required to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. Furthermore, although the components of network node 160 are depicted as separate boxes nested within multiple boxes or located within a larger box, in practice, a network node may include multiple different physical components constituting a single illustrated component (e.g., apparatus-readable medium 180 may include multiple separate hard disk drives and multiple RAM modules).

[0110] Similarly, network node 160 may consist of multiple physically separate components (e.g., NodeB components and RNC components, or BTS components and BSC components, etc.), each of which may have its own respective components. In some scenarios where network node 160 includes multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of these separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In such scenarios, in some instances, each unique NodeB and RNC pair may be considered a single, separate network node. In some embodiments, network node 160 may be configured to support multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate device-readable media 180 for different RATs), and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna 162 may be shared by RATs). Network node 160 may also include multiple sets of illustrated components for integrating various wireless technologies, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Wide Code Division Multiplexing Access (WCDMA), LTE, NR, WiFi, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, into network node 160. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or chip sets and other components within network node 160.

[0111] Processing circuitry 170 is configured to perform any determination, calculation, or similar operation (e.g., certain acquisition operations) described herein as being provided by a network node. These operations performed by processing circuitry 170 may include, for example, processing acquired information by transforming it into other information, comparing the acquired or transformed information with information stored in the network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the acquired or transformed information, and making a determination as a result of said processing.

[0112] Processing circuitry 170 may include one or more of the following: a microprocessor, a controller, a central processing unit, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field-programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and / or coding logic operable alone or in combination with other network node 160 components (such as device-readable medium 180) to provide the functionality of network node 160. For example, processing circuitry 170 may execute instructions stored in device-readable medium 180 or in memory stored within processing circuitry 170. Such functionality may include any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussed herein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 170 may include a system-on-a-chip (SoC).

[0113] In some embodiments, processing circuitry 170 may include one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174 may be on separate chips (or chipsets), boards, or units (such as radio units and digital units). In alternative embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry 172 and baseband processing circuitry 174 may be on the same chip or chipset, board, or unit.

[0114] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 170 executes instructions stored on the device-readable medium 180 or in memory within the processing circuitry 170 to perform some or all of the functionality described herein as provided by a network node, base station, eNB, or other such network device. In alternative embodiments, the processing circuitry 170 may provide some or all of the functionality, such as in a hard-wired manner, without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable medium. In any of those embodiments, the processing circuitry 170 can be configured to perform the described functionality regardless of whether instructions stored on a device-readable storage medium are executed. The benefits provided by this functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry 170 or other components of the network node 160, but are generally enjoyed by the network node 160 as a whole and / or by end users and the wireless network.

[0115] Device-readable medium 180 may include any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory, including, without limitation, permanent storage devices, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (e.g., hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., flash drives, compact discs (CDs), or digital video discs (DVDs)) and / or any other volatile or non-volatile non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and / or instructions usable by processing circuitry 170. Device-readable medium 180 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including computer programs, software, applications (including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc.) and / or other instructions executable by processing circuitry 170 and usable by network node 160. Device-readable medium 180 may be used to store any calculations performed by processing circuitry 170 and / or any data received via interface 190. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 170 and device-readable medium 180 may be considered integrated.

[0116] Interface 190 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between network node 160, network 106, and / or WD 110. As shown, interface 190 includes one or more ports / terminals 194 for transmitting and receiving data to and from network 106, for example, via a wired connection. Interface 190 also includes radio front-end circuitry 192, which may be coupled to antenna 162 or, in some embodiments, may be part of antenna 162. Radio front-end circuitry 192 includes filter 198 and amplifier 196. Radio front-end circuitry 192 may be connected to antenna 162 and processing circuitry 170. Radio front-end circuitry 192 may be configured to modulate the signal transmitted between antenna 162 and processing circuitry 170. Radio front-end circuitry 192 may receive digital data to be transmitted wirelessly to other network nodes or WD. Radio front-end circuitry 192 may use a combination of filter 198 and / or amplifier 196 to convert digital data into radio signals with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signals can then be transmitted via antenna 162. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 162 can collect radio signals, which are then converted into digital data by radio front-end circuitry 192. The digital data can be passed to processing circuitry 170. In other embodiments, the interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0117] In some alternative embodiments, network node 160 may not include a separate radio front-end circuitry 192. Instead, processing circuitry 170 may include radio front-end circuitry and be connected to antenna 162 without a separate radio front-end circuitry 192. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or part of RF transceiver circuitry 172 may be considered part of interface 190. In still other embodiments, interface 190 may include one or more ports or terminals 194, radio front-end circuitry 192, and RF transceiver circuitry 172 as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface 190 may communicate with baseband processing circuitry 174, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0118] Antenna 162 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals. Antenna 162 may be coupled to radio front-end circuitry 190 and may be any type of antenna capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data and / or signals. In some embodiments, antenna 162 may include one or more omnidirectional, sector, or planar antennas operable to transmit / receive radio signals, for example, between 2 GHz and 66 GHz. Omnidirectional antennas can be used to transmit / receive radio signals in any direction, sector antennas can be used to transmit / receive radio signals from devices within a specific area, and planar antennas can be line-of-sight antennas for transmitting / receiving radio signals along a relatively straight line. In some instances, the use of more than one antenna may be referred to as MIMO. In some embodiments, antenna 162 may be separate from network node 160 and may be connected to network node 160 via an interface or port.

[0119] Antenna 162, interface 190, and / or processing circuitry 170 may be configured to perform any receive operation and / or certain acquire operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals may be received from a wireless device, another network node, and / or any other network device. Similarly, antenna 162, interface 190, and / or processing circuitry 170 may be configured to perform any transmit operation described herein as being performed by a network node. Any information, data, and / or signals may be transmitted to a wireless device, another network node, and / or any other network device.

[0120] Power supply circuit 187 may include or be coupled to power management circuitry and is configured to supply power to components of network node 160 for performing the functionality described herein. Power supply circuit 187 may receive power from power source 186. Power source 186 and / or power supply circuit 187 may be configured to supply power to various components of network node 160 in a manner suitable to the respective components (e.g., according to the voltage and current levels required by each respective component). Power source 186 may be included in power supply circuit 187 and / or network node 160, or located externally to power supply circuit 187 and / or network node 160. For example, network node 160 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet) via input circuitry or an interface (such as a cable), thereby supplying power to power supply circuit 187. As another example, power source 186 may include a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack, which is connected to or integrated into power supply circuit 187. The battery can provide backup power in the event of an external power failure. Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices, may also be used.

[0121] Alternative embodiments of network node 160 may include Figure 5 In addition to the components shown herein, other components may be responsible for providing certain aspects of the functionality of the network node, including any functionality described herein and / or any functionality necessary to support the topics described herein. For example, network node 160 may include a user interface device to allow information to be input into and output from network node 160. This allows users to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other management functions of network node 160.

[0122] As used herein, a wireless device (WD) means a device that is capable of, configured to, arranged to, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and / or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise indicated, the term WD may be used interchangeably with User Equipment (UE) herein. Wireless communication may involve transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for transmitting information through the air. In some embodiments, a WD may be configured to transmit and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For example, a WD may be designed to transmit information to the network according to a predetermined schedule, when triggered by internal or external events, or in response to a request from the network. Examples of WD devices include, but are not limited to, smartphones, mobile phones, cellular phones, Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless cameras, game consoles or devices, music storage devices, playback appliances, wearable devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, tablet computers, laptop computers, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), smart devices, wireless customer premises equipment (CPE), and vehicle-mounted wireless terminal devices. WD may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example, by implementing 3GPP standards for pass-through communication, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-everything (V2X), and in this case, may be referred to as a D2D communication device. As another specific example, in the Internet of Things (IoT) scenario, WD may refer to a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurement and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurement to another WD and / or network node. In this context, WD can be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which in the 3GPP context may be referred to as an MTC device. As a specific example, WD can be a UE implementing the 3GPP Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) standard. Specific examples of such machines or devices are sensors, metering devices (such as power meters), industrial machinery, or household or personal appliances (e.g., refrigerators, televisions, etc.), and personal wearable devices (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.). In other scenarios, WD can refer to a vehicle or other device capable of monitoring and / or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation. As described above, WD can also represent a wirelessly connected endpoint, in which case the device may be referred to as a wireless terminal.In addition, as mentioned above, the WD can be mobile, in which case it can also be referred to as a mobile device or mobile terminal.

[0123] As shown in the figure, the wireless device 110 includes an antenna 111, an interface 114, processing circuitry 120, a device-readable medium 130, a user interface device 132, auxiliary devices 134, a power supply 136, and a power circuit 137. WD 110 may include one or more of the illustrated components for various wireless technologies supported by WD 110, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, WiMAX, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, to name a few. These wireless technologies may be integrated into a chip or chipset that is the same as or different from other components within WD 110.

[0124] Antenna 111 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals and is connected to interface 114. In some alternative embodiments, antenna 111 may be separate from WD 110 and may be connected to WD 110 via an interface or port. Antenna 111, interface 114, and / or processing circuitry 120 may be configured to perform any receive or transmit operations described herein as performed by a WD. Any information, data, and / or signals may be received from network nodes and / or another WD. In some embodiments, radio front-end circuitry and / or antenna 111 may be considered as an interface.

[0125] As shown in the figure, interface 114 includes radio front-end circuitry 112 and antenna 111. Radio front-end circuitry 112 includes one or more filters 118 and amplifiers 116. Radio front-end circuitry 114 is connected to antenna 111 and processing circuitry 120 and is configured to modulate the signal transmitted between antenna 111 and processing circuitry 120. Radio front-end circuitry 112 may be coupled to antenna 111 or may be part of antenna 111. In some embodiments, WD 110 may not include separate radio front-end circuitry 112; more precisely, processing circuitry 120 may include radio front-end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 111. Similarly, in some embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be considered part of interface 114. Radio front-end circuitry 112 may receive digital data to be transmitted wirelessly to other network nodes or WD. Radio front-end circuitry 112 may use a combination of filters 118 and / or amplifiers 116 to convert digital data into radio signals with appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signals may then be transmitted via antenna 111. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 111 can collect radio signals, which are then converted into digital data by radio front-end circuitry 112. The digital data can then be passed to processing circuitry 120. In other embodiments, the interface may include different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0126] Processing circuitry 120 may include one or more of the following: a microprocessor, a controller, a central processing unit, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field-programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and / or coding logic operable alone or in combination with other WD 110 components (such as device-readable medium 130) to provide WD 110 functionality. Such functionality may include any of the various wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing circuitry 120 may execute instructions stored in device-readable medium 130 or in memory within processing circuitry 120 to provide the functionality disclosed herein.

[0127] As shown in the figure, the processing circuit 120 includes one or more of an RF transceiver circuit 122, a baseband processing circuit 124, and an application processing circuit 126. In other embodiments, the processing circuit may include different components and / or different combinations of components. In some embodiments, the processing circuit 120 of the WD 110 may include a System-on-a-Chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the RF transceiver circuit 122, the baseband processing circuit 124, and the application processing circuit 126 may be on separate chips or chipsets. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the baseband processing circuit 124 and the application processing circuit 126 may be combined into a single chip or chipset, and the RF transceiver circuit 122 may be on a separate chip or chipset. In still other alternative embodiments, some or all of the RF transceiver circuit 122 and the baseband processing circuit 124 may be on the same chip or chipset, and the application processing circuit 126 may be on a separate chip or chipset. In still other alternative embodiments, some or all of the RF transceiver circuit 122, the baseband processing circuit 124, and the application processing circuit 126 may be combined into the same chip or chipset. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 122 may be part of interface 114. RF transceiver circuitry 122 may regulate RF signals used for processing circuitry 120.

[0128] In some embodiments, the execution of instructions stored on a device-readable medium 130 by the processing circuitry 120 can provide some or all of the functionality described herein as being performed by WD, where the device-readable medium 130 may be a computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by the processing circuitry 120, such as in a hard-wired manner, without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium. In any particular embodiment of those particular embodiments, the processing circuitry 120 can be configured to perform the described functionality regardless of whether instructions stored on the device-readable storage medium are executed. The benefits provided by this functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry 120 or other components of WD 110, but are generally enjoyed by WD 110 as a whole and / or by end users and wireless networks.

[0129] Processing circuitry 120 may be configured to perform any determination, calculation, or similar operation (e.g., certain acquisition operations) described herein as being performed by the WD. Such operations performed by processing circuitry 120 may include, for example, processing acquired information by converting it into other information, comparing the acquired or converted information with information stored by WD 110, and / or performing one or more operations based on the acquired or converted information, and making a determination as a result of said processing.

[0130] Device-readable medium 130 may be operable to store computer programs, software, applications (including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, etc.) and / or other instructions executable by processing circuitry 120. Device-readable medium 130 may include computer memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., compact disc (CD) or digital video disc (DVD)) and / or any other volatile or non-volatile non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory device that stores information, data, and / or instructions usable by processing circuitry 120. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 120 and device-readable medium 130 may be considered integrated.

[0131] User interface device 132 provides components that allow a human user to interact with WD 110. This interaction can take many forms, such as visual, auditory, tactile, etc. User interface device 132 can be operable to produce output to a user and allow the user to provide input to WD 110. The type of interaction can vary depending on the type of user interface device 132 installed in WD 110. For example, if WD 110 is a smartphone, the interaction may be via a touchscreen; if WD 110 is a smartwatch, the interaction may be via a screen providing usage information (e.g., gallons used) or a speaker providing an audible alarm (e.g., if smoke is detected). User interface device 132 may include input interfaces, means, and circuitry, as well as output interfaces, means, and circuitry. User interface device 132 is configured to allow information input to WD 110 and is connected to processing circuitry 120 to allow processing circuitry 120 to process the input information. User interface device 132 may include, for example, a microphone, proximity sensor or other sensor, keys / buttons, touch display, one or more cameras, a USB port, or other input circuitry. User interface device 132 is also configured to allow information output from WD 110, and processing circuitry 120 to output information from WD 110. User interface device 132 may include, for example, a speaker, display, vibration circuitry, USB port, headphone jack, or other output circuitry. Using one or more input and output interfaces, devices, and circuitry of user interface device 132, WD 110 can communicate with end users and / or wireless networks, allowing them to benefit from the functionality described herein.

[0132] The auxiliary device 134 is operable to provide more specific functionality that may not typically be performed by the WD. This may include dedicated sensors for measurements for various purposes, interfaces for other types of communication (such as wired communication), etc. The components included and type of the auxiliary device 134 may vary depending on the embodiment and / or scenario.

[0133] In some embodiments, power supply 136 may be in the form of a battery or battery pack. Other types of power supplies may also be used, such as an external power source (e.g., a power outlet), a photovoltaic device, or a power cell. WD 110 may also include power circuitry 137 for supplying power from power supply 136 to various parts of WD 110 that require power from power supply 136 to perform any functionality described or indicated herein. In some embodiments, power circuitry 137 may include power management circuitry. Power circuitry 137 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power from an external power source; in this case, WD 110 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., a power outlet) via input circuitry or an interface (e.g., a power cable). In some embodiments, power circuitry 137 may also be operable to supply power from an external power source to power supply 136. This can be used, for example, for charging power supply 136. Power circuitry 137 may perform any formatting, conversion, or other modifications on the power from power supply 136 to suit the appropriate components of the WD 110 being powered.

[0134] Figure 6 The illustration shows one embodiment of a UE based on the various aspects described herein. As used herein, a user equipment or UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the associated device. Alternatively, a UE may represent a device intended for sale to or operated by a human user, but the device may not be associated with a particular human user or the device may not initially be associated with a particular human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device not intended for sale to or operated by an end user, but the device may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter). UE2200 can be any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including NB-IoT UEs, Machine Type Communication (MTC) UEs, and / or Enhanced MTC (eMTC) UEs. Figure 6 As shown, UE 200 is an example of a WD configured for communication according to one or more communication standards (such as 3GPP's GSM, UMTS, LTE, and / or 5G standards) published by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). As previously stated, the terms WD and UE can be used interchangeably. Therefore, although... Figure 6 It is UE, but the components discussed in this article also apply to WD, and vice versa.

[0135] exist Figure 6In this embodiment, UE 200 includes processing circuitry 201 operatively coupled to an input / output interface 205, a radio frequency (RF) interface 209, a network connectivity interface 211, a memory 215 (including random access memory (RAM) 217, read-only memory (ROM) 219, and storage medium 221, or the like), a communication subsystem 231, a power supply 233, and / or any other components or any combination thereof. Storage medium 221 includes an operating system 223, application programs 225, and data 227. In other embodiments, storage medium 221 may include other similar types of information. Some UEs may use... Figure 6 The components shown may be all of the components, or only a subset of the components may be used. The level of integration between components may vary from UE to UE. In addition, some UEs may contain multiple instances of components, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0136] exist Figure 6 In this embodiment, processing circuitry 201 can be configured to process computer instructions and data. Processing circuitry 201 can be configured to implement: any sequential state machine operable to execute machine instructions stored in memory as a machine-readable computer program, such as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with suitable firmware; one or more stored programs, general-purpose processors (such as microprocessors or digital signal processors (DSPs)) together with suitable software; or any combination of the above. For example, processing circuitry 201 may include two central processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a form suitable for use by a computer.

[0137] In the depicted embodiments, the input / output interface 205 may be configured to provide a communication interface to an input device, an output device, or both input and output devices. The UE 200 may be configured to use an output device via the input / output interface 205. The output device may use an interface port of the same type as the input device. For example, a USB port may be used to provide input to and from the UE 200. The output device may be a speaker, sound card, video card, display, monitor, printer, actuator, transmitter, smart card, another output device, or any combination thereof. The UE 200 may be configured to use an input device via the input / output interface 205 to allow a user to capture information into the UE 200. The input device may include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, digital video camera, web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a steering pad, a touchpad, a scroll wheel, a smart card, and the like. A presence-sensitive display may include capacitive or resistive touch sensors to sense input from the user. Sensors can be, for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt sensors, force sensors, magnetometers, light sensors, proximity sensors, other similar sensors, or any combination thereof. Input devices can be, for example, accelerometers, magnetometers, digital cameras, microphones, and light sensors.

[0138] exist Figure 6 In this configuration, RF interface 209 can be configured to provide a communication interface to RF components such as transmitters, receivers, and antennas. Network connectivity interface 211 can be configured to provide a communication interface to network 243a. Network 243a may include wired and / or wireless networks, such as local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), computer networks, wireless networks, telecommunications networks, another similar network, or any combination thereof. For example, network 243a may include a Wi-Fi network. Network connectivity interface 211 can be configured to include receiver and transmitter interfaces for communicating with one or more other devices over the communication network according to one or more communication protocols such as Ethernet, TCP / IP, SONET, ATM, or the like. Network connectivity interface 211 can implement receiver and transmitter functionality suitable for communication network links (e.g., optical communication network links, electrical communication network links, and the like). Transmitter and receiver functionality may share circuit components, software, or firmware, or alternatively, may be implemented separately.

[0139] RAM 217 may be configured to be connected to processing circuitry 201 via bus 202 through an interface to provide storage or cache of data or computer instructions during the execution of software programs (such as operating systems, application programs, and device drivers). ROM 219 may be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processing circuitry 201. For example, ROM 219 may be configured to store invariant low-level system code or data for basic system functions (such as basic input and output (I / O), startup, or receiving keystrokes from a keyboard), which are stored in non-volatile memory. Storage medium 221 may be configured to include memory such as RAM, ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disk, optical disk, floppy disk, hard disk, removable cartridge, or flash memory drive. In one example, storage medium 221 may be configured to include operating system 223, application 225 (such as a web browser application, widget or gadget engine, or another application), and data files 227. Storage medium 221 may store any operating system or combination of operating systems from a wide variety of operating systems for use by UE 200.

[0140] Storage medium 221 may be configured to include a variety of physical drive units, such as a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), a floppy disk drive, flash memory, a USB flash drive, an external hard disk drive, a thumb drive, a pen drive, a key drive, a high-density digital multifunction disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, an internal hard disk drive, a Blu-ray disc drive, a holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, an external small dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), an external micro DIMM SDRAM, smart card memory (such as a subscriber identity module or a removable subscriber identity (SIM / RUIM) module), other memory, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 221 may allow UE 200 to access computer-executable instructions, applications, or the like stored on transient or non-transitory storage media to offload or upload data. Articles of manufacture (such as those using a communication system) may be tangibly embodied in storage medium 221, which may include a device-readable medium.

[0141] exist Figure 6In this embodiment, processing circuitry 201 may be configured to communicate with network 243b using communication subsystem 231. Networks 243a and 243b may be the same network or multiple networks, or different networks or multiple networks. Communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include one or more transceivers for communicating with network 243b. For example, communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include one or more transceivers for communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device (such as another WD, UE, or base station of a radio access network (RAN)) capable of performing wireless communication, according to one or more communication protocols (such as IEEE 802.11, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), WiMax, or the like). Each transceiver may include transmitter 233 and / or receiver 235 to respectively implement transmitter or receiver functionality suitable for a radio access network (RAN) link (e.g., frequency allocation and the like). Additionally, the transmitter 233 and receiver 235 of each transceiver may share circuit components, software, or firmware, or alternatively, may be implemented separately.

[0142] In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions of the communication subsystem 231 may include data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communication (such as Bluetooth), near-field communication, location-based communication (such as using a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine location), another similar communication function, or any combination thereof. For example, the communication subsystem 231 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPS communication. The network 243b may include wired and / or wireless networks, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another similar network, or any combination thereof. For example, the network 243b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and / or a near-field network. The power supply 213 may be configured to provide alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to the components of the UE 200.

[0143] The features, benefits, and / or functions described herein may be implemented in one of the components of UE 200, or may be segmented across multiple components of UE 200. Additionally, the features, benefits, and / or functions described herein may be implemented in any combination of hardware, software, or firmware. In one example, communication subsystem 231 may be configured to include any of the components described herein. Additionally, processing circuitry 201 may be configured to communicate with any of such components via bus 202. In another example, any component of such a component may be represented by program instructions stored in memory, which, when executed by processing circuitry 201, perform the corresponding functions described herein. In another example, the functionality of any component of such a component may be segmented between processing circuitry 201 and communication subsystem 231. In yet another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any component of such a component may be implemented in software or firmware, and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0144] Figure 7 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 300 in which functionality implemented by some embodiments can be virtualized. In this context, virtualization means creating a virtual version of a device or apparatus, which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices, and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to nodes (e.g., virtualized base stations or virtualized radio access nodes) or apparatuses (e.g., UEs, wireless devices, or any other type of communication apparatus) or components thereof, and relates to implementations in which at least a portion of functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components (e.g., one or more applications, components, functions, virtual machines, or containers executed on one or more physical processing nodes in one or more networks).

[0145] In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines, which are implemented in one or more virtual environments 300 hosted by one or more hardware nodes 330. Additionally, in embodiments where the virtual node is not a radio access node or does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node), the network node may be fully virtualized.

[0146] The functionality may be implemented by one or more applications 320 (which may alternatively be referred to as software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.), said one or more applications 320 being operable to implement some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some embodiments disclosed herein. The applications 320 run in a virtualization environment 300, which provides hardware 330 including processing circuitry 360 and memory 390. The memory 390 contains instructions 395 executable by the processing circuitry 360, thereby enabling the applications 320 to operate to provide one or more of the features, benefits, and / or functions disclosed herein.

[0147] The virtualization environment 300 includes general-purpose or special-purpose network hardware devices 330, which comprise a collection of one or more processors or processing circuits 360. These processors or processing circuits 360 may be commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, specialized application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processing circuitry (including digital or analog hardware components or dedicated processors). Each hardware device may include a memory 390-1, which may be a non-permanent memory for temporarily storing instructions 395 or software executable by the processing circuits 360. Each hardware device may include one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 370, also referred to as network interface cards, which include physical network interfaces 380. Each hardware device may also include a non-transitory permanent machine-readable storage medium 390-2, in which software 395 and / or instructions executable by the processing circuits 360 are stored. Software 395 may include any type of software, including software for instantiating one or more virtualization layers 350 (also referred to as hypervisors), software for executing virtual machine 340, and software that allows it to perform the functions, features, and / or benefits described with respect to some of the embodiments described herein.

[0148] Virtual machine 340 includes virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interfaces, and virtual storage, and can be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 350 or hypervisor. Different embodiments of instances of virtual appliance 320 can be implemented on one or more virtual machines 340 within virtual machine 340, and can be implemented in different ways.

[0149] During operation, processing circuitry 360 executes software 395 to instantiate a hypervisor or virtualization layer 350, sometimes referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM). The virtualization layer 350 can present a virtual operating platform that appears to be networked hardware to the virtual machine 340.

[0150] like Figure 7 As shown, hardware 330 can be a standalone network node with general or specific components. Hardware 330 may include antenna 3225 and may be virtualized to implement some functions. Alternatively, hardware 330 may be part of a larger hardware cluster (such as in a data center or customer premises equipment (CPE)) in which many hardware nodes work together and are managed by management and dispatch (MANO) 3100, which, among other things, oversees the lifecycle management of application 320.

[0151] In some contexts, hardware virtualization is referred to as Network Functions Virtualization (NFV). NFV can be used to integrate many types of network devices into industry-standard high-capacity server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage devices that can be located in data centers and residential homes.

[0152] In the context of NFV, virtual machine 340 can be a software implementation of a physical machine, and its running programs are as if they were executing on a physical non-virtualized machine. The portion of virtual machine 340 and hardware 330 that executes that virtual machine (whether it is hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and / or hardware shared by that virtual machine and other virtual machines 340 in the virtual machine) form a separate virtual network element (VNE).

[0153] Still within the context of NFV, a Virtual Network Function (VNF) is responsible for handling specific network functions running in one or more virtual machines 340 on the hardware networking infrastructure 330, and corresponds to... Figure 7 Application 320.

[0154] In some embodiments, one or more radio units 3200 may be coupled to one or more antennas 3225, and each of the one or more radio units 3200 includes one or more transmitters 3220 and one or more receivers 3210. The radio unit 3200 may communicate directly with the hardware node 330 via one or more suitable network interfaces and may be used in conjunction with virtual components to provide a radio-capable virtual node, such as a radio access node or base station.

[0155] In some embodiments, signaling can be implemented using a control system 3230, which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware node 330 and radio unit 3200.

[0156] Reference Figure 8 According to an embodiment, the communication system includes a telecommunications network 410, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network. The telecommunications network 410 includes an access network 411 (such as a radio access network) and a core network 414. The access network 411 includes multiple base stations 412a, 412b, and 412c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs, or other types of wireless access points. Each of the multiple base stations 412a, 412b, and 412c has a defined corresponding coverage area 413a, 413b, and 413c. Each base station 412a, 412b, and 412c can be connected to the core network 414 via a wired or wireless connection 415. A first UE 491 located in coverage area 413c is configured to connect wirelessly to or be paged by the corresponding base station 412c. A second UE 492 located in coverage area 413a can connect wirelessly to the corresponding base station 412a. Although multiple UEs 491, 492 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to cases where only one UE is located in the coverage area or where only one UE is connected to the corresponding base station 412.

[0157] Telecommunications network 410 is itself connected to host computer 430, which may be embodied in the hardware and / or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, or as processing resources in a server farm. Host computer 430 may be owned or controlled by a service provider, or may be operated by or on behalf of a service provider. Connections 421 and 422 between telecommunications network 410 and host computer 430 may extend directly from core network 414 to host computer 430, or may pass through optional intermediate network 420. Intermediate network 420 may be one or more public, private, or hosted networks; if any intermediate network 420 exists, it may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 420 may include two or more subnetworks (not shown).

[0158] Figure 8The communication system as a whole enables connectivity between connected UEs 491, 492 and host computer 430. This connectivity can be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 450. Host computer 430 and connected UEs 491, 492 are configured to transmit data and / or signaling via OTT connection 450 using access network 411, core network 414, any intermediate network 420, and possibly other infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTT connection 450 can be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices traversing OTT connection 450 are unaware of the routes of uplink and downlink communications. For example, base station 412 may not be notified or need not be notified of past routes of incoming downlink communications having data originating from host computer 430 that is to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to connected UE 491. Similarly, base station 412 does not need to know the future routes of outgoing uplink communications originating from UE 491 toward host computer 430.

[0159] Now refer to Figure 9 This section describes exemplary implementations of the UE, base station, and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs according to embodiments. In the communication system 500, the host computer 510 includes hardware 515, which includes a communication interface 516 configured to establish and maintain wired or wireless connections with interfaces of different communication devices of the communication system 500. The host computer 510 also includes processing circuitry 518, which may have storage and / or processing capabilities. In particular, the processing circuitry 518 may include one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field-programmable gate arrays, or combinations thereof (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The host computer 510 also includes software 511, which is stored in or accessible by the host computer 510 and executable by the processing circuitry 518. The software 511 includes a host application 512. The host application 512 may be operable to provide services to remote users, such as a UE 530 connected via an OTT connection 550 terminated between the UE 530 and the host computer 510. When providing services to remote users, host application 512 can provide user data transmitted using OTT connection 550.

[0160] The communication system 500 also includes a base station 520, which is provided in the telecommunications system and includes hardware 525 that enables the base station 520 to communicate with a host computer 510 and a UE 530. Hardware 525 may include: a communication interface 526 for establishing and maintaining wired or wireless connections with interfaces of different communication devices of the communication system 500; and a radio interface 527 for establishing and maintaining connections at least with the coverage area served by the base station 520. Figure 9The UE 530 (not shown in the image) has a wireless connection 570. The communication interface 526 can be configured to facilitate a connection 560 to the host computer 510. Connection 560 can be a direct connection, or it can be via the core network of the telecommunications system (…). Figure 9 (Not shown) and / or via one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunications system. In the illustrated embodiment, the hardware 525 of base station 520 also includes processing circuitry 528, which may include one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field-programmable gate arrays, or combinations thereof (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Base station 520 also has software 521, which is stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

[0161] The communication system 500 also includes the previously mentioned UE 530. Its hardware 535 may include a radio interface 537 configured to establish and maintain a wireless connection 570 with a base station serving the coverage area where the UE 530 is currently located. The hardware 535 of the UE 530 also includes processing circuitry 538, which may include one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field-programmable gate arrays, or combinations thereof (not shown) suitable for executing instructions. The UE 530 also includes software 531, which is stored in or accessible by the UE 530 and executable by the processing circuitry 538. The software 531 includes a client application 532. The client application 532 may be operable to provide services to human or non-human users via the UE 530 with the support of a host computer 510. In the host computer 510, a host application 512 executing may communicate with the executing client application 532 via an OTT connection 550 terminated between the UE 530 and the host computer 510. When providing services to a user, client application 532 can receive request data from host application 512 and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 550 can transmit both request data and user data. Client application 532 can interact with the user to generate the user data it provides.

[0162] Notice, Figure 9 The host computer 510, base station 520, and UE 530 shown in the diagram can be respectively connected to... Figure 8 The host computer 430, base stations 412a, 412b, and 412c are similar to or identical to one of the UEs 491 and 492. That is, the internal workings of these entities can be as follows: Figure 9 As shown, and independently, the surrounding network topology can be Figure 8 The network topology.

[0163] exist Figure 9In this diagram, OTT connection 550 is abstractly depicted to illustrate communication between host computer 510 and UE 530 via base station 520, without explicitly mentioning any intermediary devices or the precise routing of messages through these devices. The network infrastructure can determine the routing, which can be configured to hide the routing from UE 530, the service provider operating host computer 510, or both. While OTT connection 550 is active, the network infrastructure can further make decisions, through which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., based on network load balancing considerations or reconfiguration).

[0164] The wireless connection 570 between UE 530 and base station 520 is consistent with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more embodiments in the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 530 using OTT connection 550, in which wireless connection 570 forms the final segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments improve the speed and efficiency with which the UE can connect to the NTN, and thereby provide various benefits such as improved battery life and faster initial connection, which improve the user experience and allow users to start accessing content and data more quickly.

[0165] A measurement process may be provided for the purpose of monitoring the improved data rate, latency, and other factors of one or more of the embodiments described above. Optional network functionality may also be available for reconfiguring the OTT connection 550 between the host computer 510 and the UE 530 in response to changes in the measurement results. The measurement process and / or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 550 may be implemented in the software 511 and hardware 515 of the host computer 510, or in the software 531 and hardware 535 of the UE 530, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or associated with communication devices through which the OTT connection 550 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement process by supplying values ​​of the monitored quantities exemplified above or values ​​of other physical quantities, and the software 511, 531 may calculate or estimate the monitored quantities based on the values ​​of said other physical quantities. Reconfiguration of the OTT connection 550 may include message formatting, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; the reconfiguration does not need to affect the base station 520, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to the base station 520. Such processes and functionality are known and implemented in the art. In some embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates measurements of throughput, propagation time, latency, and the like by the host computer 510. Measurements can be implemented because while software 511 and 531 monitor propagation time, errors, etc., software 511 and 531 enable messages (particularly empty messages or "pseudo" messages) to be transmitted using the OTT connection 550.

[0166] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE, which can be referenced... Figure 8 and 9 The host computer, base station, and UE are described. For the sake of simplicity, this disclosure only refers to... Figure 10 The accompanying drawings will be included in this section. In step 610, the host computer provides user data. In sub-step 611 of step 610 (sub-step 611 may be optional), the host computer provides user data by executing a host application. In step 620, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying user data to the UE. In step 630 (step 630 may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station transmits the user data carried in the host computer-initiated transmission to the UE. In step 640 (step 640 may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

[0167] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE, which can be referenced... Figure 8 and 9 The host computer, base station, and UE are described. For the sake of simplicity, this disclosure only refers to... Figure 11 Reference numerals will be included in this section. In step 710 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional sub-step (not shown), the host computer provides user data by executing a host application. In step 720, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying user data to the UE. According to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the transmission may pass through a base station. In step 730 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

[0168] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE, which can be referenced... Figure 8 and 9 The host computer, base station, and UE are described. For the sake of simplicity, this disclosure only refers to... Figure 12The accompanying drawings will be included in this section. In step 810 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Alternatively, in step 820, the UE provides user data. In sub-step 821 of step 820 (which may be optional), the UE provides user data by executing a client application. In sub-step 811 of step 810 (which may be optional), the UE executes a client application that provides user data in response to the received input data provided by the host computer. When providing user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific method used to provide user data, in sub-step 830 (which may be optional), the UE initiates the transmission of user data to the host computer. In step 840 of the method, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

[0169] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE, which can be referenced... Figure 8 and 9 The host computer, base station, and UE are described. For the sake of simplicity, this disclosure only refers to... Figure 13 Reference numerals to the accompanying drawings will be included in this section. In step 910 (which may be optional), the base station receives user data from the UE in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 920 (which may be optional), the base station initiates a transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 930 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station. Example

[0170] Group A Examples

[0171] 1. A method for connecting to an NTN, performed by a wireless device, the method comprising:

[0172] Receive A-GNSS information;

[0173] Receive at least one signal from at least one GNSS satellite;

[0174] The location of the wireless device is determined using the A-GNSS information and information from the at least one signal, which is from the at least one GNSS satellite.

[0175] Determine the Doppler time and frequency offset compared to the network satellite to which the wireless device will connect; and

[0176] The connection process with the network satellite is initiated by transmitting a random access signal with pre-compensated time and frequency.

[0177] 2. The method as described in 1 further includes: determining the validity period of the A-GNSS information.

[0178] 3. The method as described in 2, wherein the validity of the A-GNSS information is determined in part based on the mobility of the wireless device.

[0179] 4. The method as described in any one of 1-3, wherein the A-GNSS information is received in a system information message.

[0180] 5. The method as described in any one of 1-4 further includes: determining the location of the network satellite.

[0181] 6. The method as described in any of the preceding embodiments further includes:

[0182] Provide user data; and

[0183] The user data is transmitted to the base station and then forwarded to the host computer.

[0184] Group B Implementation Examples

[0185] 7. A method for connecting to a wireless device, performed by a base station, the method comprising:

[0186] Determine the location of the network satellite coverage area;

[0187] Identify at least one GNSS satellite suitable for providing location information related to the coverage area of ​​the network satellites;

[0188] Determine the A-GNSS data associated with the at least one GNSS satellite; and

[0189] The A-GNSS data is transmitted to the wireless device.

[0190] 8. The method as described in 7, wherein the coverage area of ​​the network satellite is based on the location of the network satellite.

[0191] 9. The method of any one of 7-8, wherein the A-GNSS data is transmitted to the wireless device via a system information message.

[0192] 10. The method of any one of 7-9, wherein determining the coverage area of ​​the network satellite includes determining the location of the network satellite.

[0193] 11. The method of any one of 7-10, wherein the coverage area and / or the location of the network satellites comprises receiving satellite location data from another network node or retrieving such data directly from the satellites.

[0194] 12. The method of any one of 7-11, wherein the location data includes past location data, and determining the coverage area and / or the location of the network satellites includes estimating the location based on the past location data.

[0195] 13. The method of any one of 7-12, wherein position data can be determined based on orbital elements publicly available as TLE.

[0196] 14. The method of any one of 7-13, wherein identifying at least one suitable GNSS satellite comprises receiving GNSS satellite data from another network node or from the GNSS satellite system itself.

[0197] 15. The method as described in 14, wherein past GNSS satellite data is used to predict the current or future location of one or more GNSS satellites.

[0198] 16. The method of any one of 7-15, wherein the A-GNSS data comprises data about a subset of GNSS satellites.

[0199] 17. The method of any one of 7-16, wherein the network node is part of the network satellite.

[0200] 18. The method of any one of 7-16, wherein the network node is located on the ground and connected to the network satellite.

[0201] 19. The method of any one of 7-18, wherein a subset of GNSS satellites is determined such that they can be used for positioning within the coverage area of ​​the network satellites or for positioning within the future coverage area of ​​the network satellites.

[0202] 20. The method of any one of 7-19, wherein the A-GNSS information includes one or more of the following: (1) almanac data of a subset of GNSS satellites; (2) ephemeris data of a subset of GNSS satellites; (3) timing information; and (4) ionospheric data for illustrating ionospheric propagation effects.

[0203] 21. The method of any one of 7-20, wherein the A-GNSS data is further processed before transmission.

[0204] 22. The method as described in 21, wherein further processing includes quantization, truncation, or other compression to reduce the total amount of data transmitted.

[0205] 23. The method of any one of 7-22, wherein additional information is transmitted to the wireless device.

[0206] 24. The method as described in 23, wherein the additional information includes one or more of the following: (1) information about the network satellite; and (2) an indication of the validity period of the data.

[0207] 25. The method as described in 24, wherein the indication of the validity period of the data is based on the time prior to when the UE will need to reacquire / update the A-GNSS information.

[0208] 26. The method of any one of 1-25, wherein the wireless device is only required to read the A-GNSS information upon initial attachment.

[0209] 27. The method of any one of 1-25, wherein the wireless device is only required to read the A-GNSS information when the problem occurs.

[0210] 28. The method as described in any of the preceding embodiments further includes:

[0211] Obtaining user data; and

[0212] The user data is forwarded to the host computer or wireless device.

[0213] Group C Implementation Examples

[0214] 29. A wireless device for connecting to an NTN, the wireless device comprising:

[0215] The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps described in any one of the embodiments in Group A; and

[0216] A power supply circuit is configured to supply power to the wireless device.

[0217] 30. A base station for connecting to a wireless device, the base station comprising:

[0218] The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps as described in any one of the embodiments in Group B.

[0219] The power supply circuit is configured to supply power to the base station.

[0220] 31. A user equipment (UE) for connecting to an NTN, the UE comprising:

[0221] The antenna is configured to transmit and receive wireless signals;

[0222] A radio front-end circuit, connected to the antenna and connected to the processing circuit, and configured to modulate the signal transmitted between the antenna and the processing circuit;

[0223] The processing circuit is configured to perform any of the steps as described in any one of the embodiments in Group A;

[0224] An input interface is connected to the processing circuit and configured to allow information to be input into the UE for processing by the processing circuit;

[0225] An output interface, connected to the processing circuit, and configured to output information processed by the processing circuit from the UE; and

[0226] A battery is connected to the processing circuit and configured to power the UE.

[0227] 32. A communication system, comprising a host computer, the host computer comprising:

[0228] Processing circuitry is configured to provide user data; and

[0229] The communication interface is configured to forward the user data to the cellular network for transmission to the user equipment (UE).

[0230] The cellular network includes a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry being configured to perform any of the steps described in any one of the Group B embodiments.

[0231] 33. The communication system as described in the previous embodiment further includes the base station.

[0232] 34. The communication system as described in the preceding two embodiments further includes the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

[0233] 35. The communication system as described in the preceding three embodiments, wherein:

[0234] The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and

[0235] The UE includes processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

[0236] 36. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

[0237] The host computer provides user data; and

[0238] The host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network, the cellular network including the base station, wherein the base station performs any of the steps as described in any one of the embodiments in Group B.

[0239] 37. The method as described in the previous embodiment further includes: transmitting the user data at the base station.

[0240] 38. The method as described in the preceding two embodiments, wherein the user data is provided on the host computer by executing a host application, the method further comprising executing a client application associated with the host application on the UE.

[0241] 39. A user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a base station, the UE including processing circuitry and a radio interface configured to perform the preceding three embodiments.

[0242] 40. A communication system, comprising a host computer, the host computer comprising:

[0243] Processing circuitry is configured to provide user data; and

[0244] The communication interface is configured to forward user data to the cellular network for transmission to the user equipment (UE).

[0245] The UE includes a radio interface and processing circuitry, and the components of the UE are configured to perform any of the steps as described in any one of the Group A embodiments.

[0246] 41. The communication system as described in the previous embodiment, wherein the cellular network further includes a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

[0247] 42. The communication system as described in the preceding two embodiments, wherein:

[0248] The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and

[0249] The UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

[0250] 43. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

[0251] The host computer provides user data; and

[0252] The host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network, the cellular network including the base station, wherein the UE performs any of the steps as described in any one of the embodiments in Group A.

[0253] 44. The method as described in the previous embodiment further includes: receiving the user data from the base station in the UE.

[0254] 45. A communication system, comprising a host computer, the host computer comprising:

[0255] The communication interface is configured to receive user data transmitted from the user equipment (UE) to the base station.

[0256] The UE includes a radio interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of which is configured to perform any of the steps described in any one of the Group A embodiments.

[0257] 46. ​​The communication system as described in the previous embodiment further includes the UE.

[0258] 47. The communication system as described in the preceding two embodiments further includes the base station, wherein the base station includes a radio interface and a communication interface, the radio interface being configured to communicate with the UE, and the communication interface being configured to forward the user data carried by the transmission from the UE to the base station to the host computer.

[0259] 48. The communication system as described in the preceding three embodiments, wherein:

[0260] The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute host applications; and

[0261] The UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data.

[0262] 49. The communication system as described in the preceding four embodiments, wherein:

[0263] The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing requested data; and

[0264] The UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data in response to the requested data.

[0265] 50. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

[0266] The host computer receives user data transmitted from the UE to the base station, wherein the UE performs any of the steps as described in any one of the embodiments in Group A.

[0267] 51. The method as described in the previous embodiment further includes: providing the user data to the base station via the UE.

[0268] 52. The method described in the preceding two embodiments further includes:

[0269] In the UE, a client application is executed, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted; and

[0270] On the host computer, the host application associated with the client application is executed.

[0271] 53. The method described in the preceding three embodiments further includes:

[0272] In the UE, a client application is executed; and

[0273] In the UE, input data destined for the client application is received, and the input data is provided to the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application.

[0274] The user data to be transmitted is provided by the client application in response to the input data.

[0275] 54. A communication system comprising a host computer including a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a user equipment (UE) to a base station, wherein the base station includes a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps as described in any one of the Group B embodiments.

[0276] 55. The communication system as described in the previous embodiment further includes the base station.

[0277] 56. The communication system as described in the preceding two embodiments further includes the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

[0278] 57. The communication system as described in the preceding three embodiments, wherein:

[0279] The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute host applications;

[0280] The UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data to be received by the host computer.

[0281] 58. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

[0282] The host computer receives user data transmitted from the base station that has been received by the base station from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps as described in any one of the embodiments in Group A.

[0283] 59. The method as described in the previous embodiment further includes: receiving the user data from the UE at the base station.

[0284] 60. The method described in the preceding two embodiments further includes: initiating the transmission of received user data to the host computer at the base station.

[0285] Figure 14 The illustration shows an example of a method that can be performed by a wireless device (such as the aforementioned wireless device 110 (e.g., UE 200)). For example, wireless device 110 may include processing circuitry 120 (e.g., processor 201) configured to perform the steps of the method. The method begins at step 1402 with receiving system information broadcast by a network. The network may broadcast the system information via terrestrial network nodes or non-terrestrial network nodes. Examples of terrestrial network nodes include network node 160, which is located on the ground and connected to network satellite 102, for example, via gateway 103 and a feeder link. Examples of non-terrestrial network nodes include network node 160, which is part of network satellite 102.

[0286] The system information broadcast in step 1402 includes A-GNSS information. Examples of A-GNSS information include almanac data of a GNSS satellite set, ephemeris data of the GNSS satellite set, timing information, and / or ionospheric data illustrating ionospheric propagation effects. The wireless device may be configured such that it is required to read the A-GNSS information upon initial attachment and / or in response to problems such as radio link failure or problems completing random access. In some embodiments, the system information indicates when the wireless device is required to read the A-GNSS information.

[0287] The method proceeds to step 1404: receiving signals from a GNSS satellite set. The GNSS satellite set may include at least three GNSS satellites, such as GNSS satellite 104A, GNSS satellite 104B, and a third GNSS satellite 104. Including at least three GNSS satellites in the set facilitates triangulation of the location of the wireless device.

[0288] Some embodiments determine one or more GNSS satellites suitable for inclusion in the GNSS satellite set based on the ability of a given GNSS satellite to be used for positioning within the current or future coverage area of ​​a network satellite. An example of a network satellite is network satellite 102 of a radio access network, with a wireless device initiating a connection process with network satellite 102 in step 1410 discussed below. Some embodiments estimate the current or future coverage area (or current or future location) of the network satellite. As an example, some embodiments estimate the current or future coverage area (or current or future location) of the network satellite based on past location data associated with the network satellite. It is possible to receive past location data from the network satellite or another network node. As another example, some embodiments estimate the current or future coverage area (or current or future location) of the network satellite based on location data associated with the network satellite and determined according to orbital elements publicly available as TLE.

[0289] Some embodiments determine one or more GNSS satellites suitable for inclusion in the GNSS satellite set based on GNSS satellite data associated with a given GNSS satellite. GNSS satellite data can be received from GNSS (e.g., any suitable GNSS satellite via the GNSS system itself) or from another network node. In some embodiments, the GNSS satellite data includes past GNSS satellite data used to predict the current or future location of a given GNSS satellite, which is considered for inclusion in the GNSS satellite set, and a signal is received from the GNSS satellite set in step 1404. Some embodiments compare the predicted current or future location of a given GNSS satellite with an estimated current or future coverage area of ​​the network satellites to determine whether the given GNSS satellite is suitable for positioning within the estimated current or future coverage area of ​​the network satellites, and include the given GNSS satellite in the GNSS satellite set at least in part based on the given GNSS satellite's suitability for positioning within the estimated current or future coverage area of ​​the network satellites.

[0290] The method proceeds to step 1406: using the A-GNSS information received in step 1402 and the information received in step 1404 from signals from the GNSS satellite set to determine the location of the wireless device. Some embodiments determine the validity period of the A-GNSS information and use the A-GNSS information while it is still valid. As an example, determining the validity period of the A-GNSS information can be based at least in part on an indication of the validity period of the A-GNSS information received from the network. As another example, determining the validity period of the A-GNSS information can be based at least in part on the time before the wireless device needs to reacquire or update the A-GNSS information. As yet another example, determining the validity period of the A-GNSS information can be based at least in part on the mobility of the wireless device.

[0291] The method proceeds to step 1408: determining the Doppler time and frequency offset compared to the network satellite. The Doppler time and frequency offset is determined based on the location of the wireless device (the location determined in step 1406). The Doppler time and frequency offset compared to the network satellite depends in part on the current location of the second network satellite. Therefore, in order for the wireless device to determine the Doppler and frequency shift in step 1408, the wireless device may first determine the current location of the network satellite. For example, based on an SI message, or based on a predicted current location of the network satellite, the wireless device may determine the current location of the network satellite, the prediction being based on knowledge of the network satellite's previous location (e.g., possibly through the use of additional data, such as ephemeris data). The method continues to step 1410: initiating a connection procedure with the network satellite. The connection procedure includes transmitting a random access signal with pre-compensated time and frequency. The pre-compensated time and frequency are based on the Doppler time and frequency offset determined in step 1408. Examples of the random access signal transmitted in step 1410 may include any suitable signal associated with the random access procedure, such as a random access preamble, a signal initiating the random access procedure, etc.

[0292] As mentioned above, in Figure 14 In this method, the wireless device obtains A-GNSS information from system information broadcast by the network (without first needing to connect to a satellite to obtain A-GNSS information). The A-GNSS information assists the wireless device in efficiently receiving signals from the GNSS satellite set and determining the location of the wireless device, which in turn assists the wireless device in determining the Doppler time and frequency offset, so that the wireless device can initiate the connection process with the network satellites without undue delay.

[0293] The above, for example, under the heading "A Device Connecting to a Cellular Satellite Network via A-GNSS Information Provided by a Network," provides further description of steps that can be performed by a wireless device. Additionally, the wireless device can be configured to perform functions similar to / reciprocal to those of a network node. For example, in the above or regarding... Figure 2 or Figure 15 Under the headings “Provided by cellular satellite networks to assist GNSS information” and / or “Determination of GNSS satellites to be included in A-GNSS information”, a wireless device may be configured to receive and use information described as being provided by network nodes.

[0294] Figure 15 The illustration shows an example of a method that can be performed by a network node (such as network node 160 described above). For example, network node 160 may include processing circuitry 170 configured to perform the steps of the method. In some embodiments, the network node is part of a network satellite (e.g., network satellite 102 of a radio access network). In other embodiments, the network node is located on the ground and connected to the network satellite (e.g., via gateway 103 and a feeder link).

[0295] The method begins in step 1502 by determining the location or coverage area of ​​a network satellite (e.g., network satellite 102 of a radio access network). The location corresponds to the current or future location of the network satellite, and the coverage area corresponds to the current or future coverage area of ​​the network satellite. Some embodiments estimate the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite based on past location data associated with it. Past location data can be obtained from the network satellite or another network node. Some embodiments estimate the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite based on location data determined according to orbital elements publicly available as TLE and associated with it.

[0296] The method proceeds to step 1504: identifying at least one GNSS satellite (e.g., GNSS satellite 104) suitable for providing location information related to the location or coverage area of ​​a network satellite. Some embodiments identify the at least one GNSS satellite based on GNSS satellite data associated with the at least one suitable GNSS satellite. GNSS satellite data may be received from a GNSS or another network node. As an example, the GNSS satellite data may include past GNSS satellite data used to predict the current or future location of the at least one GNSS satellite. By predicting the current or future location of the at least one GNSS satellite, the method is able to determine the proximity of the at least one GNSS satellite to the current or future location (or current or future coverage area) of a network satellite in order to determine whether the at least one GNSS satellite is suitable for providing location information related to the current or future location or coverage area of ​​a network satellite.

[0297] The method proceeds to step 1506: determining A-GNSS information associated with the at least one GNSS satellite. The method may determine the A-GNSS information in any suitable manner, such as downloading A-GNSS information from an A-GNSS server or retrieving stored A-GNSS information. Examples of A-GNSS information include calendar data of the GNSS satellite set, ephemeris data of the GNSS satellite set, timing information, and / or ionospheric data illustrating ionospheric propagation effects.

[0298] The method proceeds to step 1508: transmitting system information to the wireless devices. For example, the system information may be broadcast so that wireless devices within the coverage area of ​​the network node receive it. The system information includes the A-GNSS information determined in step 1506. Before transmitting the A-GNSS information, some embodiments process the A-GNSS information to reduce the total amount of data transmitted. Processing may include quantizing, truncating, or otherwise compressing the A-GNSS information to reduce the total amount of data transmitted.

[0299] In some embodiments, the system information transmitted in step 1508 also indicates when the wireless device needs to read A-GNSS information. As an example, the system information may indicate whether the wireless device needs to read A-GNSS information upon initial attachment. As another example, the system information may indicate whether the wireless device needs to read A-GNSS information in response to a problem (e.g., radio link failure or a problem completing random access).

[0300] In some embodiments, the method also transmits information to the wireless device indicating the validity period of the A-GNSS information. For example, the method may determine the validity period of the A-GNSS information based at least in part on the time prior to when the wireless device needs to reacquire or update the A-GNSS information, or at least in part on the mobility of the wireless device.

[0301] The above, for example, provides further descriptions of steps that can be performed by a network node under the headings "Providing Auxiliary GNSS Information via Cellular Satellite Networks" and / or "Determination of GNSS Satellites to be Included in A-GNSS Information." Additionally, network nodes can be configured to perform functions similar to / equivalent to those of wireless devices. For example, in the above or regarding... Figure 4 or Figure 14 Under the heading "Device connecting to a cellular satellite network via A-GNSS information provided by a network", network nodes can be configured to provide information to wireless devices as described by the wireless devices.

[0302] Figure 16 A wireless network is described, comprising various devices directly or indirectly connected to the wireless network via one or more access network nodes (such as gNB QQA160a and QQA160b). Specifically, the wireless network includes access network nodes (such as gNB QQA160a and QQA160b), UE QQA110a, hub QQA110b, remote devices QQA115a and QQA115b, and server QQA109. UE QQA110a and hub QQA110b can be any of a wide variety of devices capable of wirelessly communicating with gNB QQA160. Although hub QQA110b is referred to as a hub, it can also be considered a UE (with hub functionality) because it is capable of wirelessly communicating with gNB QQA160b using standard protocols (e.g., wireless standards, such as those provided by 3GPP). In fact, each device illustrated in Figure QQA represents a wide variety of different devices that can be used in different scenarios, as discussed in more detail below. Any of these devices capable of communicating wirelessly with a gNB, eNB, or any other similar 3GPP access node can be considered a wireless device or a UE.

[0303] Now consider some of the possibilities. UE QQA110a can be any of a variety of different devices capable of wirelessly communicating with gNBQQA160a. Some examples listed in Figure QQA include virtual reality (VR) headsets, sensors, actuators, monitoring devices, vehicles, or remote controls. These examples are not exhaustive and include a wide variety of more specific devices, including a diverse range of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. For example, in an embodiment where UEQQA110a is a VR headset, UE QQA110a can be a cellular phone used with a head mount, or it can be a standalone or dedicated VR headset. In some embodiments, UEQQA110a can be an augmented reality (AR) headset. As an AR or VR headset, UE QQA110a can be used for entertainment (e.g., gaming, videos, etc.), education / business (e.g., remote conferencing, virtual lectures, etc.), medical (e.g., remote diagnosis, patient consultation, etc.), or any other purpose where virtual or augmented content can be provided to a remote user. In any of these situations, UE QQA110a may be receiving content via a wireless connection with gNB QQA160a and QQA170a.

[0304] As another example, in an embodiment where UE QQA110a is a sensor or monitoring device, UE QQA110a can be a motion, gravity, humidity, temperature, biostatistics, speed, door / window opening, smoke, fire, volume, flow device, or any other type of device capable of detecting or measuring one or more conditions. As a sensor, UE QQA110a can also capture conditions. For example, if UE QQA110a includes a camera, it can capture images, or if it includes a microphone, it can capture sound. Regardless of the type of sensor, UE QQA110a can provide output to gNBQQA160a via wireless connection QQA170a. The output can be periodic (e.g., every 15 minutes if it reports sensed temperature), random (e.g., to balance the load caused by reports from several sensors), responsive to a triggering event (e.g., sending an alert when humidity is detected), responsive to a request (e.g., a user-initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

[0305] As another example, in an embodiment where UE QQA110a is an actuator, UE QQA110a can be a motor, a switch, or any other device that can change its state in response to receiving input via a wireless connection QQA170a. For example, UE QQA100a can be a vibrator that creates vibrations to provide tactile feedback to a user. As another example, UE QQA100a can be a small motor that adjusts the control surface of a robotic arm performing a medical procedure or a drone in flight. As yet another example, UE QQA100a can be a switch that remotely turns on another device, such as a light.

[0306] As another example, in an embodiment where UE QQA110a is a vehicle, UE QQA110a can be a drone, car, airplane, ship, train, tractor, robot, or any other type of device including one or more sensors and / or actuators, which can change its position autonomously or at the instruction of a user. In such an embodiment where UE QQA110a is a remotely controlled vehicle (such as a drone), it can receive instructions from the user regarding movement, activation, or sensing via a wireless connection QQA170a, and provide location, sensor, or video information back to the user via a wireless connection QQA170a. In such an embodiment where UE QQA110a is an autonomous vehicle, it can receive warnings and other messages from other vehicle and / or infrastructure sensors via a wireless connection QQA170a, and can provide its own remote sensing data to other devices via a wireless connection QQA170a.

[0307] As another example, in an embodiment where UE QQA110a is a remote controller, UE QQA110a can be a device dedicated to controlling other devices or a general-purpose computer having programs or applications that provide control over other devices. UE QQA110a can send commands to the remote device via wireless connection QQA170a. UE QQA110a can also receive feedback, remote sensing data, or other information from the remote device via wireless connection QQA170a. UE QQA110a can present this received information to a user, who can then issue commands to the remote device. For example, UE QQA110a can receive video signals from a remote operating room via wireless connection QQA170a and then issue commands to a remote surgical machine via wireless connection QQA170a, which can then execute the commands.

[0308] Although only a single UE QQA110a is illustrated in Figure QQA, in practice, any number of UEs can be used together for a single use case. For example, the first UE QQA110a could be a speed sensor used in a drone, which provides speed information of the drone to a second UE QQA110a, which is a remote controller operating the drone. When a user makes a change from the remote controller, a third UE QQA110a, acting as an actuator, can adjust the throttle on the drone to increase or decrease speed. Similarly, in the above example, the first (sensor) and third (actuator) UE QQA110a could be a single UE handling communication between the speed sensor and the actuator, or UE QQA 110a could include one or more of the above UE QQA 110a. Similarly, in the above example, a hub (such as hub QQA110b) could be used to handle communication between the sensor and the actuator and the controller.

[0309] The hub QQA110b can be any of a variety of devices that provide wireless access to the gNB QQA160b for one or more remote devices QQA115a. Examples of different types of hubs are listed in Figure QAA and include controllers, routers, content sources, and analytics. The hub QQA110b may include memory to store data collected from or to be provided to the remote device QQA115a (e.g., video, audio, images, buffers, sensor data, file sharing). The hub QQA110b may include a processor, operating system, and server functionality. The hub QQA110b may include components for wireless communication to enable wireless connectivity to the remote device QQA115a QQA171 and / or may include components for fixed connectivity to the remote device QQA115b. The hub QQA110b may also include routing capabilities, firewall capabilities, a VPN server, or a VPN client. Hub QQA110b also allows for different communication schemes and / or schedules between hub QQA110b and remote device QQA115, and between hub QQA110b and network QQA106.

[0310] As an example, hub QQA110b may be a broadband router capable of providing direct or indirect access to network QQA106 for remote device QQA115a. In some embodiments, hub QQA110b may facilitate communication between remote devices QQA115a and QQA115b. This can be done whether communication passes through network QQA106 or not. In some embodiments, hub QQA110b may simply forward data from remote device QQA115a or QQA115b to network QQA106. In some embodiments, hub QQA110b may first filter, buffer, store, analyze, or process data from remote device QQA115a or QQA115b before sending data to network QQA106 or another remote device. Similarly, data from network QQA106 can pass directly through hub QQA110b, or it can be processed by hub QQA110b on its way to remote device QQA115a or QQA115b.

[0311] As another example, hub QQA110b can be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in remote device QQA115a. The commands or instructions can be received from a second remote device QQA115b, from gNB QQA160b, or via executable code, scripts, or process instructions in hub QQA110b.

[0312] As another example, hub QQA110b can be a collection point for data from one or more remote devices QQA115a and / or QQA115b. For example, remote devices QQA115a and / or QQA115b can be sensors, cameras, measuring devices, or any other type of device discussed herein that provides output or receives input. Hub QQA110b can be used as a temporary storage device for data, for example, from remote devices QQA115b, and in some embodiments, analysis or other processing can be performed on the data. Hub QQA110b may have a continuous / permanent or intermittent connection to gNB QQA160b.

[0313] As another example, hub QQA110b can be a content source. For instance, when remote device QQA115a is a VR headset, display, speaker, or other media delivery device, hub QQA110b can retrieve VR assets, videos, audio, or other media via gNB QQA160b, and then provide the VR assets, videos, audio, or other media to remote device QQA115a directly, after some local processing, and / or after adding additional local content.

[0314] The remote device QQA115a can be any of a variety of devices, such as a device including one or more sensors, actuators, and / or a screen. Alternatively, the remote device QQA115a can be a VR (or AR) headset, a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, an IoT device, an Internet of Things (IoE) device, or any other type of device capable of wirelessly accessing a communication network via a hub or a device capable of acting as a hub. In this context, this includes providing network access to devices that cannot communicate directly with the communication network QQA106 via the gNB QQA160a or QQA160b. In some scenarios, the remote device QQA115a may be able to establish a wireless connection with the gNB QQA160a or QQA160b, but still be connected via the hub QQA 110b. The remote device QQA115b is similar to the remote device QQA115a in most respects, except that it has a wired connection to the hub QQA110b instead of a wireless connection (such as the wireless connection QQA171).

[0315] gNBs QQA160a and QQA160b can provide wireless access to network QQA106 to various wireless devices, such as UE QQA110a and hub QQA110b. Network QQA106 can connect to various devices illustrated in Figure QQA, including server QQA109, which can host various applications (such as live and pre-recorded content), data collection services (such as retrieving and compiling data about various environmental conditions detected by multiple remote devices QQA115a, QQA115b, or UE QQA110a), analyzer functionality, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for alarms and monitoring centers, or any other such functions performed by the server. For example, factory status information can be collected and analyzed by server QQA109. As another example, server QQA109 can process audio and video data that may have been retrieved from UE QQA110a for map creation. As another example, server QQA109 can collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling vehicle congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights). As another example, server QQA109 can store surveillance video uploaded by remote device QQA115b via hub QQA110b. As another example, server QQA109 can store media content, such as video, audio, VR, or AR, and it can broadcast, multicast, or unicast said media content to remote devices (such as UE QQA110a or remote device QQA115a). As other examples, server QQA109 can be used for energy pricing, for remotely controlling non-time-critical electrical loads to balance generation demand, location services, demonstration services (such as editing charts based on data collected from remote devices), or any other function of collecting, retrieving, storing, analyzing, and / or transmitting data.

[0316] Any suitable steps, methods, features, functions, or benefits disclosed herein may be performed by one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual devices. Each virtual device may include a plurality of such functional units. These functional units may be implemented by processing circuitry and other digital hardware, which may include one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers, and the digital hardware may include digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or more types of memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), cache, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. The program code stored in memory includes program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and / or data communication protocols and instructions for executing one or more of the techniques described herein. In some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause corresponding functional units to perform corresponding functions according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure.

[0317] The terminology may have its conventional meaning in the field of electronics, electrical devices and / or electronic devices, and may include, for example, electrical and / or electronic circuits, devices, modules, processors, memories, logic solid-state and / or discrete devices, computer programs or instructions, such as those described herein, for performing corresponding tasks, processes, calculations, outputs and / or display functions.

[0318] Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the systems and devices described herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Components of the systems and devices may be integrated or separated. Furthermore, the operation of the systems and devices may be performed by more components, fewer components, or other components. Additionally, any suitable logic (including software, hardware, and / or other logic) may be used to perform the operation of the systems and devices. As used in this document, “each” means each member of a set or each member of a subset of a set. As used in this document, “based on” means “at least partially based on”, unless a different meaning is implied and / or clearly given by the context in which it is used.

[0319] Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the methods described herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The methods may include more steps, fewer steps, or other steps. Furthermore, the steps may be performed in any suitable order.

[0320] While this disclosure has been described with reference to certain embodiments, variations and arrangements of the embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the above description of the embodiments does not limit this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of this disclosure as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A method performed by a wireless device, the method comprising: Receive (1402) Auxiliary Global Navigation Satellite System (A-GNSS) information, which is received in system information broadcast by the network via 3GPP radio signals; Receive (1404) signal from a GNSS satellite set, which includes at least three GNSS satellites; The location of the wireless device is determined (1406) using the A-GNSS information and the information received from the signals from the GNSS satellite set; Determine (1408) the Doppler time and frequency offset compared to network satellites, and determine the Doppler time and frequency offset based on the location of the wireless device; as well as The connection process with the network satellite is initiated (1410) by transmitting a random access signal with pre-compensated time and frequency based on a determined Doppler time and frequency offset.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: Determine the validity period of the A-GNSS information; as well as The A-GNSS information is used while it is valid.

3. The method as described in claim 2, wherein, The validity period of the A-GNSS information is determined based on an indication of the validity period of the A-GNSS information received from the network.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, further comprising: Determine at least one GNSS satellite suitable for inclusion in the GNSS satellite set, the determination being based on the ability of the at least one GNSS satellite to be used for positioning within the current or future coverage area of ​​the network satellites.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, further comprising: Determine at least one GNSS satellite suitable for inclusion in the GNSS satellite set, the determination being based on GNSS satellite data associated with the at least one GNSS satellite, wherein the GNSS satellite data is received from the GNSS or another network node.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The GNSS satellite data includes past GNSS satellite data used to predict the current or future location of the at least one GNSS satellite.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, further comprising: The location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite is estimated based on past location data associated with the network satellite, and the past location data is received from the network satellite or another network node.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, further comprising: The location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite is estimated based on the location data associated with the network satellite, and the location data is determined based on the orbital elements publicly available as a two-row element set (TLE).

9. The method according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein, The wireless device needs to read the A-GNSS information during initial attachment.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The wireless device needs to read the A-GNSS information in response to a radio link failure or a problem with completing random access.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein, The A-GNSS information includes one or more of the following: Calendar data of the GNSS satellite set; The ephemeris data of the GNSS satellite set; Timing information; and / or Ionospheric data illustrating the propagation effect of the ionosphere.

12. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: Determine the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite (1502), the location or coverage area corresponding to the current location or coverage area or future location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite; Identify (1504) at least one Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellite suitable for providing location information related to the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite; Determine (1506) the auxiliary GNSS (A-GNSS) information associated with the at least one GNSS satellite; as well as (1508) System information, including the A-GNSS information, is transmitted to a wireless device via 3GPP radio signals.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: Determine the validity period of the A-GNSS information; as well as Indicate the validity period of the A-GNSS information to the wireless device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, The validity period of the A-GNSS information is based on the time before the wireless device needs to reacquire or update the A-GNSS information.

15. The method according to any one of claims 12-14, wherein, Identify the at least one GNSS satellite and receive the GNSS satellite data from the GNSS or another network node based on the GNSS satellite data associated with the at least one GNSS satellite.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, The GNSS satellite data includes past GNSS satellite data used to predict the current or future location of the at least one GNSS satellite.

17. The method according to any one of claims 12-16, wherein, Determining the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite includes estimating the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite based on past location data associated with the network satellite, and obtaining the past location data from the network satellite or another network node.

18. The method according to any one of claims 12-17, wherein, Determining the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite includes estimating the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite based on location data associated with the network satellite, and determining the location data based on orbital elements publicly available as a two-row element set (TLE).

19. The method according to any one of claims 12-18, wherein, The system information indicates whether the wireless device needs to read the A-GNSS information during initial attachment.

20. The method according to any one of claims 12-19, wherein, The wireless device needs to read the A-GNSS information in response to a radio link failure or a problem with completing random access.

21. The method according to any one of claims 12-20, wherein, The A-GNSS information includes one or more of the following: Calendar data of the GNSS satellite set; The ephemeris data of the GNSS satellite set; Timing information; and / or Ionospheric data illustrating the propagation effect of the ionosphere.

22. The method according to any one of claims 12-21, wherein, The network node is part of the network satellite.

23. The method according to any one of claims 12-21, wherein, The network nodes are located on the ground and are connected to the network satellites.

24. The method of any one of claims 12-23, further comprising: The A-GNSS information is processed before transmission to reduce the total amount of data transmitted.

25. A wireless device (110, 200), the wireless device comprising: The power supply circuit (137, 213) is configured to supply power to the wireless device; and The processing circuits (120, 201) are configured as follows: Receive Auxiliary Global Navigation Satellite System (A-GNSS) information, which is received in system information broadcast by the network via 3GPP radio signals; Receive signals from a GNSS satellite set, which includes at least three GNSS satellites; The location of the wireless device is determined using the A-GNSS information and the information received from the signals from the GNSS satellite set; Determine the Doppler time and frequency offset compared to network satellites, and determine the Doppler time and frequency offset based on the location of the wireless device; as well as The connection process with the network satellite is initiated by transmitting a random access signal with pre-compensated time and frequency based on a determined Doppler time and frequency offset.

26. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: Determine the validity period of the A-GNSS information; and The A-GNSS information is used while it is valid.

27. The wireless device of claim 26, wherein, The processing circuit is configured to determine the validity period of the A-GNSS information based on an indication of the validity period of the A-GNSS information received from the network.

28. The wireless device according to any one of claims 25-27, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: The at least one GNSS satellite suitable for inclusion in the GNSS satellite set is determined based on the ability of at least one GNSS satellite to be used for positioning within the current or future coverage area of ​​the network satellites.

29. The wireless device according to any one of claims 25-28, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: The at least one GNSS satellite suitable for inclusion in the GNSS satellite set is determined based on GNSS satellite data associated with at least one GNSS satellite, wherein the GNSS satellite data is received from the GNSS or another network node.

30. The wireless device of claim 29, wherein, The GNSS satellite data includes past GNSS satellite data used to predict the current or future location of the at least one GNSS satellite.

31. The wireless device according to any one of claims 25-30, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: The location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite is estimated based on past location data associated with the network satellite, and the past location data is received from the network satellite or another network node.

32. The wireless device according to any one of claims 25-31, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: The location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite is estimated based on the location data associated with the network satellite, and the location data is determined based on the orbital elements publicly available as a two-row element set (TLE).

33. The wireless device as claimed in any one of claims 25-32, wherein, The wireless device needs to read the A-GNSS information during initial attachment.

34. The wireless device as claimed in any one of claims 25-33, wherein, The wireless device needs to read the A-GNSS information in response to a radio link failure or a problem with completing random access.

35. The wireless device as claimed in any one of claims 25-34, wherein, The A-GNSS information includes one or more of the following: Calendar data of the GNSS satellite set; The ephemeris data of the GNSS satellite set; Timing information; and / or Ionospheric data illustrating the propagation effect of the ionosphere.

36. A network node (160, 102), the network node comprising: A power supply circuit (187) is configured to supply power to the network node; and The processing circuit (170) is configured as follows: Determine the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite, which corresponds to the current location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite or its future location or coverage area; Identify at least one Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellite suitable for providing location information related to the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellites; Determine the auxiliary GNSS (A-GNSS) information associated with the at least one GNSS satellite; as well as System information, including the A-GNSS information, is transmitted to a wireless device via 3GPP radio signals.

37. The network node of claim 36, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: Determine the validity period of the A-GNSS information; and Indicate the validity period of the A-GNSS information to the wireless device.

38. The network node as described in claim 37, wherein, The validity period of the A-GNSS information is based on the time before the wireless device needs to reacquire or update the A-GNSS information.

39. The network node as described in any one of claims 36-38, wherein, Identify the at least one GNSS satellite and receive the GNSS satellite data from the GNSS or another network node based on the GNSS satellite data associated with the at least one GNSS satellite.

40. The network node as described in claim 39, wherein, The GNSS satellite data includes past GNSS satellite data, and the processing circuitry is configured to use the past GNSS satellite data to predict the current or future location of the at least one GNSS satellite.

41. The network node as described in any one of claims 36-40, wherein, In order to determine the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite, the processing circuitry is configured to estimate the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite based on past location data associated with the network satellite, and to obtain the past location data from the network satellite or another network node.

42. The network node as described in any one of claims 36-41, wherein, In order to determine the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite, the processing circuitry is configured to estimate the location or coverage area of ​​the network satellite based on location data associated with the network satellite, and to determine the location data according to orbital elements publicly available as a two-row element set (TLE).

43. The network node as described in any one of claims 36-42, wherein, The system information indicates whether the wireless device needs to read the A-GNSS information during initial attachment.

44. The network node as described in any one of claims 36-43, wherein, The wireless device needs to read the A-GNSS information in response to a radio link failure or a problem with completing random access.

45. The network node as described in any one of claims 36-44, wherein, The A-GNSS information includes one or more of the following: Calendar data of the GNSS satellite set; The ephemeris data of the GNSS satellite set; Timing information; and / or Ionospheric data illustrating the propagation effect of the ionosphere.

46. ​​The network node as described in any one of claims 36-45, wherein, The network node is part of the network satellite.

47. The network node as described in any one of claims 36-45, wherein, The network nodes are located on the ground and are connected to the network satellites.

48. The network node as described in any one of claims 36-47, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: The A-GNSS information is processed before transmission to reduce the total amount of data transmitted.

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