Beam switching method, device, user equipment, base station and storage medium

Abstract

This disclosure provides a beam switching method, apparatus, user equipment, base station, and storage medium, all of which belong to the field of communications technology. The method includes: a satellite UE determining whether the satellite UE needs to switch its service beam, and performing service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. Thus, the beam switching method proposed in this disclosure can quickly and accurately switch beams in an NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of communication technologies, and in particular to a beam switching method, apparatus, user equipment, base station, and storage medium. Background Art

[0002] NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) systems are widely used in the communications field due to their wide coverage, strong disaster resistance, and large capacity. However, how to achieve efficient beam switching in NTN systems is an urgent problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present disclosure proposes a beam switching method, apparatus, user equipment, base station, and storage medium to provide a method for efficiently switching beams in an NTN system.

[0004] A beam switching method proposed in an embodiment of one aspect of the present disclosure is applied to a satellite UE, including:

[0005] Determining whether the satellite UE needs to switch a serving beam;

[0006] The serving beam of the satellite UE is switched based on the determination result.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a beam switching method, which is applied to a base station and includes:

[0008] Sending configuration information to the satellite UE, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set;

[0009] When the configuration information includes the candidate beam set and the candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0010] A beam switching device provided in another embodiment of the present disclosure includes:

[0011] A determination module, configured to determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch a serving beam;

[0012] A switching module is used to switch the service beam of the satellite UE based on the determination result.

[0013] A beam switching device provided in another embodiment of the present disclosure includes:

[0014] a sending module, configured to send configuration information to the satellite UE, wherein the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set;

[0015] When the configuration information includes the candidate beam set and the candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0016] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a user device, comprising: a transceiver; a memory; and a processor, connected to the transceiver and the memory, respectively, and configured to control the wireless signal reception and transmission of the transceiver by executing computer-executable instructions on the memory, and capable of implementing the method proposed in the above aspect.

[0017] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a base station, which includes: a transceiver; a memory; and a processor, which is connected to the transceiver and the memory, respectively, and is configured to control the wireless signal reception and transmission of the transceiver by executing computer-executable instructions on the memory, and can implement the method proposed in the above another aspect of the embodiment.

[0018] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a computer storage medium, wherein the computer storage medium stores computer-executable instructions; after the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor, the method described above can be implemented.

[0019] In summary, in the beam switching method, apparatus, user equipment, base station, and storage medium provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch a serving beam and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the satellite UE specifically determines whether a serving beam needs to be switched based on a triggering event. When the satellite UE determines that a serving beam needs to be switched based on the triggering event, serving beam switching is performed. This enables rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0020] Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a flow chart of a beam switching method provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 4 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 5 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 8 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 9 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 10 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 11 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 12 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 13 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 14 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 15 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 16 A schematic structural diagram of a beam switching device provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0038] Figure 17 A schematic structural diagram of a beam switching device provided in another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 18 is a block diagram of a user equipment provided by one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 19 A block diagram of a base station provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, with examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, when referring to the drawings, identical numerals in different figures represent identical or similar elements, unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments are not intended to represent all possible implementations consistent with the present disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present disclosure, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0042] The terms used in the embodiments of the present disclosure are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present disclosure. The singular forms "a," "an," and "the" used in the embodiments of the present disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0043] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various information in the embodiments of the present disclosure, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first information may also be referred to as the second information, and similarly, the second information may also be referred to as the first information. Depending on the context, the words "if" and "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "at the time of" or "when" or "in response to determining".

[0044] The embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present disclosure, and should not be understood as limiting the present disclosure.

[0045] In the beam switching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam, and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the satellite UE specifically determines whether the serving beam needs to be switched based on a triggering event. When it is determined that the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam, the serving beam switching is performed, thereby enabling rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0046] The beam switching method, apparatus, user equipment, base station, and storage medium provided in the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0047] Figure 1 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a satellite UE, such as Figure 1 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0048] Step 101: Determine whether a satellite UE (User Equipment) needs to switch a serving beam.

[0049] It should be noted that the indication method of the embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to any satellite UE. Satellite UE can be a device that provides voice and / or data connectivity to users. Satellite UE can communicate with one or more core networks via RAN (Radio Access Network). Satellite UE can be an Internet of Things terminal, such as a sensor device, a mobile phone (or called a "cellular" phone) and a computer with an Internet of Things terminal. For example, it can be a fixed, portable, pocket-sized, handheld, computer-built-in or vehicle-mounted device. For example, a station (STA), a subscriber unit, a subscriber station, a mobile station, a mobile station, a remote station, an access point, a remote terminal, an access terminal, a user terminal or a user agent. Alternatively, the satellite UE can also be a device of an unmanned aerial vehicle. Alternatively, the satellite UE can also be a vehicle-mounted device, for example, it can be a driving computer with wireless communication capabilities, or a wireless terminal connected to an external driving computer. Alternatively, the satellite UE may also be a roadside device, for example, a street lamp, a signal lamp, or other roadside device with a wireless communication function.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, switching a service beam may refer to a satellite UE switching between multiple service beams within the coverage of a corresponding satellite. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, switching a service beam may refer to a satellite UE switching between a service beam within the coverage of a corresponding satellite and a service beam within the coverage of another satellite.

[0051] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method for determining whether a satellite UE needs to switch a service beam may include: determining whether the satellite UE needs to switch a service beam based on a triggering event.

[0052] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the triggering event may include at least one of the following:

[0053] Trigger events based on location, signal quality, and time.

[0054] Specifically, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the trigger event may only include a location-based trigger event.

[0055] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the location-based triggering event may specifically be: determining whether it is necessary to switch the service beam based on the distance between the location of the satellite UE and the coverage boundary of the satellite UE's current service beam; and / or determining whether it is necessary to switch the service beam based on the signal quality of the current service beam.

[0056] Among them, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method for determining whether it is necessary to switch the service beam based on the distance between the position of the satellite UE and the coverage boundary of the satellite UE's current service beam may include: when the distance between the position of the satellite UE and the coverage boundary of the satellite UE's current service beam is less than a preset distance threshold, it is determined that the satellite UE is about to leave the coverage boundary of the current service beam, thereby determining that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam.

[0057] In addition, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for determining whether it is necessary to switch the service beam based on the signal quality of the current service beam may include: when the signal quality of the current service beam of the satellite UE is less than a first preset quality threshold, it is determined that the signal quality of the satellite UE is poor and may be located at the coverage boundary of the current service beam, thereby determining that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam.

[0058] It should be noted that, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, a location-based triggering event may only include: determining whether it is necessary to switch the serving beam based on the distance between the satellite UE's location and the coverage boundary of the satellite UE's current serving beam. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a location-based triggering event may only include: determining whether it is necessary to switch the serving beam based on the signal quality of the current serving beam. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, a location-based triggering event may include: determining whether it is necessary to switch the serving beam based on both the distance between the satellite UE's location and the coverage boundary of the satellite UE's current serving beam and the signal quality of the current serving beam.

[0059] In addition, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, when determining whether the service beam needs to be switched based on the distance between the position of the satellite UE and the coverage boundary of the satellite UE's current service beam and based on the signal quality of the current service beam, if the satellite UE meets any one of the conditions, it is determined that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam.

[0060] For example, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, when determining whether it is necessary to switch the service beam based on the distance between the position of the satellite UE and the coverage boundary of the satellite UE's current service beam and based on the signal quality of the current service beam, if the distance between the position of the satellite UE and the coverage boundary of the satellite UE's current service beam is less than a preset distance threshold, or if the signal quality of the satellite UE's current service beam is less than a first preset quality threshold, it is determined that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam.

[0061] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the triggering event may only include a triggering event based on a signal.

[0062] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the triggering event based on signal quality may specifically be: determining whether it is necessary to switch the serving beam based on the signal quality of an adjacent beam.

[0063] Specifically, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for determining whether a serving beam needs to be switched based on the signal quality of an adjacent beam may include: when a satellite UE determines that the signal quality of an adjacent beam is higher than a second preset quality threshold, indicating that the signal quality of the adjacent beam is better, and determining that the satellite UE can switch to the adjacent serving beam. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for determining whether a serving beam needs to be switched based on the signal quality of an adjacent beam may include: when a difference between the signal quality of the adjacent beam and the signal quality of the satellite UE's current serving beam is higher than a third preset quality threshold, indicating that the signal quality of the current serving beam is poor, while the signal quality of the adjacent serving beam is better, and determining that the UE needs to switch to the adjacent serving beam.

[0064] And, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the triggering event may only include a time-based triggering event.

[0065] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the time-based triggering event may specifically be: determining whether beam switching is required based on the preset service time of the current service beam of the satellite UE and the service time of the current service beam.

[0066] Specifically, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for determining whether it is necessary to switch beams based on the preset service time of the current service beam of the satellite UE and the service time of the current service beam may include: the satellite UE obtains time indication information sent by the base station, and the time indication information is used to indicate the preset service time of the current service beam (that is, the time when the current service beam needs to serve), and the satellite UE also times the service time of the current service beam. When the service time of the current service beam of the satellite UE and the preset service time are less than the preset time threshold, it means that the current service beam is about to terminate the service, and it is determined that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam.

[0067] For example, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, assuming that the preset service time of the current service beam of the satellite UE is 30 minutes and the preset time threshold is 5 minutes, when the service time of the current service beam of the satellite UE is greater than 25 minutes, it is determined that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam.

[0068] It should be noted that, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the time indication information may directly be the preset service time of the current serving beam. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the time indication information may be satellite ephemeris information, and the satellite UE may determine the preset service time of the current serving beam based on the ephemeris information.

[0069] And, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the trigger event may include a location-based trigger event and a signal quality-based trigger event.

[0070] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the trigger event may include a location-based trigger event and a time-based trigger event.

[0071] In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the trigger event may include a trigger event based on signal quality and a trigger event based on time.

[0072] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the trigger event may include a location-based trigger event, a signal quality-based trigger event, and a time-based trigger event.

[0073] It should be noted that, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the above-mentioned triggering event includes two or more triggering events, if the satellite UE meets any one of the triggering events, it is determined that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam.

[0074] For example, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the triggering event includes a triggering event based on signal quality and a triggering event based on time, if it is determined that the UE needs to switch the serving beam based only on the triggering event of signal quality, or if it is determined that the UE needs to switch the serving beam based only on the triggering event of time, then it is determined that the UE needs to switch the serving beam.

[0075] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the satellite UE may obtain the trigger event by directly determining the trigger event based on a protocol agreement. Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the satellite UE may obtain the trigger event by receiving the trigger event sent by the base station via higher-layer signaling. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the satellite UE may obtain the trigger event by receiving the trigger event sent by the base station via physical-layer signaling.

[0076] Step 102: Switch the serving beam of the satellite UE based on the determination result.

[0077] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the determination result is specifically used to indicate whether a serving beam switching is required for the satellite UE. When the determination result indicates that the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam, the serving beam switching may be performed on the satellite UE. When the determination result indicates that the satellite UE does not need to switch the serving beam, the serving beam switching is not performed on the satellite UE.

[0078] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method for switching a serving beam for a satellite UE may include: the satellite UE autonomously switches the serving beam. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the method for switching a serving beam for a satellite UE may include: when the satellite UE determines that the serving beam needs to be switched, sending second indication information to a base station, then receiving a switching instruction sent by the base station based on the second indication information, and switching to a target beam according to the switching instruction.

[0079] In summary, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. Specifically, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the satellite UE determines whether the serving beam needs to be switched based on a triggering event. When the satellite UE determines that the serving beam needs to be switched based on the triggering event, serving beam switching is performed. This allows for rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0080] Figure 2 A schematic flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a satellite UE, such as Figure 2As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0081] Step 201: Receive configuration information sent by a base station, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP (Bandwidth Part) set.

[0082] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the configuration information may include only the candidate beam set. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the configuration information may include only the candidate BWP set. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the configuration information may include both the candidate beam set and the candidate BWP set.

[0083] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if there is a binding relationship between a candidate beam in the candidate beam set and a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information may also include the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0084] It should be noted that when the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, and a binding relationship exists between the candidate beams and the candidate BWPs, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the binding relationship between the candidate beams and the candidate BWPs may be one-to-one, for example, beam 1 may be bound to BWP 1. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the binding relationship between the candidate beams and the candidate BWPs may be one-to-many, for example, beam 3 may be bound to BWP 4 and BWP 5, respectively. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the binding relationship between the candidate beams and the candidate BWPs may be many-to-one, for example, beam 4 and beam 5 may both be bound to BWP 6.

[0085] Step 202: Determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam.

[0086] Among them, for a detailed introduction on determining whether the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, please refer to the introduction in the above-mentioned first embodiment, and the embodiment of the present disclosure will not be repeated here.

[0087] And, when the determination result indicates that the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam, continue to execute step 203. When the determination result indicates that the satellite UE does not need to switch the serving beam, stop the operation.

[0088] Step 203: Determine a target beam from the candidate beam set and / or determine a target BWP from the candidate BWP set, and switch to the target beam and / or target BWP.

[0089] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the satellite UE may only determine the target beam, and then the satellite UE may autonomously switch to the target beam. Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the satellite UE may only determine the target BWP, and then the satellite UE autonomously switches to the target BWP. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the satellite UE simultaneously determines the target beam and the target BWP, and the target beam and the target BWP are bound to each other. Subsequently, the satellite UE autonomously switches to the target beam and the target BWP.

[0090] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the UE simultaneously determines the target beam and the target BWP, if there are multiple BWPs bound to the target beam, then any one of the multiple BWPs can be selected as the target BWP. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, if there are multiple beams bound to the target BWP, then any one of the multiple beams can be selected as the target beam.

[0091] For example, assuming that beam3 is determined as the target beam, and both BWP4 and BWP5 are bound to beam3, BWP4 or BWP5 can be determined as the target BWP.

[0092] Furthermore, assuming that BWP6 is determined as the target BWP, where beam4 and beam5 are both bound to BWP6, beam4 or beam5 can be determined as the target beam.

[0093] In summary, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the satellite UE specifically determines whether the serving beam needs to be switched based on a triggering event. When the satellite UE determines that the serving beam needs to be switched based on the triggering event, the satellite UE autonomously switches the serving beam, thereby enabling rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0094] Figure 3 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a satellite UE, such as Figure 3 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0095] Step 301: Receive configuration information sent by a base station, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set.

[0096] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0097] Step 302: Determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam.

[0098] And, when the determination result indicates that the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam, continue to execute step 303. When the determination result indicates that the satellite UE does not need to switch the serving beam, stop the operation.

[0099] Step 303: Determine a target beam from the candidate beam set and / or determine a target BWP from the candidate BWP set, and switch to the target beam and / or target BWP.

[0100] For a detailed description of steps 301 to 303 , please refer to the relevant description in the above embodiment, which will not be elaborated in detail in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0101] Step 304: Send first indication information to the base station based on the target beam and / or target BWP to indicate to the base station that the satellite UE has switched to the target beam and / or target BWP.

[0102] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the satellite UE successfully switches to the target beam and / or target BWP, the satellite UE can send first indication information to the base station in the target beam and / or target BWP within a predetermined time to indicate to the base station that the satellite UE has switched to the target beam and / or target BWP, so that the base station can subsequently communicate with the satellite UE based on the target beam and / or target BWP, thereby ensuring service continuity.

[0103] In summary, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the satellite UE specifically determines whether the service beam needs to be switched based on a trigger event. When it is determined based on the trigger event that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, the satellite UE will autonomously switch the service beam, thereby enabling the NTN system to quickly and accurately perform beam switching, ensuring service continuity, and being highly efficient. Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, after the satellite UE autonomously switches to the target beam and / or target BWP, it will send first indication information to the base station through the target beam and / or target BWP so that the base station is aware of the beam information and / or BWP information after the satellite UE switches the service beam, thereby ensuring normal communication between the base station and the satellite UE, thereby further ensuring service continuity.

[0104] Figure 4 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a satellite UE, such as Figure 4 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0105] Step 401: Receive configuration information sent by a base station, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set.

[0106] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0107] Step 402: Determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam.

[0108] For a detailed description of steps 401 to 402 , please refer to the relevant description in the above embodiment, which will not be elaborated in detail in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] And, when the determination result indicates that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, continue to execute step 403.

[0110] Step 403: Determine a target beam from the candidate beam set and / or determine a target BWP from the candidate BWP set, and send second indication information to the base station, where the second indication information includes at least one of a determination result, a target beam, and a target BWP.

[0111] Among them, for a detailed introduction on the satellite UE determining the target beam from the candidate beam set and / or determining the target BWP from the candidate BWP set, please refer to the relevant introduction in the above embodiments, and the embodiments of the present disclosure will not be repeated here.

[0112] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second indication information may include only the determination result. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second indication information may include only the target beam. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second indication information may include only the target BWP. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second indication information may include both the determination result and the target beam. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second indication information may include both the determination result and the target BWP. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second indication information may include both the target beam and the target BWP. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second indication information may include both the determination result, the target beam, and the target BWP.

[0113] Step 404: Receive a switching instruction sent by the base station, and perform beam switching based on the switching instruction.

[0114] It should be noted that, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the indication information sent in step 403 is only a determination result, the switching instruction may also include a target beam and / or a target BWP, wherein the target beam and / or target BWP are specifically selected by the base station from the candidate beams and / or candidate BWP sets when the determination result sent by the satellite UE indicates that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, wherein the specific selection method is consistent with the above-mentioned UE selection method of the target beam and / or target BWP, and the embodiment of the present disclosure will not be repeated here.

[0115] In summary, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, upon determining that the serving beam needs to be switched, the satellite UE sends second indication information to the base station and receives a switching instruction sent by the base station based on the second indication information. The satellite UE then switches the serving beam based on the switching instruction, thereby enabling rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0116] Figure 5 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a satellite UE, such as Figure 5 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0117] Step 501: Receive configuration information sent by a base station, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set.

[0118] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0119] Step 502: Determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam based on a location triggering event.

[0120] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when it is determined that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, step 503 is executed.

[0121] Step 503: Determine a target beam from the candidate beam set and / or determine a target BWP from the candidate BWP set, and switch to the target beam and / or target BWP.

[0122] For a detailed description of steps 501 to 503 , please refer to the relevant description in the above embodiment, which will not be elaborated in detail in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0123] In summary, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch its serving beam and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the satellite UE specifically determines whether it needs to switch its serving beam based on a location trigger event. When the satellite UE determines based on the trigger event that it needs to switch its serving beam, the satellite UE autonomously switches its serving beam, thereby enabling rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0124] Figure 6 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a satellite UE, such as Figure 6 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0125] Step 601: Receive configuration information sent by a base station, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set.

[0126] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0127] Step 602: Determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam based on a triggering event of signal quality.

[0128] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when it is determined that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, step 603 is continued.

[0129] Step 603: Determine a target beam from the candidate beam set and / or determine a target BWP from the candidate BWP set, and switch to the target beam and / or target BWP.

[0130] For a detailed description of steps 601 to 603 , please refer to the relevant description in the above embodiment, which will not be elaborated in detail in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0131] In summary, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the satellite UE specifically determines whether the serving beam needs to be switched based on a triggering event of signal quality. When the satellite UE determines that the serving beam needs to be switched based on the triggering event, the satellite UE autonomously switches the serving beam, thereby enabling rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0132] Figure 7 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a satellite UE, such as Figure 7 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0133] Step 701: Receive configuration information sent by a base station, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set.

[0134] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0135] Step 702: Determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam based on the time triggering event.

[0136] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when it is determined that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, step 703 is continued.

[0137] Step 703: Determine a target beam from the candidate beam set and / or determine a target BWP from the candidate BWP set, and switch to the target beam and / or target BWP.

[0138] For a detailed description of steps 701 to 703 , please refer to the relevant description in the above embodiment, which will not be elaborated in detail in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0139] In summary, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the satellite UE specifically determines whether the serving beam needs to be switched based on a time trigger event. When the satellite UE determines that the serving beam needs to be switched based on the trigger event, the satellite UE autonomously switches the serving beam, thereby enabling rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0140] Figure 8 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a satellite UE, such as Figure 8 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0141] Step 801: Receive configuration information sent by a base station, where the configuration information includes candidate beam sets and / or candidate BWP sets.

[0142] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0143] Step 802: Determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam based on a location triggering event.

[0144] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when it is determined that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, step 803 is continued.

[0145] Step 803: Determine a target beam from the candidate beam set, and / or determine a target BWP from the candidate BWP set, and send second indication information to the base station, where the second indication information includes at least one of a determination result, a target beam, and a target BWP.

[0146] Step 804: Receive a switching instruction sent by the base station, and perform beam switching based on the switching instruction.

[0147] For a detailed description of steps 801 to 804 , please refer to the relevant description in the above embodiment, which will not be elaborated in detail in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0148] In summary, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, upon determining that the serving beam needs to be switched, the satellite UE sends second indication information to the base station and receives a switching instruction sent by the base station based on the second indication information. The satellite UE then switches the serving beam based on the switching instruction, thereby enabling rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0149] Figure 9 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a satellite UE, such as Figure 9 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0150] Step 901: Receive configuration information sent by a base station, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set.

[0151] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0152] Step 902: Determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam based on a triggering event of signal quality.

[0153] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when it is determined that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, step 903 is continued.

[0154] Step 903: Determine a target beam from the candidate beam set, and / or determine a target BWP from the candidate BWP set, and send second indication information to the base station, where the second indication information includes at least one of a determination result, a target beam, and a target BWP.

[0155] Step 904: Receive a switching instruction sent by the base station, and perform beam switching based on the switching instruction.

[0156] For a detailed description of steps 901 to 904 , please refer to the relevant description in the above embodiment, which will not be elaborated in detail in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0157] In summary, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, upon determining that the serving beam needs to be switched, the satellite UE sends second indication information to the base station and receives a switching instruction sent by the base station based on the second indication information. The satellite UE then switches the serving beam based on the switching instruction, thereby enabling rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0158] Figure 10 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a satellite UE, such as Figure 10 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0159] Step 1001: Receive configuration information sent by a base station, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set.

[0160] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0161] Step 1002: Determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam based on a time triggering event.

[0162] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when it is determined that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, step 1003 is continued.

[0163] Step 1003: Determine a target beam from the candidate beam set, and / or determine a target BWP from the candidate BWP set, and send second indication information to the base station, where the second indication information includes at least one of a determination result, a target beam, and a target BWP.

[0164] Step 1004: Receive a switching instruction sent by the base station, and perform beam switching based on the switching instruction.

[0165] For a detailed description of steps 1001 to 1004 , please refer to the relevant description in the above embodiment, which will not be elaborated in detail in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0166] In summary, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, upon determining that the serving beam needs to be switched, the satellite UE sends second indication information to the base station and receives a switching instruction sent by the base station based on the second indication information. The satellite UE then switches the serving beam based on the switching instruction, thereby enabling rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0167] Figure 11 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a base station, such as Figure 11 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0168] Step 1101: Send configuration information to a satellite UE, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set.

[0169] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the configuration information may include only candidate beam sets. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the configuration information may include only candidate BWP sets. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the configuration information may include both candidate beam sets and candidate BWP sets.

[0170] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if there is a binding relationship between a candidate beam in the candidate beam set and a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0171] It should be noted that when the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, and a binding relationship exists between the candidate beams and the candidate BWPs, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the binding relationship between the candidate beams and the candidate BWPs may be one-to-one, for example, beam 1 may be bound to BWP 1. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the binding relationship between the candidate beams and the candidate BWPs may be one-to-many, for example, beam 3 may be bound to BWP 4 and BWP 5, respectively. In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the binding relationship between the candidate beams and the candidate BWPs may be many-to-one, for example, beam 4 and beam 5 may both be bound to BWP 6.

[0172] In summary, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a base station can send configuration information to a satellite UE, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set. When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the BWP. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the satellite UE specifically determines whether a serving beam needs to be switched based on a trigger event. When it is determined based on the trigger event that the satellite UE needs to switch a serving beam, serving beam switching is performed. This allows for rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0173] Figure 12 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a base station, such as Figure 12 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0174] Step 1201: Send configuration information to a satellite UE, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set.

[0175] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0176] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, for a detailed description of step 1201 , reference may be made to the relevant description in the above embodiment, and the present disclosure will not elaborate on this embodiment.

[0177] Step 1202: Detect whether first indication information sent by the satellite UE is received on the candidate beam in the candidate beam set and / or the candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set.

[0178] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when a satellite UE autonomously switches its serving beam, the base station cannot determine the specific serving beam to which the satellite UE has switched. In this case, the base station can determine the serving beam to which the satellite UE has switched by detecting whether first indication information sent by the satellite UE is received on each candidate beam in the candidate beam set and / or each candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set. When the base station receives the first indication information sent by the satellite UE, the base station can execute step 1203.

[0179] Step 1203: Determine the candidate beam that has sent the first indication information as the target beam, and / or determine the candidate BWP that has sent the first indication information as the target BWP.

[0180] Step 1204: Communicate with the satellite UE based on the target beam and / or target BWP.

[0181] In summary, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether a serving beam needs to be switched based on a trigger event. When the satellite UE determines based on the trigger event that a serving beam needs to be switched, the satellite UE autonomously switches the serving beam, thereby enabling rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency. Furthermore, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, after the satellite UE autonomously switches to a target beam and / or target BWP, the satellite UE transmits first indication information to the base station via the target beam and / or target BWP, thereby informing the base station of the beam information and / or BWP information after the satellite UE switches to the serving beam. This ensures normal communication between the base station and the satellite UE, further ensuring service continuity.

[0182] Figure 13 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a base station, such as Figure 13 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0183] Step 1301: Send configuration information to a satellite UE, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set.

[0184] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0185] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, for a detailed description of step 1301 , reference may be made to the relevant description in the fifth embodiment described above, and this embodiment of the present disclosure will not be elaborated herein.

[0186] Step 1302: Receive second indication information sent by the satellite UE, where the second indication information includes at least one of a determination result indicating whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam, a target beam, and a target BWP.

[0187] Step 1303: Send a handover instruction to the satellite UE.

[0188] Specifically, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the second indication information only includes a determination result, after the base station receives the second indication information, if the determination result indicates that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, the base station can determine the target beam from the candidate beam set based on the determination result, and / or determine the target BWP from the candidate BWP set, and then send a switching instruction containing the target beam and / or target BWP to the satellite UE, so that the satellite UE can switch to the target beam and / or target BWP based on the switching instruction.

[0189] To sum up, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, when the satellite UE determines that the service beam needs to be switched based on a trigger event, the base station will receive the second indication information, and the base station will send a switching instruction to the satellite UE based on the second indication information, so that the satellite UE performs service beam switching, thereby enabling the beam switching to be performed quickly and accurately in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0190] Figure 14 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a base station, such as Figure 14 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0191] Step 1401: Send configuration information to a satellite UE, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set.

[0192] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0193] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, for a detailed description of step 1401 , reference may be made to the relevant description in the above embodiment, and the present disclosure will not elaborate on this embodiment.

[0194] Step 1402: Send a trigger event to the satellite UE.

[0195] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the base station may send a trigger event to a satellite UE by using higher-layer signaling. Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the base station may send a trigger event to a satellite UE by using physical layer signaling. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the base station may send a trigger event to a satellite UE by indicating the trigger event to the satellite UE via a protocol.

[0196] Also, for a detailed introduction to the triggering event, please refer to the relevant introduction in the above embodiment, and the embodiment of the present disclosure will not be repeated here.

[0197] To summarize, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the satellite UE specifically determines whether it is necessary to switch the service beam based on a triggering event. When it is determined based on the triggering event that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, the service beam switching will be performed, thereby enabling the beam switching to be performed quickly and accurately in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0198] Figure 15 A flow chart of a beam switching method provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure is applied to a base station, such as Figure 15 As shown, the beam switching method may include the following steps:

[0199] Step 1501: Send configuration information to a satellite UE, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set.

[0200] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0201] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, for a detailed description of step 1501, reference may be made to the relevant description in the above embodiment, and the present disclosure will not be elaborated here.

[0202] Step 1502: Send a trigger event to the satellite UE, where the trigger event includes a time-based trigger event.

[0203] Among them, the detailed introduction of sending the trigger event to the satellite UE can be referred to the above embodiment, and the embodiment of the present disclosure will not be repeated here.

[0204] Step 1503: Send time indication information to the satellite UE, where the time indication information is used to indicate the preset service time of the current service beam.

[0205] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the time indication information may be the preset service time of the current serving beam. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the time indication information may be satellite ephemeris information, and the satellite UE may determine the preset service time of the current serving beam based on the ephemeris information. The satellite UE may then determine whether to switch serving beams based on the preset service time of the current serving beam and a time-based triggering event.

[0206] To summarize, in the beam switching method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the satellite UE specifically determines whether it is necessary to switch the service beam based on a triggering event. When it is determined based on the triggering event that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, the service beam switching will be performed, thereby enabling the beam switching to be performed quickly and accurately in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0207] Figure 16 This is a structural diagram of a beam switching device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, such as Figure 16 As shown, the apparatus 1600 may include:

[0208] The determination module 1601 is configured to determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam.

[0209] The switching module 1602 is configured to switch the serving beam of the satellite UE based on the determination result.

[0210] In summary, in the beam switching apparatus provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, a satellite UE can determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch its serving beam and perform service switching for the satellite UE based on the determination result. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the satellite UE specifically determines whether it needs to switch its serving beam based on a triggering event. When it is determined based on the triggering event that the satellite UE needs to switch its serving beam, serving beam switching is performed. This allows for rapid and accurate beam switching in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0211] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the determining module 1601 is further configured to:

[0212] Determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam based on the triggering event.

[0213] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the triggering event includes at least one of the following:

[0214] Trigger events based on location, signal quality, and time.

[0215] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the location-based triggering event includes:

[0216] Determining whether it is necessary to switch the serving beam based on the distance between the location of the satellite UE and the coverage boundary of the current serving beam of the satellite UE; and / or

[0217] Whether the serving beam needs to be switched is determined based on the signal quality of the current serving beam.

[0218] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the triggering event based on signal quality includes:

[0219] Whether the serving beam needs to be switched is determined based on the signal quality of the adjacent serving beam.

[0220] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the time-based triggering event includes:

[0221] Whether the service beam needs to be switched is determined based on the preset service time of the current service beam of the satellite UE and the service time of the current service beam.

[0222] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the above device is also used for:

[0223] Obtain time indication information sent by the base station, where the time indication information is used to indicate the preset service time of the current service beam.

[0224] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the above device is also used for:

[0225] The triggering event is determined based on the agreement.

[0226] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the above device is also used for:

[0227] Receive trigger events sent by the base station through high-layer signaling or physical layer signaling.

[0228] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the above device is also used for:

[0229] receiving configuration information sent by a base station, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate partial bandwidth BWP set;

[0230] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0231] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the switching module 1602 is further configured to:

[0232] When the determination result indicates that the serving beam needs to be switched, a target beam is determined from the candidate beam set and / or a target BWP is determined from the candidate BWP set, and switching is performed to the target beam and / or the target BWP.

[0233] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the above device is also used for:

[0234] First indication information is sent to the base station based on the target beam and / or target BWP to indicate to the base station that the satellite UE has switched to the target beam and / or target BWP.

[0235] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the switching module 1602 is further configured to:

[0236] When the determination result indicates that the serving beam needs to be switched, determine a target beam from the candidate beam set and / or determine a target BWP from the candidate BWP set, and send second indication information to the base station, where the second indication information includes at least one of the determination result, the target beam, and the target BWP;

[0237] Receive the switching instruction sent by the base station, and switch the service beam based on the switching instruction.

[0238] Figure 17 This is a structural diagram of a beam switching device provided by another embodiment of the present disclosure, such as Figure 17 As shown, the apparatus 1700 may include:

[0239] A sending module 1701 is configured to send configuration information to a satellite UE, where the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set;

[0240] When the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and a candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

[0241] To summarize, in the beam switching device provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the satellite UE determines whether it is necessary to switch the service beam based on a triggering event. When it is determined based on the triggering event that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam, the service beam switching is performed, thereby enabling the beam switching to be performed quickly and accurately in the NTN system, ensuring service continuity and high efficiency.

[0242] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the above device is further used for:

[0243] The trigger event is sent to the satellite UE via higher layer signaling or physical layer signaling.

[0244] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the triggering event includes at least one of the following:

[0245] Trigger events based on location, signal quality, and time.

[0246] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the location-based triggering event includes:

[0247] Determining whether beam switching is required based on the distance between the satellite UE's location and the coverage boundary of the satellite UE's current serving beam; and / or

[0248] Determine whether to switch beams based on the signal quality of the current serving beam.

[0249] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the triggering event based on signal quality includes:

[0250] Whether the serving beam needs to be switched is determined based on the signal quality of the neighboring beams.

[0251] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the time-based triggering event includes:

[0252] Whether the service beam needs to be switched is determined based on the preset service time of the current service beam of the satellite UE and the service time of the current service beam.

[0253] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the above device is also used for:

[0254] Send the preset service time of the current service beam to the satellite UE.

[0255] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the above device is also used for:

[0256] Detecting whether first indication information sent by the satellite UE is received on a candidate beam in the candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set;

[0257] Determine the candidate beam that has sent the first indication information as the target beam, and / or determine the candidate BWP that has sent the first indication information as the target BWP;

[0258] The UE communicates with the satellite based on the target beam and / or the target BWP.

[0259] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the above device is also used for:

[0260] receiving second indication information sent by the satellite UE, where the second indication information includes at least one of a determination result indicating whether the satellite UE needs to switch a serving beam, a target beam, and a target BWP;

[0261] Send a handover instruction to the satellite UE.

[0262] The computer storage medium provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure stores an executable program; after the executable program is executed by the processor, it can achieve the following Figures 1 to 10 or Figures 11 to 15 Any of the methods shown.

[0263] In order to implement the above embodiments, the present disclosure also proposes a computer program product, including a computer program, which implements the following when executed by a processor: Figures 1 to 10 or Figures 11 to 15 Any of the methods shown.

[0264] In addition, in order to implement the above embodiment, the present disclosure also proposes a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, can implement the following Figures 1 to 10 or Figures 11 to 15 Any of the methods shown.

[0265] Figure 18 1 is a block diagram of a user equipment UE 1800 provided by one embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, UE 1800 may be a mobile phone, a computer, a digital broadcast terminal device, a messaging device, a game console, a tablet device, a medical device, a fitness device, a personal digital assistant, etc.

[0266] Reference Figure 18 UE 1800 may include at least one of the following components: a processing component 1802 , a memory 1804 , a power component 1806 , a multimedia component 1808 , an audio component 1810 , an input / output (I / O) interface 1818 , a sensor component 1813 , and a communication component 1816 .

[0267] Processing component 1802 generally controls the overall operation of UE 1800, such as operations associated with display, phone calls, data communications, camera operation, and recording operations. Processing component 1802 may include at least one processor 1820 to execute instructions to perform all or part of the steps of the above-described method. In addition, processing component 1802 may include at least one module to facilitate interaction between processing component 1802 and other components. For example, processing component 1802 may include a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between multimedia component 1808 and processing component 1802.

[0268] The memory 1804 is configured to store various types of data to support the operation of the UE 1800. Examples of such data include instructions for any application or method operating on the UE 1800, contact data, phone book data, messages, pictures, videos, etc. The memory 1804 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device, or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic memory, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0269] The power component 1806 provides power to various components of the UE 1800. The power component 1806 may include a power management system, at least one power supply, and other components associated with generating, managing, and distributing power to the UE 1800.

[0270] The multimedia component 1808 includes a screen that provides an output interface between the UE 1800 and the user. In some embodiments, the screen may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a touch panel (TP). If the screen includes a touch panel, the screen may be implemented as a touch screen to receive input signals from the user. The touch panel includes at least one touch sensor to sense touches, slides, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensor may not only sense the boundaries of a touch or slide action, but also detect the wake-up time and pressure associated with the touch or slide action. In some embodiments, the multimedia component 1808 includes a front camera and / or a rear camera. When the UE 1800 is in an operating mode, such as a shooting mode or a video mode, the front camera and / or the rear camera may receive external multimedia data. Each front camera and rear camera may be a fixed optical lens system or have a focal length and optical zoom capability.

[0271] The audio component 1810 is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, the audio component 1810 includes a microphone (MIC) that is configured to receive external audio signals when the UE 1800 is in an operating mode, such as a call mode, a recording mode, and a voice recognition mode. The received audio signals may be further stored in the memory 1804 or transmitted via the communication component 1816. In some embodiments, the audio component 1810 further includes a speaker for outputting audio signals.

[0272] I / O interface 1812 provides an interface between processing component 1802 and peripheral interface modules, such as a keyboard, click wheel, buttons, etc. These buttons may include but are not limited to: a home button, volume buttons, a start button, and a lock button.

[0273] Sensor assembly 1813 includes at least one sensor for providing various status assessments for UE 1800. For example, sensor assembly 1813 can detect the open / closed state of device 1800, the relative positioning of components, such as the display and keypad of UE 1800. Sensor assembly 1813 can also detect changes in the position of UE 1800 or a component of UE 1800, the presence or absence of user contact with UE 1800, the orientation or acceleration / deceleration of UE 1800, and changes in the temperature of UE 1800. Sensor assembly 1813 may include a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. Sensor assembly 1813 may also include an optical sensor, such as a CMOS or CCD image sensor, for use in imaging applications. In some embodiments, sensor assembly 1813 may also include an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetic sensor, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor.

[0274] The communication component 1816 is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between UE1800 and other devices. UE1800 can access a wireless network based on a communication standard, such as WiFi, 2G or 3G, or a combination thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication component 1816 receives a broadcast signal or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication component 1816 also includes a near field communication (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module can be implemented based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, infrared data association (IrDA) technology, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology and other technologies.

[0275] In an exemplary embodiment, UE 1800 may be implemented by at least one application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP), digital signal processing device (DSPD), programmable logic device (PLD), field programmable gate array (FPGA), controller, microcontroller, microprocessor, or other electronic component to perform the above method.

[0276] Figure 19 1 is a block diagram of a base station 1900 provided in an embodiment of the present application. For example, the base station 1900 can be provided as a base station. Figure 19, the base station 1900 includes a processing component 1911, which further includes at least one processor, and a memory resource represented by a memory 1932 for storing instructions executable by the processing component 1922, such as an application. The application stored in the memory 1932 may include one or more modules, each corresponding to a set of instructions. In addition, the processing component 1915 is configured to execute instructions to perform any of the aforementioned methods applied to the base station, such as Figure 1 The method shown.

[0277] The base station 1900 may also include a power supply component 1926 configured to perform power management for the base station 1900, a wired or wireless network interface 1950 configured to connect the base station 1900 to a network, and an input / output (I / O) interface 1958. The base station 1900 may operate based on an operating system stored in the memory 1932, such as Windows Server™, MacOS X™, Unix™, Linux™, Free BSD™, or the like.

[0278] Other embodiments of the present invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention that follow the general principles of the invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The description and examples are to be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure being indicated by the following claims.

[0279] It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the exact structures that have been described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A beam switching method, characterized in that: Applicable to satellite user equipment UE, including: Determining whether the satellite UE needs to switch a serving beam; Performing service beam switching on the satellite UE based on the determination result; The determining whether the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam includes: determining whether the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam based on a triggering event; The trigger event includes a location-based trigger event, and the location-based trigger event includes: determining whether it is necessary to switch the service beam based on the distance between the location of the satellite UE and the coverage boundary of the current service beam of the satellite UE; The trigger event further includes a time-based trigger event, and the time-based trigger event includes: when the difference between the service time of the current service beam of the satellite UE and the preset service time of the current service beam of the satellite UE is less than a preset time threshold, determining that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam; The method further includes: receiving configuration information sent by a base station, wherein the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate partial bandwidth BWP set; The method further includes: when the determination result indicates that the serving beam needs to be switched, determining a target beam from the candidate beam set, and / or determining a target BWP from the candidate BWP set.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in, The trigger event also includes: a trigger event based on signal quality.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein The location-based triggering event further includes: determining whether a serving beam needs to be switched based on a signal quality of the current serving beam.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein The trigger events based on signal quality include: Whether the serving beam needs to be switched is determined based on the signal quality of the adjacent serving beam.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein The method further comprises: Obtain time indication information sent by the base station, where the time indication information is used to indicate the preset service time of the current service beam.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The method further comprises: The triggering event is determined based on protocol agreement.

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The method further comprises: The trigger event is received and sent by the base station through high-layer signaling or physical-layer signaling.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: in, When the configuration information includes the candidate beam set and the candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein The method further comprises: Switch to the target beam and / or the target BWP.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein The method further comprises: First indication information is sent to the base station based on the target beam and / or the target BWP to indicate to the base station that the satellite UE has switched to the target beam and / or the target BWP.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein The method further comprises: Sending second indication information to the base station, where the second indication information includes at least one of the determination result, a target beam, and a target BWP; Receive a switching instruction sent by the base station, and perform service beam switching based on the switching instruction.

12. A beam switching method, characterized in that: Applied to base stations, including: Communicating with the satellite UE based on the serving beam after the satellite UE switches; wherein whether the serving beam needs to be switched is determined by a trigger event, the trigger event including a location-based trigger event, the location-based trigger event including: determining whether the serving beam needs to be switched based on a distance between the location of the satellite UE and a coverage boundary of the current serving beam of the satellite UE; the trigger event also including a time-based trigger event, the time-based trigger event including: determining that the satellite UE needs serving beam switching when the difference between the served time of the current serving beam of the satellite UE and the preset serving time of the current serving beam of the satellite UE is less than a preset time threshold; The method further includes: sending configuration information to the satellite UE, wherein the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set; The switched serving beam is determined by the satellite UE from the candidate beam set and / or from the candidate BWP set.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: in, When the configuration information includes the candidate beam set and the candidate BWP set, if a candidate beam in the candidate beam set has a binding relationship with a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, the configuration information also includes the binding relationship between the candidate beam and the candidate BWP.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The method further comprises: A trigger event is sent to the satellite UE through high-layer signaling or physical-layer signaling.

15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein: The trigger event also includes: a trigger event based on signal quality.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein The location-based triggering event further includes: determining whether beam switching is required based on the signal quality of the current serving beam.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein The trigger events based on signal quality include: Whether the serving beam needs to be switched is determined based on the signal quality of the neighboring beams.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein The method further comprises: Sending time indication information to the satellite UE, where the time indication information is used to indicate a preset service time of the current service beam.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein The method further comprises: detecting, on a candidate beam in the candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP in the candidate BWP set, whether first indication information sent by the satellite UE is received; Determine the candidate beam that has sent the first indication information as a target beam, and / or determine the candidate BWP that has sent the first indication information as a target BWP; Communicating with the satellite UE is performed based on the target beam and / or the target BWP.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein The method further comprises: receiving second indication information sent by the satellite UE, where the second indication information includes at least one of a determination result indicating whether the satellite UE needs to switch a serving beam, a target beam, and a target BWP; A handover instruction is sent to the satellite UE.

21. A beam switching device, characterized in that: include: A determination module, configured to determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam; a switching module, configured to switch the serving beam of the satellite UE based on the determination result; The determining module is further configured to: determine whether the satellite UE needs to switch the serving beam based on a triggering event; The trigger event includes a location-based trigger event, and the location-based trigger event includes: determining whether it is necessary to switch the service beam based on the distance between the location of the satellite UE and the coverage boundary of the current service beam of the satellite UE; The trigger event further includes a time-based trigger event, and the time-based trigger event includes: when the difference between the service time of the current service beam of the satellite UE and the preset service time of the current service beam of the satellite UE is less than a preset time threshold, determining that the satellite UE needs to switch the service beam; The apparatus is further configured to: receive configuration information sent by a base station, wherein the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate partial bandwidth BWP set; The apparatus is further configured to: when the determination result indicates that the serving beam needs to be switched, determine a target beam from the candidate beam set, and / or determine a target BWP from the candidate BWP set.

22. A beam switching device, characterized in that: include: a sending module, configured to communicate with the satellite UE based on the serving beam after the satellite UE switches; wherein whether the serving beam needs to be switched is determined by a trigger event, the trigger event including a location-based trigger event, the location-based trigger event including: determining whether the serving beam needs to be switched based on the distance between the location of the satellite UE and the coverage boundary of the current serving beam of the satellite UE; the trigger event also including a time-based trigger event, the time-based trigger event including: determining that the satellite UE needs serving beam switching when the difference between the service time of the current serving beam of the satellite UE and the preset service time of the current serving beam of the satellite UE is less than a preset time threshold; The apparatus is further configured to: send configuration information to the satellite UE, wherein the configuration information includes a candidate beam set and / or a candidate BWP set; The switched serving beam is determined by the satellite UE from the candidate beam set and / or from the candidate BWP set.

23. A user equipment, characterized in that include: transceiver; Memory; A processor is connected to the transceiver and the memory respectively, and is configured to control the wireless signal reception and transmission of the transceiver by executing computer-executable instructions on the memory, and is capable of implementing the method described in any one of claims 1 to 11.

24. A base station, characterized in that: include: transceiver; Memory; A processor is connected to the transceiver and the memory, respectively, and is configured to control the wireless signal reception and transmission of the transceiver by executing computer-executable instructions on the memory, and is capable of implementing the method described in any one of claims 12 to 20.

25. A computer storage medium, wherein: The computer storage medium stores computer-executable instructions; after the computer-executable instructions are executed by the processor, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or 12 to 20 can be implemented.

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