Communication method, electronic device and storage medium

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, an electronic device and a storage medium, the method comprising: a first satellite acquires a first coverage area at a current moment, the first coverage area includes one or more sub-coverage areas; during the movement of the satellite toward the first direction, the antenna direction changes toward the second direction to obtain a second coverage area at the next moment, wherein the second coverage area includes one or more sub-coverage areas, the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and the sub-coverage area where the user terminal in the second coverage area is located is the same as the sub-coverage area where the user terminal in the first coverage area is located. The method provided by the embodiment of the present application helps to improve switching efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of communications, and in particular to a communication method, electronic equipment and storage medium. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, low-orbit satellite communication systems have become a new growth point in the field of satellite communications. Among them, low-orbit satellite communication systems are usually composed of a constellation of several communication satellites with an orbital altitude of 300 to 1,500 kilometers, as well as supporting ground systems. The user terminal transmits a wireless signal, which is received by the receiving antenna of the low-orbit communication satellite and forwarded to the ground system to access the ground network. At the same time, the low-orbit communication satellite transmits the signal returned by the ground system downward to the user terminal through the satellite transmitting antenna, thereby completing the entire communication process.

[0003] Unlike ground communication systems, satellites are continuously operating in orbit. Relative to the ground, satellites are in high-speed motion. For ground users, user terminals need to constantly switch satellites to which they are connected. If the satellite uses multi-beams, user terminals also need to switch between beams of different frequencies, which may lead to a large consumption of switching resources and reduce the operating efficiency of the system. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present application provides a communication method, an electronic device and a storage medium, which are helpful to improve switching efficiency.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a communication method, which is applied to a first satellite, where the first satellite can form one or more beams, and the one or more beams form one or more sub-coverage areas of the same shape on the ground through an antenna, including:

[0006] The first satellite acquires a first coverage area at a current moment, where the first coverage area includes one or more sub-coverage areas;

[0007] During the movement of the first satellite in the first direction, the antenna direction changes toward the second direction to obtain a second coverage area at the next moment, wherein the second coverage area includes the one or more sub-coverage areas, the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and the sub-coverage area where the user terminal is located in the second coverage area is the same as the sub-coverage area where the user terminal is located in the first coverage area.

[0008] In the present application, by moving the antenna in the direction opposite to the satellite movement during the satellite movement, the coverage area where the user terminal is located does not change, thereby preventing the user terminal from switching, thereby improving the switching efficiency.

[0009] In one possible implementation manner, the first satellite further includes a maximum scanning area, and the maximum scanning area is used to represent a maximum scanning range of the first satellite.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the method further includes:

[0011] During the movement of the first satellite, when it is detected that the second coverage area is located at a first edge of the maximum scanning area, the first sub-coverage area in the second coverage area is moved to an adjacent side of the second sub-coverage area, wherein the first sub-coverage area is a coverage area in the second coverage area that is closest to the first edge, the second sub-coverage area is a coverage area in the second coverage area that is closest to the second edge, and the first edge and the second edge are on opposite sides.

[0012] In one possible implementation manner, the multiple beams have different frequencies, the user terminal is located in the first sub-coverage area, and the method further includes:

[0013] After the first sub-coverage area is moved, the user terminals in the first sub-coverage area before the movement are covered by the third sub-coverage area, which is the coverage area of ​​the second satellite and has the same frequency as the first sub-coverage area.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the maximum scanning area is a sub-coverage area formed by M beams on the ground; wherein M is a positive number greater than or equal to N+1, N is the total number of beams of the first satellite, and N is a positive integer.

[0015] In one possible implementation, when the first satellite forms multiple beams, the multiple beams are mapped one-to-one with the antennas, and the mapping relationship between the multiple beams and the antennas is variable during the movement of the first satellite.

[0016] In one possible implementation manner, the sub-coverage area has an ellipse, a circle, or a hexagon.

[0017] In a second aspect, the present application provides a communication device, including:

[0018] An acquisition module, configured for the first satellite to acquire a first coverage area at a current moment, where the first coverage area includes one or more sub-coverage areas;

[0019] A change module is used to change the antenna orientation toward a second direction during the movement of the first satellite toward a first direction to obtain a second coverage area at a next moment, wherein the second coverage area includes the one or more sub-coverage areas, the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and the sub-coverage area where the user terminal is located in the second coverage area is the same as the sub-coverage area where the user terminal is located in the first coverage area.

[0020] In one possible implementation manner, the first satellite further includes a maximum scanning area, and the maximum scanning area is used to represent a maximum scanning range of the first satellite.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the communication device further includes:

[0022] A moving module is used to move a first sub-coverage area in the second coverage area to an adjacent side of a second sub-coverage area when it is detected that the second coverage area is located at a first edge of the maximum scanning area during the movement of the first satellite, wherein the second sub-coverage area is a coverage area in the first coverage area that is closest to the first edge, the second sub-coverage area is a coverage area in the second coverage area that is closest to the second edge, and the first edge and the second edge are opposite sides.

[0023] In one possible implementation manner, the multiple beams have different frequencies, the user terminal is located in the first sub-coverage area, and the communication device further includes:

[0024] The switching module is used to, after the first sub-coverage area is moved, cover the user terminal in the first sub-coverage area before the movement by a third sub-coverage area, the third sub-coverage area being the coverage area of ​​the second satellite, and the frequency of the third sub-coverage area being the same as the frequency of the first sub-coverage area.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the maximum scanning area is a sub-coverage area formed by M beams on the ground; wherein M is a positive number greater than or equal to N+1, N is the total number of beams of the first satellite, and N is a positive integer.

[0026] In one possible implementation, when the first satellite forms multiple beams, the multiple beams are mapped one-to-one with the antennas, and the mapping relationship between the multiple beams and the antennas is variable during the movement of the first satellite.

[0027] In one possible implementation manner, the sub-coverage area has an ellipse, a circle, or a hexagon.

[0028] In a third aspect, the present application provides a first satellite, comprising: a processor and a memory, wherein the memory is used to store a computer program; and the processor is used to run the computer program to implement the communication method as described in the first aspect.

[0029] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which a computer program is stored. When the computer-readable storage medium is executed on a computer, the computer implements the communication method as described in the first aspect.

[0030] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program. When the above-mentioned computer program is executed by a computer, the computer implements the communication method described in the first aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 A communication system architecture diagram provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 2 A flow chart of an embodiment of the communication method provided by the present application;

[0033] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the coverage area provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 4a and Figure 4b A schematic diagram of coverage area change according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 4c and Figure 4d A schematic diagram of coverage area change of another embodiment provided by the present application;

[0036] Figure 5a-5c A schematic diagram of the maximum coverage area of ​​an embodiment provided by the present application;

[0037] Figure 5d-5f A schematic diagram of the maximum coverage area of ​​another embodiment provided by the present application;

[0038] Figure 6 A flow chart of another embodiment of the communication method provided by the present application;

[0039] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the movement of the coverage area provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of beam and radiation unit mapping provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 9a and Figure 9bA schematic diagram of user terminal switching provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] In the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified, the character " / " indicates that the objects before and after the association are in an or relationship. For example, A / B can represent A or B. "And / or" describes the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone.

[0045] It should be pointed out that the words "first", "second", etc. involved in the embodiments of the present application are only used to distinguish the description purpose, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated, nor can they be understood as indicating or implying order.

[0046] In the embodiments of the present application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more" means two or more. In addition, "at least one of the following" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, which may include any combination of single items or plural items. For example, at least one of A, B, or C can represent: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A, B and C. Among them, each of A, B, and C can be an element itself, or a set containing one or more elements.

[0047] In the embodiments of the present application, "exemplary", "in some embodiments", "in another embodiment", etc. are used to indicate examples, illustrations or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" in the present application should not be interpreted as being more preferred or more advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the word "exemplary" is intended to present concepts in a concrete way.

[0048] In the embodiments of the present application, "of", "corresponding", and "corresponding" can sometimes be used interchangeably. It should be noted that when the distinction between them is not emphasized, the meanings to be expressed are consistent. In the embodiments of the present application, communication and transmission can sometimes be used interchangeably. It should be noted that when the distinction between them is not emphasized, the meanings to be expressed are consistent. For example, transmission can include sending and / or receiving, which can be a noun or a verb.

[0049] The equal to involved in the embodiments of the present application can be used in conjunction with greater than, and is applicable to the technical solution adopted when greater than, and can also be used in conjunction with less than, and is applicable to the technical solution adopted when less than. It should be noted that when equal to is used in conjunction with greater than, it cannot be used in conjunction with less than; when equal to is used in conjunction with less than, it cannot be used in conjunction with greater than.

[0050] In recent years, low-orbit satellite communication systems have become a new growth point in the field of satellite communications. Among them, low-orbit satellite communication systems are usually composed of a constellation of several communication satellites with an orbital altitude of 300 to 1,500 kilometers, as well as supporting ground systems. The user terminal transmits a wireless signal, which is received by the receiving antenna of the low-orbit communication satellite and forwarded to the ground system to access the ground network. At the same time, the low-orbit communication satellite transmits the signal returned by the ground system downward to the user terminal through the satellite transmitting antenna, thereby completing the entire communication process.

[0051] Unlike ground communication systems, satellites are continuously operating in orbit. Relative to the ground, satellites are in high-speed motion. For ground users, user terminals need to constantly switch satellites to which they are connected. If the satellite uses multi-beams, user terminals also need to switch between beams of different frequencies, which may lead to a large consumption of switching resources and reduce the operating efficiency of the system.

[0052] Based on the above problems, an embodiment of the present application proposes a communication method applied to a satellite.

[0053] Now combined Figure 1-Figure 3 , Figure 4a , Figure 4b , Figure 5a-5c , Figure 6-8 , Figure 9a and Figure 9b The communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application is described.

[0054] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 The communication system may include one or more satellites, gateways, and user terminals. The link between the user terminal and the satellite may be referred to as a service link, the link between the gateway as a ground system and the satellite may be referred to as a feedback link, and the link between satellites may be referred to as an inter-satellite link. The user terminal communicates uplink and downlink with the satellite via the service link, and the gateway communicates uplink and downlink with the satellite via the feedback link, and may be connected to a ground network, for example, the ground network may include the Internet, a mobile communication network, and other networks.

[0055] It is understandable that each satellite can transmit wireless signals through an antenna to form a beam. A satellite can form one or more beams, and the range covered by the beam can be understood as the range in which the satellite provides communication services to the user terminal, and can also be understood as the user's service cell. That is to say, if the user terminal leaves the range covered by the beam, the user terminal cannot enjoy the communication service provided by the satellite. Among them, the projection shape of the beam on the ground (that is, the shape of the coverage area) can be an ellipse, a circle, a hexagon, etc., and the embodiments of the present application do not specifically limit this. In addition, when any satellite forms one or more of the above-mentioned beams, the shapes between the coverage areas are the same.

[0056] Next, the following is an exemplary description using two satellites, for example, satellite 1 and satellite 2. Satellite 1 and satellite 2 both have four beams. It is understandable that the embodiment of the present application is described using only two satellites as an example, but does not constitute a limitation on the embodiment of the present application. In some embodiments, three or more satellites may also be included. In addition, the embodiment of the present application is described using only one satellite transmitting four beams as an example, but does not constitute a limitation on the embodiment of the present application. In some embodiments, more than four or less than four beams may also be included.

[0057] like Figure 2 The figure is a flow chart of an embodiment of the communication method provided by the present application, which specifically includes the following steps:

[0058] Step 201: The satellite acquires a first coverage area at a current moment, wherein the first coverage area includes one or more sub-coverage areas.

[0059] Specifically, the satellite can transmit signals through the antenna to form one or more beams. And the satellite can change the angle of the antenna so that the beam forms different projection areas on the ground, and the projection area can be understood as the coverage area of ​​the signal. Among them, the above-mentioned antenna can be a phased array antenna. When the satellite uses a phased array antenna, the satellite can change the antenna orientation by changing the phase of the phased array antenna, thereby changing the coverage area formed by the beam on the ground. The above-mentioned antenna can also be a non-phased array antenna. When the satellite uses a non-phased array antenna, the satellite can change the antenna orientation by mechanically rotating or tilting the antenna, thereby changing the coverage area formed by the beam on the ground. The embodiments of the present application do not specifically limit this.

[0060] When a satellite forms a coverage area on the ground through one or more beams, the first coverage area at the current time (for example, time t) can be obtained, where time t can be any time. In the first coverage area, there can be one or more user terminals. Taking the four beams of satellite 1 as an example, satellite 1 can form four sub-coverage areas on the ground through the four beams, and the four sub-coverage areas can be considered as the first coverage area of ​​satellite 1. Similarly, satellite 2 can also form four sub-coverage areas on the ground through four beams, and the four sub-coverage areas can be considered as the first coverage area of ​​satellite 2.

[0061] Now combined Figure 3 The first coverage area is exemplarily described. Figure 3 Satellite 1 has beam 1-1, beam 1-2, beam 1-3 and beam 1-4; satellite 2 has beam 2-1, beam 2-2, beam 2-3 and beam 2-4. Among them, beam 1-1 forms a sub-coverage area 1-1 on the ground, beam 1-2 forms a sub-coverage area 1-2 on the ground, beam 1-3 forms a sub-coverage area 1-3 on the ground, and beam 1-4 forms a sub-coverage area 1-4 on the ground. The above sub-coverage area 1-1, sub-coverage area 1-2, sub-coverage area 1-3 and sub-coverage area 1-4 can constitute the first coverage area of ​​satellite 1; beam 2-1 forms a sub-coverage area 2-1 on the ground, beam 2-2 forms a sub-coverage area 2-2 on the ground, beam 2-3 forms a sub-coverage area 2-3 on the ground, and beam 2-4 forms a sub-coverage area 2-4 on the ground.

[0062] Step 202, during the movement of the satellite toward the first direction, the antenna direction changes toward the second direction to obtain a second coverage area at the next moment, wherein the second coverage area includes one or more sub-coverage areas, the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and the sub-coverage area where the user terminal is located in the second coverage area is the same as the sub-coverage area where the user terminal is located in the first coverage area.

[0063] Specifically, when a satellite moves, the coverage area formed by the beam emitted by the satellite on the ground will move with the movement of the satellite. Therefore, when a user terminal is within the coverage of any beam of any satellite at any time, if the satellite moves, the user terminal may not be within the coverage of the beam, which may cause the user terminal to switch.

[0064] In order to avoid frequent switching of user terminals caused by the movement of the satellite, the satellite can change the antenna orientation during the movement of the satellite in the first direction, so that the antenna orientation changes in the second direction, thereby changing the coverage area of ​​the beam on the ground. The second direction can be the opposite direction to the first direction. When the antenna orientation is changed, the satellite can obtain the second coverage area at the next moment after time t (for example, time t+1). The specific method for obtaining the second coverage area can refer to the method for obtaining the first coverage area mentioned above, which will not be repeated here.

[0065] When the satellite coverage area is changed by changing the direction of the antenna, the coverage area formed by the satellite beam on the ground can be relatively static and will not change due to the movement of the satellite. In other words, at least the sub-coverage area where the user terminal is located in the second coverage area is unchanged, so that the user terminal will not be switched due to the movement of the satellite, thereby improving the switching efficiency and the system operation efficiency.

[0066] Now take Satellite 1 as an example, and combine Figure 4a-4d The change of the coverage area is exemplified. Figure 4a and Figure 4b Take the case where the coverage area includes 4 elliptical sub-coverage areas as an example. Figure 4c and Figure 4d Take for example a coverage area including 7 hexagonal sub-coverage areas.

[0067] Figure 4a Schematic diagram of the coverage area of ​​satellite 1 at time t. Figure 4a Satellite 1 is located at position S1 at time t, and forms a first coverage area by projecting the beam on the ground, wherein the first coverage area includes sub-coverage area 1-1, sub-coverage area 1-2, sub-coverage area 1-3 and sub-coverage area 1-4, and a user terminal is detected in sub-coverage area 1-1.

[0068] Figure 4bSchematic diagram of the coverage area of ​​satellite 1 at time t+1. When satellite 1 starts to move from position S1 in a first direction and moves to position S2 at time t+1, the coverage area of ​​the beam on the ground changes due to the movement of the position of satellite 1. At this time, in order to avoid the switching of user terminals in sub-coverage area 1-1, satellite 1 can change the direction of the antenna, thereby obtaining a second coverage area, so that the coverage area formed by the beam of satellite 1 on the ground remains unchanged, for example, the user terminal is still within the coverage range of sub-coverage area 1-1. The second coverage area may include sub-coverage area 1-1', sub-coverage area 1-2', sub-coverage area 1-3' and sub-coverage area 1-4', and sub-coverage area 1-1', sub-coverage area 1-2', sub-coverage area 1-3' and sub-coverage area 1-4' are the same as sub-coverage area 1-1, sub-coverage area 1-2, sub-coverage area 1-3 and sub-coverage area 1-4.

[0069] Figure 4c Schematic diagram of the coverage area of ​​satellite 1 at time t. Figure 4c Satellite 1 is located at position S1 at time t, and forms a first coverage area by projecting the beam on the ground, wherein the first coverage area includes sub-coverage area 1-1, sub-coverage area 1-2, sub-coverage area 1-3, sub-coverage area 1-4, sub-coverage area 1-5, sub-coverage area 1-6 and sub-coverage area 1-7, and a user terminal is detected in sub-coverage area 1-1.

[0070] Figure 4d Schematic diagram of the coverage area of ​​satellite 1 at time t+1. When satellite 1 starts to move from position S1 in a first direction and moves to position S2 at time t+1, the coverage area of ​​the beam on the ground changes due to the movement of the position of satellite 1. At this time, in order to avoid switching of user terminals in sub-coverage area 1-1, satellite 1 can change the direction of the antenna, thereby obtaining a second coverage area, so that the coverage area formed by the beam of satellite 1 on the ground remains unchanged, for example, the user terminal is still within the coverage range of sub-coverage area 1-1. Among them, the second coverage area may include sub-coverage area 1-1', sub-coverage area 1-2', sub-coverage area 1-3', sub-coverage area 1-4', sub-coverage area 1-5', sub-coverage area 1-6' and sub-coverage area 1-7', and the sub-coverage area 1-1', sub-coverage area 1-2', sub-coverage area 1-3', sub-coverage area 1-4', sub-coverage area 1-5', sub-coverage area 1-6' and sub-coverage area 1-7' are the same as the sub-coverage area 1-1, sub-coverage area 1-2, sub-coverage area 1-3, sub-coverage area 1-4, sub-coverage area 1-5, sub-coverage area 1-6 and sub-coverage area 1-7.

[0071] That is to say, the coverage area of ​​satellite 1 at position S1 is the same as the coverage area of ​​satellite 1 at position S2, thereby ensuring that the coverage area formed by the satellite on the ground during movement is relatively stable. Since the coverage area can be considered as the service cell of the user terminal, the user terminal will not change the service cell during the movement of the satellite, thereby avoiding frequent switching and improving switching efficiency and system operation efficiency.

[0072] In some optional embodiments, since the range of change of the antenna orientation is limited, that is, when the satellite moves a certain distance, it is impossible to change the orientation of the antenna so that the coverage area formed by the beam on the ground remains unchanged. Therefore, satellite 1 can also pre-set a maximum scanning area, which can also be called the maximum coverable area, wherein the maximum coverable area can be used to characterize the maximum range of the coverage area formed by the satellite 1 beam on the ground, that is, the maximum scanning range of satellite 1. The maximum coverable area can be the coverage area formed by M beams on the ground. Wherein, M is a positive integer or a positive decimal greater than or equal to N+1, N is the total number of the satellite's beams, and N is a positive integer.

[0073] Next, take satellite 1 as an example and combine Figure 5a-5f The maximum coverage area is exemplified. Figure 5a-5c Take the elliptical sub-coverage area as an example. Figure 5d-5f Take a hexagonal sub-coverage area as an example.

[0074] refer to Figure 5a Satellite 1 has beams 1-1, 1-2, 1-3 and 1-4, which form sub-coverage areas 1-1, 1-2, 1-3 and 1-4 on the ground. The dotted box is the maximum coverage area, which can be the coverage area of ​​5 beams. When satellite 1 changes the antenna orientation so that the coverage area formed by the beam on the ground is located at the leftmost of the maximum coverage area, the following can be obtained: Figure 5b Schematic diagram of the coverage area shown. Figure 5b , there is an empty area on the far right of the maximum coverage area, which is the coverage area of ​​one beam. When satellite 1 changes the antenna orientation so that the coverage area formed by the beam on the ground is located on the far right of the maximum coverage area, the following can be obtained: Figure 5c Schematic diagram of the coverage area shown. Figure 5c There is also an idle area on the leftmost side of the maximum coverable area, and the idle area is the coverable area of ​​one beam.

[0075] refer to Figure 5d, satellite 1 has 7 beams, which form sub-coverage areas 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 1-6 and 1-7 on the ground. The dotted box is the maximum coverage area, which can be the coverage area of ​​10 beams. When satellite 1 changes the antenna direction so that the coverage area formed by the beam on the ground is located at the leftmost of the maximum coverage area, the following can be obtained: Figure 5e Schematic diagram of the coverage area shown. Figure 5e , there is some free area on the far right of the maximum coverage area, which is the coverage area of ​​3 beams. When satellite 1 changes the antenna direction so that the coverage area formed by the beam on the ground is located on the far right of the maximum coverage area, the following can be obtained: Figure 5f Schematic diagram of the coverage area shown. Figure 5f There is some idle area on the left side of the maximum coverable area, and this idle area is the coverable area of ​​3 beams.

[0076] The specific manner in which the coverage area of ​​satellite 2 is changed during the movement process may refer to the manner in which the coverage area of ​​satellite 1 is changed during the movement process, and will not be described in detail here.

[0077] Figure 6 A flow chart of another embodiment of the communication method provided by the present application, when the satellite has the maximum coverage area, may specifically include the following steps:

[0078] Step 601: The satellite acquires a first coverage area at a current moment, wherein the first coverage area includes one or more sub-coverage areas.

[0079] The specific implementation of step 601 can refer to the relevant description in the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0080] Step 602, during the movement of the satellite toward the first direction, the antenna direction changes toward the second direction to obtain a second coverage area at the next moment, wherein the second coverage area includes one or more sub-coverage areas, the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and the sub-coverage area where the user terminal is located in the second coverage area is the same as the sub-coverage area where the user terminal is located in the first coverage area.

[0081] The specific implementation of step 602 can refer to the relevant description in the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0082] Step 603: when it is detected that the second coverage area is located at the first edge of the maximum coverable area, the first sub-coverage area in the second coverage area is moved to the adjacent side of the second sub-coverage area, wherein the first sub-coverage area is the coverage area closest to the first edge in the second coverage area, the second sub-coverage area is the coverage area closest to the second edge in the second coverage area, and the first edge and the second edge are opposite sides.

[0083] Specifically, when the satellite moves, the antenna orientation of the satellite may be changed with reference to the relevant description in the above embodiments, thereby ensuring that the coverage area of ​​the satellite remains unchanged after the satellite moves.

[0084] However, since the satellite has a maximum coverage area, when the coverage area formed by the beam on the ground is at the edge of the maximum coverage area, that is, the antenna orientation is already at the maximum angle that the satellite can adjust. If the satellite moves at this time, the antenna orientation exceeds the satellite's adjustment range, which may cause the coverage area after the satellite moves to not completely overlap with the coverage area before the satellite moves, thereby failing to ensure the relative stability of the coverage area, and further reducing the system's operating efficiency. Therefore, during the movement of the satellite, the position of the second coverage area can also be detected. When it is detected that the second coverage area is located at the first edge of the maximum coverage area, the first sub-coverage area in the second coverage area can be moved to the adjacent side of the second sub-coverage area, wherein the first sub-coverage area is the coverage area closest to the first edge in the second coverage area, and the second sub-coverage area is the coverage area closest to the second edge in the second coverage area, and the first edge and the second edge are opposite sides.

[0085] Next, take satellite 1 as an example and combine Figure 7 The movement of the sub-coverage area is exemplified. Figure 7 , satellite 1 has beam 1-1, beam 1-2, beam 1-3 and beam 1-4. When satellite 1 moves to the right, a second coverage area is formed on the ground at time t+1. The second coverage area includes multiple sub-coverage areas, for example, sub-coverage area 1-1, sub-coverage area 1-2, sub-coverage area 1-3 and sub-coverage area 1-4. Since the second coverage area is located at the leftmost side of the maximum coverage area, at this time, sub-coverage area 1-4, which is close to the leftmost side of the maximum coverage area, can be moved to the right side of sub-coverage area 1-1. It can be understood that sub-coverage area 1-1 is the rightmost sub-coverage area.

[0086] It can be understood that when satellite 1 moves to the left, it can determine whether the second coverage area is located at the rightmost side of the maximum coverage area. If the second coverage area is located at the rightmost side of the maximum coverage area, the sub-coverage area in the second coverage area located at the rightmost side of the maximum coverage area can be moved to the adjacent side of the sub-coverage area closest to the leftmost side.

[0087] In some optional embodiments, for the scenario of mechanically changing the antenna orientation, it is necessary to change the angle of the antenna by rotating or tilting, thereby changing the orientation of the antenna. If the angle is too large, it will affect the layout design of the components, thereby increasing the complexity of the system design. For the scenario of electronically changing the antenna orientation, it is necessary to change the angle of the antenna by changing the phase, thereby changing the orientation of the antenna. The phase is adjusted by the seismic surface. The larger the phase, the larger the seismic surface. The larger the seismic surface, the higher the cost. Therefore, the present application reduces the adjustment angle of the antenna by mapping the beam to the radiation unit one by one, and changes the mapping relationship between the beam and the radiation unit during the movement of the satellite, thereby avoiding the problems caused by the above-mentioned mechanical and electronic methods of changing the antenna orientation. Among them, the radiation unit can be the transmitting device of the antenna, and the radiation unit has a preset maximum adjustment angle. It can be understood that the preset maximum adjustment angle can also be understood as the maximum variable range of the coverage area formed by the beam on the ground. For example, Figure 5a Taking the maximum coverage area shown as an example, the maximum variable range of any beam is the range of 5 beams. If the beams are mapped to the radiation units, the maximum variable range of any beam can be the range of 2 beams, thereby reducing the variable angle of the antenna, thereby avoiding the above-mentioned problems caused by mechanical and electronic methods. It can be understood that the range of the above-mentioned 2 beams is only an exemplary description and does not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of the present application. In some embodiments, it can also be a range less than 5 beams.

[0088] Next, take satellite 1 as an example and combine Figure 8 The mapping relationship between antennas and beams is exemplified. Figure 8Satellite 1 has beam 1-1, beam 1-2, beam 1-3 and beam 1-4, wherein beam 1-1 maps radiation unit 1-1, beam 1-2 maps radiation unit 1-2, beam 1-3 maps radiation unit 1-3, and beam 1-4 maps radiation unit 1-4. The maximum variable range of radiation unit 1-1, radiation unit 1-2, radiation unit 1-3 and radiation unit 1-4 can be the range of 2 beams. Assuming that during the movement of satellite 1, sub-coverage area 1-4 needs to be moved to a position adjacent to sub-coverage area 1-1, if it is adjusted mechanically or electronically, it is necessary to adjust the angle of radiation unit 1-4 by 4 beam ranges. In the embodiment of the present application, by mapping radiation unit 1-1 with beam 1-4, it is possible to move sub-coverage area 1-1 to a position adjacent to sub-coverage area 1-1 without adjusting the angle of 4 beam ranges. In other words, there is no need to adjust the angle of the radiation unit, and only the mapping relationship between the beam and the radiation unit needs to be changed. It can be understood that after the sub-coverage areas 1-4 are moved, the mapping relationship between the remaining beams and the radiation units can be changed accordingly.

[0089] In some optional embodiments, during the movement of the satellite, when the area where the user terminal is located exceeds the coverage area of ​​the satellite, the user terminal will switch between satellites. By setting sub-coverage areas of the same frequency between different satellites, when the user terminal switches between satellites, only the satellite is switched without switching the frequency, thereby reducing the signaling consumption caused by frequency switching and improving the switching efficiency and system operation efficiency.

[0090] Next, take satellite 1 and satellite 2 as an example, and combine Figure 9a and 9b The above inter-satellite switching is exemplarily described. Figure 9a , satellite 1 has 4 beams, namely beam 1-1, beam 1-2, beam 1-3 and beam 1-4, and the corresponding frequencies are frequency 1, frequency 2, frequency 3 and frequency 4; satellite 2 has 4 beams, namely beam 2-1, beam 2-2, beam 2-3 and beam 2-4, and the corresponding frequencies are frequency 1, frequency 2, frequency 3 and frequency 4. Assuming that the user terminal is located in the sub-coverage area 1-1, it can be seen from the above description that when the sub-coverage area 1-1 is located at the edge of the maximum coverable area, the sub-coverage area 1-1 can be moved to the adjacent side of the sub-coverage area close to the other edge of the maximum coverable area, for example, the adjacent side of the sub-coverage area 1-2, thereby obtaining the following: Figure 9b Schematic diagram of the coverage area shown. Figure 9b, satellite 2 can perform the same operation as satellite 1, for example, moving sub-coverage area 2-1 to the adjacent side of sub-coverage area 2-1, so that the user terminal is located within the coverage of sub-coverage area 2-1. At this time, the user terminal can be switched from sub-coverage area 1-1 of satellite 1 to sub-coverage area 2-1 of satellite 2. However, since the frequency of sub-coverage area 1-1 is the same as that of sub-coverage area 2-1, for example, both are frequency 1, the frequency of the user terminal is not switched, and only the satellite is switched, for example, from satellite 1 to satellite 2, thereby reducing the signaling overhead caused by the frequency switching.

[0091] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the communication device of the present application, such as Fig.10 As shown, the communication device 1000 is applied to a first satellite, and the first satellite can form one or more beams, and the one or more beams form one or more sub-coverage areas of the same shape on the ground through an antenna, and can include: an acquisition module 1010 and a change module 1020; wherein,

[0092] An acquisition module 1010 is configured to acquire, by the first satellite, a first coverage area at a current moment, where the first coverage area includes one or more sub-coverage areas;

[0093] The change module 1020 is used to change the antenna orientation toward a second direction during the movement of the first satellite toward a first direction to obtain a second coverage area at a next moment, wherein the second coverage area includes the one or more sub-coverage areas, the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and the sub-coverage area where the user terminal is located in the second coverage area is the same as the sub-coverage area where the user terminal is located in the first coverage area.

[0094] In one possible implementation manner, the first satellite further includes a maximum scanning area, and the maximum scanning area is used to represent a maximum scanning range of the first satellite.

[0095] In one possible implementation, the communication device 1000 further includes:

[0096] A moving module is used to move a first sub-coverage area in the second coverage area to an adjacent side of a second sub-coverage area when it is detected that the second coverage area is located at a first edge of the maximum scanning area during the movement of the first satellite, wherein the first sub-coverage area is a coverage area in the first coverage area that is closest to the first edge, the second sub-coverage area is a coverage area in the first coverage area that is closest to the second edge, and the first edge and the second edge are opposite sides.

[0097] In one possible implementation manner, the multiple beams have different frequencies, the user terminal is located in the first sub-coverage area, and the communication device 1000 further includes:

[0098] The switching module is used to, after the first sub-coverage area is moved, cover the user terminal in the first sub-coverage area before the movement by a third sub-coverage area, the third sub-coverage area being the coverage area of ​​the second satellite, and the frequency of the third sub-coverage area being the same as the frequency of the first sub-coverage area.

[0099] In one possible implementation, the maximum scanning area is a sub-coverage area formed by M beams on the ground; wherein M is a positive number greater than or equal to N+1, N is the total number of beams of the first satellite, and N is a positive integer.

[0100] In one possible implementation, when the first satellite forms multiple beams, the multiple beams are mapped one-to-one with the antennas, and the mapping relationship between the multiple beams and the antennas is variable during the movement of the first satellite.

[0101] In one possible implementation, the sub-coverage area is in the shape of an ellipse, a circle or a hexagon.

[0102] Fig.10 The communication device provided in the illustrated embodiment can be used to execute the technical solution of the method embodiment shown in the present application, and its implementation principle and technical effects can be further referred to the relevant description in the method embodiment.

[0103] It should be understood that the above Fig.10 The division of the various modules of the communication device shown is only a division of logical functions. In actual implementation, they can be fully or partially integrated into one physical entity, or they can be physically separated. And these modules can all be implemented in the form of software calling through processing elements; they can also be all implemented in the form of hardware; some modules can also be implemented in the form of software calling through processing elements, and some modules can be implemented in the form of hardware. For example, the detection module can be a separately established processing element, or it can be integrated in a chip of an electronic device. The implementation of other modules is similar. In addition, all or part of these modules can be integrated together, or they can be implemented independently. In the implementation process, each step of the above method or each of the above modules can be completed by an integrated logic circuit of hardware in the processor element or instructions in the form of software.

[0104] For example, the above modules may be one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the above methods, such as one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), or one or more microprocessors (DSP), or one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGA). For another example, these modules may be integrated together and implemented in the form of a system-on-a-chip (SOC).

[0105] Combine the following Fig.11 The exemplary electronic device provided in the embodiments of the present application is further introduced. Fig.11 A schematic structural diagram of an electronic device 1100 is shown, and the electronic device 1100 may be the above-mentioned satellite.

[0106] The electronic device 1100 may include: at least one processor; and at least one memory communicatively connected to the processor, wherein: the memory stores program instructions executable by the processor, and the processor calls the program instructions to execute the communication method provided in the embodiment shown in the present application.

[0107] Fig.11 A block diagram of an exemplary electronic device 1100 suitable for implementing the embodiments of the present application is shown. Fig.11 The electronic device 1100 shown is merely an example and should not bring any limitation to the functions and scope of use of the embodiments of the present application.

[0108] like Fig.11 As shown, the electronic device 1100 is in the form of a general computing device. The components of the electronic device 1100 may include, but are not limited to: one or more processors 1110, a memory 1120, a communication bus 1140 connecting different system components (including the memory 1120 and the processor 1110), and a communication interface 1130.

[0109] The communication bus 1140 represents one or more of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a graphics acceleration port, a processor or a local bus using any of a variety of bus structures. For example, these architectures include but are not limited to Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MAC) bus, Enhanced ISA bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnection (PCI) bus.

[0110] The electronic device 1100 typically includes a variety of computer system readable media, which can be any available media that can be accessed by the electronic device, including volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media.

[0111] The memory 1120 may include computer system readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM) and / or cache memory. The electronic device may further include other removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile computer system storage media. Fig.11 Not shown, a disk drive for reading and writing a removable non-volatile disk (e.g., a "floppy disk"), and an optical disk drive for reading and writing a removable non-volatile optical disk (e.g., a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc read only memory (DVD-ROM), or other optical media) may be provided. In these cases, each drive may be connected to the communication bus 1140 via one or more data medium interfaces. The memory 1120 may include at least one program product having a set (e.g., at least one) of program modules that are configured to perform the functions of the various embodiments of the present application.

[0112] A program / utility having a set (at least one) of program modules may be stored in memory 1120, such program modules including, but not limited to, an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data, each of which or some combination may include an implementation of a network environment. The program modules generally perform the functions and / or methods of the embodiments described herein.

[0113] The electronic device 1100 may also communicate with one or more external devices (e.g., keyboard, pointing device, display, etc.), one or more devices that enable a user to interact with the electronic device, and / or any device that enables the electronic device to communicate with one or more other computing devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.). Such communication may be performed via the communication interface 1130. Furthermore, the electronic device 1100 may also communicate with the network adapter ( Fig.11 The network adapter may communicate with one or more networks (e.g., a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and / or a public network, such as the Internet) via the communication bus 1140. It should be understood that although Fig.11 Not shown, other hardware and / or software modules may be used in conjunction with the electronic device 1100, including but not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, disk arrays (Redundant Arrays of Independent Drives; hereinafter referred to as: RAID) systems, tape drives, and data backup storage systems.

[0114] The processor 1110 executes various functional applications and data processing by running the program stored in the memory 1120, such as implementing the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0115] It is understandable that the interface connection relationship between the modules illustrated in the embodiment of the present application is only a schematic illustration and does not constitute a structural limitation on the electronic device 1100. In other embodiments of the present application, the electronic device 1100 may also adopt different interface connection methods in the above embodiments, or a combination of multiple interface connection methods.

[0116] In the above embodiments, the processor involved may include, for example, a CPU, a DSP, a microcontroller or a digital signal processor, and may also include a GPU, an embedded neural network processor (Neural-network Process Units; hereinafter referred to as: NPU) and an image signal processor (Image Signal Processing; hereinafter referred to as: ISP). The processor may also include necessary hardware accelerators or logic processing hardware circuits, such as ASIC, or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of the program of the technical solution of the present application. In addition, the processor may have the function of operating one or more software programs, and the software programs may be stored in a storage medium.

[0117] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which a computer program is stored. When the computer-readable storage medium is run on a computer, the computer executes the method provided by the embodiment shown in the present application.

[0118] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program. When the computer program is run on a computer, it enables the computer to execute the method provided by the embodiment shown in the present application.

[0119] In the embodiments of the present application, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "more than one" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can represent the existence of A alone, the existence of A and B at the same time, and the existence of B alone. Among them, A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" and similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b and c can be represented by: a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c, where a, b, c can be single or multiple.

[0120] Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the various units and algorithm steps described in the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in a combination of electronic hardware, computer software, and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0121] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0122] In several embodiments provided in the present application, if any function is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application can be essentially or partly embodied in the form of a software product that contributes to the prior art. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including several instructions for a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, mobile hard disk, read-only memory (Read-Only Memory; hereinafter referred to as: ROM), random access memory (Random Access Memory; hereinafter referred to as: RAM), disk or optical disk, and other media that can store program codes.

[0123] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. The protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

[0124] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, applied to a first satellite, characterized in that: The first satellite may form one or more beams, and the one or more beams may form one or more sub-coverage areas of the same shape on the ground through an antenna. The method includes: The first satellite acquires a first coverage area at a current moment, where the first coverage area includes one or more sub-coverage areas; During the movement of the first satellite toward the first direction, the antenna direction changes toward the second direction to obtain a second coverage area at a next moment, wherein the second coverage area includes the one or more sub-coverage areas, the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and the sub-coverage area where the user terminal in the second coverage area is located is the same as the sub-coverage area where the user terminal is located in the first coverage area; The first satellite also includes a maximum scanning area, which is used to characterize the maximum scanning range of the first satellite. During the movement of the first satellite, when it is detected that the second coverage area is located at a first edge of the maximum scanning area, the first sub-coverage area in the second coverage area is moved to the adjacent side of the second sub-coverage area, wherein the first sub-coverage area is the coverage area closest to the first edge in the second coverage area, the second sub-coverage area is the coverage area closest to the second edge in the second coverage area, and the first edge and the second edge are opposite sides.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multiple beams have different frequencies, the user terminal is located in the first sub-coverage area, and the method further includes: After the first sub-coverage area is moved, the user terminals in the first sub-coverage area before the movement are covered by the third sub-coverage area, which is the coverage area of ​​the second satellite and has the same frequency as the first sub-coverage area.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The maximum scanning area is a sub-coverage area formed by M beams on the ground; wherein M is a positive number greater than or equal to N+1, N is the total number of beams of the first satellite, and N is a positive integer.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the case where the first satellite forms a plurality of beams, the plurality of beams are mapped one-to-one with the antennas, and the mapping relationship between the plurality of beams and the antennas is variable during the movement of the first satellite.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The sub-coverage area is in the shape of an ellipse, a circle or a hexagon.

6. A first satellite, characterized in that: include: A processor and a memory, wherein the memory is used to store a computer program; and the processor is used to run the computer program to implement the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed on a computer, the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is implemented.

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