A method, apparatus, user equipment, base station, and storage medium for Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching.

Abstract

This disclosure discloses a method, apparatus, user equipment, base station, and storage medium for switching Radio Resource Control (RRC) states, belonging to the field of communications. The method includes: receiving RRC state indication information sent by a base station, the RRC state indication information including a target RRC state and / or the service start time of the next satellite service for the UE; and switching to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information. The method provided by this disclosure effectively enables the UE to avoid invalid operations when there is no satellite service in satellite communication, thereby saving power consumption.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a method, apparatus, user equipment, base station, and storage medium for measuring Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching. Background Technology

[0002] In 5G communication systems, satellite communication technology is an important aspect of future development. However, due to limitations in the number of satellites or their movement trajectories, satellites cannot provide all-weather coverage. Therefore, to conserve the power of the UE (User Equipment), it is typically configured not to receive downlink signaling or send uplink signaling when the UE is not within satellite coverage.

[0003] In related technologies, base stations typically configure DRX (Discontinuous Reception) periodically for UEs to prevent them from receiving downlink signaling or sending uplink signaling for short periods. However, the DRX period in these technologies is relatively short (e.g., typically tens of milliseconds), while in satellite communication, the time a UE is out of satellite coverage is relatively long (e.g., typically several hours). Therefore, the DRX configuration method in these technologies is not suitable for satellite communication systems. Thus, a power-saving method for UEs suitable for satellite communication systems is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure presents a method, apparatus, user equipment, base station, and storage medium for Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching, in order to solve the technical problem that existing measurement methods are prone to power consumption and increased power consumption.

[0005] This disclosure provides a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method, applied to a base station, comprising:

[0006] Determine the end time of the current service provided by the satellite to the user equipment (UE), and the start time of the next service provided by the satellite to the UE;

[0007] Based on the service end time and the service start time of the next service, the RRC status indication information is sent to the UE. The RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service. The RRC status indication information is used to instruct the UE to switch to the target RRC status.

[0008] The Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method proposed in another embodiment of this disclosure, applied to a UE, includes:

[0009] The UE receives RRC status indication information sent by the base station, the RRC status indication information including the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service for the satellite;

[0010] Switch to the target RRC state based on the RRC status indication information.

[0011] Another embodiment of this disclosure provides a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching device, comprising:

[0012] The determination module is used to determine the service end time of the current serving satellite of the user equipment (UE) and the service start time of the next service of the satellite for the UE.

[0013] The sending module is used to send RRC status indication information to the UE. The RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service. The RRC status indication information is used to instruct the UE to switch to the target RRC status.

[0014] Another embodiment of this disclosure provides a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching device, comprising:

[0015] The receiving module is used to receive RRC status indication information sent by the base station, wherein the RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite;

[0016] The processing module is used to switch to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information.

[0017] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a communication device, the device including a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program, the processor executing the computer program stored in the memory to cause the device to perform the method as described in the preceding aspect of the embodiment.

[0018] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a communication device, the device including a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program, the processor executing the computer program stored in the memory to cause the device to perform the method proposed in the other aspect of the above embodiment.

[0019] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a communication device, comprising: a processor and an interface circuit;

[0020] The interface circuit is used to receive code instructions and transmit them to the processor;

[0021] The processor is configured to run the code instructions to perform the method as proposed in one aspect of the embodiments.

[0022] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a communication device, comprising: a processor and an interface circuit;

[0023] The interface circuit is used to receive code instructions and transmit them to the processor;

[0024] The processor is configured to run the code instructions to perform the method as proposed in another embodiment.

[0025] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions that, when executed, cause the method described in one aspect of the disclosure to be implemented.

[0026] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions that, when executed, cause the method as described in another aspect of this disclosure to be implemented.

[0027] In summary, in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method proposed in this disclosure, the UE receives RRC state indication information sent by the base station. This RRC state indication information includes the target RRC state and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. The UE then switches to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information. Specifically, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information is determined by the base station based on the interval between the service end time of the UE's current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned target RRC state is specifically an RRC disconnected state. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure primarily determine the switch to the RRC disconnected state based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service, thereby avoiding situations where the UE performs data transmission and reception when the satellite is not providing service (i.e., when the satellite is not providing coverage), thus avoiding invalid UE operations and saving power consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method provided in another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0031] Figure 3This is a flowchart illustrating a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method provided in yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method provided in yet another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0033] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method provided in yet another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0034] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method provided in yet another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0035] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method provided in yet another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0036] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method provided in yet another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0037] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0038] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching device provided in another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 11 This is a block diagram of a user equipment provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 12 This is a block diagram of a base station provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with those of this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0042] The terminology used in this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. The singular forms “a” and “the” as used in this disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include the 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 and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0043] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used to describe various information in embodiments of this disclosure, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, first information may also be referred to as second information without departing from the scope of embodiments of this disclosure, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the words “if” and “suppose” as used herein may be interpreted as “when”, “when”, or “in response to a determination”.

[0044] The following describes in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method, apparatus, user equipment, base station, and storage medium provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0045] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching process provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. The method is executed by the UE, as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method may include the following steps:

[0046] Step 101: Receive the RRC status indication information sent by the base station. The RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite.

[0047] It should be noted that the RRC state switching method of this disclosure can be applied to any UE. The UE can be a device that provides voice and / or data connectivity to a user. The UE can communicate with one or more core networks via a RAN (Radio Access Network). The UE can be an IoT terminal, such as a sensor device, a mobile phone (or "cellular" phone), and a computer with an IoT terminal. For example, it can be a fixed, portable, pocket-sized, handheld, computer-embedded, or vehicle-mounted device. Examples include a station (STA), subscriber unit, subscriber station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, access point, remote terminal, access terminal, user terminal, or user agent. Alternatively, the UE can also be a device in an unmanned aerial vehicle. Alternatively, the UE can also be a vehicle-mounted device, such as a vehicle computer with wireless communication capabilities, or a wireless terminal connected to an external vehicle computer. Alternatively, the UE can also be a roadside device, such as a street light, traffic light, or other roadside device with wireless communication capabilities.

[0048] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the method for receiving RRC status indication information sent by a base station may include at least one of the following:

[0049] Receive RRC status indication information sent by the base station via higher-layer signaling;

[0050] Receive RRC status indication information sent by the base station through physical layer signaling.

[0051] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the aforementioned higher-level signaling may include at least one of the following:

[0052] RRC signaling;

[0053] MAC CE (Media Access Control Address Control Element) signaling.

[0054] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the aforementioned physical layer signaling may include DCI (Downlink Control Information) signaling. Further, in one embodiment of this disclosure, when the terminal's status and / or corresponding time information are notified via physical layer signaling, and the aforementioned information is sent using DCI signaling, the RRC status indication information may be transmitted on an information field of the DCI signaling. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the information field carrying the RRC status indication information may be a fixed information field in the DCI signaling. In another embodiment of this disclosure, the information field carrying the RRC status indication information may be a configurable information field, for example, an information field configured by the base station. Also, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the length of the information field carrying the RRC status indication information may be fixed. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the length of the information field carrying the RRC status indication information may be configurable (e.g., it may be configured by the base station).

[0055] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the service start time for the next service from the satellite to the UE may include at least one of the following:

[0056] The start time of the next service for the UE from the currently serving satellite;

[0057] The service start time for the UE's next service from other service satellites.

[0058] It should be noted that, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information may specifically be sent by the base station to the UE when it determines that the service end time of the currently serving satellite is about to arrive.

[0059] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the aforementioned RRC status indication information may only include the target RRC status. The target RRC status may be an RRC disconnected state. Specifically, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the aforementioned target RRC status may be a first predefined RRC status or a second predefined RRC status. Moreover, whether the target RRC status in the RRC status indication information received by the UE is the first predefined RRC status or the second predefined RRC status is determined by the base station based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service.

[0060] Specifically, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the base station first determines the service end time of the current serving satellite for the UE, and the service start time of the next service for the UE. Then, if the current time reaches the service end time, and the interval between the service end time and the service start time of the next service is greater than a first threshold (i.e., the satellite does not provide service to the UE for a relatively long period), the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information sent by the base station to the UE can be a first predefined RRC state. Under this first predefined RRC state, the UE can refrain from sending and receiving signaling with the base station for a relatively long period. If the current time reaches the service end time, and the interval between the service end time and the service start time of the next service is less than or equal to a second threshold (i.e., the satellite does not provide service to the UE for a relatively short period), the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information sent by the base station to the UE can be a second predefined RRC state. Under this second predefined RRC state, the UE can refrain from sending and receiving signaling with the base station for a relatively short period.

[0061] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the base station may specifically determine the end time of the current service and the start time of the next service based on the ephemeris information of the satellite.

[0062] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the first threshold value described above may be greater than or equal to the second threshold value.

[0063] Furthermore, in another embodiment of this disclosure, the aforementioned RRC status indication information may only include the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. Based on this, after receiving the RRC status indication information, the UE can determine the target RRC status to be switched to based on the interval between the current time and the service start time of the UE's next service.

[0064] Specifically, in one embodiment of this disclosure, if the interval between the current time and the start time of the next service is greater than a first threshold (i.e., the satellite has not provided service to the UE for a relatively long period), the UE can determine that the target RRC state it is about to switch to is a first predefined RRC state. In this first predefined RRC state, the UE can refrain from sending and receiving signaling with the base station for a relatively long period. If the interval between the current time and the start time of the next service is less than or equal to a second threshold (i.e., the satellite has not provided service to the UE for a relatively short period), the UE can determine that the target RRC state it is about to switch to is a second predefined RRC state. In this second predefined RRC state, the UE can refrain from sending and receiving signaling with the base station for a relatively short period.

[0065] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, the aforementioned RRC status indication information may include the target RRC status and the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite.

[0066] Step 102: Switch to the target RRC status based on the RRC status indication information.

[0067] In one embodiment of this disclosure, after the UE determines the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information (the process of determining the target RRC state can be referred to the above description), it can switch to the target RRC state and perform the operation corresponding to the target RRC state.

[0068] In one embodiment of this disclosure, when the UE switches to the first predefined RRC state, it can specifically perform at least one of the following operations:

[0069] The UE disables all hardware modules used for cellular communication (e.g., disables all cellular modules);

[0070] The UE does not perform DRX (Discontinuous Reception).

[0071] UE stops detecting paging information;

[0072] UE stops acquiring system information;

[0073] The UE does not perform neighbor cell measurement operations.

[0074] That is, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the UE can not communicate with the base station for a long time in the first predefined RRC state.

[0075] Based on the above, in one embodiment of this disclosure, when the target RRC state is the first predefined RRC state, it means that the interval between the end time of the current service satellite and the start time of the next service is greater than the first threshold (i.e., the satellite does not provide services to the UE for a long time). At this time, the UE can switch to the first predefined RRC state to achieve long-term non-communication with the base station, thereby avoiding the UE from performing invalid operations and saving UE power consumption.

[0076] In another embodiment of this disclosure, when the target RRC state is the second predefined RRC state, the UE can perform the following operation when switching to the second predefined RRC state: the UE performs DRX.

[0077] Specifically, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the method for a UE to perform DRX may include: receiving first configuration information sent by a base station, the first configuration information containing indication information of parameters for the UE to perform DRX; wherein, the first configuration information is specifically determined by the base station based on the service start time of the next service; and then, the UE performs DRX operation according to the indication of the first configuration information.

[0078] Therefore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the UE may not communicate with the base station for a short period of time in the second predefined RRC state.

[0079] Based on the above, in one embodiment of this disclosure, when the target RRC state is the second predefined RRC state, it means that the interval between the end time of the current service satellite and the start time of the next service is less than or equal to the second threshold value (i.e., the time during which the satellite does not provide services to the UE is short). At this time, the UE can switch to the second predefined RRC state to avoid communicating with the base station for a short period of time, thereby avoiding invalid operations by the UE and saving UE power consumption.

[0080] In summary, in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method proposed in this disclosure, the UE receives RRC state indication information sent by the base station. This RRC state indication information includes the target RRC state and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. The UE then switches to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information. Specifically, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information is determined by the base station based on the interval between the service end time of the UE's current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned target RRC state is specifically an RRC disconnected state. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure primarily determine the switch to the RRC disconnected state based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service, thereby avoiding situations where the UE performs data transmission and reception when the satellite is not providing service (i.e., when the satellite is not providing coverage), thus avoiding invalid UE operations and saving power consumption.

[0081] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching process provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. The method is executed by the UE, as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method may include the following steps:

[0082] Step 201: Receive RRC status indication information sent by the base station. The RRC status indication information includes a first predefined RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite.

[0083] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information in step 201 may include only the first predefined RRC status.

[0084] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information in step 201 may only include the service start time of the next service from the satellite to the UE. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the interval between the current time and the service start time of the next service from the satellite to the UE should be greater than a first threshold value.

[0085] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information in step 201 may include a first predefined RRC status and the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite.

[0086] Step 202: Switch to the first predefined RRC state based on the RRC status indication information.

[0087] For a detailed description of steps 201-202, please refer to the above embodiments. This disclosure will not repeat the details here.

[0088] In summary, in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method proposed in this disclosure, the UE receives RRC state indication information sent by the base station. This RRC state indication information includes the target RRC state and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. The UE then switches to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information. Specifically, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information is determined by the base station based on the interval between the service end time of the UE's current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned target RRC state is specifically an RRC disconnected state. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure primarily determine the switch to the RRC disconnected state based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service, thereby avoiding situations where the UE performs data transmission and reception when the satellite is not providing service (i.e., when the satellite is not providing coverage), thus avoiding invalid UE operations and saving power consumption.

[0089] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching process provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. The method is executed by the UE, as follows: Figure 3 As shown, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method may include the following steps:

[0090] Step 301: Receive RRC status indication information sent by the base station. The RRC status indication information includes a second predefined RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite.

[0091] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information in step 301 may include only the second predefined RRC status.

[0092] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information in step 301 may only include the service start time of the next service from the satellite to the UE. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the interval between the current time and the service start time of the next service from the satellite to the UE should be less than or equal to a second threshold value.

[0093] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information in step 301 may include a second predefined RRC status and the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite.

[0094] Step 302: Switch to the second predefined RRC state based on the RRC status indication information.

[0095] In summary, the UE receives RRC status indication information sent by the base station. This RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. The UE then switches to the target RRC status based on the RRC status indication information. Specifically, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the target RRC status in the RRC status indication information is determined by the base station based on the interval between the service end time of the UE's current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned target RRC status is specifically an RRC disconnected state. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure primarily determine the switch to the RRC disconnected state based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service. This avoids the UE transmitting and receiving data when the satellite is not providing service (i.e., when the satellite is not providing coverage), thus preventing invalid UE operations and saving power consumption.

[0096] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching process provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. The method is executed by the UE, as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method may include the following steps:

[0097] Step 401: Receive RRC status indication information sent by the base station. The RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite.

[0098] Step 402: Switch to the target RRC status based on the RRC status indication information.

[0099] For a detailed description of steps 401-402, please refer to the above embodiments. This disclosure will not repeat the details here.

[0100] Step 403: Receive the second configuration information sent by the base station.

[0101] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the second configuration information may specifically be used to instruct the UE to switch from the target RRC state (i.e., the RRC disconnected state) back to the RRC connected state in order to communicate normally with the base station.

[0102] Specifically, the base station sends the second configuration information in the following way: if the current time reaches the service start time of the next service (i.e., when the satellite is about to provide services to the UE), the base station can send the second configuration information to the UE to instruct the UE to switch back to the RRC connection state, thereby ensuring normal communication between the UE and the base station during the period when the satellite provides services to the UE.

[0103] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the second configuration information may include at least one of the following:

[0104] Service beam information of the target satellite for the next service delivery;

[0105] Resource configuration information during random access (e.g., random access signal characteristics and / or the time-frequency resource location where the random access signal is located);

[0106] The time and frequency resources corresponding to the UE.

[0107] Step 404: Perform random access based on configuration information to switch to RRC connection state.

[0108] In summary, in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method proposed in this disclosure, the UE receives RRC state indication information sent by the base station. This RRC state indication information includes the target RRC state and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. The UE then switches to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information. Specifically, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information is determined by the base station based on the interval between the service end time of the UE's current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned target RRC state is specifically an RRC disconnected state. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure primarily determine the switch to the RRC disconnected state based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service, thereby avoiding situations where the UE performs data transmission and reception when the satellite is not providing service (i.e., when the satellite is not providing coverage), thus avoiding invalid UE operations and saving power consumption.

[0109] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching process provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. The method is executed by the base station, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method may include the following steps:

[0110] Step 501: Determine the end time of the current service provided by the satellite to the UE, and the start time of the next service provided by the satellite to the UE.

[0111] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the base station can specifically determine the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service for the UE based on ephemeris information.

[0112] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the method by which the base station sends RRC status indication information to the UE may include at least one of the following:

[0113] Send RRC status indication information to the UE via higher-layer signaling;

[0114] RRC status indication information is sent to the UE via physical layer signaling.

[0115] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the aforementioned higher-level signaling may include at least one of the following:

[0116] RRC signaling,

[0117] MAC CE signaling

[0118] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the aforementioned physical layer signaling may include DCI signaling. Further, in one embodiment of this disclosure, when the aforementioned RRC status indication information is transmitted using DCI signaling, the RRC status indication information may be transmitted on an information field of the DCI signaling. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the information field carrying the RRC status indication information may be a fixed information field in the DCI signaling. In another embodiment of this disclosure, the information field carrying the RRC status indication information may be a configurable information field, for example, it may be an information field configured by the base station. Also, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the length of the information field carrying the RRC status indication information may be fixed. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the length of the information field carrying the RRC status indication information may be configurable (e.g., it may be configured by the base station).

[0119] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the service start time of the next service provided by the satellite to the UE includes at least one of the following:

[0120] The start time of the next service for the UE from the currently serving satellite;

[0121] The service start time for the UE's next service from other service satellites.

[0122] Step 502: Send RRC status indication information to the UE. The RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service. The RRC status indication information is used to instruct the UE to switch to the target RRC status.

[0123] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information may include only the target RRC status.

[0124] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, when the RRC status indication information may include a target RRC status, the base station specifically sends the status indication information to the UE based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service.

[0125] Specifically, in one embodiment of this disclosure, if the current time reaches the service end time (for example, the interval between the current time and the service end time is less than a first threshold), and the interval between the service end time and the service start time of the next service is greater than a first threshold (that is, the satellite does not provide services to the UE for a long time), then the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information sent by the base station to the UE can be a first predefined RRC state, wherein, under the first predefined RRC state, the UE can not send or receive signaling with the base station for a long time.

[0126] In another embodiment of this disclosure, if the current time reaches the service end time, and the interval between the service end time and the service start time of the next service is less than or equal to the second threshold value (that is, the time during which the satellite does not provide services to the UE is short), then the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information sent by the base station to the UE can be the second predefined RRC state, wherein, under the second predefined RRC state, the UE can not send or receive signaling with the base station for a short period of time.

[0127] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the first threshold value described above may be greater than or equal to the second threshold value.

[0128] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information may include only the service start time of the next service provided by the satellite to the UE.

[0129] It should be noted that, in one embodiment of this disclosure, when the RRC status indication information includes the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite, the base station specifically sends the RRC status indication information to the UE that only includes the service start time of the next service for the UE when it determines that the current time has reached the service end time, so that the UE can determine the target RRC status to be switched based on the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite.

[0130] Furthermore, in yet another embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information may include the target RRC status and the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite, so that the UE can determine that it will switch to the target RRC status based on the RRC status information.

[0131] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, when the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information is different, the operation performed by the UE in that target RRC state is also different.

[0132] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the UE can specifically perform at least one of the following operations in the first predefined RRC state:

[0133] The UE disables all hardware modules used for cellular communication (e.g., disables all cellular modules);

[0134] UE does not execute DRX;

[0135] UE stops detecting paging information;

[0136] UE stops acquiring system information;

[0137] The UE does not perform neighbor cell measurement operations.

[0138] That is, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the UE can not communicate with the base station for a long time in the first predefined RRC state.

[0139] Based on the above, in one embodiment of this disclosure, when the target RRC state is the first predefined RRC state, it indicates that the interval between the end time of the current service satellite and the start time of the next service is greater than the first threshold (i.e., the satellite does not provide services to the UE for a long time). At this time, the UE can switch to the first predefined RRC state through the RRC state indication information to achieve long-term non-communication with the base station, thereby avoiding the UE from performing invalid operations and saving UE power consumption.

[0140] In another embodiment of this disclosure, when the target RRC state is a second predefined RRC state, the UE can specifically perform the following operations in the second predefined RRC state:

[0141] UE executes DRX.

[0142] Specifically, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the method for a UE to perform DRX may include: receiving first configuration information sent by a base station, the first configuration information containing indication information of parameters for the UE to perform DRX; wherein, the first configuration information is specifically determined by the base station based on the service start time of the next service; and then, the UE performs DRX operation according to the indication of the first configuration information.

[0143] Therefore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the UE may not communicate with the base station for a short period of time in the second predefined RRC state.

[0144] Based on the above, in one embodiment of this disclosure, when the target RRC state is the second predefined RRC state, it means that the interval between the end time of the current service satellite and the start time of the next service is less than or equal to the second threshold value (i.e., the time during which the satellite does not provide services to the UE is short). At this time, the UE can switch to the second predefined RRC state to avoid communicating with the base station for a short period of time, thereby avoiding invalid operations by the UE and saving UE power consumption.

[0145] In summary, in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method proposed in this disclosure, the UE receives RRC state indication information sent by the base station. This RRC state indication information includes the target RRC state and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. The UE then switches to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information. Specifically, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information is determined by the base station based on the interval between the service end time of the UE's current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned target RRC state is specifically an RRC disconnected state. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure primarily determine the switch to the RRC disconnected state based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service, thereby avoiding situations where the UE performs data transmission and reception when the satellite is not providing service (i.e., when the satellite is not providing coverage), thus avoiding invalid UE operations and saving power consumption.

[0146] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching process provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. The method is executed by the base station, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method may include the following steps:

[0147] Step 601: Determine the end time of the current service provided by the satellite to the user equipment (UE), and the start time of the next service provided by the satellite to the UE;

[0148] Step 602: Send RRC status indication information to the UE. The RRC status indication information includes a first predefined RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service. The RRC status indication information is used to instruct the UE to switch to the first predefined RRC status.

[0149] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information in step 602 may include only the first predefined RRC status.

[0150] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information in step 602 may include only the service start time of the next service from the satellite to the UE. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the interval between the current time and the service start time of the next service from the satellite to the UE should be greater than a first threshold value.

[0151] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information in step 602 may include a first predefined RRC status and the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite.

[0152] Furthermore, detailed descriptions of steps 601 and 602 can be found in the above description, and will not be repeated here in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0153] In summary, in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method proposed in this disclosure, the UE receives RRC state indication information sent by the base station. This RRC state indication information includes the target RRC state and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. The UE then switches to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information. Specifically, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information is determined by the base station based on the interval between the service end time of the UE's current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned target RRC state is specifically an RRC disconnected state. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure primarily determine the switch to the RRC disconnected state based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service, thereby avoiding situations where the UE performs data transmission and reception when the satellite is not providing service (i.e., when the satellite is not providing coverage), thus avoiding invalid UE operations and saving power consumption.

[0154] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching process provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. The method is executed by the base station, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method may include the following steps:

[0155] Step 701: Determine the end time of the current service provided by the satellite to the user equipment (UE), and the start time of the next service provided by the satellite to the UE;

[0156] Step 702: Send RRC status indication information to the UE. The RRC status indication information includes a second predefined RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service. The RRC status indication information is used to instruct the UE to switch to the second predefined RRC status.

[0157] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information in step 701 may include only the second predefined RRC status.

[0158] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information in step 701 may only include the service start time of the next service from the satellite to the UE. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the interval between the current time and the service start time of the next service from the satellite to the UE should be less than or equal to a second threshold value.

[0159] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, the RRC status indication information in step 701 may include a second predefined RRC status and the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite.

[0160] For detailed information on steps 701 and 702, please refer to the above description. The embodiments disclosed herein will not be repeated here.

[0161] In summary, in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method proposed in this disclosure, the UE receives RRC state indication information sent by the base station. This RRC state indication information includes the target RRC state and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. The UE then switches to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information. Specifically, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information is determined by the base station based on the interval between the service end time of the UE's current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned target RRC state is specifically an RRC disconnected state. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure primarily determine the switch to the RRC disconnected state based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service, thereby avoiding situations where the UE performs data transmission and reception when the satellite is not providing service (i.e., when the satellite is not providing coverage), thus avoiding invalid UE operations and saving power consumption.

[0162] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching process provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. The method is executed by the base station, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method may include the following steps:

[0163] Step 801: Determine the end time of the current service provided by the satellite to the UE, and the start time of the next service provided by the satellite to the UE.

[0164] Step 802: Send RRC status indication information to the UE based on the service end time and the service start time of the next service. The RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service. The RRC status indication information is used to instruct the UE to switch to the target RRC status.

[0165] For detailed information on steps 801 and 802, please refer to the above description. The embodiments disclosed herein will not be repeated here.

[0166] Step 803: Based on the current time reaching the service start time of the next service, send the second configuration information to the UE. The second configuration information is used to instruct the UE to randomly access the RRC connection state.

[0167] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the second configuration information may specifically be used to instruct the UE to switch from the target RRC state (i.e., the RRC disconnected state) back to the RRC connected state in order to communicate normally with the base station.

[0168] Specifically, the base station sends the second configuration information in the following way: if the current time reaches the service start time of the next service (i.e., when the satellite is about to provide services to the UE), the base station can send the second configuration information to the UE to instruct the UE to switch back to the RRC connection state, thereby ensuring normal communication between the UE and the base station during the period when the satellite provides services to the UE.

[0169] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the second configuration information may include at least one of the following:

[0170] Service beam information of the target satellite for the next service delivery;

[0171] Resource configuration information during random access (e.g., random access signal characteristics and / or the time-frequency resource location where the random access signal is located);

[0172] The time and frequency resources corresponding to the UE.

[0173] In summary, in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching method proposed in this disclosure, the UE receives RRC state indication information sent by the base station. This RRC state indication information includes the target RRC state and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. The UE then switches to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information. Specifically, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information is determined by the base station based on the interval between the service end time of the UE's current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned target RRC state is specifically an RRC disconnected state. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure primarily determine the switch to the RRC disconnected state based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service, thereby avoiding situations where the UE performs data transmission and reception when the satellite is not providing service (i.e., when the satellite is not providing coverage), thus avoiding invalid UE operations and saving power consumption.

[0174] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching device provided in one embodiment of this disclosure; as shown below. Figure 9As shown, device 900 may include:

[0175] The receiving module 901 is used to receive RRC status indication information sent by the base station, wherein the RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite;

[0176] Switching module 902 is used to switch to the target RRC state.

[0177] In summary, in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching device proposed in this disclosure, the UE receives RRC state indication information sent by the base station. This RRC state indication information includes the target RRC state and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. The UE then switches to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information. Specifically, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information is determined by the base station based on the interval between the service end time of the UE's current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned target RRC state is specifically an RRC disconnected state. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure primarily determine the switch to the RRC disconnected state based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service, thereby avoiding situations where the UE performs data transmission and reception when the satellite is not providing service (i.e., when the satellite is not providing coverage), thus avoiding invalid UE operations and saving power consumption.

[0178] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the target RRC state included in the RRC state indication information is a first predefined RRC state;

[0179] Furthermore, in the target RRC state, the UE performs at least one of the following operations:

[0180] The UE shuts down all hardware modules used for cellular communication;

[0181] The UE does not perform discontinuous reception DRX;

[0182] The UE stops detecting paging information;

[0183] The UE stops acquiring system information;

[0184] The UE does not perform neighbor cell measurement operations.

[0185] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the target RRC state included in the RRC status indication information is a second predefined RRC state;

[0186] The switching module is also used for:

[0187] The UE receives first configuration information, which includes indication information of parameters when the UE performs DRX.

[0188] The UE performs the DRX operation according to the instructions of the first configuration information.

[0189] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the receiving module is further configured to:

[0190] Receive the RRC status indication information sent by the base station via higher-layer signaling;

[0191] Receive the RRC status indication information sent by the base station through physical layer signaling.

[0192] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the service start time of the next service provided by the satellite to the UE includes at least one of the following:

[0193] The service start time of the next service for the UE by the currently serving satellite;

[0194] The service start time of the next service for the UE by other serving satellites.

[0195] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the apparatus is further configured to:

[0196] Receive the second configuration information sent by the base station;

[0197] Perform random access based on the second configuration information to switch to RRC connection state.

[0198] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the second configuration information includes at least one of the following:

[0199] Provide the service beam information of the target satellite for the next service;

[0200] Resource configuration during random access;

[0201] The time-frequency resources corresponding to the UE.

[0202] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching device provided in one embodiment of this disclosure; as shown below. Figure 10 As shown, the device 1000 may include:

[0203] The determination module 1001 is used to determine the end time of the current service of the UE's serving satellite and the start time of the next service of the satellite for the UE;

[0204] The sending module 1002 is used to send RRC status indication information to the UE. The RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service. The RRC status indication information is used to instruct the UE to switch to the target RRC status.

[0205] In summary, in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) state switching device proposed in this disclosure, the UE receives RRC state indication information sent by the base station. This RRC state indication information includes the target RRC state and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. The UE then switches to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information. Specifically, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the target RRC state in the RRC state indication information is determined by the base station based on the interval between the service end time of the UE's current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service for the UE from the satellite. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned target RRC state is specifically an RRC disconnected state. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure primarily determine the switch to the RRC disconnected state based on the interval between the service end time of the current serving satellite and the service start time of the next service, thereby avoiding situations where the UE performs data transmission and reception when the satellite is not providing service (i.e., when the satellite is not providing coverage), thus avoiding invalid UE operations and saving power consumption.

[0206] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the sending module is further configured to:

[0207] If the current time reaches the service end time, and the interval between the service end time and the service start time of the next service is greater than a first threshold, an RRC status indication message is sent to the UE, wherein the target RRC status in the RRC status indication message is a first predefined RRC status.

[0208] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the sending module is further configured to:

[0209] If the current time reaches the service end time, and the interval between the service end time and the service start time of the next service is less than or equal to the second threshold value, an RRC status indication message is sent to the UE, wherein the target RRC status in the RRC status indication message is the second predefined RRC status.

[0210] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the apparatus is further configured to:

[0211] Send first configuration information to the UE, the first configuration information containing indication information of parameters when the UE performs DRX.

[0212] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the sending module is further configured to:

[0213] Send RRC status indication information to the UE via higher-layer signaling;

[0214] The RRC status indication information is sent to the UE via physical layer signaling.

[0215] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the determining module is further configured to:

[0216] The end time of the current service and the start time of the next service are determined based on ephemeris information.

[0217] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the service start time of the next service provided by the satellite to the UE includes at least one of the following:

[0218] The service start time of the next service for the UE by the currently serving satellite;

[0219] The service start time of the next service for the UE by other serving satellites.

[0220] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the apparatus is further configured to:

[0221] If the current time reaches the service start time of the next service, send the second configuration information to the UE. The second configuration information is used to instruct the UE to randomly access the RRC connection state.

[0222] Optionally, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the second configuration information includes at least one of the following:

[0223] Provide the service beam information of the target satellite for the next service;

[0224] Resource configuration information during random access

[0225] The time-frequency resources corresponding to the UE.

[0226] Figure 11 This is a block diagram of a user equipment UE1100 provided in one embodiment of this disclosure. For example, UE1100 may be a mobile phone, computer, digital broadcasting terminal equipment, messaging transceiver, game console, tablet device, medical device, fitness equipment, personal digital assistant, etc.

[0227] Reference Figure 11UE1100 may include at least one of the following components: processing component 1102, memory 1104, power supply component 1106, multimedia component 1108, audio component 1110, input / output (I / O) interface 1112, sensor component 1113, and communication component 1116.

[0228] Processing component 1102 typically controls the overall operation of UE 1100, such as operations associated with display, telephone calls, data communication, camera operation, and recording. Processing component 1102 may include at least one processor 1120 to execute instructions to perform all or part of the steps of the methods described above. Furthermore, processing component 1102 may include at least one module to facilitate interaction between processing component 1102 and other components. For example, processing component 1102 may include a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between multimedia component 1108 and processing component 1102.

[0229] Memory 1104 is configured to store various types of data to support the operation of UE 1100. Examples of this data include instructions for any application or method operating on UE 1100, contact data, phonebook data, messages, pictures, videos, etc. Memory 1104 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 storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0230] Power supply component 1106 provides power to various components of UE1100. Power supply component 1106 may include a power management system, at least one power supply, and other components associated with generating, managing, and distributing power to UE1100.

[0231] The multimedia component 1108 includes a screen that provides an output interface between the UE 1100 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 touchscreen to receive input signals from the user. The touch panel includes at least one touch sensor to sense touch, swipe, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensor may not only sense the boundaries of the touch or swipe action but also detect the wake-up time and pressure associated with the touch or swipe operation. In some embodiments, the multimedia component 1108 includes a front-facing camera and / or a rear-facing camera. When the UE 1100 is in an operating mode, such as a shooting mode or a video mode, the front-facing camera and / or the rear-facing camera may receive external multimedia data. Each front-facing camera and rear-facing camera may be a fixed optical lens system or have focal length and optical zoom capabilities.

[0232] Audio component 1110 is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, audio component 1110 includes a microphone (MIC) configured to receive external audio signals when UE 1100 is in an operating mode, such as call mode, recording mode, and voice recognition mode. The received audio signals may be further stored in memory 1104 or transmitted via communication component 1116. In some embodiments, audio component 1110 also includes a speaker for outputting audio signals.

[0233] I / O interface 1112 provides an interface between processing component 1102 and peripheral interface modules, such as keyboards, click wheels, buttons, etc. These buttons may include, but are not limited to, home buttons, volume buttons, power buttons, and lock buttons.

[0234] Sensor assembly 1113 includes at least one sensor for providing status assessment of various aspects of UE 1100. For example, sensor assembly 1113 can detect the on / off state of device 1100, the relative positioning of components, such as the display and keypad of UE 1100, changes in position of UE 1100 or one of its components, the presence or absence of user contact with UE 1100, the orientation or acceleration / deceleration of UE 1100, and temperature changes of UE 1100. Sensor assembly 1113 may include a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. Sensor assembly 1113 may also include a light sensor, such as a CMOS or CCD image sensor, for use in imaging applications. In some embodiments, sensor assembly 1113 may also include an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor.

[0235] Communication component 1116 is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between UE 1100 and other devices. UE 1100 can access wireless networks based on communication standards, such as WiFi, 2G, or 3G, or combinations thereof. In one exemplary embodiment, communication component 1116 receives broadcast signals or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In one exemplary embodiment, communication component 1116 also includes a near-field communication (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module may be implemented based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, Infrared Data Association (IrDA) technology, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology, and other technologies.

[0236] In an exemplary embodiment, UE1100 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.

[0237] Figure 12 This is a block diagram of a base station 1200 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. For example, base station 1200 can be provided as a base station. (Refer to...) Figure 12 The base station 1200 includes a processing component 1211, which further includes at least one processor, and memory resources represented by memory 1232 for storing instructions, such as application programs, that can be executed by the processing component 1222. The application programs stored in memory 1232 may include one or more modules, each corresponding to a set of instructions. Furthermore, the processing component 1210 is configured to execute instructions to perform any of the methods described above applied to the base station, such as... Figure 1 The method shown.

[0238] Base station 1200 may also include a power supply component 1226 configured to perform power management of base station 1200, a wired or wireless network interface 1250 configured to connect base station 1200 to a network, and an input / output (I / O) interface 1258. Base station 1200 can operate on an operating system stored in memory 1232, such as Windows Server™, MacOS X™, Unix™, Linux™, FreeBSD™, or similar.

[0239] In the embodiments provided above, the methods provided by the present disclosure are described from the perspectives of the base station and the UE, respectively. To implement the functions of the methods provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the base station and the UE may include hardware structures and software modules, implementing the above functions in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules. One of the above functions can be executed in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules.

[0240] In the embodiments provided above, the methods provided by the present disclosure are described from the perspectives of the base station and the UE, respectively. To implement the functions of the methods provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the base station and the UE may include hardware structures and software modules, implementing the above functions in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules. One of the above functions can be executed in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules.

[0241] This disclosure provides a communication device. The communication device may include a transceiver module and a processing module. The transceiver module may include a sending module and / or a receiving module. The sending module is used to implement the sending function, and the receiving module is used to implement the receiving function. The transceiver module can implement both sending and / or receiving functions.

[0242] The communication device can be a terminal device (such as the terminal device in the aforementioned method embodiments), a device within a terminal device, or a device that can be used in conjunction with a terminal device. Alternatively, the communication device can be a network device, a device within a network device, or a device that can be used in conjunction with a network device.

[0243] This disclosure provides another communication device. The communication device can be a network device, a terminal device (such as the terminal device in the foregoing method embodiments), a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the network device in implementing the above methods, or a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the terminal device in implementing the above methods. This device can be used to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments; for details, please refer to the descriptions in the above method embodiments.

[0244] A communication device may include one or more processors. The processor may be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor. For example, it may be a baseband processor or a central processing unit (CPU). The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the CPU can be used to control the communication device (e.g., network-side equipment, baseband chip, terminal equipment, terminal equipment chip, DU or CU, etc.), execute computer programs, and process data from the computer programs.

[0245] Optionally, the communication device may further include one or more memories, on which computer programs may be stored. The processor executes the computer programs to cause the communication device to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. Optionally, the memories may also store data. The communication device and the memories may be provided separately or integrated together.

[0246] Optionally, the communication device may also include a transceiver and an antenna. A transceiver, also called a transceiver unit, transceiver, or transceiver circuit, is used to implement transmission and reception functions. A transceiver may include a receiver and a transmitter; the receiver, also called a receiver circuit, is used to implement the receiving function; the transmitter, also called a transmitter or transmitting circuit, is used to implement the transmitting function.

[0247] Optionally, the communication device may further include one or more interface circuits. The interface circuits are used to receive code instructions and transmit them to the processor. The processor executes the code instructions to cause the communication device to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0248] The communication device is a terminal device (such as the terminal device in the aforementioned method embodiments): the processor is used to execute... Figures 1-4 Any of the methods shown.

[0249] The communication device is a network device: the transceiver is used to perform... Figures 5-7 Any of the methods shown.

[0250] In one implementation, the processor may include a transceiver for implementing receive and transmit functions. For example, the transceiver may be a transceiver circuit, an interface, or an interface circuit. The transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit for implementing receive and transmit functions may be separate or integrated. The aforementioned transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit can be used for reading and writing code / data, or it can be used for transmitting or relaying signals.

[0251] In one implementation, the processor may store a computer program that runs on the processor, causing the communication device to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. The computer program may be embedded in the processor; in this case, the processor may be implemented in hardware.

[0252] In one implementation, the communication device may include circuitry that performs the functions of transmitting, receiving, or communicating as described in the foregoing method embodiments. The processor and transceiver described in this disclosure can be implemented on integrated circuits (ICs), analog ICs, radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs), mixed-signal ICs, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), electronic devices, etc. The processor and transceiver can also be manufactured using various IC process technologies, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS), n-metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS), positive-channel metal oxide semiconductors (PMOS), bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS), silicon germanium (SiGe), gallium arsenide (GaAs), etc.

[0253] The communication device described in the above embodiments can be a network device or a terminal device (such as the terminal device in the foregoing method embodiments), but the scope of the communication device described in this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the structure of the communication device is not limited. The communication device can be a standalone device or part of a larger device. For example, the communication device can be:

[0254] (1) Independent integrated circuit IC, or chip, or chip system or subsystem;

[0255] (2) A collection of one or more ICs, optionally including storage components for storing data and computer programs;

[0256] (3) ASIC, such as modem;

[0257] (4) Modules that can be embedded in other devices;

[0258] (5) Receivers, terminal equipment, smart terminal equipment, cellular phones, wireless equipment, handheld devices, mobile units, vehicle-mounted equipment, network equipment, cloud equipment, artificial intelligence equipment, etc.

[0259] (6) Others, etc.

[0260] When the communication device can be a chip or a chip system, the chip includes a processor and an interface. There can be one or more processors, and multiple interfaces.

[0261] Optionally, the chip may also include memory for storing necessary computer programs and data.

[0262] Those skilled in the art will also understand that the various illustrative logical blocks and steps listed in the embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented by electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. Whether such functionality is implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and the overall system design requirements. Those skilled in the art can implement the described functionality using various methods for each specific application, but such implementation should not be construed as exceeding the scope of protection of the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0263] This disclosure also provides a system for determining sidelink duration. The system includes a communication device that serves as a terminal device (such as the first terminal device in the aforementioned method embodiments) and a communication device that serves as a network device, or the system includes a communication device that serves as a terminal device (such as the first terminal device in the aforementioned method embodiments) and a communication device that serves as a network device.

[0264] This disclosure also provides a readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, implement the functions of any of the above method embodiments.

[0265] This disclosure also provides a computer program product that, when executed by a computer, implements the functions of any of the above method embodiments.

[0266] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs. When the computer program is loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this disclosure are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., high-density digital video discs (DVDs)), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state disks (SSDs)).

[0267] Those skilled in the art will understand that the various numerical designations such as "first," "second," etc., used in this disclosure are merely for the convenience of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor do they indicate the order of events.

[0268] At least one of the features described in this disclosure can also be described as one or more, and multiple features can be two, three, four or more, and this disclosure does not impose any limitations. In the embodiments of this disclosure, for a technical feature, the technical features in that technical feature are distinguished by "first", "second", "third", "A", "B", "C" and "D", etc., and there is no sequential order or size order among the technical features described by "first", "second", "third", "A", "B", "C" and "D".

[0269] Other embodiments of the invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of 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 specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0270] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for switching Radio Resource Control (RRC) states, characterized in that, Applied to User Equipment (UE), including: When satellite service is about to end, the UE receives RRC status indication information sent by the base station. The RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE. Switch to the target RRC state; The target RRC state is either a first predefined RRC state or a second predefined RRC state, and the target RRC state is determined based on the interval between the end time of the current service satellite and the start time of the next service.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The target RRC status indication information includes the first predefined RRC status; Furthermore, in the target RRC state, the UE performs at least one of the following operations: The UE shuts down all hardware modules used for cellular communication; The UE does not perform discontinuous reception DRX; The UE stops detecting paging information; The UE stops acquiring system information; The UE does not perform neighbor cell measurement operations.

3. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The target RRC status indicated by the RRC status is a second predefined RRC status. The switching to the target RRC state includes: The UE receives first configuration information, which includes indication information of parameters when the UE performs DRX. The UE performs the DRX operation according to the instructions of the first configuration information.

4. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The method for receiving RRC status indication information sent by the base station includes at least one of the following: Receive the RRC status indication information sent by the base station via higher-layer signaling; Receive the RRC status indication information sent by the base station through physical layer signaling.

5. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The service start time for the next service provided by the satellite to the UE includes at least one of the following: The service start time of the next service for the UE by the currently serving satellite; The service start time of the next service for the UE by other serving satellites.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive the second configuration information sent by the base station; Perform random access based on the second configuration information to switch to RRC connection state.

7. The method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The second configuration information includes at least one of the following: Provide the service beam information of the target satellite for the next service; Resource configuration during random access; The time-frequency resources corresponding to the UE.

8. An RRC state switching method, characterized in that, Applied to base stations, including: Determine the end time of the current service provided by the satellite to the UE, and the start time of the next service provided by the satellite to the UE; When the satellite service is about to end, the UE is sent an RRC status indication message. The RRC status indication message includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service. The RRC status indication message is used to instruct the UE to switch to the target RRC status. The target RRC state is either a first predefined RRC state or a second predefined RRC state, and the target RRC state is determined based on the interval between the end time of the current service satellite and the start time of the next service.

9. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Sending RRC status indication information to the UE includes: If the current time reaches the service end time, and the interval between the service end time and the service start time of the next service is greater than a first threshold, an RRC status indication message is sent to the UE, wherein the target RRC status in the RRC status indication message is a first predefined RRC status.

10. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Sending RRC status indication information to the UE includes: If the current time reaches the service end time, and the interval between the service end time and the service start time of the next service is less than or equal to the second threshold value, an RRC status indication message is sent to the UE, wherein the target RRC status in the RRC status indication message is the second predefined RRC status.

11. The method as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send first configuration information to the UE, the first configuration information containing indication information of parameters when the UE performs DRX.

12. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The method for sending RRC status indication information to the UE includes at least one of the following: Send RRC status indication information to the UE via higher-layer signaling; The RRC status indication information is sent to the UE via physical layer signaling.

13. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Determining the service end time of the UE's current serving satellite and the service start time of the satellite's next service for the UE includes: The end time of the current service and the start time of the next service are determined based on ephemeris information.

14. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The service start time for the next service provided by the satellite to the UE includes at least one of the following: The service start time of the next service for the UE by the currently serving satellite; The service start time of the next service for the UE by other serving satellites.

15. The method as described in any one of claims 8-10, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the current time reaches the service start time of the next service, send the second configuration information to the UE. The second configuration information is used to instruct the UE to randomly access the RRC connection state.

16. The method as described in claim 15, characterized in that, The second configuration information includes at least one of the following: Provide the service beam information of the target satellite for the next service; Resource configuration information during random access The time-frequency resources corresponding to the UE.

17. An RRC state switching device, characterized in that, include: The determination module is used to determine the end time of the current service of the UE's serving satellite and the start time of the next service of the satellite for the UE; The sending module is used to send RRC status indication information to the UE when the satellite service is about to end. The RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service. The RRC status indication information is used to instruct the UE to switch to the target RRC status. The target RRC state is either a first predefined RRC state or a second predefined RRC state, and the target RRC state is determined based on the interval between the end time of the current service satellite and the start time of the next service.

18. An RRC state switching device, characterized in that, include: The receiving module is used to receive RRC status indication information sent by the base station when the satellite service is about to end. The RRC status indication information includes the target RRC status and / or the service start time of the next service for the UE by the satellite. The processing module is used to switch to the target RRC state based on the RRC state indication information; The target RRC state is either a first predefined RRC state or a second predefined RRC state, and the target RRC state is determined based on the interval between the end time of the current service satellite and the start time of the next service.

19. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program, the processor executing the computer program stored in the memory to cause the device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

20. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program, the processor executing the computer program stored in the memory to cause the device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 8 to 16.

21. A communication device, characterized in that, include: Processor and interface circuitry; The interface circuit is used to receive code instructions and transmit them to the processor; The processor is configured to run the code instructions to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

22. A communication device, characterized in that, include: Processor and interface circuitry; The interface circuit is used to receive code instructions and transmit them to the processor; The processor is configured to run the code instructions to perform the method as described in any one of claims 8 to 16.

23. A computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions that, when executed, cause the method of any one of claims 1 to 7 to be implemented.

24. A computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions that, when executed, cause the method of any one of claims 8 to 16 to be implemented.

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