Method and apparatus for updating location information

Abstract

This disclosure provides a location information updating method and apparatus, applicable to the field of communication technology. The method, executed by a terminal device, includes: receiving indication information from a network device; wherein the indication information instructs the terminal device to acquire location information; and, if the location information has expired, the terminal device performs an operation based on the indication information to acquire new location information and update the location information. Therefore, the terminal device can update its location information promptly and effectively even when it has expired, avoiding interference in uplink transmissions between different terminal devices.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a method and apparatus for updating location information. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of IoT applications, the requirements for the accuracy of terminal location information are becoming increasingly higher in complex interconnected scenarios.

[0003] In related technologies, in satellite communication scenarios, terminal devices need to use GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) for positioning to determine their location information in order to compensate for uplink synchronization. However, for IoT (Internet of Things) terminal devices, it is currently not supported for cellular modules and GNSS modules to work simultaneously. When the GNSS information of the terminal device expires, the terminal device will be unable to locate itself via GNSS. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a location information update method and apparatus to enable terminal devices to update location information in a timely and effective manner when the location information expires, thereby avoiding interference in uplink transmission between different terminal devices.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a location information update method, which is executed by a terminal device. The method includes: receiving indication information from a network device; wherein the indication information instructs the terminal device to obtain location information; and, if it is determined that the location information has expired, the terminal device performs the operation based on the indication information to obtain new location information and update the location information.

[0006] By implementing the embodiments of this disclosure, an instruction message is received from a network device; wherein the instruction message instructs a terminal device to obtain location information; if it is determined that the location information has expired, the terminal device performs an operation based on the instruction message to obtain new location information and update the location information. Thus, the terminal device can update the location information promptly and effectively even when the location information has expired, avoiding interference in uplink transmissions between different terminal devices.

[0007] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide another location information update method, which is executed by a network device and includes: sending indication information to a terminal device; wherein the indication information instructs the terminal device to obtain location information.

[0008] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication device that implements some or all of the functions of the terminal device described in the first aspect above. For example, the communication device may have the functions of some or all of the embodiments in this disclosure, or it may have the functions of any one embodiment in this disclosure implemented individually. The functions may be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units or modules corresponding to the above functions.

[0009] In one implementation, the communication device may include a transceiver module. The transceiver module supports communication between the communication device and other devices. The communication device may also include a storage module, coupled to the transceiver module and the processing module, which stores necessary computer programs and data for the communication device.

[0010] As an example, the processing module can be a processor, the transceiver module can be a transceiver or a communication interface, and the storage module can be a memory.

[0011] In one implementation, the communication device includes: a transceiver module for receiving instruction information from a network device; wherein the instruction information instructs a terminal device to acquire location information; and if it is determined that the location information has expired, the terminal device performs the operation based on the instruction information to acquire new location information and update the location information.

[0012] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide another communication device that implements some or all of the functions of the network device in the method example described in the second aspect above. For example, the communication device may have the functions of some or all of the embodiments in this disclosure, or it may have the functions of any one embodiment in this disclosure implemented individually. The functions may be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units or modules corresponding to the above functions.

[0013] In one implementation, the communication device may include a transceiver module for supporting communication between the communication device and other devices. The communication device may also include a storage module coupled to the transceiver module and the processing module, which stores necessary computer programs and data for the communication device.

[0014] In one implementation, the communication device includes: a transceiver module for sending instruction information to a terminal device; wherein the instruction information instructs the terminal device to obtain location information.

[0015] Fifthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication device including a processor that, when the processor invokes a computer program in memory, executes the method described in the first aspect.

[0016] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication device including a processor that, when the processor invokes a computer program in memory, executes the method described in the second aspect above.

[0017] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication device including a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program; the processor executes the computer program stored in the memory to cause the communication device to perform the method described in the first aspect above.

[0018] Eighthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication device including a processor and a memory storing a computer program; the processor executes the computer program stored in the memory to cause the communication device to perform the method described in the second aspect above.

[0019] Ninthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication device including a processor and an interface circuit. The interface circuit is configured to receive code instructions and transmit them to the processor, which is configured to execute the code instructions to cause the device to perform the method described in the first aspect above.

[0020] In a tenth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication device including a processor and an interface circuit. The interface circuit is configured to receive code instructions and transmit them to the processor, which is configured to execute the code instructions to cause the device to perform the method described in the second aspect above.

[0021] Eleventhly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication system, which includes the communication device described in the third aspect and the communication device described in the fourth aspect, or the system includes the communication device described in the fifth aspect and the communication device described in the sixth aspect, or the system includes the communication device described in the seventh aspect and the communication device described in the eighth aspect, or the system includes the communication device described in the ninth aspect and the communication device described in the tenth aspect.

[0022] In a twelfth aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions for use by the aforementioned terminal, which, when executed, cause the terminal to perform the method described in the first aspect.

[0023] In a thirteenth aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a readable storage medium for storing instructions for use by the network-side device, which, when executed, cause the network-side device to perform the method described in the second aspect.

[0024] In a fourteenth aspect, this disclosure also provides a computer program product including a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method described in the first aspect above.

[0025] In a fifteenth aspect, this disclosure also provides a computer program product including a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method described in the second aspect above.

[0026] In a sixteenth aspect, this disclosure provides a chip system including at least one processor and an interface for supporting a terminal in implementing the functions involved in the first aspect, such as determining or processing at least one of the data and information involved in the above methods. In one possible design, the chip system further includes a memory for storing computer programs and data necessary for the terminal. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0027] In a seventeenth aspect, this disclosure provides a chip system including at least one processor and an interface for supporting network-side devices in implementing the functions involved in the second aspect, such as determining or processing at least one of the data and information involved in the above methods. In one possible design, the chip system further includes a memory for storing computer programs and data necessary for the network-side device. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0028] In an eighteenth aspect, this disclosure provides a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method described in the first aspect above.

[0029] In a nineteenth aspect, this disclosure provides a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method described in the second aspect above. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or background art of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments or background art of this disclosure will be described below.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a location information updating method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of another location information updating method provided in this embodiment of the disclosure;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of another location information updating method provided in this disclosure embodiment;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of another location information updating method provided in this disclosure embodiment;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of another location information updating method provided in this disclosure embodiment;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of another location information updating method provided in this disclosure embodiment;

[0038] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of another location information updating method provided in this disclosure embodiment;

[0039] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0040] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0041] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To facilitate understanding, the terminology used in this disclosure will be introduced first.

[0043] 1. Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)

[0044] Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) refers to all satellite navigation systems, including global, regional, and augmented systems, such as the US GPS, Russia's GLONASS, Europe's Galileo, and China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, as well as related augmentation systems, such as the US WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System), Europe's EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System), and Japan's MSAS (Multifunctional Transport Satellite Augmentation System), and also includes other satellite navigation systems under construction or planned for the future.

[0045] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system 1 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. The communication system may include, but is not limited to, a network device and a terminal device. Figure 1The number and form of devices shown are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this disclosure. In actual applications, two or more network devices and two or more terminal devices may be included. Figure 1 The communication system 1 shown is exemplified by including a network device 11 and a terminal device 12.

[0046] It should be noted that the technical solutions of this disclosure can be applied to various communication systems. For example, Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, 5th Generation (5G) mobile communication systems, 5G New Radio (NR) systems, or other future new mobile communication systems.

[0047] The network device 11 in this disclosure is a network-side entity used for transmitting or receiving signals. For example, the network device 101 can be an evolved NodeB (eNB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in an NR system, a base station in other future mobile communication systems, or an access node in a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. This disclosure does not limit the specific technology or device form used in the network device. The network device provided in this disclosure can be composed of a central unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU). The CU can also be called a control unit. Using a CU-DU structure allows the protocol layer of a network device, such as a base station, to be separated. Some protocol layer functions are centrally controlled by the CU, while the remaining or all protocol layer functions are distributed in the DU, which is centrally controlled by the CU.

[0048] The terminal device 12 in this disclosure is a user-side entity used to receive or transmit signals, such as a mobile phone. The terminal device can also be referred to as a terminal, user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), etc. The terminal device can be a car with communication capabilities, a smart car, a mobile phone, a wearable device, a tablet computer, a computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, a virtual reality (VR) terminal device, an augmented reality (AR) terminal device, a wireless terminal device in industrial control, a wireless terminal device in self-driving, a wireless terminal device in remote medical surgery, a wireless terminal device in a smart grid, a wireless terminal device in transportation safety, a wireless terminal device in a smart city, a wireless terminal device in a smart home, etc. The embodiments of this disclosure do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the terminal device.

[0049] It is understood that the communication system described in the embodiments of this disclosure is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this disclosure. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of system architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this disclosure are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0050] The location information updating method and apparatus provided in this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0051] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a location information update method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0052] like Figure 2 As shown, this method is executed by a terminal device, and the method may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0053] S21: Receive instruction information from the network device; wherein the instruction information instructs the terminal device to obtain location information.

[0054] S22: If it is determined that the location information has expired, the terminal device performs an operation based on the instruction information to obtain new location information and update the location information.

[0055] It is understandable that the location information obtained by a terminal device through GNSS is valid for a period of time. If the terminal device has not performed GNSS signal measurement after a certain period, the location information will expire.

[0056] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the terminal device receives an instruction from the network device, and if it determines that the location information has expired, it executes the operation indicated by the instruction to obtain new location information in order to update the location information.

[0057] It is understood that in this embodiment of the present disclosure, when a terminal device receives an indication from a network device, it can consistently perform the corresponding operation to update the location information based on the indication information multiple times it determines that the location information has expired, without needing to obtain the indication information before each location information update. After receiving the indication information, the terminal device can consistently execute the operation indicated by the indication information when performing subsequent location information updates, without needing to re-obtain the indication information if it has not changed.

[0058] The indication information can be of a fixed length.

[0059] In an exemplary embodiment, the indication information can be 2 bits, where "00" indicates that the terminal device performs one operation, "01" indicates that the terminal device performs another operation, "10" indicates that the terminal device performs yet another operation, and so on.

[0060] In another exemplary embodiment, the indication information can be 3 bits of information, wherein "000" indicates that the terminal device performs one operation, "001" indicates that the terminal device performs another operation, "010" indicates that the terminal device performs yet another operation, and so on.

[0061] It should be noted that the above examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the specific implementation of the embodiments of this disclosure. The instructions in the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the above examples and may be in other ways that meet the requirements. The embodiments of this disclosure do not impose specific limitations on these methods.

[0062] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the operation of the terminal device to obtain location information indicated by the network device's indication information can be to instruct the terminal device to perform an existing specific operation, or it can be to instruct the terminal device to perform a newly configured operation. This embodiment of the disclosure does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0063] The newly configured operation can be configured by the network device to the terminal device, or it can be configured by the protocol to the terminal device, or it can be configured to the terminal device by other means. This disclosure does not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0064] In some embodiments, the instruction information instructing the terminal device to obtain location information includes one of the following:

[0065] GNSS signals of the Global Navigation Satellite System were measured within the measurement gap.

[0066] Entering the Radio Link Failure (RLF), during the RLF recovery process, measure the GNSS signal;

[0067] Enter the idle state and measure the GNSS signal.

[0068] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the instruction information of the network device instructs the terminal device to perform the following operations: measuring the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal during the measurement gap, entering an RLF (radio link failure) and measuring the GNSS signal during the RLF recovery process, or entering an idle state and measuring the GNSS signal.

[0069] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when the operation includes measuring GNSS signals within a measurement gap, the terminal device receives an instruction from the network device. The instruction instructs the terminal device to perform GNSS signal measurement within the measurement gap to obtain location information. If the terminal device determines that the location information has expired, it performs GNSS signal measurement within the measurement gap according to the received instruction to obtain new location information and update the location information.

[0070] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when the operation includes entering a Radio Link Failure (RLF) and measuring GNSS signals during the RLF recovery process, the terminal device receives an instruction from the network device. The instruction instructs the terminal device to execute the RLF, measure GNSS signals, and obtain location information during the RLF recovery process. If the terminal device determines that the location information has expired, it executes the RLF according to the received instruction, measures GNSS signals, obtains new location information, and updates the location information during the RLF recovery process.

[0071] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when the operation includes entering an idle state and measuring GNSS signals, the terminal device receives an instruction from the network device. The instruction instructs the terminal device to enter an idle state, measure GNSS signals, and obtain location information. If the terminal device determines that the location information has expired, it will enter an idle state, measure GNSS signals, obtain new location information, and update the location information according to the received instruction.

[0072] By implementing the embodiments of this disclosure, an instruction message is received from a network device; wherein the instruction message instructs a terminal device to obtain location information; if it is determined that the location information has expired, the terminal device performs an operation based on the instruction message to obtain new location information and update the location information. Thus, the terminal device can update the location information promptly and effectively even when the location information has expired, avoiding interference in uplink transmissions between different terminal devices.

[0073] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a flowchart of another location information update method provided in this embodiment.

[0074] like Figure 3 As shown, this method is executed by a terminal device, and the method may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0075] S31: Receive instruction information from network equipment; wherein the instruction information instructs the terminal equipment to measure the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal within the measurement gap and obtain location information.

[0076] S32: If the location information is determined to be outdated, the terminal device performs a measurement of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal within the measurement gap based on the instruction information to obtain new location information and update the location information.

[0077] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the terminal device receives an instruction from the network device. If the instruction instructs the terminal device to measure the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal within the measurement gap to obtain location information, and the terminal device determines that the location information has expired, it performs the same operation as the received instruction to measure the GNSS signal within the measurement gap to obtain new location information and update the location information.

[0078] In some embodiments, the measurement gap is a value specific to the terminal device or a value shared by all terminal devices within the cell.

[0079] It is understandable that a measurement gap is a value specific to a terminal device, meaning that terminal devices within the same cell may have different measurement gaps. Conversely, a measurement gap is a value shared by all terminal devices within a cell, meaning that all terminal devices within the same cell use the same measurement gap.

[0080] In some embodiments, the terminal device continues to maintain a radio resource control (RRC) connection with the network device within the measurement gap.

[0081] Understandably, during the measurement gap, the terminal device continues to maintain its RRC connection with the network device, and handles the transmission of location information in the same way as the transmission of service data by the terminal device.

[0082] In some embodiments, the terminal device does not perform downlink control monitoring, downlink signal measurement, downlink data reception, or uplink data transmission within the measurement gap.

[0083] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the terminal device measures the GNSS signal within the measurement gap. During the measurement gap, other control information, such as downlink control monitoring, downlink signal measurement, downlink data reception, and uplink data transmission, is not transmitted. Only the GNSS signal is transmitted during the measurement gap, and it is not affected by other signals, making the measurement results more accurate.

[0084] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a flowchart of another location information updating method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0085] like Figure 4 As shown, this method is executed by a terminal device, and the method may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0086] S41: Receive instruction information from the network device; wherein, the instruction information instructs the terminal device to enter RLF, and during the RLF recovery process, measure the GNSS signal and obtain location information.

[0087] S42: If the location information is determined to be outdated, the terminal device executes the entry into RLF based on the instruction information. During the RLF recovery process, the GNSS signal is measured to obtain new location information and the location information is updated.

[0088] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the terminal device receives an instruction from the network device, which instructs the terminal device to execute an Entry into Radio Link Failure (RLF). During the RLF recovery process, if the GNSS signal is measured and location information is obtained, and the terminal device determines that the location information has expired, it executes an Entry into Radio Link Failure (RLF) according to the received instruction. During the RLF recovery process, the GNSS signal is measured, new location information is obtained, and the location information is updated.

[0089] In some embodiments, during the RLF recovery process of the terminal device, the terminal device completes the measurement of the GNSS signal, reacquires the GNSS information, and reports the link recovery information to the higher layers.

[0090] Please see Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a flowchart of another location information updating method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0091] like Figure 5 As shown, this method is executed by a terminal device, and the method may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0092] S51: Receive instruction information from network devices; wherein, the instruction information instructs the terminal device to enter the idle state, measure GNSS signals, and obtain location information.

[0093] S52: If the location information is determined to be outdated, the terminal device enters the idle state based on the indication information, measures the GNSS signal, obtains new location information, and updates the location information.

[0094] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the terminal device receives an instruction from the network device. If the instruction instructs the terminal device to enter an idle state, measure GNSS signals, and obtain location information, and the terminal device determines that the location information has expired, it will, according to the received instruction, enter an idle state, measure GNSS signals, obtain new location information, and update the location information.

[0095] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a flowchart of another location information updating method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0096] like Figure 6 As shown, this method is executed by a terminal device, and the method may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0097] S61: Terminal device reports GNSS positioning capability; wherein, GNSS positioning capability is used to indicate the time required for the terminal device to measure GNSS signals to determine location information.

[0098] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the terminal device reports its GNSS positioning capability to inform the network device of the time required for the terminal device to measure GNSS signals to determine its location information.

[0099] In some embodiments, the time and frequency resources used by the terminal device to report GNSS positioning capabilities can be pre-configured to the terminal device.

[0100] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the time and frequency resources pre-configured for the terminal device to report GNSS positioning capabilities can be understood as the pre-configuration of the specific wireless resource locations used by the terminal device to report GNSS positioning capabilities, and the time and frequency at which the terminal device reports GNSS positioning capabilities.

[0101] The pre-configuration can be pre-configured by the network device, or it can be pre-configured by the protocol, or it can be pre-configured by other means. This disclosure does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0102] In some embodiments, the terminal device reports its GNSS positioning capability during the process of establishing an RRC connection with the network device.

[0103] In this embodiment of the disclosure, during the process of the terminal device accessing the network device and establishing an RRC connection with the network device, it reports its GNSS positioning capability.

[0104] In other embodiments, the terminal device reports GNSS positioning capability before the location information expires.

[0105] It is understandable that the location information obtained by a terminal device through GNSS is valid for a period of time. If the terminal device has not performed GNSS signal measurement after a certain period, the location information will expire.

[0106] It should be noted that S61 can be implemented alone or in combination with any other step in the embodiments of this disclosure, such as in combination with S21 and S22 and / or S31 and S32 and / or S41 and S42 and / or S51 and S52 in the embodiments of this disclosure. The embodiments of this disclosure do not limit this.

[0107] Please see Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a flowchart of another location information updating method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0108] like Figure 7 As shown, this method is executed by a network device, and the method may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0109] S71: Send an instruction message to the terminal device; wherein the instruction message instructs the terminal device to obtain location information.

[0110] It is understandable that the location information obtained by a terminal device through GNSS is valid for a period of time. If the terminal device has not performed GNSS signal measurement after a certain period, the location information will expire.

[0111] It is understood that in this embodiment of the present disclosure, when a terminal device receives an indication from a network device, it can consistently perform the corresponding operation to update the location information based on the indication information multiple times it determines that the location information has expired, without needing to obtain the indication information before each location information update. After receiving the indication information, the terminal device can consistently execute the operation indicated by the indication information when performing subsequent location information updates, without needing to re-obtain the indication information if it has not changed.

[0112] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the terminal device receives an instruction from the network device, and if it determines that the location information has expired, it executes the operation indicated by the instruction to obtain new location information in order to update the location information.

[0113] The indication information can be of a fixed length.

[0114] In an exemplary embodiment, the indication information can be 2 bits, where "00" indicates that the terminal device performs one operation, "01" indicates that the terminal device performs another operation, "10" indicates that the terminal device performs yet another operation, and so on.

[0115] In another exemplary embodiment, the indication information can be 3 bits of information, wherein "000" indicates that the terminal device performs one operation, "001" indicates that the terminal device performs another operation, "010" indicates that the terminal device performs yet another operation, and so on.

[0116] It should be noted that the above examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the specific implementation of the embodiments of this disclosure. The instructions in the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the above examples and may be in other ways that meet the requirements. The embodiments of this disclosure do not impose specific limitations on these methods.

[0117] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the operation of the terminal device to obtain location information indicated by the network device's indication information can be to instruct the terminal device to perform an existing specific operation, or it can be to instruct the terminal device to perform a newly configured operation. This embodiment of the disclosure does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0118] The newly configured operation can be configured by the network device to the terminal device, or it can be configured by the protocol to the terminal device, or it can be configured to the terminal device by other means. This disclosure does not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0119] In some embodiments, the instruction information instructing the terminal device to obtain location information includes one of the following:

[0120] GNSS signals of the Global Navigation Satellite System were measured within the measurement gap.

[0121] Entering the Radio Link Failure (RLF), during the RLF recovery process, measure the GNSS signal;

[0122] Enter the idle state and measure the GNSS signal.

[0123] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the instruction information of the network device instructs the terminal device to perform the following operations: measuring the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal during the measurement gap, entering a Radio Link Failure (RLF) and measuring the GNSS signal during the RLF recovery process, or entering an idle state and measuring the GNSS signal.

[0124] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when the operation includes measuring GNSS signals within a measurement gap, the terminal device receives an instruction from the network device. The instruction instructs the terminal device to perform GNSS signal measurement within the measurement gap to obtain location information. If the terminal device determines that the location information has expired, it performs GNSS signal measurement within the measurement gap according to the received instruction to obtain new location information and update the location information.

[0125] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when the operation includes entering a Radio Link Failure (RLF) and measuring GNSS signals during the RLF recovery process, the terminal device receives an instruction from the network device. The instruction instructs the terminal device to execute the RLF, measure GNSS signals, and obtain location information during the RLF recovery process. If the terminal device determines that the location information has expired, it executes the RLF according to the received instruction, measures GNSS signals, obtains new location information, and updates the location information during the RLF recovery process.

[0126] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when the operation includes entering an idle state and measuring GNSS signals, the terminal device receives an instruction from the network device. The instruction instructs the terminal device to enter an idle state, measure GNSS signals, and obtain location information. If the terminal device determines that the location information has expired, it will enter an idle state, measure GNSS signals, obtain new location information, and update the location information according to the received instruction.

[0127] By implementing the embodiments of this disclosure, an instruction message is sent to the terminal device; wherein the instruction message instructs the terminal device to obtain location information. Therefore, the terminal device can update its location information promptly and effectively when the location information expires, avoiding interference in uplink transmissions between different terminal devices.

[0128] Please see Figure 8 , Figure 8 This is a flowchart of another location information updating method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0129] like Figure 8 As shown, this method is executed by a network device, and the method may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0130] S81: Receive GNSS positioning capability reported by the terminal device before sending instruction information to the terminal device.

[0131] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the terminal device reports its GNSS positioning capability to inform the network device of the time required for the terminal device to measure GNSS signals to determine its location information.

[0132] In some embodiments, the time and frequency resources used by the terminal device to report GNSS positioning capabilities can be pre-configured to the terminal device.

[0133] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the time and frequency resources pre-configured for the terminal device to report GNSS positioning capabilities can be understood as the pre-configuration of the specific wireless resource locations used by the terminal device to report GNSS positioning capabilities, and the time and frequency at which the terminal device reports GNSS positioning capabilities.

[0134] The pre-configuration can be pre-configured by the network device, or it can be pre-configured by the protocol, or it can be pre-configured by other means. This disclosure does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0135] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the network device can send instruction information to the terminal device based on the GNSS positioning capability reported by the terminal, so as to instruct the terminal device to perform corresponding operations to measure GNSS signals to determine location information.

[0136] It should be noted that S81 can be implemented alone or in combination with any other step in the embodiments of this disclosure, such as in combination with S71 in the embodiments of this disclosure. The embodiments of this disclosure do not limit this.

[0137] In the embodiments provided above, the methods provided by the present disclosure have been described from the perspectives of network devices and terminal devices, respectively. To implement the functions of the methods provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the network device and the terminal device 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.

[0138] Please see Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 10 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 9 The communication device 10 shown may include a transceiver module 101. The transceiver module 101 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 101 can implement the sending function and / or the receiving function.

[0139] The communication device 10 can be a terminal device, a device within a terminal device, or a device compatible with a terminal device. Alternatively, the communication device 10 can be a network device, a device within a network device, or a device compatible with a network device.

[0140] Communication device 10 is a terminal device:

[0141] The device includes: a transceiver module 101 for receiving instruction information from a network device; wherein the instruction information instructs a terminal device to obtain location information; if it is determined that the location information has expired, the terminal device performs an operation based on the instruction information to obtain new location information and update the location information.

[0142] Communication device 10 is a network device:

[0143] The device includes a transceiver module 101, used to send instruction information to a terminal device; wherein the instruction information instructs the terminal device to obtain location information.

[0144] Regarding the communication device 10 in the above embodiments, the specific methods by which each module performs its operations have been described in detail in the embodiments related to the method, and will not be elaborated upon here. The communication device 10 provided in the above embodiments of this disclosure achieves the same or similar beneficial effects as the location information update methods provided in some of the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0145] Please see Figure 10 , Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another communication device 1000 provided in this embodiment. The communication device 1000 can be a network device, a terminal device, a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the implementation of the above methods in a network device, or a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the implementation of the above methods in a terminal device. This communication device 1000 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.

[0146] The communication device 1000 may include one or more processors 1001. The processor 1001 may be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, such as 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., base station, baseband chip, terminal equipment, terminal equipment chip, DU or CU, etc.), execute computer programs, and process data from the computer programs.

[0147] Optionally, the communication device 1000 may further include one or more memories 1002, which may store a computer program 1004. The memories 1002 execute the computer program 1004 to cause the communication device 1000 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. Optionally, the memories 1002 may also store data. The communication device 1000 and the memories 1002 may be provided separately or integrated together.

[0148] Optionally, the communication device 1000 may further include a transceiver 1005 and an antenna 1006. The transceiver 1005 may be referred to as a transceiver unit, transceiver, or transceiver circuit, etc., and is used to implement the transmission and reception functions. The transceiver 1005 may include a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver may be referred to as a receiver or receiving circuit, etc., and is used to implement the receiving function; the transmitter may be referred to as a transmitter or transmitting circuit, etc., and is used to implement the transmitting function.

[0149] Optionally, the communication device 1000 may further include one or more interface circuits 1007. The interface circuit 1007 is used to receive code instructions and transmit them to the processor 1001. The processor 1001 executes the code instructions to cause the communication device 1000 to perform the method described in the above method embodiments.

[0150] Communication device 1000 is a terminal device: transceiver 1005 is used to perform... Figure 2 S21 and S22 in the text; Figure 3 S31 and S32 in the text; Figure 4 S41 and S42 in the text; Figure 5S51 and S52 in the text; Figure 6 S61 in the middle.

[0151] Communication device 1000 is a network device: transceiver 1005 is used to perform... Figure 7 S71 in the middle; Figure 8 S81 in the middle.

[0152] In one implementation, the processor 1001 may include a transceiver for implementing receiving and transmitting 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 receiving and transmitting 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.

[0153] In one implementation, processor 1001 may store computer program 1003, which runs on processor 1001 and causes communication device 1000 to execute the methods described in the above method embodiments. Computer program 1003 may be embedded in processor 1001, in which case processor 1001 may be implemented in hardware.

[0154] In one implementation, the communication device 1000 may include circuitry capable of performing 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-semiconductor (CMOS), n-metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS), positive-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS), bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS), silicon-germanium (SiGe), gallium arsenide (GaAs), etc.

[0155] The communication device described in the above embodiments may be a terminal device, but the scope of the communication device described in this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the structure of the communication device may vary. Figure 10 The communication device may be a standalone device or part of a larger device. For example, the communication device may be:

[0156] (1) Independent integrated circuit IC, or chip, or chip system or subsystem;

[0157] (2) A collection of one or more ICs, optionally including storage components for storing data and computer programs;

[0158] (3) ASIC, such as modem;

[0159] (4) Modules that can be embedded in other devices;

[0160] (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.

[0161] (6) Others, etc.

[0162] For cases where the communication device can be a chip or a chip system, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 11 This is a structural diagram of a chip provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0163] Chip 1100 includes processor 1101 and interface 1103. The number of processors 1101 can be one or more, and the number of interfaces 1103 can be multiple.

[0164] Regarding the case where the chip is used to implement the functions of the terminal device in the embodiments of this disclosure:

[0165] Interface 1103 is used to receive code instructions and transmit them to the processor.

[0166] Processor 1101 is configured to run code instructions to perform a location information update method as described in some of the embodiments above.

[0167] For cases where the chip is used to implement the functions of the network device in the embodiments of this disclosure:

[0168] Interface 1103 is used to receive code instructions and transmit them to the processor.

[0169] Processor 1101 is configured to run code instructions to perform a location information update method as described in some of the embodiments above.

[0170] Optionally, chip 1100 may also include memory 1102, which is used to store necessary computer programs and data.

[0171] 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.

[0172] This disclosure also provides a location information update system, which includes the aforementioned... Figure 10 The embodiments include a communication device as a terminal and a communication device as a network-side device; alternatively, the system may include the aforementioned... Figure 11 The embodiments include a communication device as a terminal and a communication device as a network-side device.

[0173] 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.

[0174] This disclosure also provides a computer program product that, when executed by a computer, implements the functions of any of the above method embodiments.

[0175] 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)).

[0176] 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.

[0177] 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".

[0178] The correspondences shown in the tables of this disclosure can be configured or predefined. The values ​​of the information in each table are merely examples and can be configured to other values; this disclosure is not limiting. When configuring the correspondences between information and parameters, it is not necessarily required to configure all the correspondences shown in each table. For example, the correspondences shown in some rows of the tables in this disclosure may not be configured. Furthermore, appropriate modifications and adjustments can be made based on the above tables, such as splitting, merging, etc. The names of the parameters shown in the headers of the above tables can also use other names that the communication device can understand, and the values ​​or representations of the parameters can also be other values ​​or representations that the communication device can understand. In the implementation of the above tables, other data structures can also be used, such as arrays, queues, containers, stacks, linear lists, pointers, linked lists, trees, graphs, structures, classes, heaps, hash tables, or hash tables, etc.

[0179] The predefined terms in this disclosure can be understood as defined, predefined, stored, pre-stored, pre-negotiated, pre-configured, solidified, or pre-burned.

[0180] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this disclosure.

[0181] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0182] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for updating location information, characterized in that, The method is executed by a terminal device and includes: Receive instruction information from network devices; wherein the instruction information instructs the terminal device to acquire location information, the operation including measuring Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals within a measurement gap; If the location information is determined to be outdated, the GNSS signal is measured within the measurement gap based on the indication information to obtain new location information and update the location information; the terminal device continues to maintain a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection with the network device within the measurement gap. The method further includes: receiving time-frequency resources configured by the network device for the terminal device to report GNSS positioning capabilities to the network device, and using the time-frequency resources to report GNSS positioning capabilities to the network device; wherein the GNSS positioning capabilities are used to indicate the time required for the terminal device to measure GNSS signals to determine the location information, the indication information is sent by the network device based on the GNSS positioning capabilities reported by the terminal device, and the measurement gap is a value unique to the terminal device; the GNSS positioning capabilities are reported by the terminal device during the establishment of an RRC connection with the network device, and / or the GNSS positioning capabilities are reported by the terminal device before the location information expires.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the measurement gap, the terminal device does not perform downlink control monitoring, downlink signal measurement, downlink data reception, or uplink data transmission.

3. A method for updating location information, characterized in that, The method is performed by a network device, and the method includes: Sending instruction information to the terminal device; wherein, the instruction information instructs the terminal device to perform an operation to acquire location information, the operation including measuring Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals within a measurement gap, the instruction information being used by the terminal device to perform GNSS signal measurement within the measurement gap to acquire new location information and update the location information if it determines that the location information has expired; the terminal device continues to maintain a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection with the network device within the measurement gap; The method further includes: configuring time-frequency resources for the terminal device to report GNSS positioning capabilities to the network device, and receiving the GNSS positioning capabilities reported by the terminal device using the time-frequency resources; wherein the GNSS positioning capabilities are used to indicate the time required for the terminal device to measure GNSS signals to determine the location information, the indication information is sent by the network device based on the GNSS positioning capabilities reported by the terminal device, and the measurement gap is a value unique to the terminal device; the GNSS positioning capabilities are reported by the terminal device during the establishment of an RRC connection with the network device, and / or the GNSS positioning capabilities are reported by the terminal device before the location information expires.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, During the measurement gap, the terminal device does not perform downlink control monitoring, downlink signal measurement, downlink data reception, or uplink data transmission.

5. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes: A transceiver module is used to receive instruction information from network devices; wherein the instruction information instructs the terminal device to acquire location information, the operation including measuring Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals within a measurement gap; The processing module is configured to, upon determining that the location information has expired, measure the GNSS signal within the measurement gap based on the indication information, acquire new location information, and update the location information; the terminal device continues to maintain a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection with the network device within the measurement gap; The transceiver module is further configured to receive time-frequency resources configured by the network device for the terminal device to report GNSS positioning capabilities to the network device, and to report GNSS positioning capabilities to the network device using the time-frequency resources; wherein, the GNSS positioning capability is used to indicate the time required for the terminal device to measure GNSS signals to determine the location information, the indication information is sent by the network device based on the GNSS positioning capability reported by the terminal device, and the measurement gap is a value unique to the terminal device; the GNSS positioning capability is reported by the terminal device during the establishment of an RRC connection with the network device, and / or the GNSS positioning capability is reported by the terminal device before the location information expires.

6. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes: The transceiver module is used to send instruction information to the terminal device; wherein, the instruction information instructs the terminal device to perform an operation to acquire location information, the operation including measuring Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals within a measurement gap; the instruction information is used by the terminal device to perform GNSS signal measurement within the measurement gap to acquire new location information and update the location information when it determines that the location information has expired; the terminal device continues to maintain a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection with the network device within the measurement gap; The transceiver module is further configured to configure time-frequency resources for the terminal device to report GNSS positioning capabilities to the network device, and to receive GNSS positioning capabilities reported by the terminal device using the time-frequency resources; wherein, the GNSS positioning capabilities are used to indicate the time required for the terminal device to measure GNSS signals to determine the location information, the indication information is sent by the network device based on the GNSS positioning capabilities reported by the terminal device, and the measurement gap is a value unique to the terminal device; the GNSS positioning capabilities are reported by the terminal device during the establishment of an RRC connection with the network device, and / or the GNSS positioning capabilities are reported by the terminal device before the location information expires.

7. 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 claim 1 or 2.

8. 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 claim 3 or 4.

9. 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 claim 1 or 2.

10. 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 claim 3 or 4.

11. A computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions that, when executed, cause the method of claim 1 or 2 to be implemented.

12. A computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions that, when executed, cause the method of claim 3 or 4 to be implemented.

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