Information interaction method and device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of communication, in particular to an information interaction method and device. The information interaction method comprises the steps that information interaction with a second DU is carried out through a direct connection port, and the first DU and the second DU are connected to the same control unit (CU). According to the invention, an information interaction mechanism between the DUs can be provided, and the information transmission efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an information interaction method and device. Background Art

[0002] In the network architecture of the fifth generation mobile communication technology (5G) of the communication system, the next generation NodeB (gNB) may be composed of a gNB control unit (CU) and one or more gNB data units (DU). The gNB CU and the gNB DU may be connected, for example, via an F1 interface. For example, the same gNB CU may be connected to multiple gNB DUs, and information may be exchanged between the gNB CU and the gNBDU via the F1 interface. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present disclosure provides an information interaction method and device to provide an information interaction mechanism between DUs and DUs to improve the transmission efficiency of information. The technical solution of the present disclosure is as follows:

[0004] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, an information interaction method is provided, the method being performed by a first data unit (Data Unit, DU), including:

[0005] Information is exchanged with the second DU via a direct connection interface, wherein the first DU and the second DU are connected to the same control unit (CU).

[0006] According to some embodiments, before the information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface, the method further includes:

[0007] receiving a first direct application protocol (Application Protocol, FnAP) signaling sent by the CU, wherein the first FnAP signaling carries control information;

[0008] In response to the first FnAP signaling, an establishment operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU is performed or a reconfiguration operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU is performed.

[0009] According to some embodiments, before the information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface, the method further includes:

[0010] Sending a connection establishment request to the CU, wherein the connection establishment request is used to instruct the CU to send a second FnAP signaling to the second DU to perform an establishment operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU.

[0011] According to some embodiments, before the information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface, the method further includes:

[0012] According to the DU set connected to the CU and the direct connection interface connection information, an establishment operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU is performed.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the method further comprises:

[0014] The DU set is obtained through at least one of an operations and maintenance system (Operations and Maintenance, OAM) and the CU.

[0015] According to some embodiments, it is characterized in that the transport network layer (Transport Network Layer, TNL) of the direct connection interface includes a physical layer (Physical layer) and a data link layer (Data Link Layer), and the information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface includes:

[0016] Information is exchanged with the second DU through the data link layer.

[0017] According to some embodiments, the exchanging information with the second DU through the direct connection interface includes:

[0018] A Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC CE) signaling interaction is performed with the second DU through the direct connection interface, wherein the MAC CE signaling carries control information.

[0019] According to some embodiments, the exchanging information with the second DU through the direct connection interface includes:

[0020] A medium access control protocol data unit (MAC PDU) signaling interaction is performed with the second DU through the direct connection interface, wherein the MAC PDU signaling carries net load data information.

[0021] According to some embodiments, the information interacted with the second DU includes at least one of the following:

[0022] The first information sent by the terminal device;

[0023] second information sent by the CU;

[0024] Unit information of the first DU.

[0025] According to some embodiments, the first DU is a first non-terrestrial network (NTN) payload satellite, the second DU is a second NTN payload satellite, and the information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface includes:

[0026] In the regeneration mode, information is exchanged with the second NTN Payload satellite through the direct connection interface, wherein the first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite are in a low earth orbit satellite operation state, and the first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite are connected to the same NTN gateway.

[0027] According to some embodiments, the first DU is a third NTN Payload satellite, and the information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface includes:

[0028] In the regeneration mode, information is exchanged with the second DU through the direct connection interface.

[0029] According to some embodiments, the interactive information includes at least one of the following:

[0030] Terminal device context information;

[0031] Air interface data.

[0032] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, an information interaction device is provided, wherein the information interaction device is arranged on a first data unit DU side, and includes:

[0033] The interaction module is used to perform information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface, wherein the first DU and the second DU are connected to the same control unit CU.

[0034] According to a third aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a network side device is provided, including:

[0035] processor;

[0036] a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor;

[0037] The processor is configured to execute the instructions to implement the information interaction method described in any one of the aforementioned aspects.

[0038] According to a fourth aspect of the present application, a storage medium is provided. When instructions in the storage medium are executed by a processor of an electronic device, the electronic device can execute the information interaction method described in any one of the preceding aspects.

[0039] According to a fifth aspect of the present application, a computer program product is provided, comprising a computer program, wherein the computer program implements any one of the methods described in the preceding aspects when executed by a processor.

[0040] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure brings at least the following beneficial effects:

[0041] In some or related embodiments, information is exchanged with the second DU via a direct connection interface, wherein the first DU and the second DU are connected to the same control unit CU. Therefore, information exchange between different DUs can be achieved through the direct connection interface, reducing the situation where different DUs cannot directly exchange information, resulting in more information exchange steps and longer interaction time, and an information exchange mechanism can be provided to improve information exchange efficiency.

[0042] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The drawings herein are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure, and together with the description are used to explain the principles of the present disclosure, and do not constitute improper limitations on the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 1 is a general architecture diagram of an NG-Radio Access Network (RAN) according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0045] Figure 2 is an overall example schematic diagram of an NTN according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0046] Figure 3 This is a flow chart of an information interaction method according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0047] Figure 4 is an exemplary schematic diagram showing a direct-connect AP protocol stack architecture according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0048] Figure 5 is a general architecture diagram of an NG-RAN according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0049] Figure 6is a schematic diagram showing an example of a protocol stack architecture of a direct connection interface according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0050] Figure 7 is an interactive schematic diagram of an information interaction method according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0051] Figure 8 is an interactive schematic diagram of an information interaction method according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0052] Fig. 9 is a flow chart of an information interaction method according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0053] Fig.10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an NTN network architecture according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0054] Fig.11 is a block diagram of an information interaction device according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0055] Fig.12 is a block diagram of a terminal device according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0056] Fig.13 The invention is a block diagram of a network side device according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] In order to enable ordinary persons in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present disclosure, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0058] The embodiments of the present disclosure propose information interaction methods and devices. In some embodiments, the terms information interaction method, information processing method, communication method, etc. can be replaced with each other, the terms information interaction device, information processing device, communication device, etc. can be replaced with each other, and the terms information processing system, communication system, etc. can be replaced with each other.

[0059] The embodiments of the present disclosure are not exhaustive, but are only illustrative of some embodiments, and are not intended to be a specific limitation on the scope of protection of the present disclosure. In the absence of contradiction, each step in a certain embodiment can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the steps can be arbitrarily combined. For example, a solution after removing some steps in a certain embodiment can also be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the order of the steps in a certain embodiment can be arbitrarily exchanged. In addition, the optional implementation methods in a certain embodiment can be arbitrarily combined; in addition, the embodiments can be arbitrarily combined, for example, some or all of the steps of different embodiments can be arbitrarily combined, and a certain embodiment can be arbitrarily combined with the optional implementation methods of other embodiments.

[0060] In each embodiment of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified or there is a logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between the embodiments are consistent and can be referenced to each other, and the technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form a new embodiment based on their internal logical relationships.

[0061] The terms used in the embodiments of the present disclosure are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0062] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, elements expressed in the singular form, such as "a", "an", "the", "above", "said", "aforementioned", "this", etc., may mean "one and only one", or "one or more", "at least one", etc. For example, when using articles such as "a", "an", "the" in English in translation, the noun after the article may be understood as a singular expression or a plural expression.

[0063] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, “plurality” refers to two or more.

[0064] In some embodiments, the terms “at least one,” “one or more,” “a plurality of,” “multiple,” etc. may be used interchangeably.

[0065] In some embodiments, "at least one of A and B", "A and / or B", "A in one case, B in another case", "in response to one case A, in response to another case B", etc., may include the following technical solutions according to the situation: in some embodiments, A (A is executed independently of B); in some embodiments, B (B is executed independently of A); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed); in some embodiments, A and B (both A and B are executed). When there are more branches such as A, B, C, etc., the above is also similar.

[0066] In some embodiments, the recording method of "A or B" may include the following technical solutions according to the situation: in some embodiments, A (A is executed independently of B); in some embodiments, B (B is executed independently of A); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed). When there are more branches such as A, B, C, etc., the above is also similar.

[0067] The prefixes such as "first" and "second" in the embodiments of the present disclosure are only used to distinguish different description objects, and do not constitute restrictions on the position, order, priority, quantity or content of the description objects. The statement of the description object refers to the description in the context of the claims or embodiments, and should not constitute unnecessary restrictions due to the use of prefixes. For example, if the description object is a "field", the ordinal number before the "field" in the "first field" and the "second field" does not limit the position or order between the "fields", and the "first" and "second" do not limit whether the "fields" they modify are in the same message, nor do they limit the order of the "first field" and the "second field". For another example, if the description object is a "level", the ordinal number before the "level" in the "first level" and the "second level" does not limit the priority between the "levels". For another example, the number of description objects is not limited by the ordinal number, and can be one or more. Taking the "first device" as an example, the number of "devices" can be one or more. In addition, the objects modified by different prefixes may be the same or different. For example, if the description object is "device", then the "first device" and the "second device" may be the same device or different devices, and their types may be the same or different. For another example, if the description object is "information", then the "first information" and the "second information" may be the same information or different information, and their contents may be the same or different.

[0068] In some embodiments, “including A”, “comprising A”, “used to indicate A”, and “carrying A” can be interpreted as directly carrying A or indirectly indicating A.

[0069] In some embodiments, terms such as "in response to ...", "in response to determining ...", "in the case of ...", "at the time of ...", "when ...", "if ...", "if ...", etc. can be used interchangeably.

[0070] In some embodiments, terms such as "greater than", "greater than or equal to", "not less than", "more than", "more than or equal to", "not less than", "higher than", "higher than or equal to", "not lower than", and "above" can be replaced with each other, and terms such as "less than", "less than or equal to", "not greater than", "less than", "less than or equal to", "no more than", "lower than", "lower than or equal to", "not higher than", and "below" can be replaced with each other.

[0071] In some embodiments, devices and equipment may be interpreted as physical or virtual, and their names are not limited to the names recorded in the embodiments. In some cases, they may also be understood as "equipment", "device", "circuit", "network element", "node", "function", "unit", "section", "system", "network", "chip", "chip system", "entity", "subject", etc.

[0072] In some embodiments, "network" can be interpreted as devices included in the network, such as access network equipment, core network equipment, etc.

[0073] In some embodiments, "access network device (AN device)" may also be referred to as "radio access network device (RAN device)", "base station (BS)", "radio base station (radio base station)", "fixed station (fixed station)", and in some embodiments may also be understood as "node (node)", "access point (access point)", "transmission point (TP)", "reception point (reception point, RP)", "transmission and / or reception point (transmission / reception point, TRP)"", "panel (panel)", "antenna panel (antenna panel)", "antenna array (antenna array)"", "cell (cell)", "macro cell (macro cell)", "small cell (small cell)", "femto cell (femto cell)", "pico cell (pico cell)", "sector (sector)", "cell group (cell group)", "serving cell (serving cell)", "carrier (carrier)", "component carrier (component carrier)", "bandwidth part (bandwidth part, BWP)" and the like.

[0074] In some embodiments, "terminal" or "terminal device" can be referred to as "user equipment (UE)", "user terminal" "mobile station (MS)", "mobile terminal (MT)", subscriber station, mobile unit, subscriber unit, wireless unit, remote unit, mobile device, wireless device, wireless communication device, remote device, mobile subscriber station, access terminal, mobile terminal, wireless terminal, remote terminal, handset, user agent, mobile client, client, etc.

[0075] In some embodiments, acquisition of data, information, etc. may comply with the laws and regulations of the country where the data is obtained.

[0076] In some embodiments, data, information, etc. may be obtained with the user's consent.

[0077] In addition, each element, each row, or each column in the table of the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the combination of any elements, any rows, and any columns may also be implemented as an independent embodiment.

[0078] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present disclosure and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchanged where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. Instead, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0079] According to some embodiments, Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a general architecture diagram of an NG-Radio Access Network (RAN) according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 1 The system shown includes: a fifth generation mobile communication technology core network (5th Generation Mobile Communication Technology Core, 5GC), an NG interface, an NG-RAN, a next generation NodeB (the next generation NodeB, gNB), an Xn-C interface, a gNB-CU, a gNB-DU and an F1 interface. Among them, the 5G base station is called a gNB, which can provide a node of a new radio (New Radio, NR) user plane and control plane protocol terminal to the user equipment (User Equiments, UE), and is connected to the 5G core network (5GC) via the NG interface. Among them, the user equipment can also be called a terminal device. The NG-RAN consists of a group of gNBs connected to the 5GC through the NG interface. The gNB can support frequency division duplex FDD mode, time division duplex TDD mode or dual-mode operation. The gNBs can be interconnected through the Xn interface. The gNB can be composed of a gNB CU and one or more gNB DUs. The gNB CU and the gNB DU are connected through the F1 interface. Among them, one gNB DU is only connected to one gNB CU. For flexibility, a gNB DU can adaptively link multiple gNB CUs. The NG interface, Xn interface, and F1 interface are logical interfaces.

[0080] Optional, such as Figure 1 As shown, in the 5G architecture, signaling or data interaction can be performed between gNBs, for example, through an Xn interface. For example, the gNB CU and the gNB DU can interact through an F1 interface.

[0081] In some embodiments, Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall example of an NTN according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 2 As shown, the system includes: Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), User Plane Function (UPF), NG interface, gNB and NR Uu interface. Among them, gNB includes NTN gateway, feeder link, NTN payload and service link.

[0082] like Figure 2As shown, the NTN Payload satellite can forward the radio protocol received from the UE (via the service link) to the NTN gateway (via the feeder link) and vice versa. The NTN Payload satellite supports the following connections:

[0083] One NTN gateway can serve multiple NTN Payload satellites;

[0084] One NTN Payload satellite can be served by multiple NTN gateways.

[0085] Among other things, the NTN Payload satellite may change the carrier frequency before retransmitting on the service link and vice versa (on the feeder link, respectively).

[0086] Optionally, for NTN, the tracking area corresponds to a fixed geographical area, and any corresponding mapping can be configured in the RAN.

[0087] For example, three types of service links may be supported:

[0088] 1. Earth-fixed: provided by beams that always continuously cover the same geographical area (e.g., in the case of Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO) satellites);

[0089] 2. Quasi-geo-fixed: provided by beams that cover one geographic area for a limited time and a different geographic area for another time (e.g., the case of steerable beams produced by non-geosynchronous orbit (NGSO) satellites);

[0090] 3. Earth mobile: provided by beams that slide over the earth's surface in the coverage area (for example, when NGSO satellites produce fixed or non-steerable beams). With NGSO satellites, gNBs can provide quasi-earth fixed service links or earth mobile service links, while gNBs operating with GSO satellites can provide earth fixed service links. Among them, UEs that support NTN can, for example, support the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).

[0091] Figure 3 is a flow chart of an information interaction method according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 3 As shown, the information interaction method can be used in a communication scenario, including the following steps:

[0092] In step S11, information is exchanged with the second DU through the direct connection interface.

[0093] According to some embodiments, the execution subject of the embodiment of the present disclosure is a first DU. The first DU does not specifically refer to a fixed DU. For example, when the unit identifier corresponding to the DU changes, the first DU may also change accordingly. The first DU and the second DU are connected to the same control unit CU.

[0094] In some embodiments, the direct connection interface may be, for example, an Fn interface, which is used to directly connect the first DU and the second DU.

[0095] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, Fn includes a control plane function (Fn Control Plane, Fn-C) and a user plane (Fn User Plane, Fn-U).

[0096] According to some embodiments, Figure 5 It is an overall architecture diagram of an NG-RAN shown according to an exemplary embodiment. Among them, the direct connection interface Fn interface refers to an interface for directly connecting the first DU and the second DU. The Fn interface is used to realize information exchange between the first DU and the second DU. Among them, the first DU and the second DU are connected to the same control unit CU, that is, the DUs connected by the direct connection interface are connected to the same CU. In other words, the first DU and the second DU are any two DUs connected to the same CU. Among them, there is only one direct connection interface between the two DUs to realize point-to-point information exchange between the two DUs. Among them, DUs between different CUs need to be interconnected through the Xn interface between CUs. The direct connection interface is an internal interface of the base station.

[0097] In some embodiments, when the first DU receives information sent by the terminal device, the first DU may exchange the information to the second DU through the direct connection interface to achieve seamless switching of the ground terminal device. The first DU may be, for example, a source DU, and the second DU may be, for example, a target DU.

[0098] Optionally, before the first DU exchanges information with the second DU through the direct connection interface, the method further includes: receiving a first direct connection application protocol FnAP signaling sent by the CU, wherein the first FnAP signaling carries control information; and in response to the first FnAP signaling, performing an establishment operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU or performing a reconfiguration operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU. Based on the first FnAP signaling sent by the CU, the corresponding control operation can be directly performed, which can improve the accuracy of the execution of the control operation.

[0099] Among them, the first FnAP signaling refers to the signaling sent by the CU to the first DU to instruct the DU to perform a control operation. The first in the first FnAP signaling is only used to distinguish it from the second FnAP signaling, and does not specifically refer to a fixed FnAP signaling. For example, when the sending time point of the first FnAP signaling changes, the first FnAP signaling may also change accordingly. For example, when the control information carried by the first FnAP signaling changes, the first FnAP signaling may also change accordingly.

[0100] According to some embodiments, Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an FnAP protocol stack architecture according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 4 As shown, the first DU may perform a control operation of a direct connection interface with the second DU, and the control operation may include at least one of establishing a direct connection interface, reconfiguring a direct connection interface, and releasing a direct connection interface. Figure 4 The protocol stack shown is an interface protocol stack. The direct connection interface defines FnAP, and FnAP completes the control process of the direct connection interface. Among them, the establishment of the direct connection interface and the reconfiguration of the direct connection interface can be performed before the first DU and the second DU exchange information.

[0101] Optionally, before the first DU exchanges information with the second DU through the direct connection interface, the method further includes: sending a connection establishment request to the CU, wherein the connection establishment request is used to instruct the CU to send a second FnAP signaling to the second DU to perform an establishment operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU. A direct connection interface with the second DU can be established, information can be directly exchanged with the second DU, and the convenience and accuracy of information interaction can be improved.

[0102] Optionally, before the first DU exchanges information with the second DU through the direct connection interface, it also includes: sending an interface reconfiguration request to the CU, wherein the interface reconfiguration request is used to instruct the CU to send a third FnAP signaling to the second DU to perform a reconfiguration operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU.

[0103] Optionally, after the first DU exchanges information with the second DU through the direct connection interface, it also includes: sending an interface release request to the CU, wherein the interface release request is used to instruct the CU to send a fourth FnAP signaling to the second DU to execute a release operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU.

[0104] Optionally, before the first DU exchanges information with the second DU through the direct connection interface, the process further includes: performing an establishment operation of a direct connection interface with the second DU according to the DU set connected to the CU and the direct connection interface connection information. Therefore, the direct connection interface can be established according to the direct connection interface connection information, thereby improving the accuracy of establishing the direct connection interface.

[0105] According to some embodiments, the DU set refers to a set consisting of at least one DU connected to the same CU. The DU set of the embodiment of the present disclosure may, for example, be a set consisting of at least one DU connected to the same CU as the first DU. The DU set does not specifically refer to a fixed set. For example, when the number of DU sets changes, the DU set may also change accordingly. For example, when the unit identifier of any DU in the DU set changes, the DU set may also change accordingly.

[0106] Optionally, the first DU may also perform an operation of establishing a direct interface with the second DU according to the DU set and the demand information.

[0107] Optionally, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method further includes:

[0108] The DU set is obtained through at least one of the operation and maintenance system OAM and the CU.

[0109] For example, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first DU may obtain the DU set through an operation and maintenance system OAM.

[0110] For example, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first DU may obtain a DU set through a CU, for example.

[0111] According to some embodiments, Figure 6 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a protocol stack architecture of a direct connection interface according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 6 As shown, the transport network layer TNL of the direct-connect interface includes a physical layer and a data link layer. Point-to-point information interaction is performed through the data link layer. Among them, the protocol sublayers such as GTP-U, UDP, and IP are optional functional sublayers. The transport network layer TNL of the direct-connect interface can also exemplarily include at least one of the user plane protocol GTP-U layer, the user datagram protocol (UDP, User Datagram Protocol) and the IP layer.

[0112] In some embodiments, the first DU may exchange information with the second DU via the data link layer, which may improve the simplicity of the transmission network layer while improving the efficiency of information exchange.

[0113] In some embodiments, information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface includes:

[0114] The media access control-control element MAC CE signaling is interacted with the second DU through the direct connection interface, wherein the MAC CE signaling carries control information. Therefore, direct interaction of control information can be achieved through the direct connection interface, reducing the interaction time of control information and improving the interaction efficiency of control information.

[0115] Figure 7 It is an interaction diagram of an information interaction method according to an exemplary embodiment. The first DU may be, for example, a transmitting end DU group, and the second DU may be, for example, a receiving end DU group. The transmitting end DU group may send a MAC CE signaling carrying control information to the receiving end DU group through a direct connection interface. The receiving end DU group may receive and parse the MAC CE signaling. The receiving end DU group may, for example, perform an establishment operation of a direct connection interface with the transmitting end DU group or perform a reconfiguration operation of a direct connection interface with the transmitting end DU group according to the control information in the MAC CE signaling, that is, the second DU may perform an establishment operation of a direct connection interface with the first DU or perform a reconfiguration operation of a direct connection interface with the first DU according to the control information in the MAC CE signaling. For example, the receiving end DU group also performs a release operation of a direct connection interface with the transmitting end DU group according to the control information in the MAC CE signaling.

[0116] In some embodiments, information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface includes:

[0117] The media access control protocol data unit MAC PDU signaling is exchanged with the second DU through the direct connection interface, wherein the MAC PDU signaling carries the net load data information. Therefore, the direct connection interface can realize the direct interaction of the net load data information, reduce the interaction time of the net load data information, and improve the interaction efficiency of the net load data information.

[0118] Figure 8 This is an interactive diagram of an information interaction method according to an exemplary embodiment. The first DU may be, for example, a transmitting end DU group, and the second DU may be, for example, a receiving end DU group. The transmitting end DU group may send a MAC PDU signaling carrying net load data information to the receiving end DU group through a direct connection interface. The receiving end DU group may receive the MAC PDU signaling. The receiving end DU group may store the MAC PDU signaling, and the receiving end DU group may also parse the MAC PDU signaling to obtain the net load data information carried in the MAC PDU signaling.

[0119] In some embodiments, the information interacted with the second DU includes at least one of the following:

[0120] The first information sent by the terminal device;

[0121] The second information sent by the CU;

[0122] Unit information of the first DU.

[0123] It is easy to understand that the information sent by the first DU to the second DU includes at least one of the information sent by the terminal device received by the first DU, the information sent by the CU received by the first DU, and the unit information of the first DU itself.

[0124] It is easy to understand that the terminal device includes but is not limited to: wearable devices, handheld devices, personal computers, tablet computers, vehicle-mounted devices, smart phones, computing devices or other processing devices connected to wireless modems, etc. The terminal device can be called different names in different networks, such as: user equipment, access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication device, user agent or user device, cellular phone, cordless phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), terminal equipment in the fifth generation mobile communication technology (5th generation mobile networks, 5G) network or future evolution network, etc. The terminal terminal can be installed with an operating system, which refers to an operating system that can be run in the terminal, a program for managing and controlling terminal hardware and terminal applications, and an indispensable system application in the terminal device. The operating system includes but is not limited to Android system, IOS system, Windows phone (WP) system and Ubuntu mobile version operating system, etc.

[0125] According to some embodiments, the first information refers to information sent by the terminal device to the first DU. The cell where the terminal device is located may be, for example, a cell served by the first DU. A DU may support one cell or multiple cells. The first in the first information is only used to distinguish the second information. The first information does not specifically refer to a fixed information. For example, when the sending time point corresponding to the first information changes, the first information may also change accordingly.

[0126] According to some embodiments, the second information refers to information sent by the CU to the first DU. The CU refers to a CU connected to the first DU via an F1 interface. The CU can be sent to the first DU via an FI interface.

[0127] According to some embodiments, during the communication process, the terminal device may send the first information to the first DU. The first DU may receive the first information sent by the terminal device. The first information may include, for example, at least one of control information and data information. When the first DU receives the first information, the first DU may transmit the first information to the second DU through the direct connection interface.

[0128] According to some embodiments, the unit information of the first DU is used to indicate information of the first DU itself, and the unit information includes but is not limited to measurement information of the first DU, status information of the first DU, user information of the service of the first DU, load information of the first DU, cache occupancy information of the first DU, real-time service information of each user of the first DU, signaling, data, software and hardware information of the first DU itself, etc.

[0129] In some or related embodiments, information is exchanged with the second DU via a direct connection interface, wherein the first DU and the second DU are connected to the same control unit CU. Therefore, information exchange between different DUs can be achieved through the direct connection interface, reducing the situation where different DUs cannot directly exchange information, resulting in more information exchange steps and longer interaction time, and an information exchange mechanism can be provided to improve information exchange efficiency.

[0130] Fig. 9 is a flow chart of an information interaction method according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 9 As shown, the information interaction method can be used in a communication scenario, including the following steps:

[0131] In step S21, in the regeneration mode, information is exchanged with the second NTN Payload satellite through the direct connection interface.

[0132] According to some embodiments, the terminal device may send information to the AMF or UPF via the RAN. Different information may be sent to different network elements, for example. The AMF or UPF may send the received information to the first NTNPayload satellite via the GN interface.

[0133] According to some embodiments, Fig.10 It is an example schematic diagram of an NTN network architecture shown according to an exemplary embodiment. The direct connection interface in the NTN network is the interface of two NTN Payload satellites. When NTN adopts the regeneration mode (Regenerative Payload), the NTN Payload satellite can be, for example, the DU part in the CU-DU architecture. The first DU can be, for example, the first non-terrestrial / ground communication payload NTN Payload satellite, and the second DU can be, for example, the second NTN Payload satellite. Among them, the first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite are used to indicate different NTN Payload satellites, and do not specifically refer to a fixed NTN Payload satellite. The first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite can be connected via a direct connection interface.

[0134] The first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite are in a low earth orbit satellite operation state, and the first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite are connected to the same NTN Gateway.

[0135] According to some embodiments, when NTN adopts the regeneration mode, the first NTN Payload satellite can exchange information to the second NTN Payload satellite through a direct connection interface to achieve seamless switching of ground terminal equipment. The first NTN Payload satellite can be, for example, a source NTN Payload satellite, and the second NTN Payload satellite can be, for example, a target NTN Payload satellite.

[0136] In some embodiments, the interactive information includes at least one of the following:

[0137] Terminal device context information;

[0138] Air interface data. Therefore, information forwarding can be realized, seamless switching of ground terminal equipment can be achieved, and the convenience of information interaction can be improved.

[0139] In some embodiments, the information exchanged between the first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite includes at least one of the following:

[0140] Terminal device context information;

[0141] Air interface data.

[0142] Optionally, the first NTN Payload satellite may send the terminal device context information to the second NTN Payload satellite through a direct connection interface, for example.

[0143] Optionally, the first NTN Payload satellite may, for example, send air interface data to the second NTN Payload satellite through a direct connection interface.

[0144] In some embodiments, the first DU is a third NTN Payload satellite, and exchanges information with the second DU through a direct connection interface, including:

[0145] In the regeneration mode, information is exchanged with the second DU through the direct connection interface.

[0146] If there are multiple NTN Payload satellites, two NTN Payload satellites may exchange information via a direct connection interface. The two NTN Payload satellites may be, for example, two adjacent satellites.

[0147] In some embodiments, the third NTN Payload satellite is a space-based satellite. The third NTN Payload satellite exchanges information with the second DU through a direct connection interface, which can realize information interaction between the space-based NTN Payload satellite and the ground-based DU, provide an information interaction mechanism, and improve information interaction efficiency.

[0148] In some embodiments, the information exchanged between the third NTN Payload satellite and the second DU includes at least one of the following:

[0149] Terminal device context information;

[0150] Air interface data.

[0151] In some or related embodiments, in the regeneration mode, information is exchanged with the second NTN Payload satellite through a direct connection interface, wherein the first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite are in a low earth orbit satellite operation state, and the first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite are connected to the same NTN Gateway. Therefore, information interaction between different NTN Payload satellites can be achieved through the direct connection interface, reducing the situation where different NTN Payload satellites cannot directly exchange information, resulting in more information interaction steps and longer interaction time, and an information interaction mechanism can be provided to improve the efficiency of information interaction.

[0152] Fig.11 is a block diagram of an information interaction device according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig.11 The information interaction device is arranged at the first data unit DU side, and the device comprises:

[0153] The interaction module 1101 is used to perform information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface, wherein the first DU and the second DU are connected to the same control unit CU.

[0154] According to some embodiments, the interaction module 1101 is further configured to, before performing information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface:

[0155] receiving a first direct application protocol FnAP signaling sent by the CU, wherein the first FnAP signaling carries control information;

[0156] In response to the first FnAP signaling, an establishment operation of a direct connection interface with the second DU is performed or a reconfiguration operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU is performed.

[0157] According to some embodiments, the interaction module 1101 is further configured to, before performing information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface:

[0158] Send a connection establishment request to the CU, wherein the connection establishment request is used to instruct the CU to send a second FnAP signaling to the second DU to perform an establishment operation of a direct interface with the second DU.

[0159] According to some embodiments, the interaction module 1101 is further configured to, before performing information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface:

[0160] According to the DU set connected to the CU and the direct connection interface connection information, an establishment operation of a direct connection interface with the second DU is performed.

[0161] According to some embodiments, the interaction module 1101 is further configured to obtain the DU set through at least one of an operation and maintenance system OAM and a CU.

[0162] According to some embodiments, the transmission network layer TNL of the direct connection interface includes a physical layer and a data link layer, and the interaction module 1101 is used to interact with the second DU through the direct connection interface, specifically for:

[0163] The information is exchanged to the second DU through the data link layer.

[0164] According to some embodiments, the interaction module 1101 is used to interact with the second DU through the direct connection interface, specifically to:

[0165] A medium access control-control element MAC CE signaling interaction is performed with the second DU via a direct connection interface, wherein the MAC CE signaling carries control information.

[0166] According to some embodiments, the interaction module 1101 is used to interact with the second DU through the direct connection interface, specifically to:

[0167] A media access control protocol data unit MAC PDU signaling interaction is performed with the second DU via the direct connection interface, wherein the MAC PDU signaling carries the net load data information.

[0168] According to some embodiments, the information interacted with the second DU includes at least one of the following:

[0169] The first information sent by the terminal device;

[0170] The second information sent by the CU;

[0171] Unit information of the first DU.

[0172] According to some embodiments, the first DU is a first non-terrestrial / ground communication payload NTN Payload satellite, the second DU is a second NTN Payload satellite, and the interaction module 1101 is used to interact with the second DU through the direct connection interface, specifically for:

[0173] In the regeneration mode, information is exchanged to the second NTN Payload satellite through a direct connection interface, wherein the first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite are in a low earth orbit satellite operation state, and the first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite are connected to the same NTN Gateway.

[0174] According to some embodiments, the first DU is a third NTN Payload satellite, and the interaction module 1101 is used to interact with the second DU through the direct connection interface, including:

[0175] In the regeneration mode, information is exchanged with the second DU through the direct connection interface.

[0176] According to some embodiments, the interactive information includes at least one of the following:

[0177] Terminal device context information;

[0178] Air interface data.

[0179] Regarding the device in the above embodiment, the specific manner in which each module performs operations has been described in detail in the embodiment of the method, and will not be elaborated here.

[0180] In some or related embodiments, the receiving module is used to receive information sent by the terminal device; the transmission module is used to exchange the information to the second DU through the direct connection interface, wherein the first DU and the second DU are connected to the same control unit CU. Therefore, the direct connection interface can realize information exchange between different DUs, reduce the situation where different DUs cannot directly exchange information, resulting in more information exchange steps and longer interaction time, and can provide an information exchange mechanism to improve the efficiency of information exchange.

[0181] Fig.12 1 is a block diagram of a terminal device UE1200 provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, UE1200 may be a mobile phone, a computer, a digital broadcast terminal device, a messaging device, a game console, a tablet device, a medical device, a fitness device, a personal digital assistant, etc.

[0182] Reference Fig.12UE 1200 may include at least one of the following components: a processing component 1202 , a memory 1204 , a power component 1206 , a multimedia component 1208 , an audio component 1210 , an input / output (I / O) interface 1212 , a sensor component 1214 , and a communication component 1216 .

[0183] The processing component 1202 generally controls the overall operation of the UE 1200, such as operations associated with display, phone calls, data communications, camera operations, and recording operations. The processing component 1202 may include at least one processor 1020 to execute instructions to complete all or part of the steps of the above-mentioned method. In addition, the processing component 1202 may include at least one module to facilitate the interaction between the processing component 1202 and other components. For example, the processing component 1202 may include a multimedia module to facilitate the interaction between the multimedia component 1208 and the processing component 1202.

[0184] The memory 1204 is configured to store various types of data to support the operation of the UE 1200. Examples of such data include instructions for any application or method operating on the UE 1200, contact data, phone book data, messages, pictures, videos, etc. The memory 1204 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic memory, flash memory, magnetic disk or optical disk.

[0185] The power component 1206 provides power to various components of the UE 1200. The power component 1206 may include a power management system, at least one power supply, and other components associated with generating, managing, and distributing power for the UE 1200.

[0186] The multimedia component 1208 includes a screen that provides an output interface between the UE 1200 and the user. In some embodiments, the screen may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a touch panel (TP). If the screen includes a touch panel, the screen may be implemented as a touch screen to receive input signals from the user. The touch panel includes at least one touch sensor to sense touch, slide, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensor may not only sense the boundaries of the touch or slide action, but also detect the wake-up time and pressure associated with the touch or slide operation. In some embodiments, the multimedia component 1208 includes a front camera and / or a rear camera. When the UE 1200 is in an operating mode, such as a shooting mode or a video mode, the front camera and / or the rear camera may receive external multimedia data. Each front camera and rear camera may be a fixed optical lens system or have a focal length and optical zoom capability.

[0187] The audio component 1210 is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, the audio component 1210 includes a microphone (MIC), and when the UE 1200 is in an operation mode, such as a call mode, a recording mode, and a speech recognition mode, the microphone is configured to receive an external audio signal. The received audio signal may be further stored in the memory 1204 or sent via the communication component 1216. In some embodiments, the audio component 1210 also includes a speaker for outputting audio signals.

[0188] I / O interface 1212 provides an interface between processing component 1202 and peripheral interface modules, such as keyboards, click wheels, buttons, etc. These buttons may include but are not limited to: a home button, a volume button, a start button, and a lock button.

[0189] The sensor component 1214 includes at least one sensor for providing various aspects of status assessment for UE1200. For example, the sensor component 1214 can detect the open / closed state of UE1200, the relative positioning of components, such as the display and keypad of UE1200, and the sensor component 1214 can also detect the position change of UE1200 or a component of UE1200, the presence or absence of user contact with UE1200, the orientation or acceleration / deceleration of UE1200 and the temperature change of UE1200. The sensor component 1214 may include a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. The sensor component 1214 may also include an optical sensor, such as a CMOS or CCD image sensor, for use in imaging applications. In some embodiments, the sensor component 1214 may also include an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a magnetic sensor, a pressure sensor or a temperature sensor.

[0190] The communication component 1216 is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between UE1200 and other devices. UE1200 can access a wireless network based on a communication standard, such as WiFi, 2G or 3G, or a combination thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication component 1216 receives a broadcast signal or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication component 1216 also includes a near field communication (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module can be implemented based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, infrared data association (IrDA) technology, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology and other technologies.

[0191] In an exemplary embodiment, UE1200 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.

[0192] Fig.13 1 is a block diagram of a network side device 1300 provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the network side device 1300 may be provided as a network side device. Fig.13 The network side device 1300 includes a processing component 1322, which further includes at least one processor, and a memory resource represented by a memory 1332 for storing instructions executable by the processing component 1322, such as an application. The application stored in the memory 1332 may include one or more modules, each corresponding to a set of instructions. In addition, the processing component 1322 is configured to execute instructions to perform any method of the aforementioned method applied to the network side device.

[0193] The network side device 1300 may also include a power supply component 1327 configured to perform power management of the network side device 1300, a wired or wireless network interface 1350 configured to connect the network side device 1300 to a network, and an input / output (I / O) interface 1358. The network side device 1300 may operate based on an operating system stored in the memory 1332, such as Windows Server TM, Mac OS XTM, Unix TM, Linux TM, Free BSDTM or the like.

[0194] Various implementations of the systems and techniques described above herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application specific standard products (ASSPs), systems on chips (SOCs), load programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations can include: being implemented in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which can be a special purpose or general purpose programmable processor that can receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmit data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0195] The program code for implementing the method of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. These program codes may be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, so that the program code, when executed by the processor or controller, enables the functions / operations specified in the flow chart and / or block diagram to be implemented. The program code may be executed entirely on the machine, partially on the machine, partially on the machine and partially on a remote machine as a stand-alone software package, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0196] In the context of the present disclosure, a machine-readable medium may be a tangible medium that may contain or store a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, device, or equipment. A machine-readable medium may be a machine-readable signal medium or a machine-readable storage medium. A machine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, device, or equipment, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A more specific example of a machine-readable storage medium may include an electrical connection based on one or more lines, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0197] To provide interaction with a user, the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented on a computer having: a display device (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor) for displaying information to the user; and a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user can provide input to the computer. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, the feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form (including acoustic input, voice input, or tactile input).

[0198] The systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in a computing system that includes backend components (e.g., as a data server), or a computing system that includes middleware components (e.g., an application server), or a computing system that includes frontend components (e.g., a user computer with a graphical user interface or a web browser through which a user can interact with implementations of the systems and techniques described herein), or a computing system that includes any combination of such backend components, middleware components, or frontend components. The components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communication networks include: a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, and a blockchain network.

[0199] A computer system may include a client and a server. The client and the server are generally remote from each other and usually interact through a communication network. The relationship between the client and the server is generated by computer programs running on the corresponding computers and having a client-server relationship with each other. The server may be a cloud server, also known as a cloud computing server or cloud host, which is a host product in the cloud computing service system to solve the defects of difficult management and weak business scalability in traditional physical hosts and VPS services ("Virtual Private Server", or "VPS" for short). The server may also be a server of a distributed system, or a server combined with a blockchain.

[0200] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used to reorder, add or delete steps. For example, the steps recorded in this disclosure can be executed in parallel, sequentially or in different orders, as long as the desired results of the technical solutions disclosed in this disclosure can be achieved, and this document does not limit this.

[0201] The above specific implementations do not constitute a limitation on the protection scope of the present disclosure. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modification, equivalent substitution and improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure shall be included in the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An information interaction method, characterized in that: The method is performed by a first data unit DU, comprising: Information is exchanged with the second DU via a direct connection interface, wherein the first DU and the second DU are connected to the same control unit CU.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Before exchanging information with the second DU through the direct connection interface, the method further includes: receiving a first direct application protocol FnAP signaling sent by the CU, wherein the first FnAP signaling carries control information; In response to the first FnAP signaling, an establishment operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU is performed or a reconfiguration operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU is performed.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Before exchanging information with the second DU through the direct connection interface, the method further includes: Sending a connection establishment request to the CU, wherein the connection establishment request is used to instruct the CU to send a second FnAP signaling to the second DU to perform an establishment operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before exchanging information with the second DU through the direct connection interface, the method further includes: According to the DU set connected to the CU and the direct connection interface connection information, an establishment operation of the direct connection interface with the second DU is performed.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that The method further comprises: The DU set is obtained through at least one of an operation and maintenance system OAM and the CU.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The transmission network layer TNL of the direct connection interface includes a physical layer and a data link layer, and the information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface includes: Information is exchanged with the second DU through the data link layer.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface includes: A medium access control-control element MAC CE signaling interaction is performed with the second DU through the direct connection interface, wherein the MAC CE signaling carries control information.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface includes: A medium access control protocol data unit MAC PDU signaling interaction is performed with the second DU through the direct connection interface, wherein the MAC PDU signaling carries payload data information.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: in, The information interacted with the second DU includes at least one of the following: The first information sent by the terminal device; second information sent by the CU; Unit information of the first DU.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The first DU is a first non-terrestrial / ground communication payload NTN Payload satellite, the second DU is a second NTN Payload satellite, and the information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface includes: In the regeneration mode, information is exchanged with the second NTN Payload satellite through the direct connection interface, wherein the first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite are in a low earth orbit satellite operation state, and the first NTN Payload satellite and the second NTN Payload satellite are connected to the same NTN gateway Gateway.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first DU is a third NTN Payload satellite, and the information interaction with the second DU through the direct connection interface includes: In the regeneration mode, information is exchanged with the second DU through the direct connection interface.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that: in, The information interacting with the second NTN Payload satellite includes at least one of the following: Terminal device context information; Air interface data.

13. An information interaction device, characterized in that: The information interaction device is arranged at the first data unit DU side, and includes: The interaction module is used to interact the information to the second DU through the direct connection interface, wherein the first DU and the second DU are connected to the same control unit CU.

14. A network side device, characterized in that: include: processor; a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor; The processor is configured to execute the instructions to implement the information interaction method as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. A storage medium, when instructions in the storage medium are executed by a processor of an electronic device, the electronic device is enabled to execute the information interaction method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.

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