Wireless communication method, terminal device and network device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a wireless communication method, a terminal device and a network device. The method comprises: a terminal device obtaining a first uplink synchronization timer; wherein the first uplink synchronization timer corresponds to a first TAG, the first TAG corresponds to a first serving cell group, the first serving cell group comprises at least one serving cell, and the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain the uplink synchronization of the at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group. Thus, the problem of how to control the uplink synchronization of the serving cell in the NTN system is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communications, and more specifically, to a wireless communication method, terminal device, and network device. Background Technology

[0002] Non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) typically use satellite communication to provide communication services to terrestrial users. Compared to terrestrial cellular communication, satellite communication has many unique advantages. First, satellite communication is not limited by the user's geographical location. Second, satellite communication has significant social value. Third, satellite communication has a long range, and the cost does not increase significantly with increasing distance. Finally, satellite communication is highly stable and unaffected by natural disasters. However, in NTN systems, how to control the uplink synchronization of the serving cell is a key technical problem that this application urgently needs to solve. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a wireless communication method, a terminal device, and a network device. This solves the problem of controlling uplink synchronization of the serving cell in an NTN system.

[0004] In a first aspect, a wireless communication method is provided, comprising: a terminal device acquiring a first uplink synchronization timer; wherein the first uplink synchronization timer corresponds to a first TAG, the first TAG corresponds to a first serving cell group, the first serving cell group includes at least one serving cell, and the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group.

[0005] In a second aspect, a wireless communication method is provided, comprising: a network device configuring a first uplink synchronization timer to a terminal device; wherein the first uplink synchronization timer corresponds to a first TAG, the first TAG corresponds to a first serving cell group, the first serving cell group includes at least one serving cell, and the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group.

[0006] Thirdly, a terminal device is provided, comprising: a communication unit for acquiring a first uplink synchronization timer; wherein the first uplink synchronization timer corresponds to a first TAG, the first TAG corresponds to a first serving cell group, the first serving cell group includes at least one serving cell, and the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group.

[0007] Fourthly, a network device is provided, comprising: a communication unit for configuring a first uplink synchronization timer to a terminal device; wherein the first uplink synchronization timer corresponds to a first TAG, the first TAG corresponds to a first serving cell group, the first serving cell group includes at least one serving cell, and the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain the uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group.

[0008] Fifthly, a terminal device is provided, including a processor and a memory. The memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is used to call and run the computer program stored in the memory to perform the methods described in the first aspect or its various implementations.

[0009] In a sixth aspect, a network device is provided, including a processor and a memory. The memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is used to call and run the computer program stored in the memory to perform the methods in the second aspect or its implementations described above.

[0010] In a seventh aspect, an apparatus is provided for implementing the method in any one of the first to second aspects or in any of their implementations.

[0011] Specifically, the device includes a processor for calling and running a computer program from memory, causing a device equipped with the device to perform the method as described in any of the first to second aspects above or in their respective implementations.

[0012] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided for storing a computer program that causes a computer to perform the methods of any one of the first to second aspects or their respective implementations.

[0013] Ninthly, a computer program product is provided, including computer program instructions that cause a computer to perform the methods of any one of the first to second aspects or their respective implementations.

[0014] In a tenth aspect, a computer program is provided that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods of any one of the first to second aspects or their respective implementations.

[0015] Through the technical solutions described in the first or second aspect above, the terminal device can maintain the uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group using a first uplink synchronization timer. This solves the problem of how to control the uplink synchronization of serving cells in an NTN system. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1AThis application provides a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system.

[0017] Figure 1B This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 1C This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a timing relationship in an NTN system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating another timing relationship in an NTN system provided in this application embodiment;

[0021] Figure 4 An interactive flowchart of a wireless communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 A schematic block diagram of a terminal device 500 according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0023] Figure 6 A schematic block diagram of a network device 600 according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0024] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 700 provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of the device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 9 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication system 900 provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort regarding the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0028] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) system, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, Advanced Long Term Evolution (LTE-A) system, New Radio (NR) system, evolution of NR system, LTE-based access to unlicensed spectrum (LTE-U) system, NR-based access to unlicensed spectrum (NR-U) system, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) system, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), and Wireless Fidelity (WF). Fidelity (WiFi), 5th-Generation (5G) communication systems, or other communication systems.

[0029] Traditional communication systems typically support a limited number of connections and are easy to implement. However, with the development of communication technology, mobile communication systems will not only support traditional communication but also, for example, device-to-device (D2D) communication, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. The embodiments of this application can also be applied to these communication systems.

[0030] Optionally, the communication system in this application embodiment can be applied to a carrier aggregation (CA) scenario, a dual connectivity (DC) scenario, or a standalone (SA) network deployment scenario.

[0031] Optionally, the communication system in this application embodiment can be applied to unlicensed spectrum, wherein unlicensed spectrum can also be considered as shared spectrum; or, the communication system in this application embodiment can also be applied to licensed spectrum, wherein licensed spectrum can also be considered as non-shared spectrum.

[0032] Optionally, the embodiments of this application can be applied to NTN systems or terrestrial networks (TN) systems.

[0033] This application describes various embodiments in conjunction with network devices and terminal devices. The terminal device may also be referred to as user equipment (UE), 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, etc.

[0034] Terminal devices can be stations (STs) in WLANs, cellular phones, cordless phones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, Wireless Local Loop (WLL) stations, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices, handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle devices, wearable devices, terminal devices in next-generation communication systems such as NR networks, or terminal devices in future evolved Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) networks, etc.

[0035] In the embodiments of this application, the terminal device can be deployed on land, including indoor or outdoor, handheld, wearable or vehicle-mounted; it can also be deployed on water (such as ships); and it can also be deployed in the air (such as airplanes, balloons and satellites).

[0036] In the embodiments of this application, the terminal device may be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminal device, augmented reality (AR) terminal device, wireless terminal device in industrial control, wireless terminal device in self-driving, wireless terminal device in remote medical care, wireless terminal device in smart grid, wireless terminal device in transportation safety, wireless terminal device in smart city, or wireless terminal device in smart home, etc. The terminal device involved in the embodiments of this application may also be referred to as a terminal, user equipment (UE), access terminal device, vehicle-mounted terminal, industrial control terminal, UE unit, UE station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal device, mobile device, UE terminal device, wireless communication device, UE agent, or UE device, etc. The terminal device may also be fixed or mobile.

[0037] By way of example and not limitation, in this embodiment, the terminal device can also be a wearable device. Wearable devices, also known as wearable smart devices, are a general term for devices that utilize wearable technology to intelligently design and develop everyday wearables, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothing, and shoes. Wearable devices are portable devices that are worn directly on the body or integrated into the user's clothing or accessories. Wearable devices are not merely hardware devices, but also achieve powerful functions through software support, data interaction, and cloud interaction. Broadly speaking, wearable smart devices include those that are feature-rich, large in size, and can achieve complete or partial functions without relying on a smartphone, such as smartwatches or smart glasses, as well as those that focus on a specific type of application function and require the use of other devices such as smartphones, such as various smart bracelets and smart jewelry for vital sign monitoring.

[0038] In the embodiments of this application, the network device can be a device for communicating with mobile devices. The network device can be an access point (AP) in WLAN, a base station (BTS) in GSM or CDMA, a base station (NodeB, NB) in WCDMA, an evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB) in LTE, a relay station or access point, or a vehicle-mounted device, wearable device, or a network device (gNB) in an NR network, or a network device in a future evolved PLMN network or an NTN network, etc.

[0039] By way of example and not limitation, in this embodiment, the network device may have mobility characteristics; for example, the network device may be a mobile device. Optionally, the network device may be a satellite or a balloon station. For example, the satellite may be a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite, a medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite, a geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite, a high elliptical orbit (HEO) satellite, etc. Optionally, the network device may also be a base station located on land, water, or other similar locations.

[0040] In this embodiment, the network device can provide services to a cell. The terminal device communicates with the network device through the transmission resources (e.g., frequency domain resources, or spectrum resources) used by the cell. The cell can be the cell corresponding to the network device (e.g., a base station). The cell can belong to a macro base station or to a base station corresponding to a small cell. The small cell can include: metro cell, micro cell, pico cell, femto cell, etc. These small cells have the characteristics of small coverage area and low transmission power, and are suitable for providing high-speed data transmission services.

[0041] For example, Figure 1A This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1A As shown, the communication system 100 may include a network device 110, which may be a device that communicates with a terminal device 120 (or a communication terminal, terminal). The network device 110 can provide communication coverage for a specific geographical area and can communicate with terminal devices located within that coverage area.

[0042] Figure 1AAn exemplary embodiment shows a network device and two terminal devices. Optionally, the communication system 100 may include multiple network devices and each network device may include other numbers of terminal devices within its coverage area. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0043] For example, Figure 1B This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. Please refer to... Figure 1B This includes terminal device 1101 and satellite 1102, which can communicate wirelessly. The network formed between terminal device 1101 and satellite 1102 can also be called an NTN. Figure 1B In the architecture of the communication system shown, satellite 1102 can function as a base station, and terminal device 1101 and satellite 1102 can communicate directly. In this system architecture, satellite 1102 can be referred to as a network device. Optionally, the communication system may include multiple network devices 1102, and the coverage area of ​​each network device 1102 may include other numbers of terminal devices; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0044] For example, Figure 1C This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. Please refer to... Figure 1C The network includes terminal device 1201, satellite 1202, and base station 1203. Terminal device 1201 and satellite 1202 can communicate wirelessly, and satellite 1202 can communicate with base station 1203. The network formed by terminal device 1201, satellite 1202, and base station 1203 can also be called an NTN. Figure 1C In the architecture of the communication system shown, satellite 1202 may not function as a base station, and communication between terminal device 1201 and base station 1203 requires relay through satellite 1202. In this system architecture, base station 1203 can be referred to as a network device. Optionally, the communication system may include multiple network devices 1203, and the coverage area of ​​each network device 1203 may include other numbers of terminal devices; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0045] It should be noted that, Figures 1A-1C This application is merely an example illustrating the system to which this application applies. Of course, the methods shown in the embodiments of this application can also be applied to other systems, such as 5G communication systems, LTE communication systems, etc. This application does not specifically limit these systems.

[0046] Optionally, Figures 1A-1CThe wireless communication system shown may also include other network entities such as a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), but this application does not limit this.

[0047] It should be understood that devices with communication functions in the network / system of this application embodiment can be referred to as communication devices. Figure 1A Taking the communication system 100 shown as an example, the communication equipment may include a network device 110 and a terminal device 120 with communication functions. The network device 110 and the terminal device 120 may be the specific devices described above, which will not be repeated here. The communication equipment may also include other devices in the communication system 100, such as network controllers, mobility management entities and other network entities. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0048] It should be understood that the terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably in this document. The term "and / or" in this document merely describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. Furthermore, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0049] It should be understood that the term "instruction" mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be a direct instruction, an indirect instruction, or an indication of a relationship. For example, A instructing B can mean that A directly instructs B, such as B being able to obtain information through A; it can also mean that A indirectly instructs B, such as A instructing C, so B can obtain information through C; or it can mean that there is a relationship between A and B.

[0050] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "correspondence" may indicate that there is a direct or indirect correspondence between two things, or that there is an association between two things, or that there is a relationship of instruction and being instructed, configuration and being configured, etc.

[0051] Optionally, the indication information in the embodiments of this application includes at least one of physical layer signaling such as DCI, Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, and Media Access Control (MAC CE).

[0052] Optionally, the higher-level parameters or higher-level signaling in the embodiments of this application include at least one of RRC signaling and MAC CE.

[0053] To facilitate a better understanding of the embodiments of this application, the uplink timing advance adjustment in the NR system, the timing relationship in the NTN system, and the uplink timing advance adjustment in the NTN system are first introduced below:

[0054] I. Uplink Timing Advance Adjustment in NR System

[0055] 1. Timing Advance (TA) and Timing Advance Group (TAG):

[0056] TA is used for uplink transmission on terminal devices, referring to the terminal device sending data packets in advance according to the corresponding instructions.

[0057] In LTE-A Release 11, due to the introduction of carrier aggregation, different carriers supported by terminal devices (including one primary carrier and the rest are secondary carriers) are allowed to have different TA values. Therefore, the concept of Timing Advance Group (TAG) was introduced.

[0058] In a TN system, a terminal device can have one or more TAGs. A TAG refers to a group of serving cells configured in the RRC (Regulator-Record-Controlled) system. For the uplink configuration corresponding to this group of serving cells, the same timing reference cell and the same TA (Timing Advance) value are used. If a TAG includes the MAC entity of a Special Cell (SpCell), it is considered a Primary Timing Advance Group (PTAG); otherwise, it is considered a Secondary Timing Advance Group (STAG). SpCell refers to, in a DC (Distributed Control) scenario, the Primary Cell (PCell) within the MCG or the Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell) within the SCG, depending on the Primary Cell Group (MCG) or Secondary Cell Group (SCG) associated with the MAC entity. In other scenarios, SpCell refers to PCell.

[0059] 2. Uplink synchronization timer, Timing Advance Command (TAC), MAC CE, and timing advance adjustment:

[0060] Network devices use RRC to configure higher-layer parameters such as timeAlignmentTimer to maintain uplink timed synchronization. Each TAG is configured with an uplink synchronization timer timeAlignmentTimer, which controls how long a MAC entity will consider the uplink of the serving cell associated with that TAG to be timed synchronized.

[0061] When the timeAlignmentTimer expires, if the timeAlignmentTimer is associated with a PTAG, then

[0062] (1) Clear all Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) buffers in all serving cells;

[0063] (2) If the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) is configured, instruct the RRC to release the PUCCH of all serving cells;

[0064] (3) If a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) is configured, instruct the RRC to release the SRS of all serving cells;

[0065] (4) Clear any pre-configured downlink transmissions and pre-configured uplink licenses;

[0066] (5) Clear any Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) resources used for semi-persistent Channel State Information (CSI) reporting;

[0067] (6) It is assumed that all running timeAlignmentTimers are expired;

[0068] (7) Keep N for all TAGs TA .

[0069] When the timeAlignmentTimer expires, if the timeAlignmentTimer is associated with a STAG, then for all serving cells belonging to that STAG:

[0070] (1) Clear all HARQ caches;

[0071] (2) If PUCCH is configured, instruct RRC to release PUCCH;

[0072] (3) If SRS is configured, instruct RRC to release SRS;

[0073] (4) Clear any pre-configured downlink transmissions and pre-configured uplink licenses;

[0074] (5) Clear any PUSCH resources used for semi-persistent CSI reporting;

[0075] (6) Retain the N of this STAG TA .

[0076] Terminal devices can adjust their timing in advance based on the TAC MAC CE sent by the network device. When a terminal device receives a TAC MAC CE, if the indicated TAG corresponds to N... TA If the TA adjustment process associated with the TAG has already been applied, then the TAC and N will be applied. TA This is used to adjust the TA associated with the TAG and to start or restart the timeAlignmentTimer associated with the indicated TAG. The TAC MAC CE includes 2 bits of TAG identity (ID) information and 6 bits of TAC information, which is used to adjust the TA associated with the TAG. The above N... TA The value is also used to adjust the TA, N associated with the TAG. TA The value is related to the subcarrier spacing of the first uplink transmission after the terminal device receives the Random Access Response (RAR).

[0077] As an example, and not a limitation, the TA adjustment process for terminal devices is as follows:

[0078] The terminal device is provided with a timing advance offset value NTA,offset corresponding to the serving cell; for example, the terminal device can be provided with the timing advance offset value of the serving cell by the network device through the parameter n-TimingAdvanceOffset. If the terminal device is not provided with the parameter n-TimingAdvanceOffset corresponding to the serving cell, the terminal device determines a default timing advance offset value for the serving cell according to a protocol such as TS 38.133.

[0079] For the transmission of Msg1 or MsgA during the random access response process, the terminal device determines the transmission based on T. TA =N TA,offset *T c Determine TA; where T c =1 / (Δf) max *N f ), Δf max=480000Hz, N f =4096. T TA This indicates the timing advance during uplink transmission.

[0080] For uplink transmissions other than Msg1 or MsgA transmissions during the random access response process, the terminal device determines the transmission based on T. TA =(N TA +N TA,offset )*T c Determine TA;

[0081] Among them, the TAC indicated in the RAR received by the terminal device is T. A In this case, according to the T A Determine N in TAG TA =T A *16*64 / 2 μ , among which, T A =0,1,2……3846.

[0082] Receive TAC T in other circumstances A According to this T A Adjust N TA , where N TA_old Indicates the current adjustment N TA N TA_new Represents the adjusted N TA N TA_new =N TA_old +(T A -31)*16*64 / 2 μ , among which, T A =0,1,2……63; μ represents the subcarrier spacing configuration, and μ corresponds to a subcarrier spacing of 2. μ *15kHz.

[0083] II. Timing Relationships in the NTN System

[0084] In TN systems, the propagation delay of signal communication is typically less than 1 ms. In NTN systems, due to the long communication distance between the terminal equipment and the satellite, the propagation delay is much greater, ranging from tens to hundreds of milliseconds, depending on the satellite's orbital altitude and the type of satellite communication service. To handle this larger propagation delay, the timing relationships in NTN systems need to be enhanced compared to NR systems.

[0085] In NTN systems, similar to NR systems, terminal devices need to consider the time-to-pass (TA) delay during uplink transmission. Due to the significant propagation delay in the system, the TA value range is also quite large. When a terminal device is scheduled for uplink transmission in time slot n, considering the round-trip propagation delay, it transmits earlier during uplink transmission, ensuring the signal reaches the network device side in time slot n. Specifically, the timing relationships in an NTN system may include two cases, as follows: Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown.

[0086] Case 1: such as Figure 2 As shown, similar to the NR system, the downlink and uplink time slots on the network device side are aligned. Accordingly, to ensure that the terminal device's uplink transmission aligns with the network device's uplink time slots, the terminal device needs to use a large TA value. During uplink transmission, a large offset value, such as Koffset, also needs to be introduced. Koffset can be determined based on the TA value.

[0087] Case 2: Figure 3 As shown, there is an offset between the downlink and uplink time slots on the network device side. In this case, if the terminal device wants to align its uplink transmission with the network device's uplink time slot, the terminal device only needs to use a smaller TA value. However, in this case, the network device may need additional scheduling complexity to handle the corresponding scheduling timing.

[0088] III. Advance Adjustment of Uplink Timing in NTN System

[0089] In the NTN system, uplink timing advance adjustment includes at least one of the following schemes:

[0090] (1) The network device indicates a common TA (or the location information of a reference point) to the terminal device, and the terminal device makes uplink timing adjustments in advance based on the common TA (or the location information of the reference point);

[0091] (2) The network device indicates a common TA (or the location information of a reference point) to the terminal device. The terminal device obtains the TA itself based on its own Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) capabilities and the location information of the common TA (or the location information of the reference point), and makes uplink timing adjustments in advance.

[0092] (3) The terminal equipment acquires the TA on its own based on its GNSS capability and adjusts the uplink timing in advance.

[0093] As mentioned above, how to control the uplink synchronization of the serving cell in an NTN system is a technical problem that this application urgently needs to solve. To solve this technical problem, this application achieves uplink synchronization of the serving cell by configuring an uplink synchronization timer in the terminal device.

[0094] The technical solution of this application will be described in detail below:

[0095] Figure 4 An interactive flowchart of a wireless communication method provided in one embodiment of this application is shown below. Figure 4 As shown, the method includes:

[0096] Step S410: The network device configures the first uplink synchronization timer for the terminal device.

[0097] The first uplink synchronization timer corresponds to the first TAG, the first TAG corresponds to the first serving cell group, the first serving cell group includes at least one serving cell, and the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain the uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group.

[0098] Optionally, this wireless communication method can be applied to NTN systems or TN systems, and this application does not limit it in this regard.

[0099] Optionally, the first uplink synchronization timer can be carried in the RRC configuration information, or it can be configured via DCI or MACCE signaling. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0100] Optionally, the network device can configure one or more TAGs for the terminal device. The first TAG is a TAG configured by the network device for the terminal device. The first TAG refers to a group of serving cells configured by RRC. For the uplink configuration corresponding to the group of serving cells, the same timing reference cell and the same TA value are used.

[0101] It should be understood that, according to the definition of the first TAG, the first TAG corresponding to the first serving cell group can also be understood as the first TAG being associated with the first serving cell group. The first TAG corresponding to the first serving cell group is also described as having a corresponding relationship between the first TAG and the first serving cell group, and this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0102] It should be understood that a network device can configure an uplink synchronization timer for each TAG, and the aforementioned first uplink synchronization timer is the uplink synchronization timer configured by the network device for the first TAG. The first uplink synchronization timer corresponding to the first TAG is also described as having a corresponding relationship between the first uplink synchronization timer and the first TAG; this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0103] Optionally, the first uplink synchronization timer can be used to control how long a MAC entity will consider the uplink of the serving cell associated with the first TAG to be timed synchronized.

[0104] Optionally, if the first uplink synchronization timer expires, for at least one of the aforementioned serving cells included in the first serving cell group, the terminal device's behavior includes at least one of the following, but is not limited to:

[0105] (1) Clear all HARQ caches.

[0106] (2) If PUCCH is configured, instruct RRC to release PUCCH.

[0107] (3) If the probe reference signal SRS is configured, instruct the RRC to release the SRS.

[0108] (4) Clear any pre-configured downlink transmissions and pre-configured uplink licenses.

[0109] (5) Clear any PUSCH resources used for semi-persistent CSI reporting.

[0110] For example, when the first uplink synchronization timer expires, if the first uplink synchronization timer is associated with a PTAG, then

[0111] (1) Clear all HARQ buffers in all serving cells;

[0112] (2) If PUCCH is configured, instruct RRC to release the PUCCH of all serving cells;

[0113] (3) If SRS is configured, instruct RRC to release the SRS of all serving cells;

[0114] (4) Clear any pre-configured downlink transmissions and pre-configured uplink licenses;

[0115] (5) Clear any PUSCH resources used for semi-persistent CSI reporting;

[0116] (6) It is assumed that all running uplink synchronization timers are expired;

[0117] (7) Keep N for all TAGs TA .

[0118] For example, when the first uplink synchronization timer expires, if the first uplink synchronization timer is associated with a STAG, then for all serving cells belonging to that STAG:

[0119] (1) Clear all HARQ caches;

[0120] (2) If PUCCH is configured, instruct RRC to release PUCCH;

[0121] (3) If SRS is configured, instruct RRC to release SRS;

[0122] (4) Clear any pre-configured downlink transmissions and pre-configured uplink licenses;

[0123] (5) Clear any PUSCH resources used for semi-persistent CSI reporting;

[0124] (6) Retain the N of this STAG TA .

[0125] Therefore, in order to prevent the first uplink synchronization timer from easily expiring, the validity period of the first uplink synchronization timer may optionally be configured to be infinite.

[0126] It should be understood that "infinity" here is also described as infinitely large. The fact that the validity period of the first uplink synchronization timer is configured to be infinite is also described as the terminal device expecting the first uplink synchronization timer to be configured to an infinite or infinite value. Alternatively, the terminal device does not expect the first uplink synchronization timer to be configured to a value other than infinite or infinite; this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0127] In summary, in this application, the terminal device can maintain uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group through a first uplink synchronization timer. This solves the problem of how to control the uplink synchronization of serving cells in the NTN system. Furthermore, in some optional embodiments, since the validity period of the first uplink synchronization timer is configured to be infinite, the first uplink synchronization timer will not expire, and correspondingly, the MAC entity will not consider the uplink timing of the first serving cell group corresponding to the first uplink synchronization timer to be out of sync. This avoids clearing all HARQ buffers, releasing PUCCH, releasing SRS, clearing pre-configured downlink transmissions, pre-configured uplink grants, and PUSCH resources used for semi-persistent CSI reporting.

[0128] As mentioned above, in a TN system, the terminal device can start or restart the uplink synchronization timer upon receiving the TAC MAC CE. How to start, restart, or stop the first uplink timer in an NTN system is the issue to be discussed next. Furthermore, as mentioned above, in a TN system, the TAC MAC CE includes a TAG ID and TAC indication information. In an NTN system, this application can enhance the TAC MAC CE or provide other information to achieve TA adjustment, frequency offset information determination, etc. These aspects will be described in detail below through the following embodiments:

[0129] Example 1

[0130] Optionally, when the terminal device receives the first indication information, the terminal device starts or restarts the first uplink synchronization timer. The first indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0131] It should be understood that the first indication information is used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0132] It should be understood that the first indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer. This can mean that the first indication information is associated with the first TAG. Since the first TAG is associated with the first uplink synchronization timer, the first indication information can be used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0133] It should be understood that the association between the first indication information and the first uplink synchronization timer can mean that the first indication information is used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer. The association between the first indication information and the first uplink synchronization timer can also be described as the first indication information and the first uplink synchronization timer having an associated relationship, or the first indication information corresponding to the first uplink synchronization timer, or the first indication information corresponding to the first uplink synchronization timer; this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0134] It should be understood that, as described above, the first TAG corresponds to the first uplink synchronization timer, and the first indication information is used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer. Therefore, it can be said that the first indication information is associated with the first TAG. Of course, the association between the first indication information and the first TAG can also be described as the first indication information having an association relationship with the first TAG, or the first indication information corresponding to the first TAG, or the first indication information having a corresponding relationship with the first TAG. This application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0135] Optionally, the first indication information is used to determine at least one of the following:

[0136] (1) TA information.

[0137] (2) Frequency offset information.

[0138] (3) TA change information.

[0139] (4) Frequency offset change information.

[0140] (5) Timed offset Koffset information.

[0141] (6) Time reference information.

[0142] (7) Location information of the reference point.

[0143] (8) The identifier of the first TAG.

[0144] It should be understood that, for any of the first information or combination of information in (1) to (8) above, the so-called first instruction information used to determine the first information or combination of information means that the first instruction information is used to indicate the first information or combination of information; or, the first instruction information is used to indicate other information, which is used to determine the first information or combination of information, and this application does not limit this.

[0145] Optionally, the TA information in item (1) above includes at least one of the following: cell common TA, beam common TA, and feedlink TA.

[0146] Optionally, the community public TA can be the public TA of the serving community associated with the first TA.

[0147] Optionally, the community public TA can be the public TA between the first TA and the serving communities corresponding to other TAs.

[0148] Optionally, the beam public TA can be the public TA corresponding to the first beam of the serving cell associated with the first TAG, wherein the first beam includes one or more beams.

[0149] Optionally, the common TA of a beam can be a common TA between different beams, and a TAG can correspond to one or more beams.

[0150] Optionally, when the TA information is a cell common TA or a beam common TA, after obtaining the TA information, the terminal device can adjust the uplink timing in advance based on the TA information and its own GNSS capabilities; or, the terminal device can adjust the uplink timing in advance based on the TA information. Of course, even if the terminal device obtains the TA information, it may not need to use the TA information, but can adjust the uplink timing in advance based on its own GNSS capabilities; this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0151] It should be understood that the above feedback loop can be Figure 1C The feedback link between the satellite and the base station is shown.

[0152] Optionally, the terminal device can determine the TA between the terminal device and the base station based on the feedback link TA. This application does not restrict how the TA is determined.

[0153] Optionally, the frequency offset information in item (2) above is configured by the network device for the terminal device, such as the common frequency offset for the serving cell associated with the first TAG. Optionally, the frequency offset information represents Doppler offset. Optionally, the frequency offset information represents the frequency deviation between the receiving frequency of the terminal device and the transmitting frequency of the network device. For example: if the network device transmits or receives a signal on a carrier frequency of 2 GHz, and the frequency offset information is 1 kHz, then the terminal device receives or transmits the signal on 2 GHz + 1 kHz = 2.001 GHz.

[0154] Optionally, the TA change information in item (3) above is used to measure the change of TA within a unit of time, wherein the unit of the unit of time can be milliseconds, seconds, time slots, etc., and this application does not impose any restrictions on this. For example, the TA change information is TA drift.

[0155] Optionally, the TA change information may be the TA information change information mentioned in item (1), such as the change information of the cell public TA, the change information of the beam public TA, the change information of the feedback link TA, etc.

[0156] Optionally, if the terminal device has already obtained the cell public TA information prior to the current time, the terminal device can determine the current cell public TA information based on the cell public TA information prior to the current time and the change information of the cell public TA.

[0157] Optionally, after obtaining the current cell public TA information, the terminal device can adjust the uplink timing in advance based on the current cell public TA information and its own GNSS capabilities; or, the terminal device can adjust the uplink timing in advance based on the current cell public TA information. Of course, even if the terminal device obtains the current cell public TA information, it may not need to use the current cell public TA information, but can adjust the uplink timing in advance based on its own GNSS capabilities; this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0158] Optionally, if the terminal device has already obtained the beam common TA information prior to the current time, the terminal device can determine the current beam common TA information based on the beam common TA information prior to the current time and the beam common TA change information.

[0159] Optionally, after obtaining the current beam common TA information, the terminal device can adjust the uplink timing in advance based on the current beam common TA information and its own GNSS capabilities; or, the terminal device can adjust the uplink timing in advance based on the current beam common TA information. Of course, even if the terminal device obtains the current beam common TA information, it may not need to use the current beam common TA information, but can adjust the uplink timing in advance based on its own GNSS capabilities; this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0160] Optionally, if the terminal device has already obtained the feedback link TA from the previous time, the terminal device can determine the current feedback link TA based on the previous feedback link TA and the change information of the feedback link TA. Optionally, the terminal device can determine the TA between the terminal device and the base station based on the feedback link TA.

[0161] Optionally, the frequency offset change information in item (4) above is used to measure the change of frequency offset information within a unit time, or the frequency offset change information is Doppler offset change information used to measure the change of Doppler offset information within a unit time. The unit of time can be milliseconds, seconds, time slots, etc., and this application does not impose any restrictions on this. For example, the frequency offset change information is frequency offset drift.

[0162] Optionally, if the terminal device has already obtained the frequency offset information before the current time, the terminal device can determine the current frequency offset information based on the frequency offset information before the current time and the frequency offset change information.

[0163] Optionally, the Koffset information in item (5) above can be based on Figure 2 The TA shown is determined. Optionally, the unit of Koffset can be milliseconds, seconds, time slots, etc. Optionally, the indicated unit of Koffset can be milliseconds, and the terminal device converts the unit of Koffset from milliseconds to time slots according to the subcarrier spacing configuration. For example, if the indicated Koffset is 20 milliseconds, the terminal device determines that the Koffset is 40 time slots based on the configured subcarrier spacing of 30kHz.

[0164] Optionally, the time reference information in item (6) above is absolute time information, and the network device configures the same time reference information for all terminal devices.

[0165] Optionally, the location information of the reference point in item (7) above may be the location information of the satellite or the location information of the base station, or the location information of a certain point between the satellite and the base station link. This application does not limit this.

[0166] Optionally, after acquiring the location information of the reference point, the terminal device can adjust the uplink timing in advance based on the location information of the reference point and its own GNSS capabilities; or, the terminal device can adjust the uplink timing in advance based on the location information of the reference point. Of course, even if the terminal device acquires the location information of the reference point, it may not need to use the location information of the reference point, but can adjust the uplink timing in advance based on its own GNSS capabilities; this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0167] Optionally, the identifier of the first TAG in item (8) can be used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0168] Optionally, the first indication information is carried in at least one of the following: system message, RRC signaling, MAC CE, DCI, RS.

[0169] It should be understood that, since the first indication information can be carried in at least one of the following: system message, RRC signaling, MAC CE, DCI, RS, the first uplink synchronization timer is started or restarted when the terminal device receives the first indication information. This is also described as: when the terminal device receives at least one of the following: system message, RRC signaling, MAC CE, DCI, RS carrying the first indication information, the first uplink synchronization timer is started or restarted. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0170] As an example and not a limitation, the first indication information includes the identifier of the first TAG. When the terminal device receives a system message, RRC signaling, MAC CE, DCI, or RS carrying the first indication information, the terminal device starts or restarts the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0171] In summary, in this embodiment, when the terminal device receives the first indication information associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer, it can start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer, thereby avoiding the situation where the first uplink synchronization timer cannot be updated and expires. Correspondingly, the MAC entity will not think that the uplink timing of the first serving cell group corresponding to the first uplink synchronization timer is out of sync, thereby avoiding the situation of clearing all HARQ buffers, releasing PUCCH, releasing SRS, clearing pre-configured downlink transmissions, pre-configured uplink grants and PUSCH resources used for semi-persistent CSI reporting.

[0172] Example 2

[0173] Optionally, when the terminal device receives the second indication information, the terminal device starts or restarts the first uplink synchronization timer. The second indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer, and is carried in the TAC MAC CE.

[0174] It should be understood that, since the second indication information is carried in the TAC MAC CE, when the terminal device receives the second indication information, the terminal device starts or restarts the first uplink synchronization timer. This can also be described as: when the terminal device receives the TAC MAC CE, the terminal device starts or restarts the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0175] It should be understood that the second indication information is used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0176] It should be understood that the second indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer. This can mean that the second indication information is associated with the first TAG. Since the first TAG is associated with the first uplink synchronization timer, the second indication information can be used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0177] It should be understood that the association between the second indication information and the first uplink synchronization timer can mean that the second indication information is used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer. The association between the second indication information and the first uplink synchronization timer can also be described as the second indication information having an association with the first uplink synchronization timer, or the second indication information corresponding to the first uplink synchronization timer, or the second indication information having a corresponding relationship with the first uplink synchronization timer; this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0178] It should be understood that, as described above, the first TAG corresponds to the first uplink synchronization timer, and the second indication information is used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer. Therefore, the second indication information can be said to be associated with the first TAG. Of course, the association between the second indication information and the first TAG can also be described as the second indication information having an association relationship with the first TAG, or the second indication information corresponding to the first TAG, or the second indication information having a corresponding relationship with the first TAG. This application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0179] In one possible implementation, the second indication information includes an identifier for the first TAG and first TAC information. The first TAC information is used by the terminal device to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG. Alternatively, the first TAC information is not used by the terminal device to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG.

[0180] Optionally, when the first TAC information is used by the terminal device to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG, the terminal device can adjust the TA associated with the first TAG based on the first TAC information, or it can adjust the TA associated with the first TAG based on the first TAC information and the terminal device's own GNSS. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0181] Optionally, when the first TAC information is not used by the terminal device to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG, the terminal device can adjust the TA associated with the first TAG based on its own GNSS. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0182] It should be understood that the first TAC information is not used by the terminal device to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG, and can also be described as the first TAC information being ignored.

[0183] Optionally, whether the first TAC information is used by the terminal device to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG is preset or configured by the network device, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0184] In another possible implementation, the second indication information is used to determine at least one of the following:

[0185] (1) TA information.

[0186] (2) Frequency offset information.

[0187] (3) TA change information.

[0188] (4) Frequency offset change information.

[0189] (5) Timed offset Koffset information.

[0190] (6) Time reference information.

[0191] (7) Location information of the reference point.

[0192] (8) The identifier of the first TAG.

[0193] For the explanation of the above eight items of information, please refer to the explanation of the eight items of information used to determine the first indication information in Embodiment 1. This application will not repeat the explanation here.

[0194] As an example and not a limitation, the second indication information includes the identifier of the first TAG. When the terminal device receives a TAC MAC CE carrying the second indication information, the terminal device starts or restarts the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0195] In summary, in this embodiment, the terminal device can start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer based on the second indication information, namely the TAC MAC CE. Furthermore, the timing can be adjusted in advance using the TAC indication information in the TAC MAC CE, or it can be adjusted in advance without using the TAC indication information in the TAC MAC CE, thereby improving the flexibility of timing adjustment. Alternatively, the terminal device can reuse the mechanism of restarting or starting the first uplink synchronization timer using the TAC MAC CE and enhance the TAC MAC CE for new requirements, such as NTN network enhancements, for example, by determining at least one of the above eight pieces of information through the TAC MAC CE.

[0196] Example 3

[0197] Optionally, when the terminal device receives the third indication information, the terminal device starts, restarts, or stops the first uplink synchronization timer according to the third indication information. The third indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0198] Optionally, the third indication information is used to indicate whether to start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0199] It should be understood that the third indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer. This can mean that the third indication information is associated with the first TAG. Since the first TAG is associated with the first uplink synchronization timer, the third indication information can be used to instruct the terminal device to start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0200] It should be understood that the association between the third indication information and the first uplink synchronization timer can mean that the third indication information is used to instruct the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer. The association between the third indication information and the first uplink synchronization timer can also be described as the third indication information having an association with the first uplink synchronization timer, or the third indication information corresponding to the first uplink synchronization timer, or the third indication information having a corresponding relationship with the first uplink synchronization timer; this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0201] It should be understood that, as described above, the first TAG corresponds to the first uplink synchronization timer, and the third indication information is used to instruct the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer. Therefore, the third indication information can be said to be associated with the first TAG. Of course, the association between the third indication information and the first TAG can also be described as the third indication information having an association relationship with the first TAG, or the third indication information corresponding to the first TAG, or the third indication information having a corresponding relationship with the first TAG. This application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0202] Optionally, the third indication information is carried in at least one of the following: system message, RRC signaling, MAC CE, DCI, RS, but is not limited to these. For example: the third indication information is 2 bits of information at a fixed position in the RRC signaling. When the 2 bits of information are "00", it indicates that the first uplink synchronization timer is started. When the 2 bits of information are "01", it indicates that the first uplink synchronization timer is restarted. When the 2 bits of information are "10", it indicates that the first uplink synchronization timer is stopped. As another example: the third indication information includes 1 bit of information. When the 1 bit of information is a first preset value, such as "1", it indicates that the first uplink synchronization timer is started or restarted. Or, when the 1 bit of information is a second preset value, such as "0", it indicates that the first uplink synchronization timer is stopped. As another example: the third indication information includes a first parameter configuration. When the first parameter configuration is received, it indicates that the first uplink synchronization timer is started or restarted.

[0203] It should be understood that, since the third indication information can be carried in at least one of the following: system message, RRC signaling, MAC CE, DCI, RS, when the terminal device receives the third indication information, it starts, restarts, or stops the first uplink synchronization timer according to the third indication information. This is also described as: when the terminal device receives at least one of the system message, RRC signaling, MAC CE, DCI, RS carrying the third indication information, it starts, restarts, or stops the first uplink synchronization timer according to the third indication information. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0204] By way of example and not limitation, the third indication information includes the identifier of the first TAG and a 1-bit indication information. When the terminal device receives a system message, RRC signaling, MAC CE, DCI, or RS carrying the first indication information, if the 1-bit indicates a first preset value, the terminal device starts or restarts the first uplink synchronization timer; or, if the 1-bit indicates a second preset value, the terminal device stops the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0205] In summary, in this embodiment, when the terminal device receives the third indication information associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer, it can start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer according to the third indication information. This avoids the situation where the first uplink synchronization timer cannot be updated and expires. Correspondingly, it also avoids the situation where the MAC entity thinks that the uplink timing of the first serving cell group corresponding to the first uplink synchronization timer is out of sync. This avoids the situation where all HARQ caches are cleared, PUCCH is released, SRS is released, pre-configured downlink transmissions, pre-configured uplink grants, and PUSCH resources used for semi-persistent CSI reporting are cleared.

[0206] Example 4

[0207] Optionally, the terminal device can determine whether to start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0208] Optionally, the terminal device may adjust the TA associated with the first TAG based on the GNSS of the terminal device, but is not limited thereto.

[0209] Optionally, the terminal device may start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer after adjusting the TA associated with the first TAG according to the GNSS of the terminal device, but is not limited to this.

[0210] Optionally, the terminal device may send a fourth indication information to the network device, the fourth indication information being used to determine at least one of the following:

[0211] (1) The identifier of the first TAG.

[0212] (2) The first uplink synchronization timer has been started.

[0213] (3) The first uplink synchronization timer has been restarted.

[0214] (4) The first uplink synchronization timer has been stopped.

[0215] Optionally, the identifier of the first TAG can be used to indicate that the first uplink synchronization timer has been started, restarted, or stopped.

[0216] By way of example and not limitation, the third indication information includes the identifier of the first TAG and a 1-bit indication information. If the 1-bit indicates a first preset value, such as "1", it means that the terminal device has started or restarted the first uplink synchronization timer; or, if the 1-bit indicates a second preset value, such as "0", it means that the terminal device has stopped the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0217] In summary, in this embodiment, the terminal device can report fourth indication information to the network device so that the network device and the terminal device have a consistent understanding of how long the MAC entity will consider the uplink of the serving cell associated with the first TAG to be timed and synchronized, which is beneficial for the network device to perform uplink scheduling for the terminal device.

[0218] Figure 5 A schematic block diagram of a terminal device 500 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 5 As shown, the terminal device 500 includes a communication unit 510 for acquiring a first uplink synchronization timer. The first uplink synchronization timer corresponds to a first TAG, which in turn corresponds to a first serving cell group. The first serving cell group includes at least one serving cell, and the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain the uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group.

[0219] Optionally, the validity period of the first uplink synchronization timer is configured to be infinity.

[0220] Optionally, it further includes a processing unit 520, configured to start or restart a first uplink synchronization timer when the communication unit receives the first indication information. The first indication information is associated with a first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0221] Optionally, the first indication information is used to determine at least one of the following:

[0222] TA information.

[0223] Frequency offset information.

[0224] TA change information.

[0225] Frequency offset variation information.

[0226] Timed offset Koffset information.

[0227] Time reference information.

[0228] Location information of the reference point.

[0229] The identifier of the first tag.

[0230] Optionally, the first indication information is carried in at least one of the following: system message, RRC signaling, MAC CE, DCI, RS.

[0231] Optionally, it further includes a processing unit 520, configured to start or restart a first uplink synchronization timer when the communication unit receives the second indication information. The second indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer, and is carried in a timing advance command TAC MAC CE.

[0232] Optionally, the second indication information includes the identifier of the first TAG and the first TAC information. The first TAC information is used by the terminal device to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG. Alternatively, the first TAC information is not used by the terminal device to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG.

[0233] Optionally, whether the first TAC information is used by the terminal device to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG is preset or configured by the network device.

[0234] Optionally, the second indication information is used to determine at least one of the following:

[0235] TA information.

[0236] Frequency offset information.

[0237] TA change information.

[0238] Frequency offset variation information.

[0239] Timed offset Koffset information.

[0240] Time reference information.

[0241] Location information of the reference point.

[0242] The identifier of the first tag.

[0243] Optionally, it further includes a processing unit 520, configured to start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer according to the third indication information when the communication unit receives the third indication information. The third indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0244] Optionally, the third indication information is used to indicate whether to start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0245] Optionally, the third indication information is carried in at least one of the following: system message, RRC signaling, MAC CE, DCI, RS.

[0246] Optionally, the TA information includes at least one of the following: cell common TA, beam common TA, and feedback link TA.

[0247] Optionally, the processing unit 520 is further configured to: adjust the TA associated with the first TAG based on the TA information; or, adjust the TA associated with the first TAG based on the TA information and the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) of the terminal device.

[0248] Optionally, it also includes a processing unit 520 for determining whether to start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0249] Optionally, the communication unit 510 is further configured to send fourth indication information to the network device, the fourth indication information being used to determine at least one of the following:

[0250] The identifier of the first tag.

[0251] The first uplink synchronization timer has been started.

[0252] The first uplink synchronization timer has been restarted.

[0253] The first uplink synchronization timer has been stopped.

[0254] Optionally, the processing unit 520 is also configured to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG based on the GNSS of the terminal device.

[0255] Optionally, the communication unit 510 is specifically used to: obtain the first uplink synchronization timer based on the RRC configuration information of the network device.

[0256] Optionally, the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group, including:

[0257] If the first uplink synchronization timer expires, for at least one serving cell, the terminal device's behavior includes at least one of the following:

[0258] Clear all HARQ caches.

[0259] If PUCCH is configured, instruct RRC to release PUCCH.

[0260] If SRS is configured, instruct RRC to release SRS.

[0261] Clear any pre-configured downlink transmissions and pre-configured uplink licenses.

[0262] Clear any PUSCH resources used for semi-persistent CSI reporting.

[0263] Optionally, the terminal device is a terminal device in NTN.

[0264] Optionally, in some embodiments, the communication unit may be a communication interface or transceiver, or an input / output interface of a communication chip or system-on-a-chip. The processing unit may be one or more processors.

[0265] It should be understood that the terminal device 500 according to the embodiments of this application may correspond to this application. Figure 4 The terminal device in the corresponding method embodiment, and the above and other operations and / or functions of each unit in the terminal device 500 are respectively for implementing the above. Figure 4 The corresponding processes of the terminal device in the method embodiment will not be described in detail here for the sake of brevity.

[0266] Figure 6 A schematic block diagram of a network device 600 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 6 As shown, the network device 600 includes a communication unit 610, configured to configure a first uplink synchronization timer to a terminal device. The first uplink synchronization timer corresponds to a first TAG, which in turn corresponds to a first serving cell group. The first serving cell group includes at least one serving cell, and the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain the uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group.

[0267] Optionally, the validity period of the first uplink synchronization timer is configured to be infinity.

[0268] Optionally, the communication unit 610 is further configured to send first indication information to the terminal device. The first indication information is used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart a first uplink synchronization timer. The first indication information is associated with a first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0269] Optionally, the first indication information is used to determine at least one of the following:

[0270] TA information.

[0271] Frequency offset information.

[0272] TA change information.

[0273] Frequency offset variation information.

[0274] Timed offset Koffset information.

[0275] Time reference information.

[0276] Location information of the reference point.

[0277] The identifier of the first tag.

[0278] Optionally, the first indication information is carried in at least one of the following: system message, RRC signaling, MAC CE, DCI, RS.

[0279] Optionally, the communication unit 610 is further configured to send a second indication message to the terminal device. The second indication message is used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer. The second indication message is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer, and is carried in the TAC MAC CE.

[0280] Optionally, the second indication information includes the identifier of the first TAG and the first TAC information. The first TAC information is used by the terminal device to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG. Alternatively, the first TAC information is not used by the terminal device to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG.

[0281] Optionally, whether the first TAC information is used by the terminal device to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG is preset or configured by the network device.

[0282] Optionally, the second indication information is used to determine at least one of the following:

[0283] TA information.

[0284] Frequency offset information.

[0285] TA change information.

[0286] Frequency offset variation information.

[0287] Timed offset Koffset information.

[0288] Time reference information.

[0289] Location information of the reference point.

[0290] The identifier of the first tag.

[0291] Optionally, the communication unit 610 is further configured to send third indication information to the terminal device. The third indication information instructs the terminal device to start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer according to the third indication information. The third indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer.

[0292] Optionally, the third indication information is carried in at least one of the following: system message, RRC signaling, MAC CE, DCI, RS.

[0293] Optionally, the TA information includes at least one of the following: cell common TA, beam common TA, and feedback link TA.

[0294] Optionally, the TA information is used to adjust the TA associated with the first TAG.

[0295] Optionally, the communication unit 610 is further configured to receive fourth indication information, the fourth indication information being used to determine at least one of the following:

[0296] The identifier of the first tag.

[0297] The first uplink synchronization timer has been started.

[0298] The first uplink synchronization timer has been restarted.

[0299] The first uplink synchronization timer has been stopped.

[0300] Optionally, the communication unit 610 is specifically used for:

[0301] Configure the first uplink synchronization timer to the terminal device using RRC configuration information.

[0302] Optionally, the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group, including:

[0303] If the first uplink synchronization timer expires, for at least one serving cell, the network device assumes that the terminal device's behavior includes at least one of the following:

[0304] Clear all HARQ caches.

[0305] If PUCCH is configured, instruct RRC to release PUCCH.

[0306] If SRS is configured, instruct RRC to release SRS.

[0307] Clear any pre-configured downlink transmissions and pre-configured uplink licenses.

[0308] Clear any PUSCH resources used for semi-persistent CSI reporting.

[0309] Alternatively, the network device is a network device in NTN.

[0310] Optionally, in some embodiments, the communication unit may be a communication interface or transceiver, or an input / output interface of a communication chip or system-on-a-chip. The processing unit may be one or more processors.

[0311] It should be understood that the network device 600 according to the embodiments of this application may correspond to the method embodiment on the network device side, and the above and other operations and / or functions of each unit in the network device 600 are respectively to implement the corresponding process of the network device in the above method embodiment on the network device side. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0312] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 700 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 7 The communication device 700 shown includes a processor 710, which can call and run computer programs from memory to implement the methods in the embodiments of this application.

[0313] Optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, the communication device 700 may further include a memory 720. The processor 710 can retrieve and run computer programs from the memory 720 to implement the methods described in this embodiment.

[0314] The memory 720 can be a separate device independent of the processor 710, or it can be integrated into the processor 710.

[0315] Optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, the communication device 700 may also include a transceiver 730, and the processor 710 may control the transceiver 730 to communicate with other devices. Specifically, it may send information or data to other devices or receive information or data sent by other devices.

[0316] The transceiver 730 may include a transmitter and a receiver. The transceiver 730 may further include antennas, and the number of antennas may be one or more.

[0317] Optionally, the communication device 700 may specifically be a network device in the embodiments of this application, and the communication device 700 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the network device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0318] Optionally, the communication device 700 may specifically be a terminal device in the embodiments of this application, and the communication device 700 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0319] Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of the device according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 8 The illustrated apparatus 800 includes a processor 810, which can call and run computer programs from memory to implement the methods in the embodiments of this application.

[0320] Optionally, such as Figure 8 As shown, the device 800 may further include a memory 820. The processor 810 can retrieve and run computer programs from the memory 820 to implement the methods described in the embodiments of this application.

[0321] The memory 820 can be a separate device independent of the processor 810, or it can be integrated into the processor 810.

[0322] Optionally, the device 800 may further include an input interface 830. The processor 810 can control the input interface 830 to communicate with other devices or chips; specifically, it can acquire information or data sent by other devices or chips.

[0323] Optionally, the device 800 may further include an output interface 840. The processor 810 can control the output interface 840 to communicate with other devices or chips; specifically, it can output information or data to other devices or chips.

[0324] Optionally, the device can be applied to the network device in the embodiments of this application, and the device can implement the corresponding processes implemented by the network device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0325] Optionally, the device can be applied to the terminal device in the embodiments of this application, and the device can implement the corresponding processes implemented by the terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0326] Optionally, the device mentioned in the embodiments of this application can also be a chip. For example, it can be a system-on-a-chip, a system-on-a-chip, a chip system, or a system-on-a-chip, etc.

[0327] Figure 9 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication system 900 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 9 As shown, the communication system 900 includes a terminal device 910 and a network device 920.

[0328] The terminal device 910 can be used to implement the corresponding functions implemented by the terminal device in the above method, and the network device 920 can be used to implement the corresponding functions implemented by the network device or base station in the above method. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0329] It should be understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, the steps of the above method embodiments can be completed by integrated logic circuits in the processor's hardware or by instructions in software form. The processor described above can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly embodied in the execution of a hardware decoding processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software modules can be located in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. The storage medium is located in memory, and the processor reads information from the memory and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above method.

[0330] It is understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), Double Data Rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), Enhanced Synchronous DRAM (ESDRAM), Synchlink DRAM (SLDRAM), and Direct Rambus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory used in the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0331] It should be understood that the above-described memory is exemplary and not a limiting description. For example, the memory in the embodiments of this application may also be static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct memory bus RAM (DR RAM), etc. That is to say, the memory in the embodiments of this application is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0332] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing computer programs.

[0333] Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium can be applied to the network device or base station in the embodiments of this application, and the computer program causes the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the network device or base station in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0334] Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium can be applied to the mobile terminal / terminal device in the embodiments of this application, and the computer program causes the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0335] This application also provides a computer program product, including computer program instructions.

[0336] Optionally, the computer program product can be applied to the network device or base station in the embodiments of this application, and the computer program instructions cause the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the network device or base station in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0337] Optionally, the computer program product can be applied to the mobile terminal / terminal device in the embodiments of this application, and the computer program instructions cause the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0338] This application also provides a computer program.

[0339] Optionally, the computer program can be applied to the network device or base station in the embodiments of this application. When the computer program is run on a computer, it causes the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the network device or base station in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0340] Optionally, the computer program can be applied to the mobile terminal / terminal device in the embodiments of this application. When the computer program is run on a computer, it causes the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0341] 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 application.

[0342] 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.

[0343] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0344] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0345] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0346] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0347] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A wireless communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a non-terrestrial communication network (NTN), and the method includes: The terminal device acquires the first uplink synchronization timer; Wherein, the first uplink synchronization timer corresponds to the first timing advance group TAG, the first TAG corresponds to the first serving cell group, the first serving cell group includes at least one serving cell, and the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain the uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group. The method further includes: When the terminal device receives the indication information, the terminal device starts, restarts, or stops the first uplink synchronization timer according to the indication information; wherein, the indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer, wherein, the indication information indicates to start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer, and wherein, the indication information is carried in a system message.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: When the terminal device receives the first indication information, the terminal device starts or restarts the first uplink synchronization timer; The first indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first indication information is carried in at least one of the following: system message, radio resource control (RRC) signaling, media access control (MAC) control unit (CE), downlink control information (DCI), and reference signal (RS).

4. A wireless communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a non-terrestrial communication network (NTN), and the method includes: The network device configures the first uplink synchronization timer for the terminal device; Wherein, the first uplink synchronization timer corresponds to the first TAG, the first TAG corresponds to the first serving cell group, the first serving cell group includes at least one serving cell, and the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain the uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group. The method further includes: The network device sends an instruction message to the terminal device, wherein the instruction message instructs the terminal device to start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer according to the instruction message, wherein the instruction message is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer, and wherein the instruction message is carried in a system message.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: The network device sends a first instruction message to the terminal device; The first indication information is used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer; the first indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first indication information is carried in at least one of the following: system message, radio resource control (RRC) signaling, media access control (MAC) control unit (CE), downlink control information (DCI), and reference signal (RS).

7. A terminal device, characterized in that, The terminal device is a terminal device in a non-terrestrial communication network (NTN), wherein the terminal device includes: The communication unit is used to acquire the first uplink synchronization timer; Wherein, the first uplink synchronization timer corresponds to the first TAG, the first TAG corresponds to the first serving cell group, the first serving cell group includes at least one serving cell, and the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain the uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group. The terminal device also includes: A processing unit is configured to start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer according to the indication information received; wherein the indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer, wherein the indication information indicates to start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer, and wherein the indication information is carried in a system message.

8. The terminal device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The processing unit is further configured to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer when the communication unit receives the first indication information; The first indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer.

9. The terminal device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first indication information is carried in at least one of the following: system message, radio resource control (RRC) signaling, media access control (MAC) control unit (CE), downlink control information (DCI), and reference signal (RS).

10. A network device, characterized in that, The network device is a network device in a non-terrestrial communication network (NTN), wherein the network device includes: The communication unit is used to configure the first uplink synchronization timer to the terminal device; Wherein, the first uplink synchronization timer corresponds to the first TAG, the first TAG corresponds to the first serving cell group, the first serving cell group includes at least one serving cell, and the first uplink synchronization timer is used to maintain the uplink synchronization of at least one serving cell in the first serving cell group. The communication unit is further configured to send indication information to the terminal device, wherein the indication information instructs the terminal device to start, restart, or stop the first uplink synchronization timer according to the indication information, wherein the indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer, and wherein the indication information is carried in a system message.

11. The network device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The communication unit is also used to send first instruction information to the terminal device; The first indication information is used to trigger the terminal device to start or restart the first uplink synchronization timer; the first indication information is associated with the first TAG or the first uplink synchronization timer.

12. The network device according to claim 11, characterized in that, System messages, Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, Media Access Control (MAC) CE, Downlink Control Information (DCI), and Reference Signals (RS).

13. A terminal device, characterized in that, include: A processor and a memory for storing a computer program, the processor for calling and running the computer program stored in the memory to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

14. A network device, characterized in that, include: A processor and a memory for storing a computer program, the processor for calling and running the computer program stored in the memory to perform the method as described in any one of claims 4 to 6.

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