Method and apparatus for measuring mobility of user equipment between non-terrestrial network and terrestrial network in wireless communication system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a 5G or 6G communication system for supporting a higher data transmission rate. A method of operating a UE includes identifying terrestrial network (TN) neighbor cell information received from a non-terrestrial network (NTN), where the TN neighbor cell information includes at least a TN neighbor cell geographic area; identifying a location of the UE; determining whether to measure the TN neighbor cell based on the location of the UE and the TN neighbor cell information; identifying one or more of the TN neighbor cells based on determining to measure the TN neighbor cells; and measuring the one or more TN neighbor cells for a cell reselection operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to measurement of UE mobility between a non-terrestrial network (NTN) and a terrestrial network (TN). Background Art

[0002] 5G mobile communication technology defines a wide frequency band, making high transmission rates and new services possible, and can be implemented not only in "below 6 GHz" frequency bands such as 3.5 GHz, but also in "above 6 GHz" frequency bands called mmWave including 28 GHz and 39 GHz. In addition, 6G mobile communication technology (called super 5G system) has been considered to be implemented in terahertz (THz) frequency bands (e.g., 95 GHz to 3 THz frequency bands) to achieve a transmission rate 50 times faster than 5G mobile communication technology and an ultra-low latency of one tenth of 5G mobile communication technology.

[0003] In the early stage of the development of 5G mobile communication technology, in order to support services and meet performance requirements related to enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC) and massive machine type communication (mMTC), beamforming and massive MIMO for alleviating radio wave path loss and increasing radio wave transmission distance in mmWave, dynamic operation of parameter sets (e.g., operating multiple subcarrier spacings) and time slot formats supporting efficient utilization of mmWave resources, initial access technology for supporting multi-beam transmission and broadband, definition and operation of bandwidth parts (BWPs), new channel coding and decoding methods (such as low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes for large amounts of data transmission and polar codes for highly reliable control information transmission), L2 preprocessing, and standardization of network slicing for providing dedicated networks dedicated to specific services have been underway.

[0004] Currently, discussions are ongoing on improvements and performance enhancements of initial 5G mobile communication technologies in consideration of the services that they will support, and there is already physical layer standardization on technologies such as Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) for assisting driving determination of autonomous vehicles based on information about the location and status of the vehicle sent by the vehicle and for enhancing user convenience, NR-U (New Radio Unlicensed) designed to enable system operation to comply with various regulatory-related requirements in unlicensed bands, NR UE power saving, a non-terrestrial network (NTN) as UE-satellite direct communication for providing coverage in areas where communication with terrestrial networks is unavailable, and positioning.

[0005] In addition, standardization is being conducted in air interface architecture / protocols on technologies such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for supporting new services through interworking and integration with other industries, Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) for providing nodes for network service area expansion by supporting wireless backhaul links and access links in an integrated manner, mobility enhancement including conditional handover and dual active protocol stack (DAPS) handover, and two-step random access (2-step RACH for NR) for simplifying the random access procedure. Standardization is also being conducted in system architecture / services on 5G baseline architecture (e.g., service-based architecture or service-based interface) for combining network function virtualization (NFV) and software defined network (SDN) technologies, and mobile edge computing (MEC) for receiving services based on UE location.

[0006] As 5G mobile communication systems are commercialized, an exponentially increasing number of connected devices will be connected to the communication network, and therefore, it is expected that enhanced functions and performance of 5G mobile communication systems and integrated operations of connected devices will be necessary. To this end, new research is planned in relation to efficiently supporting extended reality (XR) such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), etc., 5G performance improvement and complexity reduction by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), AI service support, metaverse service support, and drone communication.

[0007] Furthermore, such development of 5G mobile communication systems will serve as a foundation for developing not only new waveforms for providing coverage in the terahertz band for 6G mobile communication technology, multi-antenna transmission technologies (such as full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, and large antennas), metamaterial-based lenses and antennas for improving coverage of terahertz band signals, high-dimensional spatial multiplexing technologies using orbital angular momentum (OAM), and reconfigurable smart surfaces (RIS), but also full-duplex technologies for improving the frequency efficiency of 6G mobile communication technology and improving system networks, AI-based communication technologies for implementing system optimization by utilizing satellites and artificial intelligence (AI) from the design stage and internalizing end-to-end AI support functions, and next-generation distributed computing technologies for implementing services with a complexity level that exceeds the limits of UE operating capabilities by utilizing ultra-high performance communication and computing resources. Summary of the invention

[0008] Solution to the problem

[0009] The present disclosure relates to a wireless communication network, and more particularly to a terminal and a communication method thereof in a wireless communication system.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a user equipment (UE) is provided. The UE includes a transceiver and a processor operably coupled to the transceiver. The processor of the UE is configured to: identify TN neighbor cell information received from an NTN, wherein the TN neighbor cell information includes at least a TN neighbor cell geographic area; identify a location of the UE; determine whether to measure a TN neighbor cell based on the location of the UE and the TN neighbor cell information; based on determining that the TN neighbor cell is to be measured, identify one or more TN neighbor cells among the TN neighbor cells; and measure the one or more TN neighbor cells for a cell reselection operation.

[0011] Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0012] Aspects of the present disclosure address at least the above-mentioned problems and / or disadvantages and provide at least the advantages described below. Therefore, one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide an efficient communication method in a wireless communication system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent through the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014] Figure 1 An example of a wireless network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0015] Figure 2 An example of a gNB according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0016] Figure 3 An example of a user device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0017] Figure 4 shows examples of wireless transmit and receive paths according to the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 5 shows examples of wireless transmit and receive paths according to the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 6 An example of NTN communication according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Fig. 7A An example of the near-far effect according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0021] Figure 7B An example of the near-far effect according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0022] Figure 8 shows a signaling flow between a UE and an NTN according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Fig. 9A flowchart of a UE method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0024] Fig.10 A flowchart of a UE method for mobility support between an NTN and a TN according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0025] Fig.11 Various hardware components of a UE according to the embodiments disclosed herein are shown;

[0026] Fig.12 shows various hardware components of a base station according to embodiments disclosed herein;

[0027] Throughout the drawings, it should be noted that like reference numbers are used to depict the same or similar elements, features, and structures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Aspects of the present disclosure are to address at least the above-mentioned problems and / or disadvantages and provide at least the advantages described below. Therefore, one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a terminal in a wireless communication system and a communication method thereof.

[0029] The present disclosure relates to wireless communication systems, and more particularly, to measurement of UE mobility between an NTN and a TN.

[0030] In one embodiment, a user equipment (UE) is provided. The UE includes a transceiver and a processor operably coupled to the transceiver. The processor of the UE is configured to: identify TN neighbor cell information received from an NTN, wherein the TN neighbor cell information includes at least a TN neighbor cell geographic area; identify a location of the UE; determine whether to measure a TN neighbor cell based on the location of the UE and the TN neighbor cell information; based on determining that the TN neighbor cell is to be measured, identify one or more TN neighbor cells among the TN neighbor cells; and measure the one or more TN neighbor cells for a cell reselection operation.

[0031] In another embodiment, a method of a UE is provided. The method includes: identifying TN neighbor cell information received from an NTN, wherein the TN neighbor cell information includes at least a TN neighbor cell geographic area; identifying a location of the UE; determining whether to measure a TN neighbor cell based on the location of the UE and the TN neighbor cell information; based on determining that the TN neighbor cell is to be measured, identifying one or more TN neighbor cells among the TN neighbor cells; and measuring the one or more TN neighbor cells for a cell reselection operation.

[0032] Other technical features may be clear to those skilled in the art from the following drawings, descriptions and claims.

[0033] Before carrying out the following specific embodiments, it may be beneficial to set forth the definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document. The term "coupling" and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not these elements are in physical contact with each other. The terms "send", "receive" and "communication" and their derivatives include direct and indirect communication. The terms "include" and "comprise" and their derivatives refer to including but not limited to this. The term "or" is inclusive and refers to and / or. The phrase "associated with..." and its derivatives refer to including, being included in, interconnected with, being included in, being connected to or connected with, being coupled to or coupled with, being communicable with, collaborating with, interweaving, juxtaposing, being close to, being bound to or bound with, having, having the nature of, having a relationship with, etc. The term "controller" refers to any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation. Such a controller can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software and / or firmware. The functions associated with any particular controller can be centralized or distributed, whether local or remote. When used with a list of items, the phrase "at least one of" means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items can be used, and only one of the items in the list may be required. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" includes any of the following combinations: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A and B and C.

[0034] In addition, the various functions described below can be implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, each of which is formed by a computer-readable program code and embodied in a computer-readable medium. The terms "application" and "program" refer to one or more computer programs, software components, instruction sets, processes, functions, objects, classes, instances, related data or parts thereof suitable for implementation in a suitable computer-readable program code. The phrase "computer-readable program code" includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code and executable code. The phrase "computer-readable medium" includes any type of medium that can be accessed by a computer, such as a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard drive, a compact disk (CD), a digital video disk (DVD) or any other type of memory. "Non-transitory" computer-readable media does not include wired, wireless, optical or other communication links that transmit temporary electrical signals or other signals. Non-transitory computer-readable media include media that can permanently store data and media that can store data and overwrite data later, such as rewritable optical disks or erasable memory devices.

[0035] Definitions for certain other words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document. Those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases.

[0036] Invention Mode

[0037] The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the various embodiments of the present disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in understanding, but these details should be considered as merely exemplary. Therefore, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to the various embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and structures may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0038] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to their bibliographical meanings, but are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the present disclosure. Therefore, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of the present disclosure is provided for illustrative purposes only and not for the purpose of limiting the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0039] It should be understood that the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a component surface" includes reference to one or more of such surfaces.

[0040] Before carrying out the following specific embodiments, it may be beneficial to set forth the definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document. The term "coupling" and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not these elements are in physical contact with each other. The terms "send", "receive" and "communication" and their derivatives include direct and indirect communication. The terms "include" and "comprise" and their derivatives refer to including but not limited to this. The term "or" is inclusive and refers to and / or. The phrase "associated with..." and its derivatives refer to including, being included in, interconnected with, being included in, being connected to or connected with, being coupled to or coupled with, being communicable with, collaborating with, interweaving, juxtaposing, being close to, being bound to or bound with, having, having the nature of, having a relationship with, etc. The term "controller" refers to any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation. Such a controller can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software and / or firmware. The functions associated with any particular controller can be centralized or distributed, whether local or remote. When used with a list of items, the phrase "at least one of" means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items can be used, and only one of the items in the list may be required. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" includes any of the following combinations: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A and B and C. For example, "at least one of A, B, or C" includes any of the following combinations: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A, B and C.

[0041] In addition, the various functions described below can be implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, each of which is formed by a computer-readable program code and embodied in a computer-readable medium. The terms "application" and "program" refer to one or more computer programs, software components, instruction sets, processes, functions, objects, classes, instances, related data or parts thereof suitable for implementation in a suitable computer-readable program code. The phrase "computer-readable program code" includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code and executable code. The phrase "computer-readable medium" includes any type of medium that can be accessed by a computer, such as a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard drive, a compact disk (CD), a digital video disk (DVD) or any other type of memory. "Non-transitory" computer-readable media does not include wired, wireless, optical or other communication links that transmit temporary electrical signals or other signals. Non-transitory computer-readable media include media that can permanently store data and media that can store data and overwrite data later, such as rewritable optical disks or erasable memory devices.

[0042] The terms used herein to describe the embodiments of the present disclosure are not intended to limit and / or define the scope of the present disclosure. For example, unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms used in the present disclosure should have the common meanings understood by ordinary technicians in the field to which the present disclosure belongs.

[0043] It should be understood that the terms “first”, “second” and the like used in the present disclosure do not express any order, quantity or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components.

[0044] As used herein, any reference to "one example" or "example", "one implementation" or "implementation", "one embodiment" or "embodiment" means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an example" appearing in different places in the specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment.

[0045] As used herein, "a portion" of something means "at least some" of that thing, and thus may mean less than all or all of that thing. Thus, "a portion" of a thing includes the entire thing as a special case, i.e., the entire thing is an example of a portion of a thing.

[0046] As used herein, the term "set" refers to one or more. Thus, a set of items can be a single item or a collection of two or more items.

[0047] In the present disclosure, in order to determine whether a specific condition is satisfied or reached, expressions such as "greater than" or "less than" are used as examples, and expressions such as "greater than or equal to" or "less than or equal to" are also applicable and are not excluded. For example, a condition defined with "greater than or equal to" can be replaced by "greater than" (and vice versa), a condition defined with "less than or equal to" can be replaced by "less than" (and vice versa), and so on.

[0048] It should also be understood that similar words, such as the terms "comprises" or "includes", mean that the elements or objects appearing before the word include the listed elements or objects appearing after the word and their equivalents, but do not exclude other elements or objects. Similar words, such as "connected" or "connected" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include direct or indirect electrical connections. "Up", "down", "left" and "right" are only used to indicate relative positional relationships, and when the absolute position of the object being described changes, the relative positional relationship may change accordingly.

[0049] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the principles of the present disclosure can be implemented in any appropriately arranged wireless communication system. For example, although the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be directed to LTE and / or 5G communication systems, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the gist of the present disclosure can also be applied to other communication systems with similar technical backgrounds and channel formats with slight modifications. The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can be applied to various communication systems, and for example, the communication system may include a global system for mobile communications (GSM), a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) system, a general packet radio service (GPRS) system, a long term evolution (LTE) system, a LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) system, a LTE time division duplex (TDD) system, a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), a global microwave access interoperability (WiMAX) communication system, a fifth generation (5G) system or a new radio (NR) system, etc. In addition, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can be applied to future-oriented communication technologies. In addition, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can be applied to future-oriented communication technologies.

[0050] In order to meet the growing demand for wireless data communication services since the deployment of 4G communication systems, efforts have been made to develop improved 5G or quasi-5G communication systems. Therefore, 5G or quasi-5G communication systems are also called "super 4G networks" or "post-LTE systems."

[0051] Discussed below Figures 1 to 10 The various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this patent document are for illustration only and should not be interpreted in any way as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the principles of the present disclosure can be implemented in any appropriately arranged system or device.

[0052] The following documents are hereby incorporated by reference into this disclosure as if fully set forth herein:

[0053] 3GPP TR 38.821v.16.0.0: "Solutions for NR to support non-terrestrial networks (NTN)"; 3GPP TS 38.321v.17.2.0: "NR; Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification"; 3GPP TS 38.331v.17.2.0: "NR; Radio Resource Control(RRC)protocolspecification"; 3GPP TS 38.304v.17.2.0: "NR; User Equipment (UE) procedures inIdle mode and RRC inactive state"; 3GPP TS 38.101-1v.17.7.0: "NR; User Equipment (UE) radio transmission and reception; Part 1: Range 1Standalone"; NR; UserEquipment(UE)radio transmission and reception; Part 2: Range 2Standalone"; and 3GPP TS 37.355v.17.2.0: "LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP)".

[0054] The following Figure 1-Figure 3 Various embodiments are described that are implemented in a wireless communication system and using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) communication techniques. Figure 1-Figure 3 The description is not meant to imply physical or architectural limitations to the manner in which different embodiments may be implemented. Different embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged communications system.

[0055] Figure 1 An example wireless network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 The embodiment of the wireless network shown is for illustration only. Other embodiments of the wireless network 100 may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0056] like Figure 1As shown, the wireless network includes gNB 101 (e.g., base station BS), gNB 102, and gNB 103. gNB 101 communicates with gNB 102 and gNB 103. gNB 101 also communicates with at least one network 130 (such as the Internet, a proprietary Internet Protocol (IP) network, or other data network).

[0057] gNB 102 provides wireless broadband access to network 130 for a first plurality of UEs within coverage area 120 of gNB 102. The first plurality of UEs includes UE 111, which may be located in a small business; UE 112, which may be located in an enterprise (E); UE 113, which may be located in a WiFi hotspot (HS); UE 114, which may be located in a first residence (R); UE 115, which may be located in a second residence (R); and UE 116, which may be a mobile device (M) such as a cellular phone, a wireless laptop computer, a wireless PDA, etc. gNB 103 provides wireless broadband access to network 130 for a second plurality of UEs within coverage area 125 of gNB 103. The second plurality of UEs includes UE 115 and UE 116. In some embodiments, one or more of gNBs 101-103 may communicate with each other and with UEs 111-116 using 5G / NR, Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A), WiMAX, WiFi, or other wireless communication technologies.

[0058] Depending on the network type, the term "base station" or "BS" may refer to any component (or collection of components) configured to provide wireless access to a network, such as a transmission point (TP), a transmission-reception point (TRP), an enhanced base station (eNodeB or eNB), a 5G / NR base station (gNB), a macro cell, a femto cell, a WiFi access point (AP), or other wirelessly enabled devices. A base station may provide wireless access according to one or more wireless communication protocols (e.g., 5G / NR 3GPP NR, Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE Advanced (LTE-A), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, etc.). For convenience, the terms "BS" and "TRP" are used interchangeably in this patent document to refer to network infrastructure components that provide wireless access to remote terminals. In addition, depending on the network type, the term "user equipment" or "UE" may refer to any component, such as a "mobile station", "subscriber station", "remote terminal", "wireless terminal", "reception point", or "user equipment". For convenience, the terms "user equipment" and "UE" are used in this patent document to refer to a remote wireless device that wirelessly accesses a BS, whether the UE is a mobile device (such as a mobile phone or smartphone) or is generally considered a fixed device (such as a desktop computer or vending machine).

[0059] The dashed lines illustrate the approximate extents of coverage areas 120 and 125, which are shown as approximately circular for purposes of illustration and explanation only. It should be clearly understood that coverage areas associated with a gNB, such as coverage areas 120 and 125, may have other shapes, including irregular shapes, depending on the configuration of the gNB and variations in the radio environment associated with natural and man-made obstacles.

[0060] As discussed in more detail below, wireless network 100 may have communications facilitated via one or more communication satellites 104 that may be in orbit above the Earth. Communication satellites 104 may communicate directly with BSs 102 and 103 to provide network access, for example, where BSs 102 and 103 are remotely located or otherwise require assistance with network access connections beyond or in addition to traditional fronthaul and / or backhaul connections. Various UEs (e.g., as depicted by UE 116) may be capable of at least some direct communication and / or positioning with communication satellites 104, for example, to receive location information or coordinates.

[0061] NTN refers to a network or network segment that uses RF resources on a communication satellite (or unmanned aircraft system platform) (e.g., communication satellite 104). Given the ability to provide wide coverage and reliable service, it is envisioned that NTN generally ensures service availability and continuity. For example, NTN can support communication services in unserved areas that cannot be covered by conventional terrestrial networks, in unserved areas that experience limited communication services, for devices and passengers on mobile platforms, and for future rail / maritime / aeronautical communications, etc.

[0062] As described in more detail below, one or more of the UEs 111-116 include circuits, procedures, or a combination thereof for measurements of UE mobility between the NTN and the TN. In certain embodiments, one or more of the gNBs 101-103 include circuits, procedures, or a combination thereof for supporting measurements of UE mobility between the NTN and the TN.

[0063] although Figure 1 An example of a wireless network is shown, but Figure 1 Various changes may be made. For example, the wireless network may include any number of gNBs and any number of UEs in any suitable arrangement. In addition, gNB 101 may communicate directly with any number of UEs and provide wireless broadband access to network 130 to these UEs. Similarly, each gNB 102-103 may communicate directly with network 130 and provide direct wireless broadband access to network 130 to the UEs. In addition, gNBs 101, 102, and / or 103 may provide access to other or additional external networks, such as an external telephone network or other type of data network.

[0064] Figure 2 An example gNB 102 is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 The embodiment of the gNB 102 shown in FIG. is for illustration only, and Figure 1 gNBs 101 and 103 may have the same or similar configurations. However, gNBs have a variety of configurations, and Figure 2 The scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular implementation of gNB.

[0065] like Figure 2 As shown, gNB 102 includes multiple antennas 205a-205n, multiple transceivers 210a-210n, a controller / processor 225, a memory 230, and a backhaul or network interface 235. However, the components of gNB 102 are not limited thereto. For example, gNB 102 may include more or fewer components than those described above. In addition, gNB 102 corresponds to Fig.12 base station.

[0066] The transceivers 210a-210n receive incoming RF signals from the antennas 205a-205n, such as signals transmitted by UEs in the network 100. The transceivers 210a-210n downconvert the incoming RF signals to generate IF or baseband signals. The IF or baseband signals are processed by receive (RX) processing circuits in the transceivers 210a-210n and / or the controller / processor 225, which generates processed baseband signals by filtering, decoding and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signals. The controller / processor 225 may further process the baseband signals.

[0067] Transmit (TX) processing circuitry in transceivers 210a-210n and / or controller / processor 225 receives analog or digital data (such as voice data, network data, email, or interactive video game data) from controller / processor 225. TX processing circuitry encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes outgoing baseband data to generate processed baseband or IF signals. Transceivers 210a-210n up-convert the baseband or IF signals to RF signals that are transmitted via antennas 205a-205n.

[0068] The controller / processor 225 may include one or more processors or other processing devices that control the overall operation of the gNB 102. For example, the controller / processor 225 may control the reception of UL channel signals and the transmission of DL channel signals by the transceivers 210a-210n in accordance with well-known principles. The controller / processor 225 may also support additional functionality, such as more advanced wireless communication functionality. For example, the controller / processor 225 may support beamforming or directional routing operations, in which incoming / outgoing signals from / to multiple antennas 205a-205n are weighted differently to effectively direct outgoing signals in a desired direction. The controller / processor 225 may support any of a variety of other functions in the gNB 102.

[0069] The controller / processor 225 is also capable of executing programs and other processes, such as an OS, residing in the memory 230. The controller / processor 225 may move data into or out of the memory 230 as required by the executed process. The controller / processor 225 is also capable of executing programs and other processes residing in the memory 230, such as processes for supporting measurements of UE mobility between the NTN and the TN in a wireless communication system.

[0070] The controller / processor 225 is also coupled to a backhaul or network interface 235. The backhaul or network interface 235 allows the gNB 102 to communicate with other devices or systems via a backhaul connection or via a network. The interface 235 may support communication over any suitable wired or wireless connection. For example, when the gNB 102 is implemented as part of a cellular communication system (such as a system supporting 5G / NR, LTE, or LTE-A), the interface 235 may allow the gNB 102 to communicate with other gNBs via a wired or wireless backhaul connection. When the gNB 102 is implemented as an access point, the interface 235 may allow the gNB 102 to communicate over a wired or wireless local area network or over a wired or wireless connection to a larger network (such as the Internet). The interface 235 includes any suitable structure that supports communication over a wired or wireless connection (such as Ethernet or a transceiver).

[0071] Memory 230 is coupled to controller / processor 225. A portion of memory 230 may include RAM, and another portion of memory 230 may include flash memory or other ROM.

[0072] although Figure 2 An example of a gNB 102 is shown, but the Figure 2 For example, gNB 102 may include Figure 2 Any number of each component shown in Figure 2 The various components in may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components may be added according to specific needs.

[0073] Figure 3 An example UE 116 is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 The embodiment of UE 116 shown in FIG. 1 is for illustration only, and Figure 1 UEs 111-115 may have the same or similar configurations. However, UEs have a variety of configurations, and Figure 3 The scope of the present disclosure is not limited to any particular implementation of the UE. However, the components of the UE 116 are not limited thereto. For example, the UE 116 may include more or fewer components than those described above. In addition, the UE 116 corresponds to Fig.11 UE.

[0074] like Figure 3 As shown, UE 116 includes antenna 305, transceiver 310, and microphone 320. UE 116 also includes speaker 330, processor 340, input / output (I / O) interface (IF) 345, input 350, display 355, and memory 360. Memory 360 includes operating system (OS) 361 and one or more applications 362.

[0075] Transceiver 310 receives incoming RF signals from antenna 305 transmitted by a gNB of network 100. Transceiver 310 downconverts the incoming RF signals to generate an intermediate frequency (IF) or baseband signal. The IF or baseband signal is processed by RX processing circuitry and / or processor 340 in transceiver 310, which generates a processed baseband signal by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signal. The RX processing circuitry transmits the processed baseband signal to speaker 330 (such as for voice data) or is processed by processor 340 (such as for web browsing data).

[0076] The TX processing circuitry and / or processor 340 in the transceiver 310 receives analog or digital voice data from the microphone 320, or receives other outgoing baseband data (such as network data, email, or interactive video game data) from the processor 340. The TX processing circuitry encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the outgoing baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. The transceiver 310 up-converts the baseband or IF signal to an RF signal that is transmitted via the antenna 305.

[0077] The processor 340 may include one or more processors or other processing devices and execute the OS 361 stored in the memory 360 to control the overall operation of the UE 116. For example, the processor 340 may control the transceiver 310 to receive DL channel signals and transmit UL channel signals according to well-known principles. In some embodiments, the processor 340 includes at least one microprocessor or microcontroller.

[0078] The processor 340 is also capable of executing other processes and programs resident in the memory 360, such as processes for measurements of UE mobility between the NTN and the TN in the wireless communication system. The processor 340 can move data into or out of the memory 360 as needed for the executed process. In some embodiments, the processor 340 is configured to execute the application 362 based on the OS 361 or in response to a signal received from the gNB or operator. The processor 340 is also coupled to the I / O interface 345, which provides the UE 116 with the ability to connect to other devices such as laptops and handheld computers. The I / O interface 345 is the communication path between these accessories and the processor 340.

[0079] Processor 340 is also coupled to input 350 including, for example, a touch screen, a keypad, etc., and display 355. An operator of UE 116 may use input 350 to enter data into UE 116. Display 355 may be a liquid crystal display, a light emitting diode display, or other display capable of presenting text and / or at least limited graphics, such as from a website.

[0080] Memory 360 is coupled to processor 340. A portion of memory 360 may include random access memory (RAM), and another portion of memory 360 may include flash memory or other read-only memory (ROM).

[0081] although Figure 3 An example of UE 116 is shown, but the Figure 3 Make various changes. For example, Figure 3 The various components in may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components may be added as required. As a specific example, processor 340 may be divided into multiple processors, such as one or more central processing units (CPUs) and one or more graphics processing units (GPUs). In another example, transceiver 310 may include any number of transceivers and signal processing chains, and may be connected to any number of antennas. In addition, although Figure 3 The UE 116 is shown configured as a mobile phone or smart phone, but the UE may be configured to operate as other types of mobile or stationary devices.

[0082] Figure 4 and Figure 5 Example wireless transmit and receive paths according to the present disclosure are shown. In the following description, transmit path 400 may be described as being implemented in a gNB (such as gNB 102) and receive path 500 may be described as being implemented in a UE (such as UE 116). However, it is understood that receive path 500 may be implemented in a gNB and transmit path 400 may be implemented in a UE. In some embodiments, receive path 500 is configured to support measurements of UE mobility between an NTN and a TN in a wireless communication system.

[0083] like Figure 4 The transmit path 400 shown includes a channel coding and modulation block 405, a serial to parallel (S-to-P) block 410, an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) block of size N 415, a parallel to serial (P-to-S) block 420, an add cyclic prefix block 425, and an upconverter (UC) 430. Figure 5 The receive path 500 shown includes a downconverter (DC) 555, a cyclic prefix removal block 560, a serial to parallel (S-to-P) block 565, a size-N fast Fourier transform (FFT) block 570, a parallel to serial (P-to-S) block 575, and a channel decoding and demodulation block 580.

[0084] like Figure 4As shown, the channel coding and modulation block 405 receives a set of information bits, applies coding (such as low-density parity check (LDPC) coding), and modulates the input bits (such as using orthogonal phase shift keying (QPSK) or orthogonal amplitude modulation (QAM)) to generate a frequency-domain modulation symbol sequence.

[0085] Serial to parallel block 410 converts (such as demultiplexes) the serial modulated symbols to parallel data to generate N parallel symbol streams, where N is the IFFT / FFT size used in gNB 102 and UE 116. Size N IFFT block 415 performs an IFFT operation on the N parallel symbol streams to generate a time domain output signal. Parallel to serial block 420 converts (such as multiplexes) the parallel time domain output symbols from size N IFFT block 415 to generate a serial time domain signal. Add cyclic prefix block 425 inserts a cyclic prefix to the time domain signal. Up converter 430 modulates (such as upconverts) the output of add cyclic prefix block 425 to RF frequency for transmission via a wireless channel. The signal may also be filtered at baseband before conversion to RF frequency.

[0086] The RF signal transmitted from gNB 102 reaches UE 116 after passing through the wireless channel, and an operation opposite to that at gNB 102 is performed at UE 116.

[0087] like Figure 5 As shown, the down converter 555 down-converts the received signal to the baseband frequency, and the cyclic prefix removal block 560 removes the cyclic prefix to generate a serial time domain baseband signal. The serial to parallel block 565 converts the time domain baseband signal into a parallel time domain signal. The FFT block 570 of size N performs an FFT algorithm to generate N parallel frequency domain signals. The parallel to serial block 575 converts the parallel frequency domain signals into a modulated data symbol sequence. The channel decoding and demodulation block 580 demodulates and decodes the modulated symbols to recover the original input data stream.

[0088] Each of gNBs 101-103 may implement Figure 4 The transmission path 400 shown is similar to the transmission to UE 111-116 in the downlink, and can be implemented as follows Figure 5 Receive path 500 is shown, which is similar to receiving from UE 111-116 in the uplink. Similarly, each of UE 111-116 can implement transmit path 400 for transmitting to gNB 101-103 in the uplink, and can implement receive path 500 for receiving from gNB 101-103 in the downlink.

[0089] Figure 4 and Figure 5Each component in may be implemented using hardware only or a combination of hardware and software / firmware. As a specific example, Figure 4 and Figure 5 At least some components in can be implemented with software, while other components can be implemented by configurable hardware or a mixture of software and configurable hardware. For example, FFT block 570 and IFFT block 515 can be implemented as configurable software algorithms, in which the value of size N can be modified according to the implementation.

[0090] In addition, although described as using FFT and IFFT, this is illustrative only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Other types of transforms may be used, such as discrete Fourier transform (DFT) and inverse discrete Fourier transform (IDFT) functions. It will be appreciated that for DFT and IDFT functions, the value of variable N may be any integer (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), while for FFT and IFFT functions, the value of variable N may be any integer that is a power of 2 (e.g., 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, etc.).

[0091] although Figure 4 and Figure 5 An example of a wireless transmit and receive path is shown, but the Figure 4 and Figure 5 Make various changes. For example, Figure 4 and Figure 5 The various components in may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components may be added according to specific needs. Figure 4 and Figure 5 It is intended to illustrate examples of the types of transmit and receive paths that may be used in a wireless network.Any other suitable architecture may be used to support wireless communications in a wireless network.

[0092] Figure 6 An example of NTN communication 600 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 6 The embodiment of NTN communication 600 shown in FIG. 6 is for illustration only.

[0093] In the 3GPP wireless standards, the New Radio Access Technology (NR) is discussed as a 5G wireless communication technology. One of the NR features under discussion is NTN. Figure 6 As shown, NTN refers to a network or network segment that uses RF resources on a satellite (or unmanned aerial system (UAS) platform). NTN is generally characterized by the following example elements.

[0094] In one example, one or several sat-gateways may connect the NTN to a public data network.

[0095] In one example, a geostationary earth orbit (GEO) (a circular orbit 35,786 km above the earth's equator and following the direction of the earth's rotation) satellite is fed by one or more sat gateways that are deployed across the satellite's target coverage (e.g., regional or even continental coverage). It can be assumed that a UE in a cell is served by only one sat gateway.

[0096] In one example, non-GEO satellites are continuously served by one or more sat-gateways at a time. The system ensures service and feeder link continuity between continuously serving sat-gateways, with sufficient duration for mobility anchoring and handoff. LEO (Low Earth Orbit: an orbit around the Earth with an altitude between 300km and 1500km) satellites can be an example.

[0097] In one example, a feeder link or radio link between a sat-gateway and a satellite (or UAS platform) is provided.

[0098] In one example, a service link or radio link between a user device and a satellite (or UAS platform) is provided.

[0099] In one example, a satellite (or UAS platform) can implement a transparent or regenerative (with on-board processing) payload. A satellite (or UAS platform) generates beams, typically generating several beams over a given service area defined by a field of view. The footprint of the beam is typically elliptical. The field of view of a satellite (or UAS platform) depends on the on-board antenna pattern and the minimum elevation angle.

[0100] In one example, a transparent payload is provided: RF filtering, frequency conversion and amplification. Thus, the waveform signal repeated by the payload is unchanged.

[0101] In one example, regenerative loads are provided: RF filtering, frequency conversion and amplification as well as demodulation / decoding, switching and / or routing, coding / modulation. This is effectively equivalent to having all or part of a base station function (e.g., gNB) on a satellite (or UAS platform).

[0102] In one example, in the case of a satellite constellation, an inter-satellite link (ISL) is optionally provided. This will require a regenerative payload on the satellite. The ISL can operate in RF frequencies or optical bands.

[0103] In one example, the UE is served by a satellite (or UAS platform) within a target service area.

[0104] Fig. 7A An example of the near-far effect according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 7BAn example of the near-far effect according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0105] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B Examples of near-far effects 700 and 750 are shown according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 7A and Figure 7B The embodiments of near-far effects 700 and 750 shown in FIG. 7 are for illustration only.

[0106] In TN, the UE can determine that it is near the cell edge due to the clear difference in RSRP compared to the cell center. This effect may be less pronounced in non-terrestrial deployments, resulting in small differences in signal strength between the two beams in the overlap area (see Fig. 7A and Figure 7B ).

[0107] Since the Rel-15 handover mechanism is based on measurement events (e.g., A3), it may be difficult for the UE to distinguish between better cells. To avoid the overall degradation of HO robustness due to frequent handovers (ping-pong) between cells by the UE, this challenge can be addressed with high priority for both GEO and LEO scenarios.

[0108] Compared with TN cells, NTN cells support wider coverage. For example, a GEO cell can support a coverage with a radius of 500km, and a LEO cell can support a coverage with a radius of 100km. In 3GPP Release 17 (Rel-17), basic features of NTN are supported, and further enhanced features will be considered in Rel-18. One of the features is support for cell reselection enhancement for RRC idle / inactive UEs to reduce UE power consumption between NTN and TN. This embodiment provides an efficient measurement mechanism for TN neighboring cells, and power consumption is reduced when the UE is in an NTN serving cell.

[0109] Figure 8 800 is a signaling flow between a UE and an NTN according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The signaling flow 800 may be performed by a UE (e.g., Figure 1 111-116) and NTN network (e.g., as shown Figure 1 104) as shown. Figure 8 The embodiment of the signaling flow 800 shown in FIG. 8 is for illustration only. Figure 8 One or more of the components shown in the may be implemented in dedicated circuits configured to perform the functions described, or one or more components may be implemented by one or more processors executing instructions to perform the functions described.

[0110] Figure 8An example of the overall signaling flow of the embodiment is shown. 801 indicates a UE that supports both NTN and TN and is in RRC idle or inactive state. 803 indicates the serving cell of 801 UE, which is an NTN cell. The gNB controlling 803 NTN cell sends TN neighbor cell information in the NTN cell through a system information block or a UE-specific RRC message (811).

[0111] TN neighbor cell information includes neighbor carrier frequency information, a list of neighbor cell identifiers (IDs), and associated geographic location information. The neighbor carrier frequency information is provided by the Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN) information defined in the 3GPP standard specification. The neighbor cell ID is the physical cell ID of the neighbor cell. The associated geographic location information can be configured by reference to the location coordinates and the cell radius. Only the neighbor carrier frequency information can be included, or both the neighbor carrier frequency information and the list of neighbor cell identifiers can be included.

[0112] For example, it can be assumed that TN neighboring cells with physical cell ids #0 to #7 on carrier frequency #1 (i.e., cells with physical cell ids #0, #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, and #7) are associated with geo-reference location coordinates {X1, Y1} or {X1, Y1, Z1} and cell radius D1, and TN neighboring cells with physical cell ids #8 to #15 on carrier frequency #2 (i.e., cells with physical cell ids #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, and #15) are associated with geo-reference location coordinates {X2, Y2} or {X2, Y2, Z2} and cell radius D2. Note that X1 and X2 may be latitude information, Y1 and Y2 may be longitude information, and Z1 and Z2 may be altitude information.

[0113] The details of the location coordinates are specified in the 3GPP standard specifications. In another example, the cell radii D1 and D2 may be common values. Once the UE is configured with the TN neighbor cells provided in 811, the UE first detects / identifies the current location of the UE (e.g., based on a GNSS positioning mechanism) and derives the current location coordinates of the UE (821).

[0114] It may be assumed that the current location coordinates of the UE are {X#UE, Y#UE} or {X#UE, Y#UE, Z#UE}. Then, the UE selects / identifies which associated geographic location configured in 811 is the geographic location to which the UE location coordinates belong (831).

[0115] For example, in the given example, if {X#UE, Y#UE} or {X#UE, Y#UE, Z#UE} is within the range between {X1, Y1} and {X1+D1, Y1+D1} (or between {X1, Y1, Z1} and {X1+D1, Y1+D1, Z1+D1}), the UE selects / identifies the first associated geographic location. In the given example, if {X#UE, Y#UE} or {X#UE, Y#UE, Z#UE} is within the range between {X2, Y2} and {X2+D2, Y2+D2} (or between {X2, Y2, Z2} and {X2+D2, Y2+D2, Z2+D2}), the UE selects / identifies the second associated geographic location.

[0116] It can be assumed that the UE selects / identifies only the first associated geographic location as the geographic location to which the UE location coordinates belong. Then, the UE only measures the TN neighboring cells (841) associated with the selected / identified geographic location from 831. In the given example, the UE only selects the first associated geographic location, so the UE only measures the TN neighboring cells with physical cell ids #0 to #7 on carrier frequency #1. If only carrier frequency #1 is configured, the UE performs measurements on TN neighboring cells with all possible physical cell IDs on carrier frequency #1. If the UE cannot select / identify any associated geographic location in 831, the UE measures all configured TN neighboring cells (when a whitelist neighboring cell list is configured), as an alternative operation, the UE detects and measures all possible TN neighboring cells (when a whitelist neighboring cell list is not configured), or as another alternative operation, the UE skips the measurement of TN neighboring cells.

[0117] Note that in the figure, the associated geographic location is defined by using location coordinates, but as an alternative example, the associated geographic location can be defined by using a round trip time (RTT) threshold (a single RTT threshold or a combination of location coordinates and RTT threshold). In this case, the UE measures the current RTT (based on the derived UE location coordinates (e.g., from GNSS) and satellite position / ephemeris information (e.g., from system information)), compares this information with the configured RTT threshold, and determines the associated geographic location to which the UE belongs. Also note that in the figure, TN neighbor cells are assumed, but as an alternative example, the embodiments can also be applied to NTN neighbor cells.

[0118] Fig. 9 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method 900 may be performed by a UE (eg, Figure 1 111-116) as shown. Fig. 9 The embodiment of method 900 shown in FIG. 9 is for illustration only. Fig. 9One or more of the components shown in the may be implemented in dedicated circuits configured to perform the functions described, or one or more components may be implemented by one or more processors executing instructions to perform the functions described.

[0119] Fig. 9 Shown according to Figure 8 An example of a UE process of the example in 901. 901 indicates that the UE is served in an NTN cell and the UE is in RRC idle or inactive state. The UE checks whether an associated geographic location is configured for the TN neighbor cell to be measured (911). If an associated geographic location is not configured for the TN neighbor cell, the UE detects and measures all configured TN neighbor cells (when a whitelist neighbor cell list is configured in the system information block), or alternatively, the UE detects and measures all possible TN neighbor cells except the neighbor cells included in the blacklist neighbor cell list (when a whitelist neighbor cell list is not configured in the system information block) (921).

[0120] If an associated geographic location is configured for the TN neighbor cell, the UE checks whether the UE has valid current UE location information (931). If the UE does not have valid current UE location information, the UE detects and measures all configured TN neighbor cells (when a whitelist neighbor cell list is configured in the system information block), or alternatively, the UE detects and measures all possible TN neighbor cells except the neighbor cells included in the blacklist neighbor cell list (when a whitelist neighbor cell list is not configured in the system information block) (921).

[0121] If the UE has valid current UE location information, the UE derives the UE location coordinates and selects / identifies the associated geographic location to which the UE location coordinates belong (941). Figure 8 This example is described in Once the UE selects / identifies an associated geographic location, the UE measures only the TN neighbor cells associated with the selected / identified geographic location from 941 (951).

[0122] Note that in the figure, the associated geographic location is defined by using location coordinates, but as an alternative example, the associated geographic location can be defined by using an RTT threshold (a single RTT threshold or a combination of location coordinates and RTT threshold). In this case, the UE measures the current RTT (based on the derived UE location coordinates (e.g., from GNSS) and satellite position / ephemeris information (e.g., from system information)), and compares this information with the configured RTT threshold, and determines the associated geographic location to which the UE belongs. Also note that in the figure, TN neighbor cells are assumed, but as an alternative example, the embodiments can also be applied to NTN neighbor cells.

[0123] Fig.10 1 is a flow chart of a method 1000 for supporting mobility between an NTN and a TN according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method 1000 may be performed by a UE (e.g., Figure 1 111-116) as shown. Fig.10 The embodiment of method 1000 shown in FIG. 1 is for illustration only. Fig.10 One or more of the components shown in the may be implemented in dedicated circuits configured to perform the functions described, or one or more components may be implemented by one or more processors executing instructions to perform the functions described.

[0124] like Fig.10 As shown, method 1000 starts at step 1002. In step 1002, the UE identifies TN neighbor cell information received from the NTN, wherein the TN neighbor cell information includes at least a TN neighbor cell geographic area.

[0125] In such an embodiment, the TN neighbor cell geographic area includes the reference location coordinates of the TN neighbor cell and a radius from the reference location coordinates of the TN neighbor cell.

[0126] In step 1004, the UE identifies the location of the UE.

[0127] In step 1006, the UE determines whether to measure a TN neighbor cell based on the UE's location and the TN neighbor cell information.

[0128] In step 1008, the UE identifies one or more TN neighbor cells among the TN neighbor cells based on determining to measure the TN neighbor cells.

[0129] In step 1010, the UE measures one or more TN neighbor cells for a cell reselection operation.

[0130] In one embodiment, the UE receives the TN neighbor cell information via SIB or UE-specific RRC message, wherein the TN neighbor cell information further includes one or more TN neighbor cell frequencies or one or more cell IDs.

[0131] In such an embodiment, one or more TN neighbor cell frequencies are identified based on the ARFCN.

[0132] In such an embodiment, one or more cell IDs are identified based on the PCID.

[0133] In one embodiment, the UE determines whether the UE's location is within a TN neighbor cell geographic area, wherein determining to measure the TN neighbor cell is based on the UE's location being within a radius from a reference location coordinate of the TN neighbor cell.

[0134] In one embodiment, the UE identifies a TN neighbor cell frequency corresponding to the TN neighbor cell geographic area and measures TN neighbor cells associated with the TN neighbor cell frequency.

[0135] In one embodiment, when the TN neighbor cell information includes one or more cell IDs, the UE only measures the one or more cell IDs included in the TN neighbor cell information.

[0136] In one embodiment, when the UE's location is not within the TN neighbor cell geographical area, the UE skips the TN neighbor cell measurement operation.

[0137] Fig.11 The structure of a UE according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0138] like Fig.11 As shown, the UE according to the embodiment may include a transceiver 1110, a memory 1120, and a processor 1130. The transceiver 1110, the memory 1120, and the processor 1130 of the UE may operate according to the communication method of the above-mentioned UE. However, the components of the UE are not limited thereto. For example, the UE may include more or fewer components than the above-mentioned components. In addition, the processor 1130, the transceiver 1110, and the memory 1120 may be implemented as a single chip. In addition, the processor 1130 may include at least one processor. In addition, Fig.11 The UE corresponds to Figure 3 UE116.

[0139] The transceiver 1110 collectively refers to the UE receiver and the UE transmitter, and can send signals to / receive signals from a base station or a network entity. The signals sent to or received from a base station or a network entity may include control information and data. The transceiver 1110 may include an RF transmitter for up-converting and amplifying the frequency of the transmitted signal, and an RF receiver for amplifying the frequency of the low noise and down-converting the received signal. However, this is only an example of the transceiver 1110, and the components of the transceiver 1110 are not limited to the RF transmitter and the RF receiver.

[0140] In addition, the transceiver 1110 may receive a signal through a wireless channel and output the signal to the processor 1130 , and transmit a signal output from the processor 1130 through a wireless channel.

[0141] The memory 1120 may store programs and data required for the operation of the UE. In addition, the memory 1120 may store control information or data included in a signal obtained by the UE. The memory 1120 may be a storage medium such as a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk, a CD-ROM, and a DVD, or a combination of storage media.

[0142] The processor 1130 may control a series of processes so that the UE operates as described above. For example, the transceiver 1110 may receive a data signal including a control signal sent by a base station or a network entity, and the processor 1130 may determine a result of receiving the control signal and the data signal sent by the base station or the network entity.

[0143] Fig.12 The structure of a base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0144] like Fig.12 As shown, the base station according to the embodiment may include a transceiver 1210, a memory 1220, and a processor 1230. The transceiver 1210, the memory 1220, and the processor 1230 of the base station may operate according to the communication method of the above-mentioned base station. However, the components of the base station are not limited thereto. For example, the base station may include more or fewer components than the above-mentioned components. In addition, the processor 1230, the transceiver 1210, and the memory 1220 may be implemented as a single chip. In addition, the processor 1230 may include at least one processor. In addition, Fig.12 The base station corresponds to Figure 2 gNB 101-103.

[0145] The transceiver 1210 collectively refers to a base station receiver and a base station transmitter, and can send / receive signals to / from a terminal (UE) or a network entity. The signals sent to or received from a terminal or a network entity may include control information and data. The transceiver 1210 may include an RF transmitter for up-converting and amplifying the frequency of a transmitted signal, and an RF receiver for amplifying low noise and down-converting the frequency of a received signal. However, this is only an example of the transceiver 1210, and the components of the transceiver 1210 are not limited to the RF transmitter and the RF receiver.

[0146] In addition, the transceiver 1210 may receive a signal through a wireless channel and output the signal to the processor 1230 , and transmit a signal output from the processor 1230 through a wireless channel.

[0147] The memory 1220 may store programs and data required for the operation of the base station. In addition, the memory 1220 may store control information or data included in a signal obtained by the base station. The memory 1220 may be a storage medium such as a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk, a CD-ROM, and a DVD, or a combination of storage media.

[0148] The processor 1230 may control a series of processes so that the base station operates as described above. For example, the transceiver 1210 may receive a data signal including a control signal transmitted by a terminal, and the processor 1230 may determine a result of receiving the control signal and the data signal transmitted by the terminal.

[0149] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, circuits and steps described in the present application can be implemented as hardware, software or a combination of the two. In order to clearly illustrate this interchangeability between hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits and steps are generally described above in the form of their function sets. Whether these function sets are implemented as hardware or software depends on specific applications and the design constraints imposed on the entire system. The technician can implement the described function set in different ways for each specific application, but this design decision should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

[0150] In the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure, all operations and messages may be selectively performed or may be omitted. In addition, the operations in each embodiment do not need to be performed sequentially, and the order of operations may vary. Messages do not need to be sent in order, and the order in which messages are sent may vary. The transmission of each operation and each message may be performed independently.

[0151] Although the drawings show different examples of user equipment, various changes may be made to the drawings. For example, the user equipment may include any number of each component in any suitable arrangement. In general, the drawings do not limit the scope of the present disclosure to any particular configuration. In addition, although the drawings show operating environments in which various user equipment features disclosed in this patent document may be used, these features may be used in any other suitable system.

[0152] The various illustrative logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in this application may be implemented or performed by 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 device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in an alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in cooperation with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0153] The steps of the method or algorithm described in this application can be directly embodied in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination thereof. The software module can reside in a RAM memory, a flash memory, a ROM memory, an EPROM memory, an EEPROM memory, a register, a hard disk, a removable disk, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. The storage medium is coupled to the processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. In an alternative, the storage medium can be integrated into the processor. The processor and the storage medium can reside in an ASIC. The ASIC can reside in a user terminal. In an alternative, the processor and the storage medium can reside in a user terminal as discrete components.

[0154] In one or more designs, these functions may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, each function may be stored on or delivered by one or more instructions or codes on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include both computer storage media and communication media, the latter including any media that assists in transferring a computer program from one place to another. Storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a general or special purpose computer.

[0155] While the present disclosure has been shown and described with reference to various embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising: Transceiver; as well as At least one processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to: identifying terrestrial network (TN) neighbor cell information received from a non-terrestrial network (NTN), wherein the TN neighbor cell information includes at least one TN neighbor cell geographic area, Based on TN neighboring cell information, identify the UE location, Determine whether to measure TN neighbor cells based on the UE's location and TN neighbor cell information, Based on determining that TN neighbor cells are to be measured, identifying at least one of the TN neighbor cells, and The at least one TN neighbor cell is measured for a cell reselection operation.

2. The UE according to claim 1, in, The TN neighbor cell information also includes at least one TN neighbor cell frequency or at least one cell identification (ID), and The TN neighbor cell information is received via a system information block (SIB) or a UE-specific radio resource control (RRC) message.

3. The UE according to claim 2, wherein: The at least one TN neighbor cell frequency is identified based on an Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN).

4. The UE according to claim 2, wherein: The at least one cell ID is identified based on a physical cell ID (PCID).

5. The UE according to claim 1, wherein: The TN neighbor cell geographic area includes reference position coordinates of the TN neighbor cells and a radius from the reference position coordinates of the TN neighbor cells.

6. The UE according to claim 5, wherein: The at least one processor is further configured to determine whether the location of the UE is within a TN neighboring cell geographic area, and The determination to measure the TN neighboring cell is based on the position of the UE being within a radius from the reference position coordinates of the TN neighboring cell.

7. The UE according to claim 6, wherein: The at least one processor is further configured to: identifying a TN neighbor cell frequency corresponding to the TN neighbor cell geographic area; and TN neighbor cells associated with the TN neighbor cell frequencies are measured.

8. The UE according to claim 7, in, In the case that the TN neighbor cell information includes at least one cell identification (ID), the processor is further configured to measure only the at least one cell ID included in the TN neighbor cell information.

9. A method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: identifying terrestrial network (TN) neighbor cell information received from a non-terrestrial network (NTN), wherein the TN neighbor cell information includes at least one TN neighbor cell geographic area; Identify the location of the UE based on the TN neighboring cell information; Determine whether to measure a TN neighboring cell based on the UE's location and the TN neighboring cell information; Based on determining that TN neighbor cells are to be measured, identifying at least one of the TN neighbor cells; and The at least one TN neighbor cell is measured for a cell reselection operation.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising: The TN neighbor cell information is received via a system information block (SIB) or a UE-specific radio resource control (RRC) message, wherein the TN neighbor cell information further includes at least one TN neighbor cell frequency or at least one cell identification (ID).

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The at least one TN neighbor cell frequency is identified based on an Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN).

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The at least one cell ID is identified based on a physical cell ID (PCID).

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The TN neighbor cell geographic area includes reference position coordinates of the TN neighbor cells and a radius from the reference position coordinates of the TN neighbor cells.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: Determining whether the location of the UE is within a TN neighbor cell geographic area, wherein determining to measure the TN neighbor cell is based on the location of the UE being within a radius from a reference location coordinate of the TN neighbor cell.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: identifying a TN neighbor cell frequency corresponding to a TN neighbor cell geographic area; as well as TN neighbor cells associated with the TN neighbor cell frequencies are measured.

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