A method for terminal data distribution in satellite communication scenario

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of satellite communications, and discloses a method for distributing terminal data in a satellite communication scenario, including: an NTN base station, configured to receive uplink data or downlink data of a terminal; a route identification server (RIS), which is connected to the NTN base station in communication, and the RIS includes: a protocol parsing module, which is used to parse the IP protocol layer and GTP protocol layer information of a data message; a route record management module, which is used to dynamically maintain the association between the IP address and TEID of the terminal; and a forwarding control module, which is used to select a forwarding path for data based on a route record table and a regional judgment result. The present invention realizes localized forwarding of terminal data and reduces the core network load by introducing a route identification server; optimizes the path selection mechanism and reduces communication delay; and the dynamic resource management mechanism updates and cleans up route records in real time, improves system efficiency and adaptability, and is suitable for highly dynamic satellite communication scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of satellite communications, and in particular to a method for distributing terminal data in a satellite communication scenario. Background Art

[0002] As an important part of the Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN), satellite communications have the characteristics of wide coverage and high mobility, and have been widely used in remote area communications, IoT device access, emergency communications and other scenarios. However, due to the particularity of satellite communication networks, their data distribution and transmission mainly rely on the core network for global routing management and forwarding, which means that data needs to be transferred through the core network. Even if the source terminal and the target terminal are within the same satellite coverage, they cannot be directly forwarded locally. This architecture that relies on the core network is not a significant problem in traditional terrestrial communication systems, but in satellite communication scenarios, it is particularly prominent due to limitations such as large network delays and limited link resources.

[0003] In the prior art, the data distribution method of satellite communication includes the following structure: the terminal data is received by the NTN base station and transmitted to the core network through the satellite link, and the core network forwards the data to the cell where the target terminal is located according to the global routing information. However, this method has the following problems: first, the core network needs to process all data traffic, which causes it to be overloaded and difficult to cope with the access needs of large-scale terminals; second, the data must be transferred through the core network, and the delay increases significantly, especially in low-latency business scenarios, it cannot meet the needs; third, the existing method lacks a dynamic resource management mechanism, the management efficiency of routing records is low, and there is a problem of expired or invalid records occupying system resources, which is difficult to adapt to the needs of satellite dynamic switching and large-scale data distribution. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a method for terminal data distribution in a satellite communication scenario, which solves the problems of overload of the core network, high communication delay and low efficiency of routing record management in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solutions: A method for terminal data distribution in a satellite communication scenario, comprising: The NTN base station is configured to receive uplink data or downlink data of the terminal; A route identification server (RIS) is connected in communication with the NTN base station, and the RIS includes: Protocol parsing module, used to parse the IP protocol layer and GTP protocol layer information of the data message; The routing record management module is used to dynamically maintain the association between the terminal's IP address and TEID; A forwarding control module, used to select a data forwarding path based on the routing record table and the area judgment result; Dynamic resource management module, used to clean up timed-out or released routing records; The core network is used to handle data traffic that cannot be completed through the local forwarding path.

[0006] Preferably, in the data parsing step, the following contents of the data message are parsed by a protocol parsing module: Destination IP address in the uplink data; Source IP address in downstream data; TEID field of the GTP protocol.

[0007] Preferably, the routing record table includes the following fields: Terminal IP address; TEID; The satellite ID where the terminal is located; Cell ID; Update timestamp; Status indicator.

[0008] Preferably, the step of determining whether the source terminal and the target terminal are located in the same satellite coverage area is achieved by comparing the satellite ID and the cell ID in the routing record table.

[0009] Preferably, the step of determining whether the source terminal and the target terminal are located in the same satellite coverage area is achieved by comparing the satellite ID and the cell ID in the routing record table.

[0010] Preferably, in the forwarding path selection step, if the local forwarding condition is met, the forwarding control module further modifies the TEID field in the data message to the TEID of the target terminal.

[0011] Preferably, the protocol parsing module supports IPv4 and IPv6 protocols, and can parse messages of multiple communication protocols simultaneously.

[0012] Preferably, the routing record management module includes the following functions: When the terminal initiates data transmission, a new routing record is automatically added; When the terminal completes data transmission or releases the connection, the routing record is automatically deleted; Regularly clean up routing records that have not been updated for a predetermined period of time.

[0013] Preferably, the dynamic resource management module further includes an abnormal recovery function, when the routing record table is damaged or the record is lost, the routing record is rebuilt by requesting global routing information from the core network.

[0014] Preferably, the routing identification server performs load balancing distribution on the data stream through a consistent hashing algorithm and supports parallel processing of multiple RIS instances.

[0015] The present invention provides a method for distributing terminal data in a satellite communication scenario. It has the following beneficial effects: 1. The present invention realizes localized forwarding of terminal data by introducing a routing identification server into the satellite communication system. When the source terminal and the target terminal are located in the same satellite coverage area, the data does not need to be transmitted to the core network for processing, and path determination and data forwarding are completed directly through RIS. This effectively reduces the cross-regional traffic that the core network needs to process, significantly reduces the transmission and computing burden of the core network, and can significantly improve the overall performance of the network, especially in high-density terminal access and high-concurrency communication scenarios.

[0016] 2. The present invention can give priority to the localized forwarding path when the conditions are met through the path selection mechanism, thereby avoiding the delay problem caused by the long path transmission of data packets in the core network. Especially in delay-sensitive services, the present invention greatly reduces the transmission delay through direct local data forwarding. At the same time, in cross-regional communication scenarios, the efficiency of the data transmission path is guaranteed through the optimized core network forwarding mechanism, thereby meeting the low latency requirement.

[0017] 3. The present invention can update the routing record table in real time and clear invalid records through a dynamic resource management mechanism, ensuring efficient use of system resources. Through a timeout clearing strategy based on timestamps and a resource recovery function of terminal release signaling, expired or no longer used records can be quickly released. At the same time, the present invention also ensures the accuracy and real-time nature of the records through an abnormal recovery mechanism. In a highly dynamic satellite communication scenario, it can effectively adapt to the routing change requirements caused by satellite switching or terminal position changes, thereby improving the overall stability and operating efficiency of the system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the method flow of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The following will be combined with the drawings in the specification of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] Please refer to the attached Figure 1 The embodiment of the present invention provides a method for distributing terminal data in a satellite communication scenario, including: Terminal equipment: Including user equipment (such as mobile terminals, IoT terminals, industrial sensors, etc.), which establish communication with NTN base stations through satellite links.

[0021] NTN Base Station: As the access point between the terminal and the core network, it is responsible for receiving terminal uplink data and core network downlink data, and delivering the data to RIS for processing.

[0022] NTN base stations interact with RIS through standardized interfaces.

[0023] Routing Identification Server (RIS): Core functional modules: Protocol parsing module: responsible for parsing data packets and extracting key information such as IP addresses and TEID.

[0024] Routing record management module: dynamically maintains the mapping relationship between terminal IP address and TEID.

[0025] Forwarding control module: determines the data forwarding path and performs TEID modification.

[0026] Dynamic resource management module: responsible for record updates and timeout cleanup.

[0027] Data flow forwarding logic: Combined with routing table information, determine whether the localized forwarding conditions are met.

[0028] Core Network: The core network is responsible for processing data traffic that cannot be resolved through local forwarding.

[0029] Implementation process and principles The method of the present invention mainly comprises the following steps: Step 1: Terminal data reception The NTN base station receives uplink data sent by the terminal or downlink data sent by the core network.

[0030] The NTN base station forwards the data to the RIS for processing through a preset interface.

[0031] In this embodiment, terminal data reception is a basic step for implementing the present invention, which is mainly used to obtain the uplink data of the terminal or the downlink data of the core network, and transmit the data to the Routing Identification Server (RIS) for subsequent processing. This step completes the reception and preliminary transmission of data through the non-terrestrial network (NTN) base station to realize the data connection between the terminal device and the routing identification server.

[0032] Specifically, the NTN base station in the present invention is configured as an interface between the terminal and the RIS, capable of processing uplink data from the satellite link and downlink data from the core network, and plays a key transit role in the data distribution method of the present invention. As an option, the NTN base station communicates with the RIS through a standardized data transmission protocol (such as the TCP / IP protocol), and realizes reliable reception and transmission of data through an internal transmission module.

[0033] In a possible implementation, after receiving the uplink data sent by the terminal, the NTN base station directly forwards the data message to the protocol parsing module of the RIS. Exemplarily, these data messages may contain data traffic of the IoT terminal, Internet access requests of the mobile terminal or other user data, and the data format is usually an IP data packet or an information packet encapsulated with a GTP (GPRSTunneling Protocol) header. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the NTN base station is compatible with IPv4 and IPv6 protocol formats to ensure the adaptability and compatibility of the system.

[0034] In some embodiments, the NTN base station can pre-process the uplink data, such as detecting the integrity of the data packet, removing the link layer encapsulation information, or performing preliminary regional identification resolution. For example, when terminal A and terminal B are located in the same satellite coverage cell, the NTN base station can extract the source IP address and destination IP address of the data, and directly upload the data message to the RIS for further resolution based on the preliminary judgment, without executing complex business logic inside the base station.

[0035] In a possible implementation, for downlink data sent by the core network, the NTN base station is also responsible for receiving and delivering the data packet to the RIS. Specifically, the downlink data may be sent by the user plane node of the core network to the NTN base station, and the base station is responsible for encapsulating the data into a transmission format suitable for RIS parsing, such as maintaining the integrity of the GTP-U protocol header and ensuring that key information such as the TEID field is not lost during the transmission process. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the NTN base station does not change the content of the data packet and only acts as a relay node for the data.

[0036] It is understandable that the function of the NTN base station focuses on the reliable reception and transmission of data, so it is necessary to have efficient transmission capabilities and low-latency processing capabilities. In order to meet the implementation requirements of the present invention, the NTN base station can also integrate an efficient cache mechanism in this embodiment to temporarily store short-term backlog data caused by link congestion or network jitter. For example, when the RIS processing capacity is insufficient, the base station can delay the transmission of data through temporary caching to ensure that data is not lost.

[0037] As an extension, NTN base stations can adjust the priority of data reception according to the transmission characteristics of different satellite links. For example, in a multi-orbit satellite system, NTN base stations can give priority to receiving short-term communication data from low-orbit satellites, while delaying the long-delay communication data from geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellites, thereby optimizing the overall link resource utilization efficiency.

[0038] It should be noted that, in the implementation of the present invention, the communication link between the NTN base station and the terminal is usually a satellite communication link, which can provide support for low-orbit satellites (LEO), medium-orbit satellites (MEO) or geosynchronous orbit satellites (GEO). For example, in the low-orbit satellite scenario, the NTN base station needs to handle rapidly changing link conditions (such as satellite switching), so it is necessary to complete the forwarding immediately after receiving the terminal data, while in the geosynchronous orbit satellite scenario, the base station can perform appropriate buffering processing on the data.

[0039] In some embodiments, to enhance the stability of the present invention, the NTN base station can also realize parallel connection with multiple RIS instances and distribute data traffic through a load balancing mechanism. For example, when a RIS instance is overloaded or fails, the NTN base station can redirect newly received data packets to other available RIS instances to ensure the continuity of the data processing process.

[0040] In this embodiment, the NTN base station can also integrate a data status monitoring module to record key information such as the receiving time, source address, and destination address of the data, and realize real-time monitoring of data traffic by counting this information. For example, when an abnormal traffic peak occurs in terminal devices in a certain area, the NTN base station can trigger an alarm through the monitoring module and adjust the communication parameters (such as bandwidth allocation or transmission rate limit) with the RIS.

[0041] It should be noted that the NTN base station in the present invention does not modify the data content, and its main function is to complete the reception, preliminary processing and interaction with the RIS of the data. Therefore, its implementation complexity is relatively low, and the efficiency and data integrity of the transmission link are also guaranteed.

[0042] It is understandable that the terminal data receiving step is the basis of the entire data distribution method. By ensuring the reliable transmission of data, the present invention can further realize the subsequent routing analysis, forwarding path selection and other functions. This modular design enables the NTN base station to adapt to different network architectures and scenario requirements, providing good technical support for the flexible deployment of non-terrestrial networks.

[0043] Step 2: Data analysis RIS receives data packets from NTN base stations.

[0044] The protocol parsing module parses the data packet and extracts key routing information, including: IP protocol layer: From the uplink data, extract the destination IP address; Extract the source IP address from the downstream data.

[0045] GTP protocol layer: Extract the Tunnel Terminal Identification (TEID) field.

[0046] The parsing results serve as the basis for subsequent routing decisions.

[0047] Implementation details: Data parsing is implemented through a parsing tool based on the GTP protocol stack, using a zero-copy mechanism to reduce memory consumption.

[0048] Compatible with IPv4 and IPv6 protocols, and supports the scalability of future communication protocols.

[0049] In this embodiment, data parsing is a key step in the terminal data distribution method. By parsing the protocol content of the data message, key information for subsequent route selection and forwarding control is extracted. In the present invention, this step is implemented by a protocol parsing module in a routing identification server (RIS). The parsed content mainly includes IP protocol layer information and GTP protocol layer information, providing basic data support for routing decisions.

[0050] Specifically, after receiving the data packet from the NTN base station, the protocol parsing module of the RIS in the present invention extracts the source IP address, destination IP address and tunnel terminal identifier (TEID) and other fields of the data packet through deep protocol parsing technology. As an option, during the parsing process, the RIS will first determine the format of the data according to the protocol header type of the packet. For example, the parsing process of the IPv4 format and IPv6 format packets is different. For IPv4 packets, the source IP address and destination IP address are directly extracted; for IPv6 packets, the extended header information is parsed, and the address field and other identification information are extracted.

[0051] In a possible implementation, RIS completes the resolution of the tunnel terminal identifier (TEID) through the GTP protocol stack. Exemplarily, the GTP-U (GPRS Tunneling Protocol for User Data) protocol is a commonly used encapsulation protocol in mobile networks, and its header contains multiple fields, including TEID, sequence number, etc. In this embodiment, the protocol resolution module extracts the TEID field from the GTP header and associates it with the IP address information for subsequent routing record management and path selection.

[0052] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the protocol parsing module is compatible with multiple communication protocols to meet the data transmission requirements in different scenarios. For example, for lightweight data packets of IoT devices, RIS can choose to parse fewer fields and only extract the target address and basic protocol information; while for complex messages such as video calls or large data transmission, RIS completely parses all key fields of the GTP protocol and IP protocol to ensure the comprehensiveness and accuracy of data processing.

[0053] In some embodiments, to improve the efficiency of data parsing, the protocol parsing module of RIS uses hardware acceleration technology. For example, the Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) is used to implement zero-copy data parsing, thereby reducing the number of times the message is transferred in the memory. In addition, RIS can use parallel processing technology in the parsing stage to allocate multi-threaded tasks to improve the parsing speed for large-scale concurrent data traffic. It is understandable that this parsing method can significantly reduce the processing delay of the system, especially in high-load scenarios.

[0054] As an option, the protocol parsing module can also set different parsing depths according to the data flow type. For example, for some business traffic (such as low-latency real-time communication), RIS can choose to parse only the destination address and TEID fields of the data packet to quickly determine the routing path. For other business traffic (such as large file transfer), more protocol fields including quality of service (QoS) flags and message identifiers can be parsed to provide more refined information for subsequent path selection.

[0055] In this embodiment, the protocol parsing module of RIS supports not only the parsing of uplink data, but also the parsing of downlink data. Specifically, for uplink data, the protocol parsing module extracts the target IP address of the message and determines the routing information of the target terminal by comparing it with the routing record table; for downlink data, the parsing module extracts the source IP address for updating or verifying the information in the routing record table. It should be noted that, whether it is uplink data or downlink data, RIS always maintains accurate parsing of the TEID field to ensure the consistency of the tunnel identifier.

[0056] It is understandable that the data parsing step is not only related to the accuracy of the routing decision, but also directly affects the efficiency and stability of the entire data distribution method. Therefore, the RIS in the present invention is designed with an error detection and fault tolerance mechanism. In a possible implementation, when a data packet format error or field missing is found during the parsing process, the RIS will mark the message as abnormal, and send error feedback information to the NTN base station or core network, while skipping further processing of the data packet. This mechanism can avoid the negative impact of abnormal data on the system.

[0057] In some embodiments, in order to further enhance the functional expansibility of the parsing module, the RIS of the present invention can support the parsing of non-traditional communication protocols. For example, for lightweight protocols (such as MQTT or CoAP) used in the Internet of Things (IoT) scenario, the protocol parsing module of the RIS can load the corresponding parsing rules through a plug-in, thereby supporting more diverse data traffic processing.

[0058] It should be noted that the implementation of the protocol parsing module does not rely on a specific hardware architecture or operating system environment. This modular design ensures the flexibility and scalability of the system. For example, in edge computing scenarios, RIS can be deployed on resource-constrained hardware devices to implement core functions through streamlined parsing logic; in high-performance data center environments, RIS can use GPUs or FPGAs to accelerate the parsing process to meet the needs of efficient processing of large-scale data streams.

[0059] In this embodiment, the results of protocol parsing are stored in the memory of RIS in the form of structured data and used as input for subsequent routing record checking and path selection. For example, the parsing results of a data packet may include the following information: Source IP address: 192.168.1.1 Destination IP address: 192.168.2.1 TEID: 0x1234 Data protocol type: IPv4 Service ID: Normal traffic It should be noted that RIS adds timestamp information to the parsing results of each data packet to record the time the data was received and processed. This information can not only be used for subsequent routing record updates, but also as a basis for system performance monitoring.

[0060] It can be understood from the above description that the data parsing step is the basic link for realizing terminal data distribution, and its accuracy and efficiency are directly related to the effective implementation of the scheme of the present invention. The present invention ensures that the technical implementation of this step meets the requirements of actual application scenarios by integrating multi-protocol parsing functions in RIS, optimizing parsing efficiency, and designing error tolerance mechanisms. The above content fully discloses the specific implementation method of the data parsing step of this embodiment.

[0061] Step 3: Check and update the routing table Check the routing table: RIS queries the routing record table to determine whether the destination IP address exists.

[0062] The fields of the routing record table include: terminal IP address, TEID, cell ID, satellite ID, update timestamp, and status identifier.

[0063] Record update rules: If the record exists: update the corresponding timestamp and mark the terminal as "active".

[0064] If the record does not exist: create a new record to store the resolved IP address, TEID, cell ID, satellite ID and other information.

[0065] Implementation details: The routing record table uses a multi-level hash index structure: The primary index is based on the IP address prefix value to quickly locate the area range; The secondary index is based on the complete IP address to accurately find the target terminal information.

[0066] Supports high-concurrency query and update operations to improve performance.

[0067] In this embodiment, the inspection and update of the routing record table is one of the core steps of the data distribution method of the present invention, which is used to realize the dynamic management of the routing information of the terminal. This step is completed by the routing record management module inside the routing identification server (RIS), and its main function is to perform corresponding query, insert, update or delete operations in the routing record table according to the IP address and TEID information obtained by parsing, so as to ensure that the routing information of the terminal is always accurate and reliable.

[0068] Specifically, the routing record table of RIS in the present invention is designed as a multi-field, efficient query data structure for storing key information of the terminal, including fields such as terminal IP address, TEID, cell ID, satellite ID, update timestamp and status identifier. As an option, the routing record table adopts a multi-level hash index structure, in which the first-level index is based on the prefix value of the terminal IP address to quickly locate the possible routing record range, and the second-level index is based on the complete terminal IP address to achieve accurate routing information retrieval. It should be noted that this index structure can significantly improve query efficiency, especially in large-scale terminal access scenarios.

[0069] In a possible implementation, when RIS receives a data packet and completes protocol parsing, it first uses the parsed target IP address to perform a query operation in the routing record table. If the routing record corresponding to the target IP address exists, RIS will further extract the TEID, cell ID, satellite ID and other information in the record, and use this information for subsequent path selection and data forwarding.

[0070] In some embodiments, when there is no corresponding record of the target IP address in the routing record table, RIS will create a new record based on the parsing result and insert it into the routing record table. Specifically, the field values ​​of the new record include the parsed terminal IP address, TEID, and the cell ID and satellite ID information provided by the NTN base station or satellite system. At the same time, RIS will set the status flag of the new record to "active" and add the current timestamp information for subsequent timeout checks and cleanup.

[0071] It should be noted that the routing record table of RIS supports dynamic update function. When the routing information of the target terminal changes (for example, the terminal switches to a different cell or satellite coverage area), RIS will update the corresponding record according to the new analysis result. For example, in the scenario where the terminal switches from satellite A to satellite B, RIS will modify the satellite ID field in the corresponding record of the terminal, and update the timestamp and status identifier to ensure the validity and timeliness of the record.

[0072] As an extension, the routing record table of the present invention also supports the cleanup operation of inactive records. Specifically, RIS will periodically check the update timestamps of all records in the routing record table, and for records that exceed the preset timeout period (such as 10 minutes), update their status flag to "inactive" or directly delete the record. This timeout cleanup mechanism can effectively release system resources and prevent expired records from interfering with the normal data distribution process.

[0073] In some embodiments, to further improve the reliability of routing record management, RIS designs an exception detection and recovery mechanism. For example, when conflicting records (such as the same terminal IP address corresponding to multiple TEIDs) or damaged records are found in the routing record table, RIS will trigger the exception handling process, obtain the latest terminal routing information through interaction with the core network or NTN base station, and repair the conflicting or damaged records. It is understandable that this mechanism can enhance the robustness of routing record management, especially in a highly dynamic network environment.

[0074] It should be noted that the insertion, update and deletion operations of the routing record table are optimized to meet the processing requirements of high concurrent data streams. In one possible implementation, RIS adopts a parallel operation mode based on a thread pool, which allocates independent threads to process different routing records to avoid lock contention and thread blocking problems. This design ensures that even in high-traffic scenarios, the update operation of routing records can still maintain a high response speed.

[0075] For example, in a low-orbit satellite scenario, when terminal A sends a data packet to terminal B, RIS first obtains the source IP address of terminal A and the target IP address of terminal B through parsing, and queries the routing record table for relevant information of terminal B. If the query is successful, RIS will extract the TEID and regional identification information of terminal B for subsequent path judgment and data forwarding; if the query fails, a new routing record will be created based on the parsing result of terminal B, and the record will be marked as "active".

[0076] It should be further explained that the dynamic and efficient nature of the routing record table is one of the key features of the solution of the present invention. By designing a reasonable data structure and optimizing the operation logic, the present invention can always maintain a high query and update efficiency in the scenario where the terminal routing information changes frequently, thereby providing reliable data support for the subsequent data distribution steps.

[0077] It can be understood from the above description that the steps of checking and updating the routing record table in this embodiment completely realize the efficient management of terminal routing information through structured data storage, dynamic routing record management and abnormality detection mechanism, and provide a solid foundation for implementing other steps of the terminal data distribution method. The above content has been fully disclosed and guarantees the integrity of the scheme of the present invention and the feasibility of implementation.

[0078] Step 4: Path selection Judgment conditions: Compare the area information (cell ID and satellite ID) of the source terminal and the target terminal.

[0079] If the two terminals are in the same satellite coverage area, the local forwarding conditions are met.

[0080] Path selection rules: If the local forwarding conditions are met: The forwarding control module selects a localized forwarding path.

[0081] Modify the TEID field in the data message to the TEID of the target terminal.

[0082] If the local forwarding conditions are not met: The data is sent to the core network, which then forwards it.

[0083] Implementation details: RIS uses a lightweight region comparison algorithm (region ID hash comparison) to achieve fast path judgment.

[0084] In the local forwarding scenario, the TEID modification operation is completed in real time through the protocol stack.

[0085] In this embodiment, path selection is one of the core steps of the terminal data distribution method of the present invention, and its purpose is to select a suitable data transmission path based on the information in the routing record table and the judgment result of the current network environment to achieve efficient data forwarding. The implementation of path selection depends on the forwarding control module of the routing identification server (RIS), which combines the regional location of the terminal and the routing record information to execute the decision logic of localized forwarding or core network forwarding.

[0086] Specifically, the path selection in this embodiment first needs to determine whether the source terminal and the target terminal are located in the same satellite coverage area. As an option, RIS quickly determines whether the two are in the same area by comparing the cell ID and satellite ID fields corresponding to the source terminal and the target terminal in the routing record table. If the cell ID and the satellite ID are the same, it means that the source terminal and the target terminal are in the cell covered by the same satellite, and the localized forwarding conditions are met; otherwise, the data needs to be further forwarded through the core network.

[0087] In one possible implementation, when the localized forwarding conditions are met, RIS will select a local forwarding path. Specifically, RIS will modify the tunnel terminal identifier (TEID) field of the data packet to the TEID of the target terminal, and send the data packet to the cell where the target terminal is located through the NTN base station interface. It should be noted that the selection of the local forwarding path can not only reduce the transmission delay of data in the core network, but also significantly reduce the load of the core network.

[0088] For example, assuming that terminal A and terminal B are in the same cell covered by a low-orbit satellite, when terminal A sends data to terminal B, RIS first queries the routing information of terminal B in the routing record table and finds that its cell ID is the same as that of terminal A. At this time, RIS will select a local forwarding path and send the data packet directly to the NTN base station corresponding to the target terminal B without transferring the data to the core network for processing.

[0089] It should be noted that in this embodiment, when the source terminal and the target terminal are not in the same satellite coverage area, RIS will select the core network forwarding path. Specifically, RIS sends the data packet to the user plane node (UPF) of the core network through the core network interface, and the core network forwards the data packet to the cell where the target terminal is located according to the global routing information. It can be understood that this path selection logic can ensure the normal transmission of data in cross-regional communication scenarios, while avoiding data loss problems caused by failure to meet localized forwarding conditions.

[0090] In some embodiments, to improve the efficiency and accuracy of path selection, RIS can introduce a region distribution mapping table to assist in determining the location relationship of the terminal. Specifically, the region distribution mapping table stores the coverage relationship between each cell and the satellite, and compares this information with the terminal cell ID and satellite ID in the routing record table to quickly determine the relative position relationship between the source terminal and the target terminal. This design can effectively reduce the impact of complex region judgment logic on system performance.

[0091] As an extension, the path selection of the present invention can also adjust the selection strategy according to the service type. For example, for delay-sensitive services (such as real-time voice calls), RIS gives priority to local forwarding paths when determining the path; while for services with low delay requirements (such as file transfer or video download), even if the source terminal and the target terminal are located in the same coverage area, RIS can also select the core network forwarding path to achieve optimal utilization of global link resources. It should be noted that this strategy adjustment is based on the priority design of the service type, which further enhances the flexibility and adaptability of path selection.

[0092] It is understandable that the accuracy of path selection is directly related to the overall efficiency and reliability of the data distribution method. Therefore, the present invention designs a redundancy check mechanism to avoid data forwarding anomalies caused by path judgment errors. In a possible implementation, after selecting a path, RIS will verify the validity of the target path, for example, checking whether the target cell is still within the coverage of the current satellite, or whether the routing record of the target terminal is the latest. If it is found that the path judgment is inconsistent with the current network environment, RIS will re-execute the path selection logic and correct the forwarding path.

[0093] In some embodiments, the path selection logic can also be dynamically optimized in combination with the real-time network load. For example, when congestion occurs in the local satellite cell, the RIS can temporarily forward the data to the core network and resume local forwarding after the congestion is relieved. This dynamic adjustment mechanism can effectively improve the flexibility of path selection while ensuring the reliability of data transmission.

[0094] It should be noted that the path selection in the present invention does not depend on a specific satellite communication architecture or protocol type. This design ensures the wide applicability of the method. For example, in a low-orbit satellite communication system, path selection mainly considers the rapidly changing satellite coverage relationship, while in a geosynchronous orbit satellite system, path selection focuses more on cross-cell routing planning. Regardless of the scenario, the present invention can implement the path selection function through the modular design of RIS.

[0095] It can be understood from the above description that the path selection step in this embodiment fully realizes the optimization selection of the data forwarding path through the logic design based on regional location judgment, the auxiliary function of the regional distribution mapping table, and the dynamic adjustment of the service type and network load. The above content is fully disclosed, providing reliable technical support for the subsequent data forwarding steps, and ensuring the feasibility and applicability of the implementation of the present invention.

[0096] Step 5: Data forwarding Local forwarding: RIS sends the modified data message to the target terminal through the NTN base station interface.

[0097] Core network forwarding: If the target terminal is not within the current satellite coverage, the data message is forwarded to the cell where the target terminal is located through the core network interface.

[0098] Implementation details: During data forwarding, the integrity and sequence of messages are guaranteed by the TCP / IP protocol.

[0099] The core network forwarding adopts the standard NG-U interface protocol to ensure compatibility.

[0100] In this embodiment, data forwarding is an important step of the terminal data distribution method of the present invention, which is used to forward the data packet to the target terminal or core network according to the judgment result of the path selection step to achieve efficient communication between terminals. The present invention completes the actual forwarding operation of the data through the forwarding control module of the Routing Identification Server (RIS), which executes different forwarding logics according to the type of the target path.

[0101] Specifically, the data forwarding step of the present invention includes processing of two path selection results: a local forwarding path and a core network forwarding path. As an option, when the path selection step determines that the source terminal and the target terminal are located within the cell covered by the same satellite, the RIS performs localized forwarding; when the path selection step determines that the source terminal and the target terminal are located in different coverage areas, the RIS performs data forwarding through the core network.

[0102] In one possible implementation, when RIS selects a local forwarding path, the forwarding control module needs to modify the TEID field of the data packet. Exemplarily, TEID (Tunnel Endpoint Identifier) ​​is used to identify the tunnel information of the target terminal and is a key field in the GTP protocol. RIS queries the TEID corresponding to the target terminal in the routing record table, replaces the TEID field in the data packet with the TEID of the target terminal, and sends the modified data packet to the cell where the target terminal is located through the NTN base station interface. It should be noted that the implementation of the local forwarding path depends on the accuracy of the routing record table, and RIS will verify the validity of the target path before executing forwarding.

[0103] In some embodiments, to improve the transmission efficiency of the local forwarding path, the RIS can perform lightweight encapsulation processing on the data packets. For example, for short message communication between terminals, the RIS can remove unnecessary message header information while retaining key protocol fields (such as IP address and TEID), thereby reducing the transmission burden. It is understandable that this lightweight processing requires consistent protocol decoding logic between the RIS and the target terminal to ensure complete parsing of the data.

[0104] As an option, when the path selection step determines the core network forwarding path, RIS will send the data packet to the user plane node (UPF) of the core network through the core network interface. Specifically, RIS does not modify the protocol header and field content of the data packet, but directly forwards the parsed complete data packet to the core network, and the core network completes the positioning and data forwarding of the target terminal area based on the global routing information. It should be noted that the core network forwarding path is suitable for scenarios where there is a need for cross-regional communication between terminals, such as when the source terminal and the target terminal are in cells covered by different satellites.

[0105] In some embodiments, to improve the reliability of cross-regional communications, RIS can add a trace ID to the data packet in the core network forwarding path. For example, RIS attaches a unique trace ID when forwarding a data packet. After completing the forwarding, the core network feeds back the trace ID and confirmation information of the target path to RIS for subsequent data transmission optimization. It is understandable that this tracking mechanism can help RIS to grasp the transmission status of the data packet in real time and adjust the forwarding strategy when necessary.

[0106] It should be noted that, regardless of whether the local forwarding path or the core network forwarding path is selected, RIS uses a standardized interface protocol to interact with the NTN base station or the core network. For example, in this embodiment, the interaction between RIS and the core network is based on the NG-U interface protocol, which can ensure the consistency and integrity of data packets in cross-regional transmission. In addition, the interface protocol between RIS and the NTN base station supports TCP / IP communication and protects data security through encrypted tunnels.

[0107] In one possible implementation, RIS can also dynamically adjust data forwarding strategies based on real-time network load conditions. For example, when a local satellite cell experiences short-term congestion, RIS can temporarily forward some data packets to the core network, and then resume local forwarding after the cell congestion is alleviated. This dynamic adjustment mechanism can effectively balance the use of network resources while ensuring the stability of data transmission.

[0108] For example, in a low-orbit satellite communication scenario, the forwarding control module of RIS needs to handle changes in cell coverage caused by the rapid movement of satellites. For example, when the source terminal is located in a cell covered by satellite A and the target terminal is located in a cell covered by satellite B, RIS will determine whether the data packet can be directly delivered to the target terminal through the local forwarding path based on the coverage time window of satellite A and satellite B. If the satellite coverage time is insufficient, RIS selects the core network forwarding path to ensure that the data packet can be delivered to the area where the target terminal is located through the core network.

[0109] In some embodiments, data forwarding can also be optimized in combination with quality of service (QoS) parameters. For example, for delay-sensitive real-time communication services (such as video calls), RIS will give priority to paths with lower delays (usually local forwarding paths) when forwarding; while for file transfer services with large bandwidth requirements, RIS may choose core network forwarding paths to fully utilize the core network's transmission capabilities.

[0110] It should be noted that the data forwarding step design in the present invention has a high degree of modularity, and both the TEID modification logic of the local forwarding path and the interface protocol design of the core network forwarding path can be flexibly adjusted according to the actual application scenario. This modular design ensures the adaptability of the method of the present invention in different satellite communication systems, such as low-orbit satellites, multi-orbit satellites and geosynchronous orbit satellite communication systems.

[0111] It can be understood from the above description that the data forwarding step in this embodiment realizes efficient transmission of data between terminals through the application of dynamic forwarding logic based on path selection results, protocol field modification and tracking identification. The above content is fully disclosed, providing complete technical support for the implementation of the terminal data distribution method of the present invention, while ensuring the feasibility and applicability of the solution.

[0112] Step 6: Dynamic Resource Management Timeout cleanup mechanism: Scan the routing record table regularly and delete inactive records that exceed the timeout period (such as 10 minutes).

[0113] Release signaling cleanup: After the terminal completes the communication or sends a release signaling, the dynamic resource management module deletes the routing record related to the terminal.

[0114] Abnormal recovery mechanism: If the routing record is damaged or lost, RIS triggers the reconstruction process through the core network interface.

[0115] Implementation details: Timeout cleaning uses scheduled task scheduling, and the scanning interval is configurable.

[0116] Abnormal recovery rebuilds lost records based on the core network's global routing information.

[0117] In this embodiment, dynamic resource management is an important step of the terminal data distribution method of the present invention, which is used to ensure the timely update of routing records and the cleaning of invalid records, thereby achieving efficient use of system resources and stable operation of data distribution. This step is completed by the dynamic resource management module of the Routing Identification Server (RIS), which combines record timeout cleaning, resource release and abnormal recovery mechanisms to perform real-time dynamic management of the routing record table.

[0118] Specifically, the dynamic resource management of the present invention includes the following main functions: timeout cleaning of routing records, resource recovery of terminal release signaling, and abnormal recovery mechanism. These functions ensure the real-time and validity of the routing record table and avoid the adverse effects of expired or damaged records on system performance.

[0119] As an option, the present invention designs a timeout cleanup strategy based on timestamps. RIS will add an update timestamp field to each routing record to record the time when the record was last accessed or updated. In a possible implementation, the dynamic resource management module of RIS periodically scans the routing record table and compares the update timestamp of each record with the current time. If it is found that the update time interval of a certain record exceeds a preset timeout threshold (for example, 10 minutes), the record is marked as "inactive" or directly deleted. It should be noted that the timeout threshold can be adjusted according to the dynamic nature of the network and actual business needs to adapt to different application scenarios.

[0120] In some embodiments, in order to improve the efficiency of timeout cleaning, RIS adopts a segmented scanning mechanism. Specifically, the routing record table is divided into multiple time periods according to the range of the update timestamp, and each cleaning task only scans the records in one of the time periods. This segmented scanning method can effectively reduce the system load, especially in the scenario of large-scale routing record management, avoiding performance bottlenecks caused by full table scanning.

[0121] In terms of resource recovery of terminal release signaling, the present invention accurately locates the routing records that need to be released through signaling interaction between RIS and NTN base station or core network. For example, when a terminal completes communication or actively disconnects, the NTN base station will send a release signaling to RIS, and the signaling contains the identification information of the terminal (such as IP address and TEID). After receiving the release signaling, the dynamic resource management module of RIS immediately deletes all records related to the terminal from the routing record table. It can be understood that this active resource recovery mechanism can quickly release the system resources occupied by invalid records and ensure the real-time performance of the routing record table.

[0122] As an extension, RIS also designs an abnormal recovery mechanism to deal with the problem of damage or data loss in the routing record table. In one possible implementation, when RIS detects that there are conflicting or damaged records in the routing record table (for example, the IP address of the same terminal corresponds to multiple TEIDs, or the field information of some records is missing), the dynamic resource management module will re-acquire the routing information of the terminal through the core network or NTN base station and repair the affected records. Exemplarily, RIS can send a query request to the core network to obtain the latest TEID and regional location of the terminal, and update this information to the routing record table, thereby completing the repair and recovery of the record.

[0123] It should be noted that the dynamic resource management of the present invention also includes an optimized design for high-concurrency scenarios. In some embodiments, RIS adopts a multi-threaded parallel cleaning mechanism, and different threads are responsible for processing routing records in different areas. Specifically, the dynamic resource management module divides the routing records into multiple independent cleaning tasks according to the distribution of cell IDs or satellite IDs in the routing record table, and assigns them to different threads for parallel processing. This design can significantly improve the efficiency of timeout cleaning and resource recovery, especially in scenarios with a large number of terminals or high network dynamics.

[0124] In one possible implementation, in order to further improve the intelligence level of resource management, RIS also introduces a dynamic timeout adjustment strategy. Specifically, RIS will dynamically adjust the timeout threshold according to the real-time changes in network traffic. For example, when network traffic is at a peak, RIS can appropriately extend the timeout to reduce the frequency of cleanup tasks and avoid excessive impact on system performance; when network traffic is at a low point, RIS can shorten the timeout to quickly release unused system resources.

[0125] It is understandable that the implementation of dynamic resource management not only needs to consider the effectiveness and cleaning efficiency of routing records, but also needs to ensure the stability and continuity of the data distribution method. The present invention further enhances the reliability of dynamic resource management by designing a redundant record storage mechanism. For example, when a routing record is marked as "inactive" or is about to be deleted, RIS will transfer the record to a temporary storage area (such as cache memory or database) within a certain period of time to prevent data distribution anomalies caused by the record being mistakenly deleted. If the record is re-accessed during the temporary storage period, RIS can restore it to the "active" state and re-add it to the routing record table.

[0126] For example, in a typical low-orbit satellite communication scenario, when a satellite switches its coverage area, the dynamic resource management module of RIS will immediately clear all inactive records in the original satellite coverage area and re-establish routing records in the new satellite coverage area. This dynamic adjustment can adapt to the rapid changes in the low-orbit satellite system while maintaining the real-time and accuracy of routing records.

[0127] It can be understood from the above description that the dynamic resource management step in this embodiment fully realizes the dynamic management function of routing records by combining timeout cleaning, release signaling recycling, abnormal recovery mechanism and high concurrency optimization design, and provides strong technical support for the efficient implementation of the data distribution method. The above content is fully disclosed to ensure the feasibility and applicability of the implementation of the scheme of the present invention.

[0128] System advantages and scalability Low latency transmission: Localized forwarding significantly reduces the path delay of data bypassing the core network, and is particularly suitable for low-latency application scenarios (such as remote control, voice calls, etc.).

[0129] Core network load optimization: Core network traffic has been significantly reduced and resource utilization efficiency has been improved.

[0130] Dynamic expansion capability: The routing record table is designed to support dynamic expansion and can adapt to the growth in the number of terminal accesses.

[0131] Multi-scenario adaptability: The solution can be applied to scenarios such as low-orbit satellites, Internet of Things communications, and remote area communications, and has high compatibility.

[0132] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for distributing terminal data in a satellite communication scenario, characterized in that: include: The NTN base station is configured to receive uplink data or downlink data of the terminal; A route identification server (RIS) is connected in communication with the NTN base station, and the RIS includes: Protocol parsing module, used to parse the IP protocol layer and GTP protocol layer information of the data message; The routing record management module is used to dynamically maintain the association between the terminal's IP address and TEID; A forwarding control module, used to select a data forwarding path based on the routing record table and the area judgment result; Dynamic resource management module, used to clean up timed-out or released routing records; The core network is used to handle data traffic that cannot be completed through the local forwarding path.

2. The method for terminal data distribution in a satellite communication scenario according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the data parsing step, the following contents of the data message are parsed by the protocol parsing module: Destination IP address in the uplink data; Source IP address in downstream data; TEID field of the GTP protocol.

3. The method for terminal data distribution in a satellite communication scenario according to claim 1, characterized in that: The routing record table includes the following fields: Terminal IP address; TEID; The satellite ID where the terminal is located; Cell ID; Update timestamp; Status indicator.

4. The method for terminal data distribution in a satellite communication scenario according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of determining whether the source terminal and the target terminal are located in the same satellite coverage area is achieved by comparing the satellite ID and the cell ID in the routing record table.

5. The method for terminal data distribution in a satellite communication scenario according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of determining whether the source terminal and the target terminal are located in the same satellite coverage area is achieved by comparing the satellite ID and the cell ID in the routing record table.

6. The method for terminal data distribution in a satellite communication scenario according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the forwarding path selection step, if the local forwarding condition is met, the forwarding control module further modifies the TEID field in the data message to the TEID of the target terminal.

7. The method for distributing terminal data in a satellite communication scenario according to claim 2, characterized in that: The protocol parsing module supports IPv4 and IPv6 protocols and can parse messages of multiple communication protocols simultaneously.

8. The method for distributing terminal data in a satellite communication scenario according to claim 2, characterized in that: The routing record management module includes the following functions: When the terminal initiates data transmission, a new routing record is automatically added; When the terminal completes data transmission or releases the connection, the routing record is automatically deleted; Regularly clean up routing records that have not been updated for a predetermined period of time.

9. The method for distributing terminal data in a satellite communication scenario according to claim 2, characterized in that: The dynamic resource management module further includes an abnormal recovery function, when the routing record table is damaged or the record is lost, the routing record is rebuilt by requesting global routing information from the core network.

10. The method for distributing terminal data in a satellite communication scenario according to claim 1, characterized in that: The routing identification server performs load balancing distribution on data streams through a consistent hashing algorithm and supports parallel processing of multiple RIS instances.

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