Continuous communication services for mobile non-terrestrial networks

Abstract

Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to apparatuses and methods for providing continuous communication services for user equipments (UEs) connected to a non-terrestrial network (NTN) and / or one or more satellites providing cellular coverage. The UE may receive a list of neighbor cells from a serving cell, which may be a satellite moving relative to the earth and having a mobile coverage area. After receiving the list of neighbor cells, the UE may sort the list to prioritize the neighbor cells. The ordering may be based on a calculated distance between the UE and each of the neighbor cells. The UE may sequentially perform synchronization and measurement procedures with each of the neighbor cells or a subset of the neighbor cells based on the priority order. The UE may then establish communication with the target cell from the priority list to maintain continuity.

Description

Cross Reference to Related Applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 588,969, filed February 27, 2024, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 493,968, filed April 3, 2023, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The described aspects generally relate to mechanisms for maintaining continuous communication coverage for user equipment (UE) connected to a non-terrestrial network (NTN) having a mobile serving cell. BACKGROUND

[0003] In some examples, a user equipment (UE) can be connected with a wireless communication network via one or more non-terrestrial network (NTN) cells. For example, the NTN cell coverage can be provided by a satellite in space and / or orbiting the Earth. Due to the movement of the satellite and its corresponding serving cell, the UE can experience a situation of service discontinuity. For example, the UE can no longer be located within the serving cell because the satellite has moved. As such, the coverage area has also moved. In this way, the UE can experience a loss of connection to the network. Furthermore, it is unclear how the UE should reconnect to the network or which cell should subsequently serve the UE. SUMMARY

[0004] Some aspects of the disclosure relate to apparatuses and methods for providing continuous communication service for a UE connected to an NTN and / or one or more satellites providing cellular coverage. For example, some aspects of the disclosure relate to apparatuses and methods for configuring a UE to receive a list of neighbor cells from a serving cell. The serving cell can be a satellite providing NTN coverage. The satellite can also be moving relative to the Earth and, as such, has a moving cell coverage area or coverage zone. After receiving the list of neighbor cells, the UE can order the list to prioritize the one or more neighbor cells. The ordering can be based on a calculated distance between the UE and each of the neighbor cells. Neighbor cells that are closer or have a smaller calculated distance can have a higher priority than neighbor cells that are farther away. The UE can sequentially perform synchronization and measurement procedures with each of the neighbor cells or a subset of the neighbor cells based on the priority order of the list. Based on the results of the synchronization and measurement procedures, the UE can establish communication with a target cell from the list of neighbor cells. In this way, the UE can establish service continuity with a neighbor cell.

[0005] Some aspects of the disclosure relate to a UE. The UE includes a transceiver configured to enable wireless communication. The transceiver receives communications from a serving cell. The serving cell can be a satellite in an NTN. The UE also includes a processor communicatively coupled with the transceiver. The processor can be configured to receive, from the serving cell, a list of one or more neighbor cells with respective positioning information. The processor is further configured to calculate respective distances between the UE and the one or more neighbor cells using the respective positioning information. The processor is further configured to order the list of the one or more neighbor cells based on the respective distances to generate a priority list that orders the one or more neighbor cells based on the respective distances. The processor is further configured to sequentially perform synchronization and measurement procedures with the one or more neighbor cells in an order of the priority list. The processor is further configured to establish communications with a target cell from the priority list based on the synchronization and measurement procedures.

[0006] In some aspects, the respective positioning information includes location, velocity, or timing information.

[0007] In some aspects, to sequentially perform the synchronization and measurement procedures, the processor is further configured to identify a subset of the one or more neighbor cells based on the order of the priority list and a predefined number of neighbor cells. The processor is further configured to perform the synchronization and measurement procedures for each neighbor cell in the subset.

[0008] In some aspects, to sequentially perform the synchronization and measurement procedures, the processor is further configured to perform reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), or signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) measurements.

[0009] In some aspects, the processor is further configured to calculate the respective distances in response to determining that a serving time corresponding to the serving cell is below a threshold.

[0010] In some aspects, the processor is further configured to receive a second list from a second serving cell, where the second list includes a set of neighbor cells of the second serving cell. The processor is further configured to determine that a serving time corresponding to the second serving cell is above a threshold and sequentially perform second synchronization and measurement procedures with the set of neighbor cells according to an order of the second list. The processor is further configured to establish communications with a cell from the set of neighbor cells based on the second synchronization and measurement procedures.

[0011] In some aspects, the processor is further configured to calculate the respective distances in response to determining that a distance between the UE and the serving cell is above a threshold.

[0012] In some aspects, the processor is further configured to receive a second list from the second serving cell, where the second list includes a set of neighbor cells of the second serving cell. The processor is further configured to determine that a distance between the UE and the second serving cell is below a threshold, and sequentially perform a second synchronization and measurement procedure with the set of neighbor cells according to an order of the second list. The processor is further configured to establish communication with a cell from the set of neighbor cells based on the second synchronization and measurement procedure.

[0013] In some aspects, the processor is further configured with a cell type priority designation. The processor is further configured to calculate the respective distance in response to determining that the one or more neighbor cells do not match the cell type priority designation.

[0014] In some aspects, the processor is further configured with a cell type priority designation. The processor is further configured to receive a second list from the second serving cell, where the second list includes a set of neighbor cells of the second serving cell. The processor is further configured to determine that a neighbor cell from the set matches the cell type priority designation. The processor is further configured to perform a second synchronization and measurement procedure with the neighbor cell and establish communication with the neighbor cell having the matching cell type priority designation.

[0015] In some aspects, the cell type priority designation identifies a geosynchronous orbit (GSO) satellite, a terrestrial network (TN) cell, or a non-GSO satellite with a fixed earth cell.

[0016] Some aspects of the disclosure relate to an apparatus. The apparatus includes a memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The at least one processor can be configured to receive, from a serving cell, a designation of a backup cell for the serving cell, where the designation of the backup cell corresponds to a designated time. The processor is further configured to designate the backup cell as having cell priority at the designated time. The processor is further configured to perform a synchronization and measurement procedure with the backup cell at the designated time and establish communication with the backup cell based on the synchronization and measurement procedure at the designated time.

[0017] In some aspects, to designate the backup cell as having cell priority, the at least one processor is further configured to designate the backup cell as having a higher priority than a list of one or more neighbor cells received from the serving cell.

[0018] In some aspects, the backup cell corresponds to a geosynchronous orbit (GSO) satellite or a terrestrial network (TN) base station.

[0019] In some aspects, the serving cell corresponds to a non-geosynchronous orbit (non-GSO) satellite with earth moving cells, a GSO satellite, or a non-GSO satellite with fixed earth cells.

[0020] Some aspects of the disclosure relate to a method performed by a UE, the method comprising receiving, at a user equipment (UE) from a serving cell, a list of one or more neighbor cells with respective positioning information. The method further comprises calculating, by the UE, respective distances between the UE and the one or more neighbor cells using the respective positioning information. The method further comprises ordering, by the UE, the list of one or more neighbor cells based on the respective distances to generate a priority list of the one or more neighbor cells ordered based on the respective distances. The method further comprises sequentially performing, by the UE, synchronization and measurement procedures with the one or more neighbor cells in an order according to the priority list. The method further comprises establishing, by the UE, communication with a target cell from the priority list based on the synchronization and measurement procedures.

[0021] In some aspects, the respective positioning information comprises location, velocity, or timing information.

[0022] In some aspects, to sequentially perform the synchronization and measurement procedures, the method further comprises identifying a subset of the one or more neighbor cells based on the order of the priority list and a predefined number of neighbor cells, and performing the synchronization and measurement procedures for each neighbor cell in the subset.

[0023] In some aspects, to sequentially perform the synchronization and measurement procedures, the method further comprises performing reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), or signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) measurements.

[0024] In some aspects, calculating the respective distances occurs in response to determining that a serving time corresponding to the serving cell is below a threshold.

[0025] In some aspects, calculating the respective distances occurs in response to determining that a distance between the UE and the serving cell is above a threshold.

[0026] In some aspects, the UE is configured with a cell type priority designation, and calculating the respective distances occurs in response to determining that the one or more neighbor cells do not match the cell type priority designation.

[0027] This Summary is provided for purposes of illustrating some aspects of the present disclosure and is not intended to be limiting of the scope of the subject matter described herein. Accordingly, the above-described features are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the subject matter described herein. Other aspects, aspects and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present disclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 1 An example non-terrestrial network (NTN) is illustrated in which a user equipment (UE) experiences service discontinuity in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 2 An example non-terrestrial network (NTN) with a candidate NTN serving cell is illustrated in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 3 An example non-terrestrial network (NTN) with a candidate base station serving cell is illustrated in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 4 A block diagram of an example system of electronic devices implementing continuous network connectivity is illustrated in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 5 An example method for a system (e.g., UE) to establish communication with a target cell is illustrated in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 6A An example method for a system (e.g., UE) to establish communication with a target cell based on a serving time of a serving cell is illustrated in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 6B An example method for a system (e.g., UE) to establish communication with a target cell based on a distance between the UE and a serving cell is illustrated in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 7 An example method for a system (e.g., UE) to establish communication with a target cell based on a cell priority designation is illustrated in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 8 An example method for a system (e.g., UE) to establish communication with a target cell based on a backup cell designation is illustrated in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 9 An example computer system for implementing some aspects or portions thereof.

[0039] The present disclosure is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Additionally, the left-most digit of each reference number generally indicates the number of the figure in which the reference number first appears. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to apparatuses and methods for providing continuous communication service for a UE connected to an NTN and / or one or more satellites providing cellular coverage. For example, some aspects of the present disclosure relate to apparatuses and methods for configuring a UE to receive a list of neighbor cells from a serving cell. The serving cell can be a satellite providing NTN coverage. The satellite can also be moving relative to the Earth and thus has a moving cell coverage area or footprint. After receiving the list of neighbor cells, the UE can order the list to prioritize the one or more neighbor cells. The ordering can be based on a calculated distance between the UE and each of the neighbor cells. Neighbor cells that are closer or have a smaller calculated distance can have a higher priority than neighbor cells that are farther away. The UE can sequentially perform synchronization and measurement procedures with each of the neighbor cells or a subset of the neighbor cells based on the priority order of the list. Based on the results of the synchronization and measurement procedures, the UE can establish communication with a target cell from the list of neighbor cells. In this way, the UE can establish service continuity with a neighbor cell.

[0041] In some examples, aspects of the present disclosure can be performed by networks and / or UEs operating according to fifth generation (5G) wireless technology for digital cellular networks as defined by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). Additionally or alternatively, aspects of the present disclosure can be performed by networks and / or UEs operating according to Release 15 (Rel-15), Release 16 (Rel-16), Release 17 (Rel-17), Rel-17 New Radio (NR), and / or the like. However, aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to these examples, and one or more mechanisms of the present disclosure can be implemented by other networks and / or UEs to enable continuous NTN service communication.

[0042] Figure 1 An example non-terrestrial network (NTN) 100 is illustrated in which a user equipment (UE) 110 experiences a case of service discontinuity in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure. The example NTN 100 is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the disclosed aspects.

[0043] The non-terrestrial network (NTN) 100 includes a UE 110, satellites 120A, 120B, and cells 130A, 130B, 130C. The satellite 120A provides the cell 130A, while the satellite 120B provides the cell 130B. The cells 130 can represent coverage areas, footprints, or cellular communication coverage on Earth. For example, the satellite 120A can provide the cell 130A and can provide communication coverage for communication devices within the cell 130A. The communication devices within the cell 130A communicate with the satellite 120A to access the NTN. The NTN access can facilitate communication with other communication devices connected to the NTN. For example, the communication can be performed using a 5G protocol.

[0044] In some aspects, the satellites 120A, 120B are non-geosynchronous orbit (non-GSO) satellites. The satellites 120A, 120B can be low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. In some aspects, the satellites 120A, 120B can be medium earth orbit (MEO) and / or highly eccentric orbit (HEO) satellites. The non-GSO satellites 120A, 120B can be in a constellation or a fleet, and can facilitate communications with the NTN. In some aspects, the satellites 120A, 120B move relative to the Earth. That is, the non-GSO satellites 120A, 120B can not be fixed in space relative to the Earth’s surface. In view of this movement, their respective cells 130A, 130B also move relative to the Earth. This movement can result in a case of service discontinuity for a UE, such as the UE 110, which can have previously been located within the cell 130A or the cell 130B.

[0045] For example, in a previous time instance, the satellite 120B can have a communication coverage area that covers the cell 130C. The satellite 120B can have served the UE 110 and / or provided connectivity to the NTN for the UE 110. The satellite 120B can then move at a subsequent time. This movement can be a movement in space and / or can be a result of the satellite 120B being a non-GSO satellite. As a result of the movement of the satellite 120B, the corresponding coverage area of the satellite 120B can have moved to the cell 130B. However, the UE 110 can not have moved. For example, the UE 110 can still remain in the previous coverage area corresponding to the cell 130C. In this case, the UE 110 can no longer have connectivity to the NTN because the satellite 120B and its corresponding coverage area have moved. As a result of this movement of the satellite 120B, the UE 110 can experience a case of service discontinuity.

[0046] As discussed further in this disclosure, aspects of the disclosure address this discontinuity. Aspects of the disclosure provide apparatuses and methods that provide continuous service to a UE 110 even when an NTN satellite 120 moves and has a moving service area or cell 130. In considering this discontinuity, aspects of the disclosure also address additional NTN scenarios and configurations as referenced Figure 2 and Figure 3 are discussed.

[0047] Figure 2 An example NTN 200 with a candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) serving cell is illustrated in accordance with some aspects of the disclosure. The example NTN 200 is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the disclosed aspects.

[0048] The NTN 200 includes a UE 210, satellites 220A, 220B, 240, and cells 230A, 230B, 230C. The UE 210 can be similar to the UE 110, as described with reference to Figure 1 The satellites 220A, 220B and the cells 230A, 230B can be similar to the satellites 120A, 120B and the cells 130A, 130B in FIG. 1. Figure 1 For example, the satellites 220A, 220B can be non-GSO satellites and / or can move relative to the surface of the Earth. This can result in movement of coverage areas or coverage zones that can correspond to the cells 230A, 230B.

[0049] However, in this configuration, another satellite 240 exists and / or can provide coverage for a cell 230C. For example, the satellite 240 can be a geosynchronous orbit (GSO) satellite. This coverage provides a candidate NTN serving cell 230C to maintain coverage for the UE 210.

[0050] When considering whether to provide NTN service via the satellite 240, the system can consider the frequencies and / or carriers used for communication. For example, the satellites 220A, 220B can use the same frequencies and / or carriers to provide communication service. However, the satellite 240 can use different frequencies and / or carriers to provide communication service. The operations described below address this scenario. These operations consider and / or determine whether service provided by a GSO satellite, such as the satellite 240, is suitable to address a potential discontinuity. As discussed further below, a GSO satellite can be considered and / or prioritized higher or lower than other non-GSO satellites to provide continuous service.

[0051] Figure 3 An example non-terrestrial network (NTN) 300 with a candidate base station serving cell is illustrated in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure. The example NTN 300 is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the disclosed aspects.

[0052] The NTN 300 includes a UE 310, satellites 320A, 320B, and cells 330A, 330B, 330C. The NTN 300 also includes a base station 350. In some aspects, the base station 350 can be a terrestrial network (TN) base station and / or a gNB. The base station 350 can provide coverage for the cell 330C. This can provide a candidate TN serving cell 330C to maintain coverage for the UE 310. In this way, the UE 310 can connect to the base station 350 for a TN connection. However, the UE 310 can have multiple options, such as the base station 350, another non-GSO satellite, or a GSO satellite for accessing a communication network. The operations described below address this situation. These operations consider and / or determine whether service by the base station 350 is suitable to address a potential discontinuity. As discussed further below, to provide continuous service, the base station 350 and / or the TN cell 330C can be considered and / or prioritized higher or lower than a satellite connection.

[0053] Figure 4 A block diagram of an example system 400 of an electronic device that implements continuous network connectivity according to some aspects of the disclosure is illustrated. The system 400 can be or be included in any of the electronic devices of the systems 100, 200, 300 (e.g., the UEs 110, 210, 310, the satellites 120, 220, 240, 320, and / or the base station 350). The system 400 includes a processor 410, one or more transceivers 420, a communication infrastructure 440, a memory 450, an operating system 452, an application 454, a threshold 456, a timer 458, and / or an antenna 430. The illustrated system is provided as an example portion of the system 400, and the system 400 can include other circuitry and subsystems. Additionally, although the system of the system 400 is illustrated as separate components, aspects of the disclosure can include any combination of these components, fewer components, or more components. Additionally, the system 400 of aspects of the disclosure can include any number of processors, transceivers, communication infrastructures, memories, operating systems, applications, and antennas.

[0054] Memory 450 can include random access memory (RAM) and / or cache and can include control logic (e.g., computer software) and / or data. Memory 450 can include other storage devices or memory, such as, but not limited to, hard disk drives and / or removable storage devices / units. According to some examples, an operating system 452 can be stored in memory 450. Operating system 452 can manage data transfer between memory 450, one or more applications 454, processor 410, and / or one or more transceivers 420. In some examples, operating system 452 maintains one or more network protocol stacks (e.g., Internet protocol stacks, cellular protocol stacks, etc.) that can include a plurality of logical layers. At a corresponding layer of the protocol stack, operating system 452 includes control mechanisms and data structures to perform functions associated with that layer.

[0055] According to some examples, applications 454 can be stored in memory 450. Applications 454 can include applications used by wireless system 400 and / or a user of wireless system 400 (e.g., user applications). Applications in applications 454 can include applications such as, but not limited to, mobile communications, radio streaming, video streaming, remote control, and / or other user applications.

[0056] According to some aspects, memory 450 can store different thresholds 456. Thresholds 456 can include, but are not limited to, a serving time threshold for serving cell timing, a distance threshold for a distance between system 400 and a serving cell, a DL channel quality threshold, a UL channel quality threshold, and / or the like. Memory 450 can store timers 458. Timers 458 can include timers and / or counters discussed herein. For example, this can include a serving time counter. However, aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to these examples, and memory 450 can include other thresholds, timers, and / or counters.

[0057] System 400 can also include a communication infrastructure 440. Communication infrastructure 440 provides, for example, communication between processor 410, one or more transceivers 420, and memory 450. In some implementations, communication infrastructure 440 can be a bus. As described herein, processor 410 performs operations with instructions stored in memory 450, enabling system 400 to implement continuous service operations and communication with NTN satellites and / or cells.

[0058] According to some aspects, the one or more transceivers 420 transmit and receive communication signals that support the operation of the system 400, including but not limited to NTN and / or TN communications, and can be coupled to the antennas 430. The antennas 430 can include one or more antennas, which can be of the same or different types. The one or more transceivers 420 allow the system 400 to communicate with other devices that can be wired and / or wireless. In some examples, the one or more transceivers 420 can include processors, controllers, radios, sockets, plugs, buffers, and similar circuitry / devices for connecting to and communicating on networks. According to some examples, the one or more transceivers 420 include one or more circuits for connecting to and communicating on wired and / or wireless networks.

[0059] According to some aspects, the one or more transceivers 420 can include cellular subsystems, WLAN subsystems, and / or Bluetooth ™ subsystems, each including its own radio transceiver and protocols, as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art based on the discussion provided herein. In some implementations, the one or more transceivers 420 can include more or less systems for communicating with other devices.

[0060] In some examples, the one or more transceivers 420 can include one or more circuits (including a WLAN transceiver) to enable connectivity and communication over a WLAN network, such as but not limited to a network based on the standards described in IEEE 802.11. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more transceivers 420 can include one or more circuits (including a Bluetooth ™ transceiver) to enable connectivity and communication based on, for example, the Bluetooth ™ protocol, the Bluetooth ™ Low Energy protocol, or the Bluetooth ™ Low Energy Remote protocol. For example, the transceiver 420 can include a Bluetooth ™ transceiver.

[0061] Additionally, the one or more transceivers 420 can include one or more circuits (including a cellular transceiver) to enable connectivity to and communication on cellular networks and satellite networks, including NTN networks. Cellular networks can include, but are not limited to, 3G / 4G / 5G networks, such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and the like. For example, the one or more transceivers 420 can be configured to operate according to one or more of Rel-15, Rel-16, Rel-17, or other releases of the 3GPP standards.

[0062] According to some aspects, the processor 410 alone or in combination with computer instructions stored in memory 450 and / or one or more transceivers 420 implements a process for providing continuous services for NTN and / or TN communications, as described herein.

[0063] Figure 5 Example methods for establishing communication with a target cell using a system (e.g., a UE) according to some aspects of this disclosure are illustrated. For convenience, and not limitation, please contact [contact information]. Figure 1 Element description Figure 5 Method 500 can represent a UE (e.g., implementing operations for providing continuous connectivity to a mobile network) that... Figure 1 , Figure 2 or Figure 3 The operation of UE 110, 210, or 310. Method 500 can also be performed by Figure 4 System 400 and / or Figure 9 The computer system 900 executes the method. However, method 500 is not limited to the specific aspects depicted in the figures, and other systems may be used to execute the method as will be understood by those skilled in the art. It should be understood that not all operations may be necessary, and these operations may not be performed in accordance with the specific methods described in the figures. Figure 5 Perform them in the same order as shown.

[0064] At 505, UE 110 receives from the serving cell a list of one or more neighboring cells with corresponding location information. The serving cell may refer to, for example, a specific satellite and / or a service area corresponding to that satellite. For example, a cell or serving cell may refer to a specific satellite 120 and / or its corresponding cell 130. The list of one or more neighboring cells may identify one or more other satellites 120 and / or base stations and their corresponding serving cells. Other satellites 120 and / or base stations may provide cellular service in the vicinity of the serving cell. In some aspects, the list includes one or more neighboring cells in the radio network and / or NTN identification list. This list may be provided in data packets and / or as control information sent from the serving cell to UE 110. The list may include neighboring cell identification information and / or identifiers that can identify one or more neighboring cells.

[0065] In some respects, the list also identifies cell types. For example, the list may identify neighboring cells as satellite type, NTN type, TN type, and / or other type or category information. Cell type information may also indicate whether the satellite is a GSO or non-GSO satellite. Cell type may also indicate whether the satellite has a fixed Earth cell or a mobile Earth cell. In some respects, the list may include one or more frequencies and / or carriers used by the cells to facilitate communication.

[0066] The serving cell can also provide positioning information for each of the one or more neighbor cells. The positioning information can include ephemeris information. For example, the ephemeris information can include position, velocity, and / or timing information for each of the one or more neighbor cells. A particular neighbor cell can be a satellite 120 and / or its corresponding cell 130. However, the satellite can be a non-GSO satellite and / or an earth-moving cell. In this case, because the neighbor satellite cell can be moving, the serving cell can inform the UE 110 of the corresponding position, velocity, and / or timing information so that the UE 110 can determine and / or predict the position of the neighbor satellite. The distance calculations are further described in the calculation in reference 510.

[0067] In some aspects, when the neighbor cell is a fixed cell, the positioning information can indicate the position of the cell. For example, for GSO satellites and / or ground base stations, the list can indicate the particular position of the cell. This can include coordinates or other position information. In some aspects, the positioning information can not include velocity and / or timing for non-moving cells.

[0068] At 510, the UE 110 uses the respective positioning information to calculate respective distances between the UE 110 and the one or more neighbor cells. For GSO satellites and / or base stations, the UE 110 can use the position information provided by the serving cell to calculate the distance between the UE 110 and the respective cell. In some aspects, the distance calculation can correspond to the distance between the UE 110 and the center of the neighbor cell and / or the distance to the edge of the neighbor cell. For example, the position information provided by the serving cell can include coordinates indicating the position of the cell, satellite, and / or base station. In some aspects, this can include coverage area information.

[0069] For non-GSO and / or earth-moving satellites, the UE 110 can use the ephemeris information to calculate the respective distances. The UE 110 can use the position information and / or the velocity and timing information to calculate the respective distances between the UE and the non-GSO and / or earth-moving satellite. The velocity information can include a magnitude of the neighbor cell’s travel velocity and / or direction. This can be a vector value indicating the velocity of the earth-moving satellite. The timing information can indicate a time and / or timestamp corresponding to the velocity information and / or position information. In some aspects, the timing information indicates a current time, a future time, and / or a past time of the neighbor cell’s information. The correlation of the position and / or velocity information with the timing information can allow the UE 110 to calculate the respective distances.

[0070] For example, the time can be a current time and / or can indicate a corresponding current location of a satellite providing the neighbor cell. The UE 110 uses this information to calculate a distance between the UE 110 and the neighbor cell. However, because the satellite can move according to the velocity information, the location of the neighbor cell can be different at different times. In this way, the UE 110 can use the timing information along with the velocity information to calculate a later and / or future location of the neighbor cell. This calculation can take into account the timing at which the serving cell will not serve the UE 110 and / or a service discontinuity can occur. The UE 110 can reference this future location to determine its own relative location to determine a target cell for providing service, as discussed further below. The UE 110 can perform this calculation for each neighbor cell identified on the list of neighbor cells.

[0071] In some aspects, the timing information can be a past time and / or can correspond to a previous location of the neighbor cell. The UE 110 can also use this information along with the velocity information to calculate a predicted location and / or distance between the UE 110 and the neighbor cell. In some aspects, the timing information can be a future time with a corresponding location and / or velocity of the neighbor cell in the future. The UE 110 can similarly use this information to similarly calculate a distance in a similar manner.

[0072] In view of the timing information corresponding to the location and / or velocity information, the UE 110 can determine a current location and / or a future location of the neighbor cell. The UE 110 can then determine a distance between itself and the neighbor cell. This determination can be performed when the UE 110 has determined that service by the serving cell will cease. The UE 110 can determine a respective distance for each of the neighbor cells in the list provided by the serving cell.

[0073] At 515, the UE 110 orders the list of one or more neighbor cells based on the respective distances to generate a priority list that orders the one or more neighbor cells by priority. For example, after determining the respective distances, the UE 110 orders the one or more neighbor cells based on the respective distances. The UE 110 can prioritize neighbor cells that are closer in distance over neighbor cells that are relatively farther in distance. For example, a neighbor cell that is closer in distance to the UE 110 can be given a higher priority. This priority ordering can order the neighbor cells from smallest distance to largest distance.

[0074] At 520, the UE 110 performs synchronization and measurement procedures with one or more neighbor cells in an order according to the priority list. In some aspects, the UE 110 can perform synchronization and measurement with each of the one or more neighbor cells based on the order. In some aspects, the UE 110 can perform synchronization and measurement with a subset of the one or more neighbor cells in the priority list. The subset can be a predefined number of neighbor cells. For example, the UE 110 can be programmed or configured to perform synchronization and measurement with the top five or five closest (in terms of distance) neighbor cells in the priority list. The UE 110 can be configured with the threshold (e.g., top five) based on a specification and / or based on a network command or configuration. In some aspects, the UE 110 can perform synchronization and measurement procedures for each of the cells in the priority list. The UE 110 can perform the synchronization and measurement procedures to determine a particular target neighbor cell to use for communication, as described further with reference to 525.

[0075] The synchronization and measurement procedures can be used to determine a quality of a signal and / or communication between the UE 110 and a candidate neighbor cell. For example, the synchronization and measurement procedures can include a cell detection procedure. This can include cell timing acquisition and / or downlink synchronization with a target cell. For example, the UE 110 can acquire timing of a target cell for signal synchronization.

[0076] With the cell detection and cell timing acquisition, the UE 110 can perform signal measurements to determine a particular neighbor cell to continue service. In some aspects, the UE 110 can perform one or more power measurements to determine a signal strength. For example, the UE 110 can measure a reference signal from a neighbor cell to perform one or more measurements. These measurements can include a reference signal received power (RSRP), a reference signal received quality (RSRQ), a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), and / or other signal strength measurements. The RSRP can correspond to an average power of a received pilot signal or reference signal. The RSRQ can characterize a quality of a received pilot signal or reference signal. The SINR can be a ratio of a signal level to a noise level and / or can reflect a signal quality. The UE 110 can perform one or more of these measurements for each neighbor cell. For example, the UE 110 can perform one or more of these measurements for a subset of the one or more neighbor cells from the list. In some aspects, the UE 110 can perform one or more of these measurements for each neighbor cell on the list.

[0077] At 525, the UE 110 establishes communication with a target cell from the priority list based on the synchronization and measurement procedures. In some aspects, the target cell can be selected from a subset of one or more neighbor cells if the UE is configured to perform synchronization and measurements on a subset of cells. Based on the signal strength measurements, the UE 110 can identify a particular target from the list to continue communication. For example, the UE 110 can perform a weighted sum and / or scoring of the measurements to identify a particular target cell. The UE 110 can select a target cell with the strongest measured signal and / or with the highest quality signal. By establishing communication with the target cell, the UE 110 can avoid a potential service discontinuity when the serving cell no longer serves the UE 110. In some aspects, the target cell can be a non-GSO satellite, a GSO satellite, or a base station.

[0078] If the UE 110 establishes communication with a non-GSO satellite as the target cell, the non-GSO satellite can move again in the future. In this case, the non-GSO satellite can provide the UE 110 with another list of neighbor cells. The UE 110 can then utilize this new list of neighbor cells to perform the method 500 to identify another cell to avoid a potential discontinuity. For example, a second serving cell can provide a second list having a set of neighbor cells corresponding to the second serving cell. In some aspects, the previous target cell can be the second serving cell. Using the second list, the UE can subsequently establish communication with a subsequent target cell from the set of neighbor cells in the second list in a similar manner. This process with additional lists and additional target cells is also applicable to the processes described below with reference to Figure 6A 、 Figure 6B 、 Figure 7 and Figure 8 .

[0079] Figure 6A An example method for a system (e.g., a UE) to establish communication with a target cell based on a serving time of a serving cell is illustrated in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure. For ease of illustration and not limitation, elements of Figure 1 may be described with respect to Figure 6A . The method 600A can be representative of the operation of a UE (e.g., the UE 110, 210, or 310 of Figure 1 、 Figure 2 or Figure 3 implementing operations for providing continuous connectivity to a mobile network. The method 600A can also be performed by the system 400 of Figure 4 and / or the computer system 900 of Figure 9 . The method 600A is not limited to the particular aspects depicted in those figures, however, and can be performed using other systems as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art. It should be understood that not all of the operations are necessarily required, and that the operations can not be performed in the illustrated order.Figure 6A are executed in the same order shown.

[0080] At 605, the UE 110 receives a list of one or more neighbor cells with corresponding positioning information from the serving cell. This can be similar to the manner described with reference to Figure 5 505.

[0081] At 610, the UE 110 determines whether the serving time of the serving cell is below a threshold. This determination can be a precondition for determining a target cell from the list of neighbor cells. For example, when the serving time of the serving cell is still above the threshold, the UE 110 can still rely on communication and service with the serving cell. The UE 110 can use the remaining serving time and the threshold to determine whether to initiate a service transfer.

[0082] For example, the serving cell can be an earth-moving satellite, a non-GSO cell, and / or a LEO cell. The serving cell can inform the UE 110 of a serving time that the serving cell will remain connected with the UE 110. For example, the designation can be five minutes, two hours, eight hours, or some other time interval. Based on this information, the UE 110 can set a timer to identify an amount of time that the UE 110 can connect to the serving cell before a potential service discontinuity, where the timer counts down from an initial value to a threshold. For example, if the designated serving time is two hours, the threshold can be set and / or triggered when there is ten minutes of serving time remaining. When the timer reaches the threshold, the UE 110 triggers a procedure to identify a target neighbor cell for transferring service. The threshold can be configured on the UE 110 and / or can be provided by the serving cell via a command. The UE 110 can check whether the tracked amount of remaining serving time is below the threshold.

[0083] If the serving time is not below the threshold, the UE 110 proceeds to 615. At 615, the UE 110 uses the list of one or more neighbor cells to establish communication with a target cell. For example, the UE 110 can use the list and order provided by the serving cell to determine the target cell. The UE 110 can not perform ordering or prioritization of the list. The UE 110 can perform synchronization and measurement procedures with each of the neighbor cells in the list or a subset of the neighbor cells to identify the target cell. This can occur in a manner similar to that described with reference to Figure 5 520 and 525.

[0084] In some aspects, the list provided by the serving cell may not be sorted based on distance. The list can be sorted based on network load balancing. For example, neighboring cells near the beginning of the list may have a lower load than neighboring cells near the end of the list. This configuration can suggest to UE 110 to use neighboring cells near the top of the load balancing target list. UE 110 can use this sorting when the service time is still above a threshold. This may occur when there are no time constraints or urgent scenarios requiring UE 110 to quickly identify the target cell. However, if the service time is below the threshold, UE 110 can be configured to quickly identify the target cell. Load balancing can be secondary to ensure there are no service discontinuities. When the service time is below the threshold, UE 110 can sort the list based on distance and identify the target cell based on the closer distance. At 610, if the service time is below the threshold, UE 110 can proceed to 620.

[0085] At position 620, UE 110 uses the corresponding location information to calculate the distance between UE 110 and one or more neighboring cells. This can be similar to reference... Figure 5 The described 510 occurs. At 625, UE 110 sorts the list of one or more neighboring cells based on corresponding distances to generate a priority list of one or more neighboring cells, where the nearest cell has a higher priority ranking. This can be similar to reference [reference missing]. Figure 5 The described 515 procedure occurs. At 630, UE 110 sequentially performs synchronization and measurement procedures with one or more neighboring cells according to the priority list. This can be similar to the reference... Figure 5 The described 520 procedure occurs. At 635, UE 110 establishes communication with the target cell from the priority list based on synchronization and measurement procedures. This can be similar to the reference... Figure 5 The 525 condition described occurs.

[0086] Figure 6B Example methods for establishing communication with a target cell based on the distance between a UE and a serving cell, according to some aspects of this disclosure, are illustrated. For convenience and not limitation, further details can be provided regarding… Figure 1 Element description Figure 6B Method 600B can represent a UE implementing operations for providing continuous connectivity to a mobile network (e.g., Figure 1 , Figure 2 or Figure 3 The operation of UE 110, 210, or 310. Method 600B can also be performed by Figure 4 System 400 and / or Figure 9the computer system 900 executes. However, the method 600B is not limited to those specific aspects depicted in the figures, and can be performed using other systems as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art. It should be understood that not all of the operations can be required and the operations can not be performed in the same order as shown. Figure 6B

[0087] At 650, the UE 110 receives a list of one or more neighbor cells with corresponding positioning information from the serving cell. This can be similar to 505 described with reference to Figure 5

[0088] At 655, the UE 110 determines whether the distance between the UE 110 and the serving cell is above a threshold. This determination can be a prerequisite for determining a target cell from the list of neighbor cells. For example, when the distance between the UE 110 and the serving cell is still below the threshold, the UE 110 can still rely on communication and service with the serving cell. Based on the determined distance, the UE 110 can still be very close and / or within the service area of the serving cell. However, when the determined distance exceeds the threshold, the UE 110 can initiate a transfer of service to a target cell. This can occur because the serving cell can be too far away to provide continuous or reliable service.

[0089] For example, the serving cell can be an earth-moving satellite, a non-GSO cell, and / or a LEO cell. As the serving cell moves, its coverage area can also move. This can result in an increase in the distance between the serving cell and the UE 110. When the threshold distance is reached or exceeded, a loss of service can be imminent. In some aspects, the threshold distance can still be within the service area, such that continuous service is maintained when transferring to a target cell. Based on the distance measurement and the threshold, the UE 110 can begin the process of identifying a target neighbor cell for transferring service. The threshold distance can be configured on the UE 110 and / or can be provided by the serving cell via a command. The UE 110 can check whether the tracked distance is above the threshold.

[0090] If the distance is not above the threshold, the UE 110 proceeds to 660. At 660, the UE 110 uses the list of one or more neighbor cells to establish communication with a target cell. For example, the UE 110 uses the list and order provided by the serving cell to determine a target cell. The UE 110 can not perform ordering or prioritization of the list. The UE 110 can perform synchronization and measurement procedures with each of the neighbor cells in the list or a subset of the neighbor cells to identify a target cell. This can occur in a manner similar to 520 and 525 described with reference to Figure 5

[0091] ​​​In some aspects, the list provided by the serving cell can not be ordered based on distance. The list can be ordered based on network load balancing. For example, neighbor cells near the beginning of the list can have lower load than neighbor cells near the end of the list. This configuration can provide the UE 110 with a suggestion to use neighbor cells near the top of the list for load balancing purposes. The UE 110 can use this ordering when the distance between the UE 110 and the serving cell is still below the threshold. This can occur when the UE 110 and the serving cell are still very close or when there are no burst scenarios requiring the UE 110 to quickly identify a target cell. However, if the distance between the UE 110 and the serving cell is above the threshold, the UE 110 can be configured to quickly identify a target cell. This can occur when the serving cell is moving away from the UE 110. Load balancing can be secondary to ensure that there are no cases of service discontinuity. When the distance exceeds the threshold, the UE 110 can order the list according to distance and identify a target cell based on the closest distance. At 655, if the distance is above the threshold, the UE 110 proceeds to 665.

[0092] At 665, the UE 110 calculates respective distances between the UE 110 and the one or more neighbor cells using the respective positioning information. This can occur in a manner similar to that described with reference to 510. At 670, the UE 110 orders the list of one or more neighbor cells based on the respective distances to generate a priority list of the one or more neighbor cells ordered by proximity, with the closest cells ranked higher in the priority list. This can occur in a manner similar to that described with reference to 515. At 675, the UE 110 sequentially performs synchronization and measurement procedures with the one or more neighbor cells in the order of the priority list. This can occur in a manner similar to that described with reference to 520. At 680, the UE 110 establishes communication with a target cell from the priority list based on the synchronization and measurement procedures. This can occur in a manner similar to that described with reference to 525. Figure 5 Figure 5 Figure 5 Figure 5

[0093] Figure 7 An example method for a system (e.g., a UE) to establish communication with a target cell based on cell priority designation is illustrated, in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure. For convenience, but without limitation, the elements Figure 1 of Figure 7 may be described Figure 1 in the context Figure 2 of Figure 3 a method 700. The method 700 can represent the operations of a UE (e.g., the UE 110, 210, or 310 of the apparatus 100, 200, or 300) implementing operations for providing continuous connectivity to a mobile network. The method 700 can also be performed by the apparatus 100, 200, or 300.​​​​Figure 4 System 400 and / or Figure 9 The computer system 900 executes the method. However, method 700 is not limited to the specific aspects depicted in the figures, and other systems may be used to execute the method as will be understood by those skilled in the art. It should be understood that not all operations may be necessary, and these operations may not be performed in accordance with... Figure 7 Perform them in the same order as shown.

[0094] At 705, UE 110 receives a list of one or more neighboring cells with corresponding location information from the serving cell. This can be similar to reference [reference]. Figure 5 The 505 error described.

[0095] At 710, UE 110 determines whether the cell priority specification stored in UE 110's memory corresponds to a target cell from a list. For example, UE 110 may be configured to prioritize cells of a specific type as target cells. If UE 110 identifies a target cell that matches the priority order for that type, UE 110 may establish communication with that target cell. For example, UE 110 may prioritize GSO cells, TN cells, base stations, gNBs, and / or non-GSO cells with fixed earth cells. This priority order may reflect stable, stationary, and / or slowly moving cells that can provide continuous coverage. In some respects, UE 110 may prioritize one or more cells of these types over non-GSO moving earth cells.

[0096] In some respects, cell priority assignment can also be based on carriers. For example, UE 110 can prioritize carriers carrying signals from GSO cells, TN cells, and / or non-GSO cells with fixed earth. For example, on a specific frequency carrier or set of frequency carriers, UE 110 may experience discontinuities with the serving cell and other neighboring cells. However, on different frequency carriers, other satellites may exist to provide coverage for the cell area covering UE 110. In this way, cell priority assignment can specify the cell type and / or frequency carrier used for priority ordering. In some respects, the configuration can also specify the priority order of the cell types and / or carriers to be used. In some respects, UE 110 may have this priority pre-configured. In some respects, the serving cell can provide commands to UE 110 indicating the priority to UE 110.

[0097] If a cell priority has been specified, the UE 110 proceeds to 715. The determination at 710 can determine whether a cell type priority and / or a carrier priority has been specified. In some aspects, the determination at 710 determines whether any cell priority specification matches one or more neighbor cells in a list received from a serving cell. If so, the UE 110 proceeds to 715. At 715, the UE 110 establishes communication with a target cell corresponding to the cell priority specification. For example, if the UE 110 is configured to prioritize GSO cells and a GSO cell is on the list of neighbor cells, the UE 110 can establish communication with that GSO cell. Similarly, if the priority specification prioritizes GSO cells using a particular frequency carrier, the UE 110 can establish communication with that GSO cell using the specified frequency carrier. In some aspects, this can occur in a manner similar to that described with reference to Figure 5 525. The UE 110 can perform synchronization and measurement procedures with the neighbor cells to establish communication. If a cell priority has not been specified and / or if there are no cells in the list that match the specified cell priority, the UE 110 proceeds to 720.

[0098] At 720, the UE 110 uses the respective positioning information to calculate respective distances between the UE 110 and the one or more neighbor cells. This can occur in a manner similar to that described with reference to Figure 5 510. At 725, the UE 110 orders the list of one or more neighbor cells based on the respective distances to generate a priority list that orders the one or more neighbor cells, with the closest cell ranked higher in the priority list. This can occur in a manner similar to that described with reference to Figure 5 515. At 730, the UE 110 sequentially performs synchronization and measurement procedures with the one or more neighbor cells according to the order of the priority list. This can occur in a manner similar to that described with reference to Figure 5 520. At 735, the UE 110 establishes communication with a target cell from the priority list based on the synchronization and measurement procedures. This can occur in a manner similar to that described with reference to Figure 5 525.

[0099] Figure 8 An example method for a system (e.g., a UE) to establish communication with a target cell based on a backup cell specification is illustrated, in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure. For ease of reference, and not limitation, elements described Figure 1 above can be referenced Figure 8 . The method 800 can represent a UE (e.g., a UE 110, a UE 205, a UE 305, a UE 405, a UE 505, or the like) implementing operations for providing continuous connectivity to a mobile network. Figure 1 , Figure 2 or the like.Figure 3 the operations of a UE 110, 210, or 310. The method 800 can also be performed by Figure 4 the system 400 and / or Figure 9 the computer system 900. But the method 800 is not limited to the specific aspects depicted in those figures, and can use other systems to perform the method as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. It will be appreciated that not all of the operations can be needed, and the operations can not be performed in the same order as shown. Figure 8

[0100] At 805, the UE 110 receives, from a serving cell, a list of one or more neighbor cells with corresponding positioning information. This can be similar to 505 described with reference to FIG. 5. The serving cell can correspond to a non-geosynchronous orbit (non-GSO) satellite with earth moving cells, a GSO satellite, or a non-GSO satellite with fixed earth cells. Figure 5

[0101] At 810, the UE 110 receives, from the serving cell, a designation of a backup cell for the serving cell. The backup cell can correspond to a geosynchronous orbit (GSO) satellite or a terrestrial network (TN) base station. The designation of the backup cell can correspond to a designated time. For example, the serving cell can inform the UE 110 of a particular backup cell and / or provide a backup cell identification. For example, the network can not know a particular UE 110 location, but can know the deployment of its satellites. The network can know the satellite location and / or satellite coverage area. Based on the knowledge of the coverage area, the network can designate a backup cell for UEs of a particular serving cell. The backup cell designation can correspond to a particular timing due to potential movement of the serving cell and / or the backup cell. The designated backup cell can also change as the timing changes. The UE 110 can prioritize the backup cell over one or more neighbor cells in the list provided from the serving cell.

[0102] Figure 2 ​​A satellite 240 can be used to illustrate an example backup cell configuration. For example, satellite 240 can be designated as a backup cell for satellite 220A and / or 220B. For example, satellite 240 can be a GSO satellite, while satellites 220A, 220B can be non-GSO satellites. A serving cell for a network and / or a particular UE can inform the UE that satellite 240 has been designated as a backup cell. For example, if a UE is communicating with satellite 220A, satellite 220A can inform the UE and / or other UEs served by satellite 220A that satellite 240 has been designated as a backup cell. Satellite 220B can also send an identification of the backup cell to UEs served by satellite 220B. In some aspects, the serving cell also identifies a frequency carrier to use for communicating with the backup cell. When designating a backup cell and / or frequency carrier, the serving cell can designate a UE to use satellite 240 as a backup cell and / or a designated frequency carrier for a timing. The UE can prioritize the identified backup cell over other potential neighbor cells for connection when the UE is within a coverage area of the serving cell and within the designated timing. For example, a UE within cell 230A corresponding to 220A can also monitor satellite 240 for use as a backup cell in the event of a disruption in communication with satellite 220A. Although Figure 2 Satellite 240 is depicted, in some aspects, a network can designate multiple backup cells. The UE can receive the backup cell designation and / or a corresponding time period.

[0103] At 815, UE 110 designates the backup cell to have cell priority for a designated time. For example, UE 110 can store the backup cell identifier and / or time designation in memory. In this case, UE 110 can be configured to connect to the backup cell if communication with the serving cell is disrupted or stopped. The connection can be based on whether the designated timing conditions are met. In some aspects, the designated backup cell can replace a previous backup cell designation. This can occur if the previous designation has expired or is no longer designated as a backup cell based on a network determination.

[0104] At 820, UE 110 performs synchronization and measurement procedures with the backup cell. This can occur when service of the serving cell is disrupted and / or discontinuous. This can also occur at the designated time. The synchronization and measurement procedures can be similar to 520 as described with reference to Figure 5 At 825, UE 110 can establish communication with the backup cell based on the synchronization and measurement procedures. This can also occur at the designated time and / or can be similar to 525 as described with reference to Figure 5

[0105] Various aspects can be implemented, for example, using one or more computer systems, such as Figure 9 ​The computer system 900 can be any well-known computer capable of performing the functions described herein, such as, for example, Figures 1 to 4 The computer system 900 can be any well-known computer capable of performing the functions described herein, such as, for example,

[0106] The computer system 900 can also include one or more secondary storage devices or memory 910. The secondary memory 910 can include, for example, a hard disk drive 912 and / or a removable storage drive or device 914. The removable storage drive 914 can be a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, an optical storage device, a tape backup device, and / or any other storage device or drive.

[0107] The removable storage drive 914 can interact with a removable storage unit 918. The removable storage unit 918 includes a computer-usable or computer-readable storage device having stored thereon computer software (control logic) and / or data. The removable storage unit 918 can be a floppy disk, magnetic tape, optical disk, DVD, optical storage disk, and / or any other computer data storage device. The removable storage drive 914 reads from and / or writes to the removable storage unit 918 in a well-known manner.

[0108] According to some aspects, the secondary memory 910 can include other components, tools or other means for allowing computer programs and / or other instructions and / or data to be accessed by the computer system 900. Such components, tools or other means can include, for example, a removable storage unit 922 and an interface 920. Examples of the removable storage unit 922 and the interface 920 can include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM or PROM) and associated socket, a storage on a storage

[0109] The computer system 900 can also include a communications or network interface 924. The communications interface 924 enables the computer system 900 to communicate and interact with any

[0110] The operations in the foregoing detailed description are described in terms of operations on data that are performed by functional blocks, single lines of code or other entities. This functionality can be implemented in various ways, particularly in terms of software, firmware, hardware, and / or any combination of these. In this context, software should be interpreted broadly to mean any quantifiable computer- readable medium that includes program instructions executable by one or more data processing devices, such as the computer system 900. For example, the software can include one or more computer programs, subroutines, functions, procedures, modules, applications, applets, and / or other code segments. The software can be stored on any type of non-transitory computer- readable medium, including the computer system 900, the main memory 908, the secondary memory 910, and the removable storage units 918 and 922, as well as any tangible articles of manufacture that embody any combination of the foregoing. Such software, when executed by the one or more data processing devices, causes the data processing devices to perform such operations as described herein.

[0111] Based on the teachings of the disclosure provided herein, it will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the related art how to implement the aspects of the disclosure using any of the Figure 9 Based on the teachings of the disclosure provided herein, it will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the related art how to implement the aspects of the disclosure using any of the

[0112] It should be understood that the detailed description and not the summary and abstract are intended to explain the claimed disclosure. The summary and abstract can set forth one or more but not all exemplary aspects of the disclosure and thus are not intended to limit the disclosure or the appended claims in any way.

[0113] Although the disclosure has been described herein with reference to exemplary aspects in a specific example of an exemplary field and application, it should be apparent that the disclosure is not limited to this field or application. Modifications and alterations can occur to others upon reading and interpreting this disclosure and are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. For example, and without limitation, aspects can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, and / or any combination thereof. Additionally, although aspects can be described as being stored in memory, this need not be the case. For example, one or more of the aspects can also be stored and / or executed in

[0114] Aspects have been described herein with the aid of functional building blocks of implementations illustrating particular functions and their relationships. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternative boundaries can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships of the alternatives are

[0115] References to “one aspect”, “an aspect”, “one example”, “an example”, or the like, mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described is included in at least one aspect. Hence, usage of such phrases in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same aspect. Further, whenever a particular aspect is described as having features, structures, or characteristics, it can pertain to one or more aspects with the same features, structures, or characteristics unless otherwise indicated.

[0116] The breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described example aspects, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

[0117] The present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and / or privacy practices. Specifically, such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining personal information data private and secure. Such policies should be easily accessible and should be updated as the collection and / or use of data changes. Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such collection / sharing should occur after receiving the informed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities should consider securing personal information data by adopting security measures such as access controls, monitoring of data storage, and policies that restrict access to the personal information data to appropriate parties only. In addition, such entities should also safeguard such hiring personal information data by ensuring that other entities with which the personal information data is shared also have good privacy policies and practices in place. These entities can then be held accountable in case of poor privacy practices. Furthermore, the policies and practices should be adapted for the specific type of personal information data being collected and / or accessed as well as for the specific context in which the personal information data is collected and / or accessed. For example, health information in the United States can be subject to privacy policies and practices under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, and personal information data in other countries can be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Hence, different privacy practices should be in place depending on the type of personal information data that is in play and the country where the personal information data is collected and / or accessed.

Claims

1. A user equipment (UE), comprising: a transceiver configured to enable wireless communication; and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to: receive, from a serving cell, a list of one or more neighbor cells with respective positioning information; calculate respective distances between the UE and the one or more neighbor cells using the respective positioning information; order the list of the one or more neighbor cells based on the respective distances to generate a priority list that orders the one or more neighbor cells based on the respective distances; sequentially perform synchronization and measurement procedures with the one or more neighbor cells in an order of the priority list; and establish communication with a target cell from the priority list based on the synchronization and measurement procedures.

2. The UE of claim 1, wherein the respective positioning information comprises location, velocity, or timing information.

3. The UE of claim 1, wherein to sequentially perform the synchronization and measurement procedures, the processor is further configured to: identify a subset of the one or more neighbor cells based on the order of the priority list and a predefined number of neighbor cells; and perform the synchronization and measurement procedures for each neighbor cell in the subset.

4. The UE of claim 1, wherein to sequentially perform the synchronization and measurement procedures, the processor is further configured to: perform reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), or signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) measurements.

5. The UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the respective distances in response to determining that a serving time corresponding to the serving cell is below a threshold.

6. The UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive a second list from a second serving cell, wherein the second list comprises a set of neighbor cells of the second serving cell; determine that a serving time corresponding to the second serving cell is above a threshold; sequentially perform second synchronization and measurement procedures with the set of neighbor cells in an order of the second list; and establish communication with a cell from the set of neighbor cells based on the second synchronization and measurement procedures.

7. The UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the respective distances in response to determining that a distance between the UE and the serving cell is above a threshold.

8. The UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive a second list from a second serving cell, wherein the second list comprises a set of neighbor cells of the second serving cell; determine that a distance between the UE and the second serving cell is below a threshold; sequentially perform second synchronization and measurement procedures with the set of neighbor cells in an order of the second list; and establish communication with a cell from the set of neighbor cells based on the second synchronization and measurement procedures. ​ 9. The UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured with a cell type priority designation, and wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the respective distances in response to determining that the one or more neighbor cells do not match the cell type priority designation.

10. The UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured with a cell type priority designation, and wherein the processor is further configured to: receive a second list from a second serving cell, wherein the second list comprises a set of neighbor cells of the second serving cell; determine that a neighbor cell from the set matches the cell type priority designation; perform a second synchronization and measurement procedure with the neighbor cell; and establish communication with the neighbor cell having the matching cell type priority designation.

11. The UE of claim 10, wherein the cell type priority designation identifies a geosynchronous orbit (GSO) satellite, a terrestrial network (TN) cell, or a non-GSO satellite with a fixed earth cell.

12. An apparatus comprising: a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to: receive, from a serving cell, a designation of a backup cell for the serving cell, wherein the designation of the backup cell corresponds to a designated time; designate the backup cell as having a cell priority at the designated time; perform a synchronization and measurement procedure with the backup cell at the designated time; and establish communication with the backup cell based on the synchronization and measurement procedure at the designated time.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein to designate the backup cell as having the cell priority, the at least one processor is further configured to: designate the backup cell as having a higher priority than a list of one or more neighbor cells received from the serving cell.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the backup cell corresponds to a geosynchronous orbit (GSO) satellite or a terrestrial network (TN) base station.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the serving cell corresponds to a non-geosynchronous orbit (non-GSO) satellite with earth moving cells, a GSO satellite, or a non-GSO satellite with fixed earth cells.

16. A method comprising: receiving, at a user equipment (UE) from a serving cell, a list of one or more neighbor cells with respective positioning information; calculating, by the UE, respective distances between the UE and the one or more neighbor cells using the respective positioning information; ordering, by the UE, the list of the one or more neighbor cells based on the respective distances to generate a priority list that orders the one or more neighbor cells based on the respective distances; sequentially performing, by the UE, synchronization and measurement procedures with the one or more neighbor cells in an order according to the priority list; and establishing, by the UE, communication with a target cell from the priority list based on the synchronization and measurement procedures. ​ ​ 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the respective positioning information comprises position, velocity, or timing information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein to sequentially perform the synchronization and measurement procedure, the method further comprises: identifying a subset of the one or more neighbor cells based on the order of the priority list and a predefined number of neighbor cells; and performing the synchronization and measurement procedure for each neighbor cell in the subset.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein to sequentially perform the synchronization and measurement procedure, the method further comprises: performing reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), or signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) measurements.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein computing the respective distance occurs in response to determining that a serving time corresponding to the serving cell is below a threshold. ​

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