Communication method and device

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention discloses a communication method and device, relates to the technical field of communication, and is used for reducing the access delay of a terminal in a satellite communication system. The method comprises: receiving a plurality of beams of a target cell, the plurality of beams comprising an optimal beam and N suboptimal beams, N being a positive integer; under the condition that the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is smaller than or equal to a first threshold value, a random access sequence is sent to target network equipment based on the optimal beam, and the target network equipment is network equipment corresponding to the target cell; and when the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than a first threshold, sending a random access sequence to the target network device based on a target suboptimal beam, the target suboptimal beam being a suboptimal beam of which the RO is closest to the current moment in the N suboptimal beams.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to communication methods and apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Satellite communication is an important supplement to terrestrial cellular communication technology. Satellite communication can provide ubiquitous coverage without being limited by terrain, connecting multiple dimensions of space, air, land, and sea to form an integrated ubiquitous access network, enabling on-demand access in all scenarios.

[0003] In a communication system, after selecting a target cell, the terminal needs to select one beam from multiple beams in the target cell and send a random access sequence to the network device corresponding to the target cell based on the access resource location (ROC) corresponding to that beam in order to access the target cell.

[0004] Compared to traditional communication systems, satellite communication systems require a longer time for a terminal to access the target cell after selecting it. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the access latency of the terminal in the satellite communication system. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and apparatus for reducing the access latency of terminals in satellite communication systems. To achieve the above objective, this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, the method comprising: receiving multiple beams of a target cell, the multiple beams including an optimal beam and N suboptimal beams, where N is a positive integer; when the time interval between the current moment and the origin of the optimal beam is less than or equal to a first threshold, sending a random access sequence to a target network device based on the optimal beam, the target network device being the network device corresponding to the target cell; when the time interval between the current moment and the origin of the optimal beam is greater than the first threshold, sending a random access sequence to the target network device based on a target suboptimal beam, the target suboptimal beam being the suboptimal beam among the N suboptimal beams whose origin is closest to the current moment.

[0007] In related technologies, a terminal can only access a target cell by sending a random access sequence to the target device based on the optimal beam. When the terminal misses the origin (RO) of the optimal beam or fails to access the target cell based on the optimal beam, the terminal needs to wait for the next RO of the optimal beam to arrive and then access the target cell based on the optimal beam. Since the RO interval of the same beam in a satellite communication system is relatively long, the terminal needs to spend a long time waiting for the next RO of the optimal beam to arrive, which will increase the access latency of the terminal in the satellite communication system. However, in the method provided in this application embodiment, when the RO of the optimal beam is far from the current time (i.e., the time interval between the current time and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than a first threshold), the terminal does not need to wait for the RO of the optimal beam to arrive. Instead, it can send a random access sequence to the target device based on the target suboptimal beam whose RO is closest to the current time to access the target cell, thereby saving the time of waiting for the final optimal beam RO and reducing the access latency of the terminal in the satellite communication system.

[0008] In one possible implementation, a random access sequence can be sent to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam if the time interval between the current time and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than a first threshold and the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is greater than or equal to a second threshold.

[0009] It is understandable that if the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is greater than or equal to the second threshold, it means that the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam are far apart. Access based on the target suboptimal beam will not affect access based on the optimal beam. Therefore, random access sequences can be sent to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam.

[0010] In one possible implementation, a random access sequence can be sent to the target network device based on the optimal beam if the time interval between the current time and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than a first threshold and the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is less than a second threshold.

[0011] It is understandable that if the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is less than the second threshold, it means that the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam are close to each other. Access based on the target suboptimal beam will affect access based on the optimal beam, so it is impossible to send a random access sequence to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam.

[0012] In one possible implementation, if the time interval between the RO of the current beam and the RO of the target beam is greater than or equal to a third threshold, the random access response (RAR) window can be used to resend the random access sequence to the target network device based on the target beam before the random access response (RAR) window times out. The current beam is either the optimal beam or the target suboptimal beam, and the target beam is the beam among multiple beams whose RO is closest to the current time.

[0013] In satellite communication systems, there is an air interface transmission delay between terminals and network devices. Waiting until the actual RAR timeout and access failure determination before selecting an access location may cause the next RO (Receiving Area) to be missed due to the air interface transmission delay, leading to increased access delay. The method provided in this application retransmits the random access sequence to the target network device based on the target beam before the RAR timeout, which can reduce the possibility of missing the next RO due to air interface transmission delay. Furthermore, if the time interval between the RO of the current beam and the RO of the target beam is greater than or equal to a third threshold, it indicates that the distance between the RO of the current beam and the RO of the target beam is relatively long, reducing the possibility of a conflict between the RAR receiving windows of the current beam and the target beam.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the optimal beam is the beam with the highest priority among multiple beams, and the second-highest beam is the N beams with the second-highest priority among multiple beams. The priority of multiple beams is determined by at least one of the energy or signal-to-noise ratio of multiple beams.

[0015] It is understandable that beam energy or signal-to-noise ratio can reflect beam performance. Therefore, beams can be sorted by their energy or signal-to-noise ratio to select the best-performing beams for access.

[0016] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, which can be a terminal, a module applied to a terminal (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. The device includes a transmitting unit and a receiving unit. The receiving unit is used to receive multiple beams of a target cell, including an optimal beam and N suboptimal beams, where N is a positive integer. The transmitting unit is used to send a random access sequence to a target network device based on the optimal beam when the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is less than or equal to a first threshold. The target network device is the network device corresponding to the target cell. The transmitting unit is also used to send a random access sequence to the target network device based on a target suboptimal beam when the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than the first threshold. The target suboptimal beam is the suboptimal beam among the N suboptimal beams whose RO is closest to the current moment.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the transmitting unit is specifically used to: transmit a random access sequence to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam when the time interval between the current time and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than a first threshold and the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is greater than or equal to a second threshold.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the transmitting unit is further configured to: transmit a random access sequence to the target network device based on the optimal beam when the time interval between the current time and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than a first threshold and the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is less than a second threshold.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the transmitting unit is further configured to: if the time interval between the RO of the current beam and the RO of the target beam is greater than or equal to a third threshold, retransmit the random access sequence to the target network device based on the target beam before the RAR window times out, wherein the current beam is the optimal beam or the target suboptimal beam, and the target beam is the beam among multiple beams whose RO is closest to the current time.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the optimal beam is the beam with the highest priority among multiple beams, and the second-highest beam is the N beams with the second-highest priority among multiple beams. The priority of multiple beams is determined by at least one of the energy or signal-to-noise ratio of multiple beams.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the target network device is a satellite network device.

[0022] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a communication device (e.g., the communication device may be a chip or a chip system), the device comprising: at least one processor, which, when the at least one processor executes program code or instructions, implements the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0023] Optionally, the device may further include at least one memory for storing the program code or instructions.

[0024] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide a chip, including: an input interface, an output interface, and at least one processor. Optionally, the chip further includes a memory. The at least one processor is used to execute code in the memory, and when the at least one processor executes the code, the chip implements the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0025] Alternatively, the chip described above can also be an integrated circuit.

[0026] Fifthly, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program, the computer program including methods for implementing the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0027] Sixthly, embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to implement the method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0028] The communication device, computer storage medium, computer program product, and chip provided in this embodiment are all used to execute the communication method provided above. Therefore, the beneficial effects they can achieve can be referred to the beneficial effects in the communication method provided above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of RO distribution provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of another RO distribution provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of another RO distribution provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of another RO distribution provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0042] In this article, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone.

[0043] The terms "first" and "second," etc., in the specification and drawings of the embodiments of this application are used to distinguish different objects or to distinguish different treatments of the same object, rather than to describe a specific order of objects.

[0044] Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, used in the description of the embodiments of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the steps or units listed, but may optionally include other steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0045] It should be noted that in the description of the embodiments of this application, the words "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design scheme described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of the words "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0046] The technical solutions provided in this application can be applied to communication systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) systems, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD) systems, Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs), 5th Generation (5G) systems, 6th Generation (6G) systems, or future communication systems. The 5G systems in this application include non-standalone (NSA) 5G mobile communication systems and standalone (SA) 5G mobile communication systems. The embodiments of this application can also be applied to non-terrestrial network (NTN) communication systems such as satellite communication systems. The embodiments of this application can also be applied to device-to-device (D2D) communication systems, side-link (SL) communication systems, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication systems, machine-type communication (MTC) systems, Internet of Things (IoT) communication systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, unrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) communication systems, or other communication systems.

[0047] Figure 1 One possible implementation of the above communication system is shown.

[0048] like Figure 1 As shown, the communication system may include at least one network device (such as...) Figure 1 110a, 110b, and 110c in the above may also include at least one terminal (such as...) Figure 1 (120a, 120g). The terminals can be mobile or fixed. Each network device can provide communication coverage for a specific geographical area and can communicate with terminals located within that coverage area. Network devices can be interconnected with each other, with terminals, and with each other via wired or wireless means. Figure 1 This is just a schematic diagram. The communication system may also include other devices, such as wireless relay devices and wireless backhaul devices.

[0049] Figure 2 This illustrates another possible implementation of the aforementioned communication system.

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, this communication system can be a satellite communication system. For example, this communication system can be applied to an NTN communication system that integrates terrestrial communication systems and satellite communication systems.

[0051] The terrestrial communication system can be, for example, an LTE system, a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), a 5G system or an NR system, or a communication system that is the next step in the development of the 5G system, etc., and there is no limitation here.

[0052] Satellite communication systems offer wider coverage compared to traditional communication systems, overcoming natural geographical obstacles such as oceans, deserts, and mountains. To overcome the shortcomings of traditional communication systems, satellite communication systems can serve as an effective supplement. Based on orbital altitude, satellite communication systems can be categorized into three types: Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite communication systems, Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite communication systems, and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication systems. GEO satellite communication systems can also be called geostationary orbit satellite systems.

[0053] GEO satellites, also known as geostationary orbit satellites, orbit at an altitude of 35,786 kilometers. Their main advantages are that they are relatively stationary relative to the ground and provide a large coverage area. However, GEO satellites also have significant disadvantages, such as requiring large-diameter antennas due to their great distance from Earth, experiencing significant transmission delays that cannot meet the demands of real-time services, relatively limited orbital resources, high launch costs, and an inability to provide coverage to polar regions. MEO satellites orbit at altitudes between 2,000 and 35,786 kilometers, achieving global coverage with a relatively small number of satellites. However, their transmission delays are higher than those of LEO satellites, and they are primarily used for positioning and navigation. LEO satellites orbit at altitudes between 300 and 2,000 kilometers. LEO satellites orbit at lower altitudes than MEO and GEO satellites, resulting in lower data propagation delays, less power loss, and relatively lower launch costs. Therefore, LEO satellite communication systems have made significant progress in recent years.

[0054] It is generally believed that NTN has different channel characteristics compared to terrestrial communication (e.g., large transmission delay, Doppler frequency offset, etc.). For example, the round-trip delay of GEO satellite communication system is 238-270 milliseconds (ms), and the round-trip delay of LEO satellite communication system is 8 ms-20 ms.

[0055] Satellites can operate in two modes: transparent mode and regenerative mode. In transparent mode, the satellite functions as a relay station. The gateway station functions as a base station or partially as one; in this mode, the gateway station can be considered a base station. In regenerative mode, the satellite has data processing capabilities and functions as a base station or partially as one; in this mode, the satellite can be considered a base station.

[0056] like Figure 2 As shown, a satellite possesses some or all of the functions of a base station and can be referred to as a satellite base station or satellite network equipment. The satellite can provide wireless access services and schedule wireless resources for terminals accessing the network through it. Communication between the satellite and the terminal can occur via the Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (Uu) interface. Furthermore, communication between the satellite and the core network (CN) can occur via the Next Generation Network (NG) interface. The satellite and the core network can exchange non-access stratum (NAS) signaling and user service data through the NG interface.

[0057] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a satellite communication scenario is shown.

[0058] like Figure 3 As shown, network equipment in a satellite communication scenario includes satellites and gateway stations. The link between the satellite and the terminal is called a service link, and the link between the satellite and the gateway station is called a feeder link. A gateway station can also be called a signal gateway station. It should be noted that the embodiments of this application can also be applied to systems based on… Figure 3 The satellite communication scenarios obtained through expansion.

[0059] The terminal in the embodiments of this application is a device that can access a wireless communication network. Communication between the terminal and network devices can be achieved using air interface technology (such as NR or LTE). Communication between terminals can also be achieved using air interface technology (such as NR or LTE). The terminal can also be referred to as user equipment (UE), user, access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal equipment, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device, etc. For ease of description, it will be uniformly referred to as a terminal below. The terminal can be widely used in various scenarios, such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC), massive machine-type communications (mMTC), D2D, V2X, MTC, IoT, virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearables, smart transportation, or smart cities. The terminal can be a mobile phone (e.g., Figure 1 120a, 120d, 120f), tablet computers, and computers with wireless transceiver capabilities (such as...) Figure 1 Computers (120g), wearable devices, vehicles (such as...) Figure 1 As shown in 120b), drones, helicopters, and aircraft (such as...) Figure 1 120c), ships, robots, robotic arms, or smart home devices (such as Figure 1 The application does not limit the specific technology or device form used in the terminal. (e.g., printer 120e).

[0060] The network device in the embodiments of this application can be a device for communicating with a terminal, or a device for connecting a terminal to a wireless communication network. The network device can be a base station, a Node B, an evolved Node B (eNodeB or eNB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation Node B (gNB) in a 5G system, access network equipment in an open radio access network (ORAN or open RAN), a next-generation base station in a 6G system, and a satellite in an NTN (such as...). Figure 2This could be a satellite in a satellite constellation, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. Alternatively, network equipment could be a module or unit that performs some of the functions of a base station, such as a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU control plane (CU-CP) module, or a CU user plane (CU-UP) module. Figure 1 The 110b in the text can also be a micro base station or an indoor station (such as...). Figure 1 The node in 110c can also be a relay node or a donor node, etc. This application does not limit the specific technology or form of the network equipment.

[0061] Network devices and / or terminals can be fixed-location or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; or on water; or in the air on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. This application does not limit the environment / scenario in which the network devices and terminals are located. Network devices and terminals can be deployed in the same or different environments / scenarios; for example, network devices and terminals can be deployed simultaneously on land; or network devices can be deployed on land and terminals on water, etc., and so on.

[0062] It should be understood that the network architecture shown above is merely an illustrative example, and the network architecture applicable to the embodiments of this application is not limited thereto. Any network architecture capable of realizing the functions of the above-described network elements is applicable to the embodiments of this application.

[0063] Given the advantages of satellites, such as their resistance to natural disasters or external damage, research is currently underway to use them as network equipment (e.g., base stations) in mobile communication systems to provide communication services to areas such as oceans and forests. Unlike terrestrial network equipment, satellites move at higher speeds relative to the ground and travel longer distances, resulting in greater signal path loss when used as network equipment. Furthermore, due to the high-speed movement of satellites, the coverage and service time of a single satellite and each beam within a single satellite are limited. Therefore, this communication scenario places higher demands on the network access speed of terminals.

[0064] Figure 4 This application illustrates a communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application. This method can be executed by a terminal in the aforementioned communication system, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the method includes:

[0065] S401, Receive multiple beams from the target cell.

[0066] For example, the target network device can send multiple beams of the target cell to the terminal. Accordingly, the terminal can receive the multiple beams of the target cell sent by the target network device.

[0067] The target network device is the network device corresponding to the target cell.

[0068] For example, a terminal can perform a cell search to find a target cell. After finding the target cell, the terminal performs uplink synchronization with the target network device. After uplink synchronization is complete, the target network device can send multiple beams of the target cell to the terminal. Correspondingly, the terminal can receive multiple beams of the target cell sent by the target network device.

[0069] The multiple beams include the optimal beam and N suboptimal beams, where N is a positive integer.

[0070] In one possible implementation, the optimal beam is the beam with the highest priority among multiple beams, and the second-highest beam is the N beams with the second-highest priority among multiple beams. The priority of multiple beams is determined by at least one of the energy or signal-to-noise ratio of multiple beams.

[0071] It is understandable that beam energy or signal-to-noise ratio can reflect beam performance. Therefore, beams can be sorted by their energy or signal-to-noise ratio to select the best-performing beams for access.

[0072] For example, multiple beams can be sorted according to their energy, and the beam with the highest energy can be determined as the optimal beam, and the N beams with the second highest energy can be determined as the suboptimal beams.

[0073] For example, suppose the terminal receives 10 beams from the target cell, and then sorts these 10 beams according to their energy. The beam with the highest energy among these 10 beams is determined to be the optimal beam, and the four beams with the second highest energy among the 10 beams (i.e., the beams ranked 2 to 5) are determined to be the suboptimal beams.

[0074] For example, multiple beams can be sorted according to their signal-to-noise ratios, and the beam with the highest ranking can be determined as the optimal beam, and the N beams with the second highest ranking can be determined as the suboptimal beams.

[0075] For example, multiple beams can be sorted according to their energy and signal-to-noise ratio, and the beam with the highest ranking can be determined as the optimal beam, and the N beams with the second highest ranking can be determined as the suboptimal beams.

[0076] S402. If the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is less than or equal to a first threshold, a random access sequence is sent to the target network device based on the optimal beam. For example, the RO of a beam can be the time-domain resource location for transmitting that beam.

[0077] The first threshold can be greater than or equal to the RAR window length. For example, assuming the current RAR window length is 20ms, the first threshold can be greater than or equal to 20ms.

[0078] For example, suppose a period is 640ms, a period consists of 64 system frames, each system frame is 10ms, and the first threshold is 20ms. Figure 5 This shows the positions of the synchronization signal block (SSB) and its corresponding RO positions within the time period from system frame number (SFN) 0 to SFN9. The mapping relationship for subsequent time periods follows the same pattern, with a period of 640ms and a first threshold of 20ms. If beam 1 is the optimal beam, as... Figure 5 As shown, RO1 corresponding to beam 1 is in SNF4, and is currently in SNF3. Figure 5 It can be seen that the time interval between the current moment and RO1 is less than 20ms, so the terminal can send a random access sequence to the target network device based on beam 1.

[0079] It is understandable that if the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is less than or equal to the first threshold, it means that the RO of the optimal beam is close to the current time, and waiting for the RO of the optimal beam to arrive will not take a long time. In this case, sending a random access sequence to the target network device based on the optimal beam will not increase the access latency of the terminal in the satellite communication system.

[0080] S403. If the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than the first threshold, send a random access sequence to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam.

[0081] Among them, the target suboptimal beam is the suboptimal beam whose RO is closest to the current time among the N suboptimal beams.

[0082] For example, suppose a period is 640ms, a period consists of 64 system frames, each system frame is 10ms, and the first threshold is 20ms. Figure 6 The diagram shows the locations of the SSBs and their corresponding ROs within the time intervals SFN0 to SFN9. The mapping relationship for subsequent time intervals follows the same pattern, with a period of 640ms and a first threshold of 20ms. If beam 1 is the optimal beam, beams 246 and 248 are the suboptimal beams, as... Figure 5As shown, RO1 corresponding to beam 1 is in SNF4, RO246 corresponding to beam 246 is in SNF1, RO248 corresponding to beam 248 is in SNF2, and is currently in SNF0. Figure 6 It can be seen that the time interval between the current moment and RO1 is greater than 20ms. Among the suboptimal beams, beam 246 corresponds to RO246, which is closest to the current moment. Therefore, the terminal can send a random access sequence to the target network device based on beam 246.

[0083] It is understandable that if the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is greater than or equal to the second threshold, it means that the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam are far apart. Access based on the target suboptimal beam will not affect access based on the optimal beam. Therefore, random access sequences can be sent to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam.

[0084] In one possible implementation, a random access sequence can be sent to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam if the time interval between the current time and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than a first threshold and the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is greater than or equal to a second threshold.

[0085] The second threshold can be greater than or equal to the RAR window length. For example, assuming the current RAR window length is 20ms, the second threshold can be greater than or equal to 20ms.

[0086] Optionally, the second threshold can be equal to the first threshold.

[0087] For example, suppose a period is 640ms, a period consists of 64 system frames, each system frame is 10ms, and the first threshold is 20ms. Figure 6 The diagram shows the locations of the SSBs and their corresponding ROs within the time intervals SFN0 to SFN9. The mapping relationship for subsequent time intervals follows the same pattern, with a period of 640ms. The first threshold is 20ms, and the second threshold is 20ms. If beam 1 is the optimal beam, then beams 246 and 248 are the suboptimal beams. Figure 5 As shown, RO1 corresponding to beam 1 is in SNF4, RO246 corresponding to beam 246 is in SNF1, RO248 corresponding to beam 248 is in SNF2, and is currently in SNF0. Figure 6 It can be seen that the time interval between the current moment and RO1 is greater than 20ms. Among the suboptimal beams, RO246, corresponding to beam 246, is closest to the current moment. Since the time interval between RO246, corresponding to beam 246, and RO1, corresponding to beam 1, is greater than 20ms, access based on beam 246 will not affect access based on beam 1. Therefore, the terminal can send a random access sequence to the target network device based on beam 246.

[0088] For example, if both the first and second thresholds are 20ms, the optimal beam is beam 1, and the suboptimal beams are beams 6 and 17. At the current time, the RO corresponding to beam 1 is at SFN4, and the RO corresponding to beam 1 is at SFN68, which is approximately 640ms from the current time, greater than 20ms. Therefore, suboptimal beam selection is initiated. The RO corresponding to beam 6 is at SFN5, and the RO corresponding to beam 17 is at SFN8. The RO corresponding to beam 6 is closer to the current time. Since the time interval between the RO corresponding to beam 6 and the RO corresponding to beam 1 exceeds 20ms, access based on beam 6 will not affect access based on beam 1. Therefore, the terminal can send a random access sequence to the target network device based on beam 6.

[0089] It is understandable that if the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is greater than or equal to the second threshold, it means that the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam are far apart. Access based on the target suboptimal beam will not affect access based on the optimal beam. Therefore, random access sequences can be sent to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam.

[0090] In one possible implementation, a random access sequence can be sent to the target network device based on the optimal beam if the time interval between the current time and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than a first threshold and the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is less than a second threshold.

[0091] For example, suppose a period is 640ms, a period consists of 64 system frames, each system frame is 10ms, and the first threshold is 20ms. Figure 6 The diagram shows the locations of the SSBs and their corresponding ROs within the time intervals SFN0 to SFN9. The mapping relationship for subsequent time intervals follows the same pattern, with a period of 640ms. The first threshold is 20ms, and the second threshold is 20ms. If beam 1 is the optimal beam, then beams 254 and 6 are the suboptimal beams. Figure 7 As shown, RO1 corresponding to beam 1 is in SNF4, RO254 corresponding to beam 254 is in SNF3, RO5 corresponding to beam 6 is in SNF5, and is currently in SNF0. Figure 6 It can be seen that the time interval between the current moment and RO1 is greater than 20ms. Among the suboptimal beams, RO254, corresponding to beam 254, is closest to the current moment. Since the time interval between RO254, corresponding to beam 254, and RO1, corresponding to beam 1, is less than 20ms, access based on beam 254 will affect access based on beam 1. Therefore, the terminal can send a random access sequence to the target network device based on beam 1.

[0092] It is understandable that if the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is less than the second threshold, it means that the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam are close to each other. Access based on the target suboptimal beam will affect access based on the optimal beam, so it is impossible to send a random access sequence to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam.

[0093] In one possible implementation, if the time interval between the RO of the current beam and the RO of the target beam is greater than or equal to a third threshold, the random access sequence can be retransmitted to the target network device based on the target beam before the RAR window times out. The current beam is either the optimal beam or the target suboptimal beam, and the target beam is the beam among multiple beams whose RO is closest to the current time.

[0094] The third threshold can be greater than or equal to the RAR window length. For example, assuming the current RAR window length is 20ms, the third threshold can be greater than or equal to 20ms.

[0095] Optionally, the third threshold can be equal to the first threshold.

[0096] like Figure 8 As shown, due to the air interface signal transmission delay between the terminal and the satellite, the uplink transmission timing is ahead of the downlink timing by a certain amount of timing advance (TA). If access is initiated based on the optimal beam 6, the RO position corresponding to the suboptimal beam 17 is in slot 2 or slot 3 of the uplink timing SFN7. The RAR timeout of beam 6 occurs in slot 1 of the downlink timing SFN7. At this time, due to the existence of TA, the terminal can only initiate the selection and transmission of the next RO in slot 4 of the uplink timing SFN7, thus missing the transmission position of RO 17 corresponding to the suboptimal beam 17.

[0097] In this embodiment of the application, the terminal can resend the random access sequence to the target network device based on the target beam after the RAR timeout. For example, the terminal can resend the random access sequence to the target network device based on the suboptimal beam 17 in slot 2 or slot 3 of uplink timing SFN7.

[0098] It is understandable that there is an air interface transmission delay between the terminal and network equipment in a satellite communication system. Waiting until the actual RAR timeout determines access failure before selecting an access location may result in missing the next RO due to the air interface transmission delay, leading to increased access delay. The method provided in this application retransmits the random access sequence to the target network equipment based on the target beam before the RAR timeout, which can reduce the possibility of missing the next RO due to air interface transmission delay. Furthermore, if the time interval between the RO of the current beam and the RO of the target beam is greater than or equal to a third threshold, it indicates that the distance between the RO of the current beam and the RO of the target beam is relatively long, and the possibility of a conflict between the RAR reception windows of the current beam and the target beam is small.

[0099] The following describes a communication device used to perform the above communication method.

[0100] It is understood that, in order to achieve the above-mentioned functions, the communication device includes hardware and / or software modules that perform the respective functions. Based on the algorithm steps of the examples described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed by hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application in conjunction with the embodiments, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0101] This application embodiment can divide the communication device into functional modules according to the above method example. For example, each function can be divided into its own functional modules, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated modules can be implemented in hardware. It should be noted that the module division in this embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0102] When dividing each function into modules according to its corresponding function.

[0103] Figure 9 The diagram illustrates a possible configuration of the communication device involved in the above embodiments. This device can be a terminal, a module applied to the terminal (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. Figure 9 As shown, the communication device 900 may include a receiving unit 901 and a transmitting unit 902.

[0104] The receiving unit 901 is used to receive multiple beams of the target cell, including the optimal beam and N suboptimal beams, where N is a positive integer.

[0105] The transmitting unit 902 is used to transmit a random access sequence to the target network device based on the optimal beam when the time interval between the current time and the RO of the optimal beam is less than or equal to a first threshold. The target network device is the network device corresponding to the target cell.

[0106] The transmitting unit 902 is also used to send a random access sequence to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam when the time interval between the current time and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than a first threshold. The target suboptimal beam is the suboptimal beam among N suboptimal beams whose RO is closest to the current time.

[0107] In one possible implementation, the sending unit 902 is specifically used to: send a random access sequence to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam when the time interval between the current time and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than a first threshold and the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is greater than or equal to a second threshold.

[0108] In one possible implementation, the transmitting unit 902 is further configured to: transmit a random access sequence to the target network device based on the optimal beam when the time interval between the current time and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than a first threshold and the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is less than a second threshold.

[0109] In one possible implementation, the transmitting unit 902 is further configured to: if the time interval between the RO of the current beam and the RO of the target beam is greater than or equal to a third threshold, retransmit the random access sequence to the target network device based on the target beam before the RAR window times out, wherein the current beam is the optimal beam or the target suboptimal beam, and the target beam is the beam whose RO is closest to the current time among multiple beams.

[0110] In one possible implementation, the optimal beam is the beam with the highest priority among multiple beams, and the second-highest beam is the N beams with the second-highest priority among multiple beams. The priority of multiple beams is determined by at least one of the energy or signal-to-noise ratio of multiple beams.

[0111] In one possible implementation, the target network device is a satellite network device.

[0112] This application also provides a chip, which can be the chip of the above-mentioned communication device. Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a chip 1000 is shown. The chip 1000 includes one or more processors 1001 and interface circuits 1002. Optionally, the chip 1000 may also include a bus 1003.

[0113] The processor 1001 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, each step of the above communication method can be completed through the integrated logic circuitry in the hardware of the processor 1001 or through software instructions.

[0114] Optionally, the processor 1001 described above may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the various methods and steps disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0115] The interface circuit 1002 can be used to send or receive data, instructions or information. The processor 1001 can use the data, instructions or other information received by the interface circuit 1002 to process the data, instructions or other information, and can send the processed information out through the interface circuit 1002.

[0116] Optionally, the chip may also include memory, which may include read-only memory and random access memory, providing operation instructions and data to the processor. A portion of the memory may also include non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM).

[0117] Optionally, the memory stores executable software modules or data structures, and the processor can execute corresponding operations by calling the operation instructions stored in the memory (which may be stored in the operating system).

[0118] Optionally, the chip can be used in the communication device or communication device involved in the embodiments of this application. Optionally, the interface circuit 1002 can be used to output the execution result of the processor 1001. For the communication methods provided by one or more embodiments of this application, please refer to the foregoing embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0119] It should be noted that the functions of the processor 1001 and the interface circuit 1002 can be implemented through hardware design, software design, or a combination of hardware and software; no restrictions are imposed here.

[0120] Figure 11This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. The electronic device can be a communication device, a chip within the communication device, or a functional module. For example... Figure 11 As shown, the electronic device 1100 includes a processor 1101, a transceiver 1102, and a communication line 1103.

[0121] The processor 1101 is used to execute any step of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application, and in the process of executing any step of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application, it may choose to call the transceiver 1102 and the communication line 1103 to complete the corresponding operation.

[0122] Furthermore, the electronic device 1100 may also include a memory 1104. The processor 1101, the memory 1104, and the transceiver 1102 can be connected via a communication line 1103.

[0123] The processor 1101 can be a processor, a general-purpose processor, a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable logic device (PLD), or any combination thereof. The processor 1101 can also be other devices with processing capabilities, such as circuits, devices, or software modules, without limitation.

[0124] Transceiver 1102 is used to communicate with other devices or other communication networks, such as Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), etc. Transceiver 1102 can be a module, circuit, transceiver, or any device capable of enabling communication.

[0125] The transceiver 1102 is mainly used for sending and receiving commands and information, and may include a transmitter and a receiver to send and receive commands and information, respectively; operations other than sending and receiving commands and information are implemented by the processor.

[0126] Communication line 1103 is used to transmit information between the various components included in electronic device 1100.

[0127] In one design, the processor can be viewed as a logic circuit, and the transceiver as an interface circuit.

[0128] Memory 1104 is used to store instructions. These instructions can be computer programs.

[0129] The memory 1104 can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or it can include both. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous DRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous DRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous linked DRAM (SLDRAM), and direct rambus DRAM (DRRAM). Memory 1104 can also be a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media, or other magnetic storage devices. It should be noted that the memory in the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0130] It should be noted that the memory 1104 can exist independently of the processor 1101, or it can be integrated with the processor 1101. The memory 1104 can be used to store instructions, program code, or some data, etc. The memory 1104 can be located inside or outside the electronic device 1100, without limitation. The processor 1101 is used to execute the instructions stored in the memory 1104 to implement the method provided in the above embodiments of this application.

[0131] In one example, processor 1101 may include one or more processor cores, for example Figure 11 The processor cores are 0 and 1.

[0132] As an optional implementation, the electronic device 1100 includes multiple processors, for example, besides Figure 11 In addition to processor 1101, it may also include processor 1107.

[0133] As an optional implementation, the electronic device 1100 also includes an output device 1105 and an input device 1106. For example, the input device 1106 is a device such as a keyboard, mouse, microphone, or joystick, and the output device 1105 is a device such as a display screen or speaker.

[0134] It should be noted that electronic device 1100 can be a chip system or... Figure 11 Devices with similar structures. The chip system can be composed of chips or include chips and other discrete components. Actions, terminology, etc., involved in the various embodiments of this application can be referenced interchangeably without limitation. The message names or parameter names in the messages used for interaction between devices in the embodiments of this application are merely examples; other names can be used in specific implementations without limitation. Furthermore, Figure 11 The structural composition shown does not constitute a limitation on the electronic device 1100, except... Figure 11 In addition to the components shown, the electronic device 1100 may include components that are larger than those shown. Figure 11 This may indicate more or fewer components, or combinations of certain components, or different component arrangements.

[0135] The processor and transceiver described in this application can be implemented on integrated circuits (ICs), analog ICs, radio frequency integrated circuits, mixed-signal ICs, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), electronic devices, etc. The processor and transceiver can also be manufactured using various IC process technologies, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS), n-type metal oxide semiconductors (NMOS), p-type metal oxide semiconductors (PMOS), bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS), silicon germanium (SiGe), gallium arsenide (GaAs), etc.

[0136] This application also provides a communication device, which includes at least one processor. When the at least one processor executes program code or instructions, it implements the above-mentioned method steps to achieve the communication method in the above embodiments.

[0137] Optionally, the device may further include at least one memory for storing the program code or instructions.

[0138] This application also provides a computer storage medium storing computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed on a communication device, the communication device performs the aforementioned related method steps to implement the communication method in the above embodiments.

[0139] This application also provides a computer program product that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the aforementioned steps to implement the communication method described in the above embodiments.

[0140] This application also provides a communication device, which may specifically be a chip, integrated circuit, component, or module. Specifically, the device may include a connected processor and a memory for storing instructions, or the device may include at least one processor for fetching instructions from external memory. When the device is running, the processor can execute instructions to cause the chip to perform the communication methods described in the above-described method embodiments.

[0141] It should be understood that in various embodiments of this application, the sequence number of each process does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of this application.

[0142] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0143] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0144] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of the units described above is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0145] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0146] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0147] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of this application embodiment, essentially, or the parts that contribute to the prior art, or parts of the technical solutions, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0148] The above description is merely a specific implementation of the embodiments of this application, but the protection scope of the embodiments of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the embodiments of this application should be included within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of the embodiments of this application should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, include: The receiver receives multiple beams from the target cell, including an optimal beam and N suboptimal beams, where N is a positive integer. If the time interval between the current moment and the access resource location (RO) of the optimal beam is less than or equal to a first threshold, a random access sequence is sent to the target network device based on the optimal beam, wherein the target network device is the network device corresponding to the target cell. If the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than the first threshold, the random access sequence is sent to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam, wherein the target suboptimal beam is the suboptimal beam among the N suboptimal beams whose RO is closest to the current moment.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than the first threshold, sending the random access sequence to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam includes: If the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than the first threshold and the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is greater than or equal to the second threshold, the random access sequence is sent to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than the first threshold and the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is less than the second threshold, the random access sequence is sent to the target network device based on the optimal beam.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the time interval between the RO of the current beam and the RO of the target beam is greater than or equal to a third threshold, the random access sequence is retransmitted to the target network device based on the target beam before the random access response (RAR) window times out. The current beam is either the optimal beam or the target suboptimal beam, and the target beam is the beam among the plurality of beams whose RO is closest to the current time.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The optimal beam is the beam with the highest priority among the plurality of beams, and the second-highest beam is the beam with the next highest priority among the plurality of beams. The priority of the plurality of beams is determined by at least one of the energy or signal-to-noise ratio of the plurality of beams.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The target network device is a satellite network device.

7. A communication device, characterized in that, include: Receiving unit and transmitting unit; The receiving unit is used to receive multiple beams of the target cell, the multiple beams including the optimal beam and N suboptimal beams, where N is a positive integer; The transmitting unit is configured to transmit a random access sequence to a target network device based on the optimal beam when the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is less than or equal to a first threshold. The target network device is the network device corresponding to the target cell. The transmitting unit is further configured to transmit the random access sequence to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam when the time interval between the current time and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than the first threshold, wherein the target suboptimal beam is the suboptimal beam among the N suboptimal beams whose RO is closest to the current time.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The sending unit is specifically used for: If the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than the first threshold and the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is greater than or equal to the second threshold, the random access sequence is sent to the target network device based on the target suboptimal beam.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The transmitting unit is further configured to: If the time interval between the current moment and the RO of the optimal beam is greater than the first threshold and the time interval between the RO of the optimal beam and the RO of the target suboptimal beam is less than the second threshold, the random access sequence is sent to the target network device based on the optimal beam.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that, The transmitting unit is further configured to: If the time interval between the RO of the current beam and the RO of the target beam is greater than or equal to a third threshold, the random access sequence is retransmitted to the target network device based on the target beam before the RAR window times out. The current beam is the optimal beam or the target suboptimal beam, and the target beam is the beam among the plurality of beams whose RO is closest to the current time.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that, The optimal beam is the beam with the highest priority among the plurality of beams, and the second-highest beam is the beam with the next highest priority among the plurality of beams. The priority of the plurality of beams is determined by at least one of the energy or signal-to-noise ratio of the plurality of beams.

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that, The target network device is a satellite network device.

13. A communication device comprising at least one processor and a memory, characterized in that, The at least one processor executes a program or instructions stored in a memory to cause the communication device to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 6.

14. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is run on a computer or processor, it causes the computer or processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 6.

15. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising instructions, characterized in that, When the instructions are executed on a computer or processor, the computer or processor causes the computer or processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 6.

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