Communication method and device, electronic equipment, storage medium and program product

Abstract

The invention provides a communication method and device, electronic equipment, a storage medium and a program product. The communication method comprises the steps of receiving first information; the first information is used for indicating the terminal to measure a candidate non-terrestrial network NTN neighbor cell; on the basis of a sliding window mechanism, measuring part of the NTN neighbor cells in the candidate NTN neighbor cells; sending the second information to a terrestrial network (TN) cell; the second information is used for indicating the TN cell to be switched to the target NTN neighbor cell; the measurement result of the target NTN neighbor cell meets the switching condition. In conclusion, the terminal disclosed by the invention can further perform partial selection measurement by using a sliding window mechanism according to the measurement configuration information (namely the candidate NTN neighbor cells indicated in the first information) with fewer parameters, and the terminal sends the second information for indicating to be switched to the target NTN neighbor cell to the TN cell only when the switching condition is met. Therefore, the frequent invalid switching interaction process can be avoided, the switching efficiency and accuracy are improved, and the switching requirement of fast movement of the NTN can be well met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communications, and more particularly to a communication method, apparatus, electronic device, storage medium, and program product. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, because satellites in non-terrestrial network (NTN) cells move relatively quickly relative to the ground, when a terrestrial network (TN) cell hands over to an NTN neighbor cell, the terminal reconfigures the specific parameter configuration information of all potential NTN neighbor cells (up to eight). The terminal can either perform measurements on all configured NTN cells and send the data to the TN cell for handover determination, or it can choose not to perform a handover. This results in significant measurement overhead for the terminal and does not adequately meet the handover requirements of rapidly moving NTN cells. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure is made in view of the above-mentioned problems. This disclosure provides a communication method, apparatus, electronic device, storage medium, and program product.

[0004] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a communication method is provided, applied to a terminal, the method comprising: receiving first information; the first information being used to instruct the terminal to measure candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighbor cells; measuring a portion of the candidate NTN neighbor cells based on a sliding window mechanism; sending second information to a terrestrial network (TN) cell; the second information being used to instruct the TN cell to switch to a target NTN neighbor cell; and the measurement result of the target NTN neighbor cell satisfying the switching conditions.

[0005] Furthermore, according to the method of the first aspect of this disclosure, the first information includes at least one of the following: a sliding window length for indicating the number of NTN neighbor cells measured by the terminal in a single measurement; candidate NTN neighbor cell information for indicating relevant information of the NTN neighbor cells that the terminal needs to measure; and measurement gap (GAP) configuration information for indicating the configuration parameters required by the terminal to measure NTN neighbor cells.

[0006] Furthermore, according to the method of the first aspect of this disclosure, a portion of the NTN neighbor cells in the candidate NTN neighbor cells are measured based on a sliding window mechanism, including: determining a first set of NTN neighbor cells for this measurement based on the sliding window position and candidate NTN neighbor cell information; the first set includes multiple candidate NTN neighbor cells indicated by the sliding window length; measuring each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set based on the GAP configuration information corresponding to each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set; determining whether the measurement results of each candidate NTN neighbor cell meet the corresponding handover conditions; when any candidate NTN neighbor cell meets the handover conditions, determining the candidate NTN neighbor cell as the target NTN neighbor cell, and executing the step of sending second information to the TN cell; when none of the first set meets the handover conditions, moving the sliding window and re-determining the first set.

[0007] Furthermore, according to the method of the first aspect of this disclosure, the starting position of the sliding window is the candidate NTN neighbor cell with the smallest distance from the current position in the first set; the moving direction of the sliding window is the moving direction of each NTN neighbor cell; or, the moving direction of the sliding window is such that the distance between each candidate NTN neighbor cell and the current position increases sequentially; the moving step size of the sliding window is one or more candidate NTN neighbor cells.

[0008] Furthermore, according to the method of the first aspect of this disclosure, each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set is measured based on the GAP configuration information corresponding to each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set, including: adjusting the measurement configuration information of the terminal based on the GAP configuration information; the measurement configuration information includes at least one of the following: measurement time interval, measurement frequency range; and measuring the candidate NTN neighbor cells corresponding to the GAP configuration information.

[0009] Furthermore, according to the method of the first aspect of this disclosure, the measurement results include at least one of the following: signal power, signal-to-noise ratio, and signal quality; the handover conditions include at least one of the following: the measurement results meet a preset threshold, the measurement results are better than the current TN cell; and each NTN neighbor cell corresponds to one handover condition.

[0010] Furthermore, according to the method of the first aspect of this disclosure, when none of the first set meets the handover conditions, the sliding window is moved and the first set is redefined, including: when none of the first set meets the handover conditions, determining whether each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set has moved out of the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell; when any candidate NTN neighbor cell moves out of the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell, the sliding window is moved and the first set is redefined.

[0011] Furthermore, according to the method of the first aspect of this disclosure, the method further includes: sending third information to the TN cell in real time; the third information is used to indicate the GAP information of the candidate NTN neighboring cells currently being measured; the third information includes a GAP identifier.

[0012] Furthermore, according to the method of the first aspect of this disclosure, the method further includes: receiving fourth information; the fourth information being used to indicate the configuration parameters of the target NTN neighbor cell; and accessing the target NTN neighbor cell based on the fourth information.

[0013] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a communication method is provided for use in a TN cell, the method comprising: sending first information; the first information being used to instruct a terminal to measure a candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighbor cell; receiving second information; the second information being used to instruct the TN cell to switch to a target NTN neighbor cell; the measurement result of the target NTN neighbor cell satisfying the switching conditions; and performing cell switching to the target NTN neighbor cell based on the second information.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the method of the second aspect of this disclosure, before sending the first information, the method further includes: selecting a portion of NTN neighboring cells as candidate NTN neighboring cells from a plurality of NTN neighboring cells based on the direction of movement and ephemeris information.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the method of the second aspect of this disclosure, cell handover to a target NTN neighbor cell is performed based on the second information, including: sending fifth information to the target NTN neighbor cell based on the second information; the fifth information being a request information for instructing the terminal to perform handover; receiving sixth information; the sixth information being a response information for instructing the terminal to perform handover; sending fourth information to the terminal based on the sixth information; the fourth information being used to indicate the configuration parameters of the target NTN neighbor cell.

[0016] Furthermore, according to the method of the second aspect of this disclosure, the method further includes: receiving third information; the third information is used to indicate GAP information of the candidate NTN neighboring cells currently being measured; the third information includes a GAP identifier; the GAP identifier is used to indicate that the TN cell is deactivated.

[0017] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a communication device is provided, disposed in a terminal, the device comprising: a receiving unit for receiving first information; the first information for instructing the terminal to measure candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighbor cells; a measuring unit for measuring a portion of the candidate NTN neighbor cells based on a sliding window mechanism; and a sending unit for sending second information to a terrestrial network (TN) cell; the second information for instructing the TN cell to switch to a target NTN neighbor cell; wherein the measurement result of the target NTN neighbor cell satisfies the switching conditions.

[0018] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a communication apparatus is provided, disposed in a terrestrial network (TN) cell, the apparatus comprising: a transmitting unit for transmitting first information; the first information for instructing a terminal to measure candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighbor cells; a receiving unit for receiving second information; the second information for instructing the TN cell to switch to a target NTN neighbor cell; the measurement result of the target NTN neighbor cell satisfying the switching conditions; and a switching unit for performing cell switching to the target NTN neighbor cell based on the second information.

[0019] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a memory for storing computer-readable instructions; and a processor for executing the computer-readable instructions, causing the electronic device to perform the communication method described above.

[0020] According to a sixth aspect of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided for storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the communication method described above.

[0021] According to a seventh aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided, comprising a computer program executed by a processor to implement the communication method described above.

[0022] This disclosure provides a communication method, apparatus, electronic device, storage medium, and program product. The terminal of this disclosure receives first information, which can be used to instruct the terminal to measure candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighbor cells. Then, using the first information and a sliding window mechanism, it can measure a portion of the candidate NTN neighbor cells and send second information to the TN cell, which instructs the TN cell to handover to the target NTN neighbor cell; the measurement results of the target NTN neighbor cell meet the handover conditions. In summary, the technical solution provided by this disclosure allows the terminal to further select and measure a portion of the candidate NTN neighbor cells based on measurement configuration information with fewer parameters (i.e., the candidate NTN neighbor cells indicated in the first information) using a sliding window mechanism. This effectively reduces the terminal's measurement overhead and allows for targeted measurement of a portion of the candidate NTN neighbor cells. Furthermore, the terminal only sends the second information instructing handover to the TN cell to the target NTN neighbor cell when the handover conditions are met. This avoids frequent invalid handover interactions, improves handover efficiency and accuracy, and effectively meets the handover requirements of rapid NTN mobility. Therefore, the solution provided in this disclosure can effectively reduce the measurement overhead of the terminal and well meet the handover requirements of NTN rapid movement.

[0023] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further illustration of the claimed technology. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this disclosure to explain the disclosure and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0025] Figure 1 The complete process for handover from an existing TN cell to an NTN cell is provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 3 An interaction diagram of a communication method provided in this embodiment;

[0028] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the first set of measurements required when the sliding window is in its initial position, as provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0029] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the first set of redefined sliding window positions provided in embodiments of this disclosure;

[0030] Figure 6 Another communication interaction diagram provided for an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0031] Figure 7 An interaction diagram of another communication method is provided for embodiments of this disclosure;

[0032] Figure 8 The complete handover process from a TN cell to an NTN cell is provided for the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0033] Figure 9 A structural block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0034] Figure 10 A structural block diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0035] Figure 11 This is a hardware block diagram illustrating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a computer-readable storage medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0037] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure more apparent, exemplary embodiments according to this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments of this disclosure. It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0038] Currently, because satellites in non-terrestrial network (NTN) cells move relatively quickly relative to the ground, when a terrestrial network (TN) cell hands over to an NTN neighbor cell, the terminal reconfigures the specific parameter configuration information of all potential NTN neighbor cells (up to 8). The terminal can either perform measurements of all configured NTN cells and send them to the TN cell, which will then determine whether to initiate a handover, or choose not to.

[0039] For example, Figure 1 This disclosure provides a complete process for handover from an existing TN cell to an NTN cell in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the entire handover system includes: user equipment (UE), TN cell, and NTN neighboring cells. The existing handover process includes:

[0040] 1. The UE sends a measurement report to the TN cell, indicating that the signal quality of the current TN cell is lower than the preset threshold.

[0041] 2. After receiving the measurement report, the TN cell decides to initiate a Conditional Handover (CHO). The purpose of Conditional Handover is to determine the target NTN cell for the UE in advance when the signal quality of the current TN cell deteriorates. When certain conditions are met, the UE can quickly switch to the target NTN cell, thereby reducing the communication interruption time caused by signal quality deterioration and improving the continuity and reliability of communication.

[0042] 3. The TN cell sends a handover request to N (up to 8) NTN neighboring cells based on the NTN neighboring cell ephemeris information.

[0043] 4. The NTN neighbor cell sends a handover response to the TN cell.

[0044] 5. The TN cell sends a reconfiguration to the UE. The reconfiguration contains information on N neighboring cells and the handover conditions to N NTN neighboring cells.

[0045] 6. The UE replies to the TN cell that the reconfiguration is complete, indicating that the reconfiguration has been received.

[0046] 7. The UE measures the signals of N NTN neighboring cells.

[0047] 8. When the UE finds that the measurement results of the NTN neighboring cell meet the handover conditions, it initiates a handover process to the neighboring cell and performs a conditional handover.

[0048] In summary, the current handover process from a TN cell to an NTN neighbor cell incurs significant measurement overhead for the terminal and cannot adequately meet the handover requirements of the fast-moving NTN.

[0049] Therefore, this application proposes a communication method that can further select and measure candidate NTN neighbor cells based on measurement configuration information with fewer parameters (i.e., candidate NTN neighbor cells indicated in the first information) using a sliding window mechanism. Furthermore, the terminal only sends the second information indicating handover to the TN cell when the handover conditions are met. This effectively reduces the terminal's measurement overhead and well meets the handover requirements of rapid NTN migration. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2 As shown, the communication system includes at least: a terminal, a TN cell, and an NTN neighboring cell.

[0050] Specifically, a terminal, also known as a terminal device, mobile station, or mobile terminal, is capable of communicating with its current TN cell and target NTN neighboring cells. Terminals can be, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. This application does not impose any particular restrictions on the specific technology or device form used in the user terminal.

[0051] A TN cell can be a wireless communication service area in a terrestrial network, where communication services are provided by equipment such as base stations, and tasks such as communication connection with terminals, signal transmission, and resource allocation are handled.

[0052] NTN neighbor cells can be satellite communication cells or high-altitude platform communication cells in non-terrestrial networks, adjacent to TN serving cells. Under certain conditions, terminals can switch from TN serving cells to NTN neighbor cells to obtain better communication services.

[0053] then, Figure 3 An interaction diagram illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. (See diagram below.) Figure 3 As shown:

[0054] In step S101, the TN cell sends first information; the first information is used to instruct the terminal to measure the candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighbor cells.

[0055] In this disclosure, the first message can be understood as specific measurement configuration information, enabling the terminal to perform targeted measurements of NTN neighbor cells. Furthermore, because the terminal can rely on the first message for measurement, compared to existing technologies, the terminal does not need to measure all potential NTN neighbor cells, but rather measures the indicated candidate NTN neighbor cells based on the first message. This clarifies the terminal's measurement range and avoids unnecessary measurement operations.

[0056] In this disclosure, the triggering condition for the TN cell to send the first message to the terminal can be to reuse the existing measurement report sent by the terminal itself, informing the TN cell that its current signal quality is below a threshold. Alternatively, it can be automatically triggered when the TN cell detects a significant change in the signal strength of surrounding NTN neighboring cells. It can also be triggered when the TN cell receives an instruction from the network management system requesting the terminal to measure specific NTN neighboring cells. No specific restrictions are imposed here.

[0057] In this disclosure, the method by which a TN cell sends the first message to a terminal can be either to send it separately or to send it using existing information. No specific restrictions are imposed here.

[0058] In step S102, the terminal receives the first information.

[0059] In step S103, the terminal measures a portion of the candidate NTN neighboring cells based on a sliding window mechanism.

[0060] In this disclosure, the sliding window mechanism allows the terminal to dynamically select a subset of NTN neighbor cells for measurement in scenarios where NTNs are moving rapidly. This not only adapts to the rapid changes in non-terrestrial networks but also further reduces the measurement workload of the terminal.

[0061] Specifically, after receiving the first message, the terminal can determine the portion of NTN neighboring cells that need to be measured based on the candidate NTN neighboring cell range indicated in the first message, combined with a sliding window mechanism. The terminal can continuously adjust the position of the sliding window according to at least one of the following: a certain time interval, a specific triggering condition, or a change in signal strength, in order to measure different portions of NTN neighboring cells. This ensures that, even when moving rapidly in a non-terrestrial network, the terminal can promptly capture target NTN neighboring cells with good signal quality and conforming to NTN movement patterns.

[0062] In step S104, the terminal sends second information to the TN cell in the terrestrial network; the second information is used to indicate that the TN cell is to be switched to the target NTN neighbor cell; the measurement results of the target NTN neighbor cell meet the switching conditions.

[0063] In this disclosure, the second information can be understood as a message sent by the terminal to the TN cell when the measurement results of the target NTN neighbor cell meet the handover conditions and the terminal wants to hand over to the target NTN neighbor cell, so that the TN cell can evaluate whether to perform a handover operation.

[0064] In step S105, the TN cell receives the second information.

[0065] In step S106, the TN cell performs cell handover to the target NTN neighbor cell based on the second information.

[0066] In this disclosure, after receiving the second message, the TN cell can analyze the measurement results of the target NTN neighbor cell contained therein, considering at least one factor such as signal strength, signal quality, and network load, to determine whether switching to the target NTN neighbor cell can provide better communication services for the terminal. If the TN cell deems the handover reasonable, it will initiate a cell handover to the target NTN neighbor cell, thus starting the handover process. The initiated handover process includes communication coordination and resource allocation with the target NTN neighbor cell to ensure that the terminal can successfully switch to the target NTN neighbor cell. This will be described later with reference to embodiments. If the TN cell deems the handover unreasonable, it can send a rejection message to the terminal, or a message instructing the terminal to wait for further measurements, or a message to remeasure the target NTN neighbor cell within a certain period of time. No specific limitations are imposed.

[0067] In summary, the terminal can further select and measure some of the candidate NTN neighbor cells based on the measurement configuration information with fewer parameters (i.e., the candidate NTN neighbor cells indicated in the first information) using a sliding window mechanism. This effectively reduces the terminal's measurement overhead and allows for targeted measurement of only a portion of the candidate NTN neighbor cells. Furthermore, the terminal only sends the second information indicating handover to the TN cell to the target NTN neighbor cell when the handover conditions are met. This avoids frequent and invalid handover interactions, improving handover efficiency and accuracy, and effectively meeting the handover requirements of rapid NTN migration.

[0068] As mentioned earlier, the terminal can determine which NTN neighbor cells to measure based on the first message using a sliding window mechanism. The following will explain in detail the first message and how the terminal performs the measurement of some NTN neighbor cells.

[0069] In this disclosure, the first information may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following:

[0070] The sliding window length is used to indicate the number of NTN neighbor cells measured by the terminal in a single measurement.

[0071] Candidate NTN neighbor cell information is used to indicate the relevant information of the NTN neighbor cells that the terminal needs to measure;

[0072] The measurement gap (GAP) configuration information is used to indicate the configuration parameters required for the terminal to measure NTN neighbor cells.

[0073] Specifically, a sliding window can be understood as a physical or virtual sliding window used by the terminal during measurement. The sliding window length can be understood as the number of NTNs that need to be measured in a single measurement for candidate NTN neighbor cells within that sliding window; that is, the number of NTN neighbor cells that need to be measured each time the sliding window is moved, whether or not. In this disclosure, the specific sliding window length can be adjusted according to the actual network environment and terminal performance, and is not limited. Preferably, a length of 2 or 3, which better conforms to the movement patterns of NTN satellites, is suitable.

[0074] The candidate NTN neighbor cell information may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: neighbor cell identifiers, neighbor cell signal information, etc. These enable the terminal to accurately identify and measure these neighbor cells. It should be noted that the candidate NTN neighbor cell information disclosed herein may also include the order of the candidate NTN neighbor cells. This order can be consistent with the movement order of the NTN satellites. This allows the terminal to more specifically measure NTN neighbor cells sequentially according to the satellite movement order during measurement, improving measurement efficiency and accuracy.

[0075] GAP configuration information can be understood as the configuration parameters required by the terminal when measuring NTN neighbor cells, such as the measurement time interval and measurement frequency range, enabling the terminal to perform measurements and obtain accurate results. GAP configuration information can be a combination of these configuration parameters. Each NTN neighbor cell has its own corresponding GAP configuration information, which can be the same or different; this is not a restriction.

[0076] The following will explain in detail how the terminal uses the sliding window mechanism to measure some NTN neighboring cells. The method includes:

[0077] Based on the sliding window position and candidate NTN neighbor information, the first set of NTN neighbor measurements is determined; the first set includes multiple candidate NTN neighbor cells indicated by the sliding window length.

[0078] Based on the GAP configuration information corresponding to each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set, measurements are performed on each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set.

[0079] Determine whether the measurement results of each candidate NTN neighbor cell meet the corresponding switching conditions;

[0080] When any candidate NTN neighbor cell meets the handover conditions, the candidate NTN neighbor cell is determined as the target NTN neighbor cell, and the step of sending the second information to the TN cell is executed.

[0081] If none of the first sets meet the switching conditions, move the slider and redetermine the first set.

[0082] In this disclosure, the first set can be understood as a portion of the candidate NTN neighboring regions covered by the current sliding window position, the number of which is determined by the sliding length. In other words, the sliding window position is like the position of a window frame within the candidate NTN neighboring regions. The first set is like a portion of the NTN neighboring regions corresponding to the sliding length at that sliding window position. For example, if the initial position of the sliding window is K and the sliding window length is L, then the first set is all the NTN neighboring regions covered by sliding L positions backward from the Kth candidate NTN neighboring region, which can be represented as the NTN neighboring regions of K-K+L. Similarly, when the sliding window is moved so that the initial position of the sliding window is K+1, and the sliding window length is still L, then the first set is all the NTN neighboring regions covered by sliding L positions backward from the K+1th candidate NTN neighboring region, which can be represented as the NTN neighboring regions of K+1-K+L+1.

[0083] Specifically, in this disclosure, the first set covered by the current sliding window is first determined based on its current position. Then, using the GAP configuration information corresponding to each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set, measurements are performed on each candidate NTN neighbor cell. It should be noted that GAP configuration information can be used to measure its corresponding NTN neighbor cells. However, if one GAP configuration information corresponds to two or more NTN neighbor cells, then both or more neighbor cells can be measured uniformly. After measurement, it is necessary to determine whether the measurement results of each candidate NTN neighbor cell meet the corresponding handover conditions. If any candidate NTN neighbor cell meets the handover conditions, that candidate NTN neighbor cell can be designated as the target NTN neighbor cell, and a second message is sent to the TN cell to inform the TN cell terminal that it wants to hand over to the target NTN neighbor cell. If none of the candidate NTN neighbor cells in the first set meet the handover conditions, the sliding window can be moved to change the measurement range. Based on the new sliding window position, a new first set is determined, and the above measurement and judgment operations are performed again. The loop can continue until a target NTN neighbor cell that meets the switching conditions is found or the traversal of all candidate NTN neighbor cells is completed; there are no restrictions here.

[0084] In summary, this approach effectively reduces terminal measurement overhead in scenarios where NTNs move rapidly. Furthermore, by dynamically measuring and judging some candidate NTN neighbor cells through a sliding window mechanism, it can more quickly identify target NTN neighbor cells that meet the handover conditions, improving handover efficiency and accuracy, and ensuring communication quality and continuity for terminals in non-terrestrial network environments.

[0085] The following will elaborate on the specific limitations regarding sliding windows:

[0086] In this disclosure, the starting position of the sliding window is the candidate NTN neighbor cell that is closest to the current position in the first set;

[0087] The sliding window moves in the same direction as the NTN neighboring cells; or, the sliding window moves in the direction that the distance between each candidate NTN neighboring cell and the current position increases sequentially.

[0088] The sliding window moves in steps of one or more candidate NTN neighbor cells.

[0089] In this disclosure, the sliding window starts from the candidate NTN neighbor cell that is closest to the current terminal's location. This prioritizes measuring closer neighbor cells, as in practice, neighbor cells closer to the current location are more likely to be the target of handover, thereby improving the efficiency and accuracy of handover.

[0090] The sliding window can move in the direction of movement of each NTN neighboring cell, meaning it follows the movement trend of the NTN neighboring cells, i.e., the direction in which the NTN satellites move. For example, if the NTN neighboring cells as a whole move in a specific direction, the sliding window will also move in that direction to promptly capture and measure neighboring cells that are currently or about to approach the terminal. This allows for better adaptation to the dynamic changes of the NTN, enabling early measurement and evaluation of neighboring cells that may become handover targets. Alternatively, the sliding window can move in the direction where the distance between each candidate NTN neighboring cell and the current location increases sequentially, meaning the sliding window moves in order of increasing distance from the current location. This gradually expands the measurement range, ensuring that no neighboring cell that might meet the handover conditions is missed, increasing the probability of finding a suitable handover target.

[0091] The sliding window's movement step size is one or more candidate NTN neighbor cells. This means that each time the sliding window moves, it can move forward by one candidate NTN neighbor cell, or multiple candidate NTN neighbor cells can be moved depending on the actual situation. The size of the movement step size can be adjusted according to factors such as network environment, terminal performance, and requirements. For example, if the NTN changes rapidly, a larger movement step size may be needed to cover more neighbor cells for measurement more quickly; if the NTN is relatively stable, a smaller movement step size can be selected for more refined measurements.

[0092] For example, Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first set of measurements required when the sliding window is in its initial position, as provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. (See diagram below.) Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the sliding window moves in the same direction as the NTN neighboring cells. The starting position of the sliding window can be represented as NTN satellite K, and the length of the sliding window is L. Therefore, the first set, which is the portion of NTN neighboring cells to be measured, can be represented as NTN satellite K - K + L.

[0093] For example, Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the first set of positions redefined for the movable sliding window provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. (See diagram below.) Figure 5 As shown, compared to the above Figure 4 It can be seen Figure 5 The sliding window has a step size of 1, and its initial position after the movement can be represented as NTN satellite K+1, with a window length of L. Therefore, the first set, which is the newly determined first set, can be represented as NTN satellite K+1 - K+L+1.

[0094] The following details how the terminal uses the GAP configuration information to measure each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set. The method includes:

[0095] Based on the GAP configuration information, adjust the terminal's measurement configuration information; the measurement configuration information includes at least one of the following: measurement time interval, measurement frequency range;

[0096] Measure the candidate NTN neighbor cells corresponding to the GAP configuration information.

[0097] In this disclosure, the terminal can precisely adjust its measurement configuration information based on GAP configuration information. This measurement configuration information includes, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: measurement time interval and measurement frequency range. The measurement time interval can be dynamically optimized according to different network conditions and requirements. Adjusting the measurement frequency range allows the terminal to focus more intently on frequency areas that may have better signal quality. Subsequently, the terminal can utilize the adjusted measurement configuration information to perform measurement operations in a more efficient and accurate manner. For example, the terminal can perform measurements at appropriate times based on the measurement time interval, ensuring that critical signal changes are not missed. Simultaneously, targeted measurements within the measurement frequency range enable a more accurate assessment of parameters such as signal strength and quality of candidate NTN neighbor cells.

[0098] The following section will elaborate on the measurement results mentioned above and how to determine if the switching conditions are met.

[0099] In this disclosure, the measurement results may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: signal power, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and signal quality. Specifically, signal power reflects the strength of the signal received by the terminal from neighboring NTN cells. Higher signal power generally means stronger signal transmission capability, providing a more stable and reliable communication connection. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measures the ratio of signal to noise. A higher SNR indicates a relatively pure signal, less susceptible to noise interference, which is beneficial for improving communication quality. Signal quality can be determined by considering multiple factors, such as bit error rate and transmission rate. Good signal quality means accurate and efficient data transmission.

[0100] The handover conditions may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: the measurement result meets a preset threshold, or the measurement result is better than the current TN cell. Specifically, meeting the preset threshold means that when the terminal measures at least one of the signal power, signal-to-noise ratio, or signal quality of the NTN neighboring cell, the handover condition is considered met. A measurement result better than the current TN cell means comparing the measurement results of the NTN neighboring cell with the signal parameters of the current TN cell. If at least one of the signal power, signal-to-noise ratio, or signal quality of the NTN neighboring cell is better than that of the TN cell, then the handover condition is considered met.

[0101] It is important to note that in this disclosure, each NTN neighbor cell corresponds to a single handover condition. This is because different NTN neighbor cells may have different signal characteristics and quality levels, so it is necessary to set handover conditions individually for each neighbor cell. This allows for accurate judgment and decision-making based on the specific circumstances of each neighbor cell, ensuring that the most suitable target NTN neighbor cell is selected during handover, thereby achieving efficient cell handover and stable communication connections.

[0102] The following will explain in detail how to determine whether the sliding window needs to be moved to redefine the first set. The methods include:

[0103] If none of the first set of cells meet the handover conditions, determine whether each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set has been moved out of the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell.

[0104] When any candidate NTN neighbor cell moves out of the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell, the sliding window is moved and the first set is redefined.

[0105] In this disclosure, when it is initially determined that none of the candidate NTN neighbor cells in the first set meet the handover conditions, it can be determined whether each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set has moved out of the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell. When no candidate NTN neighbor cell has moved out of the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell, the status and conditions of the first set can continue to be monitored until the handover conditions are met, without any specific limitation. However, when any candidate NTN neighbor cell moves out of the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell, the sliding window can be moved and the first set re-determined. Then, it is determined again whether the new first set meets the handover conditions. If not, the above process of determining whether candidate NTN neighbor cells have moved out of the coverage area and the corresponding operation procedure is repeated until a target NTN neighbor cell that meets the handover conditions is found. For example, as described above... Figure 5 As can be seen from the diagram, NTN satellite K has moved out of the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell. Therefore, it is necessary to redetermine the new first set, which can be represented as NTN satellite K+1-K+L+1 in the diagram.

[0106] This disclosure also provides specific communication methods between the terminal and the TN cell during the measurement process. Figure 6 This is another communication interaction diagram provided as an embodiment of this disclosure. (See diagram below.) Figure 6 As shown, it includes:

[0107] In step S601, the terminal sends third information to the TN cell in real time; the third information is used to indicate the GAP information of the candidate NTN neighbor cells being measured; the third information includes the GAP identifier.

[0108] In step S602, the TN cell receives third information; the GAP identifier is used to indicate that the TN cell is deactivated.

[0109] In this disclosure, during the measurement of some NTN neighbor cells, the terminal can report the GAP information of the candidate NTN neighbor cells being measured to the TN cell in real time. This can be reported through at least one method, such as Channel State Information (CSI) or Medium Access Control Element (MAC CE), so that the information measured by the terminal can be fed back to the TN cell in a timely and accurate manner, thereby improving the overall communication efficiency. The GAP information may include, but is not limited to, GAP identifiers (GAP IDs). This can also be understood as each NTN neighbor cell having its corresponding GAP ID, containing different GAP parameter information. After receiving these GAP identifiers, the TN cell can avoid uplink and downlink scheduling according to the information indicated by the GAP identifiers, that is, the TN cell can disable all functions to fully cooperate with the terminal's measurement work.

[0110] This disclosure also provides specific communication methods for target handover with TN cells and NTN neighboring cells after the terminal measurement is completed. Figure 7 An interaction diagram is provided for another communication method according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0111] like Figure 7 As shown, the method includes:

[0112] In step S701, the TN cell sends fifth information to the target NTN neighbor cell based on the second information; the fifth information is used to instruct the terminal to make a handover request.

[0113] In step S702, the TN cell receives the sixth information; the sixth information is a response information used to instruct the terminal to perform a handover.

[0114] In step S703, the TN cell sends fourth information to the terminal based on the sixth information; the fourth information is used to indicate the configuration parameters of the target NTN neighbor cell.

[0115] In step S704, the terminal receives the fourth information.

[0116] In step S705, the terminal accesses the target NTN neighbor cell based on the fourth information.

[0117] Specifically, the handover process can be as follows: When the TN cell receives the second message from the terminal indicating a handover to the target NTN neighbor cell, it can determine to initiate the handover process. At this time, the TN cell can send a fifth message to the target NTN neighbor cell, indicating the terminal's request for handover. Upon receiving this request, the target NTN neighbor cell will evaluate and process the terminal's handover request and return a sixth message to the TN cell, indicating the terminal's response to initiate the handover. If the target NTN neighbor cell rejects the request, it can send a rejection response to the TN cell, or it can choose not to send any information; this is not restricted here. When the TN cell receives the sixth message, it can send a fourth message to the terminal based on this message. This fourth message indicates the target NTN neighbor cell's configuration parameters, enabling the terminal to successfully access the target NTN neighbor cell according to these parameters. If the TN cell does not receive the sixth message or receives a rejection response, it can assume that the target NTN neighbor cell refuses to handover. In this case, the TN cell can send a handover failure message to the terminal, or it can choose not to process it; this is not restricted here. After receiving the fourth piece of information, the terminal accesses the target NTN neighbor cell based on the fourth piece of information, thereby completing the handover process from the current TN cell to the target NTN neighbor cell. When the terminal receives a handover failure message or does not receive any message, it can choose to remeasure the target NTN neighbor cell after a period of time and re-initiate the handover process, or it can choose to remeasure to determine a new target NTN neighbor cell and proceed with the handover process; there is no specific restriction on which option to choose.

[0118] In summary, the specific communication process during a terminal's handover from TN to NTN has been detailed. The following section will elaborate on the communication methods used by TN cells during this process.

[0119] In this disclosure, before the TN cell determines to send the first message to the terminal, i.e., instructing the terminal to perform candidate NTN neighbor cell measurement, it can also determine candidate NTN neighbor cells. The method in this case includes:

[0120] Based on the direction of movement and ephemeris information, a subset of NTN neighbor cells are selected as candidate NTN neighbor cells from multiple NTN neighbor cells.

[0121] In this disclosure, the direction of movement can be understood as the direction in which each NTN neighbor cell moves, or the direction in which the distance between each NTN neighbor cell and the current location increases sequentially. Ephemeris information can be understood as detailed information about the orbital parameters, position, time, and operational status of satellites outside the NTN. It helps determine the specific position and direction of the satellites. Based on the direction of movement and ephemeris information, NTN neighbor cells on the NTN's movement path or about to enter the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell can be selected more effectively as candidate NTN neighbor cells. This allows for better alignment with the movement of NTN satellites, better prediction of the networks the terminal may connect to in the future, and provides a more reliable basis for subsequent handover decisions.

[0122] For example, Figure 8 The complete handover process from a TN cell to an NTN cell provided in the embodiments of this disclosure includes:

[0123] 1. When a UE moves to the edge of a TN cell, it will report an A2 report measurement to the TN cell. The A2 report indicates that the UE's signal quality in the current serving cell is relatively poor, and the TN cell may need to configure NTN neighbor cells for the UE.

[0124] 2. The TN cell obtains the NTN neighboring cells covering the current TN cell from the network topology and NTN satellite ephemeris (i.e., the ephemeris information equivalent to this disclosure), and then calculates the NTN cell list (i.e., the candidate NTN neighboring cells equivalent to this disclosure).

[0125] 3. The TN cell configures the NTN cell list to the UE, which includes the measurement window length (equivalent to the sliding window length in this disclosure) and the measurement GAP list (equivalent to the GAP configuration information in this disclosure).

[0126] 4. The UE measures the NTN neighbor cells according to the configured measurement window length (i.e., equivalent to measuring each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set of this disclosure), and slides the NTN neighbor cell measurement window according to the signal condition of the first NTN neighbor cell in the measurement window (i.e., equivalent to re-determining the first set of this disclosure).

[0127] 5. The UE reports the GAP information of the NTN neighbor cell measurement within the current measurement window (which is equivalent to the third information of this disclosure).

[0128] 6. TN cells should avoid scheduling the UE within the reported GAP.

[0129] 7. The UE reports a measurement report on the handover conditions of the NTN neighboring cells (i.e., equivalent to the second information of this disclosure).

[0130] 8. The TN cell sends a handover request to the NTN cell.

[0131] 9. The TN cell receives the handover response from the NTN cell.

[0132] 10. The TN cell sends handover reconfiguration information to the UE.

[0133] 11. The terminal performs a random access process to the target NTN neighbor cell.

[0134] This disclosure also provides a communication device. Figure 9 A structural block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the communication device is installed in a terminal, and the communication device 900 includes:

[0135] The receiving unit 901 is used to receive first information; the first information is used to instruct the terminal to measure the candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighboring cells.

[0136] Measurement unit 902 is used to measure a portion of the candidate NTN neighboring cells based on a sliding window mechanism.

[0137] The transmitting unit 903 is used to send second information to the TN cell of the ground network; the second information is used to indicate that the TN cell is to be switched to the target NTN neighbor cell; the measurement results of the target NTN neighbor cell meet the switching conditions.

[0138] In one exemplary embodiment, the first information includes at least one of the following: a sliding window length, used to indicate the number of NTN neighbor cells measured by the terminal in a single measurement; candidate NTN neighbor cell information, used to indicate relevant information about the NTN neighbor cells that the terminal needs to measure; and measurement gap (GAP) configuration information, used to indicate the configuration parameters required by the terminal to measure NTN neighbor cells.

[0139] In one exemplary embodiment, a sliding window mechanism is used to measure a portion of the candidate NTN neighbor cells, including: determining a first set of NTN neighbor cells for this measurement based on the sliding window position and candidate NTN neighbor cell information; the first set includes multiple candidate NTN neighbor cells indicated by the sliding window length; measuring each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set based on the GAP configuration information corresponding to each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set; determining whether the measurement results of each candidate NTN neighbor cell meet the corresponding handover conditions; when any candidate NTN neighbor cell meets the handover conditions, determining the candidate NTN neighbor cell as the target NTN neighbor cell and executing the step of sending second information to the TN cell; when none of the first set meets the handover conditions, moving the sliding window and re-determining the first set.

[0140] In one exemplary embodiment, the starting position of the sliding window is the candidate NTN neighbor cell that is closest to the current position in the first set; the moving direction of the sliding window is the moving direction of each NTN neighbor cell; or, the moving direction of the sliding window is such that the distance between each candidate NTN neighbor cell and the current position increases sequentially; the moving step size of the sliding window is one or more candidate NTN neighbor cells.

[0141] In one exemplary embodiment, based on the GAP configuration information corresponding to each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set, measurements are performed on each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set, including: adjusting the measurement configuration information of the terminal based on the GAP configuration information; the measurement configuration information includes at least one of the following: measurement time interval, measurement frequency range; and measuring the candidate NTN neighbor cells corresponding to the GAP configuration information.

[0142] In one exemplary embodiment, the measurement results include at least one of the following: signal power, signal-to-noise ratio, and signal quality; the handover conditions include at least one of the following: the measurement results meet a preset threshold, or the measurement results are better than the current TN cell; each NTN neighbor cell corresponds to one handover condition.

[0143] In one exemplary embodiment, when none of the first set meets the handover conditions, the sliding window is moved and the first set is redefined, including: when none of the first set meets the handover conditions, determining whether each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set has moved out of the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell; when any candidate NTN neighbor cell moves out of the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell, the sliding window is moved and the first set is redefined.

[0144] In one exemplary embodiment, the method further includes: sending third information to the TN cell in real time; the third information is used to indicate the GAP information of the currently measured candidate NTN neighbor cells; the third information includes a GAP identifier.

[0145] In one exemplary embodiment, the method further includes: receiving fourth information; the fourth information being used to indicate configuration parameters of the target NTN neighbor cell; and accessing the target NTN neighbor cell based on the fourth information.

[0146] This disclosure also provides a communication device. Figure 10 A structural block diagram of another communication device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the communication device is installed in a terrestrial network TN cell, and the communication device 1000 includes:

[0147] The sending unit 1001 is used to send first information; the first information is used to instruct the terminal to measure the candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighbor cells.

[0148] The receiving unit 1002 is used to receive second information; the second information is used to indicate that the TN cell is to be switched to the target NTN neighbor cell; the measurement results of the target NTN neighbor cell meet the switching conditions.

[0149] The handover unit 1003 is used to perform cell handover to the target NTN neighbor cell based on the second information.

[0150] In one exemplary embodiment, before sending the first information, the method further includes: selecting a portion of NTN neighboring cells as candidate NTN neighboring cells from a plurality of NTN neighboring cells based on the direction of movement and ephemeris information.

[0151] In one exemplary embodiment, cell handover to a target NTN neighbor cell based on the second information includes: sending fifth information to the target NTN neighbor cell based on the second information; the fifth information being a request for the terminal to perform handover; receiving sixth information; the sixth information being a response for the terminal to perform handover; and sending fourth information to the terminal based on the sixth information; the fourth information being a configuration parameter of the target NTN neighbor cell.

[0152] In one exemplary embodiment, the method further includes: receiving third information; the third information is used to indicate GAP information of the currently measured candidate NTN neighbor cells; the third information includes a GAP identifier; the GAP identifier is used to indicate that the TN cell is deactivated.

[0153] Figure 11 This is a hardware block diagram illustrating an electronic device 1100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least a processor and a memory for storing computer-readable instructions. When the computer-readable instructions are loaded and executed by the processor, the processor performs the network access method as described above.

[0154] Figure 11 The illustrated electronic device 1100 specifically includes a central processing unit (CPU) 1101, a graphics processing unit (GPU) 1102, and a memory 1103. These units are interconnected via a bus 1104. The CPU 1101 and / or GPU 1102 can function as the aforementioned processor, and the memory 1103 can function as the aforementioned memory storing computer-readable instructions. Furthermore, the electronic device 1100 may also include a communication unit 1105, a storage unit 1106, an output unit 1107, an input unit 1108, and an external device 1109, all of which are also connected to the bus 1104.

[0155] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a computer-readable storage medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 12As shown, a computer-readable storage medium 1200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure stores computer-readable instructions 1201 thereon. When the computer-readable instructions 1201 are executed by a processor, the network access method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure described with reference to the above figures is performed. The computer-readable storage medium includes, but is not limited to, volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. The volatile memory may include, for example, random access memory (RAM) and / or cache memory. The non-volatile memory may include, for example, read-only memory (ROM), hard disk, flash memory, optical disk, magnetic disk, etc.

[0156] This disclosure further provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the communication method described in any of the preceding embodiments of this disclosure.

[0157] The communication method, apparatus, electronic device, storage medium, and program product according to embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terminal of the present disclosure receives first information, which can be used to instruct the terminal to measure candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighbor cells. Then, using the first information and a sliding window mechanism, a portion of the candidate NTN neighbor cells can be measured, and second information can be sent to the TN cell, which instructs the TN cell to switch to the target NTN neighbor cell; the measurement results of the target NTN neighbor cell meet the handover conditions. In summary, the technical solution provided by the present disclosure allows the terminal to further select and measure a portion of the candidate NTN neighbor cells based on measurement configuration information with fewer parameters (i.e., the candidate NTN neighbor cells indicated in the first information) using a sliding window mechanism. This effectively reduces the measurement overhead of the terminal and allows for targeted measurement of a portion of the candidate NTN neighbor cells. Simultaneously, the terminal only sends the second information instructing the TN cell to switch to the target NTN neighbor cell when the handover conditions are met. This avoids frequent invalid handover interactions, improves handover efficiency and accuracy, and effectively meets the handover requirements of rapid NTN migration. Therefore, the solution provided in this disclosure can effectively reduce the measurement overhead of the terminal and well meet the handover requirements of NTN rapid movement.

[0158] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this disclosure.

[0159] The basic principles of this disclosure have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this disclosure are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this disclosure. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the scope of this disclosure to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.

[0160] The block diagrams of devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems disclosed herein are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the block diagrams. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems can be connected, arranged, and configured in any manner. Words such as “comprising,” “including,” “having,” etc., are open-ended terms meaning “including but not limited to,” and are used interchangeably with them. The terms “or” and “and” as used herein refer to the terms “and / or,” and are used interchangeably with them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term “such as” as used herein refers to the phrase “such as but not limited to,” and is used interchangeably with it.

[0161] Additionally, as used herein, the “or” used in a list of items beginning with “at least one” indicates a separate list, such that a list of, for example, “at least one of A, B, or C” means A or B or C, or AB or AC or BC, or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Furthermore, the wording “exemplary” does not imply that the described example is preferred or better than other examples.

[0162] It should also be noted that in the systems and methods of this disclosure, the components or steps can be decomposed and / or recombined. These decompositions and / or recombinations should be considered as equivalent solutions to this disclosure.

[0163] Various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made to the technology described herein without departing from the teachings defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, the scope of the claims of this disclosure is not limited to the specific aspects of the processes, machines, manufactures, events, means, methods, and actions described above. Currently existing or later-developed processes, machines, manufactures, events, means, methods, or actions that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding aspects described herein can be utilized. Therefore, the appended claims include such processes, machines, manufactures, events, means, methods, or actions within their scope.

[0164] The above description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to be carried out within the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0165] The above description has been given for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure to the forms disclosed herein. Although numerous exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain variations, modifications, alterations, additions, and sub-combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a terminal, the method includes: Receive first information; the first information is used to instruct the terminal to measure candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighbor cells; Based on the sliding window mechanism, a portion of the NTN neighboring cells in the candidate NTN neighboring cells are measured; Send a second message to the TN cell in the ground network; the second message is used to instruct the TN cell to switch to the target NTN neighbor cell; the measurement results of the target NTN neighbor cell meet the switching conditions.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first information includes at least one of the following: The sliding window length is used to indicate the number of NTN neighbor cells measured by the terminal in a single measurement. Candidate NTN neighbor information is used to indicate the relevant information of the NTN neighbor cells that the terminal needs to measure; The measurement gap (GAP) configuration information is used to indicate the configuration parameters required for the terminal to measure NTN neighbor cells.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The measurement of a portion of the candidate NTN neighboring cells based on the sliding window mechanism includes: Based on the sliding window position and candidate NTN neighbor cell information, a first set of NTN neighbor cells for this measurement is determined; the first set includes multiple candidate NTN neighbor cells indicated by the sliding window length. Based on the GAP configuration information corresponding to each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set, measurements are performed on each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set. Determine whether the measurement results of each candidate NTN neighbor cell meet the corresponding switching conditions; When any candidate NTN neighbor cell meets the handover conditions, the candidate NTN neighbor cell is determined as the target NTN neighbor cell, and the step of sending the second information to the TN cell is executed; If none of the first sets meet the switching conditions, move the sliding window and redetermine the first set.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The starting position of the sliding window is the candidate NTN neighboring cell that is closest to the current position in the first set; The sliding window moves in the direction of movement of each of the NTN neighboring cells; or, the sliding window moves in the direction of movement of the distance between each candidate NTN neighboring cell and the current position increases sequentially. The sliding window's movement step size is one or more candidate NTN neighbor cells.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of measuring each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set based on the GAP configuration information corresponding to each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set includes: Based on the GAP configuration information, the terminal's measurement configuration information is adjusted; the measurement configuration information includes at least one of the following: measurement time interval and measurement frequency range; The candidate NTN neighbor cells corresponding to the GAP configuration information are measured.

6. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The measurement results include at least one of the following: signal power, signal-to-noise ratio, and signal quality; The handover conditions include at least one of the following: the measurement result meets a preset threshold, or the measurement result is better than the current TN cell; Each NTN neighbor cell corresponds to a handover condition.

7. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, When none of the first sets meet the switching conditions, moving the sliding window and re-determining the first set includes: When none of the first set meets the handover conditions, determine whether each candidate NTN neighbor cell in the first set has been moved out of the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell; When any of the candidate NTN neighbor cells moves out of the coverage area of ​​the current TN cell, the sliding window is moved and the first set is redefined.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The third information is sent to the TN cell in real time; the third information is used to indicate the GAP information of the candidate NTN neighbor cells currently being measured. The third piece of information includes the GAP identifier.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive fourth information; the fourth information is used to indicate the configuration parameters of the target NTN neighbor cell; Based on the fourth information, the target NTN neighbor cell is accessed.

10. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to TN cells, the method includes: Send first information; the first information is used to instruct the terminal to measure the candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighbor cells; Receive second information; the second information is used to instruct the TN cell to switch to the target NTN neighbor cell; the measurement results of the target NTN neighbor cell meet the handover conditions; Based on the second information, a cell handover is performed to the target NTN neighbor cell.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, Before sending the first information, the method further includes: Based on the direction of movement and ephemeris information, a subset of NTN neighbor cells are selected as candidate NTN neighbor cells from multiple NTN neighbor cells.

12. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The step of performing cell handover to the target NTN neighbor cell based on the second information includes: Based on the second information, the fifth information is sent to the target NTN neighboring cell; the fifth information is a request information to instruct the terminal to perform a handover. Receive the sixth information; the sixth information is a response information used to instruct the terminal to perform a handover. Based on the sixth information, the fourth information is sent to the terminal; the fourth information is used to indicate the configuration parameters of the target NTN neighbor cell.

13. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive third information; the third information is used to indicate the GAP information of the candidate NTN neighboring cells currently being measured; The third piece of information includes a GAP identifier; the GAP identifier is used to indicate that the TN cell is deactivated.

14. A communication device, characterized in that, The device, located in a terminal, includes: A receiving unit is configured to receive first information; the first information is used to instruct the terminal to measure candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighbor cells. The measurement unit is used to measure a portion of the candidate NTN neighboring cells based on a sliding window mechanism. The transmitting unit is used to send second information to the TN cell in the terrestrial network; the second information is used to instruct the TN cell to switch to the target NTN neighbor cell; the measurement results of the target NTN neighbor cell meet the switching conditions.

15. A communication device, characterized in that, The device, installed in a terrestrial network TN cell, includes: A sending unit is configured to send first information; the first information is configured to instruct the terminal to measure candidate non-terrestrial network (NTN) neighbor cells. A receiving unit is configured to receive second information; the second information is configured to instruct the TN cell to switch to a target NTN neighbor cell; the measurement results of the target NTN neighbor cell meet the switching conditions; The handover unit is used to perform cell handover to the target NTN neighbor cell based on the second information.

16. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: Memory, used to store computer-readable instructions; as well as A processor for executing the computer-readable instructions, causing the electronic device to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 14.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions, characterized in that, When the computer-readable instructions are executed by a processor, the processor performs the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

18. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes a computer program, which is executed by a processor to implement the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

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