Switching method and device of maritime communication network, electronic equipment and storage medium

Abstract

The invention provides a switching method and device of an offshore communication network, electronic equipment and a storage medium, relates to the technical field of computers, and is used for carrying out dynamic network switching decision making according to service types and distinguishing differentiated requirements of different service types on the network. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring a current communication environment parameter of the shipborne terminal; determining predicted signal strength of at least one candidate network based on the current communication environment parameter; the candidate network comprises a current network of the shipborne terminal; evaluating the quality of each candidate network based on the communication environment parameters and the predicted signal intensity to obtain a quality evaluation result of each candidate network; determining a to-be-switched target network of the shipborne terminal based on the quality evaluation result of at least one candidate network, the service type of the shipborne terminal and the predicted signal strength of the current network; and switching the shipborne terminal to the target network.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of computer technology, and in particular to methods, apparatus, electronic devices and storage media for switching maritime communication networks. Background Technology

[0002] Current maritime communication services encompass various types, including video surveillance, voice calls, and emergency short messages. The requirements for the reliability, coverage continuity, and intelligence of communication systems are increasing, necessitating the construction of an integrated communication system covering both near-shore and offshore areas.

[0003] Maritime communication networks are highly heterogeneous, including various communication methods such as shore-based 5G, low-Earth orbit satellites, VDES, and BeiDou satellites. Existing switching methods for maritime networks include methods for switching between ship-to-land satellite networks verified by geographic information systems and BeiDou satellite navigation systems, low-Earth orbit satellite communication link switching based on machine learning, and satellite hybrid networking communication methods based on VHF data exchange systems.

[0004] However, current network handover methods are prone to erroneous handovers or ping-pong handovers in the maritime environment where signal fluctuations are frequent, affecting communication continuity and user experience, and making it difficult to provide optimal network access strategies for various services. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium for switching maritime communication networks, used to make dynamic network switching decisions based on service types and to distinguish the differentiated network requirements of different service types.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a method for switching maritime communication networks, comprising: acquiring current communication environment parameters of a shipborne terminal; determining the predicted signal strength of at least one candidate network based on the current communication environment parameters, wherein the predicted signal strength is the signal strength of the candidate network at a future time; the candidate network includes the current network of the shipborne terminal; evaluating the quality of each candidate network based on the communication environment parameters and the predicted signal strength to obtain the quality evaluation results of each candidate network; determining the target network to be switched to for the shipborne terminal based on the quality evaluation results of at least one candidate network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the predicted signal strength of the current network; and switching the shipborne terminal to the target network.

[0007] The technical solution provided in this application brings at least the following beneficial effects: obtaining the current communication environment parameters of the shipborne terminal provides an objective data basis for calculation; predicting the signal strength of candidate networks at future moments based on the current environment parameters enables early perception of communication quality change trends, thereby achieving forward-looking network switching; evaluating the quality of each candidate network based on communication environment parameters and predicted signal strength, considering not only the predicted signal strength but also the communication environment parameters, allows the quality evaluation results to more comprehensively and accurately reflect the actual communication capabilities of the candidate networks at future moments; based on the quality evaluation results of at least one candidate network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the predicted signal strength of the current network, the target network to be switched to by the shipborne terminal is determined. The basic communication performance of the target network is guaranteed by the quality evaluation results. Furthermore, the combination of service type ensures that the selected network matches the needs of the current communication task, and dynamic network switching decisions can be made based on service type, distinguishing the differentiated network requirements of different service types.

[0008] One possible implementation involves determining the target network as the network with the best network quality among at least one candidate network when the predicted signal strength of the current network is less than a preset threshold; determining the target network as the BeiDou satellite network when the service type of the shipborne terminal is emergency short message; determining the handover benefit of at least one candidate network when the predicted signal strength of the current network is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, and determining the target network based on the handover benefit of at least one candidate network; wherein, the handover benefit is used to reflect the net gain between the improvement in network quality and the handover cost after network handover.

[0009] Another possible implementation involves determining the switching benefits of a candidate network for each of at least one candidate network, based on the network type of the current network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the quality assessment results of the candidate network.

[0010] Another possible implementation involves determining the switching cost based on the number of network switching operations of the shipborne terminal within a preset time period; determining the latency cost based on the network type of the current network and the service type of the shipborne terminal; and calculating the switching benefits of the candidate network based on the quality assessment results of the candidate network, the switching cost, and the latency cost.

[0011] Another possible implementation is to determine the target network as the network with the largest switching benefit among at least one candidate network, provided that the switching benefit meets a preset condition; wherein the preset condition is that the switching benefit from switching from the current network to the candidate network is greater than a preset switching threshold.

[0012] Another possible implementation involves determining the propagation loss model of each candidate network in at least one candidate network based on the current communication environment parameters; determining the predicted distance of the shipborne terminal based on its position and motion state, where the predicted distance is the distance between the shipborne terminal's position and the network service access point at a future time; and calculating the predicted signal strength of the candidate network based on the current communication environment parameters, the predicted distance, and the propagation loss model.

[0013] Another possible implementation involves determining the data for at least one quality assessment indicator for each candidate network based on communication environment parameters and the predicted signal strength of the candidate network; determining the weight of each quality assessment indicator based on the service type of the shipborne terminal, whereby the weight reflects the importance of each quality assessment indicator in different service types; and determining the quality assessment result of the candidate network based on the data of at least one quality assessment indicator and the weight of each quality assessment indicator.

[0014] Another possible implementation is to base the prediction time window for signal strength on the speed adjustment of the shipborne terminal.

[0015] Another possible implementation involves communication environment parameters including at least one of the following: network operating frequency, received network signal strength, ship's position and motion status, three-dimensional coordinates of the network service access point, meteorological parameters of the ship's position, and the type of ship communication service.

[0016] Another possible implementation approach is to include at least one of the following candidate networks: 5G network, VDES network, low-Earth orbit satellite network, and BeiDou satellite network.

[0017] Secondly, this application provides a switching device for a maritime communication network, comprising: an acquisition module, a processing module, and a switching module; the acquisition module is used to acquire the current communication environment parameters of a shipborne terminal; the processing module is used to determine the predicted signal strength of at least one candidate network based on the current communication environment parameters; evaluate the quality of each candidate network based on the communication environment parameters and the predicted signal strength to obtain the quality evaluation results of each candidate network; determine the target network to be switched to for the shipborne terminal based on the quality evaluation results of at least one candidate network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the predicted signal strength of the current network; and the switching module is used to switch the shipborne terminal to the target network.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the processing module is further configured to: determine the target network as the network with the best network quality among at least one candidate network when the predicted signal strength of the current network is less than a preset threshold; determine the target network as the BeiDou satellite network when the service type of the shipborne terminal is emergency short message; determine the handover benefit of at least one candidate network when the predicted signal strength of the current network is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, and determine the target network based on the handover benefit of at least one candidate network; wherein the handover benefit is used to reflect the net gain between the improvement in network quality and the handover cost after network handover.

[0019] Another possible implementation is that the processing module is also used to determine the switching benefits of the candidate network for each of the at least one candidate network, based on the network type of the current network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the quality assessment results of the candidate network.

[0020] Another possible implementation is that the processing module is also used to determine the switching cost based on the number of network switching times of the shipborne terminal within a preset time period; determine the latency cost based on the network type of the current network and the service type of the shipborne terminal; and calculate the switching benefit of the candidate network based on the quality assessment results of the candidate network, the switching cost, and the latency cost.

[0021] Another possible implementation is that the processing module is also used to determine the target network as the network with the largest switching benefit among at least one candidate network, provided that the switching benefit meets a preset condition; wherein the preset condition is that the switching benefit from switching from the current network to the candidate network is greater than a preset switching threshold.

[0022] Another possible implementation is that the processing module is also used to determine the propagation loss model of each candidate network in at least one candidate network based on the current communication environment parameters; determine the predicted distance of the shipborne terminal based on the position and motion state of the shipborne terminal, the predicted distance being the distance between the position of the shipborne terminal and the network service access point at a future time; and calculate the predicted signal strength of the candidate network based on the current communication environment parameters, the predicted distance, and the propagation loss model.

[0023] Another possible implementation is that the processing module is further configured to, for each of the at least one candidate network, determine the data of at least one quality assessment indicator of the candidate network based on communication environment parameters and the predicted signal strength of the candidate network; determine the weight of each quality assessment indicator based on the service type of the shipborne terminal, the weight being used to reflect the importance of each quality assessment indicator in different service types; and determine the quality assessment result of the candidate network based on the data of at least one quality assessment indicator and the weight of each quality assessment indicator.

[0024] Another possible implementation is that the processing module is also used to predict the signal strength prediction time window based on the speed adjustment of the shipborne terminal.

[0025] Another possible implementation involves communication environment parameters including at least one of the following: network operating frequency, received network signal strength, ship's position and motion status, three-dimensional coordinates of the network service access point, meteorological parameters of the ship's position, and the type of ship communication service.

[0026] Another possible implementation approach is to include at least one of the following candidate networks: 5G network, VDES network, low-Earth orbit satellite network, and BeiDou satellite network.

[0027] Thirdly, this application provides an electronic device comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory storing processor-executable instructions; when the processor is configured to execute the instructions, causing the electronic device to implement the method of the first aspect described above.

[0028] Fourthly, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium comprising: computer software instructions; which, when executed in an electronic device, cause the electronic device to implement the method described in the first aspect.

[0029] Fifthly, this application provides a computer program product comprising a computer program; when the computer program is run in an electronic device, it causes the electronic device to implement the method described in the first aspect.

[0030] The beneficial effects of the second to fifth aspects mentioned above are described in the corresponding description of the first aspect and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the architecture of a switching system for a maritime communication network provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a method for switching a maritime communication network, provided as an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a method for quality evaluation of candidate networks provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating the process of determining and switching a target network, provided as an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the overall process of a network switching method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 A schematic diagram illustrating the composition of a switching device for a maritime communication network provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The following is a detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a switching method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium for a maritime communication network provided in this application.

[0033] 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.

[0034] The terms "first" and "second," etc., used in the specification and drawings 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.

[0035] Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, used in the description of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus 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 such process, method, product, or apparatus.

[0036] It should be noted that in the embodiments of this application, the words "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design scheme described as "exemplary" 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 "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0037] To facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish the same or similar items with essentially the same function and effect. Those skilled in the art can understand that the terms "first" and "second" are not intended to limit the quantity or execution order.

[0038] In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0039] Current maritime communication services encompass various types, including video surveillance, voice calls, and emergency short messages. The requirements for the reliability, coverage continuity, and intelligence of communication systems are increasing, necessitating the construction of an integrated communication system covering both near-shore and offshore areas.

[0040] Maritime communication networks are highly heterogeneous, including various communication methods such as shore-based 5G, low-Earth orbit satellites, VDES, and BeiDou satellites. Existing switching methods for maritime networks include methods for switching between ship-to-land satellite networks verified by geographic information systems and BeiDou satellite navigation systems, low-Earth orbit satellite communication link switching based on machine learning, and satellite hybrid networking communication methods based on VHF data exchange systems.

[0041] However, current network handover methods all rely on symmetrical thresholds or single-condition judgments for handover decisions, failing to employ asymmetric hysteresis threshold designs. This makes them prone to false handovers or ping-pong handovers in the frequently fluctuating maritime environment, impacting communication continuity and user experience. Furthermore, current network selection methods use uniform evaluation criteria or fixed weight configurations, failing to differentiate between the varying latency, bandwidth, and reliability requirements of different service types, making it difficult to provide optimal network access strategies for various services. Moreover, handover timing decisions rely on fixed prediction parameters or criteria, lacking predictive mechanisms, making them ill-suited for handover requirements under varying motion conditions, such as high-speed navigation and low-speed operations.

[0042] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a method for switching maritime communication networks. The method involves: acquiring the current communication environment parameters of the shipborne terminal, providing an objective data basis for calculations; predicting the signal strength of candidate networks at future times based on the current environment parameters, enabling early perception of communication quality trends and thus achieving proactive network switching; evaluating the quality of each candidate network based on the communication environment parameters and predicted signal strength, considering not only the predicted signal strength but also the communication environment parameters, so that the quality evaluation results can more comprehensively and accurately reflect the actual communication capabilities of the candidate networks at future times; determining the target network to be switched to based on the quality evaluation results of at least one candidate network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the predicted signal strength of the current network; ensuring the basic communication performance of the target network based on the quality evaluation results; furthermore, ensuring that the selected network matches the needs of the current communication task by considering the service type; and enabling dynamic network switching decisions based on the service type, distinguishing the differentiated network requirements of different service types.

[0043] The embodiments provided in this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] The method for switching maritime communication networks provided in this application can be applied to, for example... Figure 1 The switching system of the maritime communication network shown. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the switching system 10 of the maritime communication network of this application includes: electronic equipment 11.

[0045] In some implementations, the electronic device 11 can predict the signal strength of the candidate network at future moments and evaluate the quality of the candidate network based on environmental parameters and signal strength.

[0046] In some implementations, the electronic device 11 can also determine the target network based on the quality assessment results of the candidate network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the predicted signal strength of the current network, and switch the current network to the target network.

[0047] Optionally, the electronic device 11 can also store the collected environmental parameters of ship communication and historical network switching decision-related data to facilitate data retrieval, processing and analysis.

[0048] In some embodiments, electronic device 11 can be a server, for example, a single server, or a server cluster consisting of multiple servers. In some embodiments, the server cluster can also be a distributed cluster.

[0049] In some embodiments, the electronic device 11 can be a terminal device, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, desktop computer, laptop computer, handheld computer, notebook computer, ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC), netbook, cellular phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR) device, etc. This application embodiment does not impose any special limitations on the specific form of the terminal device.

[0050] In some embodiments, the switching system 10 of the maritime communication network may also include a notification device 12.

[0051] Specifically, a communication connection is established between the notification device 12 and the electronic device 11. For example, the connection method can be wireless, such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi; alternatively, it can be wired, such as fiber optic, etc., without limitation. For example, the notification device 12 and the electronic device 11 can be connected to the Internet via a router, thereby establishing the communication connection between them.

[0052] In some implementations, the prompting device 12 is used to display the target network to be switched. For example, the prompting device 12 may be a voice prompt device, in which case the prompting device 12 presents the target network to be switched to the user by reading it aloud. Alternatively, the prompting device 12 may also be a display device, in which case the prompting device 12 presents the target network to the user by displaying the target network to be switched on a display screen.

[0053] It should be noted that the system architecture described in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of system architecture, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0054] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, introduces a method for switching a maritime communication network according to an embodiment of this application.

[0055] For example, the method for switching maritime communication networks provided in this application can be achieved through... Figure 1 The switching system of the maritime communication network shown is implemented, or, through... Figure 1 The electronic equipment in the switching system of the maritime communication network shown is implemented.

[0056] See Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for switching a maritime communication network according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 As shown, the method for switching maritime communication networks provided in this application includes the following steps S201 to S205.

[0057] S201. Obtain the current communication environment parameters of the shipborne terminal.

[0058] In some embodiments, a shipborne terminal is an integrated communication device installed on a ship. The shipborne terminal is responsible for accessing various communication protocols, processing signals, and transmitting services; it is the physical device for information interaction between the ship and external networks.

[0059] For example, a shipborne terminal may include a navigation and positioning module, a multi-mode radio frequency module, a main control processing module, a sensor interface module, and a data storage module. The navigation and positioning module provides the ship's geographical location, ground speed, and heading information; the multi-mode radio frequency module scans, measures, and connects to different wireless communication networks; the main control processing module runs control logic and algorithms; the sensor interface module connects to peripheral devices such as anemometers, temperature and humidity sensors; and the data storage module caches environmental parameters and historical records.

[0060] In some embodiments, the current communication environment parameters refer to the set of various physical quantities, state information, and network conditions that directly or indirectly affect the quality of the shipborne terminal's communication link at a certain moment. The current communication environment parameters characterize the real-time objective conditions under which the terminal communicates.

[0061] In some embodiments, the communication environment parameters include at least one of the following: network operating frequency, received network signal strength, ship's position and motion status, three-dimensional coordinates of the network service access point, meteorological parameters of the ship's position, and the service type of ship communication.

[0062] In some embodiments, the network operating frequency refers to the center frequency of the wireless communication channel currently used by the shipborne terminal.

[0063] In some embodiments, the received network signal strength refers to the power level of the wireless signal received by the shipborne terminal from the serving access point.

[0064] In some embodiments, the position and motion status of a vessel refer to its real-time geographic coordinates, speed over land, and heading over land, as determined by a positioning system.

[0065] In some embodiments, the three-dimensional coordinates of a network service access point refer to the longitude, latitude, and altitude information corresponding to a shore-based base station or satellite access point that provides communication services to a ship.

[0066] In some embodiments, meteorological parameters of a ship's location refer to atmospheric conditions such as wind speed, wind direction, temperature, air pressure, and humidity at the ship's location, either in real time or as predicted.

[0067] In some embodiments, the service type of ship communication refers to the application category to which the data currently transmitted through the shipboard terminal belongs.

[0068] In some embodiments, the current communication environment parameters of the shipborne terminal can be obtained through hardware devices such as shipborne terminals, interfaces or sensors, or by querying publicly available data.

[0069] For example, the network operating frequency and received network signal strength can be obtained through the configuration register and measurement circuit of the multi-mode radio frequency module integrated in the shipborne terminal; the ship's position and motion status can be obtained by receiving and parsing positioning messages through the Beidou satellite navigation and positioning module connected to the shipborne terminal; the three-dimensional coordinates of the network service access point can be obtained by querying the base station database pre-set in the electronic chart system and matching it according to the ship's position; the meteorological parameters of the ship's position can be obtained by accessing the shipborne meteorological sensor or calling the remote meteorological data service interface; and the service type of ship communication can be identified by analyzing the protocol characteristics and port number of the application layer data stream through deep packet inspection technology.

[0070] In some embodiments, after acquiring the current communication environment parameters, these parameters can be compared with a preset reasonable value range, and abnormal parameters can be marked or a calibration process can be triggered. Alternatively, the acquired current communication environment parameters can be temporarily stored in a circular buffer to provide a continuous data sequence for subsequent prediction and decision-making steps.

[0071] S202. Based on the current communication environment parameters, determine the predicted signal strength of at least one candidate network.

[0072] The predicted signal strength is the signal strength of the candidate network at a future time, and the candidate network includes the current network of the shipborne terminal.

[0073] In some embodiments, a candidate network refers to the set of all wireless communication networks that the shipborne terminal may access during a handover decision. The candidate network includes at least the current network on which the shipborne terminal is currently maintaining a connection and transmitting services, as well as other available networks that can be detected or pre-configured by the shipborne terminal.

[0074] In some embodiments, the candidate networks include at least one of the following: 5G network, VDES network, low-Earth orbit satellite network, and BeiDou satellite network.

[0075] In some embodiments, a 5G network refers to a broadband mobile communication network built on the fifth-generation mobile communication technology standard and covered by shore-based cellular base stations.

[0076] In some embodiments, VDES network refers to a VHF data exchange system, which is a VHF band digital network designed specifically for maritime communications, integrating traditional AIS and extending bidirectional data communication capabilities.

[0077] In some embodiments, a low-Earth orbit satellite network refers to a data communication service network consisting of a constellation of satellites operating in near-Earth orbit that is capable of providing global coverage.

[0078] In some embodiments, the BeiDou satellite network refers to the BeiDou satellite navigation system, which, in addition to providing positioning, navigation, and timing services, also has a unique short message communication function.

[0079] In some embodiments, a future moment refers to one or more specific points in time after the current moment. Future moments serve as a time reference for forward-looking network quality predictions and handover decisions, and their specific time span is determined by the prediction time window.

[0080] In some embodiments, the future moment may not be a fixed time offset, but may be a point in time dynamically determined by adaptive rules bound to the real-time motion state of the ship. This allows the switching decision for ships in different navigation states to be made based on the most appropriate time scale.

[0081] For example, future moments can include: near-future moments determined for high-speed vessels (e.g., container ships with speeds greater than 15 knots), such as time points calculated 30 to 45 seconds after the current moment, which can match the rapidly changing network environment of high-speed vessels and ensure the timeliness and response speed of switching decisions; medium-term future moments determined for medium-speed vessels (e.g., bulk carriers with speeds between 5 and 15 knots), such as time points calculated 60 to 90 seconds after the current moment, which can provide a stable switching assessment window for medium-speed vessels while taking into account the accuracy of prediction and the foresight of decision-making; and long-term future moments determined for low-speed or anchored vessels (e.g., anchored fishing boats with speeds less than 5 knots), such as time points calculated 120 to 180 seconds after the current moment, which can smooth out the impact of short-term random fluctuations in the signal and focus on providing a highly stable switching decision-making perspective for vessels in a relatively stable state, suppressing unnecessary switching actions triggered by minor signal fluctuations.

[0082] In some embodiments, predicted signal strength refers to the estimated value of the wireless signal strength of the candidate network at the expected location of the shipborne terminal at a specific time or period in the future, obtained through an algorithmic model. The predicted signal strength is not a measured value at the current moment, but a forward-looking estimation result based on the current state and changing trends.

[0083] In some embodiments, the predicted signal strength can be derived by back-calculating the received signal power estimate based on the ship's predicted future position, combined with digital terrain and base station databases, and theoretical path loss calculated using a defined wireless propagation model. The predicted signal strength may also include a comprehensive estimate based on theoretical calculations, superimposed with corrections for additional losses or gains introduced by changes in weather conditions.

[0084] S203. Evaluate the quality of each candidate network based on communication environment parameters and predicted signal strength to obtain the quality evaluation results of each candidate network.

[0085] In some embodiments, the quality evaluation results of each candidate network can be obtained by inputting communication environment parameters and the predicted signal strength of the corresponding candidate network into a preset evaluation function or evaluation model for calculation and fusion.

[0086] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, step S203 can be implemented as the following steps S301~S303.

[0087] S301. For each candidate network in at least one candidate network, determine data for at least one quality evaluation index of the candidate network based on communication environment parameters and the predicted signal strength of the candidate network.

[0088] In some embodiments, the data for quality assessment metrics refer to specific, measurable, or calculable parameter values ​​used to quantify the strength of a candidate network's communication capabilities.

[0089] In some embodiments, quality assessment metrics may include predicted received signal strength, normalized signal-to-noise ratio, normalized reciprocal of delay, and normalized bit error rate complement.

[0090] In some embodiments, normalized signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) refers to a dimensionless value obtained by processing the original SNR value of a candidate network to a specific numerical range (e.g., [0,1]) using a preset normalization method. Normalized SNR eliminates the dimensions of the original data, facilitating weighted fusion with other types of indicators and directly reflecting the quality of future link signals.

[0091] In some embodiments, the original value of the predicted signal-to-noise ratio can be calculated based on the predicted signal strength and the ambient noise floor, and then the normalization subroutine can be called to process it to obtain the normalized signal-to-noise ratio.

[0092] In some embodiments, the normalized reciprocal of latency refers to the process of first taking the reciprocal of the original parameter characterizing the transmission latency performance of the candidate network (such as the predicted network round-trip time) to convert it into an "instantaneous" indicator, and then normalizing it to a uniform range. The value of the normalized reciprocal of latency represents the speed of network transmission.

[0093] In some embodiments, the latency estimates of each candidate network can be obtained through active probing or passive querying, and the reciprocal of the estimated latency can be sent to the normalization module to obtain the normalized reciprocal of the latency.

[0094] In some embodiments, the normalized bit error rate complement value refers to the result of converting the bit error rate of the candidate network into an "accuracy" metric through complementary calculation, and then normalizing it. The normalized bit error rate complement value also transforms the "cost-based" bit error rate parameter into a "benefit-based" parameter, with the value representing the reliability of network transmission.

[0095] In some embodiments, the theoretical bit error rate (BER) estimate can be obtained by looking up a table based on the predicted signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the selected modulation and coding scheme. After complementarity operation and normalization, a normalized BER complement value is obtained.

[0096] In some embodiments, after determining the data for the quality assessment index, the same index data generated in multiple consecutive decision cycles can be smoothed and filtered, for example, by using a first-order low-pass filter, to suppress the jitter caused by random errors in a single prediction on the assessment results.

[0097] S302. Determine the weight of each quality assessment indicator based on the service type of the shipborne terminal.

[0098] The weights are used to reflect the importance of each quality assessment indicator in different business types.

[0099] In some embodiments, weights are coefficient values ​​assigned to each quality assessment metric. Weights are used to quantify the relative importance of different quality assessment metrics in ensuring a good communication experience for a specific service type.

[0100] In some embodiments, the weights may include weighting coefficients assigned to the normalized predicted received signal strength index. Weighting coefficients assigned to the normalized signal-to-noise ratio metric Weighting coefficients assigned to the normalized inverse delay metric Weighting coefficients assigned to the normalized bit error rate complement index .

[0101] In some embodiments, different weights can be assigned to each quality assessment indicator based on different business types.

[0102] For example, video services, which require high-definition image transmission, have the highest requirements for signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio. and Assign a larger weight, Assign smaller weights, For voice services, a moderate weighting strategy is adopted, ensuring a relatively balanced distribution of weights across all metrics to guarantee call clarity and continuity. Allocate greater weights to prevent noise. Allocating moderate weights ensures smooth interaction. and Each allocation has a moderate weight; for short message services, due to the small data volume but extremely high reliability requirements, The allocation of the highest weight prioritizes ensuring transmission reliability. Allocating greater weight ensures communication can be maintained even at high seas. and Assign a smaller weight.

[0103] S303. Based on the data of at least one quality assessment indicator and the weights of each quality assessment indicator, determine the quality assessment results of the candidate network.

[0104] In some embodiments, the quality assessment result of a candidate network can be determined by performing a weighted fusion calculation. The acquired quality assessment metrics of the candidate network, along with their corresponding weights determined according to the service type, are substituted into a preset comprehensive assessment calculation formula for calculation. The calculated output value is the quality assessment result of the candidate network.

[0105] In some embodiments, the quality assessment results may be calculated as follows.

[0106]

[0107] in, To normalize the predicted received signal strength, For the normalized signal-to-noise ratio, The normalized reciprocal of the delay, The complementary value of the normalized bit error rate. , , , These are the weighting coefficients.

[0108] In some embodiments, the normalization process employs a maximum-minimum normalization method. The calculation method for the normalized predicted received signal strength can be as follows.

[0109]

[0110] in, To normalize the predicted received signal strength, This represents the theoretical minimum received signal strength. This represents the theoretical maximum received signal strength. To predict the strength of the received signal.

[0111] In some embodiments, after obtaining the quality assessment results, the assessment results can also be smoothed and filtered, for example, by using first-order lag filtering or moving average filtering, to eliminate drastic changes in the assessment results caused by instantaneous fluctuations in parameters, thereby improving the stability of the decision input.

[0112] S204. Based on the quality assessment results of at least one candidate network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the predicted signal strength of the current network, determine the target network to be switched to by the shipborne terminal.

[0113] In some embodiments, the target network refers to the optimal network selected from all candidate networks by a decision algorithm, which the shipborne terminal is about to switch to. The target network can be any of the candidate networks, including the current network itself.

[0114] In some embodiments, the selection method for the target network may differ under different conditions. The selection of the target network can be implemented through the following steps a1 to a3.

[0115] a1. When the predicted signal strength of the current network is less than a preset threshold, determine the target network as the network with the best network quality among at least one candidate network.

[0116] In some embodiments, the preset threshold is a pre-defined signal strength threshold. The preset threshold is a necessary condition for triggering network handover, used to determine whether the current network quality has deteriorated to an unacceptable level.

[0117] For example, the preset threshold can be an absolute power threshold statically configured based on the minimum requirements of the shipborne terminal's service type, such as -100dBm to -105dBm. Alternatively, the preset threshold can be a relative threshold dynamically calculated and adjusted based on the current service type, historical communication quality, or network load, such as the current historical average network signal strength minus an offset, which can be 5dB to 10dB.

[0118] In some embodiments, the calculated predicted signal strength of the current network can first be compared with a preset threshold read from a policy configuration library. When the comparison result shows that the predicted signal strength is less than the preset threshold, the quality evaluation results of all candidate networks are searched and filtered from the evaluation result queue. These quality evaluation results are then sorted, and the candidate network corresponding to the result with the highest value is selected. Finally, this network is determined as the target network.

[0119] In some embodiments, after determining that the target network is the network with the best quality, it can also be verified whether the quality assessment result of the best network also meets the minimum quality threshold required by the service type. If the quality assessment result of the best network is also lower than its service threshold, a higher level alarm may be triggered or an emergency communication mode may be enabled, rather than immediately performing a network switchover.

[0120] a2. When the service type of the shipborne terminal is emergency short message, the target network is determined to be the Beidou satellite network.

[0121] In some embodiments, emergency short messages refer to short text message communication services that shipborne terminals need to send or receive, which involve ship safety, distress alarms, or critical instructions and have the highest priority. Emergency short message services have absolute requirements for the reliability and coverage availability of the communication link, while having relatively relaxed requirements for transmission latency and bandwidth.

[0122] In some embodiments, the current or pending service type can be identified as an emergency short message by deep packet inspection, parsing specific protocol ports, or reading service tags explicitly declared at the application layer. Once this condition is met, the ranking based on regular quality assessment results will be ignored, and the BeiDou satellite network will be directly set as the target network.

[0123] a3. If the predicted signal strength of the current network is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, determine the handover benefit of at least one candidate network, and determine the target network based on the handover benefit of at least one candidate network.

[0124] Among them, handover revenue is used to reflect the net gain between the improvement in network quality after handover and the handover cost.

[0125] In some embodiments, the switching benefit is a quantified value that comprehensively reflects the net value between the expected improvement in network quality after switching from the current network to a candidate network and the cost of performing the switching operation.

[0126] In some embodiments, for each of the at least one candidate network, the switching benefits of the candidate network are determined based on the network type of the current network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the quality assessment results of the candidate network.

[0127] In some embodiments, if the switching benefit meets a preset condition, the target network is determined to be the network with the largest switching benefit among at least one candidate network.

[0128] The preset condition is that the switching benefit from switching from the current network to the candidate network is greater than a preset switching threshold.

[0129] In some embodiments, the switching threshold is an asymmetric hysteresis threshold. The hysteresis threshold is not a fixed value, but is dynamically determined using a two-dimensional lookup table based on the combination of the current network type and the target network type.

[0130] For example, the design of the lookup table follows these principles: When switching from a stable terrestrial network such as VDES to a network with greater signal fluctuations such as low-Earth orbit satellites, a lower hysteresis threshold is set to facilitate timely switching to obtain the wide-area coverage capability of the satellite network when the ship leaves the shore-based coverage area; when switching back from a fluctuating network such as low-Earth orbit satellites to a stable network such as VDES, a higher hysteresis threshold is set to ensure that the signal quality of the target terrestrial network is sufficiently reliable before performing the switch, avoiding false switches caused by brief signal fluctuations; when switching from any network to an emergency network such as BeiDou short message service, the highest hysteresis threshold is set because emergency networks have limited bandwidth and should be used as a last resort, only switching when absolutely necessary; when switching between networks of the same type, a lower hysteresis threshold is set because they share the same technical system and have lower switching risks.

[0131] In some embodiments, the switching benefit calculation result for each candidate network can be obtained first. Then, each benefit value is compared with a switching threshold, and all candidate networks with benefits greater than the threshold are selected to form a valid candidate set. The switching threshold is the threshold corresponding to switching from the current network to a candidate network; the types of both the current network and the candidate network affect the selection of the switching threshold. If the valid candidate set is empty, the target network is determined to be the current network; if the valid candidate set is not empty, the computing device finds the candidate network with the largest switching benefit value in the valid candidate set and determines it as the target network.

[0132] For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, the process first executes step S1, inputting the quality assessment results of the candidate network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the predicted signal strength of the current network. Then, it executes the next judgment step S2, checking if the predicted signal strength is less than the minimum available strength. If yes, it executes step S3, forcibly switching the network to the candidate network with the best quality, followed by step S12, outputting the network switching result and the updated switching history, and proceeding to the next cycle. If not, it executes judgment step S4, checking if the service type is emergency short message. If yes, it executes step S5, forcibly switching to the BeiDou satellite network, followed by step S12, outputting the network switching result and the updated switching history, and proceeding to the next cycle. If not, it executes judgment step S6, checking if an available candidate network exists. If not, it executes step S7, maintaining the current network, followed by step S12, outputting the network switching result and the updated switching history, and proceeding to the next cycle. If yes, it executes step S8, calculating the switching benefit, followed by step S9, querying the preset threshold. Finally, it executes judgment step S10, checking if the switching benefit is greater than the corresponding preset threshold. If yes, then execute step S11, perform network switching to update the current network identifier, then execute step S12, output the network switching result and the updated switching history, and enter the next cycle; if no, then execute step S13, maintain the current network, then execute step S12, output the network switching result and the updated switching history, and enter the next cycle.

[0133] S205. Switch the shipborne terminal to the target network.

[0134] In some embodiments, a series of control commands can be sent to the protocol stack and radio frequency module of the shipborne terminal to switch the shipborne terminal to the target network.

[0135] For example, the system first initiates a connection release request to the current network, then instructs the radio frequency module to reconfigure its operating frequency and standard to the target network, and directs the protocol stack to complete the synchronization, registration, authentication, and service bearer establishment processes according to the target network's specifications, thereby achieving the migration of the terminal connection. Simultaneously, the switching history is updated, and the current serving network identifier is updated to the target network.

[0136] In some embodiments, a brief service data buffering mechanism can be initiated during the handover process. Before disconnecting from the current network, the service data packets being transmitted are temporarily stored in memory. Once the connection with the target network is successfully established, the buffered data packets are retransmitted to minimize data loss during the handover process and ensure service continuity.

[0137] In some embodiments, the above method further includes, if the target network is still the current network, then no switching operation is performed, and the existing connection state remains unchanged.

[0138] In some embodiments, regardless of whether the target network is the current network, the parameter acquisition process for the next cycle begins after the current handover is completed. By periodically executing the above method, it is possible to continuously monitor the dynamic changes in network status and respond promptly.

[0139] In some embodiments, step S202 can be implemented as the following steps b1 to b3.

[0140] b1. For each candidate network in at least one candidate network, determine the propagation loss model of the candidate network based on the current communication environment parameters.

[0141] In some embodiments, the propagation loss model is a mathematical expression or algorithm used to calculate the signal power attenuation law during the propagation of radio waves from the transmitter to the receiver in a specific environment.

[0142] For example, a sea surface propagation loss correction model specifically optimized for the propagation characteristics of the VHF band in the ocean is used. The propagation loss model can be shown below.

[0143]

[0144] in, Indicates propagation loss. Indicates the operating frequency. Indicates the height of the base station antenna. This represents the straight-line distance between the ship and the base station. This refers to the comprehensive marine environmental correction factor introduced in this application. As a reference constant, For frequency dependence coefficients, This is the transmit antenna height factor. This is the distance dependence coefficient.

[0145] For example, the marine environmental correction factor. The design is a multi-component dynamic correction structure, as shown below.

[0146]

[0147] in, It is the basic ocean correction value, which characterizes the average additional loss of the sea surface relative to the land surface. It is calibrated and determined based on the statistical characteristics of the sea state in the target sea area and measured data. This is a weather correction item, which is dynamically adjusted according to real-time wind speed. For example, when the wind speed is less than 5 m / s, this item is close to zero; when the wind speed is between 5 and 10 m / s, this item increases linearly; and when the wind speed is greater than 10 m / s, this item increases rapidly. This is a distance correction term, based on the propagation distance. The value is dynamically adjusted. For example, it is smaller when the distance is less than 20km, increases with distance when the distance is between 20-50km, and increases significantly when the distance exceeds 50km and the ocean is reached.

[0148] b2. Based on the position and motion state of the shipborne terminal, determine the predicted distance of the shipborne terminal, which is the distance between the position of the shipborne terminal and the network service access point at a future time.

[0149] In some embodiments, the position and motion status of the shipborne terminal may include: real-time longitude, latitude, and altitude information in the WGS-84 coordinate system provided by the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System or other global navigation satellite systems; the speed relative to the ground calculated by the ship's speedometer or through position difference, typically in knots or meters per second; and the heading relative to the ground calculated by the gyrocompass or through track, typically in degrees, with true north as the reference.

[0150] In some embodiments, to predict the ship's future position based on its current position and motion state, the ship's speed relative to the ground can be decomposed into X-direction velocity components and Y-direction velocity components in a Cartesian coordinate system according to its heading. For example, the calculation of the X-direction velocity components and Y-direction velocity components can be as follows.

[0151]

[0152]

[0153] in, Represents the velocity component in the X direction. Represents the velocity component in the Y direction. The speed of the ship relative to the ground. This refers to the ship's heading angle.

[0154] Next, the ship's position coordinates at future times are calculated based on the assumption of uniform linear motion. The calculation method for the coordinates is as follows.

[0155]

[0156]

[0157] in, This represents the predicted X-coordinate component of the ship's position. This represents the Y-coordinate component of the predicted position of the ship. This represents the X-coordinate component of the ship's current position. This represents the Y-coordinate component of the ship's current position. Indicates a future moment. Represents the velocity component in the X direction. This represents the velocity component in the Y direction.

[0158] Finally, the distance between the shipborne terminal's location and the network service access point at a future time is calculated. The distance can be calculated as follows.

[0159]

[0160] in, This indicates the distance between the shipborne terminal's location and the network service access point at a future time. The X coordinate of the base station. Let Y be the Y coordinate of the base station. This represents the predicted X-coordinate component of the ship's position. This represents the Y-coordinate component of the predicted position of the ship.

[0161] b3. Based on the current communication environment parameters, prediction distance and propagation loss model, calculate the predicted signal strength of the candidate network.

[0162] In some embodiments, the distance between the future location of the shipborne terminal and the network service access point is substituted into the propagation loss model to calculate the path loss at the future time, and then the predicted received signal strength is calculated based on the base station transmit power and system loss.

[0163] An example, the calculation method for predicting signal strength can be as follows.

[0164]

[0165] in, This represents the predicted signal strength of the candidate network. The base station transmit power (e.g., a typical value of 33dBm for a VDES base station and 46dBm for a 5G base station). This is the sum of losses from feeder, polarization, and penetration. For path loss at future moments.

[0166] In some embodiments, the calculation of switching benefits in step a3 can be implemented as the following steps c1 to c3.

[0167] c1. Determine the switching cost based on the number of network switching operations of the shipborne terminal within a preset time period.

[0168] In some embodiments, a preset time period refers to the length of a historical time window used for statistical analysis. The preset time period defines the observation range for the system to trace back history and statistically analyze related events.

[0169] For example, the preset time period can be a fixed-length sliding time window, such as 5 to 10 minutes. The preset time period can also be dynamically adjusted according to the service type or movement status of the shipborne terminal. For example, a shorter time window can be used in high-speed movement to more sensitively reflect recent environmental changes.

[0170] In some embodiments, the number of network handovers refers to the cumulative number of handover actions actually performed and completed by the shipborne terminal between different wireless communication networks within a preset time period. The number of network handovers is a historical indicator for measuring the stability of terminal connections and the volatility of the network environment.

[0171] For example, a sliding time window can be initialized, and a counter can be maintained to record the number of switching within the window. Whenever the shipborne terminal completes a network switch, the event along with a timestamp is stored in a queue, and the counter is incremented by 1; at the same time, the events at the head of the queue are continuously checked, and if their occurrence time is earlier than the current time minus a preset time period, the event is removed from the queue, and the counter is decremented by 1.

[0172] In some embodiments, handover cost refers to a punitive cost estimated for a new handover action that may occur, based on the frequency of historical handover behavior. Handover cost is a dynamic feedback control variable used to regulate system handover behavior and suppress unnecessary handovers caused by short-term fluctuations in network signal, i.e., the "ping-pong handover" phenomenon.

[0173] For example, the switching cost can be calculated as follows.

[0174]

[0175] in, Indicates switching costs, Indicates latency cost, This indicates a change in penalty.

[0176] For example, the calculation method for switching penalties can be as follows.

[0177]

[0178] in, Indicates switching penalties. Indicates the number of network handovers. This represents the penalty coefficient.

[0179] In some embodiments, in areas with frequent signal fluctuations, such as network boundaries, the penalty term gradually increases with the accumulation of handovers, significantly increasing the cost of subsequent handovers, thereby suppressing the ping-pong handover phenomenon from a mechanistic perspective.

[0180] For example, the method for determining latency costs can be as shown in step c2.

[0181] c2. Determine the latency cost based on the current network type and the service type of the shipborne terminal.

[0182] In some embodiments, latency cost refers to the cost or penalty incurred due to the additional time delay in service transmission caused by performing a network handover operation. Latency cost is used to quantify the negative impact of the handover action itself on service continuity and real-time performance in handover benefit calculations.

[0183] For example, latency costs can be used to quantify the losses caused by temporary service interruptions or quality degradation due to signaling interaction time, resource allocation time, link reconstruction time, etc. during the handover process.

[0184] In some embodiments, latency costs are determined based on the service type and network type.

[0185] For example, the latency cost can be determined by querying a pre-defined "network type-service type-latency cost" mapping table or by using a cost calculation function. First, the network type of the current network and the service type that needs to be guaranteed are identified. Then, using these two as a joint index, the corresponding preset latency cost value is directly read from the mapping table.

[0186] c3. Based on the quality assessment results of the candidate network, the switching cost and the latency cost, calculate the switching benefit of the candidate network.

[0187] For example, the switching benefit of a candidate network can be calculated as follows.

[0188]

[0189] in, The quality evaluation results of the candidate networks, Based on the current service network quality assessment results, The cost of performing the switching operation.

[0190] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown. After starting, the first step is to obtain the current communication environment parameters of the shipborne terminal. The parameters include the network operating frequency, the received network signal strength, the ship's position and motion status, the three-dimensional coordinates of the network service access point, the meteorological parameters of the ship's position, and the service type of the ship's communication.

[0191] Next, proceed to step two: predict the signal strength of each candidate network. First, determine the propagation loss model, which can include a marine environment correction term. Then, calculate the distance between the shipborne terminal's location and the network service access point. Finally, substitute the calculated distance into the propagation loss model to obtain the predicted signal strength of the candidate network.

[0192] Next, proceed to step three: evaluate the quality of each candidate network. First, configure weights based on the current service type; different service types can be configured with different weights to meet the network requirements of different service types. Then, determine the quality evaluation metrics. Finally, evaluate the quality of each candidate network by multiplying the weight by the quality evaluation metric.

[0193] Then proceed to step four: target network switching based on the revenue function. First, determine whether the switching conditions for signal strength and service type are met. If they are met, perform the network switching. If not, calculate the switching revenue and compare it with a preset threshold. Based on the preset network switching conditions, choose to maintain the current network or switch to the target network and update the historical records.

[0194] Finally, determine whether to perform a switch. If yes, switch to the target network; otherwise, maintain the current network. End the current process and proceed to the next cycle.

[0195] In some embodiments, during a near-shore high-speed navigation video transmission scenario, assume a deep-sea fishing vessel is sailing southeast at 18 knots in the East China Sea. Its current location is approximately 32 kilometers from the nearest 5G shore-based base station. The ship's onboard terminal is transmitting deck operation video streams to the shore-based monitoring center via the 5G network. The current sea state is level 4, with a wind speed of approximately 9 m / s and good visibility.

[0196] Step 1: The current 5G network operating frequency is 2.6GHz, the received signal strength is -94dBm, and the signal-to-noise ratio is 12dB; the BeiDou positioning module returns the ship's position as 29.5°N, 122.8°E, with a ground speed of 18 knots and a heading of 135°; the meteorological module returns the wind speed as 9m / s and the temperature as 22°C; the service identification module confirms that the current service is video, with a bitrate of approximately 2Mbps.

[0197] Step two: Based on the high-speed navigation state of 18 knots, the system sets the prediction time window to 40 seconds. After calculating the velocity component, it calculates that after 40 seconds, the predicted ship position will move approximately 370 meters southeast, increasing the distance to the base station to approximately 32.4 kilometers. In calculating propagation loss, a weather correction term of approximately 3 dB is set based on a wind speed of 9 m / s, and a distance correction term of approximately 2 dB is set based on a distance of 32.4 kilometers. The calculated predicted path loss increases by approximately 1.5 dB. The predicted received signal strength drops to approximately -95.5 dBm. Simultaneously, the system detects a VDES network signal strength of -78 dBm, indicating that the predicted value is stable.

[0198] Step 3, configure according to video service weight ( The overall quality index of the 5G network was calculated to be 0.62, and the overall quality index of the VDES network was calculated to be 0.71.

[0199] Step four: There are no recent handover records within the sliding time window, so the penalty is 0. The handover benefit is calculated to be 0.07. The two-dimensional threshold table is consulted, and the hysteresis threshold for switching from the 5G network to the VDES network is 0.05. Since 0.07 > 0.05, the handover is executed, and the shipborne terminal switches from the 5G network to the VDES network. The video stream transmission channel migrates smoothly, ensuring the continuity of operational monitoring.

[0200] In some embodiments, a forced handover occurs in a remote offshore emergency short message communication scenario. Assume a fishing vessel is operating in the eastern Yellow Sea, approximately 80km from the nearest shore-based base station, outside the coverage range of VDES and 5G networks. The vessel needs to send a short message reporting its catch statistics to the shore-based fisheries administration department.

[0201] Step 1: The BeiDou positioning module acquires the ship's position and calculates the distance d to the nearest VDES base station using the great circle distance formula, which is 80km. The ship's ground speed (SOG) is 3 knots, indicating low-speed operation. The system identifies the service type as short message through application layer protocol fields. The ship's onboard weather station shows a wind speed of 5m / s and calm sea conditions.

[0202] Step two: Based on the low-speed state of 3 knots, the ship speed adaptive function determines the prediction time window to be 90 seconds. The ship's position after 90 seconds is calculated; due to slow movement, the predicted distance is approximately 80.1 km. The marine environment correction factor is calculated; because the propagation distance exceeds 50 km and enters the open sea area, the distance correction term increases significantly. The predicted distance is substituted into the propagation loss model to calculate the path loss, and then the predicted received signal strength of the VDES network is calculated. This value is far below the minimum usable signal strength threshold of VDES, indicating that the VDES network is about to become unusable; the 5G network has no signal at all; while the BeiDou short message system, which uses medium-high orbit satellites to achieve global coverage, is usable at this location.

[0203] Since both VDES and 5G networks are unavailable, there is no need to perform the comprehensive quality assessment in step three; the process can proceed directly to the forced handover procedure.

[0204] In step four, the system detects that the VDES predicted signal strength is below the minimum availability threshold, triggering the communication interruption protection rule. It skips the regular profit calculation and hysteresis decision, and immediately scans for available alternative networks. Upon discovering that BeiDou short message service is available, it directly performs a forced handover. Although the data rate of BeiDou short messages is lower, it fully meets the requirements for catch reporting short messages. The vessel successfully sends a short message containing information such as the type and quantity of catch, and the fishing location to the shore-based fisheries administration system.

[0205] In some embodiments, low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite handover is applied in maritime navigation. Suppose a cargo ship is sailing in the East China Sea and communicates via LEO satellite. The ship is approaching the edge of the current LEO satellite coverage and about to enter the coverage area of ​​another LEO satellite. The system needs to hand over between the two satellites to ensure communication continuity.

[0206] Step 1: Currently, communication is being conducted via a low-Earth orbit satellite, operating on the Ka band (26.5-40 GHz). The ship's position is 120.5°E, 30.3°N, with a distance d of 500 km from low-Earth orbit satellite 1, and a received signal strength of -103 dBm. The ship's speed is 16 knots (approximately 8.2 m / s), and its heading is 120° (southeast). Meteorological data shows a wind speed of 10 m / s and a wave height of 2 m.

[0207] Step two: Considering the 10 m / s wind speed, the meteorological correction term is in a rapidly increasing range. The path loss PL is calculated based on various parameters. The prediction time window is determined to be 45 seconds based on the ship's speed and heading, predicting the ship's position 45 seconds later. The prediction results show that the ship will enter the coverage area of ​​Satellite 2, increasing the distance from Satellite 1, and reaching approximately 400 km from Satellite 2. Substituting the predicted distances into the propagation loss model, and based on the transmit power of the two satellites (30 dBm for Satellite 1 and 32 dBm for Satellite 2) and system loss, the predicted received signal strength of the two satellites at future times is calculated. The prediction indicates that the signal strength of Satellite 2 is superior to that of Satellite 1.

[0208] Step 3: The current service is high-definition video streaming, which has high requirements for bandwidth and signal quality. Therefore, a video service weighting configuration is adopted. The predicted received signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, latency, and bit error rate of the two satellites are normalized and then weighted and fused to calculate the overall quality index. The calculation results show that the overall quality of satellite 2 is significantly better than that of satellite 1.

[0209] Step 4: Query the handover history. There have been no handovers in the last 5 minutes, so the penalty for frequent handovers is 0. Determine the latency cost based on the service type and network type, calculate the handover cost, and calculate the handover benefit. If the handover benefit is greater than the hysteresis threshold, the handover condition is met, and the system switches the communication link from satellite 1 to satellite 2.

[0210] In some embodiments, a ping-pong handover suppression scenario is described. Assume a coastal passenger / cargo ship is sailing in the Bohai Strait, its route passing through the boundary area covered by both 5G and VDES networks. In this area, the signal strengths of the two networks are similar and fluctuate frequently due to waves and ship swaying. Traditional handover algorithms are prone to ping-pong handovers in this region. The ship's onboard terminal is currently connected to the 5G network for passenger internet access.

[0211] Step 1: The 5G signal strength fluctuated between -88dBm and -92dBm, and the VDES signal strength fluctuated between -82dBm and -86dBm; the BeiDou positioning return speed was 12 knots; within the sliding time window (5 minutes), the system recorded 3 switching histories: 2 minutes ago from VDES to 5G, 3.5 minutes ago from 5G to VDES, and 4.5 minutes ago from VDES to 5G.

[0212] Step two: Calculate the predicted signal strength of the two networks. The predicted value for 5G is approximately -90dBm, and the predicted value for VDES is approximately -84dBm. Due to signal fluctuations caused by ocean waves, the 5G signal strength briefly drops to -93dBm at a certain moment, while the VDES signal strength rises to -81dBm.

[0213] Step 3: Based on the weight of Internet access services, the overall quality of the 5G network at this moment is 0.58, and the overall quality of the VDES network is 0.67.

[0214] Step four: Calculate the frequent handover penalty. Let the penalty coefficient k be 0.03, and the recent handover count be 3, then the penalty is 0.09. Calculate the total handover cost as 0.11. Calculate the handover benefit as -0.02, which is less than 0. Because the handover benefit is negative, the system decides not to perform the handover and maintain the current 5G connection.

[0215] Without a frequent switching penalty mechanism, the switching benefit would be 0.07, which is greater than 0, and the switch would be executed. However, due to the existence of the penalty, recent frequent switching has led to an increase in the accumulated switching cost, causing the switching benefit to become negative, and the switch is rejected. As time goes on, after the early switching records slide out of the time window, the penalty will gradually decrease, and the system will restore its normal switching response capability.

[0216] As can be seen, the above mainly describes the solutions provided by the embodiments of this application from a methodological perspective. To achieve the above functions, the embodiments of this application provide corresponding hardware structures and / or software modules for executing each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, in conjunction with the modules and algorithm steps of the various 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, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this invention.

[0217] This application embodiment can divide the switching device of the maritime communication network into functional modules according to the above method example. For example, each function can be divided into a separate functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. Optionally, the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division; other division methods may be used in actual implementation.

[0218] In some embodiments, this application also provides a switching device for a maritime communication network. This switching device may include one or more functional modules for implementing the maritime communication network switching method of the above method embodiments.

[0219] For example, Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the composition of a switching device 800 for a maritime communication network, provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 6 As shown, the switching device for the maritime communication network includes: an acquisition module 801, a processing module 802, and a switching module 803.

[0220] The acquisition module 801 is used to acquire the current communication environment parameters of the shipborne terminal; the processing module 802 is used to determine the predicted signal strength of at least one candidate network based on the current communication environment parameters; evaluate the quality of each candidate network based on the communication environment parameters and the predicted signal strength to obtain the quality evaluation results of each candidate network; determine the target network to be switched to for the shipborne terminal based on the quality evaluation results of at least one candidate network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the predicted signal strength of the current network; and the switching module 803 is used to switch the shipborne terminal to the target network.

[0221] In some embodiments, the processing module 802 is further configured to: determine the target network as the network with the best network quality among at least one candidate network when the predicted signal strength of the current network is less than a preset threshold; determine the target network as the BeiDou satellite network when the service type of the shipborne terminal is emergency short message; determine the handover benefit of at least one candidate network when the predicted signal strength of the current network is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, and determine the target network based on the handover benefit of at least one candidate network; wherein the handover benefit is used to reflect the net gain between the improvement in network quality and the handover cost after network handover.

[0222] In other embodiments, the processing module 802 is further configured to determine the switching benefits of a candidate network for each of at least one candidate network, based on the network type of the current network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the quality assessment results of the candidate network.

[0223] In some other embodiments, the processing module 802 is further configured to determine the switching cost based on the number of network switching times of the shipborne terminal within a preset time period; determine the latency cost based on the network type of the current network and the service type of the shipborne terminal; and calculate the switching benefit of the candidate network based on the quality assessment results of the candidate network, the switching cost, and the latency cost.

[0224] In some other embodiments, the processing module 802 is further configured to determine the target network as the network with the largest switching benefit among at least one candidate network when the switching benefit meets a preset condition; wherein the preset condition is that the switching benefit from switching from the current network to the candidate network is greater than a preset switching threshold.

[0225] In some other embodiments, the processing module 802 is further configured to, for each of the at least one candidate network, determine the propagation loss model of the candidate network based on the current communication environment parameters; determine the predicted distance of the shipborne terminal based on the position and motion state of the shipborne terminal, wherein the predicted distance is the distance between the position of the shipborne terminal and the network service access point at a future time; and calculate the predicted signal strength of the candidate network based on the current communication environment parameters, the predicted distance and the propagation loss model.

[0226] In some other embodiments, the processing module 802 is further configured to, for each of the at least one candidate network, determine data of at least one quality assessment indicator of the candidate network based on communication environment parameters and the predicted signal strength of the candidate network; determine the weight of each quality assessment indicator based on the service type of the shipborne terminal, the weight being used to reflect the importance of each quality assessment indicator in different service types; and determine the quality assessment result of the candidate network based on the data of at least one quality assessment indicator and the weight of each quality assessment indicator.

[0227] In some other embodiments, the processing module 802 is also configured to predict the signal strength based on the speed adjustment of the shipborne terminal.

[0228] In some other embodiments, the communication environment parameters include at least one of the following: network operating frequency, received network signal strength, ship's position and motion status, three-dimensional coordinates of the network service access point, meteorological parameters of the ship's position, and the service type of ship communication.

[0229] In some other embodiments, the candidate network includes at least one of the following: a 5G network, a VDES network, a low-Earth orbit satellite network, and a BeiDou satellite network.

[0230] In the case of implementing the functions of the integrated modules described above in hardware, this embodiment of the invention provides a possible structural schematic diagram of the electronic device involved in the above embodiments. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the electronic device 900 includes: a processor 902, a communication interface 903, and a bus 904. Optionally, the electronic device 900 may also include a memory 901.

[0231] Processor 902 may implement or execute various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. Processor 902 may be a central processing unit, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. Processor 902 may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as including one or more microprocessor combinations, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc.

[0232] The communication interface 903 is used to connect to other devices via a communication network. This communication network can be Ethernet, wireless access network, wireless local area network (WLAN), etc.

[0233] The memory 901 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions, or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto.

[0234] In one possible implementation, the memory 901 can exist independently of the processor 902. The memory 901 can be connected to the processor 902 via a bus 904 and is used to store instructions or program code. When the processor 902 calls and executes the instructions or program code stored in the memory 901, it can implement the maritime communication network switching method provided in this embodiment of the invention.

[0235] In another possible implementation, the memory 901 can also be integrated with the processor 902.

[0236] The 904 bus can be an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus, etc. The 904 bus can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 7 The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0237] Through the above description of the implementation methods, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, only the division of the above functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the service calling device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0238] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium. All or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be executed by computer instructions instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in the aforementioned computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the above method embodiments. The computer-readable storage medium can be any of the foregoing embodiments or memory. The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium can also be an external storage device of the aforementioned service invocation device, such as a plug-in hard drive, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc., equipped on the aforementioned service invocation device. Further, the aforementioned computer-readable storage medium can include both internal storage units of the aforementioned service invocation device and external storage devices. The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium is used to store the aforementioned computer program and other programs and data required by the aforementioned service invocation device. The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0239] This application also provides a computer program product comprising a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute any of the maritime communication network switching methods provided in the above embodiments.

[0240] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for switching maritime communication networks, characterized in that, The method includes: Obtain the current communication environment parameters of the shipborne terminal; Based on the current communication environment parameters, the predicted signal strength of at least one candidate network is determined, and the predicted signal strength is the signal strength of the candidate network at a future time; the candidate network includes the current network of the shipborne terminal; The quality of each candidate network is evaluated based on the communication environment parameters and the predicted signal strength to obtain the quality evaluation results of each candidate network. Based on the quality assessment results of at least one of the candidate networks, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the predicted signal strength of the current network, the target network to be switched to by the shipborne terminal is determined. Switch the shipborne terminal to the target network.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the target network to be switched to for the shipborne terminal based on the quality assessment results of at least one of the candidate networks, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the predicted signal strength of the current network includes: If the predicted signal strength of the current network is less than a preset threshold, the target network is determined to be the network with the best network quality among the at least one candidate network. If the service type of the shipborne terminal is emergency short message, the target network is determined to be the BeiDou satellite network; If the predicted signal strength of the current network is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, the handover benefit of at least one candidate network is determined, and the target network is determined based on the handover benefit of at least one candidate network; wherein the handover benefit is used to reflect the net gain between the improvement in network quality and the handover cost after the network handover.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Determining the switching benefit of at least one of the candidate networks includes: For each of the at least one candidate network, the switching benefit of the candidate network is determined based on the network type of the current network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the quality assessment result of the candidate network.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The determination of the switching benefits of the candidate network based on the network type of the current network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the quality assessment results of the candidate network includes: The switching cost is determined based on the number of network switching operations of the shipborne terminal within a preset time period. Determine the latency cost based on the network type of the current network and the service type of the shipborne terminal; Based on the quality assessment results of the candidate network, the switching cost, and the latency cost, the switching benefit of the candidate network is calculated.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Determining the target network based on the switching benefits of at least one of the candidate networks includes: If the switching benefit meets a preset condition, the target network is determined to be the network with the largest switching benefit among at least one of the candidate networks; wherein, the preset condition is that the switching benefit from switching from the current network to the candidate network is greater than a preset switching threshold.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The prediction of the predicted signal strength of at least one candidate network based on the current communication environment parameters includes: For each of at least one of the candidate networks, a propagation loss model for the candidate network is determined based on the current communication environment parameters; Based on the position and motion state of the shipborne terminal, the predicted distance of the shipborne terminal is determined, and the predicted distance is the distance between the position of the shipborne terminal and the network service access point at a future time. Based on the current communication environment parameters, the predicted distance, and the propagation loss model, the predicted signal strength of the candidate network is calculated.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The quality of each candidate network is evaluated based on the communication environment parameters and the predicted signal strength to obtain the quality evaluation results of each candidate network, including: For each of the at least one candidate network, based on the communication environment parameters and the predicted signal strength of the candidate network, data for at least one quality evaluation index of the candidate network are determined; Based on the service type of the shipborne terminal, the weight of each of the quality assessment indicators is determined, and the weight is used to reflect the importance of each of the quality assessment indicators in different service types; The quality assessment result of the candidate network is determined based on the data of the at least one quality assessment indicator and the weights of each quality assessment indicator.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The prediction time window for the predicted signal strength is adjusted based on the speed of the shipborne terminal.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The communication environment parameters include at least one of the following: network operating frequency, received network signal strength, ship's position and motion status, three-dimensional coordinates of the network service access point, meteorological parameters of the ship's position, and the type of ship communication service.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The candidate networks include at least one of the following: 5G network, VDES network, low-Earth orbit satellite network, and BeiDou satellite network.

11. A switching device for a maritime communication network, characterized in that, include: Acquisition module, processing module, and switching module; The acquisition module is used to acquire the current communication environment parameters of the shipborne terminal; The processing module is configured to: determine the predicted signal strength of at least one candidate network based on the current communication environment parameters; evaluate the quality of each candidate network based on the communication environment parameters and the predicted signal strength to obtain the quality evaluation result of each candidate network; and determine the target network to be switched to by the shipborne terminal based on the quality evaluation result of at least one candidate network, the service type of the shipborne terminal, and the predicted signal strength of the current network. The switching module is used to switch the shipborne terminal to the target network.

12. An electronic device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor and a memory, the processor being coupled to the memory; the memory is used to store computer instructions, which are loaded and executed by the processor to enable the computer device to implement the switching method of the maritime communication network as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium includes computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the switching method of the maritime communication network according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

14. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a computer program that, when run on an electronic device, causes the electronic device to perform a switching method for a maritime communication network as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

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