Network switching method, apparatus, medium, and device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a network switching method, device, medium and equipment, relates to the technical field of communication, and comprises the following steps: acquiring a measurement value of a network state parameter of a user equipment; when the measurement value of the network state parameter represents that the network of the user equipment appears to be stuck, reducing the measurement value to obtain a reporting value of the network state parameter; and sending the reporting value of the network state parameter to a network equipment, so that the network equipment instructs the user equipment to perform network switching according to the reporting value. Through the present disclosure, the user equipment can actively induce the network equipment to make a decision of instructing the user equipment to perform network switching, so that the network stuck condition of the user equipment can be reduced, and the use experience of the user can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a network switching method, apparatus, medium and device. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of mobile communication technology, users have increasingly higher requirements for the quality of service of mobile networks, making network stability and low latency particularly important. In an environment where 4G and 5G networks coexist, user equipment (UE) may be connected to both 4G and 5G networks simultaneously. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a network switching method, apparatus, medium, and device to reduce network lag in user devices.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a network handover method is provided, applied to a user equipment, comprising: Obtain the measured values ​​of the network status parameters of the user equipment; When the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the user equipment's network is experiencing lag, the measured value is decreased to obtain the reported value of the network status parameter; The network status parameter report value is sent to the network device so that the network device can instruct the user equipment to perform network switching based on the report value.

[0005] Optionally, reducing the measured value to obtain the reported value of the network state parameter includes: Send an inquiry message to the network device so that the network device sends a network handover threshold to the user equipment based on the inquiry message; Upon receiving the network switching threshold, the measured value is reduced according to the network switching threshold to obtain the reported value of the network status parameter.

[0006] Optionally, reducing the measured value to obtain the reported value of the network state parameter includes: The measured value is used as the initial target value, and the target value is reduced by a preset value to obtain the initial report value; Sending the network status parameter report value to the network device so that the network device instructs the user equipment to perform network switching based on the report value includes: The report value is sent to the network device so that when the network device determines that the network handover conditions are met based on the report value, it sends target configuration information to the user equipment, and the target configuration information is used to instruct the user equipment to perform network handover. The method further includes: If the target configuration information is received within a preset time period, network switching is performed based on the target configuration information.

[0007] Optionally, the method further includes: If the target configuration information is not received within the preset time period, repeat the following steps: The reported value is used as the new target value, and the target value is reduced by a preset value to obtain a new reported value. The new reported value is then sent to the network device until the target configuration information sent by the network device is received.

[0008] Optionally, the method further includes: Determine the number of times the step of reducing the target value by a preset value is performed; When the number of times the step is executed exceeds a first preset number, the step of reducing the target value by a preset value to obtain a new report value is stopped.

[0009] Optionally, when the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the user equipment's network is experiencing lag, the measured value is decreased to obtain a reported value of the network status parameter, including: When the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, if random access is triggered and the number of random access executions exceeds a second preset number, the measured value is reduced to obtain the reported value of the network status parameter.

[0010] Optionally, before obtaining the measured values ​​of the network status parameters of the user equipment, the method further includes: The network used by the user equipment is identified as the first network; The user equipment is determined to be in a non-standalone (NSA) network mode. It is determined that the network device has the capability for network switching.

[0011] Optionally, sending the report value of the network status parameter to the network device, so that the network device instructs the user equipment to perform network switching based on the report value, includes: The network status parameter report value is sent to the network device so that the network device can instruct the user equipment to switch from the first network to the second network based on the report value, wherein the first network is a 5G network and the second network is a 4G network.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a network switching method is provided, applied to a network device, comprising: The system receives a report value of network status parameters sent by a user equipment. The report value of the network status parameters is a measurement value of the network status parameters obtained by the user equipment. When the measurement value of the network status parameters indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, the measurement value is reduced to obtain the report value of the network status parameters, which is then sent to the network device. Based on the reported value, the user equipment is instructed to perform a network switch.

[0013] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a network switching device is provided, applied to a user equipment, comprising: The acquisition module is configured to acquire measured values ​​of the network status parameters of the user equipment; The acquisition module is configured to decrease the measured value of the network status parameter when the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, and obtain a reported value of the network status parameter. The sending module is configured to send a report value of the network status parameter to the network device, so that the network device instructs the user equipment to perform a network switch based on the report value.

[0014] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a network switching device is provided, characterized in that it is applied to a network device and includes: The receiving module is configured to receive a report value of network status parameters sent by the user equipment. The report value of the network status parameters is a measurement value of the network status parameters obtained by the user equipment. When the measurement value of the network status parameters indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, the measurement value is reduced to obtain the report value of the network status parameters, which is then sent to the network device. The instruction module is configured to instruct the user equipment to perform a network switch based on the reported value.

[0015] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having computer program instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implement the network switching method described in the first or second aspect of the present disclosure.

[0016] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, characterized in that it includes: processor; Memory used to store computer programs; When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the network switching method described in the first or second aspect of this disclosure.

[0017] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: This disclosure reduces network lag and latency by decreasing the measured value of the network status parameter of the user equipment when network congestion is detected. The measured value is then sent to the network device, which instructs the user equipment to perform a network switch based on the reported value. This proactive approach by the user equipment instructing the network device to perform a network switch reduces network congestion and latency, improving the user experience.

[0018] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an independent networking mode according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a non-standalone networking mode according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a network switching method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating another network switching method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating another network switching method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating a network switching device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating another network switching device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a block diagram illustrating a communication device according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0029] Among related technologies, 5G NR (new radio), the fifth-generation mobile communication technology, is developing rapidly. Currently, 5G NR has two networking modes: SA (Standalone Architecture) and NSA (Non-Standalone Architecture). SA, or 5G standalone networking, connects to user terminals through 5G base stations and a 5G core network. NSA, or 5G non-standalone networking, connects to user terminals through 4G base stations, 5G base stations, and a 4G core network.

[0030] like Figure 1 The 5G standalone network mode shown is as follows: gNB (generation NodeB) is the 5G base station; NGC (NextGeneration Core) is the 5G core network; AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function) is responsible for user access and mobility management; and UPF (User Plane Function) is responsible for user plane data packet routing and forwarding. Specifically, the AMF module connects to the User Equipment (UE) via the N1 interface, the AMF module connects to the 5G base station via the N2 interface, and the UPF module connects to the 5G base station via the N3 interface.

[0031] like Figure 2The 5G non-standalone (NSA) networking mode shown is currently the mainstream NSA mode, which is ENDC (E-UTRAN New Radio Dual Connectivity). In this mode, the eNB (Evolved Node B) is a 4G base station; the gNB is a 5G base station; the EPC (Evolved Packet Core) is the 4G core network; and the MME (Mobile Management Entity) is a key control node in the 3GPP protocol LTE access network, responsible for signaling processing, such as mobility management, bearer management, user authentication, and the selection of SGW (Serving Gateway) and PGW (Packet Data Network Gateway). Both the SGW and PGW are network elements responsible for user plane related functions. The SGW has functions such as packet routing and forwarding, while the PGW manages data routing between 3GPP and non-3GPP networks. Specifically, the 4G base station and the 5G base station are connected via the X2 interface, the 4G base station and the MME module are connected via the S1-MME interface, the 4G base station and the SGW and PGW modules are connected via the S1-U interface, and the 5G base station and the SGW and PGW modules are connected via the S1-U interface.

[0032] In areas where 5G network deployment is not yet fully developed, the ENDC (End-to-Consumer) networking approach is relatively common. In ENDC mode, the UE (User Equipment) is simultaneously connected to both 4G and 5G networks. That is, the user equipment's modem is in a dual-connectivity state, possessing both LTE and NR frequency bands. The basic principle of ENDC is to use a 4G serving cell as an anchor point. After the UE registers with the 4G cell, it loads the 5G cell using the 4G cell information. Here, the 4G cell can be called the anchor cell or primary cell, and the 5G cell can be called the secondary cell.

[0033] For NSA networks in ENDC mode, since 5G network speeds are higher than 4G, the network will generally choose 5G as the primary line for data services such as gaming and video streaming. However, due to the imperfections of some 5G networks, uplink resources may be insufficient during data services. Taking a UE engaged in gaming or video streaming as an example, the data traffic required by the UE is relatively large. Because the uplink resources provided by the network equipment in the UE's cell are insufficient, the UE requests uplink resources from the network equipment through a Scheduled Request (SR). If uplink resources cannot be obtained through the SR, random access will be triggered. If multiple random access attempts fail to obtain uplink resources, this process will cause stuttering in the game or video. Furthermore, 4G networks are more mature than 5G networks; although their speeds cannot compare to 5G, their stability is higher.

[0034] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a network handover method according to an exemplary embodiment, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the network switching method is executed by the user equipment and includes the following steps.

[0035] In step S301, the measured values ​​of the network status parameters of the user equipment are obtained.

[0036] In step S302, when the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, the measured value is reduced to obtain the reported value of the network status parameter.

[0037] In step S303, a report value of the network status parameter is sent to the network device so that the network device instructs the user equipment to perform network switching based on the report value.

[0038] For example, user equipment refers to terminal devices in a mobile communication network, such as mobile phones and tablets, which can connect to the network and use network services. Network equipment refers to base stations (such as eNBs or gNBs) or core network equipment in a mobile communication network, which are used to manage the connection and data transmission of the UE.

[0039] For example, network status parameters may include network signal strength, uplink transmission power, network latency, etc. Network signal strength refers to the strength of the network signal received by the user device; the stronger the signal, the faster the network speed. Uplink transmission power is the transmission power by which the user device uploads data packets to the network device; it directly affects the network's data transmission rate and stability. Insufficient uplink power will lead to slower data transmission speeds and even data loss. Network latency refers to the time required for data to travel from transmission to reception. High latency affects the interaction speed between the user and the server, causing users to wait longer for server feedback, thus impacting the overall user experience.

[0040] For example, network lag is a situation where an unstable network connection or excessive latency causes delays or interruptions in data transmission. This can be caused by network congestion, network switching failures, signal quality issues, increased data traffic on the user's end, or other reasons.

[0041] For example, the values ​​of network status parameters sent by the user equipment to the network device can be based on a measurement report (MR), or the UE can send control information through the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), where the control information may include the values ​​of network status parameters.

[0042] For example, the values ​​of network status parameters sent by a user equipment (UE) to a network device can influence network resource allocation and decisions. The UE can send measured values ​​of these network status parameters to the network device. Upon receiving these values, the network device, based on its pre-defined policies, determines whether to allocate uplink resources to the UE or instruct it to perform a network handover. For instance, if the network status parameter value is low and below a pre-defined threshold, the network device will instruct the UE to perform a network handover; if the value is low but above the pre-defined threshold, the network device will allocate uplink resources to the UE; and if the value is high, the network device will neither allocate uplink resources nor instruct the UE to perform a network handover.

[0043] For example, when 5G network congestion occurs, due to different network handover strategies at different network endpoints, the actual network status parameters measured by the user equipment (UE) may not be sufficient for the network device to make a network handover decision. Instead, the UE may search for other available 5G networks nearby, thus increasing the duration of network congestion. Here, by proactively reducing the measured values ​​of the network status parameters reported to the network device when a congestion is detected, a report value is obtained for sending to the network device. In this way, upon detecting the reduced report value, the network device is more likely to make a network handover decision, enabling the UE to switch to a more stable 4G network more quickly.

[0044] This disclosure reduces network lag and latency by decreasing the measured value of the network status parameter of the user equipment when network congestion is detected. The measured value is then sent to the network device, which instructs the user equipment to perform a network switch based on the reported value. This proactive approach by the user equipment instructing the network device to perform a network switch reduces network congestion and latency, improving the user experience.

[0045] As an optional embodiment, reducing the measured value to obtain the reported value of the network state parameter includes: Send an inquiry message to the network device so that the network device sends a network handover threshold to the user equipment based on the inquiry message; Upon receiving the network switching threshold, the measured value is reduced according to the network switching threshold to obtain the reported value of the network status parameter.

[0046] For example, querying information is a request sent by the UE to the network device to obtain a network handover threshold. The network handover threshold may be a parameter pre-set by the network device to determine when the UE should perform a network handover based on network quality measurements. The network handover threshold can be a value determined based on signal quality, signal strength, or other network performance indicators, and is determined according to the actual situation; there are no restrictions here.

[0047] For example, with the network side agreeing to disclose the network handover threshold, the UE can send an inquiry message to the network device requesting the network handover threshold. The network handover threshold may also vary depending on different network conditions; that is, the network handover threshold for the UE can dynamically change based on different network states or different cells the UE is in. For instance, the network handover threshold may be related to parameters such as network configuration, UE power output, environmental interference, and user data volume, and the network handover threshold corresponding to the UE accessing the first cell may differ from the network handover threshold corresponding to the UE accessing the second cell.

[0048] For example, after receiving an inquiry message, the network device can send a network handover threshold to the UE. Upon receiving the network handover threshold, the UE compares it with the actual measured network state parameters and adjusts the measured values ​​of the network state parameters according to this threshold to determine the reported values ​​of the network state parameters.

[0049] For example, if the measured value of a network status parameter is greater than the network handover threshold, the measured value of the network status parameter can be reduced accordingly so that the reduced measured value is equal to or lower than the network handover threshold. For instance, taking uplink power as the network status parameter, if the network handover threshold corresponding to uplink power is 10dB, the reported value of uplink power can be set to 10dB; or, to ensure that network handover can be performed, the reported value of uplink power can be set to 0dB.

[0050] For example, if the measured value of the network status parameter is less than or equal to the network handover threshold, in order to ensure that network handover can be performed and to avoid affecting the normal operation of other services in the UE due to the low reporting value, the measured value of the network status parameter can be reduced by a preset value. The preset value is not set too high. For example, if the network handover threshold corresponding to uplink power is 10dB, the preset value can be 0.5dB. If the measured value of uplink power is 9dB, the corresponding uplink power reporting value is 8.5dB.

[0051] Due to the uncertain network handover strategy at the network device end, there may be situations where the reported value of the network status parameter is less than the network handover threshold, but the network handover does not occur immediately. Different strategies for reducing the measured value can be implemented based on different needs. For example, to ensure a smooth network handover, the preset value can be further reduced after the reported value corresponding to the measured value is reduced to less than or equal to the network handover threshold. Setting the reported value too low may also affect the normal operation of other services in the UE. To ensure the normal operation of other services, the reported value of the network status parameter can be set slightly less than the network handover threshold. As in the example above, the network handover threshold corresponding to uplink power is 10dB, and the reported value of uplink power can be 9.5dB.

[0052] In this disclosure, the user equipment can adjust the reported value of the user equipment by querying the network handover threshold of the network device, which can more accurately control the network handover behavior of the UE and reduce network lag.

[0053] As an optional embodiment, reducing the measured value to obtain the reported value of the network state parameter includes: The measured value is used as the initial target value, and the target value is reduced by a preset value to obtain the initial report value; Sending the network status parameter report value to the network device so that the network device instructs the user equipment to perform network switching based on the report value includes: The report value is sent to the network device so that when the network device determines that the network handover conditions are met based on the report value, it sends target configuration information to the user equipment, and the target configuration information is used to instruct the user equipment to perform network handover. The method further includes: If the target configuration information is received within a preset time period, network switching is performed based on the target configuration information.

[0054] For example, the preset value can be a pre-set adjustment value used to adjust the measured value. The reported value is the value obtained by reducing the target value by the preset value, used to report to the network device. The network handover condition is a condition preset by the network device. When the reported value of the network status parameter meets the network handover condition, the network will instruct the user equipment to perform a network handover through the target configuration information. The target configuration information is the configuration information sent by the network device to the user equipment to instruct the user equipment to perform a network handover. The target configuration information may include the parameters and instructions required to instruct the user equipment to perform a network handover. The preset duration can be set according to the actual situation, for example, it can be set to 1-5 seconds, or even 2 seconds. The target configuration information can be carried in the RRC (Radio Resource Control) signaling sent by the network device to the user equipment or in the SIB (System Information Block).

[0055] For example, network devices may not inform user equipment (UE) under what circumstances a network handover can be performed based on their different policies. However, setting the report value too low may affect the normal operation of other services in the UE. Therefore, the UE can reduce the measured value by a preset value to obtain a report value and send it to the network device, so that the network device can determine whether the network handover conditions are met.

[0056] For example, the reported value, after decreasing the measured value by a preset value, is sent to the network device. The network device can determine whether the reported value meets the network handover conditions based on its network handover policy. The network handover conditions are determined according to the network handover policy of the network device. For example, if the reported value is less than a network handover threshold, it is determined that the reported value meets the network handover conditions. The network handover threshold can be a fixed value or a threshold dynamically adjusted by the network device based on different situations of the user equipment and / or the network device.

[0057] For example, if the target configuration information is received within a preset time period, the network device has triggered the user equipment to perform network switching, and the user equipment can perform network switching based on the target configuration information.

[0058] The user equipment disclosed herein adjusts the measurement values ​​by preset values. The user equipment actively guides the network to make network switching decisions, which can more accurately control network switching behavior, reduce service interruptions caused by network lag, and thus improve user experience.

[0059] As an optional embodiment, the method further includes: If the target configuration information is not received within the preset time period, repeat the following steps: The reported value is used as the new target value, and the target value is reduced by a preset value to obtain a new reported value. The new reported value is then sent to the network device until the target configuration information sent by the network device is received.

[0060] For example, to avoid affecting the normal operation of other services in the UE due to a low reported value, the preset value can be set relatively low. It's possible that even adjusting the measured value based on the preset value might not be enough for the network device to make a network handover decision. When network handover is not required, the network device does not send relevant instructions or information to the user equipment. It can be configured that if no target configuration information is received within a preset time period, the adjusted reported value is considered insufficient to meet the network handover conditions of the network device.

[0061] For example, the previously adjusted report value can be used as the new target value. The target value can be reduced by a preset value to obtain a new report value. Then, the new report value is sent to the network device so that the network device can determine whether the new report value meets the network switching conditions, until the target configuration information sent by the network device is received.

[0062] As an optional embodiment, the method further includes: Determine the number of times the step of reducing the target value by a preset value is performed; When the number of times the step is executed exceeds a first preset number, the step of reducing the target value by a preset value to obtain a new report value is stopped.

[0063] For example, the number of steps to be executed determines the number of times the step of reducing the target value by a preset value will be performed. The first preset number of times can be determined according to actual needs, for example, it can be set to 3 times. Alternatively, the first preset number of times can be determined based on a preset duration; for example, if the preset duration is 2 seconds, the first preset number of times can be set to 3 times, and if the preset duration is 1 second, the first preset number of times can be set to 5 times. In such cases, multiple interactions between network devices and user devices without switching networks may cause long network latency. Setting the first preset number of times based on the preset duration can reduce the possibility of excessive network latency.

[0064] For example, if the target configuration information is not received from the network device after repeatedly executing the step of reducing the target value by a preset value, the network device may still consider that no network handover is needed based on the reported value after adjusting the network status parameters. Alternatively, the network device's network handover decision may not be based on the value of the network status parameters to determine whether to instruct the user equipment to perform a network handover. To avoid further waste of resources and increased network latency, the step of reducing the target value by a preset value can be stopped when the number of executions exceeds a first preset number.

[0065] This disclosure avoids excessive adjustments to the reported network status parameters by limiting the number of times the step of reducing the target value is performed, thereby reducing the power consumption of user equipment. It also ensures that the reported value does not decrease indefinitely, thus not affecting other services on the user equipment and ensuring that other services can continue to operate normally.

[0066] As an optional embodiment, when the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the user equipment's network is experiencing lag, the measured value is decreased to obtain a reported value of the network status parameter, including: When the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, if random access is triggered and the number of random access executions exceeds a second preset number, the measured value is reduced to obtain the reported value of the network status parameter.

[0067] For example, network lag can be caused by unstable network connections or excessively high latency, leading to delays or interruptions in data transmission. Examples include latency exceeding 200ms or network signal strength less than 15dB. The second preset number of attempts is a threshold pre-set based on actual conditions, such as two attempts. Random access is the process performed by a user equipment to access other 5G networks or request uplink resources, including sending a preamble and waiting for a network response.

[0068] For example, when a user equipment (UE) triggers random access, it may interact with network devices too many times, causing continuous lag or even interruption of the data services running on the UE. The second preset number of attempts can be used to determine if there are too many failed random access attempts. After the number of random access attempts exceeds the second preset number, a report value of the network status parameter can be obtained based on a reduction in the measured value and sent to the network device to induce the network device to make a network switching decision.

[0069] For example, a user equipment (UE) might need to perform five random access attempts to acquire uplink resources. However, five random access attempts take a long time, causing significant data service lag. Therefore, the second preset number of attempts can be set to two. If the UE acquires uplink resources with only one random access attempt, the strategy of reducing the measurement value is unnecessary. If the UE fails to acquire uplink resources after two random access attempts, reducing the measurement value can induce the network equipment to make a network handover decision.

[0070] This disclosure can avoid multiple random access requests consuming network resources, reduce network lag time, protect network stability, and improve user experience.

[0071] As an optional embodiment, before obtaining the measured values ​​of the network status parameters of the user equipment, the method further includes: The network used by the user equipment is identified as the first network; The user equipment is determined to be in a non-standalone (NSA) network mode. It is determined that the network device has the capability for network switching.

[0072] For example, the first network is the network currently connected to and used by the user equipment, such as a 4G LTE network or a 5G NR network. Network switching capability refers to the ability of a network device to switch from one network to another. For example, if the network used by the user equipment for its data services is the first network, it means that the user equipment's current main network line is the first network. If it is determined that the network device supports a second network as the main line, then the network device has the capability to switch networks.

[0073] For example, in addition to the ENDC mode mentioned above, non-standalone (NSA) network deployment modes can also include Option 4, Option 7, etc. In Option 4 mode, 5G NR is used for data transmission, while control plane communication is conducted through the 4G LTE network. The UE performs initial attachment through the 4G LTE network and then performs data transmission through the 5G NR network. In Option 7 mode, 5G NR is used for both data transmission and control plane communication, and the UE still needs to perform initial attachment through the 4G LTE network. In this case, the 5G NR cell acts as the primary cell, while the 4G LTE cell is used for attachment and some control signaling.

[0074] For example, even if the user equipment's network topology is non-standalone (NSA), the network equipment may still not support a second network as the primary line. For instance, in the aforementioned Option 4 and Option 7 network topologies, the 4G LTE network is only used for initial attachment; therefore, the network equipment may not support the 4G network as the primary line. Thus, when determining that the network topology is non-standalone, it can also be further determined that the network equipment has network handover capabilities.

[0075] This disclosure, by further confirming whether the user equipment's networking mode is non-standalone (NSA) or whether the user equipment has the capability to switch networks when the user equipment is in the first network, can determine in advance whether it has the energy to induce network equipment to make a network switching decision. This can reduce unnecessary signal processing and signal exchange processes, thereby saving energy consumption of the user equipment.

[0076] As an optional embodiment, sending the report value of the network status parameter to the network device, so that the network device instructs the user equipment to perform network switching based on the report value, includes: The network status parameter report value is sent to the network device so that the network device can instruct the user equipment to switch from the first network to the second network based on the report value, wherein the first network is a 5G network and the second network is a 4G network.

[0077] For example, given that the current 5G network deployment is not yet perfect, and while 5G networks offer higher speeds than 4G networks, 4G networks are more stable. In such cases, network equipment will prioritize configuring the 5G network as the primary line for user equipment's data services. Therefore, when the 5G network experiences lag, the user equipment's network line can be switched to the more stable 4G network to ensure the smooth operation of the user equipment's data services.

[0078] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a network handover method according to an exemplary embodiment, such as... Figure 4As shown, the network switching method is performed by the network device and includes the following steps.

[0079] In step S401, a report value of network status parameters sent by a user equipment is received. The report value of network status parameters is a measurement value of the network status parameters obtained by the user equipment. When the measurement value of the network status parameters indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, the measurement value is reduced to obtain the report value of the network status parameters, which is then sent to the network device. In step S402, the user equipment is instructed to perform a network switch based on the reported value.

[0080] For example, the network device receives a report value of network status parameters from the user equipment. The report value of the network status parameters is determined by the user equipment based on the measured values ​​of the network status parameters when network congestion occurs. The user equipment may decrease the measured values ​​to generate the report value. A detailed explanation of the report value of the network status parameters obtained by the user equipment can be found in the descriptions of steps S301 to S303, and will not be repeated here.

[0081] For example, a network device can assess the network conditions used by a user equipment based on received report values ​​and decide whether to instruct the user equipment to switch networks. If the report values ​​indicate poor network conditions, the network device may instruct the user equipment to switch to another network to ensure network quality.

[0082] This disclosure describes a method where a network device receives a report value of network status parameters sent by a user equipment. This report value is obtained by the user equipment reducing the measured value of the network status parameters when the user equipment experiences network congestion. Based on the report value, the network device can instruct the user equipment to perform a network switch. In this way, by having the user equipment guide the network device to make a decision to instruct the user equipment to perform a network switch, network congestion and latency can be reduced, improving the user experience.

[0083] As a specific example, let's take a user equipment (UE) using ENDC mode to perform gaming services via a 5G network as the primary connection. When the UE uses the 5G network for gaming, and the 5G network has insufficient uplink resources, the UE repeatedly requests uplink resources through scheduling requests, but fails. In the end, it requests uplink resources through random access, causing the gaming service to lag.

[0084] Reference Figure 5 This illustrates an exemplary flow of a network handover method, including the following steps: S501. Check if the UE has registered ENDC. If yes, proceed to step S502. If no, the process ends.

[0085] Among them, the user equipment can determine whether the user equipment is in ENDC mode from the network registration information of the user equipment.

[0086] S502. Determine whether the main line for the UE to conduct data services is a 5G network. If yes, proceed to step S503; otherwise, the process ends.

[0087] Among them, the user equipment can monitor the data transmission path and network configuration of the user equipment to determine whether the main line of the current game service is 4G or 5G.

[0088] S503. Determine whether the network device simultaneously supports 4G network as the main data line. If yes, proceed to step S504; otherwise, the process ends.

[0089] Among them, user equipment can determine whether the network supports 4G network as the main line for data transmission based on OTA (Over-The-Air) signaling issued by the network, such as the CellGroup configuration in RRC signaling.

[0090] For example, when CellGroup = 1 in the OTA signaling, it means the network device does not support 4G network as the primary data transmission line, while CellGroup = 0 means the network device supports 4G network as the primary data transmission line. An example of OTA signaling indicating that the network device supports 4G network as the primary data transmission line is as follows: value RadioBearerConfig ::= { drb-ToAddModList { { cnAssociation eps-BearerIdentity: 5, drb-Identity 3, pdcp-Config { moreThanOneRLC { primaryPath { cellGroup 0}, ul-DataSplitThreshold b51200}, t-Reordering ms200 } RadioBearerConfig represents the configuration information of the radio bearer. drb-ToAddModList is a list containing the configuration information of the DRB (Data Radio Bearer) that needs to be added or modified. cnAssociation eps-BearerIdentity represents the identifier associated with the EPS bearer in the 4G core network; the example value here is 5. drb-Identity 3: is the identifier of the DRB; the example value here is 3. pdcp-Config is the configuration information of the PDCP (PacketData Convergence Protocol) layer. moreThanOneRLC: indicates that there are multiple RLC (Radio Link Control) instances. primaryPath represents the primary transmission path. CellGroup = 0 indicates that the network device supports the 4G network as the primary data transmission line. ul-DataSplitThresholdb51200 represents the uplink data splitting threshold; the example value here is 51200 bytes. t-Reordering ms200 represents the reordering time window; the example value here is 200 milliseconds.

[0091] S504. Determine if the current UE is in a game. If yes, proceed to step S505. If no, the process ends.

[0092] The user device can determine whether it is in game mode by using the API (Application Programming Interface) of the user device application layer or the application status monitoring module built into the user device.

[0093] S505. Detect whether there is lag during the UE game. If yes, proceed to step S506. If no, the process ends.

[0094] User equipment can obtain measured values ​​of network status parameters by monitoring them, and determine whether the network is experiencing lag based on these measured values.

[0095] S506. Detect the cause of game lag. Is it because the UE frequently sends scheduling requests (SR) on the 5G network but still cannot obtain uplink resources, thus triggering random access to request uplink resources? If so, proceed to step S507; otherwise, the process ends.

[0096] Among these methods, when lag occurs, the number of SR failures, the number of random access attempts, and the network response of the user device can be obtained to determine whether the lag is caused by the failure of uplink resource request.

[0097] S507, Trigger optimization, lower the value in the current 5G network measurement report, where the measurement report includes uplink transmission power.

[0098] S508. The UE determines whether the network device has configured the main line for data transmission as a 4G network within 2 seconds. If yes, proceed to step S510. If no, continue to adjust the value in the measurement report, adjusting it once every 2 seconds for a total of 3 times, and then proceed to step S509.

[0099] If the user equipment does not receive the target configuration information sent by the network device within 2 seconds, which instructs the user equipment to switch the network to 4G, the UE determines that the network device has not configured the main line for data transmission to be the 4G network within 2 seconds.

[0100] S509. After adjusting the values ​​in the three measurement reports, the UE determines whether the network device is configured to use the 4G network as the main data transmission line. If yes, proceed to step S510. If no, it indicates that the network device does not want to switch lines, and the process ends.

[0101] S510 and UE switch the main data transmission line to the 4G network according to the reconfiguration command sent by the network device.

[0102] Reference Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating a network switching device according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 6 As shown, the network switching device 600 is applied to a user equipment and includes an acquisition module 601, an obtaining module 602, and a sending module 603.

[0103] The acquisition module 601 is configured to acquire measured values ​​of the network status parameters of the user equipment; The obtaining module 602 is configured to decrease the measured value of the network status parameter when the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, and obtain a reported value of the network status parameter; The sending module 603 is configured to send a report value of the network status parameter to the network device so that the network device instructs the user equipment to perform a network switch based on the report value.

[0104] As an optional embodiment, the obtaining module 602 is configured to: Send an inquiry message to the network device so that the network device sends a network handover threshold to the user equipment based on the inquiry message; Upon receiving the network switching threshold, the measured value is reduced according to the network switching threshold to obtain the reported value of the network status parameter.

[0105] As an optional embodiment, the obtaining module 602 is configured to: The measured value is used as the initial target value, and the target value is reduced by a preset value to obtain the initial report value; The sending module 603 is configured to: The report value is sent to the network device so that when the network device determines that the network handover conditions are met based on the report value, it sends target configuration information to the user equipment, and the target configuration information is used to instruct the user equipment to perform network handover. The network switching device 600 is further configured to: If the target configuration information is received within a preset time period, network switching is performed based on the target configuration information.

[0106] As an optional embodiment, the network switching device 600 is further configured to: If the target configuration information is not received within the preset time period, repeat the following steps: The reported value is used as the new target value, and the target value is reduced by a preset value to obtain a new reported value. The new reported value is then sent to the network device until the target configuration information sent by the network device is received.

[0107] As an optional embodiment, the network switching device 600 is further configured to: Determine the number of times the step of reducing the target value by a preset value is performed; When the number of times the step is executed exceeds a first preset number, the step of reducing the target value by a preset value to obtain a new report value is stopped.

[0108] As an optional embodiment, the obtaining module 602 is configured to: When the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, if random access is triggered and the number of random access executions exceeds a second preset number, the measured value is reduced to obtain the reported value of the network status parameter.

[0109] As an optional embodiment, the network switching device 600 is further configured to: The network used by the user equipment is identified as the first network; The user equipment is determined to be in a non-standalone (NSA) network mode. It is determined that the network device has the capability for network switching.

[0110] As an optional embodiment, the sending module 603 is further configured to: The network status parameter report value is sent to the network device so that the network device can instruct the user equipment to switch from the first network to the second network based on the report value, wherein the first network is a 5G network and the second network is a 4G network.

[0111] Regarding the network switching device 600 in the above embodiments, the specific manner in which each module performs its operation has been described in detail in the embodiments concerning the network switching method applied to user equipment, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0112] Reference Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating a network switching device according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 7 As shown, the network switching device 700 is applied to a network device and includes a receiving module 701 and an indicating module 702.

[0113] The receiving module 701 is configured to receive a report value of network status parameters sent by the user equipment. The report value of the network status parameters is a measurement value of the network status parameters obtained by the user equipment. When the measurement value of the network status parameters indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, the measurement value is reduced to obtain the report value of the network status parameters, which is then sent to the network device. Instruction module 702 is configured to instruct the user equipment to perform network switching based on the reported value.

[0114] Regarding the network switching device 700 in the above embodiments, the specific manner in which each module performs its operation has been described in detail in the embodiments concerning the network switching method applied to network devices, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0115] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the network switching method provided in this disclosure.

[0116] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a communication device, comprising: processor; Memory used to store computer programs; When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the network switching method described in the first or second aspect of this disclosure.

[0117] Figure 8This is a block diagram illustrating a communication device 800 according to an exemplary embodiment. For example, the communication device 800 can be a user equipment or a network device. The user equipment can be a mobile phone, computer, digital broadcasting terminal, messaging device, tablet device, personal digital assistant, etc. The network device can be a base station, router, switch, fiber optic transceiver, etc.

[0118] Reference Figure 8 The communication device 800 may include one or more of the following components: processing component 802, memory 804, power supply component 806, multimedia component 808, audio component 810, input / output interface 812, sensor component 814, and communication component 816.

[0119] Processing component 802 typically controls the overall operation of communication device 800, such as operations associated with display, telephone calls, data communication, camera operation, and recording operations. Processing component 802 may include one or more processors 820 to execute instructions to complete all or part of the steps of the methods described above. Furthermore, processing component 802 may include one or more modules to facilitate interaction between processing component 802 and other components. For example, processing component 802 may include a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between multimedia component 808 and processing component 802.

[0120] Memory 804 is configured to store various types of data to support the operation of communication device 800. Examples of this data include instructions for any application or method operating on communication device 800, contact data, phonebook data, messages, pictures, videos, etc. Memory 804 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0121] Power supply component 806 provides power to various components of communication device 800. Power supply component 806 may include a power management system, one or more power supplies, and other components associated with generating, managing, and distributing power to communication device 800.

[0122] Multimedia component 808 includes a screen that provides an output interface between the communication device 800 and the user. In some embodiments, the screen may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a touch panel (TP). If the screen includes a touch panel, the screen may be implemented as a touchscreen to receive input signals from the user. The touch panel includes one or more touch sensors to sense touches, swipes, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensors may sense not only the boundaries of the touch or swipe action but also the duration and pressure associated with the touch or swipe operation. In some embodiments, multimedia component 808 includes a front-facing camera and / or a rear-facing camera. When the communication device 800 is in an operating mode, such as a shooting mode or a video mode, the front-facing camera and / or the rear-facing camera may receive external multimedia data. Each front-facing camera and rear-facing camera may be a fixed optical lens system or have focal length and optical zoom capabilities.

[0123] Audio component 810 is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, audio component 810 includes a microphone (MIC) configured to receive external audio signals when communication device 800 is in an operating mode, such as call mode, recording mode, and voice recognition mode. The received audio signals may be further stored in memory 804 or transmitted via communication component 816. In some embodiments, audio component 810 also includes a speaker for outputting audio signals.

[0124] Input / output interface 812 provides an interface between processing component 802 and peripheral interface modules, such as keyboards, click wheels, buttons, etc. These buttons may include, but are not limited to, home buttons, volume buttons, power buttons, and lock buttons.

[0125] Sensor assembly 814 includes one or more sensors for providing status assessments of various aspects of communication device 800. For example, sensor assembly 814 can detect the on / off state of communication device 800, the relative positioning of components such as the display and keypad of communication device 800, changes in the position of communication device 800 or a component of communication device 800, the presence or absence of user contact with communication device 800, the orientation or acceleration / deceleration of communication device 800, and temperature changes of communication device 800. Sensor assembly 814 may include a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. Sensor assembly 814 may also include a light sensor, such as a CMOS or CCD image sensor, for use in imaging applications. In some embodiments, sensor assembly 814 may also include an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, pressure sensor, or temperature sensor.

[0126] Communication component 816 is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between communication device 800 and other devices. Communication device 800 can access wireless networks based on communication standards, such as WiFi, 2G, or 3G, or combinations thereof. In one exemplary embodiment, communication component 816 receives broadcast signals or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In one exemplary embodiment, communication component 816 also includes a near-field communication (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module may be implemented based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, Infrared Data Association (IrDA) technology, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology, and other technologies.

[0127] In an exemplary embodiment, the communication device 800 may be implemented by one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or other electronic components to perform the network switching method described above.

[0128] In an exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions is also provided, such as a memory 804 including instructions, which can be executed by a processor 820 of a communication device 800 to perform the above-described method. For example, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be a ROM, random access memory (RAM), CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage device, etc.

[0129] In another exemplary embodiment, a computer program product is also provided, the computer program product comprising a computer program executable by a programmable device, the computer program having a code portion for performing the network switching method described above when executed by the programmable device.

[0130] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0131] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A network handover method, characterized in that, Applied to user equipment, including: Obtain the measured values ​​of the network status parameters of the user equipment; When the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the user equipment's network is experiencing lag, the measured value is decreased to obtain the reported value of the network status parameter; The network status parameter report value is sent to the network device so that the network device can instruct the user equipment to perform network switching based on the report value.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of reducing the measured value to obtain the reported value of the network state parameter includes: Send an inquiry message to the network device so that the network device sends a network handover threshold to the user equipment based on the inquiry message; Upon receiving the network switching threshold, the measured value is reduced according to the network switching threshold to obtain the reported value of the network status parameter.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of reducing the measured value to obtain the reported value of the network state parameter includes: The measured value is used as the initial target value, and the target value is reduced by a preset value to obtain the initial report value; Sending the network status parameter report value to the network device so that the network device instructs the user equipment to perform network switching based on the report value includes: The report value is sent to the network device so that when the network device determines that the network handover conditions are met based on the report value, it sends target configuration information to the user equipment, and the target configuration information is used to instruct the user equipment to perform network handover. The method further includes: If the target configuration information is received within a preset time period, network switching is performed based on the target configuration information.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the target configuration information is not received within the preset time period, repeat the following steps: The reported value is used as the new target value, and the target value is reduced by a preset value to obtain a new reported value. The new reported value is then sent to the network device until the target configuration information sent by the network device is received.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The method further includes: Determine the number of times the step of reducing the target value by a preset value is performed; When the number of times the step is executed exceeds a first preset number, the step of reducing the target value by a preset value to obtain a new report value is stopped.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, When the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the user equipment's network is experiencing lag, the measured value is decreased to obtain a reported value of the network status parameter, including: When the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, if random access is triggered and the number of random access executions exceeds a second preset number, the measured value is reduced to obtain the reported value of the network status parameter.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, Before acquiring the measured values ​​of the network status parameters of the user equipment, the method further includes: The network used by the user equipment is identified as the first network; The user equipment is determined to be in a non-standalone (NSA) network mode. It is determined that the network device has the capability for network switching.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, Sending the network status parameter report value to the network device so that the network device instructs the user equipment to perform network switching based on the report value includes: The network status parameter report value is sent to the network device so that the network device can instruct the user equipment to switch from the first network to the second network based on the report value, wherein the first network is a 5G network and the second network is a 4G network.

9. A network handover method, characterized in that, Applied to network devices, including: The system receives a report value of network status parameters sent by a user equipment. The report value of the network status parameters is a measurement value of the network status parameters obtained by the user equipment. When the measurement value of the network status parameters indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, the measurement value is reduced to obtain the report value of the network status parameters, which is then sent to the network device. Based on the reported value, the user equipment is instructed to perform a network switch.

10. A network switching device, characterized in that, Applied to user equipment, including: The acquisition module is configured to acquire measured values ​​of the network status parameters of the user equipment; The acquisition module is configured to decrease the measured value of the network status parameter when the measured value of the network status parameter indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, and obtain a reported value of the network status parameter. The sending module is configured to send a report value of the network status parameter to the network device, so that the network device instructs the user equipment to perform a network switch based on the report value.

11. A network switching device, characterized in that, Applied to network devices, including: The receiving module is configured to receive a report value of network status parameters sent by the user equipment. The report value of the network status parameters is a measurement value of the network status parameters obtained by the user equipment. When the measurement value of the network status parameters indicates that the network of the user equipment is experiencing lag, the measurement value is reduced to obtain the report value of the network status parameters, which is then sent to the network device. The instruction module is configured to instruct the user equipment to perform a network switch based on the reported value.

12. A computer-readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, characterized in that, When the program instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the network switching method as described in any one of claims 1-9.

13. A communication device, characterized in that, include: processor; Memory used to store computer programs; When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the network switching method according to any one of claims 1-9.

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