A communication method, apparatus, program product, and storage medium

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a communication method, device, program product and storage medium. The method comprises: receiving a first indication message, the first indication message being used to indicate that a first system information block is changed; and obtaining the changed first system information block, the changed first system information block comprising changed new radio non-terrestrial network neighbor information. In this way, by setting the first indication message to indicate that the SIB comprising the NR NTN neighbor information is changed, the terminal device can know that the NR NTN neighbor information is changed by receiving the first indication message in the connected state, so as to obtain the changed NR NTN neighbor information in time. In this way, if the terminal device directly drops out of the network from the connected state, the terminal device can directly perform network camping by using the valid NR NTN neighbor information obtained in advance, thereby realizing fast network camping of the terminal device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, apparatus, program product and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, if a terminal device spends an extended period in the connected state within a Long Term Evolution Terrestrial Network (LTE TN) cell, it may lose network access abruptly. In this situation, with no available LTE TN cells, the terminal device needs to acquire the necessary information to establish a connection in a New Radio Non-Terrestrial Network (NR NTN) cell, resulting in a slower connection establishment process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a communication method, apparatus, program product, and storage medium, with the aim of enabling terminal devices to quickly establish a network connection.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0005] Firstly, this application provides a communication method. This method can be applied to a terminal device. Unless otherwise specified, the "terminal device" in this application can refer to the terminal device itself, a component within the terminal device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal device's functions. The terminal device is in a connected state. The method includes: receiving a first indication message, which indicates a change to a first System Information Block (SIB); and obtaining the modified first System Information Block, which includes modified new wireless non-terrestrial network neighbor cell information.

[0006] In the method provided by this application, a first indication message is set to indicate that the SIB including NR NTN neighbor cell information has changed. This allows the terminal device to know that the NR NTN neighbor cell information has changed by receiving the first indication message in the connected state, thereby enabling it to obtain the changed NR NTN neighbor cell information in a timely manner. In other words, it can obtain valid NR NTN neighbor cell information in a timely manner. Thus, if the terminal device drops the network directly from the connected state or returns to the idle state from the connected state, the terminal device can directly register for network access using the valid NR NTN neighbor cell information obtained in advance, without having to re-obtain valid NR NTN neighbor cell information in the dropped state or the idle state. This improves the network access speed of the terminal device and enables the terminal device to quickly register for network access.

[0007] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the first indication message is a paging message. This paging message carries indication information used to indicate a change in the first system information block. Thus, by modifying the existing paging message, the indication of a change in the SIB, including NR NTN neighbor cell information, can be achieved without adding and defining new messages, facilitating the implementation of the solution.

[0008] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the first system information block is SIBn, and the indication information includes an indication field, the value of which is n, where n is a positive integer. Thus, by adding a new indication field to the Paging message, the specific SIB can be directly indicated by the value of the indication field. Therefore, with only minor modifications to the Paging message, accurate indication of changes to SIBs, including NR and NTN neighbor cell information, can be achieved.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the first system information block is SIB3x, where x is a positive integer. This allows NR NTN neighbor cell information to be carried using the lower-priority SIB3x, increasing the feasibility of the scheme.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, after obtaining the modified first system message block, the terminal device is in an idle state. The method further includes: receiving a second indication message, the second indication message being used to indicate that the modified first system message block has been modified; and obtaining the modified first system information block again. In this way, the terminal device can obtain the modified NR NTN neighbor cell information in a timely manner even in an idle state, without having to wait for the NR NTN neighbor cell information to expire or already expire before obtaining valid NR NTN neighbor cell information, which can improve the network access speed of the terminal device to a certain extent.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, obtaining the modified first system information block includes: determining a first radio frame based on the period parameters of the first system information block before modification; and obtaining the modified first system information block based on the first radio frame. This allows for rapid acquisition of the modified first system information block on the corresponding radio frame using the period parameters, improving the network access speed of the terminal device after a direct network disconnection from the connected state or after returning to the idle state from the connected state, thus achieving rapid network access for the terminal device.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the method further includes: before receiving the first indication message, the terminal device is in an idle state; the method further includes: acquiring a second system information block, the second system information block including a scheduling information list; and based on the scheduling information list, saving the period parameters of the first system information block before the modification. By saving the period parameters of the first system information block before the modification, it is convenient to subsequently acquire the modified first system information block based on these period parameters, thereby achieving timely acquisition of effective NR NTN neighbor cell information.

[0013] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a communication method that can be applied to a network device. Unless otherwise specified, the term "network device" in this application can refer to the network device itself, a component within the network device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the network device's functions. The method includes: sending a first indication message to indicate a change to a first system information block; and sending a modified first system information block, which includes modified new wireless non-terrestrial network neighbor cell information.

[0014] In the method provided by this application, a first indication message is set to indicate that the SIB including NR NTN neighbor cell information has changed. When the NR NTN neighbor cell information changes, the network device actively sends the first indication message to the terminal device and promptly sends the SIB including the changed NR NTN neighbor cell information. This allows the terminal device to know that the NR NTN neighbor cell information has changed in the connected state through the received first indication message, and thus obtain the changed NR NTN neighbor cell information in a timely manner, i.e., obtain the valid NR NTN neighbor cell information in a timely manner. In this way, if the terminal device drops the network directly from the connected state or returns to the idle state from the connected state, the terminal device can directly register on the network using the valid NR NTN neighbor cell information obtained in advance, without having to re-obtain the valid NR NTN neighbor cell information in the dropped state or the idle state. This can improve the network registration speed of the terminal device and realize the rapid network registration of the terminal device.

[0015] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the first indication message is a Paging message, which carries indication information used to indicate that the first system information block has been changed. Thus, by modifying the existing Paging message, the indication of a change in the SIB, including NR NTN neighbor cell information, can be achieved without adding and defining new messages, facilitating the implementation of the solution.

[0016] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, before sending the first indication message, the method further includes: sending a second system information block, the second system information block including a period parameter of the first system information block before the modification, the period parameter being used to obtain the modified first system information block. Thus, by sending the second system information block, the terminal device can obtain the period parameter of the first system information block before the modification, facilitating the subsequent rapid acquisition of the modified first system information block based on that period parameter.

[0017] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device that can be applied to a terminal device. Unless otherwise specified, "terminal device" in embodiments of this application can refer to the terminal device itself, a component within the terminal device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal device's functions. Alternatively, the device can also be applied to a network device. Unless otherwise specified, "network device" in embodiments of this application can refer to the network device itself, a component within the network device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the network device's functions. This device is used to execute the communication method in the first aspect or any optional embodiment of the first aspect, or to execute the communication method in the second aspect or any optional embodiment of the second aspect.

[0018] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device that can be applied to a terminal device or its internal circuits, chips, chip systems, etc., or to a network device or its internal circuits, chips, chip systems, etc. The device may include at least one processor, which is used to call computer instructions in memory to cause the communication device to execute the communication method in the first aspect or any optional embodiment of the first aspect, or to execute the communication method in the second aspect or any optional embodiment of the second aspect.

[0019] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in one possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the communication device may further include a memory.

[0020] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product including instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method in the first aspect or any optional embodiment of the first aspect, or to perform the communication method in the second aspect or any optional embodiment of the second aspect.

[0021] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute the communication method in the first aspect or any optional embodiment of the first aspect, or to execute the communication method in the second aspect or any optional embodiment of the second aspect.

[0022] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a chip system including a processor for supporting a device in implementing the functions involved in the foregoing aspects, such as transmitting or processing data and / or information involved in the foregoing methods. In one possible design, the chip system further includes a memory for storing program instructions and data necessary for the device. This chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0023] Eighthly, embodiments of this application provide a chip including one or more interface circuits and one or more processors; the interface circuits are configured to receive signals from the memory of an electronic device and send signals to the processors, the signals including computer instructions stored in the memory; when the processor executes the computer instructions, it causes the electronic device to perform the communication method in the first aspect or any optional embodiment of the first aspect, or to perform the communication method in the second aspect or any optional embodiment of the second aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of the system architecture of a communication system.

[0025] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating yet another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terminology used in the following embodiments is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to be a limitation of this application. As used in the specification and appended claims of this application, the singular expressions "a," "an," "the," "the," "the," and "this" are intended to also include expressions such as "one or more," unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that in the embodiments of this application, "one or more" refers to one, two, or more; "and / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist; for example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0032] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as described in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0033] The "multiple" mentioned in the embodiments of this application refers to two or more. It should be noted that in the description of the embodiments of this application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used only for the purpose of distinguishing descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, nor should they be construed as indicating or implying order.

[0034] The embodiments of this application are applied to communication systems, which can be second-generation (2G) communication systems, third-generation (3G) communication systems, long-term evolution (LTE) systems, fifth-generation (5G) communication systems, LTE and 5G hybrid architectures, 5G New Radio (5G NR) systems, and new communication systems that will emerge in the future development of communication.

[0035] A communication system includes a first device and a second device. The first device can be a network-side device used to provide network communication functions; in some cases, it is also called a network device or network element. Network devices are typically base stations (including functional units of base stations, or combinations of functional units of base stations) or core network units. Core network units can be functional units within the core network, including but not limited to Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) units or Session Management Function (SMF) units. The second device can be a device accessing the network, typically a terminal. An example of a communication system is... Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 It includes base station 1 and terminal 2.

[0036] In the embodiments provided in this application, the base station can be any device with wireless transceiver capabilities, including but not limited to: evolved Node B (NodeB or eNB or e-NodeB) in LTE, base station (gNodeB or gNB) or transmission receiving point / transmission reception point (TRP) in new radio (NR), base stations evolved from 3GPP, access nodes in Wi-Fi systems, wireless relay nodes, wireless backhaul nodes, etc. The base station can be: macro base station, micro base station, pico base station, satellite base station, small cell, relay station, or balloon station, etc. The base station can include one or more co-located or non-co-located transmission reception points (TRPs). The base station can also be a radio controller, centralized unit (CU), and / or distributed unit (DU) in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. The base station can communicate with the terminal, or it can communicate with the terminal through a relay station. The terminal can communicate with multiple base stations using different technologies. For example, the terminal can communicate with base stations that support LTE networks, base stations that support 5G networks, and can also establish dual connections with both LTE and 5G base stations.

[0037] In the embodiments provided in this application, the terminal can take various forms, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminal device, augmented reality (AR) terminal device, wireless terminal in industrial control, vehicle-mounted terminal device, wireless terminal in self-driving, wireless terminal in remote medical care, wireless terminal in smart grid, wireless terminal in transportation safety, wireless terminal in smart city, wireless terminal in smart home, wearable terminal device, etc. The terminal may also be referred to as terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), access terminal equipment, vehicle-mounted terminal, industrial control terminal, UE unit, UE station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal equipment, mobile device, UE terminal equipment, terminal equipment, wireless communication equipment, UE agent, or UE device, etc. The terminal can also be a fixed terminal or a mobile terminal.

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the relevant concepts involved in the embodiments of this application are explained below.

[0039] (1) System Information (SI) refers to a series of parameters and configuration information used to guide terminal devices in network access and operation. SI can be divided into various types, such as SIB1, SIB2, SIB3, etc., as defined by the protocol. These SIBs together constitute the SI. Terminal devices do not need to receive all SIBs, but can receive the appropriate SIBs as needed to access the network, perform cell selection or reselection, maintain the connection, etc.

[0040] (2) NR NTN neighbor information refers to the parameters and configuration information used to describe the adjacency relationships between satellites and the ground network, as well as between satellites. NR NTN neighbor information can be used for network planning, cell selection, reselection, and handover. Among them, NR NTN neighbor information includes ephemeris information, which is key data for describing and predicting the motion state of satellites, including the satellite's position, velocity, and other orbital parameters.

[0041] (3) Paging messages are a key component in mobile communication networks to ensure effective communication and network management. They are crucial for maintaining network stability and providing timely services. They can be used to notify terminal devices to receive data, notify terminal devices that system information has been updated, etc.

[0042] (4) Connected state is the state in which the terminal device and the network device have established a continuous signal connection and transmit data.

[0043] (5) Idle state is the state in which the terminal device does not establish a continuous signal connection with the network device. In the idle state, the terminal device does not maintain a real-time communication connection with the network device.

[0044] (6) The scheduling information list (schedulingInfoList) is an important component describing SI scheduling information, including SI sequence, SI transmission period, SI window length, SIB mapping information, etc., to ensure that the terminal device can correctly receive and parse SI. Among them, the SI sequence specifies the order of each SIB; the SI transmission period specifies the transmission period of each SIB through the period parameter (si-Periodicity), and the unit can be the radio frame number; the SI window length specifies the length of the SI window through the window length parameter (si-WindowLength), and the unit can be the slot; the SIB mapping information specifies the mapping relationship from SIB to SI, including the type and value of the SIB.

[0045] With the development of communication technology, NR NTN, as an effective supplement and extension to terrestrial networks, achieves wide-area coverage and expands the transmission range of mobile signals through non-terrestrial equipment such as satellites. However, if the NR NTN neighboring satellites corresponding to the terminal device are non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit (NGSO) satellites, especially Low Earth Orbit (LEO) or Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), the satellites covering the same LTE TN cell are not fixed, and the NR NTN neighboring cell information carried in the SIB is limited, requiring frequent changes. This necessitates that the terminal device periodically or irregularly obtains the SIB issued by the network equipment to acquire valid NR NTN neighboring cell information.

[0046] Currently, SIB reception typically occurs when the terminal device is in idle mode. In connected mode, only specific terminal devices or in specific situations (such as handover) receive SIBs, and usually only high-priority SIBs 1 and 2 are received; low-priority SIBs are generally not received. Although current protocols support the SystemInfoModification field to indicate changes in the SI, in practice, to avoid increasing demodulation complexity, terminal devices do not actively receive SIs in connected mode; that is, they do not actively receive additional SIBs. Moreover, when the terminal device returns to idle mode, it reacquires the Master Information Block (MIB) and SIBs. Therefore, SI updates are not particularly meaningful for terminal devices in connected mode, and they do not actively receive additional SIBs in connected mode.

[0047] Therefore, if a terminal device stays in the connected state on an LTE TN cell for an extended period, and the signal weakens due to device movement, and the network equipment does not indicate an LTE TN cell handover or there is no available LTE TN cell for handover, the terminal device will inevitably lose network access. In this situation, the terminal device has no available LTE TN cells, and because it has been in the connected state for an extended period, the validity period of the NR NTN neighbor cell information has expired, rendering the NR NTN neighbor cell information invalid. Consequently, the terminal device needs to reacquire the NR NTN neighbor cell information before it can establish a network connection on the NR NTN cell, resulting in a slower network connection establishment speed.

[0048] To address this, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, apparatus, program product, and storage medium. By setting a first indication message to indicate a change in the SIB including NR NTN neighbor cell information, the terminal device can receive the first indication message in the connected state to learn that the NR NTN neighbor cell information has changed, thereby enabling it to promptly obtain the changed NR NTN neighbor cell information, i.e., to promptly obtain valid NR NTN neighbor cell information. Thus, if the terminal device drops the network directly from the connected state or returns to the idle state from the connected state, the terminal device can directly register on the network using the valid NR NTN neighbor cell information obtained in advance, without having to re-obtain valid NR NTN neighbor cell information in the dropped state or idle state, thereby improving the network registration speed of the terminal device and realizing rapid network registration.

[0049] For details, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2This application provides a flowchart illustrating a communication method. This communication method can be executed by a communication system, which may include network devices and terminal devices. Unless otherwise specified, in this application, "terminal device" can refer to the terminal device itself, a component within the terminal device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal device's functions. Similarly, "network device" in this application can refer to the network device itself, a component within the network device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the network device's functions. The communication method provided in this application may include the following steps:

[0050] S201, The network device sends the first instruction message.

[0051] The first indication message is used to indicate that the first system information block has been changed. The first system information block includes NRNTN neighbor cell information. That is, the first indication message can indicate that the SIB including NRNTN neighbor cell information has been changed.

[0052] It is understandable that the first system information block before the change included the NR NTN neighbor cell information before the change.

[0053] It should be noted that the existing protocol indicates that the SI has been changed, but it cannot indicate which specific SIB within the SI has been changed, let alone the SIB that includes NR NTN neighbor cell information.

[0054] It is understood that "the first system information block has been changed" in the embodiments of this application can also be expressed as "the first system information block has been updated", "the first system information block has been changed", etc.

[0055] S202, The terminal device receives the first instruction message.

[0056] It should be noted that the terminal device is in a connected state at this time. The terminal device can learn that the SIB, including NR NTN neighbor cell information, has changed based on the first indication message in the connected state.

[0057] S203, The network device sends the modified first system information block.

[0058] The modified first system information block includes the modified NR NTN neighbor cell information. It is understood that the modified NR NTN neighbor cell information is valid NR NTN neighbor cell information.

[0059] In this embodiment of the application, after the network device determines that the NR NTN neighbor cell information corresponding to the terminal device has been changed, it can carry the changed NR NTN neighbor cell information in the first system information block to obtain the changed first system information block, and send the changed first system information block to the terminal device.

[0060] S204. The terminal device obtains the modified first system information block.

[0061] It should be noted that the terminal device is in a connected state at this time, and the terminal device can obtain the corresponding SIB in the connected state, unlike the existing technology which usually obtains the SIB in the idle state.

[0062] As can be seen, in this embodiment of the application, a first indication message is set to indicate that the SIB including NR NTN neighbor cell information has changed. When the NR NTN neighbor cell information changes, the network device actively sends the first indication message to the terminal device and promptly sends the SIB including the changed NR NTN neighbor cell information. This allows the terminal device to know that the NR NTN neighbor cell information has changed in the connected state through the received first indication message, and thus obtain the changed NR NTN neighbor cell information in a timely manner, i.e., obtain the valid NR NTN neighbor cell information in a timely manner. In this way, if the terminal device drops the network directly from the connected state or returns to the idle state from the connected state, the terminal device can directly register on the network with the valid NR NTN neighbor cell information obtained in advance, without having to re-obtain the valid NR NTN neighbor cell information in the dropped state or the idle state. This can improve the network registration speed of the terminal device and realize the rapid network registration of the terminal device.

[0063] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating another communication method for implementing this application is provided. Figure 3 exist Figure 2 Based on the provided communication methods, a more detailed explanation of the communication methods will be given. Figure 3 The communication method can be executed by a communication system, which may include network devices and terminal devices. The definitions of network devices and terminal devices are the same as those mentioned above. Figure 2 The definitions of network devices and terminal devices are the same and will not be repeated here. The communication method provided in the embodiments of this application may include the following steps:

[0064] S301, The network device sends the second system information block.

[0065] The second system information block includes a scheduling information list (schedulingInfoList), which includes the period parameter (si-Periodicity) of the first system information block before the change. This period parameter can be used to obtain the first system information block after the change.

[0066] The second system information block in this application embodiment may be SIB1 (System Information Block Type 1). SIB1 contains key information on cell access and cell selection, as well as scheduling information of other system information blocks, etc.

[0067] S302, The terminal device obtains the second system information block.

[0068] It should be noted that the terminal device is in an idle state at this time. In this embodiment of the application, the idle state can be the Radio Resource Control Idle (RRC_IDLE).

[0069] S303. The terminal device saves the periodic parameters of the first system information block before the change based on the scheduling information list.

[0070] In this embodiment, after obtaining the second system information block, the terminal device can record the schedulingInfoList within it and save the si-Periodicity of the first system information block. It is understood that what is saved at this time is the si-Periodicity of the first system information block before the modification. In this way, the terminal device can obtain the periodic parameters of the first system information block before the modification, facilitating the subsequent rapid acquisition of the modified first system information block based on these periodic parameters.

[0071] S304, The network device sends the first instruction message.

[0072] It is understood that S304 is similar to S201 in the above embodiments, and the same parts will not be described again here.

[0073] In one possible implementation, the first indication message in this embodiment can be a Paging message. The Paging message carries indication information used to indicate that the first system information block has been changed. Thus, by modifying the existing Paging message, the indication of a change in the SIB, including NR and NTN neighbor cell information, can be achieved without adding and defining new messages, facilitating the implementation of the solution.

[0074] It should be noted that the terminal device's calculation of the validity period to receive the SIB may have the following problems: ① The timer of the terminal device and the timer of the network device may not be synchronized, and the terminal device may not be able to accurately estimate the reception time of the SIB; ② The network device may not broadcast new ephemeris information in a timely manner, or may broadcast new ephemeris information before the timer expires. This may result in the terminal device being unable to accurately obtain valid NR NTN neighbor cell information, that is, unable to accurately obtain valid ephemeris information.

[0075] In this embodiment, the network device carries indication information through Paging messages to indicate that the first system information block has been changed, thereby notifying the terminal device of the update of ephemeris information. This enables the terminal device to obtain effective NR NTN neighbor cell information in a targeted and timely manner, thus accurately obtaining effective ephemeris information.

[0076] In one possible implementation, the first system information block in this application embodiment is SIBn, and the indication information includes an indication field, the value of which is n, where n is a positive integer. For example, the first system information block is SIB2, SIB33, or SIB34, etc. It is understood that the above is merely an illustrative description and should not be construed as a limitation on the embodiments of this application. By adding a new indication field to the Paging message, the value of the indication field can directly indicate the specific SIB. Thus, only minor modifications to the Paging message are needed to accurately indicate changes in SIBs, including NR and NTN neighbor cell information.

[0077] In one possible implementation, the first system information block in this embodiment is SIB3x, where x is a positive integer. It is understood that n = 3x in this case, and the value corresponding to the indicator field is 3x. Thus, using the lower-priority SIB3x to carry NR NTN neighbor cell information increases the feasibility of the scheme.

[0078] In this application embodiment, the indication field can be siChangedTag, or it can be set to other names; this application embodiment does not limit this. That is, in this application implementation, an InformationElement (IE) can be added to the Paging message to indicate that the SIB, including NR NTN neighbor cell information, has changed.

[0079] The following example illustrates how to modify the Paging message in the 36.331 protocol using the siChangedTag field as an example.

[0080] For example:

[0081]

[0082] The siChangedTag indicates which SIB has been modified.

[0083] It is understood that the above is merely an illustrative example and should not be construed as a limitation on the embodiments of this application.

[0084] S305, The terminal device receives the first instruction message.

[0085] It is understood that S305 is the same as S202 in the above embodiments, so it will not be described again.

[0086] S306. The terminal device parses the first instruction message and determines that the first system information block has been changed.

[0087] It should be noted that the terminal device is in a connected state at this time. In this embodiment of the application, the connected state can be a Radio Resource Control Connected (RRC_CONNECTED) state.

[0088] In this embodiment of the application, the terminal device can parse the record in the Paging message to determine whether the first system information block has been changed.

[0089] S307, The network device sends the modified first system information block.

[0090] It is understood that S307 is the same as S203 in the above embodiments, so it will not be described again.

[0091] S308. The terminal device determines the first radio frame based on the periodic parameters of the first system information block before the modification.

[0092] In this embodiment, the receiving of the first system information block can be calculated based on the si-WindowLength in SIB1, the sequence number n and si-periodicity of the first system information block in schedulingInfoList, to determine which subframe of the radio frame to begin receiving. This allows for rapid acquisition of the modified first system information block on the corresponding radio frame using the periodic parameter, improving the network access speed of the terminal device after a direct network drop from the connected state or after returning to the idle state from the connected state, thus enabling rapid network access for the terminal device.

[0093] S309. The terminal device obtains the modified first system information block based on the first radio frame.

[0094] It should be noted that the terminal device is in a connected state at this time.

[0095] S310, the network device sends a second instruction message.

[0096] The second instruction message is used to indicate that the first system message block has been changed.

[0097] It is understandable that the second instruction message is similar to the first instruction message, and the settings for the second instruction message are the same as those for the first instruction message, so they will not be described again.

[0098] S311, The terminal device receives the second instruction message.

[0099] It should be noted that the terminal device is in an idle state at this time.

[0100] S312, The network device sends the first system information block after the modification.

[0101] In this embodiment, the second radio frame can be determined based on the period parameters of the modified first system information block; and the modified first system information block can be obtained based on the second radio frame.

[0102] S313, The terminal device obtains the first system information block after it has been modified again.

[0103] It should be noted that the terminal device is in an idle state at this time. In this way, the terminal device can obtain the updated NR NTN neighbor cell information in a timely manner even in an idle state, without having to wait for the NR NTN neighbor cell information to expire or to obtain valid NR NTN neighbor cell information, which can improve the network access speed of the terminal device to a certain extent.

[0104] As can be seen, by modifying the Paging message in this embodiment, the Paging message can more accurately indicate which SIB has changed. When the terminal device is in the connected state, when it hears that the SIB containing NR NTN neighbor cell information has changed in the Paging message, it can obtain the SIB from the time-frequency resources where the SIB is located, so as to obtain NR NTN neighbor cell information in a targeted and timely manner. In this way, when the terminal device returns to the idle state or suddenly loses the network, it can quickly re-enter the network by holding the valid NR NTN neighbor cell information.

[0105] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 4 This application provides a flowchart illustrating yet another communication method applied to a terminal device. The definition of the terminal device is the same as described above. Figure 2 , Figure 3 The definition of terminal equipment is the same, so it will not be repeated here. Figure 4The communication method provided is illustrated using the example of a first system information block (SIB3x), a second system information block (SIB1), a first indication message (Paging message), and a terminal device (UE).

[0106] Figure 4 After obtaining SIB1, the UE records the schedulingInfoList within it and saves the periodicity parameter (si-Periodicity) of SIB3x. SIB3x is an SIB that includes NR NTN neighbor cell information.

[0107] When the UE enters the RRC connected state, if it receives a Paging message, it parses the record in it. If the Paging message indicates that the SIB3x, which includes NR NTN neighbor cell information, has changed, it determines the radio frame of SIB3x based on si-Periodicity and obtains SIB3x on the corresponding radio frame.

[0108] If the UE enters the RRC idle state, it can still obtain SIB3x in the following way:

[0109] a) Determine the timing for reacquiring SIB3x based on the validity period of the NR NTN neighbor cell information in SIB3x. When the ephemeris information is about to expire or has already expired, determine the radio frame broadcast by SIB3x based on si-Periodicity and acquire SIB3x on the corresponding radio frame.

[0110] b) If a change to SIB3x is detected in the received Paging message, the radio frame broadcast by SIB3x is determined based on si-Periodicity, and SIB3x is acquired on the corresponding radio frame.

[0111] As can be seen, the embodiments of this application provide a new design for RRC Paging IE, adding an indication of which specific SIB has changed, so that the UE can obtain NR NTN neighbor cell information in a targeted and timely manner when in RRC connected state, thereby solving the problem of slow network access caused by the failure of NR NTN neighbor cell information that the UE may face when it directly drops the network from RRC connected state.

[0112] It should be noted that the SIB change indication in this application embodiment also applies to the RRC idle state, and the idea of ​​this application embodiment can also be applied to NR or other wireless access technologies with Paging and SIB.

[0113] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the foregoing method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the described order of actions, as some steps may be performed in other orders or simultaneously according to this application. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are preferred embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this application.

[0114] To facilitate better implementation of the above-described solutions in the embodiments of this application, related apparatus for implementing the above-described solutions is also provided below.

[0115] Please see Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 500 may include a transceiver module 501 (sometimes also called a transceiver unit) and a processing module 502 (sometimes also called a processing unit). The transceiver module can implement sending and receiving functions. When the transceiver module implements the sending function, it can be called a sending module (sometimes also called a sending unit), and when the transceiver module implements the receiving function, it can be called a receiving module (sometimes also called a receiving unit). The sending module and the receiving module can be the same functional module, which is called the transceiver module and can implement both sending and receiving functions; or, the sending module and the receiving module can be different functional modules, and the transceiver module is a collective term for these functional modules.

[0116] In some possible implementations, the communication device 500 provided in the embodiments of this application further includes: a storage module (sometimes also called a storage unit) for storing any data, computer instructions and / or computer programs that may be involved in the embodiments of this application.

[0117] The transceiver module 501, processing module 502, and storage module in this application embodiment are used to enable the communication device 500 to perform the functions of the terminal device in the above method embodiment, or to enable the communication device 500 to perform the functions of the network device in the above method embodiment.

[0118] The following describes each module in the communication device 500, which is used to implement the functions of the terminal device in the above method embodiment.

[0119] In some possible implementations, the terminal device is in a connected state. In the communication device 500 provided in this application embodiment, the transceiver module 501 is used to receive a first indication message, which is used to indicate that the first system information block has been changed.

[0120] The transceiver module 501 is also used to acquire the modified first system information block, which includes the modified new wireless non-terrestrial network neighbor cell information.

[0121] In some possible implementations, in the communication device 500 provided in this application embodiment, the first indication message is a Paging message, which carries indication information used to indicate that the first system information block has been changed.

[0122] In some possible implementations, in the communication device 500 provided in this application embodiment, the first system information block is SIBn, and the indication information includes an indication field, the value of which is n, where n is a positive integer.

[0123] In some possible implementations, in the communication device 500 provided in this application embodiment, the first system information block is SIB3x, where x is a positive integer.

[0124] In one possible implementation, the terminal device is in an idle state. In the communication device 500 provided in this embodiment, the transceiver module 501 is further used to receive a second indication message, which is used to indicate that the modified first system message block has been changed; and to obtain the modified first system information block.

[0125] In some possible implementations, in the communication device 500 provided in this application embodiment, the processing module 502 is used to determine the first wireless frame based on the periodic parameters of the first system information block before modification.

[0126] The transceiver module 501 is also specifically used to obtain the modified first system information block based on the first wireless frame.

[0127] In some possible implementations, the terminal device is in an idle state. In the communication device 500 provided in this application embodiment, the transceiver module 501 is also used to obtain a second system information block, the second system information block including a scheduling information list.

[0128] The storage module is used to save the periodic parameters of the first system information block before the change, based on the scheduling information list.

[0129] The following describes each module in the communication device 500, which is used to implement the functions of the network device in the above method embodiment.

[0130] In some possible implementations, in the communication device 500 provided in this application embodiment, the transceiver module 501 is used to send a first indication message, which is used to indicate that the first system information block has been changed;

[0131] The transceiver module 501 is also used to send the modified first system information block, which includes the modified new wireless non-terrestrial network neighbor cell information.

[0132] In some possible implementations, in the communication device 500 provided in this application embodiment, the first indication message is a Paging message, which carries indication information used to indicate that the first system information block has been changed.

[0133] In some possible implementations, in the communication device 500 provided in this application embodiment, the transceiver module 501 is further used to send a second system information block, the second system information block including the period parameters of the first system information block before modification, and the period parameters are used to obtain the modified first system information block.

[0134] It should be noted that the information interaction and execution process between the modules of the above-mentioned device are based on the same concept as the method embodiment of this application, and the resulting technical effects are the same as those of the method embodiment of this application. For details, please refer to the description in the method embodiment shown above in this application, and it will not be repeated here.

[0135] Figure 6 This application provides another example of the composition of a communication device. The communication device 600 may be a first device, including but not limited to a base station and a core network unit. Figure 6 A simplified schematic diagram of a base station structure is shown. The base station includes sections 610, 620, and 630. Section 610 is mainly used for baseband processing and base station control; section 610 is typically the control center of the base station, often referred to as a processor, used to control the base station to perform the processing operations on the first device side in the above method embodiments. Section 620 is mainly used to store computer program code and data. Section 630 is mainly used for the transmission and reception of radio frequency signals and the conversion between radio frequency signals and baseband signals; section 630 is often referred to as a transceiver module, transceiver, transceiver circuit, or transceiver unit. The transceiver module of section 630, also referred to as a transceiver or transceiver unit, includes an antenna 633 and a radio frequency circuit (…). Figure 6 (Not shown in the diagram), where the radio frequency circuitry is primarily used for radio frequency processing. Optionally, the device in section 630 used to implement the receiving function can be considered a receiver, and the device used to implement the transmitting function can be considered a transmitter; that is, section 630 includes receiver 632 and transmitter 631. A receiver can also be called a receiving module, receiver circuit, or receiving circuit, etc., and a transmitter can be called a transmitting module, transmitter, or transmitting circuit, etc.

[0136] Sections 610 and 620 may include one or more circuit boards, each of which may include one or more processors and one or more memories. The processors are used to read and execute programs from the memories to implement baseband processing functions and control the base station. If multiple circuit boards exist, they can be interconnected to enhance processing capabilities. As an optional implementation, multiple circuit boards may share one or more processors, multiple circuit boards may share one or more memories, or multiple circuit boards may simultaneously share one or more processors.

[0137] For example, in one implementation, the transceiver module of section 630 is used to execute the transceiver-related processes performed by the base station (first device) in the aforementioned method embodiments. The processor of section 610 is used to execute the processing-related processes performed by the base station in the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0138] It should be understood that Figure 6 This is for illustrative purposes only and not as a limitation. The network devices mentioned above, including processors, memory, and transceivers, may not depend on... Figure 6 The structure shown.

[0139] Figure 7 This application provides another example of the composition of a communication device. The communication device can be a second device, including but not limited to mobile phones, smart wearable devices (such as smartwatches), and other electronic devices. Taking a mobile phone as an example, the communication device may include a processor 310, an external memory interface 320, an internal memory 321, a display screen 330, a camera 340, an antenna 100, an antenna 200, a cellular communication module 350, and a short-range communication module 360, etc.

[0140] It is understood that the structure illustrated in this embodiment does not constitute a specific limitation on the communication device. In other embodiments, the communication device may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0141] Processor 310 may include one or more processing units, such as application processor (AP), modem processor, graphics processing unit (GPU), image signal processor (ISP), controller, video codec, digital signal processor (DSP), baseband processor, and / or neural network processing unit (NPU). These different processing units may be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors.

[0142] It is understood that the interface connection relationships between the modules illustrated in this embodiment are merely illustrative and do not constitute a structural limitation on the communication device. In other embodiments of this application, the communication device may also employ different interface connection methods or combinations of multiple interface connection methods as described in the above embodiments.

[0143] The external storage interface 320 can be used to connect an external storage card, such as a Micro SD card, to expand the storage capacity of the communication device. The external storage card communicates with the processor 310 through the external storage interface 320 to perform data storage functions. For example, music, video, and other files can be saved on the external storage card.

[0144] Internal memory 321 can be used to store computer executable program code, which includes instructions. Processor 310 executes various functional applications and data processing of the communication device by running the instructions stored in internal memory 321, thereby implementing the communication method described in the above embodiments. Internal memory 321 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system, at least one application program required for a function (such as sound playback, image playback, etc.), etc. The data storage area may store data created during the use of the communication device (such as audio data, phonebook, etc.). Furthermore, internal memory 321 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, universal flash storage (UFS), etc. Processor 310 executes various functional applications and data processing of the communication device by running instructions stored in internal memory 321 and / or instructions stored in memory located within the processor.

[0145] The wireless communication function of the communication device can be realized through antenna 100, antenna 200, cellular communication module 350, short-range communication module 360, modem processor and baseband processor, etc.

[0146] Antennas 100 and 200 are used to transmit and receive electromagnetic wave signals. Each antenna in the communication device can be used to cover one or more communication frequency bands. Different antennas can also be multiplexed to improve antenna utilization. For example, antenna 100 can be multiplexed as a diversity antenna for a wireless local area network. In some other embodiments, the antennas can be used in conjunction with a tuning switch.

[0147] The cellular communication module 350 can provide solutions for wireless communication applications including 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G in communication devices. The cellular communication module 350 may include at least one filter, switch, power amplifier, low noise amplifier (LNA), etc. The cellular communication module 350 can receive electromagnetic waves through the antenna 100, and perform filtering, amplification, and other processing on the received electromagnetic waves before transmitting them to a modem processor for demodulation. The cellular communication module 350 can also amplify the signal modulated by the modem processor and convert it into electromagnetic waves for radiation through the antenna 100. In some embodiments, at least some functional modules of the cellular communication module 350 may be housed in the processor 310. In some embodiments, at least some functional modules of the cellular communication module 350 and at least some modules of the processor 310 may be housed in the same device.

[0148] In some embodiments, the communication device initiates or receives call requests via cellular communication module 350 and antenna 100.

[0149] Furthermore, an operating system runs on the aforementioned components. Examples include iOS, Android, and Windows operating systems. Applications can be installed and run on this operating system. Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, explanations and beneficial effects of the relevant content in any of the communication devices provided above can be found in the corresponding method embodiments provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0150] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple modules or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces, or indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or modules, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0151] The modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as modules may or may not be physical modules; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network modules. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0152] Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing module, or each module can exist physically separately, or two or more modules can be integrated into one module. The integrated modules described above can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules.

[0153] If the integrated module is implemented as a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the essential contribution of the technical solution of this application, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the processes of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory, random access memory, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0154] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a terminal device, the terminal device being in a connected state, and the method includes: Receive a first indication message, the first indication message being used to indicate that a first system information block has been changed; Obtain the modified first system information block, which includes the modified new wireless non-terrestrial network neighbor cell information.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first indication message is a paging message, which carries indication information used to indicate that the first system information block has been changed.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that, The first system information block is a system information block SIBn, and the indication information includes an indication field, the value of which is n, where n is a positive integer.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The first system information block is system information block SIB3x, where x is a positive integer.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, After obtaining the modified first system message block, the terminal device is in an idle state, and the method further includes: Receive a second indication message, which indicates that the modified first system message block has been changed; Retrieve the first system information block after the changes.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein obtaining the modified first system information block comprises: The first radio frame is determined based on the periodic parameters of the first system information block before the modification; Based on the first wireless frame, the modified first system information block is obtained.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Before receiving the first indication message, the terminal device is in an idle state, and the method further includes: Obtain the second system information block, which includes a scheduling information list; Based on the scheduling information list, the period parameters of the first system information block before the change are saved.

8. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a network device, and the method includes: Send a first indication message, the first indication message being used to indicate that a first system information block has been changed; The modified first system information block is sent, the modified first system information block including the modified new wireless non-terrestrial network neighbor cell information.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first indication message is a paging message, which carries indication information used to indicate that the first system information block has been changed.

10. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 9, characterized in that, Before sending the first indication message, the method further includes: Send a second system information block, the second system information block including the period parameters of the first system information block before the modification, the period parameters being used to obtain the modified first system information block.

11. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes at least one processor, the processor being configured to invoke computer instructions in memory to cause the communication device to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 8 to 10.

12. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 8 to 10.

13. A computer storage medium, characterized in that, Used to store computer programs, which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 8 to 10.

Images