A satellite communication method, terminal accessory, terminal and product

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a satellite communication method, a terminal accessory, a terminal and a product. The satellite communication method of the present disclosure is applied to a terminal or a terminal accessory, the terminal is provided with a satellite antenna, the terminal or the terminal accessory is provided with an antenna coupling module, the antenna coupling module comprises a plurality of antenna units, and the method comprises: in the case that the terminal performs satellite communication, determining a target antenna unit of the antenna coupling module according to attitude information of the terminal and a preset mapping relationship, and feeding the target antenna unit to enable the target antenna unit to be coupled with the satellite antenna, wherein the preset mapping relationship is used to indicate a correspondence between the attitude information and the antenna units.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of satellite communication terminal technology, and in particular to a satellite communication method, terminal accessory, terminal, and product. Background Technology

[0002] During satellite communication, it is necessary to ensure the signal stability of satellite communication terminals such as mobile phones under any orientation. Specifically, the radiation pattern and gain of the satellite antenna in the satellite communication terminal need to be kept at the optimal state at all times to ensure good signal quality, so that the satellite communication terminal can establish a stable connection with the satellite and achieve seamless adaptation to all orientations during use.

[0003] For satellite communication terminals with horizontally folding screens (hereinafter referred to as horizontally foldable terminals), the unfolded state, fully folded state, and folded state at any angle may become the user's primary mechanical modes. Compared with satellite communication terminals with other display forms, the built-in satellite antenna performance of horizontally foldable terminals is poor when in various folding postures and when switching between different folding postures.

[0004] However, once the antenna distribution scheme of a foldable terminal is determined, the radiation pattern and gain of the satellite antenna are relatively fixed. This makes the means to adjust the antenna radiation pattern and gain under different user usage patterns quite limited, and the benefits are minimal. This significantly increases the difficulty of improving the communication enhancement effect of horizontally foldable terminals. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure provides a satellite communication method, terminal accessory, terminal, and product.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a satellite communication method applied to a terminal or terminal accessory. The terminal is equipped with a satellite antenna, and the terminal or terminal accessory is equipped with an antenna coupling module. The antenna coupling module includes multiple antenna elements. The method includes: when the terminal is performing satellite communication, determining a target antenna element of the antenna coupling module based on the attitude information of the terminal and a preset mapping relationship, and feeding the target antenna element to couple the target antenna element with the satellite antenna. The preset mapping relationship is used to indicate the correspondence between the attitude information and the antenna element.

[0007] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a terminal accessory, the terminal accessory being provided with an antenna coupling module for coupling with a satellite antenna of the terminal, the antenna coupling module including multiple antenna elements, and the terminal accessory performing the satellite communication method described in the first aspect.

[0008] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a terminal, the terminal being provided with a satellite antenna and an antenna coupling module for coupling with the satellite antenna, the antenna coupling module including multiple antenna elements, and the terminal executing the satellite communication method described in the first aspect.

[0009] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the satellite communication method described in the first aspect.

[0010] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when the terminal is conducting satellite communication, a target antenna element is determined according to a mapping relationship, and the target antenna element is fed to couple with the terminal's satellite antenna. Unlike traditional methods that only adjust the terminal's satellite antenna, the above process provides a satellite communication scheme that combines a satellite antenna and an antenna coupling module. By coupling the target antenna element with the satellite antenna, the terminal's radiation pattern is reconstructed and gain is enhanced, reducing the design complexity of the terminal's satellite antenna, assisting in improving the communication quality of the terminal's satellite antenna, ensuring a stable connection between the terminal and the satellite, achieving seamless adaptation for the terminal user in all postures during use, and enabling the terminal to adapt to various complex application scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0011] In the accompanying drawings of the embodiments disclosed herein:

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a foldable mobile phone provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a satellite communication method provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 3 This is a topology diagram of an antenna coupling module provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a framework for interaction between a terminal accessory and a terminal, provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a three-section terminal bracket in its unfolded state, provided as an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a three-section terminal bracket in a folded state, provided as an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a terminal accessory system provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0019] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram illustrating the workflow of a terminal bracket for a foldable terminal provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this disclosure, the satellite communication method, terminal accessories, terminal and product provided in the embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] The present disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, the embodiments shown may be embodied in different forms, and the present disclosure should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth below. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of the disclosure.

[0022] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate this disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the detailed embodiments to explain this disclosure and do not constitute a limitation thereof. These and other features and advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of detailed embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] Unless otherwise specified, each embodiment and feature of this disclosure may be used individually or in combination with other embodiments and features thereof.

[0024] Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made to the embodiments of this disclosure without departing from the scope of this disclosure as set forth by the appended claims.

[0025] The terminology used in this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the disclosure. The term "and / or" as used in this disclosure includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated enumerated entries. The singular forms "a" and "the" as used in this disclosure are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprising," "made of," etc., as used in this disclosure specify the presence of the stated feature, integral, step, operation, element, and / or component, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0026] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used in this disclosure (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It will also be understood that terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and this disclosure, and will not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning, unless expressly so defined in this disclosure.

[0027] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, but includes modifications to the configuration based on the manufacturing process. Therefore, the areas illustrated in the drawings are schematic, and the shapes of the areas shown illustrate specific shapes of the areas of an element, but are not intended to be limiting.

[0028] With the increasing prevalence of satellite communication technology in consumer mobile terminals, foldable terminals have become a crucial platform for integrating satellite communication functionality. Simultaneously, the application scenarios for satellite communication continue to expand. Beyond traditional emergency communications, deep-sea fishing, and outdoor exploration, it has now extended to geological exploration in remote areas such as deserts, plateaus, and deep mountains, border patrols, and daily communication in high-altitude and remote regions. Satellite communication technology provides critical backup communication, making it an indispensable component in building a comprehensive communication coverage system and possessing significant social value. Against this backdrop, optimizing the satellite communication antenna performance of foldable terminals to adapt to various complex application scenarios has become a focus of industry attention.

[0029] Satellite communication architecture consists of three main parts: space segment, ground segment, and user side. It can employ the classic "space-ground hinge" relay communication architecture, relying on relay links from mobile phones, satellites, gateway stations, core networks, and ground networks to complete communication transmission. Communication satellites such as Tiantong operate in the S-band, with an uplink frequency band (UL) of 1980-2010MHz and a downlink frequency band (DL) of 2170-2200MHz.

[0030] The terminal sends a call signaling message to the communication satellite via the service channel using an S-band uplink radio frequency signal. After receiving the signal, the satellite transponder performs frequency conversion between the S-band and C-band, and then forwards the signal back to the ground gateway station via the C-band feeder link. The gateway station receives and parses the signal, and then transmits the relevant information to the core network. Once the called party answers, a complete two-way voice channel is established between the calling and called parties. Voice service uses a low transmission rate of 800 bits per second to balance link stability and available voice quality in scenarios where satellite link power is limited. After the call ends, the terminal releases the occupied channel resources, and the satellite transponder reclaims the corresponding channel forwarding resources for other users.

[0031] Satellite antennas in terminals present a dual design challenge: directional requirements and multiple input multiple output (MIMO) functionality. Specifically, on one hand, communication satellites operate in high-orbit orbits. When the satellite is in the zenith region, the corresponding elevation angle of the satellite antenna is approximately 60°~90°. Therefore, the satellite antenna must possess excellent upward radiation directivity. On the other hand, terminals need to integrate multiple radio frequency bands, including low-frequency cellular, mid-to-high-frequency cellular, Global Positioning System (GPS), Wi-Fi / Bluetooth, and satellite communication. To ensure the actual communication performance of the entire device, the input and output of each frequency band are gradually increasing. For example, most cellular bands have evolved from 4×4 MIMO to 6×6 MIMO, and Wi-Fi has evolved from 2×2 MIMO to 4×4 MIMO.

[0032] However, the limited layout space of foldable terminals doesn't offer significant advantages for antenna design; in fact, it increases the difficulty of designing the folded state. Specifically, in the unfolded state, foldable terminals have a larger radiating aperture and relatively good antenna performance. However, even so, if the satellite antenna layout is inappropriate while maintaining full-band compatibility, the radiation pattern can deviate too much from the satellite and result in a narrow beam. In the folded state, the display casing overlaps, significantly reducing the usable antenna clearance area and cutting off the longitudinal current path, leading to a severe drop in zenith gain. Measured gain losses can reach 2-5dB, and this performance difference directly affects the satellite call quality in the folded state. Furthermore, the radiation patterns in the unfolded and folded states often differ significantly. During dynamic use, users may need to re-register for a connection due to poor RSSI, greatly impacting the user experience.

[0033] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a foldable phone is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the foldable phone includes: a satellite antenna 11, a parasitic stub 12 of the satellite antenna, and parasitic stubs 13 and 14 on the auxiliary screen side. In the unfolded state, the main lobe of the radiation pattern of the satellite antenna 11 (i.e., the direction of maximum gain) will be guided by the auxiliary screen, making it difficult to center it directly towards the satellite direction; in the folded state, the performance will be degraded, making it more difficult to maintain a stable communication connection, and the radiation pattern varies greatly in different forms, resulting in greater resistance to maintaining a stable connection during actual dynamic use.

[0034] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a better satellite communication solution for foldable terminals to solve and optimize the above problems.

[0035] To better illustrate this disclosure and highlight its main points, the specific embodiments described in this specification are based on satellite communication terminals such as smartphones. Those skilled in the art should understand that this disclosure can also be implemented for other types of satellite communication terminals such as tablet computers.

[0036] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a satellite communication method. This satellite communication method can be applied to a terminal or a terminal accessory, wherein the terminal is equipped with a satellite antenna, and the terminal or the terminal accessory is equipped with an antenna coupling module, the antenna coupling module comprising multiple antenna elements. Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a satellite communication method is provided. (For example...) Figure 2 The satellite communication method may include:

[0037] Step S201: When the terminal is conducting satellite communication, the target antenna element of the antenna coupling module is determined according to the attitude information of the terminal and the preset mapping relationship.

[0038] Step S202: Power the target antenna unit to couple it with the satellite antenna.

[0039] The antenna coupling module is located in the terminal or a terminal accessory. This specification does not specify the configuration of the antenna elements within the antenna coupling module; this can be determined based on the actual situation. In one example, the antenna element can be a metal-framed antenna designed to fit the shape of the antenna coupling module.

[0040] In another example, the antenna element can be a built-in antenna array housed within the antenna coupling module. Specifically, the antenna coupling module can consist of a printed circuit board (PCB) / flexible substrate, multiple antenna elements (ANT1~ANTn), multi-channel RF switches (SW1~SWn), a matching network, and control circuitry. The antenna elements can adaptively form various antenna combinations to couple with the satellite antenna, thereby enhancing the terminal's communication performance.

[0041] Figure 3 This is a topology diagram of a 2×2 MIMO antenna coupling module. (Example) Figure 3As shown, the antenna coupling module can consist of four independently coupled antenna elements (ANT1~ANT4), an adjustable matching circuit, an RF control switch, and an RF bus. The matching circuit can consist of a tuner and a variable capacitor, and the RF control switch can consist of a single-pole single-throw (SPST) switch and a phase shifter. Each RF control switch corresponds one-to-one with an antenna element, enabling low-loss channel switching within the antenna coupling module. By controlling the on / off state of the corresponding antenna element using the SPST switch, the desired activated antenna element can be determined.

[0042] It should be understood that the matching circuit is not limited to Figure 3 The combination of the tuner and variable capacitor in the antenna coupling module can be adjusted as needed. The antenna array in the antenna coupling module is not limited to 2×2 MIMO; more antenna arrays can be designed depending on the complexity of the scenario.

[0043] This manual does not specify a particular form factor for the terminal; it can be determined based on the actual situation. For example, it can be a foldable terminal, a candybar terminal, a flip terminal, or a slider terminal. Attitude information indicates the terminal's attitude, and its content varies depending on the terminal's form factor. When the terminal is foldable, this attitude information may include the folding angle, hinge rotation displacement, screen deformation, etc. When the terminal is a slider, this attitude information may include information such as the relative distance between screens.

[0044] The preset mapping relationship is used to indicate the correspondence between the attitude information and the antenna elements. This mapping relationship can be a combination of one or more antenna elements corresponding to one attitude information. This preset mapping relationship can be determined under ideal conditions, such as precise alignment of the satellite antenna with the communication satellite and unobstructed views in the zenith direction. Under ideal conditions, the signal strength of multiple antenna element combinations can be determined for each attitude information, and then the antenna element combination that best matches the attitude information can be determined based on the signal strength. This antenna element combination can contain one or more antenna elements, forming a single-element array, a two-element array, or a four-element array, etc.

[0045] When the terminal is conducting satellite communication, its real-time attitude information can be determined. The terminal can be configured with a satellite communication application, which the user can actively open. This application interface can also automatically pop up when the terminal's communication quality falls below a threshold, allowing the user to enable or disable the communication enhancement function. By enabling the communication enhancement function, a target antenna element matching the terminal's attitude information can be determined from a mapping relationship based on the terminal's real-time attitude information. This target antenna element constitutes one of the aforementioned antenna element combinations.

[0046] Furthermore, the on / off state of each antenna element can be controlled by the aforementioned SPST to power the target antenna element, thereby enabling the target antenna element to couple with the satellite antenna.

[0047] To ensure effective coupling between the target antenna element and the satellite antenna and improve the communication enhancement effect of the coupled terminal, the position of the antenna coupling module can be defined. In one possible implementation, when the terminal is performing satellite communication, the antenna coupling module is located in the target area of ​​the terminal and has a coupling gap with the satellite antenna.

[0048] The target area is located above the satellite antenna, and this target area can be located on the back of the terminal. Specifically, through the design of the antenna coupling module's position, when the terminal is conducting satellite communication, the antenna coupling module can be adjusted to be located in the target area, achieving good coupling between the target antenna element in the antenna coupling module and the satellite antenna in the terminal. The antenna coupling module in the terminal and its accessories needs to be designed to be located in the target area. The target area can be the region where the gain of the terminal facing the satellite is enhanced through coupling with the satellite antenna via the coupling module, typically the upper area of ​​the terminal.

[0049] In one example, the antenna coupling module is located in the terminal. In this case, the antenna coupling module can be a fixed or movable component of the terminal. When the antenna coupling module is a fixed component of the terminal, it is directly located in the target area. When the antenna coupling module is a movable component of the terminal, it can be positioned in the target area by performing rotation, pop-out, or other positional adjustments.

[0050] In another example, the antenna coupling module is located in a terminal accessory. This accessory can be a terminal bracket, a terminal protective case, or other similar attachment. By assembling and adjusting the shape of the terminal accessory, the antenna coupling module can be positioned in the target area. For example, when the terminal accessory is a terminal protective case, the protective case can be directly assembled with the terminal, and the antenna coupling module within the protective case can be positioned in the target area.

[0051] A certain distance must be maintained between the antenna coupling module and the satellite antenna to avoid excessive coupling due to insufficient spacing or coupling failure due to excessive spacing. In one example, this distance can be 1 / 4 of the antenna wavelength. The application interface can display the real-time positional relationship between the antenna coupling module and the satellite antenna, such as whether the spacing between them meets expectations, whether the antenna coupling module is located above the target area, and issue a notification message containing adjustment methods. Users can make adjustments according to the notification message to improve the coupling effect between the target antenna element in the antenna coupling module and the satellite antenna, thereby improving the communication enhancement effect of the terminal.

[0052] In the embodiments of this specification, when the terminal is conducting satellite communication, a target antenna element is determined according to a mapping relationship, and the target antenna element is fed to couple with the terminal's satellite antenna. Unlike traditional methods that only adjust the terminal's satellite antenna, the above process provides a satellite communication scheme that combines a satellite antenna and an antenna coupling module. By coupling the target antenna element with the satellite antenna, the terminal's radiation pattern is reconstructed and gain is enhanced, reducing the design complexity of the terminal's satellite antenna, assisting in improving the communication quality of the terminal's satellite antenna, ensuring a stable connection between the terminal and the satellite, achieving seamless adaptation for the terminal user in all postures during use, and enabling the terminal to adapt to various complex application scenarios.

[0053] As mentioned above, the terminal can be a foldable terminal, and the attitude information can include the folding angle of the foldable terminal. In one possible implementation, determining the target antenna element of the antenna coupling module based on the attitude information of the terminal and a preset mapping relationship includes: determining the target antenna element of the antenna coupling module based on the folding angle of the foldable terminal and the preset mapping relationship.

[0054] The folding angle is the angle between the display screen where the satellite antenna is located and the adjacent display screen. The preset mapping relationship indicates the correspondence between the folding angle intervals and the antenna elements. Specifically, multiple angle intervals can be set, and the preset mapping relationship can be the correspondence between the folding angle intervals and the antenna elements. This preset mapping relationship can be stored in a database for easy retrieval.

[0055] Table 1 shows an angle-antenna element group mapping table. As shown in Table 1, this mapping table shows the correspondence between folding angle intervals and antenna elements. Multiple antenna elements corresponding to the same angle interval can be regarded as an antenna element group. These angle intervals correspond to one unfolded state (angle θ > 170°), one folded state (angle θ < 10°), and multiple intermediate transition states. This specification does not impose specific limitations on the setting of angle intervals, which can be determined according to the actual situation.

[0056] Table 1 Angle-Antenna Element Group Mapping Table

[0057]

[0058] After obtaining the folding angle, the target antenna element corresponding to the folding angle can be found in the mapping relationship. In addition to the mapping relationship between folding angles and antenna elements, the aforementioned mapping table or database may also contain configuration information matching the folding angle. This configuration information is used to indicate the initial settings of the target antenna element's parameters. The content of the configuration information can be referred to in subsequent embodiments and will not be elaborated here. Since the target antenna element may have slight differences from the ideal environment, fine-tuning of the configuration information can be performed after obtaining the target antenna element according to the mapping relationship.

[0059] The above method determines the target antenna unit that matches the folding angle through a mapping relationship. By coupling the target antenna unit with the satellite antenna, the communication of the foldable terminal is enhanced, thereby solving the signal attenuation problem caused by the large screen size and metal frame obstruction of the foldable screen terminal, as well as the problem of the radiation pattern not being centered due to the orientation of the secondary screen.

[0060] Communication quality is a crucial factor in evaluating terminal communication enhancement and ensuring sufficient communication margin. Therefore, by determining whether preset communication quality data falls within a preset optimal threshold range, it's possible to ascertain the stability of the current terminal communication signal and whether significant fluctuations exist, thereby ensuring adequate satellite communication link margin. In one example, the type of communication quality data required can be determined based on the degree of impact of this data on the terminal's communication quality.

[0061] After the target antenna element is coupled to the satellite antenna, the communication quality data of the terminal can be obtained. This communication quality data can be one or more of the following: Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), Block Error Rate (BLER), signal lock status, etc.

[0062] Using communication quality data, it can be determined whether the current target antenna element needs to be switched and whether the switched target antenna element needs fine-tuning. In one possible implementation, the method further includes:

[0063] Based on the initial communication quality data at the folding angle, a baseline evaluation value for the foldable terminal is determined; based on the communication quality data at the folding angle, a quality evaluation value for the foldable terminal is determined; if the quality evaluation value is less than the baseline evaluation value and the difference between the two is less than a difference threshold, the configuration information of the target antenna unit is adjusted based on the quality evaluation value.

[0064] The initial communication quality data refers to the data collected by the terminal for the first time after the target antenna element is powered on. All subsequent data are referred to as communication quality data. After the initial communication quality data, the communication quality of the terminal may be degraded due to slight attitude shifts, environmental interference, etc. Therefore, the initial communication quality data can be used as a benchmark to continuously collect communication quality data after the target antenna element is powered on, with a duration of 100ms to 500ms.

[0065] When the communication quality data type is singular, the communication quality changes of the terminal at each moment can be determined by directly comparing this communication quality data with the initial communication quality data. If the communication quality data is less than the initial communication quality data and the difference between the two is less than a difference threshold, the configuration information of the target antenna element can be adjusted based on the communication quality data. When the communication quality data type is RSSI, this difference threshold can be 2dB.

[0066] When there are multiple types of communication quality data, an evaluation value for assessing the terminal's communication quality can be determined based on this data. This evaluation value is then used to determine the terminal's communication quality and its changes at different times. Specifically, based on the magnitude of the impact of each type of communication quality data on the terminal's communication quality, corresponding weights can be assigned to different types of communication quality data. When communication quality data includes RSSI and SNR, SNR has a greater weight. The different types of communication quality data are then weighted and summed to determine the quality evaluation value for the communication quality data at different times. The process for determining the benchmark evaluation value can be the same as the process for determining the quality evaluation value.

[0067] When the quality evaluation value is greater than or equal to the baseline evaluation value, it indicates that the communication quality of the terminal at the current moment has not decreased compared to the initial communication quality data. In this case, the current RF switch array combination can remain unchanged. It should be understood that when the quality evaluation value corresponding to the communication quality data is greater than the baseline evaluation value, this quality evaluation value can be used to update the baseline evaluation value.

[0068] When the quality evaluation value is less than the benchmark evaluation value and the difference between the two is less than the difference threshold, it indicates that the communication quality of the terminal at the current moment has decreased compared to the initial communication quality data, but the decrease is controllable. In this case, the current RF switch array combination can be kept unchanged, the antenna working state can be left unchanged, and only fine-tuning of parameters can be performed. This specification does not specify the size of the difference threshold, which can be determined according to the actual situation. Furthermore, the magnitude of parameter changes in the configuration information can be determined based on the difference between the quality evaluation value and the benchmark evaluation value.

[0069] The configuration information includes at least one of the parameters for phase configuration and impedance configuration. Specifically, for Figure 3 In the topology shown, the phase configuration parameters can include the phase gradient of the phase shifter. By configuring the phase shifters of each target antenna element, when the sub-screen causes the terminal antenna beam to shift to the side, the equivalent radiation phase of the antenna array can be changed, causing the main lobe of the superimposed magnetic field generated by coupling to deflect towards the zenith, thus offsetting the pattern shift caused by the sub-screen metal. At the same time, beamforming can also be controlled to achieve the effect of beam directional enhancement.

[0070] Impedance configuration parameters can include tuner parameters and variable capacitor parameters (including length or size). By adjusting the tuners of each target antenna element and the matching network formed by the variable capacitors, the equivalent impedance of the coupled antenna can be dynamically adjusted, generating a reflected magnetic field. This reflected magnetic field is superimposed on the main coupled field vector, which can finely correct sidelobe distortion, suppress sidelobe spurious emissions, and ultimately refocus and center the radiation pattern of the terminal, aligning it with the zenith satellite. Simultaneously, the adjusted impedance can match the coupling distance between the current target antenna element and the satellite antenna, achieving the required high gain and radiation pattern characteristics at a larger distance, thus optimizing the coupling gain.

[0071] In the above process, when the quality evaluation value is less than the benchmark evaluation value and the difference between the two is less than the difference threshold, the configuration information of the target antenna element is adjusted according to the quality evaluation value. This can achieve fine optimization based on the coarse configuration of the coupling state, realize the phase configuration and impedance configuration to follow the real-time changes of the terminal folding attitude, and accurately correct the resonant frequency offset and beam micro-offset caused by small attitude deviations and air gap fluctuations in real time. This optimizes the near-field coupling resonance state, corrects the slightly distorted antenna pattern, and quickly restores the optimal coupling gain.

[0072] When terminal communication quality degrades significantly, simply adjusting the configuration information of the activated target antenna unit is insufficient to effectively improve the terminal's communication quality. In one possible implementation, the method further includes:

[0073] If the quality evaluation value is less than the benchmark evaluation value and the difference between the two is greater than or equal to the difference threshold, the candidate antenna elements among the plurality of antenna elements are polled and scanned to determine the target antenna element.

[0074] Candidate antenna elements can be used to reselect the target antenna element. In one example, multiple candidate antenna elements can be set for each angle interval. In another example, multiple candidate antenna elements can be set for each angle interval. When the communication quality corresponding to the currently used target antenna element degrades rapidly, the candidate antenna elements corresponding to the angle interval to which the folding angle belongs can be polled and scanned to find a new target antenna element.

[0075] The evaluation value can be used not only to assess communication quality but also to select candidate antenna elements. Specifically, during the use of the antenna coupling module, each target antenna element used in each angular interval has a corresponding quality evaluation value. Therefore, the target antenna elements used in each angular interval can be sorted based on the quality evaluation value. In this way, at least one combination of antenna elements corresponding to that angular interval can be selected based on the sorting result; this combination of antenna elements constitutes the candidate antenna elements. When polling and scanning candidate antenna elements, polling can be performed from high to low based on the quality evaluation value.

[0076] The aforementioned mapping relationship can store candidate antenna elements and their corresponding quality evaluation values ​​for each angle range. During the polling scan, once a candidate antenna element with a better evaluation value than the benchmark is found, it is immediately locked and switched to the target antenna element. The quality evaluation value of the candidate antenna element in the mapping relationship can be updated according to the real-time quality evaluation value.

[0077] To avoid excessively long polling scan times corresponding to the same folding angle, which would degrade the user experience, the number of polling attempts can be limited. In one possible implementation, the polling scan of candidate antenna elements among the plurality of antenna elements to determine the target antenna element includes: when any candidate antenna element is detected during polling, counting the number of polled candidate antenna elements; and when the number is greater than a threshold or all candidate antenna elements have been polled, determining the target antenna element from the polled candidate antenna elements.

[0078] Specifically, the system can simultaneously poll and scan, while simultaneously counting the number of candidate antenna elements polled within the angle interval to which the folding angle belongs. When the number of candidate elements corresponding to this angle interval is less than a preset number, all candidate antenna elements within this angle interval can be polled and scanned, with each candidate antenna element corresponding to a sampling period of 100ms to 500ms. When the number of candidate elements corresponding to this angle interval is greater than or equal to the preset number, only a portion of the candidate antenna elements within this angle interval can be polled and scanned. For example, only candidate antenna elements whose candidate quality evaluation value is less than or equal to a certain threshold can be polled and scanned.

[0079] The above process, by limiting the number of polling attempts, can reduce the polling time for the folding angle, reduce the time for switching target antenna elements, and improve the user experience.

[0080] The above configuration information adjustment operation is performed when the folding angle remains unchanged. When the terminal's folding angle changes, the terminal's signal environment changes significantly. In this case, simply adjusting the configuration information of the target antenna element may not meet the user's communication quality requirements. In one possible implementation, the method further includes:

[0081] When the folding angle of the foldable terminal changes, the target antenna element is determined according to the changed folding angle and the preset mapping relationship.

[0082] Specifically, when the folding angle of the foldable terminal changes, a new target antenna element matching the changed folding angle can be directly determined from the mapping relationship. This enables real-time dynamic switching of the target antenna element based on the change in the folding angle of the foldable terminal, resulting in a target antenna angle that better suits the current signal environment. This reduces the design complexity of the terminal's satellite antenna, helps enhance the communication quality of the terminal's satellite antenna, and better meets the user's communication quality requirements. When using Table 1 to determine the target antenna element, the interval to which the folding angle belongs before and after the change can be used to determine whether the folding angle has changed. After the folding angle changes, the target antenna element is determined based on the interval to which the changed folding angle belongs.

[0083] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a terminal accessory, which includes an antenna coupling module for coupling with the terminal's satellite antenna. The antenna coupling module includes multiple antenna elements, and the terminal accessory executes the aforementioned satellite communication method. A microcontroller unit (MCU) may be included in the terminal accessory to execute the satellite communication method.

[0084] Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating a framework for interaction between a terminal accessory and a terminal is shown. For example... Figure 4As shown, the terminal internally includes at least: attitude sensors (such as gyroscopes and accelerometers) for detecting terminal attitude information (such as folding angles); a satellite antenna system for communicating with satellites; and a Bluetooth / BLE module for data transmission. The terminal accessories internally include at least: an antenna coupling layer for dynamically switching antenna elements; an MCU for controlling the on / off state of antenna elements in the antenna coupling layer and configuring parameters based on attitude information and / or communication quality data; and a Bluetooth / BLE module for data transmission.

[0085] Specifically, the Bluetooth / BLE module in the terminal can send the terminal's attitude information and / or communication quality data to the Bluetooth / BLE module in the terminal accessory, while the antenna coupling layer in the terminal accessory can perform near-field electromagnetic coupling with the satellite antenna and adjust the gain pattern of the satellite antenna by controlling the on / off state of each antenna element and the configuration parameters.

[0086] The interaction process between the terminal accessory and the terminal can be divided into four stages:

[0087] (1) Data Acquisition and Broadcasting Phase. Specifically, the attitude sensor continuously detects the terminal's attitude information (such as the relative angle θ between two adjacent housings), and the satellite modem acquires the terminal's current satellite signal communication quality data in real time (mainly including RSSI and SNR). The terminal system service or application encodes the above data (such as θ, RSSI, and SNR) into data packets and periodically sends them to the terminal's accessories via Bluetooth / BLE module in broadcast mode.

[0088] (2) State Recognition and Decision-Making Stage. Specifically, the Bluetooth / BLE module in the terminal accessory continuously listens to the broadcast channel, receives data packets sent by the terminal, and passes the data packets to the low-power MCU in the terminal accessory. After parsing, the MCU determines the state of the terminal based on a preset threshold. Based on the determination result, the MCU selects the target antenna unit under the attitude information and / or communication quality data according to the mapping table shown in Table 1.

[0089] (3) Coupling unit selection stage. Specifically, by controlling the multi-channel radio frequency switch array to feed the target antenna unit, a near-field electromagnetic coupling is formed between the target antenna unit and the satellite antenna in the terminal, which effectively extends the longitudinal current path of the built-in antenna in the terminal, so that the antenna pattern is "stretched" in the vertical plane. After the electromagnetic field is superimposed, the vertical component is enhanced, the main lobe tilts upward, and the energy of the main lobe is focused upward in the zenith direction (the direction where the satellite is located).

[0090] (4) Closed-loop adaptation optimization stage. Specifically, during satellite calls, the Modem continuously monitors communication quality data and updates it in real time via Bluetooth broadcast. After receiving the updated communication quality data, the MCU compares the quality evaluation value of the communication quality data with the baseline evaluation value of the initial communication quality data:

[0091] (a) If the quality assessment value is greater than or equal to the benchmark assessment value, then the current combination is maintained;

[0092] (b) If the quality evaluation value drops and exceeds a preset threshold (e.g., RSSI drops by 2dB), the MCU initiates the following scan optimization steps: switch to the next candidate antenna unit in a preset order; wait for one measurement cycle (e.g., 200ms) and then read the latest communication quality data fed back by the terminal; if the signal quality of the new candidate antenna unit is improved, lock the combination; otherwise, continue scanning until all valid combinations are traversed or the maximum number of attempts is reached (e.g., 3 times); if all combinations do not improve, revert to the most recent optimal combination.

[0093] The entire optimization process is executed periodically (e.g., every 100ms to 500ms) to ensure that the terminal accessories maintain the optimal coupling enhancement state through the target antenna unit and satellite antenna when the terminal attitude information or environment changes. This closed-loop adaptive optimization method is used to cope with changes in different environments, meet the user's seamless adaptation under different attitudes, and ensure communication quality.

[0094] In the embodiments described in this specification, the terminal accessory effectively solves the problems of signal attenuation, non-centered radiation pattern, and unstable communication caused by attitude changes in the terminal's built-in satellite antenna system, achieving a significant improvement in the terminal's satellite communication performance. Simultaneously, the terminal accessory offers advantages such as convenient installation, low power consumption, controllable cost, and strong adaptability, enhancing user experience and possessing high market promotion value. It also enables reconfigurable satellite antenna radiation pattern and gain enhancement under different attitude information, filling a gap in existing technology.

[0095] As mentioned above, the terminal accessory can be a terminal bracket, a terminal protective case, etc. The terminal bracket can have a two-section or three-section structure. In one possible implementation, the terminal accessory includes a terminal bracket, which includes a base unit and an antenna integration unit connected to the base unit;

[0096] The base unit is detachably connected to the terminal;

[0097] The antenna integration unit is provided with the antenna coupling module. When the terminal is conducting satellite communication, the base unit is connected to the terminal so that the antenna coupling module is located in the target area of ​​the terminal and has a coupling gap with the satellite antenna of the terminal. The target area is located above the satellite antenna.

[0098] Specifically, the terminal accessory can adopt a two-section or three-section structure. The former includes a base unit and an antenna integration unit, while the latter includes a connecting unit between the base unit and the antenna integration unit, thus comprising a base unit, an antenna integration unit, and a connecting unit. This specification does not impose specific limitations on the structure of the terminal accessory, which can be determined according to the actual situation. The terminal accessory is independent of the terminal. When communication enhancement is required, the terminal accessory can be connected to the target area of ​​the terminal; when communication enhancement is not required and it is not needed as a support, the terminal accessory can be detached from the terminal.

[0099] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a three-section terminal support in its unfolded state is shown. Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a three-section terminal bracket in its folded state is shown. Figure 5 and 6 As shown, the terminal bracket includes a base unit a, a connecting unit b, and an antenna integration unit c. The base unit a can be equipped with an adsorption structure, which can be a magnetic module (permanent magnet or electromagnetic magnetic module) or a suction cup module, etc. This adsorption structure allows the base unit a to be attached to a fixed area on the back of the terminal, providing stable fixation for terminal accessories. This adsorption structure must be compatible with the weight and size of the terminal.

[0100] The base unit a and connecting unit b, and the connecting unit b and antenna integration unit c, can all be mechanically connected via a rotating shaft and a damping structure. The base unit a can embed a damping turntable a1 with a concave annular plane. The connecting unit b is connected to the damping turntable a1 via a rotating shaft and hinge b1. The connecting unit b and antenna integration unit c can rotate 360° around the center point of the damping turntable a1 as a whole. The damping turntable a1 has built-in silicone and spring friction damping, enabling hovering and positioning at any angle. The aforementioned MCU can be placed inside the connecting unit b, and the antenna coupling module can be placed inside the antenna integration unit c. In this case, the MCU and the antenna coupling module can be connected via internal flexible wiring.

[0101] Hinges b1 and b2 serve as the pitch pivots of connecting unit b, connecting unit b to base unit a and antenna integration unit c, and also allow for pitch rotation with a maximum opening and closing limit of ±180°. Hinges b1 and b2 have built-in locking damping, relying on bushing friction damping; when the end user releases their grip, hinges b1 and b2 will lock at the desired angle.

[0102] When used as a terminal stand, connecting unit b acts as a folding support arm, allowing for manual adjustment of the terminal stand's angle, height, and folding configuration based on the usage scenario and user habits. This manual does not impose any restrictions on the usable angle and height of the terminal stand; these can be determined according to actual circumstances.

[0103] When used as a communication enhancement terminal accessory for satellite antennas, the terminal bracket can be positioned as follows: Figure 5 The fully deployed state is shown. Connection unit b integrates low-loss RF cables and a flexible printed circuit board (FPC). When the terminal is conducting satellite communication, it will identify the terminal bracket. Upon identification, the terminal can interact with the user through the aforementioned application interface's icons and text, prompting the user to deploy the bracket, adjust the angle, etc., ensuring that the antenna coupling module in antenna integration unit c is located in the target area on the back of the terminal and has a coupling gap with the satellite antenna.

[0104] Since the target area is located above the satellite antenna, the adjusted antenna coupling module can be positioned above the satellite antenna, placing it within the near-field region of the satellite antenna. Simultaneously, a coupling gap exists between the antenna coupling module and the satellite antenna, resulting in strong coupling between the antenna elements fed within the antenna coupling module and the satellite antenna.

[0105] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a terminal, which is equipped with a satellite antenna and an antenna coupling module for coupling with the satellite antenna. The antenna coupling module includes multiple antenna elements, and the terminal executes any one of the satellite communication methods of this disclosure.

[0106] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements any of the satellite communication methods of embodiments of this disclosure.

[0107] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the processor is a device with data processing capabilities, including but not limited to a central processing unit (CPU); the memory is a device with data storage capabilities, including but not limited to random access memory (RAM), more specifically such as SDRAM, DDR, etc., read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory (FLASH); the I / O interface, or read-write interface, is connected between the processor and the memory, enabling information exchange between the memory and the processor, including but not limited to a data bus (Bus).

[0108] The terminal accessory system and satellite communication method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to examples.

[0109] Example: Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the architecture of a terminal accessory system is provided. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the terminal accessory system is a passive coupling enhancement system. It does not directly receive or transmit satellite signals, but only optimizes the performance of the terminal's built-in satellite antenna system through near-field coupling. The terminal accessory system adopts a two-layer architecture: an antenna coupling layer and a control and power supply layer.

[0110] The control and power supply layer comprises a miniature lithium battery, a Type-C charging port, a power management IC, a low-power MCU, and a multi-channel RF switch. The miniature lithium battery, Type-C charging port, and power management IC provide low-power power to the entire system. The power management IC manages the charging and discharging of the miniature lithium battery and its voltage conversion, providing a stable operating voltage for the MCU, Bluetooth / BLE module, and multi-channel RF switch. The Type-C charging port supports external power supply, enabling repeated charging of terminal accessories.

[0111] The low-power MCU serves as the system's control core. It receives usage attitude information and communication quality data (RSSI, SNR, etc.) from the terminal via the Bluetooth / BLE module to determine the target antenna element. It then outputs control signals to drive a multi-channel RF switch (SPST), dynamically switching the on / off combinations of antenna elements to optimize the near-field coupling state between the fed antenna elements and the satellite antenna. The multi-channel RF switch is a single-pole single-throw (SPST) RF switch array, with each switch corresponding to a set of coupled antenna elements. The MCU independently controls its on / off state, enabling on-demand switching and combination configuration of coupled branches.

[0112] The Bluetooth / BLE module serves as the communication interface between the terminal accessory and the terminal, enabling bidirectional data transmission. On one hand, it receives communication quality data and attitude information returned by the terminal; on the other hand, it can feed back the working status of the terminal accessory to the terminal and supports users to manually adjust the coupling mode (including target antenna unit and configuration information).

[0113] Figure 8 A schematic diagram illustrating the workflow of a terminal holder for a foldable terminal is provided. Figure 8 As shown, the workflow of this terminal bracket can be used in the aforementioned terminal accessory system, including the following steps:

[0114] Step 801: The terminal bracket is powered on, the MCU completes the initialization of the terminal bracket, the terminal satellite communication application (APP) is started, and the Bluetooth / BLE module initialization is completed.

[0115] Step 802: The user turns on the terminal's satellite communication function. The APP interface displays a prompt message, guiding the user to attach the three-section terminal stand to the target area on the back of the terminal and unfold the terminal stand to a fully fitted state.

[0116] Step 803: The terminal bracket is fixed to the back cover of the terminal by an adsorption structure, while maintaining a certain coupling gap; the terminal accessory establishes a Bluetooth / BLE connection with the terminal, establishes a bidirectional low-power data link, and the system enters the adaptive direction tracking working mode.

[0117] Step 804: The terminal's attitude sensor collects the terminal's folding screen angle θ in real time, while the modem acquires communication quality data such as RSSI and SINR. This data is periodically broadcast to the MCU in the terminal's accessory via Bluetooth / BLE. The folding screen angle θ includes at least the angle between the display screen containing the built-in antenna and the adjacent display screen.

[0118] Step 805: The MCU receives the data broadcast by the terminal, identifies the current working scene of the built-in satellite antenna based on the folding screen angle θ, calls the preset mapping table, matches the target antenna unit that matches the current scene, determines the optimal impedance configuration parameters and phase configuration parameters, and ensures stable coupling state.

[0119] Step 806: Based on the MCU's decision, the SPST RF switch selects the designated target antenna element, forming an optimized near-field electromagnetic coupling with the terminal's built-in satellite antenna system. Through the combination of different coupling elements, the equivalent radiation environment of the built-in antenna is altered, adjusting its radiation pattern so that the main lobe points towards the satellite signal incident direction, suppressing sidelobes in the ground / obstruction direction, and achieving satellite antenna pattern reconstruction. Simultaneously, the coupling effect improves the input impedance matching of the built-in antenna, reduces port reflections, enhances the cooperative radiation efficiency of the satellite antenna, and improves the overall gain of the transceiver link.

[0120] Step 807: With the assistance of coupling enhancement, the terminal's built-in satellite antenna system establishes a communication connection with the target satellite and starts the real-time attitude monitoring mode. When the user changes the folding angle of the terminal, the MCU will continuously receive the terminal's attitude information. The terminal accessories can adapt to the new attitude in real time and dynamically adjust the gating state of the antenna unit to ensure that the coupling enhancement effect continues to take effect and avoid communication interruption due to attitude changes.

[0121] Step 808: During satellite communication calls / data transmission, the terminal baseband modem monitors satellite communication quality data in real time, and the communication quality parameters are broadcast to the terminal bracket MCU in real time via Bluetooth / BLE with low latency and low power consumption.

[0122] Step 809: The MCU compares the real-time communication quality data with the initial communication quality data, initiates a scan optimization, and selects the optimal coupling combination. By comparing the real-time communication quality data with the initial communication quality data, the MCU identifies the signal quality change trend and determines whether the current target antenna element is still optimal. If the signal quality deteriorates, the MCU initiates a polling scan process to test the signal quality under different candidate antenna elements, finds the optimal match, and updates the selection state of the target antenna element and the matching circuit based on the scan results, ensuring that the current target antenna element is always the optimal solution.

[0123] Step 810: Closed-loop tracking, the terminal continuously transmits quality data back, and the terminal bracket is adjusted until communication is stable.

[0124] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or some of the steps, systems, and devices disclosed above, as functional modules / units, can be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, or suitable combinations thereof.

[0125] In hardware implementations, the division between functional modules / units mentioned above does not necessarily correspond to the division of physical components. For example, a physical component may have multiple functions, or a function or step may be executed collaboratively by several physical components.

[0126] Some or all of the physical components may be implemented as software executed by a processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU), digital signal processor, or microprocessor, or as hardware, or as an integrated circuit, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Such software may be distributed on a computer-readable medium, which may include computer storage media and communication media. In embodiments of this disclosure, computer storage media include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information, and any other media that can be used to store desired information and can be accessed by a computer. In embodiments of this disclosure, communication media typically contain computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in modulated data signals such as carrier waves or other transmission mechanisms, and may include any information delivery medium.

Claims

1. A satellite communication method, wherein, The method, applied to a terminal or terminal accessory, wherein the terminal is equipped with a satellite antenna and the terminal or terminal accessory is equipped with an antenna coupling module, the antenna coupling module comprising multiple antenna elements, includes: When the terminal is conducting satellite communication, the target antenna element of the antenna coupling module is determined according to the attitude information of the terminal and a preset mapping relationship, and the target antenna element is fed to couple with the satellite antenna. The preset mapping relationship is used to indicate the correspondence between the attitude information and the antenna element.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The terminal is a foldable terminal, the attitude information includes the folding angle of the foldable terminal, and the preset mapping relationship is used to indicate the correspondence between the range of the folding angle and the antenna element. The step of determining the target antenna element of the antenna coupling module based on the attitude information of the terminal and a preset mapping relationship includes: determining the target antenna element of the antenna coupling module based on the folding angle of the foldable terminal and the preset mapping relationship.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The method further includes: Based on the initial communication quality data at the folding angle, a benchmark evaluation value for the foldable terminal is determined; Based on the communication quality data of the folding angle, determine the quality evaluation value of the foldable terminal; If the quality evaluation value is less than the benchmark evaluation value and the difference between the two is less than the difference threshold, the configuration information of the target antenna element is adjusted according to the quality evaluation value. The configuration information includes at least one of the parameters of phase configuration and impedance configuration.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, The method further includes: If the quality evaluation value is less than the benchmark evaluation value and the difference between the two is greater than or equal to the difference threshold, the candidate antenna elements among the plurality of antenna elements are polled and scanned to determine the target antenna element.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, The polling scan of candidate antenna elements among the plurality of antenna elements to determine the target antenna element includes: If any candidate antenna element is detected during polling, the number of candidate antenna elements that have been polled is counted. If the number is greater than the number threshold or all candidate antenna elements have been polled, the target antenna element is determined from the polled candidate antenna elements.

6. The method according to any one of claims 2-5, wherein, The method further includes: When the folding angle of the foldable terminal changes, the target antenna element is determined according to the changed folding angle and the preset mapping relationship.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, When the terminal is conducting satellite communication, the antenna coupling module is located in the target area of ​​the terminal and has a coupling gap with the satellite antenna, and the target area is located above the satellite antenna.

8. A terminal accessory, wherein, The terminal accessory is provided with an antenna coupling module for coupling with the terminal's satellite antenna. The antenna coupling module includes multiple antenna elements. The terminal accessory performs the satellite communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The terminal accessory according to claim 8, wherein, The terminal accessory includes a terminal bracket, which includes a base unit and an antenna integration unit connected to the base unit; The base unit is detachably connected to the terminal; The antenna integration unit is provided with the antenna coupling module. When the terminal is conducting satellite communication, the base unit is connected to the terminal so that the antenna coupling module is located in the target area of ​​the terminal and has a coupling gap with the satellite antenna of the terminal. The target area is located above the satellite antenna.

10. A terminal, wherein, The terminal is equipped with a satellite antenna and an antenna coupling module for coupling with the satellite antenna. The antenna coupling module includes multiple antenna elements. The terminal performs the satellite communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

11. A computer program product, wherein, It includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the satellite communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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