Communication method, user equipment and satellite

Abstract

This disclosure provides a communication method, user equipment, and satellite. The method includes: receiving system information, including information related to a first common time synchronization (TA) and a second common time synchronization (RTS), wherein the first common TA corresponds to the time-to-use (RTT) between the satellite and an uplink time synchronization reference point (UPN), and the second common TA corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the user equipment (UE), wherein the uplink time synchronization reference point is located between the satellite and a ground base station; determining the TA based on the information related to the first and second common TAs; and transmitting an uplink signal based on the determined TA. The information related to the first common TA includes the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the first common TA drift variance; the information related to the second common TA includes the second common TA, the second common TA drift, and the second common TA drift variance. Embodiments of this disclosure can be applied to UEs without GNSS to determine the TA component corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite, thereby achieving cost savings for the UE.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and more specifically, to a communication method, user equipment (UE), and satellite. Background Technology

[0002] To meet the increased demand for wireless data communication services since the deployment of 4G communication systems, efforts have been made to develop improved 5G or near-5G communication systems. Therefore, 5G or near-5G communication systems are also referred to as "super 4G networks" or "post-LTE systems".

[0003] 5G communication systems are implemented in higher frequency (millimeter wave, mmWave) bands, such as the 60GHz band, to achieve higher data rates. To reduce radio wave propagation loss and increase transmission distance, beamforming, massive MIMO, full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, and massive MIMO technologies are discussed in 5G communication systems.

[0004] In addition, in 5G communication systems, development is underway to improve the system network based on advanced small cells, cloud radio access networks (RAN), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, mobile networks, cooperative communication, cooperative multipoint (CoMP), receiver interference cancellation, and other technologies.

[0005] In 5G systems, hybrid FSK and QAM modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC) have been developed as advanced coding and modulation (ACM), as well as filter bank multicarrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) as advanced access technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method performed by a UE in a communication system is provided, the method comprising: Receive system information, which includes information related to the first common TA and information related to the second common TA. The first common TA corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point, and the second common TA corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the UE. The uplink time synchronization reference point is between the satellite and the ground base station. Based on information related to the first public TA and information related to the second public TA, determine the TA; Based on the determined TA, send an uplink signal; Among them, the information related to the first common TA includes the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the first common TA drift variance; and Information related to the second common TA includes the second common TA, the second common TA drift, and the variance of the second common TA drift.

[0007] Optionally, the TA is determined based on information related to the first public TA and information related to the second public TA, including: The first TA quantity is determined based on the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the first common TA drift variance; The second TA quantity is determined based on the second common TA, the second common TA drift, and the variance of the second common TA drift. The TA is determined based on the first TA quantity and / or the second TA quantity.

[0008] Optionally, the first TA quantity is determined based on the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the variance of the first common TA drift, in the following manner:

[0009]

[0010] in, Indicates the first TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point at time t. Indicates the first common TA, Indicates the first common TA drift. This represents the variance of the first common TA drift. This represents the epoch time of the first public TA-related information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the first TA quantity. For a predefined time length; The determination of the first TA quantity is based on the second common TA, the second common TA drift, and the variance of the second common TA drift, and is based on the following method:

[0011]

[0012] in, Indicates the second TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite at time t. Indicates the second common TA, Indicates the second common TA drift. This represents the variance of the second common TA drift. This represents the epoch time of the second public TA-related information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the second TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

[0013] Optionally, the TA is determined based on the first TA quantity and the second TA quantity in the following manner:

[0014] in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA. This represents the second TA quantity determined based on the second common TA. The TA indicates a random access response, absolute TA control MACCE, and / or TA control MACCE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0015] Optionally, the method further includes: After establishing the RRC connection state, UE-specific TA-related information is received through UE-specific RRC signaling. The UE-specific TA-related information includes UE-specific TA, UE-specific TA drift, and UE-specific TA drift variance. The TA is determined based on information related to the UE-specific TA; Based on the determined TA, an uplink signal is sent.

[0016] Optionally, the TA is determined based on information related to the UE-specific TA, including: The third TA quantity is determined based on information related to the UE-specific TA, and the TA is determined based on the third TA quantity; The determination of the third TA quantity based on UE-specific TA information is based on the following method:

[0017]

[0018] in, Indicates the third TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite at time t. Indicates UE-specific TA, Indicates UE-specific TA drift. This represents the UE-specific TA drift variance. This indicates the epoch time for UE-specific TA-related information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the third TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

[0019] Optionally, the TA is determined based on the third TA quantity, in the following way:

[0020] in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA. This indicates the third TA quantity determined based on the UE-specific TA. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0021] Optionally, It is determined by the TA adjustment amount indicated by the TA control MAC CE.

[0022] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, another method performed by a UE in a communication system is provided, the method comprising: Receive system information, which includes SSB configuration information and satellite ephemeris information of at least two adjacent cells; Based on the SSB configuration information of at least two neighboring cells, the arrival time difference between the SSB of at least two neighboring cells and the SSB of the serving cell is measured. The location of the UE is determined based on the arrival time difference, the location of the serving cell satellite, and the location of the satellite of at least two neighboring cells. The location of the serving cell satellite is derived from the satellite ephemeris of the serving cell, and the location of the satellite of at least two neighboring cells is derived from the satellite ephemeris of at least two neighboring cells. The fourth TA quantity is determined based on the UE's location and the location of the serving cell satellite; Determine the TA based on the fourth TA quantity; Based on the determined TA, an uplink signal is sent.

[0023] Optionally, the TA is determined based on the fourth TA quantity, in the following manner:

[0024] in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA, which corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. This represents the fourth TA quantity determined based on the UE's location and the location of the serving cell satellite. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0025] Optionally, the method further includes: After establishing the RRC connection state, UE-specific TA-related information is received through UE-specific RRC signaling. The UE-specific TA-related information includes UE-specific TA, UE-specific TA drift, and UE-specific TA drift variance. The TA is determined based on information related to the UE-specific TA; Based on the determined TA, an uplink signal is sent.

[0026] Optionally, the TA is determined based on information related to the UE-specific TA, including: The third TA quantity is determined based on information related to the UE-specific TA, and the TA is determined based on the third TA quantity; The determination of the third TA quantity based on UE-specific TA information is based on the following method:

[0027]

[0028] in, Indicates the third TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite at time t. Indicates UE-specific TA, Indicates UE-specific TA drift. This represents the UE-specific TA drift variance. This indicates the epoch time for UE-specific TA-related information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the third TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

[0029] Optionally, the TA is determined based on the third TA quantity, in the following way:

[0030] in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA, which corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. This indicates the third TA quantity determined based on the UE-specific TA. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0031] Optionally, It is determined by the TA adjustment amount indicated by the TA control MAC CE.

[0032] Optionally, the method further includes: Receive measurement interval configuration; Specifically, within the configured measurement interval, the arrival time difference of the SSB of at least two adjacent cells and the SSB of the serving cell is measured.

[0033] Optionally, the SSB used for measurement is repeatedly transmitted in the frequency domain; and / or, The SSB used for measurement is transmitted via frequency hopping on different symbols; The SSB used for measurement is at least one of the primary synchronization signal PSS, the secondary synchronization signal SSS, the physical broadcast channel PBCH, and the demodulation reference signal DMRS of PBCH.

[0034] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, another method performed by a UE in a communication system is provided, the method comprising: Receive system information, which includes information related to reference time; The fifth TA quantity is determined based on the difference between the reference time and the UE's local time; Determine the TA based on the fifth TA quantity; Based on the determined TA, an uplink signal is sent.

[0035] Optionally, the TA is determined based on the fifth TA quantity in the following manner:

[0036] in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA, which corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. This represents the fifth TA quantity determined based on the reference time and the UE's local time. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0037] Optionally, the UE reports the source and / or accuracy of its local time to the base station.

[0038] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a method performed by a UE in a communication system is also provided, the method comprising: The system receives PRACH configuration information, which includes interval-related configuration information. The location of the interval is determined based on the interval-related configuration information; If the transmission resources of the uplink signal overlap with the frequency domain resources of PRACH within the interval, then the uplink signal is not transmitted, or the uplink signal is transmitted on the transmission resources outside the overlapping resources. The uplink signal includes at least one of the following: sounding reference signal (SRS), physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), and physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).

[0039] Optionally, the method further includes: In a time division duplex (TDD) system, if the downlink signal resources overlap with the frequency domain resources of PRACH within the interval, the downlink signal is not received, or the downlink signal is received on transmission resources outside the overlapping resources. The downlink signal includes at least one of the following: Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS), Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), and Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH).

[0040] Optionally, the interval-related configuration information includes information related to the interval length and starting position.

[0041] Optionally, the starting position of the interval is immediately after the PRACH time unit, and the information related to the starting position of the interval includes the index number of the PRACH time unit immediately adjacent to the interval. All PRACH time units within the PRACH cycle are numbered in chronological order.

[0042] Optionally, information related to the start position of the interval includes the offset of the interval relative to the start position of the PRACH cycle.

[0043] Optionally, the method further includes: The system receives first PRACH configuration information and second PRACH configuration information, wherein the first PRACH configuration information is used for UEs with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and the second PRACH configuration information is used for UEs without GNSS. The PRACH is determined based on the corresponding PRACH configuration information, depending on whether the UE has GNSS.

[0044] Optionally, at least one of the following factors is greater than the PRACH determined based on the second PRACH configuration information: cyclic prefix, interval, and cyclic offset.

[0045] Optionally, the method further includes: The system receives PRACH configuration information, which includes information about a first RO subset and / or a second RO subset. The first RO subset is used for UEs with GNSS, and the second RO subset is used for UEs without GNSS. Depending on whether the UE has GNSS, PRACH is sent based on the corresponding RO subset.

[0046] Optionally, the first RO is configured with a first loop offset, and the second RO is configured with a second loop offset, wherein the second loop offset is greater than the first loop offset.

[0047] Optionally, the relevant information of the first RO subset and / or the second RO subset includes a bitmap, where each bit in the bitmap represents the corresponding RO as either the first RO or the second RO.

[0048] Optionally, the method further includes: The system receives PRACH configuration information, which includes information about a first PRACH time unit subset and / or a second PRACH time unit subset. The first PRACH time unit subset is used for UEs with GNSS, and the second PRACH time unit subset is used for UEs without GNSS. Depending on whether the UE has GNSS, PRACH is transmitted based on the corresponding PRACH time unit subset.

[0049] Optionally, the first PRACH time unit is configured with a third cycle offset, and the second PRACH time unit is configured with a fourth cycle offset, wherein the fourth cycle offset is greater than the third cycle offset.

[0050] Optionally, the relevant information of the first PRACH time unit subset and / or the second PRACH time unit subset includes a bitmap, where each bit in the bitmap represents the corresponding PRACH time unit as either the first PRACH time unit or the second PRACH time unit.

[0051] Optionally, the method further includes: The system receives PRACH configuration information, which includes information about a first unrestricted preamble subset and / or a second unrestricted preamble subset. The first unrestricted preamble subset is used for UEs with GNSS, and the second unrestricted preamble subset is used for UEs without GNSS. Depending on whether the UE has GNSS, PRACH is transmitted based on the corresponding unrestricted preamble subset.

[0052] Optionally, the first unrestricted preamble subset corresponds to the fifth cyclic offset, and the second unrestricted preamble subset corresponds to the sixth cyclic offset, wherein the sixth cyclic offset is greater than the fifth cyclic offset.

[0053] Optionally, the RO and SSB corresponding to the UE with GNSS have a first association relationship; The RO and SSB of a UE that does not have GNSS have a second association relationship.

[0054] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a method performed by a satellite in a communication system is provided, the method comprising: Send system information, which includes information related to the first common TA and information related to the second common TA. The first common TA corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point, and the second common TA corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the UE. The uplink time synchronization reference point is between the satellite and the ground base station. The UE receives uplink signals, which are sent based on the TA determined by the UE. The TA is determined by the UE based on information related to the first common TA and information related to the second common TA. Among them, the information related to the first common TA includes the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the first common TA drift variance; and Information related to the second common TA includes the second common TA, the second common TA drift, and the variance of the second common TA drift.

[0055] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, another method performed by a satellite in a communication system is provided, the method comprising: Send system information, which includes SSB configuration information and satellite ephemeris information for at least two adjacent cells; The UE receives uplink signals, which are sent by the UE based on a determined TA. The TA is determined by the UE based on a fourth TA quantity. The fourth TA quantity is determined by the UE based on the UE's location and the location of the serving cell's satellite. The UE's location is determined by the UE based on the SSB's time difference of arrival, the location of the serving cell's satellite, and the locations of at least two neighboring cell satellites. The SSB's time difference of arrival is measured by the UE based on the SSB configuration information of at least two neighboring cells, which is the time difference of arrival between the SSB of at least two neighboring cells and the SSB of the serving cell. The location of the serving cell's satellite is obtained by the UE based on the satellite ephemeris of the serving cell, and the locations of the at least two neighboring cell satellites are obtained by the UE based on the satellite ephemeris of at least two neighboring cells.

[0056] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, another method performed by a satellite in a communication system is provided, the method comprising: Send system information, which includes information related to the reference time. The UE receives uplink signals, which are sent based on the TA determined by the UE. The TA is determined by the UE based on the fifth TA quantity, which is determined by the UE based on the difference between the reference time and the UE's local time.

[0057] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, a user equipment is provided, the user equipment comprising: transceiver, and A processor, coupled to a transceiver and configured to perform a method provided by an embodiment of this disclosure, executed by a UE in a communication system.

[0058] According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, a satellite is provided, the satellite comprising: transceiver, and A processor, coupled to a transceiver and configured to perform the methods provided in embodiments of this disclosure, which are executed by a satellite in a communication system.

[0059] According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the method provided in the present disclosure that is executed by a UE or a satellite in a communication system.

[0060] According to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method provided in the present disclosure that is executed by a UE or a satellite in a communication system.

[0061] The communication method, user equipment, and satellite provided in this disclosure can be applied to UEs without GNSS to determine the TA component corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite, thereby achieving the goal of saving UE costs. Attached Figure Description

[0062] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this disclosure will be briefly introduced below.

[0063] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the wireless network provided in this embodiment of the disclosure; Figure 2a A schematic diagram of the transmission path provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 2b A schematic diagram of the receiving path provided in the embodiments of this disclosure; Figure 3a This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a UE provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 3b This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a base station provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a method executed by a UE according to an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a communication architecture provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating another method executed by a UE as provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 7 A schematic diagram illustrating an SSB transmission bandwidth extension provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 8 A schematic diagram illustrating another SSB transmission bandwidth extension provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating yet another method executed by a UE, provided as an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a protection interval provided for an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0064] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, is provided to aid in a thorough understanding of the various embodiments of this disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. This description includes various specific details to aid understanding but should be considered exemplary only. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the various embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Furthermore, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and structures may be omitted.

[0065] The terms and wording used in the following description and claims are not limited to their dictionary meanings, but are merely used by the inventors to enable a clear and consistent understanding of this disclosure. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of this disclosure is for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting the purpose of this disclosure as defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0066] It should be understood that the singular forms of “one,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, the reference to “component surface” includes one or more such surfaces.

[0067] The terms “comprising” or “may include” refer to the presence of a corresponding disclosed function, operation, or component that may be used in the various embodiments of this disclosure, rather than limiting the presence of one or more additional functions, operations, or features. Furthermore, the terms “comprising” or “having” may be interpreted as indicating certain characteristics, numbers, steps, operations, constituent elements, components, or combinations thereof, but should not be construed as excluding the possibility of the presence of one or more other characteristics, numbers, steps, operations, constituent elements, components, or combinations thereof.

[0068] The term "or" as used in the various embodiments of this disclosure includes any of the listed terms and all combinations thereof. For example, "A or B" may include A, may include B, or may include both A and B.

[0069] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in this disclosure (including technical or scientific terms) have the same meaning as understood by those skilled in the art. Common terms as defined in dictionaries are to be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their context in the relevant technical field and should not be interpreted ideally or overly formally, unless expressly defined in this disclosure.

[0070] The various embodiments of this disclosure can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) systems, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) systems, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) systems, Time Division Duplex (TDD) systems, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) communication systems, 5th Generation (5G) systems, or New Radio (NR) systems, etc. Furthermore, the various embodiments of this disclosure can be applied to future-oriented communication technologies.

[0071] Figure 1 An example wireless network 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 The embodiment of the wireless network 100 shown is for illustrative purposes only. Other embodiments of the wireless network 100 can be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0072] Wireless network 100 includes gNodeB (gNB) 101, gNB 102, and gNB 103. gNB 101 communicates with gNB 102 and gNB 103. gNB 101 also communicates with at least one Internet Protocol (IP) network 130, such as the Internet, a proprietary IP network, or other data network.

[0073] Depending on the network type, other well-known terms such as "base station (BS)" or "access point" can be used instead of "gNodeB" or "gNB". For convenience, the terms "gNodeB" and "gNB" are used in this patent document to refer to network infrastructure components that provide wireless access for remote terminals. Furthermore, depending on the network type, other well-known terms such as "mobile station", "user station", "remote terminal", "wireless terminal", or "user device" can be used instead of "user equipment" or "UE". For convenience, the terms "user equipment" and "UE" are used in this patent document to refer to remote wireless devices that wirelessly access the gNB, whether the UE is a mobile device (such as a mobile phone or smartphone) or a fixed device as commonly understood (such as a desktop computer or vending machine).

[0074] gNB 102 provides wireless broadband access to network 130 to multiple first user equipments (UEs) within its coverage area 120. The multiple first UEs include: UE 111, which may be located in a small business (SB); UE 112, which may be located in an enterprise (E); UE 113, which may be located in a WiFi hotspot (HS); UE 114, which may be located in a first residence (R); UE 115, which may be located in a second residence (R); and UE 116, which may be a mobile device (M), such as a cellular phone, wireless laptop computer, wireless PDA, etc. gNB 103 provides wireless broadband access to network 130 to multiple second UEs within its coverage area 125. The multiple second UEs include UE 115 and UE 116. In some embodiments, one or more of gNBs 101-103 are capable of communicating with each other and with UEs 111-116 using 5G, LTE, LTE-A, WiMAX, or other advanced wireless communication technologies.

[0075] The dashed lines indicate the approximate extent of coverage areas 120 and 125, which are shown as approximately circular for illustrative and explanatory purposes only. It should be clearly understood that coverage areas associated with the gNB, such as coverage areas 120 and 125, can have other shapes, including irregular shapes, depending on the configuration of the gNB and variations in the radio environment associated with natural and man-made obstacles.

[0076] As described in more detail below, one or more of gNB 101, gNB 102, and gNB 103 include a 2D antenna array as described in embodiments of this disclosure. In some embodiments, one or more of gNB 101, gNB 102, and gNB 103 support codebook design and architecture for systems having 2D antenna arrays.

[0077] although Figure 1 An example of a wireless network 100 is shown, but it is possible to... Figure 1 Various modifications can be made. For example, wireless network 100 can include any number of gNBs and any number of UEs in any suitable arrangement. Furthermore, gNB 101 can communicate directly with any number of UEs and provide those UEs with wireless broadband access to network 130. Similarly, each gNB 102-103 can communicate directly with network 130 and provide UEs with direct wireless broadband access to network 130. In addition, gNBs 101, 102, and / or 103 can provide access to other or additional external networks, such as external telephone networks or other types of data networks.

[0078] Figure 2a and Figure 2b Example wireless transmit and receive paths according to this disclosure are shown. In the following description, transmit path 200 can be described as being implemented in a gNB (such as gNB 102), while receive path 250 can be described as being implemented in a UE (such as UE 116). However, it should be understood that receive path 250 can be implemented in a gNB, and transmit path 200 can be implemented in a UE. In some embodiments, receive path 250 is configured to support codebook design and structure for a system having a 2D antenna array as described in embodiments of this disclosure.

[0079] The transmit path 200 includes a channel coding and modulation block 205, a serial-to-parallel (S-to-P) block 210, an N-point inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) block 215, a parallel-to-serial (P-to-S) block 220, a cyclic prefix addition block 225, and an up-converter (UC) 230. The receive path 250 includes a down-converter (DC) 255, a cyclic prefix removal block 260, a serial-to-parallel (S-to-P) block 265, an N-point fast Fourier transform (FFT) block 270, a parallel-to-serial (P-to-S) block 275, and a channel decoding and demodulation block 280.

[0080] In transmit path 200, channel coding and modulation block 205 receives a set of information bits, applies coding (such as low-density parity-check (LDPC) coding), and modulates the input bits (such as using quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) or quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM)) to generate a sequence of frequency-domain modulated symbols. Serial-to-parallel (S-to-P) block 210 converts (e.g., demultiplexes) the serial modulated symbols into parallel data to generate N parallel symbol streams, where N is the number of IFFT / FFT points used in gNB 102 and UE 116. N-point IFFT block 215 performs IFFT operations on the N parallel symbol streams to generate a time-domain output signal. Parallel-to-serial block 220 converts (e.g., multiplexes) the parallel time-domain output symbols from N-point IFFT block 215 to generate a serial time-domain signal. Cyclic prefix addition block 225 inserts a cyclic prefix into the time-domain signal. Upconverter 230 modulates (e.g., upconverts) the output of the added cyclic prefix block 225 to an RF frequency for transmission via a wireless channel. The signal can also be filtered at the baseband before being converted to the RF frequency.

[0081] The RF signal transmitted from gNB 102 reaches UE 116 after passing through the wireless channel, and UE 116 performs the opposite operation to that at gNB 102. Downconverter 255 downconverts the received signal to the baseband frequency, and cyclic prefix removal block 260 removes the cyclic prefix to generate a serial time-domain baseband signal. Serial-to-parallel block 265 converts the time-domain baseband signal into a parallel time-domain signal. N-point FFT block 270 performs an FFT algorithm to generate N parallel frequency-domain signals. Parallel-to-serial block 275 converts the parallel frequency-domain signals into a sequence of modulated data symbols. Channel decoding and demodulation block 280 demodulates and decodes the modulated symbols to recover the original input data stream.

[0082] Each of gNBs 101-103 can implement a transmission path 200 similar to that used for transmission to UEs 111-116 in the downlink, and a reception path 250 similar to that used for reception from UEs 111-116 in the uplink. Similarly, each of UEs 111-116 can implement a transmission path 200 for transmission to gNBs 101-103 in the uplink, and a reception path 250 for reception from gNBs 101-103 in the downlink.

[0083] Figure 2a and Figure 2b Each of the components can be implemented using only hardware, or using a combination of hardware and software / firmware. As a specific example, Figure 2a and Figure 2bAt least some of the components can be implemented in software, while others can be implemented in configurable hardware or a combination of software and configurable hardware. For example, FFT block 270 and IFFT block 215 can be implemented as configurable software algorithms, wherein the value of the number of points N can be modified according to the implementation method.

[0084] Furthermore, although the description uses FFT and IFFT, this is merely illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure. Other types of transforms, such as the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) and Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) functions, can be used. It should be understood that for DFT and IDFT functions, the value of variable N can be any integer (such as 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), while for FFT and IFFT functions, the value of variable N can be any integer that is a power of 2 (such as 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, etc.).

[0085] although Figure 2a and Figure 2b An example of a wireless transmit and receive path is shown, but it is possible to modify it further. Figure 2a and Figure 2b Make various changes. For example, Figure 2a and Figure 2b The various components can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components can be added as needed. Furthermore, Figure 2a and Figure 2b This is intended to illustrate examples of the types of send and receive paths that can be used in a wireless network. Any other suitable architecture can be used to support wireless communication in a wireless network.

[0086] Figure 3a Example UE 116 according to this disclosure is shown. Figure 3a The embodiment of UE 116 shown is for illustrative purposes only, and Figure 1 UEs 111-115 can have the same or similar configurations. However, UEs have a wide variety of configurations, and Figure 3a This disclosure is not intended to limit the scope of any particular implementation of the UE.

[0087] UE 116 includes an antenna 301, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 302, a transmit (TX) processing circuitry 303, a microphone 304, and a receive (RX) processing circuitry 305. UE 116 also includes a speaker 306, a controller / processor 307, an input / output (I / O) interface (IF) 308, multiple input devices 309, a display 310, and a memory 311. The memory 311 includes an operating system (OS) 312 and one or more applications 313.

[0088] RF transceiver 302 receives incoming RF signals transmitted by a gNB of wireless network 100 from antenna 301. RF transceiver 302 down-converts the incoming RF signals to generate an intermediate frequency (IF) or baseband signal. The IF or baseband signal is sent to RX processing circuitry 305, which generates a processed baseband signal by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signal. RX processing circuitry 305 sends the processed baseband signal to speaker 306 (e.g., for voice data) or to controller / processor 307 (e.g., for web browsing data) for further processing.

[0089] TX processing circuitry 303 receives analog or digital voice data from microphone 304, or other outgoing baseband data (such as network data, email, or interactive video game data) from controller / processor 307. TX processing circuitry 303 encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the outgoing baseband data to generate processed baseband or IF signals. RF transceiver 302 receives the processed outgoing baseband or IF signals from TX processing circuitry 303 and up-converts the baseband or IF signals into RF signals transmitted via antenna 301.

[0090] The controller / processor 307 may include one or more processors or other processing devices and execute an OS 312 stored in memory 311 to control the overall operation of the UE 116. For example, the controller / processor 307 may control the reception of forward channel signals and the transmission of reverse channel signals through the RF transceiver 302, the RX processing circuit 305, and the TX processing circuit 303 according to known principles. In some embodiments, the controller / processor 307 includes at least one microprocessor or microcontroller.

[0091] The controller / processor 307 is also capable of executing other processes and programs residing in the memory 311, such as operations for channel quality measurement and reporting for a system having a 2D antenna array as described in the embodiments of this disclosure. The controller / processor 307 is capable of moving data into or out of the memory 311 as needed for the execution of the process. In some embodiments, the controller / processor 307 is configured to execute an application 313 based on the OS 312 or in response to signals received from a gNB or operator. The controller / processor 307 is also coupled to an I / O interface 308, which provides the UE 116 with the ability to connect to other devices such as laptop computers and handheld computers. The I / O interface 308 is the communication path between these accessories and the controller / processor 307.

[0092] The controller / processor 307 is also coupled to input devices(s) 309 and a display 310. An operator of the UE 116 can use the input devices(s) 309 to input data into the UE 116. The display 310 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) or another display capable of displaying text and / or at least limited graphics (such as from a website). Memory 311 is coupled to the controller / processor 307. A portion of memory 311 may include random access memory (RAM), while another portion of memory 311 may include flash memory or other read-only memory (ROM).

[0093] although Figure 3a An example of UE 116 is shown, but it is possible to... Figure 3a Make various changes. For example, Figure 3a The various components can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components can be added as needed. As a specific example, the controller / processor 307 can be divided into multiple processors, such as one or more central processing units (CPUs) and one or more graphics processing units (GPUs). Furthermore, although... Figure 3a The UE116 is shown configured as a mobile phone or smartphone, but the UE can be configured to operate as other types of mobile or fixed devices.

[0094] Figure 3b An example gNB 102 according to this disclosure is shown. Figure 3b The embodiment of gNB 102 shown is for illustrative purposes only, and Figure 1 Other gNBs can have the same or similar configurations. However, gNBs have a wide variety of configurations, and Figure 3b The scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular implementation of the gNB. It should be noted that gNB 101 and gNB 103 can include the same or similar structures as gNB 102.

[0095] like Figure 3b As shown, gNB 102 includes multiple antennas 370a-370n, multiple RF transceivers 372a-372n, transmit (TX) processing circuitry 374, and receive (RX) processing circuitry 376. In some embodiments, one or more of the multiple antennas 370a-370n include a 2D antenna array. gNB 102 also includes a controller / processor 378, a memory 380, and a backhaul or network interface 382.

[0096] RF transceivers 372a-372n receive incoming RF signals, such as signals transmitted by the UE or other gNBs, from antennas 370a-370n. RF transceivers 372a-372n down-convert the incoming RF signals to generate IF or baseband signals. The IF or baseband signals are sent to RX processing circuitry 376, which generates processed baseband signals by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signals. RX processing circuitry 376 sends the processed baseband signals to controller / processor 378 for further processing.

[0097] The TX processing circuit 374 receives analog or digital data (such as voice data, network data, email, or interactive video game data) from the controller / processor 378. The TX processing circuit 374 encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the outgoing baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. RF transceivers 372a-372n receive the outgoing processed baseband or IF signal from the TX processing circuit 374 and up-convert the baseband or IF signal into an RF signal transmitted via antennas 370a-370n.

[0098] The controller / processor 378 may include one or more processors or other processing devices that control the overall operation of the gNB 102. For example, the controller / processor 378 may control the reception of forward channel signals and the transmission of reverse channel signals via RF transceivers 372a-372n, RX processing circuitry 376, and TX processing circuitry 374, according to known principles. The controller / processor 378 may also support additional functions, such as more advanced wireless communication functions. For example, the controller / processor 378 may perform a BIS process, such as by a blind interference sensing (BIS) algorithm, and decode the received signal after subtracting interference. The controller / processor 378 may support any of a wide variety of other functions in the gNB 102. In some embodiments, the controller / processor 378 includes at least one microprocessor or microcontroller.

[0099] The controller / processor 378 is also capable of executing programs and other processes, such as a basic operating system, residing in the memory 380. The controller / processor 378 is also capable of supporting channel quality measurement and reporting for systems having 2D antenna arrays as described in embodiments of this disclosure. In some embodiments, the controller / processor 378 supports communication between entities such as web RTCs. The controller / processor 378 is capable of moving data into or out of the memory 380 as needed for the execution of processes.

[0100] The controller / processor 378 is also coupled to a backhaul or network interface 382. The backhaul or network interface 382 allows the gNB 102 to communicate with other devices or systems via a backhaul connection or over a network. The backhaul or network interface 382 is capable of supporting communication via any suitable wired or wireless connection(s). For example, when the gNB 102 is implemented as part of a cellular communication system (such as a cellular communication system supporting 5G or new radio access technologies or NR, LTE, or LTE-A), the backhaul or network interface 382 allows the gNB 102 to communicate with other gNBs via a wired or wireless backhaul connection. When the gNB 102 is implemented as an access point, the backhaul or network interface 382 allows the gNB 102 to communicate with a larger network (such as the Internet) via a wired or wireless local area network or via a wired or wireless connection. The backhaul or network interface 382 includes any suitable architecture supporting communication via a wired or wireless connection, such as an Ethernet or RF transceiver.

[0101] Memory 380 is coupled to controller / processor 378. A portion of memory 380 may include RAM, while another portion may include flash memory or other ROM. In some embodiments, multiple instructions, such as a BIS algorithm, are stored in memory. The multiple instructions are configured to cause controller / processor 378 to perform the BIS process and decode the received signal after subtracting at least one interference signal determined by the BIS algorithm.

[0102] As described in more detail below, the transmit and receive paths of the gNB 102 (implemented using RF transceivers 372a-372n, TX processing circuitry 374, and / or RX processing circuitry 376) support aggregated communication with FDD and TDD cells.

[0103] although Figure 3b An example of gNB 102 is shown, but it is possible to compare it with other models. Figure 3b Various modifications can be made. For example, gNB102 can include any number of... Figure 3a Each component shown. As a specific example, the access point can include multiple backhaul or network interfaces 382, ​​and the controller / processor 378 can support routing functions to route data between different network addresses. As another specific example, although shown as a single instance including TX processing circuitry 374 and a single instance including RX processing circuitry 376, the gNB 102 can include multiple instances of each (such as one for each RF transceiver).

[0104] The time unit (also called the time domain unit) in the embodiments of this disclosure can be: an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) symbol, an OFDM symbol group (composed of multiple OFDM symbols), a slot, a slot group (composed of multiple slots), a subframe, a subframe group (composed of multiple subframes), a system frame, or a system frame group (composed of multiple system frames); it can also be an absolute time unit, such as 1 millisecond, 1 second, etc.; the time unit can also be a combination of multiple granularities, such as N1 slots plus N2 OFDM symbols, etc. It can also be the duration of an OOK (On-Off Keying) chip.

[0105] The frequency unit (also called the frequency domain unit) in the embodiments of this disclosure can be: a subcarrier, a subcarrier group (composed of multiple subcarriers), a resource block (RB), also called a physical resource block (PRB), a resource block group (composed of multiple RBs), a bandwidth part (BWP), a bandwidth part group (composed of multiple BWPs), a bandwidth / carrier, a bandwidth group / carrier group; it can also be an absolute frequency domain unit, such as 1 Hz, 1 kHz, etc.; the frequency domain unit can also be a combination of multiple granularities, such as M1 PRBs plus M2 subcarriers, etc.

[0106] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0107] The text and accompanying drawings are provided by way of example only to aid the reader in understanding this disclosure. They are not intended and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure in any way. Although certain embodiments and examples have been provided, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art, based on the content disclosed herein, that changes may be made to the illustrated embodiments and examples without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0108] NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) is a network system that uses service satellites and aerial platforms such as drones to provide communication services to areas where terrestrial networks cannot reach. NTN systems provide internet access to mountainous, maritime, and aerial areas where terrestrial communication base stations cannot provide services through wireless communication from service satellites and drones. Compared to TN (Terrestrial Network) systems, the main challenges of NTN networks are the high latency (up to several hundred milliseconds) and deep fading (up to 170 dB) caused by the orbital altitude of service satellites, as well as the doppler (tens of kHz) introduced by the high-speed movement of low-Earth orbit service satellites. For deep fading, the transmission and reception capabilities are usually improved by increasing the size of the antenna and panel on the serving satellite side to ensure that ordinary mobile phones currently on the network can also communicate normally with the serving satellite. For delay and Doppler, the terminal usually estimates the distance between the UE and the serving satellite based on the UE location information provided by GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and the ephemeris information of the serving satellite broadcast by the system information, thereby estimating the changes in delay and Doppler, and completing the compensation at the transmitting end to ensure normal communication.

[0109] In NTN systems, signal transmission from terminals needs to be enhanced to ensure normal communication. For example, NTN UEs are generally required to have GNSS capabilities (hereinafter referred to as GNSS-enabled UEs, or simply GNSS UEs). This requirement increases the cost of NTN UEs and thus shrinks their market share. The evolution of NTN systems necessitates the introduction of UEs without GNSS capabilities (hereinafter referred to as non-GNSS UEs, or simply non-GNSS UEs), allowing UEs without GNSS capabilities to access the NTN network. For NTN UEs without GNSS capabilities, obtaining the RTT (Round-Trip Time) information between the UE and the serving satellite is a problem.

[0110] The following description of several exemplary embodiments illustrates the technical solutions of this disclosure and the technical effects produced by these solutions. It should be noted that the following embodiments can be referenced, learned from, or combined with each other. Identical terms, similar features, and similar implementation steps in different embodiments will not be repeated.

[0111] In one optional implementation, embodiments of this disclosure provide a method executed by a UE in a communication system, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the method includes: Step S401: Receive system information, which includes information related to the first common TA (Timing Advance) and information related to the second common TA.

[0112] The first common TA corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point, and the second common TA corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the UE. The uplink time synchronization reference point is located between the satellite and the ground base station.

[0113] The information related to the first common TA includes the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the first common TA drift variance; the information related to the second common TA includes the second common TA, the second common TA drift, and the second common TA drift variance.

[0114] Step S402: Determine the TA based on the information related to the first public TA and the information related to the second public TA.

[0115] Step S403: Based on the determined TA, send an uplink signal.

[0116] In this disclosure, "satellite" may refer to a serving satellite, and "UE" may refer to an NTN UE. "Received system messages" may refer to system information of the serving cell.

[0117] In this disclosure, the satellite can function as a space base station, in which case the satellite and the base station can be interchanged; or, the satellite can also be an air node used only for transparent transmission, that is, receiving signals from the ground base station and directly forwarding them to the terminal.

[0118] In this disclosure, the satellite may also be replaced by a High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) such as an airship, drone, hot air balloon, or other non-ground node.

[0119] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the UE obtains RTT-related information between the UE and the serving satellite based on the received system information, and then determines the corresponding TA amount based on the RTT.

[0120] In the embodiments disclosed herein, such as Figure 5As shown, the service link refers to the link between the UE and the serving satellite, while the feeder link refers to the link between the serving satellite and the ground base station. The uplink time synchronization reference point is located on the feeder link between the serving satellite and the ground base station. The location of the uplink time synchronization reference point is virtual and can depend on the base station implementation. The location of the uplink time synchronization reference point can be understood as the edges of the uplink and downlink radio frames being aligned, or the edges of the uplink and downlink radio frames being aligned. The offset, where It is broadcast via system information.

[0121] The method performed by a UE in a communication system provided in this disclosure can be applied to a UE without GNSS to determine the TA component corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite, thereby achieving the goal of saving UE costs.

[0122] In this embodiment of the disclosure, an optional implementation method is provided for step S402, which may specifically include: Step S4021: Determine the first TA quantity based on the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the first common TA drift variance; Step S4022: Determine the second TA quantity based on the second common TA, the second common TA drift, and the variance of the second common TA drift; Step S4023: Determine the TA based on the first TA quantity and / or the second TA quantity.

[0123] In this context, the definite TA can also be understood as the TA as a whole.

[0124] In this embodiment of the disclosure, for each uplink transmission, the UE needs to apply TA, that is, send the uplink a certain time in advance relative to the downlink transmission on the UE side. The purpose of applying TA is to compensate for the RTT between the UE and the base station. After each UE applies TA to the uplink transmission, the uplink signals received by the base station from different UEs can be aligned in time. In addition, the uplink transmission and downlink transmission on the base station side can be kept aligned in the same time unit.

[0125] In this disclosure, a time unit can be a system frame, subframe, time slot, OFDM symbol, or SC-FDMA (Single Carrier-Frequency Division Multiple Access) symbol.

[0126] In this embodiment of the disclosure, step S4021 can be performed in the following manner:

[0127]

[0128] Formula 1 in, Indicates the first TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point at time t. Indicates the first common TA, Indicates the first common TA drift. This represents the variance of the first common TA drift. This represents the epoch time of the first public TA-related information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the first TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

[0129] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the UE calculates the one-way transmission delay between the serving satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point (i.e., the feeder link) using Formula 1. And then according to Determine the TA quantity corresponding to the bidirectional transmission delay. .

[0130] Optionally, It is based on high-level parameters such as ta-Common (which can correspond to the first common TA mentioned earlier, and is expressed in Formula 1 as follows). ), ta-CommonDrift (which can correspond to the first common TA drift mentioned above, and is expressed in Formula 1 as) ) and ta-CommonDrfitVariant (which corresponds to the first common TA drift variance mentioned above, and is expressed in Formula 1 as , and in Formula 1 as ) These parameters, derived from the system information, correspond to the RTT between the serving satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. If these parameters are not configured, then... The granularity of the parameters ta-Common, ta-CommonDrift, and ta-CommonDriftVariant is predefined. For example, the granularity of ta-Common is 4.072 × 10^(-3) microseconds, the granularity of ta-CommonDrift is 0.2 × 10^(-3) microseconds / second, and the granularity of ta-CommonDriftVariant is 0.2 × 10^(-4) microseconds / second squared.

[0131] Optionally, in Formula 1 Provided by the parameter epochTime, which indicates the position of a specific time unit (e.g., a subframe). This refers to the end time of the time unit indicated by epochTime. For example, epochTime includes indications of the system frame number and subframe number. epochTime is the reference time point corresponding to the parameters ta-Common, ta-CommonDrift, and ta-CommonDriftVariant. The epochTime parameter can be included in the same information element (IE) along with parameters such as ta-Common and indicated by system information. If epochTime is not indicated, then... The default value is the time at which the system information window ends, used to schedule the transmission of system information blocks (such as SIB19) with parameters such as ta-Common.

[0132] As can be seen from Formula 1, the one-way transmission delay changes with time, and the one-way transmission delay value is different at different time points. Since the serving satellite is moving relative to the NTN UE, the distance between the UE and the serving satellite changes with time. Therefore, the one-way transmission delay value also changes with time, and the corresponding TA quantity also changes with time.

[0133] and They are similar, the difference is that... The corresponding RTT between the UE and the serving satellite, and The RTT between the corresponding service satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point.

[0134] In this embodiment of the disclosure, step S4022 can be performed in the following manner:

[0135]

[0136] Formula 2 in, Indicates the second TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite at time t. Indicates the second common TA, Indicates the second common TA drift. This represents the variance of the second common TA drift. This represents the epoch time of the second public TA-related information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the second TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

[0137] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the UE calculates the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the service satellite (i.e., the service link) using Formula 2. And then according to Determine the TA quantity corresponding to the bidirectional transmission delay. .

[0138] Optionally, It is based on high-level parameters such as ta-Common-ServiceLink (which can correspond to the second common TA mentioned earlier, and is expressed in Formula 2 as follows). ), ta-CommonDrift-ServiceLink (which corresponds to the second common TA drift mentioned above, and is represented in Formula 2 as) ) and ta-CommonDrfitVariant-ServiceLink (which can be represented as the second common TA drift variance mentioned above, and is expressed in Formula 2 as ) These parameters, derived from the system information, correspond to the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite.

[0139] Optionally, in Formula 2 Provided by the parameter epochTime-2, which is the reference time point corresponding to the parameters ta-Common-ServiceLink, ta-CommonDrift-ServiceLink, and ta-CommonDriftVariant-ServiceLink. The parameter epochTime-2 can be included in the same IE as parameters such as ta-Common-ServiceLink and indicated by system information.

[0140] Generally, information related to the first common TA and the second common TA can be included in the same IE and indicated through the same system information block. epochTime-2 and epochTime are the same parameter, meaning the first and second common TAs use the same epochTime. If epochTime is not indicated, then epochTime is the time used to schedule the end position of the SI window that includes the first and second common TAs in the SIB.

[0141] Optionally, in Formula 1 And in Formula 2 They can be the same or different.

[0142] In this embodiment of the disclosure, step S4023 can be performed in the following manner:

[0143] Formula 3 in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA. This represents the second TA quantity determined based on the second common TA. This refers to the Random Access Response (RAR), the Medium Access Control (MAC) CE (Control Element), and / or the TA control MAC CE indicating or adjusting the TA. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0144] This process can be understood as follows: for transmission in uplink time unit i, the UE advances its start position relative to the downlink time unit i. Send time-based data.

[0145] Optionally, It is a predefined time length, for example, Second.

[0146] In this embodiment of the disclosure, for PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel) transmission and MsgA (the first step message in the two-step random access process) transmission on PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel), For other uplink transmissions, It is determined based on the absolute TA amount or TA adjustment amount indicated in the received RAR (which includes the TA Command field), TA control (Command) MAC CE, and / or absolute TA control (Command) MAC CE. For example, assuming the indicated amount is an absolute TA amount. = 0, 1, 2, ..., 3846, then .or, It is determined by the TA adjustment amount indicated by the MACCE control via TA. For example, assuming the indication is the TA adjustment amount... = 0, 1, 2,..., 63, then ,in, It's new value, It was before The value, This is a parameter corresponding to the subcarrier spacing. For a 15kHz subcarrier spacing, For a 30kHz subcarrier spacing, For a 60kHz subcarrier spacing, For a 120kHz subcarrier spacing, For a 240kHz subcarrier spacing, .

[0147] In this embodiment of the disclosure, It is the time offset between uplink and downlink transmissions at the uplink time synchronization reference point. These are predefined or preconfigured values, for example The value can be configured through system information, if If it is not configured, then This means that at the uplink time synchronization reference point, uplink and downlink transmissions are frame-aligned, that is, uplink and downlink frames with the same number are aligned, and the start positions of uplink and downlink frames with the same number are aligned.

[0148] Optionally, the TA determined by the second common TA can be used only for the initial random access procedure. After accessing the network (i.e., after establishing an RRC connection), the base station can indicate the UE-specific TA-related information corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite through UE-specific RRC signaling. This is because after establishing an RRC connection, the base station can determine the UE's location by measuring the UE's location, for example, by measuring the Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) transmitted by the UE through the serving satellite and satellites of at least two neighboring cells. The base station calculates the TA-related information corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite based on the UE's location and the location of the serving satellite, and indicates the relevant information to the UE through UE-specific RRC signaling. For example, the TA-related information includes the UE-specific TA, the UE-specific TA drift, and the UE-specific TA drift variance.

[0149] Specifically, after establishing an RRC (Radio Resource Control) connection state, the UE can also receive UE-specific TA-related information through UE-specific RRC signaling. The UE-specific TA-related information includes the UE-specific TA, UE-specific TA drift, and UE-specific TA drift variance; determine the TA based on the UE-specific TA-related information; and send uplink signals based on the determined TA.

[0150] Optionally, determining the TA based on information related to the UE-specific TA may include: determining a third TA quantity based on information related to the UE-specific TA, and determining the TA based on the third TA quantity.

[0151] The third TA quantity can be determined based on information related to the UE's dedicated TA, which can be done in the following ways:

[0152]

[0153] Formula 4 in, Indicates the third TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite at time t. Indicates UE-specific TA, Indicates UE-specific TA drift. This represents the UE-specific TA drift variance. This indicates the epoch time for UE-specific TA-related information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the third TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

[0154] In this embodiment of the disclosure, after the UE establishes the RRC connection state, the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the service satellite is calculated using Formula 4. And then according to Determine the TA quantity corresponding to the bidirectional transmission delay. For details not covered, please refer to the explanation of Formula 2; they will not be repeated here.

[0155] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the TA is determined based on the third TA quantity, which can be done in the following ways:

[0156] Formula 5 in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA. This indicates the third TA quantity determined based on the UE-specific TA. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. For a predefined time length. Optionally, It is determined by the TA adjustment amount indicated by the MAC CE control TA. For details not covered, please refer to the introduction of Formula 3, which will not be repeated here.

[0157] In another alternative implementation, embodiments of this disclosure provide another method performed by a UE in a communication system, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the method includes: Step S501: Receive system information, which includes SSB (Synchronization Signal Block) configuration information and satellite ephemeris information of at least two adjacent cells; Step S502: Based on the SSB configuration information of at least two neighboring cells, measure the time difference of arrival of the SSB of at least two neighboring cells and the SSB of the serving cell. Determine the location of the UE based on the time difference of arrival, the location of the serving cell satellite, and the location of the satellites of at least two neighboring cells. The location of the serving cell satellite is obtained based on the satellite ephemeris of the serving cell, and the location of the satellites of at least two neighboring cells is obtained based on the satellite ephemeris of at least two neighboring cells. Step S503: Determine the fourth TA quantity based on the UE's location and the location of the serving cell satellite; Step S504: Determine the TA based on the fourth TA quantity; Step S505: Based on the determined TA, send an uplink signal.

[0158] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the UE estimates its position by performing positioning measurements based on the SSBs transmitted by the serving satellite and neighboring satellites. It then estimates the distance between itself and the serving satellite based on the position of the serving satellite (which can be obtained from ephemeris information), thereby estimating the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite and determining the TA quantity corresponding to the RTT.

[0159] Similarly, a definite TA can also be understood as the TA as a whole.

[0160] Similarly, the method performed by a UE in a communication system provided in this disclosure can be applied to a UE without GNSS to determine the TA component corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite, thereby achieving the goal of saving UE costs.

[0161] The configuration information related to the SSB of the neighboring cell includes at least the physical cell ID of the neighboring cell, the time offset between the SFN (system frame number) 0 of the neighboring cell and the SFN 0 of the serving cell, the index number of the SSB actually transmitted within the SSB burst, the SFN offset of the SSB relative to the start position of the SSB period (used to determine the time domain position of the SSB), the frequency domain position of the SSB, the half-frame position of the SSB (first half frame or second half frame), the subcarrier spacing of the SSB, the period of the SSB, and the transmission power of the SSB (the average energy per resource element (EPRE) used to carry the secondary synchronization signal SSS).

[0162] The satellite ephemeris information of the serving cell and neighboring cells includes at least the following satellite orbital parameters: eccentricity, inclination, longitude, mean anomaly, periapsis, semi-major axis, satellite position state vectors (positionX, positionY, positionZ), and satellite velocity state vectors (velocityVX, velocityVY, velocityVZ).

[0163] The positioning technology used by the UE can be Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA), which is a positioning technique based on the time difference of signal propagation between three base stations and the mobile terminal. Here, OTDOA calculates the distance difference between the UE and two satellites by measuring the time difference of radio signal transmission between the UE and the two satellites (TDOA). From a mathematical point of view, the UE's trajectory is a hyperbola with these two satellites as its foci and the distance difference between them as a constant. To achieve precise positioning, the same measurements and calculations must be performed on two additional satellites to obtain another set of hyperbolas. The intersection of the two sets of hyperbolas is the UE's position. The two satellites used to determine the first set of hyperbolas and the two satellites used to determine the second set of hyperbolas can share the same satellite, requiring at least three satellites. Therefore, in addition to the serving satellite, at least two satellites from adjacent cells are also needed.

[0164] In this embodiment of the disclosure, step S504 can be performed in the following manner:

[0165] Formula Six in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA, which corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. This represents the fourth TA quantity determined based on the UE's location and the location of the serving cell satellite. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0166] This process can be understood as follows: for the transmission in the uplink time unit numbered i, the UE advances the transmission time unit relative to the corresponding downlink time unit. Send time-based data.

[0167] in, , , , (can also be expressed as) For details regarding the missing information, please refer to the corresponding meanings of the variables in the formulas above; they will not be repeated here. (Similar to the previous text.) The RTT between the corresponding satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point.

[0168] In this embodiment of the disclosure, It is calculated by the UE based on the UE location and higher-level parameters related to the serving satellite ephemeris. The higher-level parameters related to the serving satellite ephemeris are configured through the system information of the serving cell, and the UE location is obtained by positioning measurement of the SSBs transmitted by the serving satellite and two neighboring satellites.

[0169] Optionally, considering the poor accuracy of SSB-based measurement and positioning, the TA estimated by the UE location provided by SSB-based measurement and positioning can only be used in the initial random access process. After accessing the network (i.e., establishing the RRC connection state), the base station can estimate the UE's location through the SRS (Sounding Reference Signal) sent by the UE and indicate the UE's location information to the UE. The UE estimates the TA corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite based on the UE location indicated by the base station and the satellite ephemeris.

[0170] Alternatively, after accessing the network, the base station can use UE-specific RRC signaling to indicate information related to the UE-specific TA corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite.

[0171] Specifically, after establishing an RRC connection state, the UE can also receive UE-specific TA-related information through UE-specific RRC signaling. The UE-specific TA-related information includes the UE-specific TA, UE-specific TA drift, and UE-specific TA drift variance; determine the TA based on the UE-specific TA-related information; and send uplink signals based on the determined TA.

[0172] Optionally, determining the TA based on information related to the UE-specific TA may include: determining a third TA quantity based on information related to the UE-specific TA, and determining the TA based on the third TA quantity; The third TA quantity can be determined based on information related to the UE's dedicated TA, which can be done in the following ways:

[0173]

[0174] Formula Seven in, Indicates the third TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite at time t. Indicates UE-specific TA, Indicates UE-specific TA drift. This represents the UE-specific TA drift variance. This indicates the epoch time for UE-specific TA-related information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the third TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

[0175] In this embodiment of the disclosure, after the UE establishes the RRC connection state, the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the service satellite is calculated using Formula 7. And then according to Determine the TA quantity corresponding to the bidirectional transmission delay. For details not covered, please refer to the explanation of Formula 2; they will not be repeated here.

[0176] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the TA is determined based on the third TA quantity, which can be done in the following ways:

[0177] Formula Eight in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA, which corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. This indicates the third TA quantity determined based on the UE-specific TA. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. For a predefined time length. Optionally, It is determined by the TA adjustment amount indicated by the TA control MACCE. For details not covered, please refer to the introduction of Formula 3, which will not be repeated here.

[0178] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the UE may also receive a measurement interval configuration; wherein, within the configured measurement interval, the arrival time difference of the SSB of at least two adjacent cells and the SSB of the serving cell is measured.

[0179] Optionally, the UE periodically performs SSB-based positioning measurements. Considering the case where there is no SSB within the UE's active BWP (Bandwidth Part) (i.e., the active BWP is not the downlink initial BWP), and the case where the neighboring cells and serving cell used for positioning measurements are not on the same frequency, the UE needs to switch its RF (Radio Frequency) to the corresponding frequency to perform SSB-based positioning measurements. Therefore, periodic measurement interval configuration is required. Within the measurement gap, the UE does not perform any transmissions, but only performs SSB-based positioning measurements (such as measuring the time difference of arrival of the SSBs of at least two neighboring cells and the SSB of the serving cell). The base station will configure the measurement interval for SSB positioning measurements for the UE, including the period and the starting position of the measurement interval. The UE can report the preferred measurement interval configuration parameters.

[0180] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the SSB used for measurement is at least one of PSS (Primary Synchronization Signal), SSS, PBCH (Physical Broadcast Channel), and DMRS (Demodulation Reference Signal) of PBCH.

[0181] Optionally, to improve the positioning accuracy of UE based on SSB measurements, the SSB transmission can be enhanced, for example, by extending the existing SSB transmission bandwidth (3.6MHz at 15kHz) to 10MHz or 20MHz. Optionally, the SSB used for measurement is repeatedly transmitted in the frequency domain; and / or, the SSB used for measurement is frequency-hopped transmitted in different symbols.

[0182] For example, taking the case where the UE mainly performs positioning measurements based on SSS, the SSS bandwidth can be extended through at least one of the following methods: (1) Repeat SSS transmissions in the frequency domain to extend the SSS bandwidth used for positioning measurements. For example... Figure 7 As shown, in existing SSBs, both PSS and SSS occupy 12 PRBs, while PBCH occupies a maximum of 20 PRBs within a symbol. Four PRBs are allocated at each end of the SSS's frequency domain for PBCH transmission. SSSs can be transmitted immediately adjacent to PBCHs; for example, one SSS can be transmitted below and one above the SSS in the frequency domain. Optionally, repeating SSSs in the frequency domain can be spaced apart from existing SSSs in the frequency domain.

[0183] (2) SSS is transmitted via frequency hopping on different symbols to extend the SSS bandwidth used for positioning measurements, such as Figure 8 As shown, SSS transmissions occur in both the symbol preceding and following the existing SSS symbol, and the SSS and the existing PBCH are adjacent in the frequency domain. This design is primarily for NTN UEs that are low-bandwidth UEs, meaning that the UE is limited by hardware conditions and cannot receive a large-bandwidth SSS at once, but can only receive SSS through time-domain frequency hopping. Optionally, the frequency-hopped SSS can have a certain interval between it and the existing SSS in both the time and frequency domains.

[0184] In another alternative implementation, embodiments of this disclosure provide yet another method performed by a UE in a communication system, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the method includes: Step S601: Receive system information, which includes information related to the reference time; Step S602: Determine the fifth TA quantity based on the difference between the reference time and the UE's local time; Step S603: Determine the TA based on the fifth TA quantity; Step S604: Based on the determined TA, send an uplink signal.

[0185] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the UE estimates the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite based on the difference between the reference time transmitted by the satellite and the local time, thereby determining the TA corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the satellite.

[0186] Similarly, a definite TA can also be understood as the TA as a whole.

[0187] Similarly, the method performed by a UE in a communication system provided in this disclosure can be applied to a UE without GNSS to determine the TA component corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite, thereby achieving the goal of saving UE costs.

[0188] The reference time indicated in the system information must include a specific day, and specific information such as seconds, microseconds, and nanoseconds. Existing signaling can be reused for the reference time; for example, the following RRC signaling can be used:

[0189] In this embodiment of the disclosure, step S603 can be performed in the following manner:

[0190] Formula Nine in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA, which corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. This represents the fifth TA quantity determined based on the reference time and the UE's local time. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0191] This process can be understood as follows: for the transmission in the uplink time unit numbered i, the UE advances the transmission time unit relative to the corresponding downlink time unit. Time-based sending: in, , , , (can also be expressed as) For details regarding the missing information, please refer to the corresponding meanings of the variables in the formulas above; they will not be repeated here. (Similar to the previous text.) The RTT between the corresponding satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point.

[0192] in, This time is calculated by the UE based on the reference time and the local time. The reference time is indicated by the system information of the serving cell, and the local time is passed from the UE's application layer to the physical layer. For example, ,in It is the local time on the UE side at the end position of the reference SFN corresponding to the reference time. It is the reference time indicated in the system information.

[0193] Optionally, the UE reports the source and / or accuracy of its local time to the base station. For example, the UE reports the accuracy of its local time to the base station, indicating the error in microseconds, nanoseconds, or tens of nanoseconds. Alternatively, the UE may also report the source of its local time to the base station, such as whether the local time originates from the application layer or from the time provided by the network during previous RRC connection states.

[0194] This disclosure also provides feasible implementation methods for a method executed by a UE in a communication system, specifically, it may include: Step S701: Receive PRACH configuration information through system information. The PRACH configuration information includes configuration information related to the gap (or protection gap). Step S702: Determine the location of the interval based on the interval-related configuration information; Step S703: If the transmission resources of the uplink signal overlap with the frequency domain resources of the PRACH within the interval, then the uplink signal is not transmitted, or the uplink signal is transmitted on the transmission resources other than the overlapping resources; wherein, the uplink signal includes at least one of SRS, PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel) and PUSCH.

[0195] Optionally, the method performed by the UE in the communication system may further include: Step S704: In a TDD (Time Division Duplexing) system, if the resources of the downlink signal overlap with the frequency domain resources of the PRACH within the interval, the downlink signal is not received, or the downlink signal is received on transmission resources other than the overlapping resources; wherein, the downlink signal includes at least one of CSI-RS (Channel State Information-Reference Signal), PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel), and PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel).

[0196] During initial random access, a primary function of PRACH is to allow the base station to detect the RTT (Random Time To Response). Based on the detected RTT, the base station indicates the corresponding TA (Transmission Tag) in the RAR (Random Access Response). The UE then sends subsequent uplink transmissions based on the indicated TA. Generally, the larger the required detected TA, the larger the cyclic prefix (CP) of the PRACH symbol should be. This is because the CP needs to cover the maximum Doppler delay of the cell to avoid interference from the preceding OFDM symbol to subsequent PRACH symbols. The CP should also cover the maximum TA variation of the cell (i.e., the difference between the cell's maximum and minimum TA) to avoid interference from the preceding RO (Range Router) (RACH). The PRACH on the Occasion (random access transmission timing) overlaps with the PRACH on the subsequent RO, causing interference. Furthermore, the guard interval Gap after the PRACH symbol should be larger. This is because the Gap needs to cover the cell's maximum TA to avoid PRACH interference with subsequent uplink transmissions (which have already undergone TA compensation). No transmissions are allowed within the guard interval Gap. Additionally, the cyclic prefix interval Ncs used to determine the preambles of two adjacent PRACHs should also be larger. This is because Ncs should ensure that two adjacent PRACH preambles can be correctly detected even when partially overlapping. The greater the difference between the cell's maximum and minimum TA, the larger the overlap range of adjacent PRACH preambles on the base station side, and the larger the required Ncs should be.

[0197] For non-GNSS UEs, a larger gap is required. The purpose of the gap is to avoid overlap between PRACH symbols and subsequent uplink transmissions. No transmissions are allowed within the gap. Introducing a gap reduces resource utilization efficiency. To minimize the impact of the gap, a gap can be introduced after a set of consecutive ROs, rather than introducing a large gap for each PRACH symbol. This is because if a PRACH symbol is followed by another PRACH symbol, both PRACH symbols will experience RTT delay at the base station. The maximum overlap is the difference between the cell's maximum TA and minimum TA, which can be covered by CP. Therefore, no gap needs to be reserved between two PRACH symbols; that is, no gap needs to be introduced after two consecutive PRACH symbols. However, if the PRACH symbol is followed by uplink transmissions with TA pre-compensation (including PUSCH, PUCCH, SRS, etc.), then a gap needs to be reserved after the PRACH symbol; that is, a gap needs to be introduced after a set of consecutive ROs.

[0198] like Figure 10As shown, a guard interval (Gap, e.g., Gap-2) is introduced after a set of consecutive ROs. The purpose of introducing Gap-2 is to avoid the PRACH on the last RO from interfering with the subsequent regular transmissions (uplink transmissions with TA pre-compensation, including PUSCH, PUCCH, SRS, etc.). Here, each consecutive RO uses the same PRACH format. The PRACH format includes at least the CP part and the PRACH preamble part. The PRACH format may also include a gap (e.g., Gap-1). The purpose of introducing Gap-1 is to make the length of the PRACH format an integer multiple of the OFDM symbol length or the slot length.

[0199] Optionally, the base station can introduce Gap-2 through scheduling. For example, the base station can refrain from scheduling any transmissions (including PUSCH, PUCCH, and SRS) for a period of time after a set of consecutive ROs.

[0200] Optionally, the base station can introduce Gap-2 through explicit configuration. See steps S701 and S702 for example. Optionally, the interval-related configuration information includes information related to the interval length and start position. That is, the base station can indicate the time-domain location and length of Gap-2 in the PRACH configuration information.

[0201] Optionally, one or more gap-2s can be indicated within a PRACH cycle. For example, the base station may indicate in the PRACH information that there is a gap-2 of a predetermined time length every two slots.

[0202] Optionally, information related to the start position of the interval includes the offset of the interval relative to the start position of the PRACH cycle. For example, the position of Gap-2 can be indicated by its offset from the start position of the PRACH cycle.

[0203] Optionally, the starting position of the interval is immediately after the PRACH time unit, and the information related to the starting position of the interval includes the index number of the PRACH time unit immediately adjacent to the interval. All PRACH time units within the PRACH cycle are numbered in chronological order.

[0204] Optionally, for step S703, in an FDD (frequency division duplex) system, if a dynamic or semi-static uplink transmission (e.g., PUSCH, PUCCH, and SRS) overlaps with the frequency domain position of PRACH during the Gap-2 duration, then the corresponding uplink transmission cannot be sent on the overlapping RE or PRB. It can be sent on the remaining transmission resources other than the overlapping resources by means of puncture or rate matching; or, the corresponding uplink transmission is directly discarded.

[0205] Similarly, for step S704, in a TDD system, if dynamic or semi-static uplink transmissions (e.g., PUSCH, PUCCH, and SRS) and dynamic or semi-static downlink transmissions (e.g., PDSCH, PDCCH, and CSI-RS) overlap with the frequency domain position of PRACH during the Gap-2 duration, then the corresponding uplink and downlink transmissions cannot be sent on the overlapping REs or PRBs. They can be sent on the remaining resources other than the overlapping resources using puncture or rate matching; or, the corresponding uplink transmissions can be discarded directly.

[0206] This disclosure also provides feasible implementation methods for a method executed by a UE in a communication system, specifically, it may include: Step S801: Receive first PRACH configuration information and second PRACH configuration information through system information, wherein the first PRACH configuration information is used for UEs with GNSS and the second PRACH configuration information is used for UEs without GNSS; Step S802: Determine the PRACH based on the corresponding PRACH configuration information, depending on whether the UE has GNSS.

[0207] This is based on the consideration that the NTN system should simultaneously support GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs; that is, the system design needs to consider the coexistence of GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs. For GNSS UEs, the UE can estimate the TA (Target Aspect) using the UE location provided by GNSS. Due to estimation errors, there is still a residual TA. During initial random access, the PRACH sent by the UE should be able to detect the residual TA. For non-GNSS UEs, in one implementation described above, the system information indicates the common TA corresponding to the RTT (Round To To) of the serving link (the link between the UE and the satellite). This common TA should not exceed the minimum TA of the NTN cell to avoid PRACH interference with the previous OFDM symbol. Therefore, the PRACH sent by the UE needs to be able to detect the maximum TA change of the cell (i.e., the difference between the maximum and minimum TA of the cell). In another implementation described above, the UE performs positioning measurements based on SSB (Service Subsystem). Without extending the SSB transmission bandwidth, the positioning measurement accuracy based on SSB is much worse than that based on GNSS. Therefore, the PRACH sent by the UE needs to be able to detect a larger residual TA. In summary, compared to GNSS UEs, non-GNSS UEs require PRACH to support a wider TA detection range.

[0208] In this embodiment of the disclosure, for step S801, the system information includes at least two PRACH configurations, including a first PRACH configuration and a second PRACH configuration. The first PRACH configuration is used for GNSS UEs, and the second PRACH configuration is used for non-GNSS UEs. Based on step S802, GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs can use different PRACH configurations to initiate a random access procedure.

[0209] Optionally, the two PRACH configurations can use different PRACH formats. For example, the PRACH determined based on the second PRACH configuration information may have at least one of the following greater values ​​than the PRACH determined based on the first PRACH configuration information: cyclic prefix, gap, and cyclic offset. That is, compared to the PRACH format used by the GNSS UE, the PRACH used by the non-GNSS UE may have a larger cyclic prefix (CP), a larger gap, and / or a larger cyclic offset (Ncs), because the PRACH format of the non-GNSS UE needs to support greater TA detection.

[0210] This disclosure also provides feasible implementation methods for a method executed by a UE in a communication system, specifically, it may include: Step S901: Receive PRACH configuration information through system information. The PRACH configuration information includes relevant information of the first RO subset and / or the second RO subset. The first RO subset is used for UEs with GNSS, and the second RO subset is used for UEs without GNSS. Step S902: Based on whether the UE has GNSS, send PRACH according to the corresponding RO subset.

[0211] In other words, GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs initiate random access procedures using different ROs in the same PRACH configuration. Optionally, the PRACH configuration information includes information indicating a set of ROs (i.e., indicating a subset of ROs, such as the first subset of ROs (or the second subset of ROs)) from all ROs for GNSS UEs (or non-GNSS UEs), with the remaining ROs used by default for non-GNSS UEs (or GNSS UEs). Alternatively, the PRACH configuration information may include information indicating two sets of ROs (i.e., indicating two subsets of ROs, such as the first subset of ROs and the second subset of ROs) for GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs respectively.

[0212] Optionally, the relevant information for the first RO subset and / or the second RO subset includes a bitmap, where each bit in the bitmap indicates whether the corresponding RO is the first RO or the second RO. For example, a bitmap can be used to indicate whether the RO subset is for a GNSS UE and / or a non-GNSS UE. The length of the bitmap (i.e., the number of information bits) is the total number of ROs included in the PRACH period. Each bit in the bitmap corresponds to one RO, with an indication value of "1" indicating that the corresponding RO is for a GNSS UE (or a non-GNSS UE) and an indication value of "0" indicating that the corresponding RO is for a non-GNSS UE (or a GNSS UE).

[0213] Optionally, GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs may initiate random access procedures using different ROs in the same PRACH configuration, and may use different Ncs values. For example, the first RO may be configured with a first cyclic offset Ncs, and the second RO may be configured with a second cyclic offset Ncs, where the second cyclic offset Ncs is greater than the first cyclic offset Ncs. Then, on the ROs of the GNSS UE, the PRACH preamble is determined based on the first Ncs value, while on the ROs of the non-GNSS UE, the PRACH preamble is determined based on the second Ncs value. Generally, the Ncs value used for the PRACH of a non-GNSS UE will be greater than the Ncs value used for the PRACH of a GNSS UE. The Ncs values ​​for the PRACH of the GNSS UE and the non-GNSS UE can be configured separately.

[0214] This disclosure also provides a feasible implementation method for a method executed by a UE in a communication system. Specifically, the RO and SSB corresponding to a UE with GNSS have a first association relationship; the RO and SSB corresponding to a UE without GNSS have a second association relationship.

[0215] In this embodiment, there is a mapping relationship (i.e., association) between SSB index numbers and ROs. The UE selects the RO associated with the SSB index number corresponding to the optimal downlink received power to initiate a random access procedure, thereby implicitly reporting the optimal downlink beam to the base station. In subsequent downlink transmissions, the base station can use the same beam as the SSB index number associated with PRACH for transmission. Therefore, it is necessary to associate the RO subsets corresponding to GNSS UEs and the RO subsets corresponding to non-GNSS UEs with SSBs respectively. For example, existing SSB-RO association criteria can be reused, numbering all ROs in the RO subset corresponding to GNSS UEs and sequentially associating them with SSBs of different index numbers. Similarly, all ROs in the RO subset corresponding to non-GNSS UEs can be numbered and sequentially associating them with SSBs of different index numbers.

[0216] This disclosure also provides feasible implementation methods for a method executed by a UE in a communication system, specifically, it may include: Step S1001: Receive PRACH configuration information through system information. The PRACH configuration information includes relevant information of a first PRACH time unit subset and / or a second PRACH time unit subset. The first PRACH time unit subset is used for UEs with GNSS, and the second PRACH time unit subset is used for UEs without GNSS. Step S1002: Based on whether the UE has GNSS, transmit PRACH according to the corresponding PRACH time unit subset.

[0217] In other words, GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs initiate random access procedures using ROs at different time-domain locations within the same PRACH configuration. This means the ROs for GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs are time-division multiplexed, not frequency-division multiplexed. For example, the PRACH configuration information may indicate that the ROs in the first M time units (such as a subset of the first PRACH time units or a subset of the second PRACH time units) within a preset time window (e.g., one radio frame or N radio frames) are used for GNSS UEs (or non-GNSS UEs), and by default, the ROs in subsequent time units within the time window are used for non-GNSS UEs (or GNSS UEs). Alternatively, the PRACH configuration information may indicate that the ROs in the N1 and N2 time units within a preset time window are used for GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs, respectively.

[0218] Optionally, GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs initiate random access procedures using ROs at different time-domain locations within the same PRACH configuration. The GNSS UE and non-GNSS UEs use different Ncs values; for example, the first PRACH time unit is configured with a third cycle offset, and the second PRACH time unit is configured with a fourth cycle offset, where the fourth cycle offset is greater than the third cycle offset. Then, on the RO of the GNSS UE, the PRACH preamble is determined based on the third cycle offset, while on the RO of the non-GNSS UE, the PRACH preamble is determined based on the fourth cycle offset. The Ncs values ​​for the GNSS UE and non-GNSS UE can be configured separately.

[0219] Optionally, the relevant information for the first PRACH time unit subset and / or the second PRACH time unit subset includes a bitmap, where each bit in the bitmap indicates whether the corresponding PRACH time unit is the first or the second PRACH time unit. For example, a bitmap can be used to indicate whether a PRACH time unit subset is for GNSS UE and / or non-GNSS UE. The length of the bitmap (i.e., the number of information bits) is the total number of ROs contained in the PRACH period. Each bit in the bitmap corresponds to one PRACH time unit, with an indication value of "1" indicating that the corresponding PRACH time unit is for GNSS UE (or non-GNSS UE) and an indication value of "0" indicating that the corresponding PRACH time unit is for non-GNSS UE (or GNSS UE).

[0220] This disclosure also provides feasible implementation methods for a method executed by a UE in a communication system, specifically, it may include: Step S1101: Receive PRACH configuration information through system information. The PRACH configuration information includes relevant information of a first unrestricted preamble subset and / or a second unrestricted preamble subset. The first unrestricted preamble subset is used for UEs with GNSS, and the second unrestricted preamble subset is used for UEs without GNSS. Step S1102: Based on whether the UE has GNSS, send PRACH according to the corresponding unrestricted preamble subset.

[0221] In other words, GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs use different PRACH preambles within the same PRACH configuration. For example, the PRACH configuration information includes information indicating that a subset of preambles (such as a first subset of unrestricted preambles (or a second subset of unrestricted preambles)) from the unrestricted preamble set is used for the GNSS UE (or non-GNSS UE), and by default, the remaining preambles from the unrestricted preamble set are used for the non-GNSS UE (or GNSS UE). Alternatively, the PRACH configuration information includes information indicating that two subsets of preambles (such as a first subset of unrestricted preambles and a second subset of unrestricted preambles) are used for the GNSS UE and non-GNSS UE, respectively. Here, the unrestricted preamble set refers to the set of preambles other than restricted preamble set A and restricted preamble set B.

[0222] Optionally, GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs can use different PRACH preambles in the same PRACH configuration, and GNSS UEs and non-GNSS UEs can use different Ncs values. For example, the first unrestricted preamble subset corresponds to the fifth cycle offset, the second unrestricted preamble subset corresponds to the sixth cycle offset, and the sixth cycle offset is greater than the fifth cycle offset. As an example, a table can be predefined for Ncs values, as shown in Table 1, where the unrestricted set of GNSS UEs and the unrestricted set of non-GNSS UEs use different Ncs values ​​for the same parameter value.

[0223]

[0224] Table 1 In this embodiment of the disclosure, the UE selects a method for determining the TA component corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the satellite based on whether it has GNSS capability. For example, the UE determines the TA for uplink transmission using the following formula:

[0225] Formula 10 in, This indicates the TA used to send uplink transmissions. This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA, which corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0226] in, This represents the TA component corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite. If the UE is a GNSS-enabled UE, then the UE calculates the TA component based on the UE location provided by the GNSS and the serving satellite location. The location of the serving satellite is determined by high-level parameters related to the satellite's ephemeris. If the UE is a UE without GNSS, then the UE can be determined using one of the three methods described above. That is, the UE determines the second common TA related information broadcast in the system information. Alternatively, the UE location is determined based on the UE location and the location of the serving satellites provided by SSB measurement and positioning. Alternatively, the UE determines the time based on the difference between its local time and the reference time broadcast in the system information. .

[0227] Optionally, at least two of the three methods described above for determining the TA component corresponding to the RTT between the UE and the serving satellite can be used for UEs without GNSS and can be used under different conditions. For example, if the UE has a reliable local time source, then the UE determines the TA component based on the difference between the local time and the reference time transmitted by the base station. Otherwise, the UE location is determined based on the UE location obtained from SSB positioning measurements and the serving satellite location. Alternatively, if the UE has the capability for SSB-based positioning measurements, then the UE's location and serving satellite location obtained from the SSB-based positioning measurements are determined. Otherwise, the UE determines the information based on the second public TA information broadcast in the system information. .

[0228] This disclosure provides a method performed by a satellite in a communication system, the method comprising: Send system information, which includes information related to the first common TA and information related to the second common TA. The first common TA corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point, and the second common TA corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the UE. The uplink time synchronization reference point is between the satellite and the ground base station. The UE receives uplink signals, which are sent based on the TA determined by the UE. The TA is determined by the UE based on information related to the first common TA and information related to the second common TA. Among them, the information related to the first common TA includes the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the first common TA drift variance; and Information related to the second common TA includes the second common TA, the second common TA drift, and the variance of the second common TA drift.

[0229] Optionally, the TA is determined by the UE based on a first TA amount and / or a second TA amount. The first TA amount is determined by the UE based on a first common TA, a first common TA drift, and a first common TA drift variance. The second TA amount is determined by the UE based on a second common TA, a second common TA drift, and a second common TA drift variance.

[0230] Optionally, the first TA quantity is determined by the UE based on the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the first common TA drift variance, and is based on the following method:

[0231]

[0232] in, Indicates the first TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point at time t. Indicates the first common TA, Indicates the first common TA drift. This represents the variance of the first common TA drift. This represents the epoch time of the first public TA-related information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the first TA quantity. For a predefined time length; The second TA quantity is determined by the UE based on the second common TA, the second common TA drift, and the variance of the second common TA drift, and is based on the following method:

[0233]

[0234] in, Indicates the second TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite at time t. Indicates the second common TA, Indicates the second common TA drift. This represents the variance of the second common TA drift. This represents the epoch time of the second public TA-related information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the second TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

[0235] Optionally, the TA is determined by the UE based on the first TA amount and the second TA amount, and is based on the following method:

[0236] in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA. This represents the second TA quantity determined based on the second common TA. The TA indicates a random access response, absolute TA control MACCE, and / or TA control MACCE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0237] Optionally, the method further includes: After the UE establishes an RRC connection state, UE-specific TA-related information is sent to the UE via UE-specific RRC signaling. The UE-specific TA-related information includes UE-specific TA, UE-specific TA drift, and UE-specific TA drift variance. The UE receives uplink signals, which are sent based on the TA determined by the UE. The TA is determined by the UE based on information related to the UE-specific TA.

[0238] Optionally, the TA is determined by the UE based on a third TA quantity, which is determined by the UE based on information related to the UE-specific TA. The third TA quantity is determined by the UE based on information related to the UE-specific TA, and is based on the following method:

[0239]

[0240] in, Indicates the third TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite at time t. Indicates UE-specific TA, Indicates UE-specific TA drift. This represents the UE-specific TA drift variance. This indicates the epoch time for UE-specific TA-related information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the third TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

[0241] Optionally, the TA is determined by the UE based on a third TA quantity, and is based on the following method:

[0242] in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA. This indicates the third TA quantity determined based on the UE-specific TA. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0243] Optionally, It is determined by the TA adjustment amount indicated by the TA control MAC CE.

[0244] This disclosure provides another method performed by a satellite in a communication system, the method comprising: Send system information, which includes SSB configuration information and satellite ephemeris information for at least two adjacent cells; The UE receives uplink signals, which are sent by the UE based on a determined TA. The TA is determined by the UE based on a fourth TA quantity. The fourth TA quantity is determined by the UE based on the UE's location and the location of the serving cell's satellite. The UE's location is determined by the UE based on the SSB's time difference of arrival, the location of the serving cell's satellite, and the locations of at least two neighboring cell satellites. The SSB's time difference of arrival is measured by the UE based on the SSB configuration information of at least two neighboring cells, which is the time difference of arrival between the SSB of at least two neighboring cells and the SSB of the serving cell. The location of the serving cell's satellite is obtained by the UE based on the satellite ephemeris of the serving cell, and the locations of the at least two neighboring cell satellites are obtained by the UE based on the satellite ephemeris of at least two neighboring cells.

[0245] Optionally, the TA is determined by the UE based on the fourth TA quantity, and is based on the following method:

[0246] in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA, which corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. This represents the fourth TA quantity determined based on the UE's location and the location of the serving cell satellite. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0247] Optionally, the method further includes: After the UE establishes an RRC connection state, UE-specific TA-related information is sent to the UE via UE-specific RRC signaling. The UE-specific TA-related information includes UE-specific TA, UE-specific TA drift, and UE-specific TA drift variance. The UE receives uplink signals, which are sent by the UE based on a determined TA. The TA is determined based on information related to the UE's dedicated TA.

[0248] Optionally, the TA is determined by the UE based on a third TA quantity, which is determined by the UE based on information related to the UE-specific TA. The third TA quantity is determined by the UE based on information related to the UE-specific TA, and is based on the following method:

[0249]

[0250] in, Indicates the third TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite at time t. Indicates UE-specific TA, Indicates UE-specific TA drift. This represents the UE-specific TA drift variance. This indicates the epoch time for UE-specific TA-related information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the third TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

[0251] Optionally, the TA is determined by the UE based on a third TA quantity, and is based on the following method:

[0252] in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA, which corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. This indicates the third TA quantity determined based on the UE-specific TA. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0253] Optionally, It is determined by the TA adjustment amount indicated by the TA control MAC CE.

[0254] Optionally, the method further includes: sending a measurement interval configuration; Within the configured measurement interval, the arrival time difference between the SSB of at least two adjacent cells and the SSB of the serving cell is measured.

[0255] Optionally, the SSB used for measurement is repeatedly transmitted in the frequency domain; and / or, The SSB used for measurement is transmitted via frequency hopping on different symbols; The SSB used for measurement is at least one of the DMRS of PSS, SSS, PBCH, and PBCH.

[0256] This disclosure provides yet another method performed by a satellite in a communication system, the method comprising: Send system information, which includes information related to the reference time. The UE receives uplink signals, which are sent based on the TA determined by the UE. The TA is determined by the UE based on the fifth TA quantity, which is determined by the UE based on the difference between the reference time and the UE's local time.

[0257] Optionally, the TA is determined by the UE based on the fifth TA quantity, and is based on the following method:

[0258] in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA, which corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. This represents the fifth TA quantity determined based on the reference time and the UE's local time. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

[0259] Optionally, the source and / or accuracy of the local time reported by the UE can be selected.

[0260] This disclosure also provides a method performed by a satellite in a communication system, the method comprising: PRACH configuration information is sent via system information, which includes interval-related configuration information; the position of the interval is determined based on the interval-related configuration information. If the transmission resources of the uplink signal overlap with the frequency domain resources of the PRACH within the interval, the uplink signal is not received, or the uplink signal is received on transmission resources other than the overlapping resources; wherein the uplink signal includes at least one of SRS, PUCCH and PUSCH.

[0261] Optionally, the method further includes: in a TDD system, if the resources of the downlink signal overlap with the frequency domain resources of PRACH within the interval, then the downlink signal is not transmitted, or the downlink signal is transmitted on transmission resources other than the overlapping resources; The downlink signals include at least one of CSI-RS, PDCCH, and PDSCH.

[0262] Optionally, the interval-related configuration information includes information related to the interval length and starting position.

[0263] Optionally, the starting position of the interval is immediately after the PRACH time unit, and the information related to the starting position of the interval includes the index number of the PRACH time unit immediately adjacent to the interval. All PRACH time units within the PRACH cycle are numbered in chronological order.

[0264] Optionally, information related to the start position of the interval includes the offset of the interval relative to the start position of the PRACH cycle.

[0265] Optionally, the method further includes: sending first PRACH configuration information and second PRACH configuration information through system information, wherein the first PRACH configuration information is used for UEs with a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and the second PRACH configuration information is used for UEs without GNSS.

[0266] Optionally, at least one of the following factors is greater than the PRACH determined based on the second PRACH configuration information: cyclic prefix, interval, and cyclic offset.

[0267] Optionally, the method further includes: sending PRACH configuration information through system information, wherein the PRACH configuration information includes relevant information of a first RO subset and / or a second RO subset, wherein the first RO subset is used for UEs with GNSS and the second RO subset is used for UEs without GNSS.

[0268] Optionally, the first RO is configured with a first loop offset, and the second RO is configured with a second loop offset, wherein the second loop offset is greater than the first loop offset.

[0269] Optionally, the relevant information of the first RO subset and / or the second RO subset includes a bitmap, where each bit in the bitmap represents the corresponding RO as either the first RO or the second RO.

[0270] Optionally, the method further includes: sending PRACH configuration information through system information, wherein the PRACH configuration information includes relevant information of a first PRACH time unit subset and / or a second PRACH time unit subset, wherein the first PRACH time unit subset is used for UEs with GNSS and the second PRACH time unit subset is used for UEs without GNSS.

[0271] Optionally, the first PRACH time unit is configured with a third cycle offset, and the second PRACH time unit is configured with a fourth cycle offset, wherein the fourth cycle offset is greater than the third cycle offset.

[0272] Optionally, the relevant information of the first PRACH time unit subset and / or the second PRACH time unit subset includes a bitmap, where each bit in the bitmap represents the corresponding PRACH time unit as either the first PRACH time unit or the second PRACH time unit.

[0273] Optionally, the method further includes: sending PRACH configuration information via system information, wherein the PRACH configuration information includes relevant information of a first unrestricted preamble subset and / or a second unrestricted preamble subset, wherein the first unrestricted preamble subset is used for UEs with GNSS and the second unrestricted preamble subset is used for UEs without GNSS.

[0274] Optionally, the first unrestricted preamble subset corresponds to the fifth cyclic offset, and the second unrestricted preamble subset corresponds to the sixth cyclic offset, wherein the sixth cyclic offset is greater than the fifth cyclic offset.

[0275] Optionally, the RO and SSB corresponding to the UE with GNSS have a first association relationship; The RO and SSB of a UE that does not have GNSS have a second association relationship.

[0276] The satellite-executed method of this disclosure corresponds to the steps of the UE-executed method, and their implementation principles are similar, with corresponding technical effects. For a detailed functional description of the satellite-executed method, please refer to the description of the UE-executed method shown above; it will not be repeated here.

[0277] This disclosure provides an electronic device including a processor, and optionally, a transceiver and / or memory coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to perform the steps of the method provided in any optional embodiment of this disclosure. Optionally, the electronic device may refer to a UE (User Equipment), in which case the processor is configured to implement the steps of the various method embodiments executed by the UE. Detailed functional descriptions and beneficial effects can be found in the preceding descriptions of the various method embodiments executed by the UE, and will not be repeated here. Optionally, the electronic device may refer to a satellite or base station, in which case the processor is configured to implement the steps of the various method embodiments executed by the satellite or base station. Detailed functional descriptions and beneficial effects can be found in the preceding descriptions of the various method embodiments executed by the satellite or base station, and will not be repeated here. In practical applications, the UE, satellite, or base station can be understood as different network nodes.

[0278] This disclosure also provides an electronic device including at least one controller / processor, and optionally, at least one transceiver coupled to the at least one controller / processor, the processor being configured to perform the steps of the method provided in any optional embodiment of this disclosure.

[0279] Figure 11 The diagram shows a structural schematic of an electronic device to which an embodiment of the present invention applies, such as... Figure 11 As shown, Figure 11 The illustrated electronic device 4000 includes a processor 4001 and a memory 4003. The processor 4001 and memory 4003 are connected, for example, via a bus 4002. Optionally, the electronic device 4000 may further include a transceiver 4004, which can be used for data interaction between the electronic device and other electronic devices, such as sending and / or receiving data. It should be noted that in practical applications, the transceiver 4004 is not limited to one type, and the structure of the electronic device 4000 does not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this disclosure. Optionally, the electronic device may be a gNB, a UE, or other entities or nodes in a communication network.

[0280] Processor 4001 may be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a general-purpose processor, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with this disclosure. Processor 4001 may also be a combination that implements computational functions, such as including one or more microprocessor combinations, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc.

[0281] Bus 4002 may include a pathway for transmitting information between the aforementioned components. Bus 4002 may be a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus or an EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) bus, etc. Bus 4002 can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 11 The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0282] The memory 4003 may be ROM (Read Only Memory) or other types of static storage devices capable of storing static information and instructions, RAM (Random Access Memory) or other types of dynamic storage devices capable of storing information and instructions, or EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media, other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing computer programs and capable of being read by a computer, without limitation herein.

[0283] The memory 4003 is used to store computer programs that execute embodiments of the present disclosure, and is controlled by the processor 4001 to execute them. The processor 4001 is used to execute the computer programs stored in the memory 4003 to implement the steps shown in the foregoing method embodiments.

[0284] This disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, can implement the steps and corresponding content of the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0285] This disclosure also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, can implement the steps and corresponding content of the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0286] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” “1,” “2,” etc. (if present) in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this disclosure are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a particular order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this disclosure described herein can be implemented in a sequence other than that shown in the figures or text.

[0287] It should be understood that although arrows indicate various operation steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments of this disclosure, the order in which these steps are implemented is not limited to the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, in some implementation scenarios of the embodiments of this disclosure, the implementation steps in each flowchart can be executed in other orders as required. Furthermore, some or all of the steps in each flowchart may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages based on the actual implementation scenario. Some or all of these sub-steps or stages can be executed at the same time, and each sub-step or stage can also be executed at different times. In scenarios where execution times differ, the execution order of these sub-steps or stages can be flexibly configured as required, and the embodiments of this disclosure do not limit this.

[0288] The above text and accompanying drawings are provided as examples only to help the reader understand this disclosure. They are not intended and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure in any way. Although certain embodiments and examples have been provided, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art, based on the content disclosed herein, that changes can be made to the illustrated embodiments and examples, and other similar implementations based on the technical concept of this disclosure can be adopted without departing from the scope of this disclosure, and these modifications and modifications are also within the protection scope of the embodiments of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method executed by a user equipment (UE) in a communication system, characterized in that, include: Receive system information, which includes information related to the first common timing advance (TA) and the second common TA. The first common TA corresponds to the round-trip transmission delay (RTT) between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point, and the second common TA corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the UE. The uplink time synchronization reference point is located between the satellite and the ground base station. Based on information related to the first public TA and information related to the second public TA, determine the TA; Based on the determined TA, send an uplink signal; Among them, the information related to the first common TA includes the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the first common TA drift variance; and Information related to the second common TA includes the second common TA, the second common TA drift, and the variance of the second common TA drift.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The determination of the TA based on information related to the first public TA and information related to the second public TA includes: The first TA quantity is determined based on the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the first common TA drift variance; The second TA quantity is determined based on the second common TA, the second common TA drift, and the variance of the second common TA drift. The TA is determined based on the first TA quantity and / or the second TA quantity.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The determination of the first TA quantity based on the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the first common TA drift variance is based on the following method: in, Indicates the first TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point at time t. Indicates the first common TA, Indicates the first common TA drift. This represents the variance of the first common TA drift. The epoch time represents the epoch time of the first public TA-related information, and t represents the time when the UE determines the first TA quantity. For a predefined time length; The determination of the first TA quantity based on the second common TA, the drift of the second common TA, and the variance of the drift of the second common TA is based on the following method: in, Indicates the second TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite at time t. Indicates the second common TA, Indicates the second common TA drift. This represents the variance of the second common TA drift. The epoch time represents the information related to the second public TA, and t represents the time when the UE determines the second TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The determination of TA based on the first TA quantity and the second TA quantity is based on the following method: in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA. This represents the second TA quantity determined based on the second common TA. This refers to the TA indicating random access response, absolute TA control of the media access control layer control element MAC CE, and / or TA control of the MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Also includes: After establishing the Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection state, UE-specific TA-related information is received via UE-specific RRC signaling. The UE-specific TA-related information includes UE-specific TA, UE-specific TA drift, and UE-specific TA drift variance. The TA is determined based on the information related to the UE-specific TA; Based on the determined TA, an uplink signal is sent.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The determination of the TA based on the information related to the UE-specific TA includes: The third TA quantity is determined based on the information related to the UE-specific TA, and the TA is determined based on the third TA quantity; The determination of the third TA quantity based on the UE-specific TA-related information is based on the following method: in, Indicates the third TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite at time t. Indicates UE-specific TA, Indicates UE-specific TA drift. This represents the UE-specific TA drift variance. This indicates the epoch time of the UE-specific TA information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the third TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The determination of TA based on the third TA quantity is based on the following method: in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA. This indicates the third TA quantity determined based on the UE-specific TA. This refers to a TA indicating a random access response, an absolute TA controlling a MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling a MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

8. A method executed by a user equipment (UE) in a communication system, characterized in that, include: Receive system information, which includes synchronization signal block (SSB) configuration information and satellite ephemeris information of at least two adjacent cells; Based on the SSB configuration information of at least two neighboring cells, the arrival time difference between the SSBs of at least two neighboring cells and the SSB of the serving cell is measured. The location of the UE is determined based on the arrival time difference, the location of the serving cell satellite, and the location of the satellites of at least two neighboring cells. The location of the serving cell satellite is derived based on the satellite ephemeris of the serving cell, and the location of the satellites of at least two neighboring cells is derived based on the satellite ephemeris of the at least two neighboring cells. Based on the location of the UE and the location of the serving cell satellite, determine the fourth timing advance TA amount; Determine the TA based on the fourth TA quantity; Based on the determined TA, an uplink signal is sent.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The determination of TA based on the fourth TA quantity is based on the following method: in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA, where the first common TA corresponds to the round-trip transmission delay (RTT) between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. This represents the fourth TA quantity determined based on the location of the UE and the location of the serving cell satellite. The TA indicates a random access response, absolute TA control MACCE, and / or TA control MACCE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, Also includes: After establishing the RRC connection state, UE-specific TA-related information is received through UE-specific RRC signaling. The UE-specific TA-related information includes UE-specific TA, UE-specific TA drift, and UE-specific TA drift variance. The TA is determined based on the information related to the UE-specific TA; Based on the determined TA, an uplink signal is sent.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The determination of the TA based on the information related to the UE-specific TA includes: The third TA quantity is determined based on the information related to the UE-specific TA, and the TA is determined based on the third TA quantity; The determination of the third TA quantity based on the UE-specific TA-related information is based on the following method: in, Indicates the third TA quantity. yes twice the amount Quantization value, This represents the one-way transmission delay between the UE and the satellite at time t. Indicates UE-specific TA, Indicates UE-specific TA drift. This represents the UE-specific TA drift variance. This indicates the epoch time of the UE-specific TA information, where t represents the time when the UE determines the third TA quantity. The time length is predefined.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The determination of TA based on the third TA quantity is based on the following method: in, Indicates a definite TA, This represents the first TA quantity determined based on the first common TA, where the first common TA corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point. This indicates the third TA quantity determined based on the UE-specific TA. The TA indicates a random access response, an absolute TA controlling MAC CE, and / or a TA controlling MAC CE indication or adjustment. This indicates the TA offset as indicated in the system information. It is the offset between uplink and downlink frames at the uplink time synchronization reference point. The time length is predefined.

13. The method according to any one of claims 8-12, characterized in that, Also includes: Receive measurement interval configuration; Specifically, the arrival time difference between the SSB of the at least two adjacent cells and the SSB of the serving cell is measured within the configured measurement interval.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The SSB used for measurement is repeatedly transmitted in the frequency domain; and / or, The SSB used for measurement is transmitted via frequency hopping on different symbols; The SSB used for measurement is at least one of the primary synchronization signal PSS, the secondary synchronization signal SSS, the physical broadcast channel PBCH, and the demodulation reference signal DMRS of PBCH.

15. A method executed by a user equipment (UE) in a communication system, characterized in that, include: Receive system information, which includes information related to reference time; Based on the difference between the reference time and the UE's local time, the fifth timing advance TA amount is determined; Determine the TA based on the fifth TA quantity; Based on the determined TA, an uplink signal is sent.

16. A method performed by a satellite in a communication system, characterized in that, include: Send system information, which includes information related to the first common timing advance (TA) and the second common TA. The first common TA corresponds to the round-trip transmission delay (RTT) between the satellite and the uplink time synchronization reference point, and the second common TA corresponds to the RTT between the satellite and the UE. The uplink time synchronization reference point is located between the satellite and the ground base station. The UE receives an uplink signal, which is sent based on a TA determined by the UE. The TA is determined by the UE based on information related to a first common TA and information related to a second common TA. Among them, the information related to the first common TA includes the first common TA, the first common TA drift, and the first common TA drift variance; and Information related to the second common TA includes the second common TA, the second common TA drift, and the variance of the second common TA drift.

17. A method performed by a satellite in a communication system, characterized in that, include: Send system information, which includes the configuration information of the synchronization signal block (SSB) of at least two adjacent cells and satellite ephemeris information; The UE receives an uplink signal, which is sent by the UE based on a predetermined timing advance TA. The TA is determined by the UE based on a fourth TA quantity, which is determined by the UE based on the UE's location and the location of the serving cell satellite. The UE's location is determined by the UE based on the time difference of arrival (STB) of the serving cell satellite, the location of the serving cell satellite, and the locations of at least two neighboring cell satellites. The STB's ...

18. A method performed by a satellite in a communication system, characterized in that, include: Send system information, which includes information related to reference time; The UE receives an uplink signal, which is sent in advance based on a timing advance TA determined by the UE. The TA is determined by the UE based on a fifth TA quantity, which is determined by the UE based on the difference between the reference time and the UE's local time.

19. A user equipment in a communication system, characterized in that, The method includes a transceiver and a processor coupled to the transceiver, the processor being configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-15.

20. A satellite in a communication system, characterized in that, The method includes a transceiver and a processor coupled to the transceiver, the processor being configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 16-18.

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