A method and apparatus for measuring a gap configuration

Abstract

The application relates to the field of wireless communication access networks, and provides a measurement gap configuration method and device. A network device or a network device side measurement gap configuration device configures a measurement gap corresponding to the time domain position of a reference signal of a frequency different neighbor area, the reference signal is configured to have at least one time offset, and is used for frequency different neighbor area measurement of a terminal device; gap configuration information is sent to the terminal device, the gap configuration information contains configuration information about the measurement gap; the terminal device or a terminal device side measurement gap configuration device determines the measurement gap according to the gap configuration information; and the reference signal of the frequency different neighbor area is measured in the measurement gap. The application can make the configured measurement gap correspond to the time domain position of the reference signal of the frequency different neighbor area, and meet the measurement gap configuration requirement of a downlink coverage enhancement scene.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wireless communication access networks, and in particular to a method and apparatus for configuring measurement gaps. Background Technology

[0002] In inter-frequency (INF) communication systems, terminal devices can be simultaneously covered by multiple cells of different frequencies. To maintain service continuity for INF devices in Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state, INF devices need to perform inter-frequency neighbor cell measurements before handover between cells on different frequencies.

[0003] In existing 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) technology, the base station (gNB) configures the frequency to be measured to the terminal equipment via a reconfiguration message (RRCReconfiguration). The configuration information can be configured in two ways: one is a gap configuration information (GapConfig), where each GapConfig can only configure a single periodically occurring measurement window; the other is a measurement object (MeasObjectNR) configuration, where each MeasObjectNR (each measurement object describes a frequency) can be configured with a maximum of two sets of gap configuration information (GapConfig). Inter-frequency neighbor cell measurements are then performed based on the measurement window determined by the configuration information. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In the existing 3GPP standard, each gap configuration information (GapConfig) can only be configured for a single measurement window that occurs periodically, and each measurement object (MeasObjectNR) can be configured with a maximum of two sets of gap configuration information (GapConfig). Neither of these two measurement gap configuration methods can meet the measurement gap configuration requirements of satellite network downlink coverage enhancement scenarios.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a measurement gap configuration device for use in network equipment. The device includes a first processing unit configured to perform the following operations:

[0006] The measurement gap is configured to correspond to the time-domain position of the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell. The reference signal is configured to have at least one time offset for the terminal device to perform inter-frequency neighboring cell measurement. The reference signal is, for example, a Synchronization Signal / PBCH Block (SSB), a Cell Reference Signal (CRS), or a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS).

[0007] The gap configuration information GapConfig is sent to the terminal device. The gap configuration information GapConfig contains configuration information about the measurement gap.

[0008] In a further embodiment of this application, configuring a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell includes:

[0009] Within the gap configuration information GapConfig, at least one sub-gap configuration information SubGapConfig is configured, and at least one sub-gap has the same measurement gap period.

[0010] The SubGapConfig configuration information for each sub-gap is used to determine the measurement gap with a time offset within the measurement gap period.

[0011] In a further embodiment of this application, at least one sub-gap configuration information SubGapConfig is configured within the gap configuration information GapConfig, including:

[0012] Within the gap configuration information GapConfig, a sub-gap configuration information list SubGapConfigList is set, wherein the sub-gap configuration information list SubGapConfigList includes at least one sub-gap configuration information.

[0013] In a further embodiment of this application, the sub-gap configuration information includes at least: the gap offset at the start time of the measurement gap.

[0014] In a further embodiment of this application, the sub-gap configuration information further includes at least one of the following: measuring gap length mgl, measuring gap start time advance amount mgta.

[0015] In a further embodiment of this application, configuring a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell includes:

[0016] Associate at least one gap configuration information, GapConfig, with the measurement object MeasObjectNR;

[0017] Each gap configuration information, GapConfig, corresponds to a measurement gap with a time offset.

[0018] In a further embodiment of this application, associating at least one gap configuration information GapConfig with the measurement object MeasObjectNR includes:

[0019] Configure a measurement gap identifier list associatedMeasGapSSBList in the measurement object MeasObjectNR, wherein the associatedMeasGapSSBList includes at least one measurement gap identifier, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information; or

[0020] At least one measurement gap identifier is directly configured in the measurement object MeasObjectNR, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig.

[0021] In a further embodiment of this application, configuring a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell includes:

[0022] Configure measurement gap cycle configuration information and enablePosition indicator;

[0023] Wherein, the measurement gap period indicated by the measurement gap period configuration information is less than the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured;

[0024] The indicator cell is used to indicate whether the measurement gap in the measurement gap period is valid.

[0025] This application also provides a measurement gap configuration device for use in a terminal device, wherein the device includes a second processing unit configured to perform the following operations:

[0026] Receive gap configuration information GapConfig sent from a network device, the gap configuration information GapConfig containing configuration information of measurement gaps corresponding to the time domain position of a reference signal in a different frequency neighboring cell, the reference signal being configured to have at least one time offset;

[0027] The measurement gap is determined based on the gap configuration information GapConfig;

[0028] Within the measurement gap, the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell is measured.

[0029] In a further embodiment of this application, determining the measurement gap includes:

[0030] The gap configuration information GapConfig includes at least one sub-gap configuration information SubGapConfig, and the at least one sub-gap has the same measurement gap period.

[0031] Based on the at least one sub-gap configuration information, a measurement gap with a time offset is determined within the measurement gap period.

[0032] In a further embodiment of this application, determining the measurement gap includes:

[0033] The network device receives a measurement object MeasObjectNR, which is associated with at least one gap configuration information GapConfig, wherein each gap configuration information GapConfig corresponds to a measurement gap with a time offset.

[0034] The measurement gap is determined based on at least one gap configuration information GapConfig associated with the measurement object MeasObjectNR.

[0035] In a further embodiment of this application, determining the measurement gap based on at least one gap configuration information GapConfig associated with the measurement object MeasObjectNR includes:

[0036] The measurement object MeasObjectNR contains a measurement gap identifier list associatedMeasGapSSBList, or the measurement object MeasObjectNR contains at least one measurement gap identifier, wherein the measurement gap identifier list (associatedMeasGapSSBList) includes at least one measurement gap identifier, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig;

[0037] The measurement gap is determined based on the at least one measurement gap identifier.

[0038] In a further embodiment of this application, determining the measurement gap includes:

[0039] The network device receives measurement gap period configuration information and enablePosition indication information, wherein the measurement gap period indicated by the measurement gap period configuration information is less than the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured.

[0040] Based on the indicated information element, the effective measurement gap within the reference signal period of the cell to be measured is determined.

[0041] This application also provides a method for configuring measurement gaps, applied to a network device, wherein the method includes:

[0042] A measurement gap is configured to correspond to the time-domain position of the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell. The reference signal is configured to have at least one time offset for the terminal device to perform inter-frequency neighboring cell measurement. The reference signal is, for example, a Synchronization Signal / PBCH Block (SSB), a Cell Reference Signal (CRS), or a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS).

[0043] The gap configuration information GapConfig is sent to the terminal device. The gap configuration information GapConfig contains configuration information about the measurement gap.

[0044] This application also provides a method for configuring a measurement gap, applied to a terminal device, wherein the method includes:

[0045] Receive gap configuration information GapConfig sent from a network device, the gap configuration information GapConfig containing configuration information of measurement gaps corresponding to the time domain position of a reference signal in a different frequency neighboring cell, the reference signal being configured to have at least one time offset;

[0046] The measurement gap is determined based on the gap configuration information GapConfig;

[0047] Within the measurement gap, the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell is measured.

[0048] This application also provides a network device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement a measurement gap configuration method applied to the network device side.

[0049] This application also provides a terminal device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement a measurement gap configuration method applied to the terminal device side.

[0050] In another aspect, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor of a computer device, implements the aforementioned method applied to a network device or a terminal device.

[0051] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor of a computer device, implements the aforementioned method applied to a network device side or a terminal device side.

[0052] The measurement gap configuration method and apparatus provided in this application configure measurement gaps corresponding to the time-domain positions of reference signals in inter-frequency neighboring cells. The reference signals are configured to have at least one subsequent time offset for use by terminal devices to perform inter-frequency neighboring cell measurements. GapConfig information is sent to the terminal devices, containing configuration information about the measurement gaps. This achieves the following technical effects: Firstly, it avoids omissions in configuring the time-domain positions of the reference signals for the frequencies to be measured, which could prevent inter-cell handover and affect the continuity of terminal services. It also avoids overly dense measurement gap configurations, which could affect serving cell services and waste air interface resources. Secondly, it enables flexible configuration of measurement gaps, allowing them to correspond to the time-domain positions of the reference signals in the downlink coverage scenario. This application ensures the mobility of terminal devices in connected mode after downlink coverage enhancement while saving air interface resources and reducing unnecessary service interruptions.

[0053] To make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0054] The elements and features described in one drawing or embodiment of this application may be combined with elements and features shown in one or more other drawings or embodiments. Furthermore, in the drawings, similar reference numerals denote corresponding parts in several drawings and can be used to indicate corresponding parts used in more than one embodiment.

[0055] The accompanying drawings, which form part of the specification, are used to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of this application and illustrate the implementation methods of this application, together with the textual description, to explain the principles of this application. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative effort. In the drawings:

[0056] Figure 1A schematic diagram illustrating the configuration method of gap configuration information GapConfig in the prior art is shown;

[0057] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the time-domain distribution of the SSB cluster when the SSB period is 20ms in the prior art.

[0058] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the time-domain distribution of the SSB cluster when the SSB period is 160ms in the prior art.

[0059] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of base station and cell deployment based on downlink coverage enhancement in the prior art is shown;

[0060] Figure 5 This diagram illustrates a situation where the existing gap configuration cannot support the measurement gap configuration after downlink coverage enhancement;

[0061] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates another method where the existing gap configuration cannot support the measurement gap configuration after downlink coverage enhancement;

[0062] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0063] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the gap configuration information according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0064] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the measurement object configuration according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0065] Figure 10 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the short-cycle measurement gap periodic matching indicator cell configuration of the measurement gap according to an embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 11 A flowchart illustrating a measurement gap configuration method applied to the network device side according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0067] Figure 12 A flowchart illustrating a measurement gap configuration method applied to the terminal device side according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0068] Figure 13 A structural diagram of a measurement gap configuration device applied to the network device side according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0069] Figure 14 A structural diagram of a measurement gap configuration device applied to the terminal device side according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0070] Figure 15 A schematic diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0071] Figure 16 A schematic diagram of the network device configuration according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0072] Explanation of symbols in the attached drawings:

[0073] 701. Network equipment;

[0074] 702. Terminal equipment;

[0075] 1301, First Processing Unit;

[0076] 1401, Second Processing Unit;

[0077] 1500, Terminal Equipment;

[0078] 1510. Processor;

[0079] 1520. Memory;

[0080] 1530. Communication module;

[0081] 1540. Input Unit;

[0082] 1550. Monitor;

[0083] 1560. Power supply;

[0084] 1600. Network equipment;

[0085] 1610. Processor;

[0086] 1620. Memory;

[0087] 1630. Program;

[0088] 1640. Transceiver;

[0089] 1650, Antenna. Detailed Implementation

[0090] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0091] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, apparatus, product, or device that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0092] In this specification, unless otherwise stated, "and / or" describes a relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. Furthermore, in this application's description, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0093] In this specification, the expressions "greater than" or "less than" may be used to determine whether a specific condition is met. However, this is only for illustrative purposes and is not intended to exclude statements of "above" or "below". A condition described as "above" may be replaced by "greater than", a condition described as "below" may be replaced by "less than", and a condition described as "above and less than" may be replaced by "greater than and below". Furthermore, hereinafter, "A" to "B" represent at least one of the elements from A (inclusive) to B (inclusive).

[0094] In the embodiments of this application, the singular forms "a," "the," etc., including the plural forms, should be broadly understood as "a kind" or "a class" rather than limited to the meaning of "an." Furthermore, the term "the" should be understood to include both the singular and plural forms, unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise. Additionally, the term "according to" should be understood as "at least partially based on…," and the term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on…," unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise.

[0095] This specification provides the operational steps of the methods described in the embodiments or flowcharts, but based on conventional or non-inventive labor, more or fewer operational steps may be included. The order of steps listed in the embodiments is merely one possible execution order among many and does not represent the only possible execution order. In actual system or device products, the methods shown in the embodiments or drawings can be executed sequentially or in parallel.

[0096] It should be noted that in the embodiments of this application, certain software, components, models and other existing solutions in the industry may be mentioned. These should be regarded as exemplary and are only intended to illustrate the feasibility of implementing the technical solution of this application. However, they do not mean that the applicant has used or necessarily used the solution.

[0097] This application uses terminology used in some communication specifications (e.g., the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, ETSI, Extensible Radio Access Network, ERAN, and Open-Radio Access Network, O-RAN) to describe various embodiments, but this is merely illustrative. The various embodiments of this application can also be readily modified and applied in other communication systems.

[0098] In the embodiments of this application, communication between devices in the communication system can be carried out according to communication protocols at any stage, such as including but not limited to the following communication protocols: 1G (generation), 2G, 2.5G, 2.75G, 3G, 4G, 4.5G and 5G, New Radio (NR) and / or other currently known or future communication protocols.

[0099] For ease of understanding, the technical terms involved in the embodiments of this application will be explained below.

[0100] (1) Terminal Device: This refers to a device with wireless transceiver capabilities that can work with network equipment to provide communication services to users. Terminal devices can be fixed or mobile, and can also be called terminal, user equipment (UE), user terminal, mobile terminal (MT), user agent, subscriber station (SS), access terminal (AT), station or mobile station (MS), etc.

[0101] For example, terminal devices can be mobile phones, tablets, laptops, wearable devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, wireless communication devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical surgery, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) devices, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) devices, devices in device-to-device communication (D2D), enhanced machine-type communication (eMTC) devices, and reduced-capacity devices. Capability (RedCap), cellular phones, cordless phones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, Wireless Local Loop (WLL) stations, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), machine-type communication devices, laptops, wireless modems, digital cameras, clients, handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, in-vehicle or marine equipment, etc.

[0102] In scenarios such as the Internet of Things (IoT), terminal devices can also be machines or devices used for monitoring or measurement, including but not limited to: machine-type communication (MTC) terminals, vehicle-mounted communication terminals, device-to-device (D2D) terminals, machine-to-machine (M2M) terminals, and so on.

[0103] (2) Network equipment: refers to network-side equipment capable of communicating with terminal equipment. Network equipment can be located on satellites or the ground. Network equipment can also be called space base stations, satellite-borne base stations, satellites, satellite communication nodes, satellite network terminal equipment, satellite communication modules, or base stations, etc. This network-side equipment can also be called access network equipment or wireless access network equipment. Network-side equipment can be a base station (BTS) in a satellite-borne Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communication system, a base station (NodeB, NB) in a satellite-borne Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, an evolved base station (eNB or eNodeB) in a satellite-borne LTE system, a base station in a terrestrial network or non-terrestrial network (NTN), such as a base station (gNB) in a satellite-borne 5G network, a base station in a future network after 5G (e.g., 6G network), a base station in a future evolved Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) network, a Transmission Reception Point (TRP) in a satellite, or a Cloud Radio Access Network in a satellite. In the context of Networks (CRAN), wireless controllers can also be satellite-borne city base stations, micro base stations, pico base stations, or femtobase stations. Base stations can also be ground-based base stations capable of satellite communication, and can be referred to as Access Points (APs), 5G nodes, wireless points, or Transmission / Reception Points (TRPs), the latter being other terms with equivalent technical meanings. Network equipment can also refer to base station equipment carried by High Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS) with loiter capabilities, such as large balloons or airships, base station equipment in Roadside Units (RSUs), or base station equipment in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) networks.Network devices can also include broadcast transmitters, Mobile Management Entities (MMEs), gateways, servers, Radio Network Controllers (RNCs), Base Station Controllers (BSCs), and so on.

[0104] Base stations can include, but are not limited to: NodeBs (or NBs), evolved NodeBs (eNodeBs or eNBs), and 5G base stations (gNBs), IAB hosts, etc. They can also include Remote Radio Heads (RRHs), Remote Radio Units (RRUs), relays, or low-power nodes (e.g., femto, pico, etc.). The term "base station" can include some or all of their functions, and each base station can provide communication coverage to a specific geographic area. The term "cell" can refer to a base station and / or its coverage area, depending on the context in which the term is used.

[0105] Both terminal devices and base station devices can perform beamforming, but the embodiments of this application are not limited to this. In some embodiments, the terminal may or may not perform beamforming. Furthermore, the base station may or may not perform beamforming. That is, only one of the terminal and the base station can perform beamforming, or neither the terminal nor the base station may perform beamforming. In this application, a beam refers to the spatial flow of signals in a wireless channel, formed by one or more antennas or antenna elements; such a formation process can be called beamforming.

[0106] Furthermore, the term "network side" or "network equipment side" refers to one side of the network, which can be a base station or include one or more network devices as described above. The term "terminal side" or "terminal equipment side" refers to the side of the user or terminal, which can be a UE or include one or more terminal devices as described above.

[0107] In the embodiments of this application, configuration / instruction refers to the network device configuring / instructing directly or indirectly through higher-layer signaling. Configuration / instruction can be achieved by introducing higher-layer parameters into the higher-layer signaling. Higher-layer parameters refer to information fields and / or information elements / information units / information cells (IEs) in the higher-layer signaling.

[0108] In the embodiments of this application, the reference signal is, for example, a synchronization signal / PBCHBlock (SSB), a cell reference signal (CRS), a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), and so on.

[0109] In inter-frequency (Inter-frequency) communication systems, terminal devices can be simultaneously covered by multiple cells at different frequencies. To maintain service continuity for RRC-connected terminal devices, measurements of neighboring cells in different frequencies are required before handover between cells. In existing 3GPP technologies, when performing inter-frequency measurements, the terminal device needs to adjust its antenna to the corresponding frequency and temporarily interrupt data transmission with the serving cell. To prevent the terminal device from missing data from the serving cell during inter-frequency measurements, the base station needs to explicitly configure the frequency to be measured (MeasGapConfig) to the terminal device using the RRCReconfiguration message. Within the measurement window indicated by MeasGapConfig, the terminal device and the base station do not intend to transmit or receive data on the serving cell, ensuring that the terminal device can safely detect reference signals from neighboring cells within this measurement window without worrying about missing data from the serving cell.

[0110] Specifically, MeasGapConfig includes three types of configurations: UE level (configured by the gapUE field), frequency range level (configured by the gapFR1 and gapFR2 fields), and frequency level (configured by the gapToAddModList field). The configuration parameters for each type are basically the same, and the specific configuration parameters are defined as the gap configuration information GapConfig.

[0111] In one implementation, the 3GPP standard defines the information element of MeasGapConfig as follows:

[0112]

[0113] The 3GPP standard defines the information element of gap configuration information (GapConfig) as follows:

[0114]

[0115] For example, the cell definition of the gap configuration information GapConfig-r17 in 3GPP standard version 17 is as follows:

[0116]

[0117] In the above structure, the main parameters used to describe the gap measurement window in the gap configuration information GapConfig are:

[0118] gapOffset: Measurement gap repetition period, the offset at the start of the measurement gap;

[0119] mgl: measurement gap length;

[0120] mgrp: Measurement gap repetition period;

[0121] mgta: measurement gap timing advance, the amount of time before the start of the measurement gap.

[0122] like Figure 1 As shown, the gap configuration information GapConfig can describe a periodically occurring "single" measurement window through the above parameters. The terminal device performs neighbor cell measurements for different frequencies within this measurement window. For example, if the reference signal of the neighbor cell to be measured is a Synchronization Signal / PBCH Block (SSB), the measurement window configured by the gap configuration information GapConfig should be able to include the time domain location of one SSB of the neighbor cell.

[0123] In one implementation, each frequency configuration information of MeasGapConfig is carried in a MeasObject. The 3GPP standard defines the MeasObjectNR for 5G (NR) as follows: The MeasObjectNR specifies information applicable for intra-frequency / inter-frequency measurements of SS / PBCH block(s) and / or intra-frequency / inter-frequency measurements of Channel State Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS).

[0124] Specifically, the 3GPP standard introduced the parallel measurement gap function in Release 17. For a 5G NTN frequency measurement object (MeasObjectNR), up to two sets of gap configuration information (GapConfig) can be associated. The existing 3GPP standard defines the data structure of MeasObjectNR in the air interface as follows, where the information cells associatedMeasGapSSB-r17 and associatedMeasGapSSB2-v1720 indicate the two sets of gap configuration information (GapConfig) associated with the measurement object (MeasObjectNR):

[0125]

[0126] In summary, in existing technologies, each gap configuration information (GapConfig) can only configure a single periodically occurring measurement window, and each measurement object (MeasObjectNR, which describes one frequency) can be configured with a maximum of two sets of gap configuration information (GapConfig). This measurement gap configuration method cannot meet the measurement gap configuration requirements in satellite network downlink coverage enhancement scenarios. A detailed analysis follows:

[0127] In downlink coverage enhancement scenarios, in order to cover a wide ground area with a limited number of satellite antennas, the "reference signal default period" is extended so that a single antenna can serve more bands in a time-division manner. Taking the reference signal as SSB as an example, the corresponding band refers to the coverage area of ​​the beam transmitting the SSB on the ground.

[0128] Before extending the default SSB period, the default SSB period was 20ms. Terminal devices used this 20ms default period for SSB detection during initial cell search. Referring to 3GPP TS 38.213, "For initial cell selection, a UE may assume that half frames with SS / PBCH blocks occur with a periodicity of 2 frames." To ensure stable access for terminal devices to a particular cell, the base station also needs to set the SSB period (ssb-periodicityServingCell) of that cell to 20ms, or a period shorter than 20ms. Specifically... Figure 2 As shown, taking SSB pattern case C as an example, when the SSB period is 20ms, the "SSB burst" formed by the 8 time-division SSBs is concentrated in the first 2ms of each double frame (20ms). Figure 2 Each rectangular block represents an SSB burst, and each SSB burst contains a maximum of 8 time-division SSBs. In this way, a single SSB beam can provide time-division service for 8 positions, which can belong to the same cell.

[0129] To meet the needs of enhanced downlink coverage scenarios, the 3GPP standard, in release 19, determined to extend the default SSB period from 20ms to 160ms. Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3This diagram illustrates the time-domain distribution of a typical SSB cluster when the SSB period (SSB-periodicityservingCell) is 160ms. With a 160ms SSB period, from the perspective of the terminal device, an SSB occurs once every 160ms; from the base station's perspective, it can still transmit 8 SSBs (forming one SSB burst) every 20ms, belonging to the same cell. Within the 160ms period, there are 8 SSB bursts, each belonging to 8 "asynchronous" cells, and each cell can provide service for 8 spectral positions. Thus, a single SSB beam can serve a maximum of 64 spectral positions within a 160ms period, achieving enhanced downlink coverage.

[0130] Downlink coverage enhancement technology can increase the coverage area of ​​satellites, but it makes the MeasGapConfig configuration more complex. Taking the aforementioned downlink coverage enhancement scenario with an SSB period of 160ms as an example, a typical cell deployment would be... Figure 4 As shown, gNB1 contains 8 asynchronous cells, each using the same frequency (frequency1) for its SSB, and each cell covers 8 frequency positions. gNB1 uses one SSB beam to serve these 64 frequency positions. Terminal device A is camped on another gNB2 (which may be a TN or NTN base station). The SSB of gNB2 is deployed on a different frequency (frequency2) than the SSB of gNB1 (i.e., gNB1 and gNB2 are inter-frequency). Terminal device A is in RRC connected state and needs to perform inter-frequency measurements on the SSB of gNB1 to perform cell handover from gNB2 to gNB1. For this type of cell handover, the gap configuration methods are mainly as follows:

[0131] (1) Simple configuration scenario:

[0132] like Figure 4 As shown, assume that gNB2 can accurately determine the location of terminal device A and the SSB beam distribution of gNB1. That is, gNB2 can accurately know that terminal device A is located at the intersection of the three beams of gNB1. When gNB2 configures the MeasGapConfig of gNB1 for terminal device A, the measurement window needs to include "beam 2 of cell 1", "beam 1 of cell 2", and "beam 8 of cell 8" of gNB1. In this scenario, the measurement window that GapConfig is expected to configure (i.e., the measurement window that meets the actual requirements) is... Figure 5 The time domain location of the dashed box.

[0133] However, the existing GapConfig structure does not support this "asynchronous neighbor cell" configuration, which leads to the following configuration defects, such as... Figure 5 As shown:

[0134] Configuration 1: If the measurement gap period mgRP is configured to 160ms, only one measurement window can be configured within 160ms, such as... Figure 5 The light gray window in configuration 1 refers to the first window in configuration 1. This will omit two windows, such as the dark gray windows in configuration 1, which are the second and third windows in configuration 1. Figure 5 The dark gray window is not the window configured in configuration 1, but rather the window that should have been configured but was actually missed. It's clear that configuration 1 will prevent terminal device A from handing over to cell 2 and cell 8. Even using the parallel measurement gap function, only two measurement windows can be configured, and one window will still be missed.

[0135] Configuration 2: If the measurement gap period mgrp is configured to 20ms, there will be 8 measurement windows within the 160ms SSB period, such as... Figure 5 Configuration 2 uses all time windows. Correspondingly, windows three through seven are invalid time-domain locations. Within these invalid windows, the terminal device cannot measure neighboring cells or transmit data with the serving cell. Therefore, configuration 2 leads to resource waste.

[0136] (2) Complex configuration scenarios:

[0137] To protect user security and privacy, terminal devices typically do not report their location to the base station in real time. Therefore, the gNB2 serving the terminal device cannot obtain its accurate location. Furthermore, gNB2 has difficulty obtaining the beam distribution of gNB1. gNB2 can usually only configure MeasGapConfig at a large granularity, such as at the beam position or even cell level, without performing fine-grained, differentiated configuration based on the accurate location of the terminal device. Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 When the SSB period (SSB-periodicityServingCell) is set to 160ms, and the granularity of the MeasGapConfig configuration performed by gNB2 is the area within the dashed circle (this area could be the gNB2's wave position or cell), the neighboring cell range to be configured will become Cell 1, Cell 2, Cell 3, Cell 7, and Cell 8. The corresponding expected measurement windows to be configured are as follows: Figure 6 As shown in the dashed box. In summary, in more general scenarios, the configuration of the measurement gap will be more complex, and the existing configuration schemes will be less applicable, referring to configuration 1 and configuration 2 above.

[0138] To address the problem that the measurement gap configuration in the existing technology cannot meet the measurement gap configuration requirements of satellite network downlink coverage enhancement scenarios, this application proposes the following embodiments.

[0139] First aspect of the embodiments

[0140] The first aspect of this application provides a communication system, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the communication system includes: network device 701 and terminal device 702. For simplicity, Figure 7 This example uses only three terminal devices and one network device, but the embodiments in this application are not limited to this. It is worth noting that... Figure 7 The illustration shows that all three terminal devices 702 are within the coverage area of ​​network device 701, but this application is not limited thereto. Figure 7 In this process, terminal device 702 and network device 701 establish an RRC connection.

[0141] In this embodiment of the application, network device 701 and terminal device 702 can transmit existing services or services that can be implemented in the future. For example, these services may include, but are not limited to: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine type communication (mMTC), and ultra-reliable and low-latency communication (URLLC), etc.

[0142] For example, terminal device 702 can send data to network device 701, such as using authorized or unauthorized transmission methods. Network device 701 can receive data sent by one or more terminal devices 702 and send feedback information to terminal device 702, such as ACK / NACK confirmation information. Based on the feedback information, terminal device 702 can confirm the end of the transmission process, or can initiate new data transmission, or can retransmit the data.

[0143] Network device 701 can send data to terminal device 702 using unicast, multicast, or broadcast. Terminal device 702 can receive data sent by one or more network devices (e.g., dual-connection or multi-connection) via a downlink or by terminal device 702 via a sidelink.

[0144] In implementation, network device 701 is configured to perform the following operations: configure a measurement gap corresponding to the time domain position of the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell, wherein the reference signal is configured to have at least one time offset for terminal device 702 to perform inter-frequency neighboring cell measurement; and send gap configuration information GapConfig to terminal device 702, wherein the gap configuration information GapConfig contains configuration information about the measurement gap.

[0145] In some implementations, network device 701 is configured to configure a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell when terminal device 702 needs to measure the inter-frequency neighboring cell.

[0146] Terminal device 702 is configured to perform the following operations: receive gap configuration information GapConfig sent from network device 701, the gap configuration information GapConfig containing configuration information of a measurement gap corresponding to the time domain position of a reference signal in a neighboring frequency cell, the reference signal being configured to have at least one time offset; determine a measurement gap based on the gap configuration information GapConfig; and measure the reference signal of the neighboring frequency cell within the measurement gap.

[0147] Among them, network device 701 is a network device that has established an RRC connection with terminal device 702, and is abbreviated as the first network device. The inter-frequency neighbor cell corresponds to a second network device that is different from the first network device, and the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighbor cell can be configured to have one or more time offsets. The first network device and the second network device have different frequencies.

[0148] In this embodiment, the measurement gaps are configured to correspond to the reference signals. Specifically, the number and time-domain positions of the measurement gaps correspond to the number and time-domain positions of the reference signals. Assuming there are four time offsets for the reference signals in neighboring frequency cells, there are also four corresponding measurement gaps, and each measurement gap corresponds to the time-domain position of a reference signal with one time offset. Here, "corresponding" means that the time-domain position of the measurement gap must at least include the time-domain position of the reference signal.

[0149] This embodiment can avoid missing the configuration of the reference signal time domain position of the frequency to be measured, and realize the flexible configuration of the measurement gap. The measurement gap configuration can correspond to the reference signal time domain position in the downlink coverage scenario. This application not only ensures the mobility of the terminal device in the connected state after the downlink coverage is enhanced, but also saves air interface resources and reduces unnecessary service interruptions.

[0150] In one embodiment of this application, network device 701 is configured with a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of a reference signal in an adjacent frequency zone, including:

[0151] Within the gap configuration information GapConfig, at least one sub-gap configuration information SubGapConfig is configured, and at least one sub-gap has the same measurement gap period mgrp. Each sub-gap configuration information SubGapConfig is used to determine the measurement gap with a time offset within the measurement gap period.

[0152] The sub-gap configuration information is independent of each other.

[0153] Correspondingly, terminal device 702 determines the measurement gap, including:

[0154] The gap configuration information GapConfig contains at least one sub-gap configuration information, and the at least one sub-gap has the same measurement gap period; based on the at least one sub-gap configuration information, a measurement gap with a time offset is determined within the measurement gap period.

[0155] In one specific implementation, at least one sub-gap configuration information SubGapConfig is configured within the gap configuration information GapConfig, including:

[0156] Within the gap configuration information GapConfig, a sub-gap configuration information list SubGapConfigList is set. SubGapConfigList includes at least one sub-gap configuration information SubGapConfig. The number of sub-gap configuration information SubGapConfig in SubGapConfigList depends on the implementation; one possible implementation is seven.

[0157] In some embodiments, the sub-gap configuration information includes at least an independently configured measurement gap start time offset, `gapOffset`. In some embodiments, the sub-gap configuration information also includes an independently configured measurement gap length, `mgl`. In some embodiments, the sub-gap configuration information also includes an independently configured advance amount, `mgta`, for the measurement gap start time. In some embodiments, the sub-gap configuration information also includes independently configured measurement gap length `mgl` and advance amount, `mgta`, for the measurement gap start time.

[0158] like Figure 6 In the scenario shown in this embodiment, the measurement gap is configured as follows: Figure 8 As shown, Figure 8 This diagram illustrates an extended configuration of the gap configuration information, configuring at least one measurement sub-gap within the measurement gap period mgRP. Specifically, when the SSB period is 160ms, it includes the locations of five SSB clusters: cell 1, cell 2, cell 3, cell 7, and cell 8 (e.g., ...). Figure 8 (As shown in the dashed box), the corresponding measurement gap period mgrp is 160ms, and the gap configuration information GapConfig extended configuration is as follows: Figure 8 As shown in the lower half, the SubGapConfigList contains five subGap configuration information entries.

[0159] An example of a SubGapConfigList for configuring subgap information is as follows:

[0160]

[0161] Among them, SubGapConfig-rxx is one of the sub-gap configuration structures, and the sub-gap configuration list subGapConfigList-rxx contains at least one sub-gap configuration structure.

[0162] In one embodiment of this application, network device 701 is configured with a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the reference signal of a neighboring frequency cell, including:

[0163] Associate at least one gap configuration information, GapConfig, with the measurement object MeasObjectNR. Each gap configuration information, GapConfig, corresponds to a measurement gap with a time offset.

[0164] In practice, the parameters in each gap configuration information can be configured independently and differently. Each gap configuration information includes parameters such as the advance amount mgta for the start time of the measurement gap, the measurement gap length mgl, and the measurement gap period mrgp.

[0165] Correspondingly, terminal device 702 determines the measurement gap, including:

[0166] Receive a measurement object MeasObjectNR sent by a network device. The measurement object is associated with at least one gap configuration information GapConfig, where each gap configuration information GapConfig corresponds to a measurement gap with a time offset. Determine the measurement gap based on the at least one gap configuration information GapConfig associated with the measurement object MeasObjectNR.

[0167] In one specific implementation, at least one gap configuration information, GapConfig, is associated with the measurement object MeasObjectNR, including:

[0168] Configure a measurement gap identifier list `associatedMeasGapSSBList` in the measurement object `MeasObjectNR`. `associatedMeasGapSSBList` is a list of measurement gap identifiers `MeasGapId`, including at least one `MeasGapId`, and each `MeasGapId` indicates a gap configuration. In one possible implementation, `associatedMeasGapSSBList` contains 7 measurement gap identifiers `MeasGapId`, as shown in the following embodiment where `maxNrofAssociatedMeasGapSSB` is configured to 7.

[0169] Configure the associatedMeasGapSSBList in the MeasObjectNR to associate multiple version 17 measurement gaps GapConfig-r17. It is agreed that if the network device has associatedMeasGapSSBList configured, the terminal device will ignore existing information cells associatedMeasGapSSB-r17 and associatedMeasGapSSB2-v1720, i.e., information cells in the original MeasObjectNR. In practice, existing information cells associatedMeasGapSSB-r17 and associatedMeasGapSSB2-v1720 can be retained, or existing associatedMeasGapSSB-r17 and associatedMeasGapSSB2-v1720 can be used in conjunction with associatedMeasGapSSBList.

[0170] In some implementations, at least one gap configuration information, GapConfig, is associated with the measurement object MeasObjectNR, including:

[0171] Configure at least one or more measurement gap identifiers in the measurement object MeasObjectNR, with each measurement gap identifier indicating a gap configuration information GapConfig.

[0172] An example of a measurement object MeasObjectNR is shown below, where [[associatedMeasGapSSBList…]] represents newly added content:

[0173]

[0174]

[0175] in,

[0176]

[0177] like Figure 6 In the scenario shown in this embodiment, the measurement gap is configured as follows: Figure 9 As shown, Figure 9 The diagram illustrates an extended configuration of the measurement object, associating it with the associatedMeasGapSSBList within the measurement gap period mgrp. The associatedMeasGapSSBList includes at least one measGapID-r17. Specifically, Figure 9The configuration is based on frequency levels, specifically the gapToAddModList field. Figure 9 When the SSB period is 160ms, it includes the locations of five SSB clusters: cell 1, cell 2, cell 3, cell 7, and cell 8 (e.g., Figure 9 (As shown in the dashed box), the corresponding measurement gap period mgrp is 160ms, and the contents of the MeasObjectNR extended configuration are as follows: Figure 9 As shown in the lower half, a new list associatedMeasGapSSBList is added to the measurement object MeasObjectNR, which contains at least one measGapId-r17, currently configured as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

[0178] Correspondingly, the terminal device 702 determines the measurement gap based on at least one gap configuration information GapConfig associated with the measurement object MeasObjectNR, including:

[0179] The measurement object MeasObjectNR contains a list of measurement gap identifiers associatedMeasGapSSBList, or the measurement object MeasObjectNR contains at least one measurement gap identifier, wherein the list of measurement gap identifiers includes at least one measurement gap identifier, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig; the measurement gap is determined based on at least one measurement gap identifier.

[0180] Both of the aforementioned embodiments expand the configuration by increasing the number of gaps. A more compatible approach is to reuse the existing gap configuration information structure without increasing the number of gaps, configuring a shorter measurement gap period (mgrp) to form a denser measurement window (i.e., measurement gaps), and adding an indicator cell (enablePosition) to indicate to the terminal device which measurement gaps are valid and which can be ignored. Specifically, network device 701 configures measurement gaps corresponding to the time-domain positions of the reference signals of inter-frequency neighboring cells, including:

[0181] Configure the measurement gap period configuration information and the indication cell `enablePosition`. The measurement gap period `mgrp` in the measurement gap period configuration information is less than the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured. One possible approach is to configure the measurement gap period `mgrp` to the minimum difference between the reference signal time offsets of the cells at the frequency to be measured. For example, if the SFN difference between the cells at the frequency to be measured is 2 frames, meaning the minimum difference between the reference signal time offsets of the cells is 20ms, then the measurement gap period `mgrp` is configured to 20ms. The indication cell is used to indicate whether the measurement gap in the measurement gap period is valid.

[0182] Correspondingly, terminal device 702 determines the measurement gap, including:

[0183] Receive measurement gap period configuration information and enablePosition indication information sent by the network device; determine the effective measurement gap within the reference signal period of the cell for the frequency to be measured based on the enablePosition indication information.

[0184] In this embodiment, the definition of the indicator element enablePosition is exemplified as follows: A new indicator element enablePosition can be defined using a bitmap type. The length of the bitmap can be either 8 bits (L=8) or 4 bits (L=4). 8 bits correspond to multiples of the maximum and minimum periods in the measurement gap period mgrp, i.e., 160ms / 20ms. 4 bits correspond to 160ms / 40ms or 80ms / 20ms. In the enablePosition instruction cell, setting the leftmost bit a (a = {1, 2, ..., L}) to 1 indicates that the measurement gap in the a+L*n (n = {0, 1, 2, 3, ...}) measurement gap period mgrp starting from frame number SFN0 needs to be valid. Setting the bit to 0 indicates that the measurement gap in the a+L*n (n = {0, 1, 2, 3, ...}) mgrp starting from frame number SFN0 can be ignored. Here, L represents the length of the instruction information, and n is a natural number such as 0, 1, 2, 3, etc.

[0185] like Figure 6 In the scenario of the illustrated embodiment, the SSB period for each cell is 160ms, while the base station transmits SSBs every 20ms. According to the method of this embodiment, the measurement gap period mgrp is configured to be shorter at 20ms, and the L value of enablePosition is 160ms / 20ms = 8, i.e., 8 bits. For the area where the terminal device is located, the measurement gap that needs to be configured is the measurement gap in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 8th... measurement gap period mgrp starting from SFN0. Therefore, enablePosition is configured as 11100011. Figure 10 As shown, the measurement gap at the dashed box corresponds to Enable, i.e., 1, and the measurement gap at X corresponds to Disable, i.e., 0.

[0186] In practice, other methods besides the three mentioned above for configuring measurement gaps corresponding to the time domain position of the reference signal can also be used to configure measurement gaps corresponding to the time domain position of the reference signal.

[0187] This application applies to downlink coverage enhancement scenarios in satellite networks. The aforementioned technical solution enables flexible configuration of measurement gaps, allowing the measurement gap configuration information to correspond to the reference signal measurement window in the downlink coverage enhancement scenario. This application ensures terminal mobility in connected mode after downlink coverage enhancement while conserving air interface resources and reducing unnecessary service interruptions.

[0188] Second aspect of the embodiments

[0189] In some embodiments, a method for configuring measurement gaps applied to the network device side is also provided, such as... Figure 11 As shown, it includes:

[0190] 1101, Configure a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell, wherein the reference signal is configured to have at least one time offset for the terminal device to perform inter-frequency neighboring cell measurement.

[0191] In some implementations, when the terminal device needs to measure neighboring cells of different frequencies, a measurement gap corresponding to the time domain position of the reference signal of the neighboring cell is configured.

[0192] In this process, the terminal device establishes an RRC connection with the network device.

[0193] 1102, Send gap configuration information GapConfig to the terminal device. Gap configuration information GapConfig contains configuration information about the measurement gap.

[0194] It is worth noting that the above appendix Figure 11 The embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not limited thereto. For example, the execution order of various operations can be appropriately adjusted, and additional operations can be added or some operations can be removed. Those skilled in the art can make appropriate modifications based on the above description, and are not limited to the above-described embodiments. Figure 11 The records.

[0195] In some embodiments, step 1101, configuring a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the reference signal in the inter-frequency neighboring cell, includes:

[0196] Within the gap configuration information GapConfig, at least one sub-gap configuration information SubGapConfig is configured, and at least one sub-gap has the same measurement gap period.

[0197] The SubGapConfig configuration information for each sub-gap is used to determine the measurement gap with a time offset within the measurement gap period.

[0198] In some specific implementations, at least one sub-gap configuration information SubGapConfig is configured within the gap configuration information GapConfig, including:

[0199] Within the gap configuration information GapConfig, set a sub-gap configuration information list SubGapConfigList, which includes at least one sub-gap configuration information.

[0200] This embodiment extends the gap configuration information GapConfig. The extended gap configuration information GapConfig can configure at least one measurement sub-gap within a measurement gap period mrgp. The configuration of each sub-gap includes at least the measurement gap start time offset gapOffset, and optionally parameters such as the measurement gap length mgl and the advance amount mgta of the measurement gap start time.

[0201] In some embodiments, step 1101, configuring a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the reference signal in the inter-frequency neighboring cell, includes:

[0202] Associate at least one gap configuration information, GapConfig, with the measurement object MeasObjectNR.

[0203] Each gap configuration information, GapConfig, corresponds to a measurement gap with a time offset.

[0204] In practice, the parameters in each gap configuration information GapConfig can be configured independently and differently. Each gap configuration information includes parameters such as the advance amount mgta for the start time of the measurement gap, the measurement gap length mgl, and the measurement gap period mrgp.

[0205] In some specific implementations, a measurement gap identifier list associatedMeasGapSSBList is configured in the measurement object MeasObjectNR, wherein the measurement gap identifier list associatedMeasGapSSBList includes at least one measurement gap identifier, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information; or at least one measurement gap identifier is configured in the measurement object MeasObjectNR, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig.

[0206] This embodiment extends the configuration of the NR measurement object MeasObjectNR. The extended configuration of MeasObjectNR can be associated with a list consisting of at least one gap configuration information GapConfig.

[0207] In some embodiments, step 1101, configuring a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the reference signal in the inter-frequency neighboring cell, includes:

[0208] Configure measurement gap cycle configuration information and indicator cell enablePosition.

[0209] In this configuration, the measurement gap period indicated by the measurement gap period configuration information is less than the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured. In one possible implementation, the measurement gap period is configured as the minimum difference between the reference signal time offsets of each cell at the frequency to be measured. The indication cell is used to indicate whether the measurement gap in each measurement gap period to be measured is valid.

[0210] The above description only covers the steps or processes relevant to this application, but this application is not limited thereto. The methods in the embodiments of this application may also include other steps or processes, and for details of these steps or processes, please refer to related technologies.

[0211] The above embodiments are merely illustrative examples of embodiments of this application, but this application is not limited thereto, and appropriate modifications can be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments can be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments can be combined.

[0212] Third aspect of the embodiments

[0213] In some embodiments, a method for configuring measurement gaps applied to the terminal device side is also provided, such as... Figure 12 As shown, it includes:

[0214] 1201, Receive gap configuration information GapConfig sent from the network device. The gap configuration information GapConfig contains configuration information of the measurement gap corresponding to the time domain position of the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell. The reference signal is configured to have at least one time offset.

[0215] In this process, the terminal device establishes an RRC connection with the network device.

[0216] 1202, Determine the measurement gap based on the gap configuration information GapConfig.

[0217] 1203. Within the measurement gap, the reference signal of the neighboring frequency cell is measured.

[0218] It is worth noting that the above appendix Figure 12The embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not limited thereto. For example, the execution order of various operations can be appropriately adjusted, and additional operations can be added or some operations can be removed. Those skilled in the art can make appropriate modifications based on the above description, and are not limited to the above-described embodiments. Figure 12 The records.

[0219] In some embodiments, step 1202, determining the measurement gap, includes:

[0220] The gap configuration information GapConfig contains at least one sub-gap configuration information, and at least one sub-gap has the same measurement gap period;

[0221] Based on at least one sub-gap configuration information, determine the measurement gap with a time offset within the measurement gap period.

[0222] In some embodiments, step 1202, determining the measurement gap, includes:

[0223] The network device receives a measurement object (MeasObjectNR) sent by the network device. The measurement object (MeasObjectNR) is associated with at least one gap configuration information (GapConfig), where each gap configuration information (GapConfig) corresponds to a measurement gap with a time offset. The measurement gap is determined based on the at least one gap configuration information (GapConfig) associated with the measurement object (MeasObjectNR).

[0224] In one implementation, determining the measurement gap based on at least one gap configuration information GapConfig associated with the measurement object MeasObjectNR includes:

[0225] The measurement object MeasObjectNR contains a list of measurement gap identifiers associatedMeasGapSSBList, or the measurement object MeasObjectNR contains at least one measurement gap identifier, wherein the list of measurement gap identifiers associatedMeasGapSSBList includes at least one measurement gap identifier, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information; the measurement gap is determined based on at least one measurement gap identifier.

[0226] In some embodiments, step 1202, determining the measurement gap, includes:

[0227] The system receives measurement gap period configuration information and an indication cell enablePosition from the network device, wherein the measurement gap period indicated by the measurement gap period information is less than the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured; and determines the effective measurement gap within the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured based on the indication cell.

[0228] The above description only covers the steps or processes relevant to this application, but this application is not limited thereto. The methods in the embodiments of this application may also include other steps or processes, and for details of these steps or processes, please refer to related technologies.

[0229] The above embodiments are merely illustrative examples of embodiments of this application, but this application is not limited thereto, and appropriate modifications can be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments can be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments can be combined.

[0230] Fourth aspect of the embodiment

[0231] In some embodiments, a measurement gap configuration device applied to the network device side is also provided. This device may be, for example, a network device, or one or more parts or components configured on the network device. The same content as in the embodiments of the second aspect will not be repeated.

[0232] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a measurement gap configuration device applied to the network device side according to an embodiment of this application. Since the principle of the measurement gap configuration device applied to the network device side is the same as the method of the embodiment of the second aspect, its specific implementation can refer to the embodiment of the second aspect, and the contents that are the same will not be repeated.

[0233] like Figure 13 As shown, the measurement gap configuration device applied to the network device side includes a first processing unit 1301, which is configured to control the network device to perform the following operations:

[0234] A measurement gap is configured to correspond to the time-domain position of the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell, and the reference signal is configured to have at least one time offset for the terminal device to perform inter-frequency neighboring cell measurements.

[0235] The gap configuration information GapConfig is sent to the terminal device. The gap configuration information GapConfig contains configuration information about the measurement gap.

[0236] In some real-time methods, when the terminal device needs to measure neighboring cells at different frequencies, a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the reference signal of the neighboring cell is configured. The terminal device establishes an RRC connection with the network device.

[0237] In some embodiments, the first processing unit 1301 is configured with a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the inter-frequency neighboring cell reference signal, including:

[0238] Within the gap configuration information GapConfig, at least one sub-gap configuration information SubGapConfig is configured, and at least one sub-gap has the same measurement gap period.

[0239] The SubGapConfig configuration information for each sub-gap is used to determine the measurement gap with a time offset within the measurement gap period.

[0240] In some specific implementations, a sub-gap configuration information list SubGapConfigList is set within the gap configuration information GapConfig, and the sub-gap configuration information list SubGapConfigList includes at least one sub-gap configuration information.

[0241] The sub-gap configuration information includes at least the measurement gap start time offset gapOffset. It also includes the measurement gap length mgl, the measurement gap start time advance amount mgta, and the measurement gap length mgl and the measurement gap start time advance amount mgta.

[0242] In some embodiments, the first processing unit 1301 is configured with a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the inter-frequency neighboring cell reference signal, including:

[0243] Associate at least one gap configuration information, GapConfig, with the measurement object MeasObjectNR.

[0244] Each gap configuration information, GapConfig, corresponds to a measurement gap with a time offset.

[0245] In practice, the parameters in each gap configuration information can be configured independently and differently. Each gap configuration information includes parameters such as the advance amount mgta for the start time of the measurement gap, the measurement gap length mgl, and the measurement gap period mrgp.

[0246] In some specific implementations, at least one gap configuration information, GapConfig, is associated with the measurement object, including:

[0247] Configure a measurement gap identifier list associatedMeasGapSSBList in the measurement object MeasObjectNR, wherein the measurement gap identifier list associatedMeasGapSSBList includes at least one measurement gap identifier, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig; or, configure at least one measurement gap identifier in the measurement object MeasObjectNR, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig.

[0248] In some embodiments, the first processing unit 1301 is configured with a measurement gap corresponding to the time-domain position of the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell, including:

[0249] Configure measurement gap cycle configuration information and indicator cell enablePosition.

[0250] In this configuration, the measurement gap period indicated by the measurement gap period configuration information is less than the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured. In one possible implementation, the measurement gap period is configured as the minimum difference between the reference signal time offsets of each cell at the frequency to be measured. The indication cell is used to indicate whether the measurement gap in each measurement gap period to be measured is valid.

[0251] It is worth noting that the above description only covers components relevant to this application, but this application is not limited thereto. The measurement gap configuration device applied to the network device side in the embodiments of this application may also include other components or modules. For details regarding these components or modules, please refer to related technologies.

[0252] The above embodiments are merely illustrative examples of embodiments of this application, but this application is not limited thereto, and appropriate modifications can be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments can be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments can be combined.

[0253] Fifth aspect of the embodiment

[0254] In some embodiments, a measurement gap configuration device for use on the terminal device side is also provided. This device may be, for example, a network device, or one or more components or parts configured on the network device. The same content as in the third aspect embodiment will not be repeated.

[0255] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of a measurement gap configuration device applied to the terminal device side according to an embodiment of this application. Since the principle of the measurement gap configuration device applied to the terminal device side is the same as the method of the embodiment of the third aspect, its specific implementation can refer to the embodiment of the third aspect, and the contents that are the same will not be repeated.

[0256] like Figure 14 As shown, the measurement gap configuration device applied to the terminal device side includes: a second processing unit 1401, which is configured to perform the following operations:

[0257] Receive gap configuration information GapConfig sent from a network device, the gap configuration information GapConfig containing configuration information of measurement gaps corresponding to the time domain position of a reference signal in a different frequency neighboring cell, the reference signal being configured to have at least one time offset;

[0258] The measurement gap is determined based on the gap configuration information GapConfig;

[0259] Within the measurement gap, the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell is measured.

[0260] The terminal device establishes an RRC connection with the network device. The measurement gap is configured when the terminal device needs to measure neighboring cells of different frequencies.

[0261] In some embodiments, the second processing unit 1401 determines the measurement gap, including:

[0262] The gap configuration information GapConfig contains at least one sub-gap configuration information SubGapConfig, and at least one sub-gap has the same measurement gap period;

[0263] Based on the sub-gap configuration information within at least one gap configuration GapConfig, determine the measurement gap with a time offset within the measurement gap period.

[0264] In some embodiments, the second processing unit 1401 determines the measurement gap, including:

[0265] The network device receives a measurement object MeasObjectNR, which is associated with at least one gap configuration information GapConfig. Each gap configuration information GapConfig corresponds to a measurement gap with a time offset.

[0266] The measurement gap is determined based on at least one gap configuration information GapConfig associated with the measurement object MeasObjectNR.

[0267] In one implementation, determining the measurement gap based on at least one gap configuration information GapConfig associated with the measurement object MeasObjectNR includes:

[0268] The measurement object MeasObjectNR contains a list of measurement gap identifiers associatedMeasGapSSBList, or the measurement object contains at least one measurement gap identifier, wherein the list of measurement gap identifiers associatedMeasGapSSBList includes at least one measurement gap identifier, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig; the measurement gap is determined based on at least one measurement gap identifier.

[0269] In some embodiments, the second processing unit 1401 determines the measurement gap, including:

[0270] The network device receives measurement gap period configuration information and enablePosition indication information, wherein the measurement gap period indicated by the measurement gap period configuration information is less than the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured.

[0271] Based on the instruction cell, determine the effective measurement gap within the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured.

[0272] It is worth noting that the above description only covers components relevant to this application, but this application is not limited thereto. The measurement gap configuration device applied to the terminal device side in the embodiments of this application may also include other components or modules. For details regarding these components or modules, please refer to related technologies.

[0273] The above embodiments are merely illustrative examples of embodiments of this application, but this application is not limited thereto, and appropriate modifications can be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments can be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments can be combined.

[0274] Satellite networks require downlink coverage enhancement technologies to increase cell coverage. A typical approach to downlink coverage enhancement is to extend the SSB period and deploy different asynchronous cells for different SSB bursts within the SSB period. This approach results in the measurement gaps for SSBs no longer being a simple periodic distribution. The existing method of configuring measurement gaps can lead to under-configuration of SSB time-domain locations, preventing inter-cell handovers and affecting terminal service continuity; or it can result in overly dense measurement gap configurations, impacting serving cell services and wasting air interface resources.

[0275] This application proposes a flexible configuration scheme for measurement gaps, enabling the measurement gap configuration to correspond to the SSB measurement window in downlink coverage enhancement scenarios. This scheme ensures the mobility of the terminal in connected mode after downlink coverage enhancement, while also saving air interface resources and reducing unnecessary service interruptions.

[0276] This application also provides a terminal device, but the application is not limited thereto and may also include other devices.

[0277] Figure 15 A schematic diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 15 As shown, terminal device 1500 may include processor 1510 and memory 1520; memory 1520 stores data and programs and is coupled to processor 1510. It is worth noting that this figure is exemplary; other types of structures may be used to supplement or replace this structure to implement telecommunications functions or other functions.

[0278] For example, the processor 1510 can be configured to execute a program to implement a measurement gap configuration method applied to the terminal device side.

[0279] like Figure 15 As shown, the terminal device 1500 may further include: a communication module 1530, an input unit 1540, a display 1550, and a power supply 1560. The functions of these components are similar to those in the prior art and will not be described in detail here. It is worth noting that the terminal device 1500 is not necessarily required to include these components. Figure 15 All of the components shown are not essential; furthermore, the terminal device 1500 may also include... Figure 15 For components not shown, please refer to existing technologies.

[0280] This application also provides a network device, such as a base station, but this application is not limited to this and may also include other network devices.

[0281] Figure 16 A schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a network device according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 16 As shown, the network device 1600 may include a processor 1610 (e.g., a central processing unit CPU) and a memory 1620; the memory 1620 is coupled to the processor 1610. The memory 1620 can store various types of data; it also stores an information processing program 1630, and executes the program 1630 under the control of the processor 1610.

[0282] For example, the processor 1610 can be configured to execute a program to implement the above-described measurement gap configuration method applied to the network device side.

[0283] In addition, such as Figure 16 As shown, network device 1600 may also include: transceiver 1640 and antenna 1650, etc.; the functions of the above components are similar to those in the prior art, and will not be described in detail here. It is worth noting that network device 1600 is not necessarily required to include... Figure 16All components shown; in addition, network device 1600 may also include Figure 16 For components not shown, please refer to existing technologies.

[0284] This application also provides a computer-readable program product, which includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor of a computer device, implements the aforementioned measurement gap configuration method on the network device side, i.e., the method of the second aspect embodiment.

[0285] This application also provides a storage medium storing a computer-readable program, wherein the computer-readable program, when executed by a processor of a computer device, performs the aforementioned measurement gap configuration method on the network device side, i.e., the method of the second aspect embodiment.

[0286] This application also provides a computer-readable program product, which includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor of a computer device, implements the aforementioned measurement gap configuration method on the terminal device side, i.e., the method of the third aspect embodiment.

[0287] This application also provides a storage medium storing a computer-readable program, wherein the computer-readable program, when executed by a processor of a computer device, performs the aforementioned measurement gap configuration method on the terminal device side, i.e., the method of the third aspect embodiment.

[0288] The apparatus and methods described above in this application can be implemented in hardware or in combination with software. This application relates to a computer-readable program that, when executed by a logic component, enables the logic component to implement the apparatus or components described above, or to implement the various methods or steps described above. Logic components include, for example, field-programmable logic devices (FPGAs), microprocessors, and processors used in computers. This application also relates to storage media for storing the above programs, such as hard disks, magnetic disks, optical disks, DVDs, and flash memory.

[0289] The methods / apparatus described in conjunction with the embodiments of this application can be directly embodied in hardware, software modules executed by a processor, or a combination of both. For example, one or more and / or combinations of one or more functional block diagrams shown in the figures can correspond to various software modules in a computer program flow, or to various hardware modules. These software modules can correspond to the various steps shown in the figures, respectively. These hardware modules can be implemented, for example, using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to embed these software modules.

[0290] The software module can reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. A storage medium can be coupled to the processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium; or the storage medium can be an integral part of the processor. The processor and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. The software module can be stored in the memory of a mobile terminal or in a memory card that can be inserted into the mobile terminal. For example, if the device (such as a mobile terminal) uses a high-capacity MEGA-SIM card or a high-capacity flash memory device, the software module can be stored in the MEGA-SIM card or the high-capacity flash memory device.

[0291] One or more and / or one or more combinations of functional blocks described in the accompanying drawings can be implemented as a general-purpose processor, digital signal processor (DSP), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, discrete hardware component, or any suitable combination thereof for performing the functions described herein. One or more and / or one or more combinations of functional blocks described in the accompanying drawings can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in communication with a DSP, or any other such configuration.

[0292] The present application has been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, those skilled in the art should understand that these descriptions are exemplary and not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the present application based on its spirit and principles, and these modifications and variations are also within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A measurement gap configuration device, applied to network equipment, wherein, The apparatus includes: a first processing unit configured to perform the following operations: A measurement gap is configured to correspond to the time-domain position of a reference signal for inter-frequency neighboring cells, wherein the reference signal is configured to have at least one time offset for the terminal device to perform inter-frequency neighboring cell measurements. The gap configuration information GapConfig is sent to the terminal device. The gap configuration information GapConfig contains configuration information about the measurement gap.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The measurement gap configured to correspond to the time-domain position of the reference signal in the inter-frequency neighboring cell includes: Within the gap configuration information GapConfig, at least one sub-gap configuration information is configured, and the at least one sub-gap has the same measurement gap period; The sub-gap configuration information is used to determine the measurement gap with a time offset within the measurement gap period.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The configuration of at least one sub-gap configuration information within the gap configuration information GapConfig includes: A sub-gap configuration information list is set within the gap configuration information GapConfig, and the sub-gap configuration information list includes at least one sub-gap configuration information.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The sub-gap configuration information includes at least: the offset of the measurement gap start time.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein, The sub-gap configuration information also includes at least one of the following: measuring gap length, measuring gap start time advance.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The measurement gap configured to correspond to the time-domain position of the reference signal in the inter-frequency neighboring cell includes: Associate at least one gap configuration information, GapConfig, with the measurement object; Each gap configuration information, GapConfig, corresponds to a measurement gap with a time offset.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, The step of associating at least one gap configuration information GapConfig in the measurement object includes: Configure a measurement gap identifier list in the measurement object, wherein the measurement gap identifier list includes at least one measurement gap identifier, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig; or At least one measurement gap identifier is configured in the measurement object, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The measurement gap configured to correspond to the time-domain position of the reference signal in the inter-frequency neighboring cell includes: Configure measurement gap cycle configuration information and indication signal cells; Wherein, the measurement gap period indicated by the measurement gap period configuration information is less than the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured; The indicator cell is used to indicate whether the measurement gap in the measurement gap period is valid.

9. A measuring gap configuration device, applied to a terminal device, wherein, The device includes a second processing unit configured to perform the following operations: Receive gap configuration information GapConfig sent from a network device, the gap configuration information GapConfig containing configuration information of measurement gaps corresponding to the time domain position of a reference signal in a different frequency neighboring cell, the reference signal being configured to have at least one time offset; The measurement gap is determined based on the gap configuration information GapConfig; Within the measurement gap, the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell is measured.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, Determining the measurement gap includes: The gap configuration information GapConfig includes at least one sub-gap configuration information, and the at least one sub-gap has the same measurement gap period; Based on the at least one sub-gap configuration information, a measurement gap with a time offset is determined within the measurement gap period.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, Determining the measurement gap includes: The network device receives a measurement object, which is associated with at least one gap configuration information GapConfig, wherein each gap configuration information GapConfig corresponds to a measurement gap with a time offset. The measurement gap is determined based on at least one gap configuration information GapConfig associated with the measurement object.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, The measurement gap is determined based on at least one gap configuration information GapConfig associated with the measurement object, including: The measurement object contains a list of measurement gap identifiers, or the measurement object contains at least one measurement gap identifier, wherein the list of measurement gap identifiers includes at least one measurement gap identifier, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig; The measurement gap is determined based on the at least one measurement gap identifier.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, Determining the measurement gap includes: The network device receives measurement gap period configuration information and indication information, wherein the measurement gap period indicated by the measurement gap period configuration information is less than the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured. Based on the indicated information element, the effective measurement gap within the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured is determined.

14. A method for configuring measurement gaps, applied to network devices, wherein, The method includes: A measurement gap is configured to correspond to the time-domain position of a reference signal for inter-frequency neighboring cells, wherein the reference signal is configured to have at least one time offset for the terminal device to perform inter-frequency neighboring cell measurements. The gap configuration information GapConfig is sent to the terminal device. The gap configuration information GapConfig contains configuration information about the measurement gap.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, The measurement gap configured to correspond to the time-domain position of the reference signal in the inter-frequency neighboring cell includes: Within the gap configuration information GapConfig, at least one sub-gap configuration information is configured, and the at least one sub-gap has the same measurement gap period; The sub-gap configuration information is used to determine the measurement gap with a time offset within the measurement gap period.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, The measurement gap configured to correspond to the time-domain position of the reference signal in the inter-frequency neighboring cell includes: Associate at least one gap configuration information, GapConfig, with the measurement object; Each gap configuration information, GapConfig, corresponds to a measurement gap with a time offset.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, The step of associating at least one gap configuration information GapConfig in the measurement object includes: Configure a measurement gap identifier list in the measurement object, wherein the measurement gap identifier list includes at least one measurement gap identifier, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig; or At least one measurement gap identifier is configured in the measurement object, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein, The measurement gap configured to correspond to the time-domain position of the reference signal in the inter-frequency neighboring cell includes: Configure measurement gap cycle configuration information and indication signal cells; Wherein, the measurement gap period indicated by the measurement gap period configuration information is less than the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured; The indicator cell is used to indicate whether the measurement gap in the measurement gap period is valid.

19. A method for configuring a measurement gap, applied to a terminal device, wherein, The method includes: Receive gap configuration information GapConfig sent from a network device, the gap configuration information GapConfig containing configuration information of measurement gaps corresponding to the time domain position of a reference signal in a different frequency neighboring cell, the reference signal being configured to have at least one time offset; The measurement gap is determined based on the gap configuration information GapConfig; Within the measurement gap, the reference signal of the inter-frequency neighboring cell is measured.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein, Determining the measurement gap includes: The gap configuration information GapConfig includes at least one sub-gap configuration information, and the at least one sub-gap has the same measurement gap period; Based on the at least one sub-gap configuration information, a measurement gap with a time offset is determined within the measurement gap period.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein, Determining the measurement gap includes: The network device receives a measurement object, which is associated with at least one gap configuration information GapConfig, wherein each gap configuration information GapConfig corresponds to a measurement gap with a time offset. The measurement gap is determined based on at least one gap configuration information GapConfig associated with the measurement object.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein, The measurement gap is determined based on at least one gap configuration information GapConfig associated with the measurement object, including: The measurement object contains a list of measurement gap identifiers, or the measurement object contains at least one measurement gap identifier, wherein the list of measurement gap identifiers includes at least one measurement gap identifier, and each measurement gap identifier indicates a gap configuration information GapConfig; The measurement gap is determined based on the at least one measurement gap identifier.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein, Determining the measurement gap includes: The network device receives measurement gap period configuration information and indication information, wherein the measurement gap period indicated by the measurement gap period configuration information is less than the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured. Based on the indicated information element, the effective measurement gap within the reference signal period of the cell at the frequency to be measured is determined.

24. A network device, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the method according to any one of claims 14 to 18.

25. A terminal device, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the method according to any one of claims 19 to 23.

26. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein, When the computer program is executed by the processor of the computer device, it implements the method of any one of claims 14 to 23.

27. A computer-readable program product, the computer program product comprising a computer program, wherein, When the computer program is executed by the processor of the computer device, it implements the method of any one of claims 14 to 23.

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