Satellite communication method, and device

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of communications. Provided are a satellite communication method, and a device. The method comprises: enabling a satellite communication function; pulling up a protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function, so as to power on a satellite baseband processor (CP); performing satellite network search, and registering to a satellite network after the network search is successful; and when the satellite communication function is exited, performing de-registration in the satellite network and disconnecting from a satellite, and terminating the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function, so as to power off the satellite CP. In the satellite communication method provided in the present application, a satellite CP is dynamically powered on or powered off by means of dynamically starting and stopping a protocol stack corresponding to satellite communication, thereby solving the problem of the power consumption of the satellite CP being excessively high.

Description

Satellite communication method and apparatus

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on October 24, 2023, with application number 202311398580.X and application name “Methods and Equipment for Satellite Communication”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a method and device for satellite communication. Background Art

[0003] Satellite communication uses artificial satellites as relay stations to enable communication between ground and ground, ground and air, and air and air. Satellite communication currently offers significant advantages over terrestrial communication in terms of coverage and communication capabilities.

[0004] Limited by operator rates and the number of satellites deployed, satellite communications are currently primarily used in niche scenarios such as emergency rescue, aviation, navigation, and meteorology. To communicate with satellites via mobile phone, the phone must support satellite signals in the corresponding frequency band and have sufficient transmit power and sensitivity. Currently, most standard mobile phones on the market can only support cellular network communications within the coverage area of ​​ground base stations and cannot communicate directly with satellites.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiments of the present application provide a satellite communication method and device, which dynamically starts and stops the protocol stack corresponding to the satellite communication and dynamically powers on or off the satellite CP, thereby solving the problem of excessive power consumption of the satellite CP.

[0007] The satellite communication method provided in the present application starts the protocol stack corresponding to the satellite communication and powers on the satellite CP when the satellite communication function of the terminal device is needed. After the satellite communication function is no longer needed, the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication is stopped and the satellite CP is powered off. By dynamically powering on or off the satellite CP according to whether the satellite communication function is used, rather than continuously powering on the satellite CP, the power consumption of the terminal device can be saved, thereby improving the performance of the terminal device.

[0008] In addition, in the satellite communication method provided in this application, after the satellite communication function is enabled (or after the terminal device is enabled), the terminal device will perform a satellite alignment process. During this process, the terminal device will also perform a process of pulling up the protocol stack corresponding to the satellite communication. The operation of pulling up the protocol stack is not performed only after the satellite alignment is successful. That is, the operation of pulling up the protocol stack is performed during the satellite alignment process. By performing these two operations in parallel, the efficiency of establishing satellite communication between the terminal device and the satellite can be improved.

[0009] Specifically, the satellite communication method provided by this application also includes the following:

[0010] In a first aspect, a satellite communication method is provided, which is applied to a terminal device and includes:

[0011] Enable satellite communication function;

[0012] Start the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function and power on the satellite baseband processor CP;

[0013] Performing a satellite network search and registering to the satellite network after a successful search;

[0014] When exiting the satellite communication function, deregistration and disconnection are performed in the satellite network, and the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function is terminated, and the satellite CP is powered off.

[0015] According to the satellite communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, by dynamically starting and stopping the protocol stack process corresponding to satellite communication, the satellite CP is dynamically powered on or off to solve the problem of excessive power consumption caused by the satellite CP being in a powered-on state when the satellite communication function is not activated. In addition, in the solution of the present application, the process of dynamically pulling up the protocol stack process corresponding to satellite communication can be executed in parallel with the satellite communication satellite alignment process; and after successfully pulling up the protocol stack process, a network search will be performed and registered in the corresponding network. The purpose of the network search and registration process is the same as that of the satellite alignment process, both of which are to establish a communication connection with the corresponding satellite. The parallel execution of network search, registration and alignment can improve the efficiency of establishing a connection between the terminal device and the satellite and effectively shorten the time consumed by the terminal device to establish a connection with the satellite.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, during the process of searching the satellite network and / or registering with the satellite network after the search is successful, the method further includes:

[0017] Start the pointing process;

[0018] Receive adjustment operations from the user and adjust the position of the antenna in space and / or the angle between the antenna and the satellite.

[0019] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the aspect, the terminal device further includes an application processor AP;

[0020] The step of starting the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function and powering on the satellite baseband processor CP specifically includes:

[0021] In response to the satellite communication function being started, the AP calls the configuration item in the control file to start the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function;

[0022] The protocol stack process calls a preset interface to power on the satellite CP.

[0023] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0024] When the terminal device successfully registers with the satellite network, terminating the satellite pairing; or,

[0025] When the terminal device is successfully registered with the satellite network, the satellite alignment is continued.

[0026] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the aspect, the protocol stack corresponding to the protocol stack process is stored on the AP side of the terminal device.

[0027] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0028] receiving a first operation input by a user for a satellite communication application;

[0029] In response to the first operation, the satellite communication function is enabled.

[0030] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0031] When the satellite CP is powered on, the satellite CP sends a first notification message to the protocol stack, where the first notification message is used to instruct the satellite CP to start up;

[0032] The protocol stack sends a second notification message to the AP, where the second notification message is used to report the satellite CP startup to the AP;

[0033] The AP sends a first indication message to the protocol stack, where the first indication message is used to instruct satellite network search and satellite network registration;

[0034] In response to the first indication message, the protocol stack and the satellite CP search for the satellite network and register with the satellite network after the search is successful.

[0035] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0036] receiving a second operation of the user on the satellite communication application;

[0037] In response to the second operation, the satellite communication function is turned off.

[0038] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0039] The AP sends a second indication message to the protocol stack, where the second indication message is used to instruct the satellite network to be disconnected and deregistered;

[0040] In response to the second indication message, the protocol stack and the satellite CP deregister from the satellite network and disconnect from the satellite;

[0041] The protocol stack sends a third indication message to the satellite CP, where the third indication message is used to instruct the satellite CP to power off.

[0042] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0043] When the satellite CP is powered off, the protocol stack sends a third notification message to the AP, where the third notification message is used to indicate that the protocol stack process can be shut down;

[0044] In response to the third notification message, the AP sends a fourth indication message to the protocol stack, where the fourth indication message is used to instruct the protocol stack process to terminate;

[0045] The protocol stack terminates the protocol stack process in response to the third notification message.

[0046] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the aspect, the method includes:

[0047] The AP disconnects from the protocol stack.

[0048] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0049] The protocol stack clears cached data in a state machine corresponding to the satellite communication function.

[0050] In a second aspect, a terminal device is provided, including:

[0051] one or more processors;

[0052] one or more memories;

[0053] The one or more memories store one or more computer programs, and the one or more computer programs include instructions. When the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the terminal device executes the method as described in any one of the first aspects above.

[0054] In a third aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable program instructions, and when the computer-executable program instructions are executed on a computer, the computer executes the method as described in any one of the above-mentioned first aspects.

[0055] In a fourth aspect, a computer program product is provided, comprising a computer program code, which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to execute the method as described in any one of the implementations of the first aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture applicable to a satellite communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0057] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a terminal device 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0058] FIG3 is a software structure block diagram of the terminal device 100 according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0059] 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams of the structures of some terminal devices provided in embodiments of the present application.

[0060] 5A to 5I are schematic diagrams of some GUIs that may be involved in the implementation of the satellite communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0061] FIG6A and FIG6B are schematic flow charts of some satellite communication methods provided in embodiments of the present application.

[0062] FIG7 is a schematic flowchart of another satellite communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] It should be noted that the terms used in the implementation methods section of the embodiments of the present application are only used to explain the specific embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to limit the present application. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified, " / " means or, for example, A / B can mean A or B; "and / or" in this article is merely a way to describe the association relationship of associated obstacles, indicating that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, in the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more than two, "at least one" and "one or more" mean one, two or more than two.

[0064] In the following, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the definition of "first" and "second" features may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features.

[0065] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" in this specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with that embodiment is included in one or more embodiments of the present application. Thus, phrases such as "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," and "in yet other embodiments" appearing in various places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "including," "comprising," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0066] The following specific embodiments are used to describe the technical solution of the present application in detail. The following specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described in detail in some embodiments.

[0067] As discussed in the background, with the increasing use of mobile phones in scenarios such as outdoor sports, disaster response, ocean travel, and field expeditions, people are demanding more and more mobile communications. Because non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) can overcome the limitations of terrestrial communications in extreme scenarios, satellite communications have become a key technology for major chip and terminal manufacturers to achieve "universal coverage" in recent years.

[0068] According to the current terminal communication architecture, if a terminal device adds a satellite communication function, it is necessary to add a new protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication. Accordingly, it is also necessary to add a coprocessor (CP) (or satellite CP) corresponding to satellite communication to the terminal device and provide a separate power supply for the satellite CP. Since the application scenarios of satellite communication are generally niche, and in the existing communication architecture, the CP (including the satellite CP) is generally powered on continuously, this creates a problem that the satellite CP may always be powered on even when the satellite communication function is not turned on in the terminal device, resulting in unnecessary consumption of the terminal device's power and degradation of device performance.

[0069] Furthermore, according to current terminal communication architectures, the protocol stack processes for satellite communications added to terminal devices are typically deployed on the chip, potentially increasing the device's memory usage. Furthermore, since the newly added satellite CP lacks code-protected flash memory, the satellite communication code is mirrored and stored in the application processor (AP). Therefore, the satellite CP must first load the mirrored code each time the satellite communication function is activated. This results in a lengthy network search process for the terminal device to access the satellite network, significantly reducing communication efficiency.

[0070] In light of this, embodiments of the present application provide a satellite communications method that dynamically powers on or off a satellite communication protocol stack by dynamically starting and stopping the corresponding satellite communication protocol stack process, thereby addressing the issue of excessive power consumption caused by the satellite communication protocol stack being powered on even when the satellite communication function is not enabled. Furthermore, in the solution of the present application, the process of dynamically starting the corresponding satellite communication protocol stack process can be performed in parallel with the satellite communication alignment process. Furthermore, after successfully starting the protocol stack process, a network search and corresponding network registration are performed. The network search and corresponding network registration processes are used to establish a communication connection between a terminal device and a satellite, while the purpose of alignment is to guide the terminal device to align with the satellite for faster registration to the satellite network and better satellite signal acquisition. Ultimately, the purpose of the alignment process is also to establish a better communication connection with the satellite. Therefore, performing network search and registration in parallel with alignment can improve the efficiency of establishing a connection between a terminal device and a satellite, effectively reducing the time it takes for the terminal device to establish a connection with the satellite.

[0071] The satellite communication method provided in the embodiments of the present application is applicable to any application scenario in which satellite communication is performed via a terminal device, such as a scenario in which a phone call is made via a satellite network using a terminal device such as a mobile phone or tablet computer; or a scenario in which a video call is made via a satellite network using a terminal device such as a mobile phone or tablet computer. The embodiments of the present application do not specifically limit the application scenarios in which the method is applicable.

[0072] As an example, FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture applicable to a satellite communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. This system architecture may include, for example, a terminal device 100 and at least one satellite 200. For ease of understanding, this description uses a mobile phone as an example, but is not limited thereto.

[0073] In some embodiments, the terminal device 100 may also be referred to as user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), etc., and is a device that provides voice and / or data connection communication to the user. The terminal device 100 may be various types of electronic devices with wireless connection capabilities, such as mobile phones, tablet computers, wearable devices, vehicle-mounted devices, augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR) devices, laptop computers, ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPC), netbooks, personal digital assistants (PDA), etc. Exemplary embodiments of electronic devices include but are not limited to devices equipped with Or a portable terminal with other operating systems. The above terminal device may also be a desktop computer with a touch-sensitive surface (such as a touch panel). The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific type of the terminal device.

[0074] In some embodiments, the terminal device 100 may have satellite communication capabilities. The terminal device 100 may store a protocol stack corresponding to satellite communication, or the terminal device 100 may be equipped with a chip including a protocol stack corresponding to satellite communication. The terminal device may establish a communication connection with a satellite through the satellite communication capabilities it supports.

[0075] It should be noted that the terminal device can start the satellite communication process when detecting the corresponding trigger event. Exemplarily, the satellite communication process in the embodiment of the present application may include: receiving the user's opening operation for the satellite communication application (application, App), and in response to the opening operation, starting the satellite communication App; turning on the satellite communication function in the satellite communication App; in response to the opening of the satellite communication function, entering the satellite alignment process, the satellite alignment process, for example, includes adjusting one or more of the azimuth, pitch angle and polarization angle of the antenna to align the antenna beam with the target satellite; and the process performed simultaneously with the satellite alignment process may also include powering on the CP and pulling up the satellite communication protocol stack. Among them, the satellite alignment process and the process of pulling up the protocol stack are both for the terminal device to establish a communication connection with the corresponding target satellite in a timely manner when the satellite communication requirements are met, such as the signal strength between the terminal device and the target satellite meets the communication requirements and / or communication delay requirements. If the terminal device successfully launches the satellite communication protocol stack and establishes a communication connection with the satellite before successfully pointing (i.e., the terminal device's antenna is adjusted to one or more of the appropriate azimuth, elevation, and polarization angles), the pointing process can be terminated. Alternatively, the pointing process can continue, and if the angle between the terminal device and the satellite (including one or more of the azimuth, elevation, and polarization angles) is detected to deviate beyond a certain threshold, the user is instructed to adjust the terminal device's orientation. The pointing process and the protocol stack launch process will be described in more detail below and will not be repeated here.

[0076] In some embodiments, the terminal device 100 may also support the communication frequency band corresponding to the satellite 200. The terminal device 100 may use the communication frequency band corresponding to the satellite 200 as a relay station to transmit signals to the opposite terminal device, thereby achieving communication between any two points on the earth.

[0077] In some embodiments, satellite 200 can act as a relay station, receiving signals sent by terminal device 100 and then forwarding the signals to a corresponding device on the ground; alternatively, satellite 200 can forward the signals to a control center on the ground, which then forwards the signals to the corresponding device. The communication signal coverage of satellite 200 is wide, and the collaboration of multiple satellites can achieve global communication. In the embodiments of the present application, satellite 200 can be, for example, a BeiDou satellite, but is not limited to this.

[0078] For example, as shown in FIG2 , it is a schematic structural diagram of a terminal device 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0079] The terminal device 100 may include a processor 110, an external memory interface 120, an internal memory 121, a universal serial bus (USB) interface 130, a charging management module 140, a power management module 141, a battery 142, an antenna 1, an antenna 2, a mobile communication module 150, a wireless communication module 160, an audio module 170, a speaker 170A, a receiver 170B, a microphone 170C, an earphone interface 170D, a sensor module 180, a button 190, a motor 191, an indicator 192, a camera 193, a display screen 194, and a subscriber identification module (SIM) card interface 195, etc. The sensor module 180 may include a pressure sensor 180A, a gyroscope sensor 180B, an air pressure sensor 180C, a magnetic sensor 180D, an acceleration sensor 180E, a distance sensor 180F, a proximity light sensor 180G, a fingerprint sensor 180H, a temperature sensor 180J, a touch sensor 180K, an ambient light sensor 180L, a bone conduction sensor 180M, etc.

[0080] It should be understood that the structure illustrated in the embodiments of the present invention does not constitute a specific limitation on the terminal device 100. In other embodiments of the present application, the terminal device 100 may include more or fewer components than shown, or may combine or separate certain components, or arrange the components differently. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0081] The processor 110 may include one or more processing units. For example, the processor 110 may include an application processor (AP), a modem processor, a graphics processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a controller, a memory, a video codec, a digital signal processor (DSP), a baseband processor, and / or a neural-network processing unit (NPU). Different processing units may be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors.

[0082] The controller may be the nerve center and command center of the terminal device 100. The controller may generate an operation control signal according to the instruction operation code and the timing signal to complete the control of fetching and executing instructions.

[0083] Processor 110 may also include a memory for storing instructions and data. In some embodiments, the memory in processor 110 is a cache memory. This memory can store instructions or data that have just been used or are being recycled by processor 110. If processor 110 needs to use the same instruction or data again, it can directly access the memory. This avoids duplicate accesses, reduces processor 110 latency, and thus improves system efficiency.

[0084] In some embodiments, the processor 110 may include one or more interfaces. The interfaces may include an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) interface, an inter-integrated circuit sound (I2S) interface, a pulse code modulation (PCM) interface, a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) interface, a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI), a general-purpose input / output (GPIO) interface, a subscriber identity module (SIM) interface, and / or a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

[0085] The I2C interface is a bidirectional synchronous serial bus that includes a serial data line (SDA) and a serial clock line (SCL). In some embodiments, the processor 110 may include multiple I2C bus lines. The processor 110 may be coupled to the touch sensor 180K, the charger, the flash, the camera 193, and the like via different I2C bus interfaces. For example, the processor 110 may be coupled to the touch sensor 180K via the I2C interface, enabling communication between the processor 110 and the touch sensor 180K via the I2C bus interface, thereby implementing the touch function of the terminal device 100.

[0086] The I2S interface can be used for audio communication. In some embodiments, the processor 110 can include multiple I2S buses. The processor 110 can be coupled to the audio module 170 via the I2S bus to enable communication between the processor 110 and the audio module 170. In some embodiments, the audio module 170 can transmit audio signals to the wireless communication module 160 via the I2S interface, enabling the function of answering calls through a Bluetooth headset.

[0087] The PCM interface can also be used for audio communication, sampling, quantizing, and encoding analog signals. In some embodiments, the audio module 170 and the wireless communication module 160 can be coupled via a PCM bus interface. In some embodiments, the audio module 170 can also transmit audio signals to the wireless communication module 160 via the PCM interface, enabling the function of answering calls via a Bluetooth headset. Both the I2S interface and the PCM interface can be used for audio communication.

[0088] The UART interface is a universal serial data bus used for asynchronous communication. This bus can be a bidirectional communication bus. It converts the data to be transmitted between serial communication and parallel communication. In some embodiments, the UART interface is typically used to connect the processor 110 and the wireless communication module 160. For example, the processor 110 communicates with the Bluetooth module in the wireless communication module 160 via the UART interface to implement Bluetooth functionality. In some embodiments, the audio module 170 can transmit audio signals to the wireless communication module 160 via the UART interface, enabling the function of playing music through Bluetooth headphones.

[0089] The MIPI interface can be used to connect the processor 110 to peripheral devices such as the display screen 194 and the camera 193. MIPI interfaces include the camera serial interface (CSI) and the display serial interface (DSI). In some embodiments, the processor 110 and the camera 193 communicate via the CSI interface to implement the camera function of the terminal device 100. The processor 110 and the display screen 194 communicate via the DSI interface to implement the display function of the terminal device 100.

[0090] The GPIO interface can be configured via software. The GPIO interface can be configured as either a control signal or a data signal. In some embodiments, the GPIO interface can be used to connect the processor 110 to the camera 193, display 194, wireless communication module 160, audio module 170, sensor module 180, etc. The GPIO interface can also be configured as an I2C interface, an I2S interface, a UART interface, a MIPI interface, etc.

[0091] The USB interface 130 is an interface that complies with USB standards and specifications, and may be a Mini USB interface, a Micro USB interface, a USB Type-C interface, or the like. The USB interface 130 can be used to connect a charger to charge the terminal device 100, or to transfer data between the terminal device 100 and peripheral devices. It can also be used to connect headphones to play audio. This interface can also be used to connect to other terminals, such as AR devices.

[0092] It is understood that the interface connection relationship between the modules illustrated in the embodiment of the present invention is merely an illustrative illustration and does not constitute a structural limitation on the terminal device 100. In other embodiments of the present application, the terminal device 100 may also adopt a different interface connection method from the above embodiment, or a combination of multiple interface connection methods.

[0093] The charging management module 140 is used to receive charging input from a charger. The charger can be a wireless charger or a wired charger. In some wired charging embodiments, the charging management module 140 can receive charging input from the wired charger via the USB interface 130. In some wireless charging embodiments, the charging management module 140 can receive wireless charging input via the wireless charging coil of the terminal device 100. While charging the battery 142, the charging management module 140 can also provide power to the terminal through the power management module 141.

[0094] The power management module 141 is used to connect the battery 142, the charging management module 140 and the processor 110. The power management module 141 receives input from the battery 142 and / or the charging management module 140, and provides power to the processor 110, the internal memory 121, the external memory, the display 194, the camera 193, and the wireless communication module 160. The power management module 141 can also be used to monitor parameters such as battery capacity, battery cycle count, and battery health status (leakage, impedance). In some other embodiments, the power management module 141 can also be set in the processor 110. In other embodiments, the power management module 141 and the charging management module 140 can also be set in the same device.

[0095] The wireless communication function of the terminal device 100 can be implemented through the antenna 1, the antenna 2, the mobile communication module 150, the wireless communication module 160, the modem processor and the baseband processor.

[0096] Antenna 1 and Antenna 2 are used to transmit and receive electromagnetic wave signals. Each antenna in terminal device 100 can be used to cover a single or multiple communication frequency bands. Different antennas can also be reused to improve antenna utilization. For example, antenna 1 can be reused as a diversity antenna for a wireless local area network. In other embodiments, the antennas can be used in conjunction with a tuning switch.

[0097] The mobile communication module 150 can provide solutions for wireless communications including 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G applied to the terminal device 100. The mobile communication module 150 may include at least one filter, a switch, a power amplifier, a low noise amplifier (LNA), etc. The mobile communication module 150 can receive electromagnetic waves from the antenna 1, and filter, amplify, and process the received electromagnetic waves, and transmit them to the modulation and demodulation processor for demodulation. The mobile communication module 150 can also amplify the signal modulated by the modulation and demodulation processor, and convert it into electromagnetic waves for radiation through the antenna 1. In some embodiments, at least some of the functional modules of the mobile communication module 150 can be set in the processor 110. In some embodiments, at least some of the functional modules of the mobile communication module 150 can be set in the same device as at least some of the modules of the processor 110.

[0098] The modem processor may include a modulator and a demodulator. The modulator is used to modulate the low-frequency baseband signal to be transmitted into a medium-high frequency signal. The demodulator is used to demodulate the received electromagnetic wave signal into a low-frequency baseband signal. The demodulator then transmits the demodulated low-frequency baseband signal to the baseband processor for processing. After being processed by the baseband processor, the low-frequency baseband signal is passed to the application processor. The application processor outputs a sound signal through an audio device (not limited to the speaker 170A, the receiver 170B, etc.) or displays an image or video through the display screen 194. In some embodiments, the modem processor may be an independent device. In other embodiments, the modem processor may be independent of the processor 110 and be set in the same device as the mobile communication module 150 or other functional modules.

[0099] The wireless communication module 160 can provide wireless communication solutions including wireless local area networks (WLAN) (such as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks), Bluetooth (BT), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), frequency modulation (FM), near field communication (NFC), infrared (IR), etc., which are applied to the terminal device 100. The wireless communication module 160 can be one or more devices that integrate at least one communication processing module. The wireless communication module 160 receives electromagnetic waves via the antenna 2, frequency modulates and filters the electromagnetic wave signals, and sends the processed signals to the processor 110. The wireless communication module 160 can also receive the signal to be sent from the processor 110, frequency modulate it, amplify it, and convert it into electromagnetic waves for radiation through the antenna 2.

[0100] In some embodiments, the antenna 1 of the terminal device 100 is coupled to the mobile communication module 150, and the antenna 2 is coupled to the wireless communication module 160, so that the terminal device 100 can communicate with the network and other devices through wireless communication technology. The wireless communication technology may include global system for mobile communications (GSM), general packet radio service (GPRS), code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), time-division code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA), long term evolution (LTE), BT, GNSS, WLAN, NFC, FM, and / or IR technology. The GNSS may include a global positioning system (GPS), a global navigation satellite system (GLONASS), a Beidou navigation satellite system (BDS), a quasi-zenith satellite system (QZSS) and / or a satellite based augmentation system (SBAS).

[0101] The terminal device 100 implements a display function through a GPU, a display screen 194 , and an application processor, etc. The display screen 194 is used to display images, videos, etc.

[0102] The terminal device 100 can realize the shooting function through the ISP, camera 193, video codec, GPU, display screen 194 and application processor.

[0103] The digital signal processor is used to process digital signals. In addition to processing digital image signals, it can also process other digital signals. For example, when the terminal device 100 selects a frequency point, the digital signal processor is used to perform Fourier transform on the frequency point energy. The video codec is used to compress or decompress digital video. The NPU is a neural network (NN) computing processor that quickly processes input information by drawing on the structure of biological neural networks, such as the transmission mode between neurons in the human brain, and can also continuously self-learn.

[0104] The external memory interface 120 can be used to connect an external memory card, such as a Micro SD card, to expand the storage capacity of the terminal device 100. The external memory card communicates with the processor 110 via the external memory interface 120 to implement data storage. For example, files such as music and videos can be stored on the external memory card. The internal memory 121 can be used to store computer-executable program code, which includes instructions.

[0105] The terminal device 100 can implement audio functions such as music playback and recording through the audio module 170, the speaker 170A, the receiver 170B, the microphone 170C, the headphone jack 170D, and the application processor.

[0106] For example, the software system of the terminal device 100 can adopt a layered architecture, an event-driven architecture, a microkernel architecture, a microservice architecture, or a cloud architecture. This embodiment of the application uses the Android system with a layered architecture as an example to illustrate the software structure of the terminal device 100. Figure 3 is a block diagram of the software structure of the terminal device 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the application.

[0107] A layered architecture divides software into several layers, each with distinct roles and responsibilities. Layers communicate with each other through software interfaces. In some embodiments, the Android system is divided into four layers: application layer, application framework layer, Android runtime, system library, kernel layer, hardware abstraction layer (HAL), and hardware layer.

[0108] The application layer may include a series of application packages. As shown in Figure 3, the application package may include applications such as camera, calendar, map, WLAN, music, gallery, call, navigation, Bluetooth, video, and satellite communication.

[0109] In some embodiments, the satellite communication application may be used to enable the satellite communication function of the terminal device, and / or to start the satellite alignment process, etc.

[0110] The application framework layer provides an application programming interface (API) and programming framework for applications in the application layer. The application framework layer includes some predefined functions. As shown in Figure 3, the application framework layer may include a window manager, content provider, telephony manager, resource manager, notification manager, and view system.

[0111] The window manager is used to manage window programs. The window manager can obtain the display size, determine whether there is a status bar, lock the screen, take screenshots, etc.

[0112] Content providers are used to store and retrieve data and make it accessible to applications. The data may include videos, images, audio, calls made and received, browsing history and bookmarks, phone books, etc.

[0113] The view system includes visual controls, such as those for displaying text and images. The view system is used to build applications. A display interface can consist of one or more views. For example, a display interface containing a text notification icon might include a view for displaying text and a view for displaying images.

[0114] The phone manager is used to provide communication functions of the terminal device 100, such as management of call status (including answering, hanging up, etc.).

[0115] The resource manager provides various resources for applications, such as localized strings, icons, images, layout files, video files, and so on.

[0116] The Notification Manager allows applications to display notifications in the status bar. These messages can be displayed briefly and then disappear automatically, without requiring user interaction. For example, the Notification Manager can be used to notify users of completed downloads and message reminders. The Notification Manager can also display notifications in the top status bar as icons or scrolling text, such as notifications from background applications, or as dialog windows on the screen. Examples include displaying text messages in the status bar, emitting alert sounds, vibrating the terminal, or flashing indicator lights.

[0117] Android Runtime includes core libraries and a virtual machine. Android runtime is responsible for scheduling and management of the Android system.

[0118] The core library consists of two parts: one is the function that needs to be called by the Java language, and the other is the Android core library.

[0119] The application layer and application framework layer run in a virtual machine. The virtual machine executes the Java files in the application layer and application framework layer as binary files. The virtual machine is responsible for managing the object lifecycle, stack management, thread management, security and exception management, and garbage collection.

[0120] The system library can include multiple functional modules, such as surface manager, media library, 3D graphics processing library (such as OpenGL ES), 2D graphics engine (such as SGL), etc.

[0121] The surface manager is used to manage the display subsystem and provide fusion of 2D and 3D layers for multiple applications.

[0122] The media library supports playback and recording of a variety of common audio and video formats, as well as static image files. The media library can support a variety of audio and video encoding formats, such as: MPEG4, H.264, MP3, AAC, AMR, JPG, PNG, etc.

[0123] The 3D graphics processing library is used to implement 3D graphics drawing, image rendering, compositing, and layer processing.

[0124] A 2D graphics engine is a drawing engine for 2D drawings.

[0125] The kernel layer is the layer between hardware and software. The kernel layer includes at least display driver, camera sensor driver, audio driver, and sensor driver.

[0126] In order to better understand the satellite communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, a possible working principle of the satellite CP involved in the present application scheme is introduced below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0127] For example, as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B , there are schematic diagrams of terminal device architectures involved in some satellite communication methods provided in embodiments of the present application.

[0128] First, please refer to Figure 4A. In some embodiments, the terminal device may include a satellite communication app and other apps, and the satellite communication app and other apps may all be located in the application layer as shown in Figure 3. The other apps here may refer to apps in the terminal device other than the satellite communication app, for example, they may include the camera, calendar, map, WLAN, music, gallery, call, navigation, and Bluetooth, etc. in the application layer as shown in Figure 3, and this embodiment of the application is not limited to this. Among them, the satellite communication app can be used to receive a satellite communication start operation input by the user, and in response to the start operation, start the satellite alignment process and / or pull up the satellite communication protocol stack process.

[0129] In some embodiments, the terminal device may further include a hardware abstraction layer (HAL). The HAL layer may include a native process module and a satellite communication protocol module. The satellite communication protocol stack may be stored in the satellite communication protocol module. In this case, the satellite communication protocol module may have the same or partially the same functions as a modem and may be considered a modem.

[0130] In some embodiments, the terminal device may further include a hardware device modem.

[0131] Next, please refer to Figure 4B. In some embodiments, the terminal device includes a satellite communication app and other apps. The detailed introduction of the satellite communication app and other apps can be found in the description of Figure 4A above and will not be repeated here.

[0132] In some embodiments, the terminal device may further include a HAL layer. Unlike the terminal device architecture shown in FIG4A , in the architecture shown in FIG4B , the HAL layer may include a native process and a satellite protocol stack, but may not include a satellite CP. The module corresponding to the native process (hereinafter referred to as the native process module) and the module corresponding to the satellite protocol stack (hereinafter referred to as the satellite protocol stack module) may be integrated into the same module, or may be separate modules, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

[0133] In some embodiments, the HAL layer is an interface layer located between the operating system kernel and the hardware circuits. Its purpose is to abstract the hardware. Therefore, the HAL layer also includes the interface between the software layer (such as the application layer) and the hardware (such as the modem) in the terminal device. The upper layer of the terminal device can access and / or control the hardware devices through the corresponding interface.

[0134] In some embodiments, in the architecture of the terminal device shown in FIG4B , the terminal device may further include hardware devices such as a modem and a satellite CP.

[0135] It's important to note that because the satellite communication protocol stack is located in the HAL layer outside the satellite communication core, rather than being stored in the core's chip assembly, it doesn't occupy the terminal device's memory space. Furthermore, because the protocol stack code is stored in the satellite communication HAL layer, rather than mirrored on the terminal device's access point (AP), the satellite communication core doesn't need to first load the mirrored code when it needs to read the corresponding satellite communication code, thus shortening satellite communication network search time.

[0136] 5A to 5I are schematic diagrams of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that may be involved in implementing a satellite communication method according to an embodiment of the present application. For ease of understanding, the terminal device is a mobile phone.

[0137] First, as shown in FIG5A , a schematic diagram of the main interface GUI displayed after the mobile phone is unlocked is shown. The main interface may include a status bar 10, an application icon display area 20 located below the status bar 10, a page indicator display area 30 located below the icon display area 20, and a tray application icon bar 40 located below the page indicator display area 30. Among them, the icons in the status bar 10 may include: one or more signal strength indicators of mobile communication signals (or cellular signals), one or more signal strength indicators of wireless high-fidelity (Wi-Fi) signals, a mobile phone battery indicator, a time indicator, etc. The application icon display area 20 is used to display various types of application (Application, App) icons, such as a clock icon, a calendar icon, a gallery icon, a memo icon, a file management icon, an email icon, a music icon, a calculator icon, a video icon, a sports and health icon, a weather icon, a browser icon, a settings icon, a recorder icon, a satellite communication icon 501, etc. The page indicator included in the page indicator display area 30 is used to indicate the positional relationship between the currently displayed page and other pages. The tray application icon display area 40 is used to display multiple tray application icons, such as a camera application icon, a contact application icon, a phone dialing application icon, a message application icon, etc. In other embodiments, the mobile phone home screen may include more or fewer application icons or tray application icons than shown in the figure, and this application is not limited to this.

[0138] In some embodiments, when a mobile phone receives a user's activation operation for a satellite communication app (e.g., a click operation on a satellite communication app icon 501 in the main interface of a terminal device), in response to the activation operation, the mobile phone may display the home page of the satellite communication app as shown in FIG5B . For example, as shown in FIG5B , the home page of the satellite communication app may include, for example, satellites 502 to which the mobile phone can currently connect and a satellite communication activation control 503 .

[0139] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5C , when the mobile phone receives an operation input by the user for the satellite communication start control 503 (such as a click operation on the satellite communication start control 503 ), the information / call selection interface shown in FIG5D may be displayed in response to the operation.

[0140] In addition, in response to the user input operation for the satellite communication start control 503, the mobile phone can also start the satellite alignment process and the process of pulling up the satellite corresponding protocol stack process. Optionally, the satellite alignment process and the process of pulling up the satellite protocol stack process can be performed without the user's perception.

[0141] It should be noted that the mobile phone's satellite alignment process can improve the quality of the signal received from the satellite by adjusting the azimuth, pitch, and polarization angles of the mobile phone (or the mobile phone antenna). When the quality of the satellite signal received by the mobile phone meets the communication requirements, and other indicators (such as latency) also meet the corresponding requirements, the mobile phone successfully searches for the network and can register with the corresponding satellite network. The process of the mobile phone launching the satellite protocol stack process can be used for the mobile phone's subsequent network searches. That is, when the mobile phone successfully launches the satellite protocol stack process, it can search for the network and register. In actual applications, if one of the satellite alignment process, the network search and registration process after launching the satellite protocol stack process, is completed first, then the mobile phone can establish a connection with the satellite and subsequently communicate with other devices via the satellite.

[0142] It's worth noting that when satellite communication is disabled, there's no need to start the satellite protocol stack process or power on the satellite CP, saving battery life. However, when satellite communication is enabled, the phone can dynamically start the satellite protocol stack process and power on the satellite CP. When satellite communication is disabled again, the phone can dynamically start and stop the satellite protocol stack process and power off the satellite CP.

[0143] For example, as shown in FIG5D , the message / call selection interface of the satellite communication app may include a send message selection control 503, a voice / video call selection control 504, and satellite communication tips. The send message selection control 503 is used to enter the message sending interface upon receiving a corresponding user input (e.g., a click); the voice / video call selection control 504 is used to enter the voice / video call interface upon receiving a corresponding user input (e.g., a click). The satellite communication tips may be presented to the user in the form of a card that provides instructions for using the satellite communication app, such as "Before sending messages or making calls via satellite, you must first connect your phone to the satellite network. This may require some time," "In the message sending interface, you can select template content to quickly send messages; in the voice / video call interface, you can dial a number or search for a contact to make a call, voice, or video call."

[0144] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5E , a message sending interface is provided. The message sending interface may include a contact / contact number input box, a carry location check box, a message editing box, a message sending control, and a message template. When a user needs to send a message to a peer device, the user may enter the peer device's contact information in the contact / contact number input box, enter information or fill in a message template in the message editing box, and then click the send control to forward the message to the peer device via the corresponding satellite. The message template may be a factory-installed message template for the mobile phone, or may be a user-preset message template, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

[0145] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5F , a voice / video call interface (or a new call interface) is shown. The voice / video call interface may include a contact / contact number input box, a dial pad, and a voice call control and a video call control. When a user needs to initiate a voice call to a contact on the other end, they can click the corresponding contact number on the dial pad and then click the voice call control to initiate a voice call / video call control; alternatively, they can enter the corresponding contact's address book name and then click the video call control to initiate a video call / video call control.

[0146] Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the message / call selection interface may also be as shown in Figure 5G. Unlike Figure 5F, in the interface shown in Figure 5G, the message selection control may further include a drop-down control 505, and the voice / video call control may further include a drop-down control 506.

[0147] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5H , when the mobile phone receives an operation (such as a click) input by the user on the drop-down control 505, a drop-down list may be displayed. The drop-down list may include one or more applications that can be used to send messages, such as the applications shown in FIG5H : SMS, email, WeChat, Weibo, TikTok, etc. When the user needs to send a message through a certain application, they can enter an operation (such as a click) in the area corresponding to the application in the drop-down list; in response to this operation, the mobile phone can jump from the current interface (shown in FIG5F ) to the message sending interface of the corresponding application (not shown in the figure). The mobile phone can then retrieve the user-edited message in the message sending interface of the corresponding application and send it to the other party via satellite. For example, if the user wants to send a message to the other party via the SMS application, the user can click the area corresponding to the SMS in the drop-down list corresponding to the message selection control; in response to the user's click, the mobile phone can jump to the message sending interface (or the new message interface) of the SMS application; the user can edit the message in the message sending interface and click the send control after editing; in response to the user's click, the mobile phone can send the message to the other party via satellite.

[0148] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5I , when the mobile phone receives an operation (such as a click operation) input by the user for the drop-down control 506, a drop-down list may be displayed. The drop-down list may include one or more applications that can be used for voice / video, such as the applications shown in FIG5I : phone, QQ, WeChat, enterprise WeChat, etc. When the user needs to initiate a voice / video call through a certain application, the user may input an operation (such as a click operation) for the area corresponding to the application in the drop-down list corresponding to the voice / video call; in response to the operation, the mobile phone may jump from the current interface (shown in FIG5I ) to the corresponding voice / video initiation interface (not shown in the accompanying drawings), and then the mobile phone may receive the user's input operation for initiating a voice call or initiating a video call on the voice / video initiation interface and send it to the other end via satellite. For example, if a user wants to initiate a voice communication with a remote party through a phone application, the user clicks on the area corresponding to the phone in the drop-down list corresponding to the voice / video selection control; in response to the user's click operation, the mobile phone can jump to the dialing interface (or new call interface) of the mobile phone application; the user can enter the number of the remote contact in the dialing interface, and after completing the input, click on the call control; in response to the user's click operation, the mobile phone can send the call to the remote device via satellite, thereby establishing voice communication with the remote device.

[0149] According to the satellite communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, by dynamically starting and stopping the protocol stack process corresponding to satellite communication, the satellite CP is dynamically powered on or off to solve the problem of excessive power consumption caused by the satellite CP being in a powered-on state when the satellite communication function is not activated. In addition, in the solution of the present application, the process of dynamically pulling up the protocol stack process corresponding to satellite communication can be executed in parallel with the satellite communication satellite alignment process; and after successfully pulling up the protocol stack process, a network search will be performed and registered in the corresponding network. The purpose of the network search and registration process is the same as that of the satellite alignment process, both of which are to establish a communication connection with the corresponding satellite. The parallel execution of network search, registration and alignment can improve the efficiency of establishing a connection between the terminal device and the satellite and effectively shorten the time consumed by the terminal device to establish a connection with the satellite.

[0150] The above, in combination with the accompanying drawings, introduces the system architecture, device structure and possible GUI interface involved in the satellite communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application. In order to better understand the method of the embodiment of the present application, the following, in combination with the accompanying drawings, introduces the underlying interaction logic involved in the implementation of the method.

[0151] For example, as shown in FIG6A , a schematic flow chart of a satellite communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application is provided. The execution subject of the process may be the terminal device 100 mentioned above, and specifically, the display module, AP, protocol stack (module), satellite CP, etc. in the terminal device may be used as the main body for execution. The process may include the following steps:

[0152] S601: The display module receives a satellite communication start-up operation input by a user.

[0153] In some embodiments, the satellite communication activation operation can be used to activate the satellite communication function of the terminal device. The satellite communication activation operation can be, for example, an operation for a user to activate a satellite communication application, such as corresponding to the operation of the user clicking the activation satellite communication control in FIG. 5B .

[0154] In some embodiments, the display screen of the terminal device may receive a satellite communication activation operation input by a user; thereafter, the display screen sends the satellite communication activation operation to a display module of the terminal device.

[0155] S602: The display module sends a satellite communication start instruction to the AP.

[0156] In some embodiments, after receiving the satellite communication activation operation, the display module may send an instruction corresponding to the satellite communication activation operation, ie, a satellite communication activation instruction, to the AP of the terminal device.

[0157] The AP here specifically refers to an application processor (or AP chip), which can be used to handle tasks related to the operating system, user interface (UI), and application programs. In the embodiment of the present application, the AP can specifically be used to handle tasks related to satellite communication applications, such as satellite alignment, launching satellite protocol stack processes, etc.

[0158] S603: In response to the satellite communication activation instruction, the AP activates the satellite communication function.

[0159] In some embodiments, enabling the satellite communication function here may refer to enabling a satellite communication application in the terminal device, such as entering the information or voice selection interface shown in FIG. 5C from the satellite communication homepage interface shown in FIG. 5B .

[0160] In some embodiments, after the satellite communication function is turned on, the user can independently start the star-pointing process. For example, the user can start the star-pointing process by clicking the star-pointing start control in the satellite communication APP; or, after the satellite communication function is turned on, the terminal device automatically enters the star-pointing process in response to the activation of the satellite communication function.

[0161] In some embodiments, the pointing process can be performed under user perception, such as by displaying a pointing interface or prompt information to the user through the interface of the terminal device, so that the user can adjust the position and / or angle of the terminal device. Exemplarily, the pointing interface or prompt information may include, for example, the position information of the current terminal device, the orientation of the satellite that is most suitable for establishing a communication connection with the terminal device, the relative distance and / or angle between the terminal device and the satellite that is most suitable for establishing satellite communication with it, and so on. In addition, the pointing interface or prompt information may also include prompts for adjusting the position of the terminal device and / or prompts for adjusting the angle of the terminal device, and so on. The user can adjust the position and / or angle of the terminal device based on the information or prompt information displayed on the pointing interface so that the terminal device can complete the pointing as quickly as possible.

[0162] S604: The AP sends a satellite protocol stack startup instruction to the protocol stack.

[0163] The protocol stack here may correspond to the satellite protocol stack mentioned above.

[0164] S605: The protocol stack starts a satellite protocol stack process in response to the satellite protocol stack start instruction.

[0165] In some embodiments, starting a satellite protocol stack process may include, for example, the AP launching a protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function. Specifically, after the AP enables the satellite communication function, the terminal device may enter satellite communication mode. Subsequently, the AP may launch the protocol stack process using configuration items in a control file (e.g., a release candidate (RC) file).

[0166] S606: The protocol stack powers on the satellite CP and loads the satellite CP image code.

[0167] In some embodiments, after the satellite protocol stack is pulled up, the satellite protocol stack may power on the satellite CP through the control circuit.

[0168] In some embodiments, if the protocol stack is not stored in the satellite CP, the mirror code corresponding to the satellite CP can be loaded after the satellite CP is powered on. Optionally, after the satellite CP is powered on, the loading of the corresponding mirror code can be triggered without waiting for AP notification.

[0169] It should be noted that loading the satellite CP mirror code in step S606 may be an optional operation. For example, if the protocol stack is stored in the satellite CP, then when the satellite CP is powered on, there is no need to load the corresponding mirror code.

[0170] It should also be noted that in this embodiment of the present application, the protocol stack can dynamically power on or off the satellite CP, eliminating the need to continuously power on the satellite CP. Specifically, when the satellite communication function is enabled, the protocol stack can control powering on the satellite CP; when the satellite communication function is disabled, the protocol stack can control powering off the satellite CP. By dynamically powering on the satellite CP when needed and powering off the satellite CP when not needed, the satellite CP can avoid excessive power consumption by the terminal device, thereby saving power and improving terminal device performance.

[0171] S607, satellite CP starts.

[0172] In some embodiments, when the satellite CP is powered on, the satellite CP is successfully started. After the satellite CP successfully starts, for example, it may report a successful startup notification message to the AP to inform the AP of the successful startup of the satellite CP. After receiving the successful startup notification message from the satellite CP, the AP may initiate a process to establish a socket connection with the protocol stack and establish a socket connection with the protocol stack.

[0173] It is worth noting that after the satellite CP is successfully started, the AP can initiate a socket connection with the satellite protocol stack. The successful startup of the satellite CP here may include powering on the satellite CP and loading the image code data.

[0174] S608: The protocol stack obtains that the satellite CP is started successfully.

[0175] In some embodiments, the protocol stack may obtain the successful startup of the satellite CP in a manner that may include, for example: the protocol stack may sense that the satellite AP has been successfully started based on the loaded mirror code data; or, optionally, when the satellite CP is successfully started, a CP startup success notification message may be sent to the protocol stack to notify the protocol stack that the satellite CP has been successfully started.

[0176] S609: The protocol stack sends a protocol stack preparation reporting message to the AP.

[0177] In some embodiments, after the satellite CP is successfully started, the AP may request to establish a socket connection with the satellite protocol stack in response to the successful startup of the satellite CP.

[0178] S610, the AP sends a network search and registration instruction message to the protocol stack.

[0179] The network search and registration instruction message may be used to instruct the protocol stack to initiate a network search and registration process so that the terminal device can acquire and register with the satellite network. The network search and registration instruction message may be an AT command, for example, AT+cfun=1.

[0180] S611: The protocol stack and the satellite CP execute the network search and registration process.

[0181] In some embodiments, the protocol stack may initiate a network search and registration process in response to the network removal and registration instructions. The network search and registration process performed by the protocol stack and the satellite CP may be any feasible existing technology or related technology that may appear in the future, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0182] S612: The terminal device executes normal business processes.

[0183] In some embodiments, after the protocol stack and the satellite CP complete the network search and registration process, that is, after the terminal device successfully settles in the satellite network, it can enter normal business processes, such as information communication, voice communication, video communication and other processes.

[0184] It should be noted that, unlike the cellular communication scenario, in the embodiments of the present application, information communication, voice communication, video communication and other processes can be implemented based on the satellite network, that is, the satellite can act as a relay station to forward the information, voice service-related data, video service-related data, etc. sent by the terminal device, thereby realizing communication interaction between the terminal device and the opposite device.

[0185] It should also be noted that after the terminal device activates the satellite communication service (e.g., after step S601), the terminal device may maintain the satellite alignment process. During the alignment process, the terminal device may execute the process of activating the satellite CP and protocol stack. That is, the process of activating the satellite CP and protocol stack is performed synchronously with the alignment process, and does not necessarily require the successful establishment of satellite communication through the alignment process before the satellite and protocol stack activation process is performed. The alignment process can be carried out throughout the entire satellite communication service execution process, and the process of activating the satellite CP can occur at a certain stage of the alignment process, and does not need to be performed in parallel with the entire alignment process.

[0186] According to the satellite communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, by parallel execution of the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication, so that the terminal device can perform the network search registration and satellite communication satellite alignment process, the time consumed by the terminal device to establish a connection with the corresponding satellite can be shortened, and the efficiency of the terminal device to establish a communication connection with the corresponding satellite can be improved.

[0187] For example, as shown in FIG6B , a schematic flow chart of a satellite communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application is provided. The execution subject of the process may be the terminal device 100 mentioned above, and specifically, the display module, AP, protocol stack (module), satellite CP, etc. in the terminal device may be used as the main body for execution. The process may include the following steps:

[0188] S613: The display module receives a satellite communication closing operation input by the user.

[0189] In some embodiments, the satellite communication off operation can be used to turn off the satellite communication function of the terminal device. The satellite communication off operation can be, for example, an operation by the user to close the satellite communication application or exit the satellite communication application, such as a user clicking an exit control on the satellite communication application.

[0190] In some embodiments, the display screen of the terminal device may receive a satellite communication shut-down operation input by a user; thereafter, the display screen sends the satellite communication shut-down operation to a display module of the terminal device.

[0191] S614, the display module sends a satellite communication closing instruction to the AP.

[0192] In some embodiments, after receiving the satellite communication on operation, the display module may send an instruction corresponding to the satellite communication off operation, ie, a satellite communication off instruction, to the AP of the terminal device.

[0193] S615 , in response to the satellite communication shutdown instruction, the AP sends a disconnection and deregistration instruction to the protocol stack.

[0194] The network disconnection and deregistration instruction may be used to instruct the protocol stack to initiate a network disconnection and deregistration process. The network disconnection and deregistration instruction may be an AT instruction, such as: AT+cfun=4.

[0195] S616: The protocol stack and the satellite CP execute the network deregistration and de-registration process.

[0196] In some embodiments, the protocol stack may initiate a de-networking and de-registration process in response to the de-networking and de-registration instruction. The de-networking and de-registration process performed by the protocol stack and the satellite CP may be based on any feasible existing technology or related technology that may emerge in the future, and is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

[0197] S617: The protocol stack clears the state machine.

[0198] In some embodiments, the protocol stack may clear the satellite communication related data cached in the state machine; or, the protocol stack may place some data that is still needed for the satellite communication function in the cache of the terminal device memory.

[0199] S618: The protocol stack sends a power-off request message to the satellite CP.

[0200] The power-off request message sent by the protocol stack to the satellite CP may be: AT+cfun=4. It should be noted that the power-off request message may also be described as a satellite communication shutdown instruction, which may have the same content as the instruction in step S615.

[0201] S619, satellite CP is powered off.

[0202] In some embodiments, the satellite CP may be powered off in a manner that: the protocol stack powers off the pins corresponding to the satellite CP by calling the ioctl interface of the terminal device, thereby powering off the satellite CP.

[0203] S620: The protocol stack sends a protocol stack shutdown notification message to the AP.

[0204] In some embodiments, after the protocol stack completes the de-networking and de-registration process, cleans up the state machine, and powers off the satellite CP, the protocol stack may send a closable notification message to the AP. The closable notification message may be used to indicate that the protocol stack can be shut down; or, the closable notification message may be used to indicate that the socket connection between the AP and the protocol stack may be disconnected; or, the closable notification message may be used to indicate that the protocol stack and the satellite CP have been cleaned up and are in a closable state.

[0205] S621: The AP disconnects the socket.

[0206] In some embodiments, in response to the protocol stack shutdown notification message, the AP may disconnect the socket connection with the protocol stack.

[0207] S622: The AP sends a protocol stack process closing instruction message to the protocol stack.

[0208] The protocol stack process closing instruction message is used to instruct the protocol stack to close the relevant processes of satellite communication.

[0209] In some embodiments, the AP may dynamically shut down the protocol stack process by controlling configuration items in the RC file.

[0210] S623: The protocol stack closes the protocol stack process.

[0211] In some embodiments, the method of closing the protocol stack process may include, for example: the protocol stack closes the protocol stack process according to the configuration information in the rc file used to control the start and stop of the protocol stack process. Specifically, when the configuration information in the rc file indicates to close the protocol stack process, the protocol stack can close the protocol stack process based on the configuration information.

[0212] According to the satellite communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, by dynamically starting or stopping the protocol stack process corresponding to satellite communication, the satellite CP is dynamically powered on or off, thereby solving the problem of excessive power consumption caused by the satellite CP being in a powered-on state when the satellite communication function is not activated. In addition, in the solution of the present application, the process of dynamically starting the protocol stack process corresponding to satellite communication can be executed in parallel with the satellite communication satellite alignment process; and after successfully starting the protocol stack process, a network search will be performed and registered in the corresponding network. The purpose of the network search and registration process is the same as that of the satellite alignment process, both of which are to establish a communication connection with the corresponding satellite. The parallel execution of network search, registration and alignment can improve the efficiency of establishing a connection between the terminal device and the satellite, and effectively shorten the time consumed by the terminal device to establish a connection with the satellite.

[0213] For example, as shown in FIG7 , a schematic flow chart of a satellite communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application is provided. The execution subject of the process may be the terminal device 100 described above, and specifically may include the following steps:

[0214] S701, start the satellite communication function.

[0215] S702: Start the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function and power on the satellite CP.

[0216] S703, searching for a satellite network, and registering to the satellite network after the search is successful.

[0217] S704, when exiting the satellite communication function, deregistering in the satellite network and disconnecting from the satellite, terminating the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function, and powering off the satellite CP.

[0218] In some embodiments, during the process of searching the satellite network and / or registering to the satellite network after the search is successful, the method further includes: starting a satellite alignment process; receiving a user's adjustment operation to adjust the position of the antenna in space and / or the angle between the antenna and the satellite.

[0219] In some embodiments, the terminal device also includes an application processor AP; the starting of the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function and the power-on of the satellite baseband processor CP specifically include: in response to the start of the satellite communication function, the AP calls the configuration item in the control file and starts the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function; the protocol stack process calls a preset interface to power on the satellite CP.

[0220] In some embodiments, the method further includes: terminating the satellite alignment process when the terminal device successfully registers with the satellite network.

[0221] In some embodiments, the protocol stack corresponding to the protocol stack process is stored on the AP side of the terminal device.

[0222] In some embodiments, the method further includes: receiving a first operation input by a user for a satellite communication application; and enabling a satellite communication function in response to the first operation.

[0223] In some embodiments, the method also includes: when the satellite CP is powered on, the satellite CP sends a first notification message to the protocol stack, and the first notification message is used to instruct the satellite CP to start; the protocol stack sends a second notification message to the AP, and the second notification message is used to report the satellite CP startup to the AP; the AP sends a first indication message to the protocol stack, and the first indication message is used to instruct to perform satellite network search and satellite network registration; in response to the first indication message, the protocol stack and the satellite CP search for the satellite network, and register to the satellite network after the search is successful.

[0224] In some embodiments, the method further includes: receiving a second operation of the user on the satellite communication application; and shutting down the satellite communication function in response to the second operation.

[0225] In some embodiments, the method further includes: the AP sends a second indication message to the protocol stack, where the second indication message is used to instruct the satellite network to be de-networked and de-registered; in response to the second indication message, the protocol stack and the satellite CP de-register the satellite network and disconnect from the satellite; the protocol stack sends a third indication message to the satellite CP, where the third indication message is used to instruct the satellite CP to be powered off.

[0226] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the satellite CP is powered off, the protocol stack sends a third notification message to the AP, where the third notification message is used to indicate that the protocol stack process can be shut down; in response to the third notification message, the AP sends a fourth indication message to the protocol stack, where the fourth indication message is used to indicate that the protocol stack process is terminated; and the protocol stack terminates the protocol stack process in response to the third notification message.

[0227] In some embodiments, the method includes: the AP disconnecting from the protocol stack.

[0228] In some embodiments, the method further includes: the protocol stack clearing cached data in a state machine corresponding to the satellite communication function.

[0229] According to the satellite communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application, by dynamically starting and stopping the protocol stack process corresponding to satellite communication, the satellite CP is dynamically powered on or off to solve the problem of excessive power consumption caused by the satellite CP being in the powered-on state when the satellite communication function is not activated. In addition, in the solution of the present application, the process of dynamically pulling up the protocol stack process corresponding to satellite communication can be executed in parallel with the satellite communication satellite alignment process; and after successfully pulling up the protocol stack process, a network search will be performed and registered in the corresponding network. The network search and its corresponding registration process are used to enable the terminal device to establish a communication connection with the satellite, and the purpose of the satellite alignment is to guide the terminal device to align with the satellite so as to register with the satellite network more quickly and obtain better satellite signals. That is, the purpose of the satellite alignment process is ultimately to better establish a communication connection with the satellite. Therefore, performing network search and registration in parallel with the satellite alignment can improve the efficiency of the terminal device in establishing a connection with the satellite and effectively shorten the time consumed by the terminal device to establish a connection with the satellite.

[0230] Based on the same technical concept, an embodiment of the present application also provides a terminal device, including one or more processors; one or more memories; the one or more memories store one or more computer programs, and the one or more computer programs include instructions. When the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the computer or processor executes one or more steps in any of the above methods.

[0231] Based on the same technical concept, an embodiment of the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores computer-executable program instructions. When the computer-executable program instructions are executed on a computer, the computer or processor executes one or more steps in any of the above methods.

[0232] Based on the same technical concept, an embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product containing instructions, wherein the computer program product includes computer program code. When the computer program code is run on a computer, the computer or processor executes one or more steps in any of the above methods.

[0233] In the above embodiments, it can be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the process or function described in the embodiment of the present application is generated in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted via the computer-readable storage medium. The computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server or data center to another website, computer, server or data center via a wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) method. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more available media integrated. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk, a tape), an optical medium (e.g., a DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., a solid state drive (SSD)).

[0234] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that all or part of the process steps in the above-described method embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. This program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the program can include the process steps in the above-described method embodiments. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as ROM or random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0235] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A satellite communication method, characterized in that: Applied to terminal equipment, including: Enable satellite communication function; Starting the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function and powering on the satellite baseband processor CP; Performing a satellite network search and registering to the satellite network after the search is successful; When the satellite communication function is exited, deregistration is performed in the satellite network and the connection with the satellite is disconnected, and the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function is terminated, and the satellite CP is powered off.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that During the process of searching the satellite network and / or registering to the satellite network after the search is successful, the method further includes: Start pointing. Receive adjustment operations from the user, and adjust the position of the antenna in space and / or the angle between the antenna and the satellite.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The terminal device also includes an application processor AP; The step of starting the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function and powering on the satellite baseband processor CP specifically includes: In response to the satellite communication function being started, the AP calls the configuration item in the control file to start the protocol stack process corresponding to the satellite communication function; The protocol stack process calls a preset interface to power on the satellite CP.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the terminal device successfully registers with the satellite network, terminating the satellite alignment; or, When the terminal device is successfully registered with the satellite network, the satellite alignment is continued.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The protocol stack corresponding to the protocol stack process is stored on the AP side of the terminal device.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The method further comprises: receiving a first operation input by a user for a satellite communication application; In response to the first operation, the satellite communication function is enabled.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The method further comprises: When the satellite CP is powered on, the satellite CP sends a first notification message to the protocol stack, where the first notification message is used to instruct the satellite CP to start up; The protocol stack sends a second notification message to the AP, where the second notification message is used to report the satellite CP startup to the AP; The AP sends a first indication message to the protocol stack, where the first indication message is used to instruct satellite network search and satellite network registration; In response to the first indication message, the protocol stack and the satellite CP search for the satellite network and register with the satellite network after the search is successful.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The method further comprises: receiving a second operation of the user on the satellite communication application; In response to the second operation, the satellite communication function is turned off.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The method further comprises: The AP sends a second indication message to the protocol stack, where the second indication message is used to instruct to disconnect and deregister the satellite network; In response to the second indication message, the protocol stack and the satellite CP deregister the satellite network and disconnect from the satellite; The protocol stack sends a third indication message to the satellite CP, where the third indication message is used to instruct to power off the satellite CP.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The method further comprises: When the satellite CP is powered off, the protocol stack sends a third notification message to the AP, where the third notification message is used to indicate that the protocol stack process can be closed; In response to the third notification message, the AP sends a fourth indication message to the protocol stack, where the fourth indication message is used to indicate that the protocol stack process is terminated; The protocol stack terminates the protocol stack process in response to the third notification message.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that The method comprises: The AP disconnects from the protocol stack.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that The method further comprises: The protocol stack clears cached data in a state machine corresponding to the satellite communication function.

13. A terminal device, characterized in that: include: one or more processors; one or more memories; The one or more memories store one or more computer programs, and the one or more computer programs include instructions. When the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the terminal device performs the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable program instructions, which, when executed on a computer, enable the computer to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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