Short message processing method and apparatus, and communication device, storage medium and program product

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of mobile communications, and relates to a short message processing method and apparatus, and a communication device, a storage medium and a program product. The method is applied to a satellite-borne mobility management entity (MME) network element, and comprises: when a downlink short message sent by a terrestrial short message network element is received, determining whether to process the downlink short message (S210); if so, storing the downlink short message, and when a user equipment (UE) is connected by means of a satellite-borne base station, sending the downlink short message to the user equipment (UE) (S220); and if not, sending a failure report to the terrestrial short message network element (S230).

Description

Short message processing method, device, communication equipment, storage medium and program product

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application number 2024101775665, filed on February 8, 2024, entitled “SMS processing method, device, communication equipment, storage medium and program product”, the entire text of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of mobile communication technology, and in particular to a text message processing method, apparatus, communication equipment, storage medium, and program product. Background Art

[0004] The satellite regeneration mode of 3GPP SA2 (3rd Generation Partnership Project Service and System Aspects Technical Specification Group) is a communication mode in which base stations and / or (part of) core network functions are deployed on satellites.

[0005] Compared with the transparent forwarding mode of NTN (Non Terrestrial Network) satellite in the 3GPP standard specification, the satellite regeneration mode effectively reduces dependence on the terrestrial communication network and reduces communication delay.

[0006] However, in the forwarding scenario of the satellite regeneration mode, there are cases where downlink SMS messages fail to be sent. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Based on this, embodiments of the present application provide a text message processing method, apparatus, communication equipment, storage medium, and program product.

[0008] In a first aspect, the present application provides a method for processing short messages, which is applied to an MME network element on a satellite, comprising:

[0009] Upon receiving a downlink SMS message sent by a terrestrial SMS network element, determining whether to process the downlink SMS message;

[0010] If processed, storing the downlink SMS message, and sending the downlink SMS message to the user terminal UE when the user terminal UE is connected through the base station on the satellite;

[0011] If not processed, a failure report is sent to the ground SMS network element.

[0012] In one of the embodiments, after sending the downlink SMS to the user terminal UE, the method further includes: when connected to the user terminal UE, receiving an uplink SMS sent by the user terminal UE and storing the uplink SMS; when connected to a terrestrial network, sending the uplink SMS to the terrestrial SMS network element.

[0013] In one of the embodiments, after sending the failure report to the ground SMS network element, the resending process of the downlink SMS is triggered when the ground network is connected.

[0014] In one of the embodiments, after the resending process of the downlink SMS is triggered, the method further includes: receiving the downlink SMS resent by the terrestrial SMS network element and storing the resent downlink SMS; and sending the resent downlink SMS to the user terminal UE when the user terminal UE is connected.

[0015] In one of the embodiments, after sending the resent downlink SMS to the user terminal UE, the method further includes: when connected to the user terminal UE, receiving an uplink SMS sent by the user terminal UE and storing the uplink SMS; when connected to a terrestrial network, sending the uplink SMS to the terrestrial SMS network element.

[0016] In one embodiment, the process of triggering the resending of the downlink SMS includes: if the current time reaches the target time, sending SMS preparation information to the HSS on the ground; wherein, the SMS preparation information is used to instruct the HSS on the ground to send information to the SC for alerting the SC to trigger the resending process of the downlink SMS.

[0017] In one of the embodiments, while or after sending the failure report to the ground SMS network element, the method further includes: determining a target time; wherein the target time is used to trigger the sending of SMS preparation information to the ground home subscriber server HSS.

[0018] In one embodiment, determining the target time includes:

[0019] The target time is determined according to resource utilization of the mobility management entity MME network element and information on the communicable time between the mobility management entity MME network element and a terrestrial home subscriber server HSS.

[0020] In one embodiment, determining the target time includes:

[0021] The target time is determined according to resource utilization of the mobility management entity MME network element or communication available time information between the mobility management entity MME network element and a terrestrial home subscriber server HSS.

[0022] In one embodiment, the uplink SMS message includes a delivery report of the downlink SMS message.

[0023] In one embodiment, the new uplink SMS message includes a delivery report of the resent downlink SMS message.

[0024] In one embodiment, the determining whether to process the downlink text message includes: determining whether to process the downlink text message according to resource utilization of a mobility management entity (MME) network element.

[0025] In one embodiment, the terrestrial SMS network element includes at least one of a short message service gateway SMS-GMSC, an intercommunication mobile service interaction center IWMSC, and a short message router SMS Router.

[0026] In a second aspect, the present application provides a short message processing device, configured as an MME network element on a satellite, comprising:

[0027] A first judgment module is used to judge whether to process the downlink SMS message when receiving the downlink SMS message sent by the ground SMS network element;

[0028] a judgment and response module, configured to store the downlink text message if processed, and send the downlink text message to the user terminal UE when the user terminal UE is connected through the base station on the satellite;

[0029] The judgment response module is further configured to send a failure report to the ground SMS network element if no processing is performed.

[0030] In a third aspect, the present application further provides a communication device, comprising a memory, a transceiver, and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, the transceiver is configured to receive data or send data under the control of the processor, and the processor implements the following steps when executing the computer program:

[0031] Upon receiving a downlink SMS message sent by a terrestrial SMS network element, determining whether to process the downlink SMS message;

[0032] If processed, storing the downlink SMS message, and sending the downlink SMS message to the user terminal UE when the user terminal UE is connected through the base station on the satellite;

[0033] If not processed, a failure report is sent to the ground SMS network element.

[0034] In a fourth aspect, the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the following steps:

[0035] Upon receiving a downlink SMS message sent by a terrestrial SMS network element, determining whether to process the downlink SMS message;

[0036] If processed, storing the downlink SMS message, and sending the downlink SMS message to the user terminal UE when the user terminal UE is connected through the base station on the satellite;

[0037] If not processed, a failure report is sent to the ground SMS network element.

[0038] In a fifth aspect, the present application further provides a computer program product, comprising a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the following steps:

[0039] Upon receiving a downlink SMS message sent by a terrestrial SMS network element, determining whether to process the downlink SMS message;

[0040] If processed, storing the downlink SMS message, and sending the downlink SMS message to the user terminal UE when the user terminal UE is connected through the base station on the satellite;

[0041] If not processed, a failure report is sent to the ground SMS network element. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the conventional technology, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the conventional technology descriptions. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the disclosed drawings without any creative work.

[0043] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a network architecture according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] FIG2 is a flow chart of a method for processing short messages in one embodiment of the present application;

[0045] FIG3 is a flow chart of a method for processing short messages in another embodiment of the present application;

[0046] FIG4 is a flow chart of a method for processing short messages in another embodiment of the present application;

[0047] FIG5 is a signaling diagram of a method for processing short messages in one embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG6 is a signaling diagram of a method for processing short messages in another embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG7 is a signaling diagram of a method for processing short messages in another embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG8 is a structural block diagram of a device for determining short message processing according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG9 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a communication device in one embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0053] Before introducing the embodiments of the present application, some relevant functional network elements involved in the present application are first introduced.

[0054] A UE (User Equipment) accesses a data network (DN) and other services provided by the operator or a third party on the DN by connecting to the operator's network. For ease of explanation, in the embodiments of this application, user terminals, user devices, terminal devices, or terminals may be collectively referred to as UEs. That is, unless otherwise specified, the UE described in the embodiments of this application may be replaced by user terminals, user devices, terminal devices, or terminals, and of course, they are also interchangeable.

[0055] Access networks can be accessed through copper wires (regular telephone lines), fiber optic cables, hybrid fiber-coaxial cables (cable television cables), and wireless access. The RAN (Radio Access Network) is a network infrastructure commonly used in mobile networks. It consists of wireless base stations equipped with large antennas. The primary purpose of a RAN is to wirelessly connect user devices.

[0056] The MME (Mobility Management Entity) is a key control node in the 3GPP protocol access network, responsible for the positioning and paging processes of UEs in idle mode, including relaying. Simply put, the MME is responsible for signaling processing. It is involved in the bearer activation / deactivation process and selects an SGW (Serving GateWay) for the UE when it is initialized and connected. It authenticates a user through interaction with the HSS (Home Subscriber Server) and assigns a temporary ID to the user. The MME also supports interception and monitoring within the scope permitted by law.

[0057] The HSS is a database that stores user subscription information in the network. It contains user profiles, performs user authentication and authorization, and can provide information about the user's physical location.

[0058] MSC: Mobile-services Switching Centre, a type of switch that performs switching functions for base stations located within a specified geographical area.

[0059] The SC (Service Centre) is responsible for relaying, storing and forwarding short messages between the SME and mobile terminals.

[0060] The SMS-GMSC (Gateway MSC For Short Message Service) is responsible for receiving short messages from the SC, negotiating with the HSS to obtain routing information and SMS (Short Message Service) information, and sending the short messages to the network entity corresponding to the receiving mobile terminal.

[0061] IWMSC (Inter Working Mobile-services Switching Centre) is used to receive SMS messages from mobile networks and send them to the appropriate SMS service centre.

[0062] An SMS Router is a device or system used to process and forward text messages. It is usually located between a SMS service center (SMS Center) or an SMS gateway and is responsible for managing and forwarding text messages.

[0063] A 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) network refers to a network that complies with 3GPP standards. Furthermore, 3GPP networks are not limited to 5G networks defined by 3GPP but can also include 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. 3GPP networks are typically operated by carriers.

[0064] Referring to the network architecture diagram shown in Figure 1, it includes a UE, satellite network elements, and terrestrial network elements. The satellite network elements may include RAN and MME network elements; the terrestrial network elements may include terrestrial SMS network elements and HSS. The UE accesses the terrestrial network through the satellite network elements and communicates with the terrestrial network elements. The satellite network elements may be understood as network element devices deployed on satellites; the terrestrial network elements may be understood as network element devices deployed on the ground; and the terrestrial SMS network elements may be understood as network element devices in the core network that provide SMS transmission services. The terrestrial SMS network element may be at least one of an SMS-GMSC, an IWMSC, and an SMS Router, etc., and this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0065] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a text message processing method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method can be applied to the MME network element in Figure 1, or to other network elements in the core network. This application only takes the MME network element as an example to explain the text message processing process in detail, and should not be understood as a specific limitation on the execution entity of the text message processing method.

[0066] Referring to the SMS processing method shown in FIG2 , the method includes:

[0067] S210. When receiving a downlink SMS message sent by a ground SMS network element, determine whether to process the downlink SMS message.

[0068] Exemplarily, when the MME network element receives a downlink SMS message sent by a terrestrial SMS network element in the core network, such as an SMS-GMSC, the MME network element determines whether it needs to process the downlink SMS message based on its own situation.

[0069] In an optional embodiment, the MME network element may determine whether to process the downlink SMS message based on its own resource utilization.

[0070] For example, resource utilization can be numerically quantified by resource utilization ratio. Accordingly, if the resource utilization ratio is less than the preset ratio threshold, it is determined to process the downlink SMS; if the resource utilization ratio is not less than the preset ratio threshold, it is determined not to process the downlink SMS. The preset ratio threshold can be set or adjusted by technical personnel based on needs or experience, or repeatedly determined through a large number of experiments, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this. It is worth noting that resource utilization can correspond to data under at least one evaluation dimension.

[0071] In another optional embodiment, the MME network element may also comprehensively determine whether to process the downlink SMS based on its own resource utilization, the byte size of the downlink SMS to be sent, and the number of downlink SMS currently requiring processing.

[0072] S220: If processed, store the downlink SMS message, and send the downlink SMS message to the UE when the UE is connected via a base station on the satellite.

[0073] For example, if it is determined that a downlink SMS message is to be processed, the downlink SMS message can be stored locally or in another storage device connected to the communication. This application does not impose any restrictions on the storage area of ​​the downlink SMS message, and it is only necessary to ensure that the downlink SMS message can be accessed from the corresponding storage area later. In addition, when the base station on the satellite is connected to the UE, the base station can communicate normally with the UE. At this time, the downlink SMS message can be sent to the UE through the base station.

[0074] In an optional embodiment, the storage operation of the downlink text message and the sending operation of the downlink text message can be executed simultaneously, successively, or cross-executed. This application does not impose any restrictions on the execution order of the two, and it is only necessary to ensure that the downlink text message can be effectively stored and sent.

[0075] For example, the downlink SMS message may be transmitted through a NAS (Non-access stratum) layer or other layers.

[0076] S230: If not processed, a failure report is sent to the ground SMS network element.

[0077] Exemplarily, if it is determined not to be processed, a failure report is sent to a terrestrial SMS network element, such as SMS-GMSC, to inform the terrestrial SMS network element that the downlink SMS message was not sent to the UE or was not successfully sent to the UE.

[0078] In an optional embodiment, after sending a failure report to the ground SMS network element, the ground SMS network element can resend the downlink SMS as needed. This application does not impose any restrictions on the timing of resending the downlink SMS that failed to be sent.

[0079] In the embodiment of the present application, upon receiving a downlink SMS message sent by a terrestrial SMS network element, the MME network element determines whether to process the downlink SMS message; if it is processed, the downlink SMS message is stored and, when the UE is connected via a base station on a satellite, the downlink SMS message is sent to the UE; if it is not processed, a failure report is sent to the terrestrial SMS network element. In the above technical solution, by introducing a storage and sending mechanism for downlink SMS messages, the smooth sending of downlink SMS messages in a store-and-forward scenario can be guaranteed; and, in the case of not processing the message, a failure report is sent to the terrestrial SMS network element to prevent subsequent continued failed downlink SMS sending, thereby avoiding the waste of communication resources caused by the continued failed downlink SMS sending operation and improving the resource utilization of communication resources.

[0080] On the basis of the technical solutions of the above embodiments, the present application further provides an optional embodiment, in which the operations after sending a downlink SMS message to the UE in S220 are refined.

[0081] Referring to the SMS processing method shown in FIG3 , the method further includes:

[0082] S310: After sending a downlink SMS to the UE, when the UE is connected, receive an uplink SMS sent by the UE and store the uplink SMS.

[0083] Here, connecting to the UE may be understood as connecting to the UE via a base station deployed on a satellite.

[0084] When determining to process the downlink SMS, after sending the downlink SMS to the UE, when the UE is connected, the uplink SMS sent by the UE can be further received, thereby realizing data transmission from the UE to the core network and storing the uplink SMS to avoid the loss of the uplink SMS and facilitate subsequent access to the uplink SMS.

[0085] Among them, the uplink text message can be information related to the aforementioned downlink text message, or it can be information unrelated to the aforementioned downlink text message, and this application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0086] In an optional embodiment, the uplink SMS message may be information generated based on the downlink SMS message, such as downlink SMS delivery information or downlink SMS response information. The downlink SMS delivery information indicates successful receipt of the downlink SMS message, while the downlink SMS response information indicates a response result related to the content of the downlink SMS message.

[0087] In a specific implementation, the uplink text message may be a delivery report of the downlink text message.

[0088] S320: When connected to the ground network, send an uplink SMS message to the ground SMS network element.

[0089] Among them, connecting to the ground network can be understood as connecting to network elements in the core network through a ground gateway station.

[0090] When connected to the terrestrial network, it indicates that it is currently able to communicate with the terrestrial SMS network element in the core network. Therefore, uplink SMS messages can be sent to the terrestrial SMS network element, thereby realizing data transmission from the UE to the terrestrial SMS network element in the core network.

[0091] For example, downlink SMS messages may be transmitted via the NAS layer or other layers.

[0092] The embodiment of the present application further adds the function of receiving uplink SMS sent by UE and storing uplink SMS after sending a downlink SMS to UE when the UE is connected, and sends uplink SMS to the ground SMS network element when the ground network is connected, thereby ensuring data transmission from UE to the core network and further enriching the communication mechanism between UE and the core network.

[0093] Based on the technical solutions of the above embodiments, the present application also provides an optional embodiment. In this optional embodiment, the steps after sending the failure report to the ground SMS network element in S230 are refined.

[0094] Referring to the SMS processing method shown in FIG4 , the method further includes:

[0095] S410: When connected to the terrestrial network, trigger the resending process of the downlink SMS.

[0096] In an optional embodiment, the resending process of the downlink SMS message may be directly triggered.

[0097] In another optional embodiment, an automatic trigger mechanism may be introduced to trigger the resending process of the downlink SMS.

[0098] For example, if the current time reaches the target time, a text message preparation message is sent to the HSS on the ground; wherein the text message preparation message is used to instruct the HSS on the ground to send information to the SC for alerting the SC to trigger the resending process of the downlink text message.

[0099] In the case of the aforementioned judgment that the downlink SMS is not currently being processed, in order to avoid omission of this downlink SMS, the downlink SMS can be resent when connected to the terrestrial network, thereby ensuring that the downlink SMS can be successfully transmitted to the UE.

[0100] The target time can be determined based on resource utilization and / or information about the communicable time with the ground HSS. In one specific implementation, the communicable time information can be a time range within which communication is permitted. This time range can be determined based on at least two of a start time, an end time, and a duration, or based on the start time and communication period, which is not limited in this application.

[0101] Optionally, the target time is used to represent the time for resending the aforementioned downlink SMS message. It can be presented as a timestamp or moment value, or as a time interval between the reception time or the transmission time of the aforementioned downlink SMS message. This application does not impose any restrictions on the specific presentation method of the target time. The target times of downlink SMS messages corresponding to different transmission processes can be the same or different, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0102] For example, the target time for resending can be set in advance, and when the ground network is connected and the current time reaches the target time, a text message preparation message is sent to the HSS on the ground; the HSS on the ground receives the text message preparation message and sends a warning message to the SC; the SC receives the warning message and triggers the resending process of the downlink text message.

[0103] The warning information is used to instruct the SC to resend the downlink SMS message.

[0104] Optionally, the resending process of a downlink SMS message may be the same as or different from the sending process of the previous downlink SMS message, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this. It is understood that in order to ensure the stability of the communication system, the resending process is usually the same as the initial sending process, effectively reusing the existing information sending mechanism to facilitate the management and maintenance of message sending.

[0105] In an optional embodiment, at the same time as or after sending a failure report to the ground SMS network element, a target time is determined for triggering the sending of SMS preparation information to the ground HSS, so that each time the downlink SMS is not processed, the target time corresponding to this downlink SMS is determined separately, avoiding omission or error in the determination of the target time, which affects the retransmission of the downlink SMS, ensuring the effectiveness of the downlink SMS retransmission, and avoiding the phenomenon of omission of downlink SMS retransmission.

[0106] In a specific implementation, a timing mechanism may be introduced, such as setting a timer, that is, using the timing information of the timer as the target time. When the timer ends, it automatically triggers the execution of sending SMS preparation information to the ground HSS.

[0107] It is worth noting that the above timing mechanism is a feasible way to realize the target time, and other methods can also be used to determine the target time, which should not be understood as a specific limitation on the logic of determining the target time.

[0108] In order to facilitate the effective management of unprocessed downlink SMS messages and avoid the occurrence of resending notification failures, in an optional embodiment, a success / failure flag corresponding to the downlink SMS message that reports the failure to send can be set to indicate whether the downlink SMS message to be sent to the UE has not been successfully sent. Subsequently, the success / failure flag can be used to identify the downlink SMS messages that have not been successfully sent, and an SMS preparation message can be sent to the ground HSS for the downlink SMS messages that have not been successfully sent, thereby avoiding the situation where the SMS preparation message is missed.

[0109] It is worth noting that, when there are at least two unsuccessfully sent downlink text messages, the different unsuccessfully sent downlink text messages may correspond to the same or different target times, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this. It should be noted that the identifier of the success / failure indicator can be set by technical personnel based on needs or experience, and this application does not impose any restrictions on the specific content of the identifier.

[0110] Optionally, the success / failure flag may be a failure flag, used to indicate that the corresponding downlink text message has not been successfully sent to the UE. Accordingly, a downlink text message not marked with a success / failure flag indicates that the downlink text message has been successfully sent to the UE.

[0111] Alternatively, the success / failure flag may include a success flag and a failure flag, wherein the identifiers of the success flag and the failure flag are different. The success flag is used to indicate that the corresponding downlink SMS message has been successfully sent to the UE; the failure flag is used to indicate that the corresponding downlink SMS message has not been successfully sent to the UE.

[0112] In the embodiment of the present application, after sending a failure report to the ground SMS network element, if the current time reaches the target time when connected to the ground network, an SMS preparation message is sent to the ground HSS to trigger the process of resending the downlink SMS, thereby avoiding the loss of downlink SMS and ensuring the security and reliability of communication between UE and the core network.

[0113] Based on the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, the present application also provides an optional embodiment. In this optional embodiment, after the resending process of the downlink SMS is triggered in S410, the downlink SMS resent by the ground SMS network element can also be received, and the resent downlink SMS can be stored; when the UE is connected, the resent downlink SMS is sent to the UE.

[0114] For example, the SC, the terrestrial SMS network element, and the HSS can be used to resend the downlink SMS to the MME network element; the MME network element receives the resent downlink SMS and, when connected to the UE, sends the resent downlink SMS to the UE, thereby ensuring the reachability of the downlink SMS that failed to be sent. Furthermore, when the MME network element receives the resent downlink SMS, it can also store the resent downlink SMS locally or on other associated storage devices to facilitate subsequent access to the downlink SMS.

[0115] Exemplarily, the resent downlink SMS message may be transmitted via the NAS layer or other layers.

[0116] In an optional embodiment, after sending the resent downlink SMS to the UE, it is possible to continue receiving new uplink SMS sent by the UE while the UE is connected, and store the received new uplink SMS; when connected to the ground network, send the new uplink SMS to the ground SMS network element.

[0117] Among them, the new uplink SMS can be information related to the aforementioned resent downlink SMS, or it can be information unrelated to the aforementioned resent downlink SMS, and this application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0118] In an optional embodiment, the new uplink SMS message may be information generated based on the previously resent downlink SMS message, for example, the delivery information of the resent downlink SMS message or the response information of the resent downlink SMS message. The delivery information indicates that the resent downlink SMS message was successfully received, and the response information indicates a response result related to the content of the resent downlink SMS message.

[0119] In a specific implementation, the new uplink SMS message may be a delivery report of the aforementioned resent downlink SMS message.

[0120] Exemplarily, the new downlink SMS message may be transmitted via the NAS layer or other layers.

[0121] The embodiment of the present application further adds the function of receiving a new uplink SMS sent by the UE and storing the new uplink SMS after sending a resent downlink SMS to the UE when the UE is connected, and sends a new uplink SMS to the ground SMS network element when the ground network is connected, thereby ensuring data transmission from the UE to the core network and further enriching the communication mechanism between the UE and the core network.

[0122] Based on the technical solutions of the above embodiments, the embodiment of the present application also provides an optional embodiment, in which the text message processing method is described in detail.

[0123] In one embodiment, referring to the signaling diagram of the SMS processing method shown in FIG5 , the method includes:

[0124] S501. When the base station on the satellite is connected to the ground network, the MME network element receives downlink SMS messages sent by network elements of the core network such as the SC, SMS-GMSC and HSS.

[0125] S502. The MME network element determines whether to process the downlink SMS message this time based on resource utilization.

[0126] S503. The MME network element stores the downlink SMS message.

[0127] S504: When the UE is covered by the satellite, a downlink SMS message is sent to the UE via the downlink NAS layer.

[0128] S505. The UE sends a downlink SMS receipt confirmation to the MME network element via the uplink NAS layer.

[0129] S506. The UE sends an uplink SMS message to the MME network element via the uplink NAS layer. The uplink SMS message may be related to or unrelated to the downlink SMS message. For example, the uplink SMS message may be a delivery report of the downlink SMS message.

[0130] S507. The MME network element stores the uplink SMS message.

[0131] S508. When the satellite is connected to the terrestrial network, the MME network element sends an uplink SMS message to the SGS-GMSC.

[0132] S509, SGS-GMSC forwards the uplink SMS to SC.

[0133] In another embodiment, referring to the signaling diagram of the processing method shown in FIG6 , the processing method includes:

[0134] S601. When the base station on the satellite is connected to the terrestrial network, the MME network element receives downlink SMS messages sent by network elements of the core network such as the SC, SMS-GMSC, and HSS.

[0135] S602. The MME network element determines not to process the downlink SMS message this time based on resource utilization.

[0136] S603. The MME network element sends a failure report of the downlink SMS to the SMS-GMSC.

[0137] S604. The SMS-GMSC sends the delivery status of the failure report to the HSS.

[0138] S605. SMS-GMSC sends a failure report of the downlink SMS to the SC.

[0139] S606: When the satellite is connected to the terrestrial network this time or again, the MME network element triggers SMS preparation information.

[0140] The SMS preparation information can be triggered by whether the current time reaches the target time.

[0141] S607. The MME network element sends a short message preparation message to the HSS.

[0142] S608. The HSS sends a warning message to the SC.

[0143] S609. In response to the warning message, the SC, in conjunction with the SMS-GMSC and the HSS, resends the aforementioned downlink SMS message that failed to be sent to the MME network element.

[0144] S610. The MME network element stores the resent downlink SMS message.

[0145] S611 : When the UE is covered by the satellite, the resent downlink SMS message is transmitted to the UE via the downlink NAS layer.

[0146] S612. The UE transmits a receipt confirmation of the resent downlink SMS to the MME network element via the uplink NAS layer.

[0147] S613. The UE transmits a new uplink message to the MME network element via the uplink NAS layer. The new uplink message may be related to or unrelated to the downlink message. For example, the new uplink message may be a delivery report of a resent downlink message.

[0148] S614. The MME network element stores the new uplink SMS message.

[0149] S615: When the satellite is connected to the terrestrial network, the MME network element sends a new uplink SMS message to the SGS-GMSC.

[0150] S616, SGS-GMSC forwards the new uplink SMS to SC.

[0151] In another embodiment, referring to the signaling diagram of the processing method shown in FIG7 , the processing method includes:

[0152] S701. When the base station on the satellite is connected to the terrestrial network, the MME network element receives downlink SMS messages sent by network elements of the core network such as the SC, SMS-GMSC, and HSS.

[0153] S702. The MME network element determines not to process the downlink SMS message this time based on resource utilization.

[0154] S703. The MME network element sends a failure report of the downlink SMS to the SMS-GMSC.

[0155] S704. The SMS-GMSC sends the delivery status of the failure report to the HSS.

[0156] S705. SMS-GMSC sends a failure report of the downlink SMS to the SC.

[0157] S706. The HSS sends a warning message to the SC.

[0158] S707. In response to the warning message, the SC, in conjunction with the SMS-GMSC and the HSS, resends the aforementioned downlink SMS message that failed to be sent to the MME network element.

[0159] S708: When the UE is covered by the satellite, the MME network element transmits the resent downlink SMS to the UE via the downlink NAS layer.

[0160] S709. The UE transmits a confirmation of receipt of the resent downlink SMS to the MME network element via the uplink NAS layer.

[0161] S710. The UE transmits a new uplink message to the MME network element via the uplink NAS layer. The new uplink message may be related to or unrelated to the downlink message. For example, the new uplink message may be a delivery report of a resent downlink message.

[0162] S711. The MME network element sends a new uplink SMS message to the SMS-GMSC.

[0163] S712. SMS-GMSC forwards the new uplink SMS message to SC.

[0164] S713. The MME network element transmits a receipt confirmation of the new uplink SMS to the UE via the downlink NAS layer.

[0165] It should be noted that the above-mentioned SMS-GMSC is only a specific example of a terrestrial SMS network element and can be replaced by other network elements. It should not be understood as a specific limitation on terrestrial SMS network elements.

[0166] It should be understood that, although the steps in the flowcharts of the above embodiments are shown in sequence as indicated by the arrows, these steps are not necessarily performed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless otherwise specified herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and these steps can be performed in other orders. Moreover, at least a portion of the steps in the flowcharts of the above embodiments may include multiple steps or multiple stages, and these steps or stages are not necessarily performed at the same time, but can be performed at different times. The execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily to be performed in sequence, but can be performed in turn or alternately with other steps or at least a portion of steps or stages in other steps.

[0167] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present application also provide a text message processing device for implementing the text message processing method described above. The implementation solution provided by this device is similar to the implementation solution described in the above method. Therefore, the specific limitations of one or more text message processing device embodiments provided below can be found in the above-mentioned limitations of the text message processing method and will not be repeated here.

[0168] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG8 , a short message processing device is provided, which is configured in an MME network element on a satellite and includes: a first judgment module 810 and a judgment response module 820.

[0169] A first judgment module 810 is configured to determine whether to process a downlink SMS message sent by a terrestrial SMS network element upon receiving the downlink SMS message;

[0170] a judgment and response module 820, configured to, if processed, store the downlink SMS message and, when the user terminal UE is connected via the base station on the satellite, send the downlink SMS message to the UE;

[0171] The judgment response module 820 is further configured to send a failure report to the terrestrial SMS network element if no processing is performed.

[0172] In one embodiment, the judgment response module 820 is also used to, after sending the downlink SMS to the UE, receive the uplink SMS sent by the UE when the UE is connected, and store the uplink SMS; when connected to the ground network, send the uplink SMS to the ground SMS network element.

[0173] In one embodiment, the judgment response module 820 is further configured to trigger a resending process of the downlink SMS message when the terrestrial network is connected after the failure report is sent to the terrestrial SMS network element.

[0174] In one embodiment, the judgment response module 820 is also used to receive the downlink SMS resent by the ground SMS network element after the resending process of the triggered downlink SMS, and store the resent downlink SMS; and send the resent downlink SMS to the UE when the UE is connected.

[0175] In one embodiment, the judgment response module 820 is also used to receive a new uplink SMS sent by the UE and store the new uplink SMS after sending the resent downlink SMS to the UE when the UE is connected; and send the new uplink SMS to the ground SMS network element when the ground network is connected.

[0176] In one embodiment, the judgment response module 820 is specifically used to: if the current time reaches the target time, send SMS preparation information to the ground-based subscriber server HSS; wherein, the SMS preparation information is used to instruct the ground HSS to send information for alerting the service center SC to trigger the resending process of the downlink SMS.

[0177] In one embodiment, the judgment response module 820 is further used to determine a target time while or after sending a failure report to the ground SMS network element; wherein the target time is used to trigger the sending of SMS preparation information to the ground HSS.

[0178] In one embodiment, the uplink SMS message includes a delivery report of the downlink SMS message.

[0179] In one embodiment, the first determination module 810 is specifically configured to determine whether to process the downlink SMS message based on resource usage of a mobility management entity (MME) network element.

[0180] Each module in the above-mentioned SMS processing device can be implemented in whole or in part through software, hardware, or a combination thereof. Each module can be embedded in or independent of the processor in the communication device in hardware form, or can be stored in the memory of the communication device in software form, so that the processor can call and execute the corresponding operations of each module.

[0181] In one embodiment, a communication device is provided, which may be a server, and its internal structure diagram may be shown in Figure 9. The communication device includes a processor, a memory, a network interface, and a transceiver connected via a system bus. The processor of the communication device is used to provide computing and control capabilities. The memory of the communication device includes a non-volatile storage medium and an internal memory. The transceiver of the communication device is used to perform operations of receiving or sending data under the control of the processor. The non-volatile storage medium stores an operating system, a computer program, and a database. The internal memory provides an environment for the operation of the operating system and computer program in the non-volatile storage medium. The database of the communication device is used to store data such as uplink text messages and downlink text messages. The network interface of the communication device is used to communicate with an external terminal via a network connection. When the computer program is executed by the processor, a text message processing method is implemented.

[0182] Those skilled in the art will understand that the structure shown in Figure 9 is merely a block diagram of a partial structure related to the scheme of the present application, and does not constitute a limitation on the communication device to which the scheme of the present application is applied. The specific communication device may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have a different component arrangement.

[0183] In one embodiment, a communication device is provided, including a memory and a processor. The memory stores a computer program. When the communication device is applied to an MME network element, the processor executes the processing logic in the computer program to implement the following steps:

[0184] Upon receiving a downlink SMS message sent by a terrestrial SMS network element, determining whether to process the downlink SMS message;

[0185] If processed, storing the downlink SMS message, and sending the downlink SMS message to the user terminal UE when connected to the UE through the base station on the satellite;

[0186] If not processed, a failure report is sent to the ground SMS network element.

[0187] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the processing logic in the computer program, it also implements the following steps: after sending the downlink SMS to the UE, when the UE is connected, receiving the uplink SMS sent by the UE and storing the uplink SMS; when the ground network is connected, sending the uplink SMS to the ground SMS network element.

[0188] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the processing logic in the computer program, it also implements the following steps: after sending the failure report to the ground SMS network element, triggering the resending process of the downlink SMS when connected to the ground network.

[0189] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the processing logic in the computer program, it also implements the following steps: after sending the SMS preparation information to the ground HSS, receiving the downlink SMS resent by the ground SMS network element and storing the resent downlink SMS; when the UE is connected, sending the resent downlink SMS to the UE.

[0190] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the processing logic in the computer program, it also implements the following steps: after sending the resent downlink SMS to the UE, when the UE is connected, receiving a new uplink SMS sent by the UE and storing the new uplink SMS; when the ground network is connected, sending the new uplink SMS to the ground SMS network element.

[0191] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the processing logic in the computer program, it also implements the following steps: if the current time reaches the target time, a text message preparation message is sent to the ground-based subscriber server HSS; wherein, the text message preparation message is used to instruct the ground HSS to send information for alerting the service center SC to trigger the resending process of the downlink text message.

[0192] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the processing logic in the computer program, it also implements the following steps: determining the target time at the same time or after sending the failure report to the ground SMS network element; wherein, the target time is used to trigger the sending of SMS preparation information to the ground HSS.

[0193] In one embodiment, the uplink SMS includes a delivery report of the downlink SMS.

[0194] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the processing logic in the computer program, the processor further implements the following steps: judging whether to process the downlink SMS message according to resource utilization of the mobility management entity MME network element.

[0195] In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium or a computer program product is provided, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer-readable storage medium or the computer program product is applied to an MME network element, the processing logic in the computer program is executed by a processor to implement the following steps:

[0196] Upon receiving a downlink SMS message sent by a terrestrial SMS network element, determining whether to process the downlink SMS message;

[0197] If processed, storing the downlink SMS message, and sending the downlink SMS message to the user terminal UE when connected to the UE through the base station on the satellite;

[0198] If not processed, a failure report is sent to the ground SMS network element.

[0199] In one embodiment, the processing logic in the computer program, when executed by the processor, further implements the following steps: after sending the downlink SMS to the UE, when the UE is connected, receiving the uplink SMS sent by the UE and storing the uplink SMS; when the terrestrial network is connected, sending the uplink SMS to the terrestrial SMS network element.

[0200] In one embodiment, the processing logic in the computer program, when executed by the processor, further implements the following steps: after sending the failure report to the ground SMS network element, triggering the resending process of the downlink SMS when connected to the ground network.

[0201] In one embodiment, the processing logic in the computer program, when executed by the processor, further implements the following steps: after sending the SMS preparation information to the ground HSS, receiving the downlink SMS resent by the ground SMS network element, and storing the resent downlink SMS; and sending the resent downlink SMS to the UE when the UE is connected.

[0202] In one embodiment, the processing logic in the computer program, when executed by the processor, further implements the following steps: after sending the resent downlink SMS to the UE, when the UE is connected, receiving a new uplink SMS sent by the UE and storing the new uplink SMS; when the ground network is connected, sending the new uplink SMS to the ground SMS network element.

[0203] In one embodiment, when the processing logic in the computer program is executed by the processor, the following steps are also implemented: if the current time reaches the target time, a text message preparation message is sent to the ground-based subscriber server HSS; wherein, the text message preparation message is used to instruct the ground HSS to send information for alerting the service center SC to trigger the resending process of the downlink text message.

[0204] In one embodiment, the processing logic in the computer program, when executed by the processor, further implements the following steps: determining a target time while or after sending a failure report to the ground SMS network element; wherein the target time is used to trigger the sending of SMS preparation information to the ground HSS.

[0205] In one embodiment, the uplink SMS includes a delivery report of the downlink SMS.

[0206] In one embodiment, when the processing logic in the computer program is executed by the processor, the following steps are further implemented: judging whether to process the downlink SMS message according to resource utilization of the mobility management entity MME network element.

[0207] It should be noted that the user information (including but not limited to user device information, user personal information, etc.) and data (including but not limited to data used for analysis, stored data, displayed data, etc.) involved in this application are all information and data authorized by the user or fully authorized by all parties.

[0208] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that all or part of the processes in the above-mentioned embodiments can be implemented by instructing the relevant hardware through a computer program, and the computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above-mentioned methods. Among them, any reference to memory, database or other media used in the embodiments provided in this application may include at least one of non-volatile and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory may include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, optical memory, high-density embedded non-volatile memory, resistive random access memory (ReRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), phase change memory (PCM), graphene memory, etc. Volatile memory may include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory, etc. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM can be in various forms, such as static random access memory (SRAM) or dynamic random access memory (DRAM). The database involved in the various embodiments provided herein may include at least one of a relational database and a non-relational database. Non-relational databases may include, but are not limited to, distributed databases based on blockchains. The processor involved in the various embodiments provided herein may be, but are not limited to, a general-purpose processor, a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a digital signal processor, a programmable logic unit, a data processing logic unit based on quantum computing, and the like.

[0209] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0210] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of the present application. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art may make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for processing short messages, applied to a mobility management entity (MME) network element on a satellite, comprising: Upon receiving a downlink SMS message sent by a terrestrial SMS network element, determining whether to process the downlink SMS message; If processed, storing the downlink SMS message, and sending the downlink SMS message to the user terminal UE when the user terminal UE is connected through the base station on the satellite; If not processed, a failure report is sent to the ground SMS network element.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein After sending the downlink SMS message to the user terminal UE, the method further includes: When connected to the user terminal UE, receiving an uplink SMS message sent by the user terminal UE and storing the uplink SMS message; When connected to the ground network, the uplink SMS is sent to the ground SMS network element.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein After sending the failure report to the terrestrial SMS network element, the method further includes: When connected to the terrestrial network, the resending process of the downlink SMS is triggered.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: After triggering the resending process of the downlink SMS, the method further includes: receiving a downlink SMS message resent by the terrestrial SMS network element, and storing the resent downlink SMS message; When the user terminal UE is connected, the resent downlink SMS message is sent to the user terminal UE.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein After sending the resent downlink SMS to the user terminal UE, the method further includes: When the user terminal UE is connected, receiving a new uplink SMS sent by the user terminal UE and storing the new uplink SMS; When connected to the ground network, the new uplink SMS is sent to the ground SMS network element.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein: The process of triggering the resending of the downlink SMS message includes: If the current time reaches the target time, SMS preparation information is sent to the ground-based home subscriber server HSS; wherein, the SMS preparation information is used to instruct the ground-based home subscriber server HSS to send information to the service center SC for alerting the service center SC to trigger the resending process of the downlink SMS.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein: At the same time as or after sending the failure report to the terrestrial SMS network element, the method further includes: Determine a target time; wherein the target time is used to trigger the sending of a text message preparation message to a home subscriber server HSS on the ground.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: Determining the target time includes: The target time is determined according to resource utilization of the mobility management entity MME network element and information on the communicable time between the mobility management entity MME network element and a terrestrial home subscriber server HSS.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein: Determining the target time includes: The target time is determined according to resource utilization of the mobility management entity MME network element or communication available time information between the mobility management entity MME network element and a terrestrial home subscriber server HSS.

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The uplink text message includes a delivery report of the downlink text message.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein: The new uplink SMS message includes a delivery report of the resent downlink SMS message.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein The determining whether to process the downlink text message includes: According to the resource utilization of the mobility management entity MME network element, it is determined whether to process the downlink short message.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein The terrestrial SMS network element includes at least one of a short message service gateway SMS-GMSC, an intercommunication mobile service interaction center IWMSC and a short message router SMS Router.

14. A short message processing device, configured in a mobility management entity (MME) network element on a satellite, comprising: A first judgment module is used to judge whether to process the downlink SMS message when receiving the downlink SMS message sent by the ground SMS network element; a judgment and response module, configured to store the downlink text message if processed, and send the downlink text message to the user terminal UE when the user terminal UE is connected through the base station on the satellite; The judgment response module is further configured to send a failure report to the ground SMS network element if no processing is performed.

15. A communication device comprising a memory, a transceiver and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, the transceiver is configured to receive data or send data under the control of the processor, and the processor implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 when executing the computer program.

16. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 are implemented.

17. A computer program product comprising a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the computer program implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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