Satellite-based communication method and apparatus, computer readable medium, and electronic device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a satellite-based communication method and apparatus, a computer readable medium, and an electronic device. A satellite-borne base station is deployed on a satellite. The communication method is executed by the satellite-borne base station. The communication method comprises: when the satellite-borne base station establishes, by means of a gateway, a communication connection with a core network element deployed on the ground, storing context information of the communication connection; if a communication link with the gateway needs to be disconnected, suspending the communication connection with the core network element; and if the communication link is established with the gateway again, recovering the communication connection with the core network element on the basis of the context information. The technical solution of the embodiments of the present application improves the efficiency of establishing a communication connection between a satellite-borne base station and a core network element, and achieves effective management of the mobility of the satellite-borne base station.

Description

Satellite-based communication method, device, computer-readable medium, and electronic device

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on February 7, 2024, with application number 2024101758161 and application name “Satellite-based communication methods, devices, computer-readable media and electronic devices”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of computer and communication technology, and in particular, to a satellite-based communication method, device, computer-readable medium, and electronic device. Background Art

[0003] In wireless communication technology research, satellite communications are considered a key future development direction. Satellite communications refers to the technology by which terrestrial wireless communication devices access a network via satellite, or by the technology by which terrestrial wireless communication devices communicate with each other using satellites as relays. Satellite communications offer a wide range and are less susceptible to land-based disasters. As a complementary access method for mobile communications, satellite communications effectively address the limited coverage and high construction costs of mobile communication systems.

[0004] Satellite communication systems and terrestrial mobile networks, such as 4G and 5G, can be integrated to form a seamless global integrated communications network covering land, sea, air, and space, meeting the diverse service needs of users everywhere. In practical applications, base stations may be deployed on satellites, creating spaceborne base stations. Since spaceborne base stations move with the satellite, mobility management is a pressing technical challenge. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide a satellite-based communication method, apparatus, computer-readable medium, and electronic device, which improve the efficiency of establishing communication connections between satellite-borne base stations and core network elements, and realize effective management of the mobility of satellite-borne base stations.

[0006] Other features and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part by practice of the present application.

[0007] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a satellite-based communication method, wherein a satellite-borne base station is deployed on the satellite, and the communication method is executed by the satellite-borne base station. The communication method includes: after the satellite-borne base station establishes a communication connection with a core network network element deployed on the ground through a gateway, saving the context information of the communication connection; if it is necessary to disconnect the communication link with the gateway, suspending the communication connection with the core network network element; if the communication link is established with the gateway again, restoring the communication connection with the core network network element based on the context information.

[0008] In the second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a satellite-based communication method, wherein a satellite-borne base station is deployed on the satellite, and the communication method is executed by a core network network element deployed on the ground. The communication method includes: obtaining context information of the communication connection established between the core network network element and the satellite-borne base station; after the communication connection between the satellite-borne base station and the core network network element is suspended, if a connection recovery request sent by the satellite-borne base station is received, the communication connection with the satellite-borne base station is restored based on the context information.

[0009] In the third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a satellite-based communication device, wherein a satellite-borne base station is deployed on the satellite, and the communication device is applied to the satellite-borne base station. The communication device includes: a storage unit, configured to save the context information of the communication connection after the satellite-borne base station establishes a communication connection with a core network network element deployed on the ground through a gateway; a processing unit, configured to suspend the communication connection with the core network network element if it is necessary to disconnect the communication link with the gateway; and a recovery unit, configured to restore the communication connection with the core network network element based on the context information if a communication link is established with the gateway again.

[0010] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a satellite-based communication device, wherein a satellite-borne base station is deployed on the satellite, and the communication device is applied to a core network network element deployed on the ground, and the communication device includes: an acquisition unit, configured to obtain context information of a communication connection established between the core network network element and the satellite-borne base station; a processing unit, configured to restore the communication connection with the satellite-borne base station based on the context information after a connection recovery request sent by the satellite base station is received after the communication connection between the satellite-borne base station and the core network network element is suspended.

[0011] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the satellite-based communication method as described in the above embodiments.

[0012] In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device, comprising: one or more processors; a storage device for storing one or more computer programs, wherein when the one or more computer programs are executed by the one or more processors, the electronic device implements the satellite-based communication method as described in the above embodiments.

[0013] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a computer program product, comprising a computer program stored in a computer-readable storage medium. A processor of an electronic device reads and executes the computer program from the computer-readable storage medium, causing the electronic device to perform the satellite-based communication methods provided in the various optional embodiments described above.

[0014] In the technical solutions provided in some embodiments of the present application, after the satellite base station establishes a communication connection with the core network element deployed on the ground through the gateway, the context information of the communication connection can be saved. If the communication link with the gateway needs to be disconnected, the communication connection with the core network element is suspended; if the communication link with the gateway is established again, the communication connection with the core network element is restored based on the saved context information. It can be seen that the technical solution of the embodiments of the present application enables the satellite base station to save the context information of the communication connection when it needs to disconnect the communication link with the gateway due to movement, and then enables the satellite base station to directly restore the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network element based on the context information when the communication link is established again with the gateway, thereby avoiding the need to send duplicate data each time a connection is established, which is beneficial to improving the efficiency of establishing the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network element and realizing effective management of the mobility of the satellite base station.

[0015] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0017] FIG1 shows a diagram of a fusion network architecture between a satellite communication system and a terrestrial mobile network according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0018] FIG2 shows a diagram of a fusion network architecture between a satellite communication system and a terrestrial mobile network according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0019] FIG3 shows a diagram of a fusion network architecture between a satellite communication system and a terrestrial mobile network according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0020] FIG4 shows a flow chart of a satellite-based communication method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0021] FIG5 shows a flow chart of a satellite-based communication method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0022] FIG6 shows a diagram of a fusion network architecture between a satellite communication system and a terrestrial mobile network according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0023] FIG7 shows a schematic diagram of the application process of the technical solution of an embodiment of the present application in a 4G system.

[0024] FIG8 shows a schematic diagram of the application process of the technical solution of an embodiment of the present application in a 5G system.

[0025] FIG9 shows a block diagram of a satellite-based communication device according to one embodiment of the present application.

[0026] FIG10 shows a block diagram of a satellite-based communication device according to one embodiment of the present application.

[0027] FIG11 shows a schematic structural diagram of a computer system suitable for implementing an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Example embodiments will now be described in a more complete manner with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the example embodiments can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to these examples; rather, these embodiments are provided to make this application more comprehensive and complete and to fully convey the concepts of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0029] In addition, the features, structures or characteristics described in the present application may be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. In the following description, there are many specific details so that the embodiments of the present application can be fully understood. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that when implementing the technical solution of the present application, it is not necessary to use all the detailed features in the embodiments, one or more specific details may be omitted, or other methods, elements, devices, steps, etc. may be adopted.

[0030] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "module" or "unit" refers to a computer program or a part of a computer program that has a predetermined function and works together with other related parts to achieve a predetermined goal, and can be implemented in whole or in part by using software, hardware (such as processing circuits or memories) or a combination thereof. Similarly, a processor (or multiple processors or memories) can be used to implement one or more modules or units. In addition, each module or unit can be part of an overall module or unit that includes the function of the module or unit.

[0031] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically separate entities. That is, these functional entities may be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different networks and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0032] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and do not necessarily include all contents and operations / steps, nor must they be executed in the order described. For example, some operations / steps may be decomposed, while others may be combined or partially combined. Therefore, the actual execution order may vary depending on the actual situation.

[0033] It should be noted that the term "plurality" used in this document refers to two or more. "And / or" describes a relationship between associated objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent: A alone, A and B together, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates an "or" relationship between the associated objects.

[0034] The technical solution of the embodiments of this application mainly involves the integration of satellite communication systems and terrestrial mobile networks. This integration solution can form an integrated integrated communication network with seamless global coverage of sea, land, air, and space, meeting the various service needs of users everywhere. Among them, there are many modes for the integration of satellite communication systems and terrestrial mobile networks. The following is a brief introduction:

[0035] The converged model shown in Figure 1 can be called a transparent forwarding model. All core network functions and base stations are deployed on the ground. The satellite's service link and feedback link serve as the underlying link carrier of the Uu port, supporting communication between the base station and user equipment (UE). The Uu port is the interface between the base station and the UE, used to transmit signaling and data. The gateway (which can be a gateway deployed on the ground, i.e., a ground gateway) communicates with the core network through the base station; the core network communicates with the application server. In the transparent forwarding model shown in Figure 1, the satellite is only responsible for relaying signals between the UE and the base station. All relevant protocol processing of the mobile communication network is performed within the mobile communication network.

[0036] It should be noted that the core network can be an evolved packet core (EPC), a 5G core network (5GC), or a core network of a future evolved mobile communication system. The base station can be an evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB) in a 4G communication system or a gNB in ​​a 5G communication system. The gateway is a gateway deployed on the ground for communicating with satellites, such as a non-terrestrial network gateway (NTN-GW), other gateways, or other devices that perform similar functions.

[0037] The transparent forwarding model shown in Figure 1 suffers from high latency due to the ground-based deployment of base stations and core network equipment. Furthermore, since this model treats satellites solely as signal relay links, without utilizing them for signal processing or conversion, communication between satellites cannot be achieved. Consequently, this model does not support inter-satellite links (ISLs), making it difficult to leverage satellite constellations to expand coverage of the Earth's surface. Furthermore, the path between satellites and base stations is long, resulting in significant latency.

[0038] The fusion mode shown in Figures 2 and 3 can be called a regeneration mode, that is, the base station (optionally, at least some core network elements) are placed on the satellite. This can shorten the link processing delay and realize satellite networking through ISL.

[0039] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the base station (for example, eNB, gNB, etc.) is deployed on the satellite, which is called an onboard base station; the core network (for example, EPC, 5GC, etc.) is deployed on the ground. When there is no core network element deployed on the satellite, in order to realize the communication between UE1-satellite-UE2, the onboard base station has the local data forwarding capability, that is, data transmission between different UEs can be realized through the onboard base station instead of through the ground core network, which optimizes data routing and saves transmission resources. Specifically, the data sent by UE1 is transmitted to the onboard base station through the service link between UE1 and the onboard base station, and the onboard base station sends the data to UE2 based on the service link between UE1 and the onboard base station. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the core network is connected to the application server. When the UE needs to communicate with the application server, it is necessary to establish a communication connection with the core network based on the feedback link between the onboard base station and the gateway, and then realize the communication interaction with the application server based on the core network.

[0040] In the network architecture shown in Figure 3, a base station (e.g., an eNB, gNB, etc.) is deployed on a satellite, referred to as a satellite-based base station; a core network (e.g., an EPC, 5GC, etc.) is deployed on the ground. When no core network element is deployed on the satellite, in order to enable communication between UE1, the satellite, and UE2, the satellite-based base station has local data forwarding capabilities. That is, data transmission between different UEs can be achieved through the satellite-based base station without going through the ground core network, optimizing data routing and saving transmission resources. Specifically, data sent by UE1 is transmitted to the satellite-based base station via a service link between UE1 and the satellite-based base station, and the satellite-based base station sends the data to UE2 based on the service link between UE1 and UE2. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the core network is connected to the application server, and the satellite-based base station is connected to another satellite via an inter-satellite link (ISL). When the UE needs to communicate with the application server, it needs to establish a communication connection with the core network based on the inter-satellite link between the satellite-based base station and another satellite, and the feedback link between the other satellite and the gateway, and then implement communication interaction with the application server based on the core network.

[0041] It should be noted that, although FIG3 only shows the ISL between two satellites, the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto, and the UE may communicate with the application server through multiple ISLs between multiple satellites.

[0042] Optionally, the UE in the above embodiment may be a smart phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a smart TV, a smart home, a vehicle terminal, an aircraft, etc. The application server may be an independent physical server, or a server cluster or distributed system composed of multiple physical servers, or a cloud server that provides basic cloud computing services such as cloud services, cloud databases, cloud computing, cloud functions, cloud storage, network services, cloud communications, middleware services, domain name services, security services, content delivery networks (CDNs), and big data and artificial intelligence platforms.

[0043] Under the network architecture shown in Figures 2 and 3, due to the movement of the satellite, the service link and feedback link of the satellite base station may not be able to persist, so it is necessary to solve the mobility management problem caused by the movement of the satellite. Based on this, the embodiment of the present application proposes a new satellite-based communication solution, so that when the satellite base station needs to disconnect the communication link with the gateway due to movement, the context information of the communication connection can be saved, and then when the satellite base station and the gateway establish a communication link again, the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network element can be directly restored based on the context information, avoiding the need to send duplicate data each time a connection is established, which is conducive to improving the efficiency of establishing the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network element, and realizing effective management of the mobility of the satellite base station.

[0044] The following is a detailed description of the implementation details of the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application:

[0045] FIG4 shows a flow chart of a satellite-based communication method according to an embodiment of the present application. The satellite is deployed with an onboard base station. The satellite-based communication method can be executed by the onboard base station, or by other devices capable of performing similar functions. Referring to FIG4 , the satellite-based communication method includes at least S410 to S430, which are described in detail as follows:

[0046] In S410 , after the satellite-borne base station establishes a communication connection with a core network element deployed on the ground through a gateway, context information of the communication connection is saved.

[0047] In the embodiments of this application, a satellite-borne base station refers to a base station deployed on a satellite. In addition to performing base station functions in a mobile communication system, the base station can also move with the satellite. The satellite-borne base station can be an eNB in ​​a 4G system, a gNB in ​​a 5G system, or a base station device in a future evolved mobile communication system.

[0048] Optionally, if the satellite base station is an eNB in ​​a 4G system, the core network element may be a mobility management entity (MME) in the EPC, or other network elements; if the satellite base station is a gNB in ​​a 5G system, the core network element may be an access and mobility management function (AMF) in the 5GC, or other network elements.

[0049] In some optional embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the satellite-borne base station needs to establish a service link with the user equipment and a feedback link with the gateway, and the gateway is connected to the core network element in the core network. Optionally, the process of the satellite-borne base station establishing a communication connection with the core network element deployed on the ground through the gateway can be: the satellite-borne base station first establishes a communication link (i.e., a feedback link) with the gateway, and then sends a connection establishment request to the core network element through the gateway. If the satellite-borne base station receives a connection establishment response fed back by the core network element in response to the connection establishment request, then it can be determined that the communication connection between the satellite-borne base station and the core network element is successfully established.

[0050] The connection establishment response is a response generated when the core network element establishes a communication connection between the core network element and the gateway according to the connection establishment request and the communication connection is successfully established.

[0051] Sending the connection establishment request to the core network element through the gateway may refer to: the onboard base station sending the connection establishment request to the gateway, and the gateway sending the connection establishment request to the core network element.

[0052] Optionally, if the satellite base station is an eNB in ​​a 4G system, the connection establishment request sent by the satellite base station may be an S1 setup request (S1 setup request), and the connection establishment response is an S1 setup response; if the satellite base station is a gNB in ​​a 5G system, the connection establishment request sent by the satellite base station may be an NG setup request (NG setup request), and the connection establishment response is an NG setup response.

[0053] Among them, S1 is the interface for exchanging application layer configuration data between satellite base stations and core network elements in the 4G system, and NG is the interface between satellite base stations and core network elements in the 5G system.

[0054] Optionally, the connection establishment request sent by the satellite base station to the core network network element may include at least one of the following information: information on the service link between the satellite base station and the user equipment, information on the communication link between the satellite base station and the gateway, location information of the satellite base station, ephemeris information of the satellite base station (wherein ephemeris information refers to the precise position or trajectory table that changes with time when the satellite base station is running, which is a function of time), and network address information of the satellite base station.

[0055] It should be noted that the gateway between the satellite base station and the core network element can be a gateway deployed on the ground (i.e., a ground gateway), or it can be a general term for gateways deployed on satellites (i.e., satellite gateways) and gateways deployed on the ground (i.e., ground gateways). It can also be other equipment that can realize the connection between the satellite base station and the core network.

[0056] Continuing to refer to FIG. 4 , in S420 , if it is necessary to disconnect the communication link with the gateway, the communication connection with the core network element is suspended.

[0057] It should be noted that if the gateway between the satellite base station and the core network element is a gateway deployed on the ground (i.e., a ground gateway), then the satellite base station can suspend the communication connection with the core network element when it needs to disconnect the communication link with the ground gateway.

[0058] If the gateway between the satellite base station and the core network network element is a general term for the gateway deployed on the satellite (i.e., the satellite gateway) and the gateway deployed on the ground (i.e., the ground gateway), then the satellite base station can suspend the communication connection with the core network network element when it needs to disconnect the communication link with the ground gateway, or when it needs to disconnect the communication link with the satellite gateway.

[0059] In some optional embodiments, if the onboard base station needs to switch to another gateway, it may be determined that the communication link with the current gateway needs to be disconnected. It should be noted that the onboard base station switching to another gateway may be a hard switch or a soft switch. In the case of a hard switch, the onboard base station may not support simultaneous connection to multiple gateways, so it is necessary to first disconnect the currently connected gateway and then switch to another gateway; in the case of a soft switch, the onboard base station may be connected to multiple gateways at the same time, so during the switching process, the onboard base station may maintain connections with these multiple gateways, thereby avoiding temporary interruption of the communication link.

[0060] In some optional embodiments, the process of suspending the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network network element can be to send a connection suspension request to the core network network element, and then disconnect the communication link with the gateway when receiving the connection suspension response feedback from the core network network element.

[0061] Among them, the connection suspension response is a response generated after the core network network element executes the connection suspension request. Here, executing the connection suspension request may include saving the context information of the core network network element. The context information of the core network network element may reflect the gateway to which the core network network element is connected, and the satellite base station to which the core network network element is connected.

[0062] Optionally, if the satellite base station is an eNB in ​​a 4G system, the connection suspend request sent by the satellite base station may be an S1 connection suspend request (S1 suspend request), and the connection suspend response is an S1 suspend response; if the satellite base station is a gNB in ​​a 5G system, the connection suspend request sent by the satellite base station may be an NG connection suspend request (NG suspend request), and the connection suspend response is an NG suspend response.

[0063] In some optional embodiments, before suspending the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network element, the satellite base station may further send a notification message to the user equipment served by the satellite base station, where the notification message is used to indicate that the satellite base station is about to suspend the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network element. Optionally, the satellite base station may send the notification message to the user equipment in the connected state and the idle state.

[0064] 4 , in S430 , if a communication link is established with the gateway again, the communication connection with the core network element is restored based on the context information of the communication connection.

[0065] In some optional embodiments, after suspending the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network network element, it may move to the original position again, and then it may re-establish a communication link with the original gateway, and then restore the communication connection with the core network network element based on the context information of the communication connection.

[0066] In some optional embodiments, the context information of the communication connection includes at least one of the following information: information related to the communication connection obtained from the connection establishment response (such as the transmission network address of the core network end, etc.), and information related to the communication connection obtained from the operation and maintenance management (OAM) network element (such as the type of the corresponding communication link, link status, etc.).

[0067] In some optional embodiments, the process of the onboard base station restoring the communication connection with the core network network element based on context information may be: based on the context information of the communication connection, sending a connection recovery request to the core network network element through the gateway, and then restoring the communication connection with the core network network element after receiving the connection recovery response fed back by the core network network element for the connection recovery request.

[0068] Optionally, if the onboard base station is an eNB in ​​a 4G system, the connection recovery request sent by the onboard base station may be an S1 connection recovery request (S1 resume request), and the connection recovery response is an S1 resume response; if the onboard base station is a gNB in ​​a 5G system, the connection recovery request sent by the onboard base station may be an NG connection recovery request (NG resume request), and the connection recovery response is an NG resume response.

[0069] Optionally, when the satellite base station sends a connection recovery request to the core network network element, it can add the location information, time zone information, etc. of the satellite base station to it, so that the core network network element can associate and confirm the satellite base station based on the location information and time zone information, so as to restore the communication connection with the satellite base station after the core network network element confirms that it is correct.

[0070] FIG4 illustrates the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application from the perspective of a satellite base station. The following describes the implementation details of the technical solution of the present application from the perspective of a core network element in conjunction with FIG5 .

[0071] FIG5 shows a flow chart of a satellite-based communication method according to an embodiment of the present application. The satellite is equipped with an onboard base station. The satellite-based communication method can be executed by a core network element deployed on the ground, or by other devices capable of performing similar functions. Referring to FIG5 , the satellite-based communication method includes at least S510 to S520, which are described in detail as follows:

[0072] In S510, context information of a communication connection established between a core network element and a satellite-borne base station is obtained.

[0073] In some optional embodiments, a satellite-borne base station is a base station deployed on a satellite. In addition to performing base station functions in a mobile communication system, the base station can also move with the satellite. The satellite-borne base station can be an eNB in ​​a 4G system, a gNB in ​​a 5G system, or a base station device in a future evolved mobile communication system.

[0074] Optionally, if the satellite base station is an eNB in ​​a 4G system, the core network element may be the MME in the EPC, or other network elements; if the satellite base station is a gNB in ​​a 5G system, the core network element may be the AMF in the 5GC, or other network elements.

[0075] In some optional embodiments, the core network element obtaining the context information of the communication connection established with the satellite base station may be by storing the context information of the communication connection after the core network element establishes the communication connection with the satellite base station through the gateway. Optionally, the core network element may receive a connection establishment request sent by the satellite base station through the gateway, and then feed back a connection establishment response to the connection establishment request to the satellite base station through the gateway to establish the communication connection with the satellite base station.

[0076] In some optional embodiments, the core network element may obtain context information of the communication connection established with the satellite base station by obtaining context information shared by other core network elements. Specifically, taking the 4G system as an example, if the gateway can be connected to different MMEs, then the MMEs can share the above context information with each other, so that each MME can obtain the context information shared by other MMEs; taking the 5G system as an example, if the gateway can be connected to different AMFs, then the AMFs can share the above context information with each other, so that each AMF can obtain the context information shared by other AMFs.

[0077] In S520 , after the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network element is suspended, if a connection recovery request sent by the satellite base station is received, the communication connection with the satellite base station is restored based on the context information.

[0078] In some optional embodiments, after the core network element establishes a communication connection with the satellite base station, if it receives a connection suspension request sent by the satellite base station, it can feedback a connection suspension response to the satellite base station and suspend the communication connection with the satellite base station at the same time.

[0079] In some optional embodiments, the context information of the communication connection includes the location information of the satellite base station; then, the process for the core network element to restore the communication connection with the satellite base station based on the context information may be: if the location information of the satellite base station included in the connection restoration request is the same as the location information of the satellite base station included in the context information, then the communication connection with the satellite base station is restored. This method can confirm the location information of the satellite base station, so that when it is confirmed that the satellite base station has returned to its original location, the communication connection with the satellite base station is restored. Optionally, the context information of the communication connection also includes the time zone information of the satellite base station, then the core network element can also determine whether the time zone information of the satellite base station included in the connection restoration request is the same as the time zone information of the satellite base station included in the context information, so as to confirm the time zone information of the satellite base station, and when it is confirmed that the time zone information of the satellite base station is consistent with the original time zone information, then the communication connection with the satellite base station is restored.

[0080] It should be noted that when confirming whether to restore the communication connection between the core network network element and the satellite base station, you can only confirm the location information of the satellite base station, or only confirm the time zone information of the satellite base station, or you can confirm both the location information and the time zone information of the satellite base station.

[0081] The technical solution of the above-mentioned embodiment of the present application enables the onboard base station to save the context information of the communication connection when it needs to disconnect the communication link with the gateway due to movement, so that when the onboard base station and the gateway establish a communication link again, the communication connection between the onboard base station and the core network network element can be directly restored based on the context information, avoiding the need to send repeated data each time a connection is established, which is conducive to improving the efficiency of establishing the communication connection between the onboard base station and the core network network element, and realizing effective management of the mobility of the onboard base station.

[0082] The above describes the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application from the perspectives of the satellite base station and the core network element. The following describes the implementation details of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application in detail with reference to Figures 6 to 8:

[0083] As shown in Figure 6, the base station is deployed on the satellite to form a satellite-borne base station. The satellite-borne base station can move with the satellite. In this case, the UE may be connected to different satellite-borne base stations (for example, in Figure 6, the UE can be connected to satellite-borne base station 1 or satellite-borne base station 2), and the satellite-borne base station will also be connected to different ground gateways (optionally, a gateway connected to the satellite-borne base station can also be deployed on the satellite, and the gateway can communicate with the ground gateway to achieve the connection between the satellite-borne base station and the ground gateway). Among them, a service link is formed between the UE and the satellite-borne base station, and a feedback link is formed between the satellite-borne base station and the ground gateway. If the satellite where the satellite-borne base station is located is not ground-synchronized, then when the satellite periodically returns to a certain position, the satellite-borne base station will still be connected to the same ground gateway again.

[0084] Optionally, if the satellite base station is an eNB in ​​a 4G system, the core network element can be the MME in the EPC, or other network elements. If the satellite base station is a gNB in ​​a 5G system, the core network element can be the AMF in the 5GC, or other network elements. The ground gateway is a gateway deployed on the ground for communication with the satellite base station, such as the NTN-GW or other gateways.

[0085] The following takes the 4G system and the 5G system as examples to further illustrate the implementation details of the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application. In the embodiment of the present application, it is assumed that different ground gateways on the earth's surface can be connected to the same or different core network elements:

[0086] As shown in FIG7 , the application process of the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application in the 4G system includes the following steps:

[0087] S701a: A service link is established between the satellite-borne base station and the user equipment.

[0088] S701b: A feedback link is established between the satellite-borne base station and the ground gateway. Steps S701a and S701b can be performed independently.

[0089] S702: The satellite-borne base station (eNB) sends an S1 setup request (connection establishment request) to the MME (in the 4G system, the core network element is used as the MME as an example). This request may carry information related to the service link and feedback link supported by the eNB. Optionally, the S1 setup request may include the location information of the satellite-borne base station, the ephemeris information of the satellite-borne base station, the transmission network address related to the satellite part, etc. The S1 setup request occurs before the service link is provided to the UE. The eNB can pre-configure specific parameter information, including the MME ID, or obtain the MME ID through other means, and then send the S1 setup request based on the MME ID.

[0090] S703: After receiving the S1 setup request, the MME processes it and sends an S1 setup response (connection establishment response) to the satellite base station. When processing the S1 setup request, it may extract information about the ground gateways through which the S1 setup request passes (if multiple ground gateways are connected to the same MME, these must be distinguished). The S1 setup response contains information about the feedback link on the ground core network, including the transport network address.

[0091] At step S704, after receiving the S1 setup response message, the satellite base station creates a partial S1 interface context for management and maintenance. The satellite base station and MME may also obtain configuration information from the OAM node. This establishes an end-to-end Public Data Network (PDN) connection between the user equipment and the MME.

[0092] In step S705, if the satellite-borne base station predicts that a feedback link switch is about to occur, the satellite-borne base station context can be temporarily stored in preparation for disconnecting the feedback link. Optionally, the feedback link switch can be a hard switch or a soft switch. A hard switch occurs when the satellite-borne base station cannot connect to two ground gateways at the same time, while a soft switch occurs when the satellite-borne base station can connect to two ground gateways at the same time. The technical solution of the embodiment of the present application is suitable for both hard and soft switches. Regardless of whether it is a hard switch or a soft switch, there is a problem in which the base station periodically arrives at a specific location and needs to reestablish the context with the core network.

[0093] S706, the satellite base station proactively initiates an S1 suspend request (connection suspend request) to the MME to suspend the S1 connection and save the context locally. It should be noted that before initiating the S1 suspend request, the base station can send a notification message to user equipment in idle state and connected state through a system information block (SIB) or radio resource control (RRC) message to notify these user equipment to prepare for the upcoming S1 interface suspension. Optionally, if the S1 interface is suspended, the UE in the connected state can remain in the connected state and wait for the S1 interface to be restored, and then initiate processes such as Tracking Area Update (TAU).

[0094] S707, the MME saves the base station context and the location and time zone of the satellite base station, and then sends an S1 suspend response (connection suspend response) to the satellite base station.

[0095] S708a: The service link between the satellite-borne base station and the user equipment is disconnected.

[0096] S708b: The feedback link between the satellite-borne base station and the ground gateway is disconnected. Steps S708a and S708b may be performed independently.

[0097] S709: After periodic movement, the satellite-borne base station returns to its original position and re-establishes a feedback link with a ground gateway, and the feedback link is restored.

[0098] S710: The satellite base station initiates an S1 resume request (connection resumption request) to the MME, which includes information such as the location and time zone of the satellite base station.

[0099] In step S711, the MME receives the S1 resume request sent by the base station and restores the context of the satellite-borne base station on the MME side, thereby speeding up the S1 establishment efficiency and reducing the repeated parameter configuration transmission.

[0100] S712, the MME sends an S1 resume response (connection resume response) to the satellite base station.

[0101] S713: The satellite-borne base station receives the S1 resume response sent by the MME and restores the local S1 interface context, thus establishing an end-to-end PDN connection between the user equipment and the MME.

[0102] As shown in FIG8 , the application process of the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application in the 5G system includes the following steps:

[0103] S801a: A service link is established between the satellite-borne base station and the user equipment.

[0104] S801b: A feedback link is established between the satellite-borne base station and the ground gateway. Steps S801a and S801b can be performed independently.

[0105] S802: The gNB sends an NG setup request to the AMF (in the 5G system, the core network element is the AMF for example). This request may carry information related to the service link and feedback link supported by the gNB. Optionally, the NG setup request may include the location information of the gNB, the ephemeris information of the gNB, and the transport network address of the gNB. The NG setup request occurs before the service link is provided to the UE. The gNB may pre-configure specific parameter information, including the AMF ID, or obtain the AMF ID through other means, and then send the NG setup request based on the AMF ID.

[0106] S803: After receiving the NG setup request, the AMF processes it and sends an NG setup response (connection establishment response) to the satellite base station. When processing the NG setup request, it may extract information about the ground gateways that the NG setup request passes through (if multiple ground gateways are connected to the same AMF, they need to be distinguished). The NG setup response contains relevant information about the feedback link on the ground core network, including the transport network address.

[0107] At step S804, after receiving the NG setup response message, the satellite base station forms a partial NG interface context for managing and maintaining the NG interface. The satellite base station and AMF may also obtain some configuration information from the OAM node. This constitutes a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session between the user equipment and the AMF.

[0108] In step S805, the satellite base station predicts that a feedback link switch is about to occur, and can temporarily store the context of the satellite base station in preparation for disconnecting the feedback link. Optionally, the feedback link switch may be a hard switch or a soft switch. A hard switch occurs when the satellite base station cannot connect to two ground gateways simultaneously, while a soft switch occurs when the satellite base station can connect to two ground gateways simultaneously. The technical solution of the embodiment of the present application is suitable for both hard and soft switches. Regardless of whether it is a hard switch or a soft switch, there is the problem that the base station periodically arrives at a specific location and needs to reestablish the context with the core network.

[0109] S806: The onboard base station proactively initiates an NG suspend request to the AMF to suspend the NG connection and save the context locally. It should be noted that before initiating the NG suspend request, the base station may send a notification message to idle and connected user equipment (UEs) via SIB or RRC messages to inform them to prepare for the upcoming NG interface suspension. Optionally, if the NG interface is suspended, the connected UE may remain in the connected state and wait for the NG interface to resume before initiating a TAU or other process.

[0110] S807, the AMF saves the base station context and the location and time zone of the satellite base station, and then sends an NG suspend response (connection suspend response) to the satellite base station.

[0111] S808a: The service link between the satellite-borne base station and the user equipment is disconnected.

[0112] S808b: The feedback link between the satellite-borne base station and the ground gateway is disconnected. Steps S808a and S808b may be performed independently.

[0113] S809: After periodic movement, the satellite-borne base station returns to its original position and re-establishes a feedback link with a ground gateway, and the feedback link is restored.

[0114] S810: The satellite base station initiates an NG resume request (connection recovery request) to the AMF, which includes the location, time zone and other information of the satellite base station.

[0115] S811, AMF receives the NG resume request sent by the base station, restores the context of this satellite base station on the AMF side, speeds up the NG establishment efficiency and reduces the repeated sending of parameter configurations.

[0116] S812, AMF sends NG resume response (connection recovery response) to the satellite base station.

[0117] S813: The satellite base station receives the NG resume response sent by the AMF and restores the local NG interface context. This constitutes an end-to-end PDU session between the user equipment and the AMF.

[0118] It should be noted that if each ground gateway can be connected to a different core network element (which can be MME in a 4G system and AMF in a 5G system), different core network elements can be interconnected to form a network, so that when the satellite base station suspends or releases the S1 interface (for a 4G system) and the NG interface (for a 5G system), the saved context can be shared between different core network elements. In this way, the mobility management process proposed in the embodiment of the present application can be extended to support the mobility management process between core network elements (such as between MMEs in a 4G system, between AMFs in a 5G system, etc.). In this case, the UE executes the TAU process after establishing a new Uu+ core network control plane connection, which is the same as the case where the network does not move but the user equipment moves.

[0119] It is worth noting that the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application are not only applicable to 4G systems and 5G systems, but also to future evolved mobile communication systems.

[0120] In order to avoid the overhead caused by the frequent dismantling and establishment of the S1 interface / NG interface connection between the satellite-borne base station and the ground core network network element as the satellite moves, the technical solution of the above-mentioned embodiment of the present application introduces the suspension and recovery operations of the S1 interface / NG interface after the initial establishment, thereby solving the problem of dynamic management of the interface between the satellite-borne base station and the ground core network network element, and supporting business continuity in the satellite Internet.

[0121] The following describes an apparatus embodiment of the present application, which can be used to perform the satellite-based communication method described in the above-mentioned embodiments of the present application. For details not disclosed in the apparatus embodiment of the present application, please refer to the above-mentioned embodiment of the satellite-based communication method of the present application.

[0122] Figure 9 shows a block diagram of a satellite-based communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. A satellite-based base station is deployed on the satellite. The satellite-based communication device can be applied to the satellite-based base station, or can also be applied to other devices that can achieve similar functions.

[0123] 9 , a satellite-based communication device 900 according to an embodiment of the present application includes a storage unit 902 , a processing unit 904 , and a recovery unit 906 .

[0124] Among them, the storage unit 902 is configured to save the context information of the communication connection after the satellite base station establishes a communication connection with the core network network element deployed on the ground through the gateway; the processing unit 904 is configured to suspend the communication connection with the core network network element if it is necessary to disconnect the communication link with the gateway; the recovery unit 906 is configured to restore the communication connection with the core network network element based on the context information if a communication link is established with the gateway again.

[0125] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, the processing unit 904 is configured to: send a connection suspension request to the core network network element; if a connection suspension response is received from the core network network element, disconnect the communication link with the gateway.

[0126] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the processing unit 904 is further configured to: establish a communication link with the gateway, the gateway is connected to the core network network element; send a connection establishment request to the core network network element through the gateway; after receiving the connection establishment response fed back by the core network network element for the connection establishment request, determine that the communication connection with the core network network element is successfully established.

[0127] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the connection establishment request includes at least one of the following information: information on the service link between the satellite base station and the user equipment, information on the communication link between the satellite base station and the gateway, location information of the satellite base station, ephemeris information of the satellite base station, and network address information of the satellite base station.

[0128] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the context information of the communication connection includes at least one of the following information: information related to the communication connection obtained from the connection establishment response, and information related to the communication connection obtained from the operation, maintenance and management network element.

[0129] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the above solution, the processing unit 904 is configured to: if it is necessary to switch the connection to another gateway, determine that the communication link with the gateway needs to be disconnected.

[0130] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the communication device 900 also includes: a sending unit, configured to send a notification message to the user equipment served by the satellite base station before suspending the communication connection with the core network network element, and the notification message is used to indicate that the satellite base station is about to suspend the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network network element.

[0131] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the recovery unit 906 is configured to: send a connection recovery request to the core network network element through the gateway based on the context information; and after receiving the connection recovery response fed back by the core network network element in response to the connection recovery request, restore the communication connection with the core network network element.

[0132] Figure 10 shows a block diagram of a satellite-based communication device according to an embodiment of the present application, where a satellite-borne base station is deployed on the satellite. The satellite-based communication device can be applied to core network elements deployed on the ground, or can also be applied to other devices that can achieve similar functions.

[0133] 10 , a satellite-based communication device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present application includes an acquisition unit 1002 and a processing unit 1004 .

[0134] Among them, the acquisition unit 1002 is configured to obtain context information of the communication connection established between the core network network element and the satellite base station; the processing unit 1004 is configured to restore the communication connection with the satellite base station based on the context information if a connection recovery request sent by the satellite base station is received after the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network network element is suspended.

[0135] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, the acquiring unit 1002 is configured to: after the core network element establishes a communication connection with the satellite base station through the gateway, save the context information of the communication connection; or

[0136] Acquire the context information shared by other core network elements.

[0137] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the processing unit 1004 is further configured to: receive a connection establishment request sent by the satellite base station through the gateway; and feedback a connection establishment response to the connection establishment request to the satellite base station through the gateway to establish a communication connection with the satellite base station.

[0138] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the processing unit 1004 is further configured to: after establishing a communication connection with the satellite base station, if a connection suspension request sent by the satellite base station is received, suspend the communication connection with the satellite base station.

[0139] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the context information includes the location information of the satellite base station; the processing unit 1004 is configured to: if the location information of the satellite base station included in the connection recovery request is the same as the location information of the satellite base station included in the context information, then restore the communication connection with the satellite base station.

[0140] Figure 11 shows a schematic structural diagram of a computer system of an electronic device suitable for implementing an embodiment of the present application. The electronic device may be a satellite-borne base station or a core network element in the aforementioned embodiment.

[0141] It should be noted that the computer system 1100 of the electronic device shown in FIG11 is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functions and scope of use of the embodiments of the present application.

[0142] As shown in Figure 11, the computer system 1100 may include a central processing unit (CPU) 1101, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to the program stored in the read-only memory (ROM) 1102 or the program loaded from the storage part 1108 into the random access memory (RAM) 1103, such as executing the method described in the above embodiment. Various programs and data required for system operation are also stored in the RAM 1103. The CPU 1101, ROM 1102 and RAM 1103 are connected to each other via a bus 1104. An input / output (I / O) interface 1105 is also connected to the bus 1104.

[0143] The following components can be connected to the I / O interface 1105: an input section 1106 including a keyboard, a mouse, and the like; an output section 1107 including devices such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), and a speaker; a storage section 1108 including a hard disk; and a communication section 1109 including a network interface card such as a LAN (Local Area Network) card or a modem. The communication section 1109 performs communication processing via a network such as the Internet. A drive 1110 is also connected to the I / O interface 1105 as needed. Removable media 1111, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, is installed in the drive 1110 as needed, so that computer programs read from the removable media can be installed in the storage section 1108 as needed.

[0144] In particular, according to an embodiment of the present application, the process described above with reference to the flowchart can be implemented as a computer software program. For example, an embodiment of the present application includes a computer program product, which includes a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, and the computer program is used to perform the method shown in the flowchart. In such an embodiment, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via the communication section 1109, and / or installed from a removable medium 1111. When the computer program is executed by the central processing unit (CPU) 1101, the various functions defined in the system of the present application are performed.

[0145] It should be noted that the computer-readable medium shown in the embodiments of the present application may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium or any combination of the two. The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, device or component, or any combination of the above. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to: an electrical connection with one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a flash memory, an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the above. In the present application, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium containing or storing a computer program that can be used by or in combination with an instruction execution system, device or device. In the present application, a computer-readable signal medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, which carries a computer-readable computer program. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium may also be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium that can transmit, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0146] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the possible implementation architecture, functions and operations of the systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present application. Among them, each box in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, program segment, or a part of the code, and the above-mentioned module, program segment, or a part of the code contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in an order different from that marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two boxes represented in succession can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram or flowchart, and the combination of boxes in the block diagram or flowchart, can be implemented with a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or can be implemented with a combination of dedicated hardware and a computer program.

[0147] The units involved in the embodiments described in this application may be implemented by software or hardware, and the units described may also be set in a processor. In some cases, the names of these units do not constitute limitations on the units themselves.

[0148] As another aspect, the present application further provides a computer-readable medium, which may be included in the electronic device described in the above embodiments, or may exist independently without being incorporated into the electronic device. The computer-readable medium carries one or more computer programs, and when the one or more computer programs are executed by the electronic device, the electronic device implements the method described in the above embodiments.

[0149] It should be noted that, although several modules or units of the device for action execution are mentioned in the above detailed description, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to the embodiment of the application, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be concretized in one module or unit. On the contrary, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided into multiple modules or units to be concretized.

[0150] Through the description of the above embodiments, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the example embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solution according to the embodiments of the present application can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (which can be a CD-ROM, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, etc.) or on a network, and includes several instructions to enable an electronic device to execute the method according to the embodiments of the present application.

[0151] For example, the electronic device may be a satellite-borne device, and the satellite-borne device may execute the satellite-based communication method shown in FIG4 ; for another example, the electronic device may be a core network element, and the core network element may execute the satellite-based communication method shown in FIG5 .

[0152] Those skilled in the art will readily conceive of other embodiments of the present application after considering the specification and practicing the embodiments disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art that are not disclosed herein.

[0153] It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the exact structures described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A satellite-based communication method, characterized in that: The satellite is deployed with an onboard base station, and the communication method is performed by the onboard base station. The communication method includes: After the spaceborne base station establishes a communication connection with a core network element deployed on the ground through a gateway, saving context information of the communication connection; If it is necessary to disconnect the communication link with the gateway, suspend the communication connection with the core network element; If a communication link is established with the gateway again, the communication connection with the core network element is restored based on the context information.

2. The satellite-based communication method according to claim 1, wherein: Suspending the communication connection with the core network element includes: Sending a connection suspension request to the core network element; If a connection suspension response fed back by the core network element is received, the communication link with the gateway is disconnected.

3. The satellite-based communication method according to claim 1, wherein: The communication method further includes: Establishing a communication link with the gateway, wherein the gateway is connected to the core network element; Sending a connection establishment request to the core network element through the gateway; After receiving the connection establishment response fed back by the core network element in response to the connection establishment request, it is determined that the communication connection with the core network element is successfully established.

4. The satellite-based communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The connection establishment request includes at least one of the following information: Information on the service link between the satellite base station and the user equipment, information on the communication link between the satellite base station and the gateway, location information of the satellite base station, ephemeris information of the satellite base station, and network address information of the satellite base station.

5. The satellite-based communication method according to claim 3, wherein: The context information of the communication connection includes at least one of the following information: The information related to the communication connection obtained from the connection establishment response and the information related to the communication connection obtained from the operation, maintenance and management network element.

6. The satellite-based communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The communication method further includes: If it is necessary to switch the connection to another gateway, it is determined that the communication link with the gateway needs to be disconnected.

7. The satellite-based communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: Before suspending the communication connection with the core network element, the communication method further includes: A notification message is sent to a user equipment served by the satellite base station, where the notification message is used to indicate that the satellite base station is going to suspend a communication connection with the core network element.

8. The satellite-based communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: Restoring the communication connection with the core network element based on the context information includes: Based on the context information, sending a connection recovery request to the core network element through the gateway; After receiving the connection recovery response fed back by the core network element in response to the connection recovery request, the communication connection with the core network element is restored.

9. A satellite-based communication method, characterized in that: The satellite is equipped with a satellite-borne base station, and the communication method is performed by a core network element deployed on the ground. The communication method includes: Obtaining context information of a communication connection established between a core network element and the satellite-borne base station; After the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network element is suspended, if a connection recovery request sent by the satellite base station is received, the communication connection with the satellite base station is restored based on the context information.

10. The satellite-based communication method according to claim 9, wherein: Obtaining context information of a communication connection established between a core network element and the satellite-borne base station, including: After the core network element establishes a communication connection with the satellite-borne base station through the gateway, saving context information of the communication connection; or Acquire the context information shared by other core network elements.

11. The satellite-based communication method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The communication method further includes: Receiving a connection establishment request sent by the satellite base station through a gateway; A connection establishment response for the connection establishment request is fed back to the satellite-borne base station through the gateway to establish a communication connection with the satellite-borne base station.

12. The satellite-based communication method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that: The communication method further includes: After establishing a communication connection with the satellite-borne base station, if a connection suspension request sent by the satellite-borne base station is received, the communication connection with the satellite-borne base station is suspended.

13. The satellite-based communication method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that: The context information includes the location information of the satellite-borne base station; Restoring the communication connection with the satellite base station based on the context information includes: if the location information of the satellite base station included in the connection restoration request is the same as the location information of the satellite base station included in the context information, restoring the communication connection with the satellite base station.

14. A satellite-based communication device, characterized in that: The satellite is equipped with a satellite-borne base station, and the communication device is applied to the satellite-borne base station. The communication device includes: a storage unit configured to save context information of a communication connection after the spaceborne base station establishes a communication connection with a core network element deployed on the ground through a gateway; a processing unit configured to suspend the communication connection with the core network element if it is necessary to disconnect the communication link with the gateway; A recovery unit is configured to restore the communication connection with the core network element based on the context information if a communication link is established with the gateway again.

15. A satellite-based communication device, characterized in that: The satellite is equipped with a satellite-borne base station, and the communication device is applied to a core network element deployed on the ground. The communication device includes: an acquiring unit configured to acquire context information of a communication connection established between a core network element and the satellite-borne base station; The processing unit is configured to restore the communication connection with the satellite base station based on the context information if a connection recovery request sent by the satellite base station is received after the communication connection between the satellite base station and the core network element is suspended.

16. A computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the satellite-based communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is implemented.

17. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: one or more processors; A memory for storing one or more computer programs, which, when executed by the one or more processors, enables the electronic device to implement the satellite-based communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

18. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program product includes a computer program stored in a computer-readable storage medium. A processor of an electronic device reads and executes the computer program from the computer-readable storage medium, so that the electronic device performs the satellite-based communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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