Link switching system, method and apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present description are a link switching system, method and apparatus. The link switching system is applied to a base-station-on-satellite architecture, and the system comprises a base station deployed on a target satellite, a plurality of gateway stations and a core network. The base station is used for: when determining that a gateway station to be switched in a current communication connection is in a switching state, selecting a target gateway station among the plurality of gateway stations; sending a link establishment request to the core network by means of the target gateway station, and receiving link establishment response information fed back by the core network for the link establishment request; and creating a link switching request on the basis of the link establishment response information, and sending same to the core network via the target gateway station, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station. The core network is used for switching, according to the link information carried in the link switching request, a first transmission link corresponding to the gateway station to be switched into a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station, wherein the core network sends a downlink message to the base station via the second transmission link.

Description

Link switching system, method and apparatus

[0001] This application claims priority from the Chinese patent application No. 202410639935.8 filed on May 22, 2024, and entitled "Link switching system, method and apparatus", the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] Embodiments of the present specification relate to the field of communication technology, in particular to a link switching system, method and apparatus. BACKGROUND

[0003] With the further development of mobile communication, satellite communication is becoming more and more mature. High-throughput satellite communication and low-orbit satellite communication are rapidly developing, and satellite communication has made significant improvements in rate, latency, reliability, etc., and can complement and cooperate with ground networks, and even replace ground networks in some application scenarios. Satellite communication has various networking methods, and the base station or core network can be all on the satellite, partially on the satellite, or all on the satellite. In the architecture of the base station on the satellite, when the satellite moves, the communication connection will change due to the coverage range of the gateway station, and the link between the base station and the core network may be interrupted, thereby affecting the continuity of user services. Therefore, an effective solution is needed to solve the above problems.

[0004] SUMMARY

[0005] Therefore, the embodiments of the present specification provide a link switching system. One or more embodiments of the present specification simultaneously relate to a link switching method, a link switching apparatus, a computing device, a computer readable storage medium and a computer program product to solve the technical defects in the prior art.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the embodiments of the present specification, a link switching system is provided, applied to a base station on satellite architecture, the system comprises a base station deployed on a target satellite, a plurality of gateway stations and a core network, comprising:

[0007] The base station is configured to determine that the to-be-switched gateway station of the current communication connection is in a switching state, select a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations, send a link establishment request to the core network through the target gateway station, and receive link establishment response information fed back by the core network in response to the link establishment request; create a link switching request according to the link establishment response information and send it to the core network through the target gateway station, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station.

[0008] The core network is configured to switch the first transmission link corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station to the second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station according to the link information carried in the link switching request, and send a downlink message to the base station through the second transmission link.

[0009] Optionally, the base station is further configured to receive an access request submitted by a user equipment, obtain identity information by analyzing the access request, and send communication data corresponding to the user equipment to the core network through the to-be-switched gateway station after verifying that the user equipment is in a normal state according to the identity information.

[0010] Optionally, the base station is further configured to determine that the to-be-switched gateway station is in a switching state and perform the step of selecting a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations when detecting that the target satellite moves out of a coverage range of the to-be-switched gateway station corresponding to a current communication connection, or obtain ephemeris data corresponding to the target satellite, detect a satellite moving track of the target satellite according to the ephemeris data, and determine that the to-be-switched gateway station is in a switching state and perform the step of selecting a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations when detecting that the satellite moving track of the target satellite exceeds a coverage range of the to-be-switched gateway station corresponding to a current communication connection.

[0011] Optionally, the base station is further configured to screen a candidate group of gateway stations from the plurality of gateway stations according to a gateway station screening strategy, determine gateway station information of each candidate gateway station in the candidate group of gateway stations, sort the candidate gateway stations included in the candidate group of gateway stations according to the gateway station information, and determine a target gateway station according to a sorting result.

[0012] Optionally, the core network includes a mobility management function node and a session management function node.

[0013] The mobility management function node is configured to construct an associated link switching request according to a link switching result, and send the associated link switching request to the session management function node, wherein the associated link switching request carries identification information of the base station and user plane routing information.

[0014] The session management function node is configured to update first user routing information according to the identification information and the user plane routing information in response to the associated link switching request.

[0015] Optionally, the core network further comprises a user plane function node; in a case where the user plane function node is not changed, the session management function node is further configured to construct a target link switching request according to the first user routing information update result, and send the target link switching request to the session management function node, wherein the target link switching request carries the identification information and the user plane routing information.

[0016] The user plane function node is configured to update second user routing information according to the identification information and the user plane routing information in response to the target link switching request.

[0017] Optionally, in a case where the user plane function node is changed, the session management function node is further configured to select a target user plane function node according to the first user routing information update result, and send the user plane routing information to the target user plane function node.

[0018] The target user plane function node is configured to receive and record the user plane routing information, wherein the user plane routing information is used to select routing information matching the second transmission link for downlink user plane data at the target user plane function node.

[0019] Optionally, the user plane routing information comprises at least one of the following:

[0020] Global cell identification information, user plane address information corresponding to the base station, routing identification information, and identification user routing information.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of the present specification, a link switching method is provided, applied to a link switching system and deployed on a base station on a target satellite, the link switching system further comprising a plurality of gateway stations and a core network, and the method comprises:

[0022] In a case where a to-be-switched gateway station of a current communication connection is in a switching state, selecting a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations;

[0023] Sending a link establishment request to the core network through the target gateway station, and receiving link establishment response information fed back by the core network for the link establishment request;

[0024] Creating a link switching request according to the link establishment response information, and sending the link switching request to the core network through the target gateway station, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station, and the link information is used to switch a first transmission link corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station in the core network to a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station.

[0025] According to a third aspect of the embodiments of the present specification, a link switching method is provided, applied to a core network in a link switching system, the link switching system further comprising a base station deployed on a target satellite and a plurality of gateway stations, and the method comprises:

[0026] feeding back link establishment response information to the base station in response to a link establishment request sent by the base station through a target gateway station;

[0027] receiving a link switching request sent by the base station for the link establishment response information, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station;

[0028] switching a first transmission link corresponding to a to-be-switched gateway station of a current communication connection to a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station according to the link information carried in the link switching request, wherein the core network sends a downlink message to the base station through the second transmission link.

[0029] According to a fourth aspect of the embodiments of the present specification, a link switching device is provided, applied to a base station deployed on a target satellite in a link switching system, the link switching system further comprising a plurality of gateway stations and a core network, and the device comprises:

[0030] The selection module is configured to select a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations in a case where a to-be-switched gateway station of a current communication connection is in a switching state;

[0031] The receiving module is configured to send a link establishment request to the core network through the target gateway station and receive link establishment response information fed back by the core network for the link establishment request;

[0032] The sending module is configured to create a link switching request according to the link establishment response information and send it to the core network through the target gateway station, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station, and the link information is used to switch a first transmission link corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station in the core network to a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station.

[0033] According to a fifth aspect of the embodiments of the present specification, a link switching device is provided, applied to a core network in a link switching system, the link switching system further comprising a base station deployed on a target satellite and a plurality of gateway stations, and the device comprises:

[0034] The feedback module is configured to feed back link establishment response information to the base station in response to a link establishment request sent by the base station through a target gateway station;

[0035] The receiving module is configured to receive a link switching request sent by the base station in response to the link establishment response information, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station;

[0036] The switching module is configured to switch the first transmission link corresponding to the gateway station to be switched in the current communication connection to the second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station according to the link information carried in the link switching request, wherein the core network sends downlink messages to the base station through the second transmission link.

[0037] According to a sixth aspect of the embodiments of this specification, a computing device is provided, comprising:

[0038] Memory and processor;

[0039] The memory is used to store computer-executable instructions, and the processor is used to execute the computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, implement the steps of the link switching method described above.

[0040] According to a seventh aspect of the embodiments of this specification, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the link switching method described above.

[0041] According to an eighth aspect of the embodiments of this specification, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program or instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the link switching method described above.

[0042] The link switching system provided by the embodiment is applied to a base station on satellite architecture, and the system comprises a base station deployed on a target satellite, a plurality of gateway stations and a core network. In order to ensure the continuity of user services when the corresponding gateway station of the satellite where the base station is located changes, the target gateway station can be selected from the plurality of gateway stations under the condition that the base station determines that the to-be-switched gateway station of the current communication connection is in a switching state before the link of the old gateway station is interrupted. Then, the link switching request can be created according to the link response information, and the link switching request is sent to the core network through the target gateway station, and the link switching request carries the link information of the target gateway station, so that the core network determines the gateway station corresponding to the link to be switched. Further, when the core network receives the link switching request carrying the link information, the first transmission link corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station is switched to the second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station according to the link information, so that the core network can send the downlink message to the base station through the second transmission link. The switching of the gateway station is automatically detected and completed before the passive disconnection of the link, so that the problem of user service interruption caused by the switching of the gateway station is solved, and the continuity of the user service is ensured. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0043] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a link switching system according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0044] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a gateway station switching scenario in a link switching system according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0045] FIG. 3 is an interaction schematic diagram of a link switching system according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0046] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a link switching method according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0047] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of another link switching method according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0048] FIG. 6 is a structural schematic diagram of a link switching device according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0049] FIG. 7 is a structural schematic diagram of another link switching device according to an embodiment of the present specification;

[0050] FIG. 8 is a structural block diagram of a computing device according to an embodiment of the present specification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present description. However, the present description can be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present description. The present description can be implemented using a variety of different hardware configurations and / or software configurations.

[0052] The terminology used in this description is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of one or more embodiments of the present description. As used in this description and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0053] It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. can be used herein to describe various information, these terms are not intended to denote a temporal or chronological order. Rather, these terms are used solely to distinguish one from another only. For example, without departing from the scope of one or more embodiments, first can be termed second, and similarly, second can be termed first. The term "if can be construed to mean "when" or "upon" or "in response to determining" depending on the context, as used herein.

[0054] In addition, it should be noted that the user information (including but not limited to user equipment information, user personal information, etc.) and data (including but not limited to data for analysis, stored data, displayed data, etc.) involved in one or more embodiments of the present description are all information and data authorized by the user or authorized by all parties, and the collection, use and processing of related data need to comply with relevant laws, regulations and standards of relevant countries and regions, and provide corresponding operation portal for user to choose authorization or refusal.

[0055] First, the nomenclature involved in one or more embodiments of the present description is explained.

[0056] Terminal (UE, User Equipment), mainly through the wireless air interface to access the 5G network and obtain services, the terminal interacts information through the air interface and the base station, and interacts information through the non-access layer signaling (NAS, Non-Access Stratum) and the access and mobility management function (AMF, Access and Mobility Management function) of the core network.

[0057] Access and Mobility Management function (AMF): a core network control plane entity, mainly responsible for user mobility management, including registration and temporary identifier allocation; maintaining IDLE and CONNECT states and state migration; handover in CONNECT state; triggering paging in IDLE state and other functions.

[0058] Session Management function (SMF): a core network control plane entity, mainly responsible for maintaining PDU Session, responsible for allocating user IP address, with Quality of Service (QoS) control and charging function; receiving downlink data packets in IDLE state and storing and notifying AMF to page the user.

[0059] User plane function (UPF): a core network user plane function entity, responsible for forwarding user data packets, and also performing statistics on user data packets for charging and other functions.

[0060] Gateway station: also known as gateway station, is a key component in satellite communication system. Its main function is to provide interconnection between satellite network and other terrestrial networks, and ensure smooth communication between different networks. The main process of gateway station includes signal reception, signal processing, routing selection, signal forwarding, data exchange, management control and security protection steps.

[0061] In the present specification, a link switching system is provided, and the present specification also relates to a link switching method, a link switching system device, a computing device, a computer readable storage medium and a computer program product, which are described in detail one by one in the following embodiments.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 shows a structural schematic diagram of a link switching system according to an embodiment of the present specification. The link switching system 100 is applied to a base station on satellite architecture, and the link switching system 100 includes a base station 110 deployed on a target satellite, a plurality of gateway stations 120 and a core network 130, including:

[0063] The base station 110 is configured to select a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations in the case that the to-be-switched gateway station of the current communication connection is in a handover state, send a link establishment request to the core network through the target gateway station, and receive link establishment response information fed back by the core network for the link establishment request; and create a link switching request according to the link establishment response information and send the link switching request to the core network through the target gateway station, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station.

[0064] The core network 130 is configured to switch a first transmission link corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station to a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station according to the link information carried in the link switching request, and send a downlink message to the base station through the second transmission link.

[0065] The link switching system provided in the embodiment is applied to a base station on satellite architecture, wherein the base station on satellite architecture refers to deploying a base station on a satellite. The intersatellite link between satellites is similar to the Xn interface between a ground base station. Meanwhile, the feeder link between a satellite and a gateway station is actually part of a backhaul network between a base station and a core network. Therefore, the communication distance between a terminal device and a satellite base station is shortened, and thus the communication delay is also reduced. In addition, the number of deployed gateway stations can be reduced due to the intersatellite link, so as to reduce the overall cost. It should be noted that the base station deployed on the target satellite can be a 4G base station, a 5G base station, or other base stations used on satellites, which are not limited in the embodiment.

[0066] Specifically, the core network specifically refers to a complete and efficient communication network composed of a core network CN and a data network DN in a satellite communication system. The core network (CN) is the hub of the communication system, responsible for processing various communication services, including voice, data and multimedia. It connects different network nodes to ensure smooth transmission of information within the network. Its main functions include routing selection, service processing, mobility management, session management and user data management. Through the core network (CN), users can realize cross-regional and cross-network communication and enjoy various convenient communication services. The data network (DN) focuses on data transmission and exchange. It is responsible for transmitting various types of data in the communication network, including text, images, videos, etc. The data network (DN) ensures that data can be quickly and accurately transmitted to the destination in the network by using efficient data transmission protocols and technologies. In addition, the data network (DN) also provides data storage, backup and recovery functions to ensure the security and reliability of user data.

[0067] Correspondingly, the to-be-switched gateway station of the current communication connection specifically refers to the gateway station that is still in a communication connection state with the base station at the current time, and in the case that the to-be-switched gateway station is in a switching state, it is indicated that the to-be-switched gateway station will be disconnected from the communication connection with the base station after a certain period of time, and in order to avoid the switching of the gateway station leading to the interruption of user services, the new gateway station can be actively switched to before the communication connection is disconnected, thereby ensuring the continuity of services. The target gateway station specifically refers to selecting a new gateway station from a plurality of gateway stations before the to-be-switched gateway station disconnects the communication connection, which will replace the to-be-switched gateway station to continue processing signals. The link establishment request specifically refers to a request triggered when the gateway station is to be switched, which needs to be sent to the core network for completing the link switching of the corresponding gateway station, so that the communication between the base station, the new gateway station and the core network can be maintained after the switching is completed. The link establishment response information specifically refers to the response information fed back by the core network for the link establishment request, which is used to inform the base station that the switching of the gateway station can be performed, so as to achieve the link switching to the transmission link corresponding to the new gateway station, thereby avoiding the passive switching of the gateway station leading to the interruption of user services. The link switching request is the link switching request sent by the base station to the core network, which carries link information in the request, used to inform the core network which gateway station the link to be switched corresponds to, and the switched link will change all user plane routing information mappings, thereby satisfying that the subsequent communication services can be completed based on the new gateway station.

[0068] Further, the first transmission link specifically refers to the transmission link corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station, which is in a connection state at the current stage, and before the current stage, the base station, the to-be-switched gateway station and the core network complete the transmission of messages through the first transmission link. The second transmission link specifically refers to the transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station, which will replace the first transmission link after the current stage to realize the transmission of messages between the base station, the target gateway station and the core network through the second transmission link, and realize that the core network can send downlink messages to the base station through the target gateway station through the second transmission link.

[0069] Based on this, in the scenario that there are multiple gateway stations on the ground and the satellite is in orbit, in order to avoid the problem of user service interruption caused by the satellite moving out of the coverage range of the current gateway station, the state of the currently connected gateway station can be detected before the gateway station switching, and when it is determined that the currently connected gateway station is in the switching state, it means that the gateway station switching event will occur in a certain period of time in the future, and in order to passively switch the gateway station and cause user service interruption, the switching operation of the gateway station can be completed in advance. At this time, the target gateway station can be selected from multiple gateway stations; thereafter, the target gateway station can send a link establishment request to the core network and receive link establishment response information fed back by the core network in response to the link establishment request; so as to achieve the purpose of informing the gateway station that it will be switched. Thereafter, a link switching request can be created according to the link establishment response information and sent to the core network through the target gateway station, and the link switching request carries the link information corresponding to the target gateway station; so that the core network determines the gateway station corresponding to the link to be switched. Further, after receiving the link switching request carrying the link information, the core network can switch the first transmission link corresponding to the gateway station to be switched to the second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station according to the link information, so as to satisfy the core network to send the downlink message to the base station through the second transmission link. The switching of the gateway station is automatically detected and completed before the passive disconnection of the link, so as to solve the problem of user service interruption caused by the switching of the gateway station and ensure the continuity of the user service.

[0070] For example, referring to the schematic diagram shown in FIG. 2, under the satellite on-orbit architecture, the base station is connected with the core network (CN+DN) through the gateway station, and there are multiple gateway stations on the ground. The link switching system is described by taking the gateway station 1 currently connected by the base station and the gateway station 2 after switching as an example. Specifically, when the satellite is about to exceed (has not exceeded) the coverage range of the gateway station 1, it is determined that the currently connected gateway station 1 will be in the switching state, and in order to avoid user service interruption, the gateway station 2 to be switched can send a link establishment request to the core network through the base station on the satellite, which is used to inform the core network that the gateway station switching operation is needed. At this time, the core network will feed back the link establishment response information to the base station through the gateway station 2 in response to the link establishment request, which is used to inform the base station that the link switching operation can be performed.

[0071] Further, the base station creates a link switching request containing the corresponding gateway station 2 link information according to the link establishment response information, and sends it to the core network through the gateway station 2, wherein the corresponding link information of the gateway station 2 is used to instruct the core network to subsequently send the downlink information to the base station through the new link. After the core network receives the link switching request carrying the link information, it will first feedback the link switching response information to the base station, and then switch the transmission link corresponding to the gateway station 1 to the transmission link corresponding to the gateway station 2 according to the link information, so as to switch the link of the user under the core network local wireless node to the transmission link corresponding to the gateway station 2, so as to ensure that the downlink information subsequently issued by the wireless node will be sent to the base station through the link corresponding to the gateway station 2. Thus, the gateway station switching is completed without user awareness, and the problem of service interruption caused by gateway station switching when the user is performing data transmission, voice call, video call, short message sending and receiving and other services through the terminal device is avoided.

[0072] In summary, the link switching system provided by the embodiment can automatically detect and complete the switching of the gateway station before the passive disconnection of the link, thereby solving the problem of user service interruption caused by gateway station switching and ensuring the continuity of user service.

[0073] Further, before the link switching, the base station, the gateway station to be switched and the core network will provide transmission services for the user through the communication connection between them, so when the user accesses the satellite, the base station on the satellite will be connected with the core network through the gateway station to be switched. In the embodiment, the base station is also used to receive an access request submitted by a user equipment, obtain identity information by analyzing the access request, and send the communication data corresponding to the user equipment to the core network through the gateway station to be switched if the user equipment passes the identity verification.

[0074] Specifically, the access request is a request triggered by the user equipment when accessing the target satellite, which is used to trigger the identity verification of the user equipment, and the user equipment specifically refers to the terminal device held by the user, such as a computer, a smart watch, a mobile phone, etc. The identity information can be identification information, network access credential information, etc. corresponding to the user equipment.

[0075] Based on this, when the user equipment is about to access the target satellite, the access request submitted by the user equipment can be received, and the identity information can be obtained by analyzing the access request at this time. The identity of the user equipment is verified according to the identity information, and the communication data corresponding to the user equipment can be sent to the core network through the gateway station to be switched if the verification is passed.

[0076] In a specific implementation, when a user initiates a request for accessing a satellite through his device, the request can include the user's identity information, location information, and the type of communication service required, etc. The request can then be forwarded to a ground controller through a ground network. After verifying the user's identity information, the ground controller formulates appropriate routing strategies, access point selection strategies, etc. to effectively forward the user's request to the satellite. Then, the user's request is sent to the designated target satellite through the router according to the strategies formulated by the ground controller. After receiving the request, the satellite performs authentication and response. After successful authentication, the satellite returns response information, which is transmitted to the ground controller through the router and switch, completing the user's access work.

[0077] Thereafter, the base station on the target satellite forwards the user's communication data to the switching gateway station. As a bridge, the switching gateway station converts the satellite network signal into a signal recognizable by the ground network, and then sends the user data corresponding to the communication data to the core network. For example, in a scenario where the core network includes an AMF and a UPF, the switching gateway station sends the user data to the AMF in the core network. The AMF is responsible for handling the user's access request, performing mobility management, and ensuring the seamless switching and continuity of communication of the user in the network. After completing the user access and mobility management, the AMF sends the user data to the UPF. The UPF, as a user plane management function, is responsible for data routing, forwarding, and processing to ensure efficient transmission of user data in the network.

[0078] Furthermore, in order to avoid user service interruption caused by link switching, state detection of the current connection gateway station needs to be completed before link switching. Only when the current connection gateway station is in the switching state, it can be determined that the current link has not been interrupted and needs to be switched to a new link, thereby achieving the purpose of uninterrupted user service. Therefore, the state detection of the gateway station can be determined according to the coverage range of the gateway station or according to the ephemeris data. In this embodiment, the base station is further configured to determine that the switching gateway station is in a switching state and perform the step of selecting a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations when it is detected that the target satellite moves out of the coverage range corresponding to the switching gateway station of the current communication connection; or, obtain ephemeris data corresponding to the target satellite, and determine that the switching gateway station is in a switching state and perform the step of selecting a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations when it is detected that the satellite moving track of the target satellite exceeds the coverage range corresponding to the switching gateway station of the current communication connection according to the ephemeris data.

[0079] Specifically, the ephemeris data specifically refers to the ephemeris data corresponding to the target satellite, which includes but is not limited to the position information, velocity information, and orbital parameters of the target satellite. Correspondingly, the satellite moving track specifically refers to the track of the target satellite at the current time, through which the time when the satellite moves out of the coverage range of the to-be-switched gateway station can be determined. Correspondingly, the coverage range specifically refers to a set coverage range that is smaller than the actual coverage range of the to-be-switched gateway station, so that when the target satellite exceeds the set coverage range, it can be set to a switching mode without reaching the condition of being completely disconnected from the gateway station, thereby ensuring the switching of the link before the switching of the gateway station and avoiding the interruption of user services.

[0080] Based on this, on the one hand, when it is detected that the target satellite moves out of the coverage range of the to-be-switched gateway station corresponding to the current communication connection, it means that the target satellite will undergo a gateway station switching operation at this time. In order to avoid user service interruption caused by switching, the to-be-switched gateway station can be determined to be in a switching state, and a step of selecting a target gateway station from a plurality of gateway stations can be performed to facilitate subsequent link switching and ensure user service continuity.

[0081] On the other hand, the determination of the switching state can also be completed by the ephemeris data. The ephemeris data corresponding to the target satellite can be obtained first, and then whether the satellite moving track of the target satellite exceeds the coverage range of the to-be-switched gateway station corresponding to the current communication connection can be detected according to the ephemeris data. If it exceeds, it means that the target satellite will undergo a gateway station switching operation at this time. In order to avoid user service interruption caused by switching, the to-be-switched gateway station can be determined to be in a switching state, and a step of selecting a target gateway station from a plurality of gateway stations can be performed to facilitate subsequent link switching and ensure user service continuity.

[0082] In specific implementation, on the one hand, since the gateway station is a key node in the satellite communication system, considering the limited coverage range thereof, when the satellite moves beyond the coverage range of the current gateway station, in order to ensure the continuity and stability of communication, it is necessary to switch to a new gateway station.

[0083] On the other hand, when the gateway station is about to change according to the ephemeris data, the base station can first receive and process the ephemeris data provided by the satellite, which can include the position, velocity, and orbital parameters of the satellite. Then, the base station can analyze the ephemeris data using an algorithm to predict the moving track and position change in a future period of time. Thereafter, the base station can determine whether the satellite is about to move out of the coverage range of the current gateway station according to the predicted satellite moving track; this process can be completed by referring to the geographical position, antenna pointing, signal coverage range, and other parameters of the gateway station. When it is determined that the gateway station needs to be switched, the selection of the target gateway station can be performed to complete the non-aware switching of the transmission link and avoid the occurrence of user service interruption.

[0084] In summary, by performing the gateway station coverage range detection or the ephemeris data trigger detection, the state of the gateway station can be accurately determined, and the link switching operation can be triggered before the gateway station switching, so as to avoid the problem of user service interruption and ensure the user service continuity.

[0085] When it is determined that the gateway station needs to be switched, in order to ensure that the switched gateway station can provide a stable and high signal strength gateway station, a gateway station screening strategy can be used. In this embodiment, the base station is further configured to screen a candidate group of gateway stations from the plurality of gateway stations according to a gateway station screening strategy, determine gateway station information of each candidate gateway station in the candidate group of gateway stations, sort the candidate gateway stations included in the candidate group of gateway stations according to the gateway station information, and determine a target gateway station according to a sorting result.

[0086] Specifically, the gateway station screening strategy refers to a strategy for selecting a gateway station that is suitable for the current scenario from the plurality of gateway stations. This strategy can evaluate the gateway stations from the dimensions of signal strength, quality, bandwidth, and the like, and then select a candidate group of gateway stations from the plurality of gateway stations. The candidate group of gateway stations refers to a set of gateway stations that are suitable for the current scenario. The gateway station information refers to attribute information of the candidate gateway stations, including but not limited to signal quality information, available bandwidth information, delay information, jitter information, and the like.

[0087] Based on this, when selecting a target gateway station, a candidate group of gateway stations can be first screened from the plurality of gateway stations according to the gateway station screening strategy. At this time, the gateway station information of each candidate gateway station in the candidate group of gateway stations can be determined. Then, the candidate gateway stations included in the candidate group of gateway stations can be sorted according to the gateway station information. Accordingly, the target gateway station with the highest priority can be selected according to the sorting result.

[0088] In actual applications, when selecting a target gateway station, the base station can first perform wireless resource measurement, including measuring key parameters such as signal strength, quality, and available bandwidth. Second, based on the measurement results, a group of candidate gateway stations can be selected from the plurality of gateway stations by considering factors such as the load of the gateway station, available resources, and communication quality between users. These candidate gateway stations can all meet the communication needs of the users and provide stable connections. Third, the candidate gateway stations can be prioritized, and the basis for the prioritization can include performance indicators such as signal quality, available bandwidth, delay, and jitter of the gateway station, as well as historical performance of the gateway station and user preferences. Finally, according to the prioritization result, the optimal gateway station can be selected as the target gateway station from the plurality of candidate gateway stations, so as to facilitate subsequent switching of the transmission link to the transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station, thereby providing stable and continuous communication services.

[0089] Continuing with the above example, when the base station on the satellite determines that it will move out of the coverage range of the gateway station 1 according to the ephemeris data corresponding to the satellite, it is determined that the gateway station needs to be changed at this time, and in order to be able to select a gateway station that adapts to the current scenario from multiple gateway stations to provide communication services, the load situation, available resources and communication quality between users corresponding to each gateway station can be obtained, and then the gateway stations 2, 3 and 4 can be determined to provide stable communication services in combination with multi-dimensional considerations. Thereafter, the signal quality, delay, jitter and other performance indicators of the gateway stations 2, 3 and 4 are further calculated, it is determined that the score corresponding to the gateway station 2 is S2, the score corresponding to the gateway station 3 is S3, and the score corresponding to the gateway station 4 is S4; and S2>S4>S3, so it is determined that the gateway station 2 is the optimal choice, and the gateway station 2 can be selected as the target gateway station for subsequent link switching operations.

[0090] In summary, by selecting the target gateway station in combination with the multi-dimensional performance indicators corresponding to the gateway station, it can be ensured that when the gateway station is changed, a gateway station with stable communication services can be selected as the target gateway station, thereby ensuring the quality of subsequent communication services.

[0091] In specific implementation, considering that the core network includes a mobility management function node and a session management function node, when performing link switching, the routing information of the session management function node also needs to be updated, in the embodiment, the mobility management function node is configured to construct an associated link switching request according to the link switching result, and send the associated link switching request to the session management function node, wherein the associated link switching request carries the identification information and the user plane routing information corresponding to the base station.

[0092] The session management function node is configured to update the first user routing information according to the identification information and the user plane routing information in response to the associated link switching request.

[0093] Specifically, the mobility management node specifically refers to a node corresponding to an access and mobility management function AMF. The session management node specifically refers to a node corresponding to a session management function SMF. The association link switching request specifically refers to a request generated when the session management function node needs to be updated in routing after the first transmission link is switched to the second transmission link. The request is used to trigger the update of the routing information of the session management function node, ensure that the updated routing is associated with the second transmission link, and realize the communication through the target gateway station. The identification information specifically refers to a unique identifier corresponding to the base station. The user plane routing information specifically refers to information related to the selection of the forwarding and routing of the data packet associated with the target gateway station, which is used to update the user routing information of the session management function node. When the user routing information of the session management function node is updated, the routing can be mapped to the second transmission link, so that subsequent communication services can be completed through the target gateway station.

[0094] Based on this, after the core network completes the switching of the first transmission link to the second transmission link, in order to ensure that the downstream services are completed through the target gateway station, the session management function node SMF in the core network also needs to update the routing information. At this time, the mobility management function node AMF in the core network can first construct an association link switching request according to the link switching result, and then send the association link switching request to the session management function node. In order to achieve the purpose of switching to the target gateway station, the association link switching request can carry the identification information corresponding to the base station and the user plane routing information. Further, the session management function node SMF receives the association link switching request, and in response to the association link switching request, updates the first user routing information under the node according to the identification information and the user plane routing information, realizes that the routing information is associated with the target gateway station, and realizes that the subsequent communication service can be completed through the target gateway station.

[0095] Further, when the session management function node SMF completes the update of the routing information under the node, if the current gateway station change does not change the user plane function node, the routing information of the user plane function node UPF also needs to be updated. In the embodiment, in the case where the user plane function node is not changed, the session management function node is also used to construct a target link switching request according to the first user routing information update result, and send the target link switching request to the session management function node. The target link switching request carries the identification information and the user plane routing information.

[0096] The user plane function node is used to update the second user routing information according to the identification information and the user plane routing information in response to the target link switching request.

[0097] Specifically, the user plane function node specifically refers to a node corresponding to a user plane function UPF in a core network. The target link switching request specifically refers to a request triggered when the user plane function node needs to be updated with routing information after the first user routing information is updated. The request is used to trigger the update of the routing information of the user plane function node, ensure that the updated routing information is associated with the second transmission path, and realize the completion of communication through the target gateway station.

[0098] Based on this, after the session management function node completes the update of the first routing information, if it is detected that the change of the gateway station causes the change of the user plane function node, the routing information in the user plane function node also needs to be updated. Therefore, the session management function node can first construct a target link switching request according to the first user routing information update result. At this time, the target link switching request is sent to the session management function node, and in order to achieve the purpose of switching to the target gateway station, the target link switching request carries identification information and user plane routing information. Further, the user plane function node receives the target link switching request, and in response to the target link switching request, updates the second user routing information under the node according to the identification information and the user plane routing information, realizes that the routing information is associated with the target gateway station, and realizes that the subsequent communication service can be completed through the target gateway station.

[0099] For example, referring to the interaction diagram shown in FIG. 3, the link switching system includes a user terminal, a base station deployed on a satellite, an old gateway station, a new gateway station, and a core network. The core network is composed of a mobility management function node AMF, a session management function node SMF, and a user plane function node UPF. In the scenario where the gateway station changes but the UPF does not change, the link switching can be completed through the following steps 1 to 13, and the specific implementation is as follows:

[0100] Step 1. The user accesses the satellite, and the base station on the satellite is connected with the AMF and the UPF through the old gateway station.

[0101] Step 2. The satellite moves beyond the coverage range of the old gateway station, or estimates that the gateway station will change according to the ephemeris information of the satellite.

[0102] Step 3. The base station sends a link establishment request to the AMF through the new gateway station.

[0103] Step 4. The AMF responds to the link establishment request and feeds back a link establishment response to the base station through the new gateway station.

[0104] At this time, the link switching operation will be triggered.

[0105] Step 5. The base station sends a link switching request to the AMF through the new gateway station, and the message can carry user plane routing information, which can be a new user plane address of the base station or other user plane routing related information.

[0106] Step 6. The AMF feeds back switching link response information to the base station in response to the link switching request.

[0107] Step 7. The AMF switches the link of the user under the current wireless node to the link associated with the new gateway station, and realizes the subsequent downlink information sent to the wireless node, which can be sent to the base station through the new link.

[0108] After the link is switched, the SMF and the UPF also need to update the routing information of the node.

[0109] Step 8. The AMF sends a link switching request to the SMF, which can carry the base station ID and the user plane routing information of the wireless node.

[0110] Step 9. The SMF feeds back switching link response information to the AMF in response to the link switching request.

[0111] Step 10. The SMF updates the routing information of the user under the wireless node.

[0112] Step 11. The SMF sends a link switching request to the UPF, which can carry the base station ID and the user plane routing information of the wireless node.

[0113] Step 12. The UPF feeds back switching link response information to the SMF in response to the link switching request.

[0114] Step 13. The UPF updates the routing information of the user under the wireless node.

[0115] In summary, in the case where the user plane function node does not change, in order to ensure that subsequent communication is completed through the target gateway station, the routing information of the session management function node and the user plane function node can be updated in combination with the link switching request, so that subsequent communication can be completed through the new gateway station, so as to avoid the problem of user service interruption.

[0116] In addition, in the case where the user plane function node changes, it is necessary to inject the routing information associated with the second transmission link into the new user plane function node after the routing information is updated, so that the new user plane function node can be associated with the target gateway station to provide stable communication services. Therefore, in the case where the user plane function node changes, the session management function node is also used to select a target user plane function node according to the first user routing information update result; and the user plane routing information is sent to the target user plane function node.

[0117] The target user plane function node is configured to receive and record the user plane routing information, wherein the user plane routing information is used to select the routing information matching the second transmission link at the target user plane function node for the downlink user plane data.

[0118] Specifically, the target user plane function node refers to a new user plane function node selected after the switching of the gateway station. Based on this, in the case of user plane function node change, it is necessary to select a new user plane function node, and therefore the session management function node can select the target user plane function node according to the first user routing information update result; thereafter, the user plane routing information is sent to the target user plane function node; after receiving the user plane routing information, the target user plane function node can directly record it, so that the routing information matching the second transmission link can be selected for the downlink user plane data at the target user plane function node in the future.

[0119] In specific implementation, in order to support the maintenance of communication services after the change of the gateway station, the session management function node SMF can change the user plane function node, including but not limited to inserting a new user plane function node, changing the user plane function node, and deleting the user plane function node.

[0120] In actual application, the user plane routing information can be composed of different information groups according to different needs, including but not limited to global cell identification information, user plane address information corresponding to the base station, routing identification information, and identification user routing information. In specific implementation, it can be selected according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not make any limitation here.

[0121] To sum up, the link switching system provided by the embodiment is applied to a base station on a satellite architecture, and the system comprises a base station deployed on a target satellite, a plurality of gateway stations and a core network. In order to ensure the continuity of user services when the corresponding gateway station of the satellite where the base station is located changes, the target gateway station can be selected from the plurality of gateway stations under the condition that the to-be-switched gateway station of the current communication connection is in a switching state before the old gateway station corresponding link is interrupted. Then, the build link request can be sent to the core network through the target gateway station, and the build link response information fed back by the core network for the build link request can be received, so as to achieve the purpose of informing the gateway station to be switched. Then, the link switching request can be created according to the build link response information and sent to the core network through the target gateway station, and the link information corresponding to the target gateway station is carried in the link switching request, so that the core network determines the gateway station corresponding to the link to be switched. Further, when the core network receives the link switching request carrying the link information, the first transmission link corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station can be switched to the second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station according to the link information, so that the core network can send the downlink message to the base station through the second transmission link. The switching of the gateway station is automatically detected and completed before the passive disconnection link, so as to solve the problem of user service interruption caused by the switching of the gateway station and ensure the continuity of the user service.

[0122] Corresponding to the above system embodiment, the specification also provides a link switching method embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a link switching method according to an embodiment of the specification. The method is applied to a base station deployed on a target satellite in a link switching system, and the link switching system further comprises a plurality of gateway stations and a core network. The method comprises the following steps:

[0123] In step S402, the target gateway station is selected from the plurality of gateway stations under the condition that the to-be-switched gateway station of the current communication connection is in a switching state.

[0124] In step S404, the build link request is sent to the core network through the target gateway station, and the build link response information fed back by the core network for the build link request is received.

[0125] In step S406, the link switching request is created according to the build link response information and sent to the core network through the target gateway station, wherein the link information corresponding to the target gateway station is carried in the link switching request, and the link information is used to switch the first transmission link corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station in the core network to the second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station.

[0126] It should be noted that the specific steps required to be performed by the base station can be referred to the description of the base station in the link switching system of the above embodiment. The embodiment will not be described in detail here.

[0127] The above is a schematic solution of the link switching method of the embodiment. It should be noted that the technical solution of the link switching method and the technical solution of the link switching system described above belong to the same concept. Details of the technical solution of the link switching method that are not described in detail can be seen from the description of the technical solution of the link switching system.

[0128] Corresponding to the system embodiment described above, the present specification also provides another link switching method embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of another link switching method provided by an embodiment of the present specification. The method is applied to a core network in a link switching system, the link switching system further includes a base station deployed on a target satellite and a plurality of gateway stations, and the method includes the following steps:

[0129] In step S502, a link establishment response information is fed back to the base station in response to a link establishment request sent by the base station through a target gateway station.

[0130] In step S504, a link switching request sent by the base station for the link establishment response information is received, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station.

[0131] In step S506, a first transmission link corresponding to a to-be-switched gateway station of a current communication connection is switched to a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station according to the link information carried in the link switching request, wherein the core network sends a downlink message to the base station through the second transmission link.

[0132] It should be noted that the specific steps required to be performed by the core network can be seen from the description of the core network in the link switching system of the above embodiment. The present embodiment will not be described in more detail here.

[0133] The above is a schematic solution of the link switching method of the embodiment. It should be noted that the technical solution of the link switching method and the technical solution of the link switching system described above belong to the same concept. Details of the technical solution of the link switching method that are not described in detail can be seen from the description of the technical solution of the link switching system.

[0134] Corresponding to the method embodiment described above, the present specification also provides a link switching device embodiment. FIG. 6 shows a structural schematic diagram of a link switching device according to an embodiment of the present specification. As shown in FIG. 6, the device is applied to a base station deployed on a target satellite in a link switching system, the link switching system further includes a plurality of gateway stations and a core network, and the device includes the following components:

[0135] The selecting module 602 is configured to select a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations in a case that the to-be-switched gateway station of the current communication connection is in a handover state;

[0136] The receiving module 604 is configured to send a link establishment request to the core network through the target gateway station, and receive link establishment response information fed back by the core network for the link establishment request;

[0137] The sending module 606 is configured to create a link switching request according to the link establishment response information, and send the link switching request to the core network through the target gateway station, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station, and the link information is used to switch a first transmission link corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station in the core network to a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station.

[0138] The above is a schematic scheme of the link switching device of the embodiment. It should be noted that the technical scheme of the link switching device belongs to the same concept as the technical scheme of the link switching system described above, and the details of the technical scheme of the link switching device that are not described in detail can be referred to the description of the technical scheme of the link switching system.

[0139] Corresponding to the method embodiment, the specification also provides another link switching device embodiment. FIG. 7 shows a structural schematic diagram of another link switching device provided by an embodiment of the specification. As shown in FIG. 7, the device is applied to a core network in a link switching system, the link switching system further includes a base station deployed on a target satellite and a plurality of gateway stations, and the device includes:

[0140] The feedback module 702 is configured to feed back link establishment response information to the base station in response to a link establishment request sent by the base station through a target gateway station;

[0141] The receiving module 704 is configured to receive a link switching request sent by the base station for the link establishment response information, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station;

[0142] The switching module 706 is configured to switch a first transmission link corresponding to a to-be-switched gateway station of a current communication connection to a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station according to the link information carried in the link switching request, wherein the core network sends a downlink message to the base station through the second transmission link.

[0143] The above is a schematic solution of another link switching device of the embodiment. It should be noted that the technical solution of the link switching device belongs to the same concept as the technical solution of the link switching system described above, and the details of the technical solution of the link switching device that are not described in detail can be referred to the description of the technical solution of the link switching system.

[0144] FIG. 8 shows a structural block diagram of a computing device 800 according to an embodiment of the present specification. The components of the computing device 800 include, but are not limited to, a memory 810 and a processor 820. The processor 820 is connected to the memory 810 through a bus 830, and a database 850 is used to store data.

[0145] The computing device 800 also includes an access device 840, which enables the computing device 800 to communicate via one or more networks 860. Examples of these networks include a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a personal area network (PAN), or a combination of communication networks such as the Internet. The access device 840 can include one or more of any type of network interface (e.g., a network interface card (NIC)), such as an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) wireless interface, a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wi-MAX) interface, an Ethernet interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a cellular network interface, a Bluetooth interface, a near field communication (NFC).

[0146] In an embodiment of the present specification, the above-mentioned components of the computing device 800 and other components not shown in FIG. 8 can also be connected to each other, for example, through a bus. It should be understood that the structural block diagram of the computing device shown in FIG. 8 is only for the purpose of example, and is not a limitation on the scope of the present specification. Those skilled in the art can add or replace other components as needed.

[0147] The computing device 800 can be any type of stationary or mobile computing device, including a mobile computer or mobile computing device (e.g., a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a netbook, etc.), a mobile phone (e.g., a smartphone), a wearable computing device (e.g., a smart watch, smart glasses, etc.), or other type of mobile device, or a stationary computing device such as a desktop computer or a personal computer (PC). The computing device 800 can also be a mobile or stationary server.

[0148] The processor 820 is configured to execute computer-executable instructions to perform the steps of the link switching method described above.

[0149] The above is a schematic solution of the computing device according to the embodiment. It should be noted that the technical solution of the computing device and the technical solution of the link switching method described above belong to the same concept, and the details of the technical solution of the computing device that are not described in detail can be referred to the description of the technical solution of the link switching method.

[0150] An embodiment of the present specification further provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the link switching method described above.

[0151] The above is a schematic solution of the computer-readable storage medium according to the embodiment. It should be noted that the technical solution of the storage medium and the technical solution of the link switching method described above belong to the same concept, and the details of the technical solution of the storage medium that are not described in detail can be referred to the description of the technical solution of the link switching method.

[0152] An embodiment of the present specification further provides a computer program product comprising a computer program or instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the link switching method described above.

[0153] The above is a schematic solution of the computer program product according to the embodiment. It should be noted that the technical solution of the computer program product and the technical solution of the link switching method described above belong to the same concept, and the details of the technical solution of the computer program product that are not described in detail can be referred to the description of the technical solution of the link switching method.

[0154] The above-described embodiments of the application have several aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for the application's desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of the application as expressed by the claims that follow, some further embodiments make these aspects even more useful. Other embodiments can result in less desirable attributes.

[0155] The computer readable medium can include any entity or apparatus that can carry the computer program code, recording medium, U disk, mobile hard disk, magnetic disk, optical disk, computer memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electrical carrier signal, telecommunication signal, software distribution medium, etc. It should be noted that the computer readable medium can include appropriate contents according to the requirements of patent practice, for example, according to the patent practice in some regions, the computer readable medium does not include electrical carrier signals and telecommunication signals.

[0156] It should be noted that for the foregoing method embodiments, the acts described can be performed in a different order than that described, and that various embodiments can be combined in different ways. Further, it should be noted that the embodiments described are preferred embodiments, and that not all of the acts described are necessary to achieve the desired results. It should also be noted that the described embodiments are merely examples of the ways in which the application can be implemented.

[0157] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment is focused on different aspects, and the parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment can be referred to the relevant description of other embodiments.

[0158] The above disclosed preferred embodiments of the present application are only used to help explain the present application. Alternative embodiments do not describe all the details, nor limit the application to only the specific embodiments described. Obviously, according to the content of the embodiments of the present application, many modifications and changes can be made. The present application selects and describes these embodiments in order to better explain the principles and practical applications of the embodiments of the present application, so that those skilled in the art can well understand and use the present application.

Claims

1. A link switching system, characterized by, The system is applied to a base station on a satellite architecture, and comprises a base station deployed on a target satellite, a plurality of gateway stations, and a core network, comprising: The base station is configured to: select a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations in a case where a to-be-switched gateway station of a current communication connection is in a switching state; send a link establishment request to the core network through the target gateway station, and receive link establishment response information fed back by the core network in response to the link establishment request; and create a link switching request according to the link establishment response information, and send the link switching request to the core network through the target gateway station, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station. The core network is configured to switch a first transmission link corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station to a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station according to the link information carried in the link switching request, wherein the core network sends a downlink message to the base station through the second transmission link.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, The base station is further configured to: receive an access request submitted by a user equipment, obtain identity information by analyzing the access request, and send communication data corresponding to the user equipment to the core network through the to-be-switched gateway station in a case where the user equipment passes the verification according to the identity information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein, The base station is further configured to: in a case where it is detected that the target satellite moves out of a coverage range corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station of a current communication connection, determine that the to-be-switched gateway station is in a switching state, and perform the step of selecting a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations; or acquire ephemeris data corresponding to the target satellite, detect a satellite movement track of the target satellite according to the ephemeris data, and determine that the to-be-switched gateway station is in a switching state in a case where the satellite movement track exceeds a coverage range corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station of a current communication connection, and perform the step of selecting a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, The base station is further configured to: screen a candidate group of gateway stations from the plurality of gateway stations according to a gateway station screening strategy, determine gateway station information of each candidate gateway station in the candidate group of gateway stations, sort the candidate gateway stations included in the candidate group of gateway stations according to the gateway station information, and determine a target gateway station according to a sorting result.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein, The core network comprises a mobility management function node and a session management function node. The mobility management function node is configured to construct an associated link switching request according to a link switching result, and send the associated link switching request to the session management function node, wherein the associated link switching request carries identification information and user plane routing information corresponding to the base station. The session management function node is configured to update first user routing information according to the identification information and the user plane routing information in response to the associated link switching request.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein, The core network further includes a user plane function node; in a case where the user plane function node is not changed, the session management function node is further configured to construct a target link switching request according to the first user routing information update result, and send the target link switching request to the session management function node, wherein the target link switching request carries the identification information and the user plane routing information; The user plane function node is configured to update second user routing information according to the identification information and the user plane routing information in response to the target link switching request.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein, In a case where the user plane function node is changed, the session management function node is further configured to select a target user plane function node according to the first user routing information update result; send the user plane routing information to the target user plane function node; and The target user plane function node is configured to receive and record the user plane routing information, wherein the user plane routing information is used to select routing information matching the second transmission link for downlink user plane data at the target user plane function node.

8. The system of any of claims 5-7, wherein, The user plane routing information includes at least one of the following: global cell identification information, user plane address information corresponding to the base station, routing identification information, and identification user routing information.

9. A method of link switching, characterized by, A base station deployed on a target satellite in a link switching system, the link switching system further including a plurality of gateway stations and a core network, the method comprising: selecting a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations in a case where a to-be-switched gateway station of a current communication connection is in a switching state; sending a link establishment request to the core network through the target gateway station, and receiving link establishment response information fed back by the core network for the link establishment request; creating a link switching request according to the link establishment response information, and sending the link switching request to the core network through the target gateway station, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station, and the link information is used to switch a first transmission link corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station in the core network to a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station.

10. A method of link switching, characterized by, A core network applied to a link switching system, the link switching system further including a base station deployed on a target satellite and a plurality of gateway stations, the method comprising: feeding back link establishment response information to the base station in response to a link establishment request sent by the base station through a target gateway station; receiving a link switching request sent by the base station for the link establishment response information, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station; switching a first transmission link corresponding to a to-be-switched gateway station of a current communication connection to a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station according to the link information carried in the link switching request, wherein the core network sends downlink messages to the base station through the second transmission link.

11. A link switching apparatus characterized by comprising: A base station deployed on a target satellite in a link switching system, the link switching system further including a plurality of gateway stations and a core network, the apparatus comprising: The selecting module is configured to select a target gateway station from the plurality of gateway stations in a case that the to-be-switched gateway station of the current communication connection is in a switching state; The receiving module is configured to send a link establishment request to the core network through the target gateway station and receive link establishment response information fed back by the core network for the link establishment request; The sending module is configured to create a link switching request according to the link establishment response information and send the link switching request to the core network through the target gateway station, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station, and the link information is used to switch a first transmission link corresponding to the to-be-switched gateway station in the core network to a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station.

12. A link switching apparatus characterized by comprising: The core network applied to a link switching system, the link switching system further comprising a base station and a plurality of gateway stations deployed on a target satellite, the device comprising: The feedback module is configured to feed back link establishment response information to the base station in response to a link establishment request sent by the base station through a target gateway station; The receiving module is configured to receive a link switching request sent by the base station for the link establishment response information, wherein the link switching request carries link information corresponding to the target gateway station; The switching module is configured to switch a first transmission link corresponding to a to-be-switched gateway station of a current communication connection to a second transmission link corresponding to the target gateway station according to the link information carried in the link switching request, wherein the core network sends downlink messages to the base station through the second transmission link. Comprise:

13. A computing device, comprising: Memory and processor; The memory is used to store computer executable instructions, and the processor is used to execute the computer executable instructions, and the computer executable instructions are executed by the processor to realize the steps of the method of claim 9 or 10. It stores computer executable instructions, and the computer executable instructions are executed by the processor to realize the steps of the method of claim 9 or 10.

14. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, It comprises computer programs or instructions, and the computer programs or instructions are executed by the processor to realize the steps of the method of claim 9 or 10.

15. A computer program product, characterised in that, ​

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