Control circuit, terminal device and control method

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of terminals. Provided are a control circuit, a terminal device and a control method. The control circuit comprises: a satellite communication transceiver module, which is used for generating a control signal; an antenna system; a positioning module; and a tuning module, wherein the tuning module is connected to the satellite communication transceiver module, the antenna system and the positioning module for receiving the control signal sent by the satellite communication transceiver module, controlling the antenna system to be in a satellite communication mode in a first time unit when the control signal is a first control signal, and controlling the antenna system to be in a positioning mode in a second time unit when the control signal is a second control signal. The first time unit comprises a time unit for receiving a satellite communication signal, and the second time unit is a time unit, other than the first time unit, among time units for satellite communication. In this way, positioning can be performed in a satellite communication process, thereby ensuring the timeliness and accuracy of determined location information.

Description

A control circuit, a terminal device, and a control method.

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411466592.6, filed on October 18, 2024, entitled "A Control Circuit, Terminal Equipment and Control Method", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of terminals, and more particularly to a control circuit, terminal device, and control method. Background Technology

[0003] With the continuous development of mobile communication technology, mobile phones not only have traditional voice call functions but also integrate satellite communication and positioning functions. In implementing these functions, because the satellite communication and positioning frequency bands are relatively close, a design scheme that uses a shared antenna for both is typically employed. Under this scheme, when the mobile phone activates the satellite communication function, the antenna configuration adjusts to support satellite communication signal transmission, i.e., satellite communication mode.

[0004] However, this shared antenna design means that when the phone activates satellite communication, the user cannot obtain real-time location information; they can only obtain the location information of the terminal device before the satellite communication function was activated. This results in poor timeliness and accuracy of the obtained location information, negatively impacting the user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a control circuit, terminal device, and control method that can perform positioning during satellite communication, ensuring the timeliness and accuracy of the determined location information.

[0006] In a first aspect, a control circuit is provided, comprising: a satellite communication transceiver module for generating control signals; an antenna system; a positioning module; and a tuning module, the tuning module being connected to the satellite communication transceiver module, the antenna system, and the positioning module respectively, for receiving control signals sent by the satellite communication transceiver module, and controlling the antenna system to be in satellite communication mode in a first time unit when the control signal is a first control signal, and controlling the antenna system to be in positioning mode in a second time unit when the control signal is a second control signal; wherein, in positioning mode, the antenna system can receive positioning signals and transmit the positioning signals to the positioning module through the tuning module, the positioning signals being used to determine location information; in satellite communication mode, the antenna system can communicate with a communication satellite; the first time unit includes a time unit for receiving satellite communication signals, and the second time unit is a time unit other than the first time unit in the satellite communication time unit.

[0007] The control circuit can be installed on the terminal device.

[0008] Based on the above scheme, by controlling different time units, the antenna system can switch between satellite communication mode and positioning mode during satellite communication, thereby ensuring that the positioning of terminal devices can still be performed during satellite communication, and ensuring the timeliness and accuracy of the determined location information of terminal devices.

[0009] It should be understood that the second time unit can be a time unit that is idle during satellite communication.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the time unit in the satellite communication process is one of the following: frame, subframe, burst, time slot, micro-time slot, or time domain symbol.

[0011] In one possible implementation, when the communication satellite is in a stationary state, the first time unit can be a time unit used to receive satellite communication signals.

[0012] In another possible implementation, when the communication satellite is in operational mode, the first time unit includes a time unit for receiving satellite communication signals and a time unit for transmitting satellite communication signals. The interval between the time unit for receiving satellite communication signals and the time unit for transmitting satellite communication signals can be arbitrary.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the antenna system includes a first antenna, and the tuning module includes a first tuner, wherein:

[0014] The first end of the first tuner is connected to the first antenna, the second end of the first tuner is connected to the satellite communication transceiver module, the third end of the first tuner is connected to the positioning module, and the fourth end of the first tuner is connected to the first end of the satellite communication transceiver module. It is used to control the first antenna to be in satellite communication mode or positioning mode based on the control signal sent by the satellite communication transceiver module. The satellite communication mode is the mode in which the first antenna is in satellite communication mode, and the positioning mode is the mode in which the first antenna is in positioning mode.

[0015] For example, the first tuner can adjust the resonant frequency of the first antenna based on a control signal to control the first antenna to be in satellite communication mode or positioning mode.

[0016] Based on the above scheme, when satellite communication and positioning share the same antenna, the first antenna can switch between satellite communication mode and positioning mode by controlling different time units during satellite communication. This allows positioning to be performed during satellite communication without affecting satellite communication, ensuring the timeliness and accuracy of the location information obtained through positioning. Moreover, sharing the same antenna for satellite communication and positioning can also reduce hardware costs and energy consumption.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the antenna system includes a second antenna and a third antenna, and the tuning module includes a second tuner, wherein: a first end of the second tuner is connected to the second antenna, a second end of the second tuner is connected to a first end of the satellite communication transceiver module, and a third end of the second tuner is connected to the positioning module, for receiving control signals sent by the satellite communication transceiver module, and controlling a first signal transmission state between the second antenna and the positioning module based on the control signals;

[0018] Among them, the satellite communication mode is a mode in which the first signal transmission state is disconnected and the second signal transmission state between the third antenna and the satellite communication transceiver module is connected, and the positioning mode is a mode in which the first signal transmission state is connected and the second signal transmission state is disconnected.

[0019] The second antenna is used for positioning, and the third antenna is used for satellite communication.

[0020] For example, the second antenna can be an L1 antenna.

[0021] Based on the above scheme, when the first signal transmission state is disconnected, the second antenna no longer performs positioning but serves as a passive parasitic stub of the third antenna to assist the third antenna in satellite communication, thereby improving the gain and directivity of satellite communication and enhancing the efficiency and stability of satellite communication signal reception and transmission.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the control circuit includes: a signal transmission control module, a first end of which is connected to the third end of the satellite communication transceiver module, and a second end of which is connected to the third antenna, for receiving a third control signal or a fourth control signal sent by the signal transmission control module. The third control signal is used to control the second signal transmission state to be in a connected state, and the fourth control signal is used to control the second signal transmission state to be in a disconnected state.

[0023] The satellite communication transceiver module can control the second signal transmission state to a connected state based on a third control signal, enabling the third antenna to transmit satellite communication signals with the satellite communication transceiver module; or, the satellite communication transceiver module can control the second signal transmission state to a disconnected state based on a fourth control signal, preventing the third antenna from transmitting satellite communication signals with the satellite communication transceiver module.

[0024] In one possible implementation, based on the design of a satellite communication and positioning shared antenna, the control circuit may further include a fourth antenna connected to the positioning module, which is used to receive positioning signals from navigation satellites.

[0025] The fourth antenna is used for positioning, such as an L5 antenna. This fourth antenna can remain continuously operational, i.e., in positioning mode.

[0026] Based on the above scheme, when the first antenna is in satellite communication mode, the fourth antenna is in positioning mode. The fourth antenna can receive positioning signals from navigation satellites and determine the location information of the terminal device based on these signals. The first and fourth antennas operate independently without interference, thus improving the positioning performance and stability of the entire system. When both the first and fourth antennas are in positioning mode, they can both receive positioning signals. The positioning module can then determine the location information of the terminal device based on the positioning signals transmitted by the first and fourth antennas. In this way, the positioning module can determine the location information of the terminal device based on positioning signals from different frequency bands, improving the accuracy and reliability of determining the terminal device's location.

[0027] In one possible implementation, based on the design of a satellite communication and positioning antenna not sharing an antenna, the control circuit may further include a fourth antenna connected to the positioning module, which is used to receive positioning signals from navigation satellites.

[0028] The fourth antenna is used for positioning, such as an L5 antenna. This fourth antenna can remain continuously operational, i.e., in positioning mode.

[0029] Based on the above scheme, the passive parasitic stub of the second antenna assists the third antenna in satellite communication. Although the signal transmission between the second antenna and the positioning module is disconnected and positioning is not possible, the fourth antenna can receive positioning signals from navigation satellites and transmit them to the positioning module. The positioning module can then determine the location information of the terminal device based on these positioning signals. When both the second and fourth antennas are in positioning mode, the positioning module can receive positioning signals from both antennas and determine location information based on these different frequency bands, further improving the accuracy of the determined location information.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the satellite communication transceiver module includes a satellite radio frequency chip and / or a satellite modem.

[0031] In one possible implementation, the satellite communication transceiver module and the tuning module communicate via general purpose input / output (GPIO) or mobile industrial processor interface (MIPI).

[0032] In a second aspect, a terminal device is provided, the terminal device including the control circuit of any one of the first aspects described above.

[0033] Thirdly, a control method is provided, comprising: sending a control signal to a tuning module via a satellite communication transceiver module; controlling an antenna system to be in satellite communication mode within a first time unit via the tuning module when the control signal is a first control signal; and controlling the antenna system to be in positioning mode within a second time unit via the tuning module when the control signal is a second control signal. In positioning mode, the antenna system can receive a positioning signal and transmit the positioning signal to the positioning module via the tuning module; the positioning signal is used to determine location information. In satellite communication mode, the antenna system can communicate with a communication satellite. The first time unit includes a time unit for receiving satellite communication signals, and the second time unit is a time unit other than the first time unit within the satellite communication time unit.

[0034] This control method can be applied to devices that include control circuits, such as terminal devices.

[0035] In one possible implementation, the first time unit also includes a time unit for transmitting satellite communication signals.

[0036] In one possible implementation, the first time unit is one of the following: frame, subframe, burst, time slot, microtime slot, or time domain symbol.

[0037] In one possible implementation, in a design scheme where satellite communication and positioning share an antenna, the satellite communication mode is the mode in which the first antenna is in satellite communication state, and the positioning mode is the mode in which the first antenna is in positioning state. A first control signal is used to control the first antenna to be in satellite communication state, and a second control signal is used to control the first antenna to be in positioning state.

[0038] In one possible implementation, in a design where satellite communication and positioning do not share an antenna, the satellite communication mode is such that the first signal transmission state between the second antenna and the positioning module is disconnected, and the second signal transmission state between the third antenna and the satellite communication transceiver module is connected. A first control signal can be used to control the first signal transmission state to be disconnected, and a second control signal can be used to control the first signal transmission state to be connected.

[0039] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions in the second and third aspects of this application can be referred to the beneficial effects of the technical solutions in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0040] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a time slot allocation provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another time slot allocation provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of another time slot allocation provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the control timing of the tuning module provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of another control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of another control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the position of the first antenna on the terminal device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a control circuit provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the first antenna and the fourth antenna provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of another control circuit provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the second antenna and the third antenna according to another embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a control circuit provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the second antenna, the third antenna, and the fourth antenna according to another embodiment of this application.

[0054] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of another control circuit provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating a control method provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0057] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0058] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " means "or"; for example, A / B can mean A or B; "and / or" in this document is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist; for example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone. Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" refers to two or more.

[0059] Hereinafter, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first," "second," or "third" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0060] The control circuit provided in this application embodiment can be applied to a terminal device, which may also be referred to as user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), etc., and is a device that provides voice and / or data connectivity to users. The terminal device may include handheld devices with wireless connectivity, vehicle-mounted devices, etc.

[0061] For example, terminal devices can be mobile phones, tablets, laptops, PDAs, mobile internet devices (MIDs), wearable devices, consumer terminals (such as watches, wristbands, etc.), virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical surgery, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, or wireless terminals in smart homes, etc.

[0062] The following explains the technical terms used in the embodiments of this application.

[0063] Satellite communication function of terminal equipment: refers to the ability of terminal equipment to directly establish a connection with communication satellites orbiting the Earth, thereby realizing data interaction.

[0064] The positioning function of a terminal device refers to the ability of a terminal device to determine its geographical location (i.e., location information).

[0065] Positioning signals are transmitted by satellites in a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). These satellites are placed in specific orbits to ensure they can transmit signals to any location on Earth. Positioning signals contain the satellite's position and time information, as well as coded information used to calculate the location information of the receiver (i.e., terminal equipment). Satellites in a Global Navigation Satellite System can be simply referred to as navigation satellites, and their operating frequency can be around 1575 MHz.

[0066] Global navigation satellite systems include at least one of the following systems: Global Positioning System (GPS), BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), GLONASS, Galileo, and Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS).

[0067] Satellite communication signals are signals used to enable satellite communication. These signals are relayed via communication satellites, which act as relay stations, to achieve long-distance communication between two or more earth stations. Satellite communication signals typically use specific communication frequency bands designed specifically for data transmission, supporting high-speed, long-distance communication. Satellite communication signals can be used for various communication services such as voice calls and internet access.

[0068] Positioning signals and satellite communication signals originate from different satellites. Positioning signals are transmitted by navigation satellites, while satellite communication signals are transmitted by communication satellites. Communication satellites relay these signals, enabling long-distance communication between earth stations. For example, a communication satellite could be the Tiantong satellite, with its transmission frequency in the range of 1980–2010 MHz and its reception frequency in the range of 2170–2200 MHz. Satellites in the Global Navigation Satellite System can be simply referred to as navigation satellites, and their operating frequency can be around 1575 MHz.

[0069] Satellite communication processes can be divided into multiple time units in the time domain. These time units can be one of the following: frames, sub-frames, bursts, slots, mini-slots, or time-domain symbols.

[0070] Satellite communication process: refers to the communication between terminal equipment and communication satellite.

[0071] L1 antenna: This is a type of antenna used in GNSS, corresponding to the L1 frequency band in GNSS signals. The L1 frequency band is usually located around 1575.42MHz and is one of the commonly used frequency bands in GNSS.

[0072] L5 antenna: An L5 antenna is an antenna designed to receive and process L5 band signals in GNSS systems. The L5 band is typically located around 1176.45MHz and is one of the GNSS bands, primarily used to provide high-precision positioning and anti-interference capabilities.

[0073] Currently, a design scheme using a shared antenna for satellite communication and positioning is employed. Under this scheme, when the mobile phone activates its satellite communication function, the terminal device can establish a connection and communicate with the communication satellite. Positioning cannot be performed during satellite communication; to obtain the terminal device's location information, one can only rely on the location information determined by the terminal device before activating satellite communication. This results in poor timeliness and low accuracy of the obtained location information.

[0074] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a control circuit, which can be installed on a terminal device, and can determine the location information of the terminal device during satellite communication, thereby improving the timeliness and accuracy of the determined terminal device.

[0075] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the control circuit 100 includes:

[0076] Satellite communication transceiver module 101 is used to generate control signals;

[0077] Antenna system 102;

[0078] Positioning module 103;

[0079] Tuning module 104 is connected to satellite communication transceiver module 101, antenna system 102 and positioning module 103 respectively. It is used to receive control signals sent by satellite communication transceiver module 101, and control antenna system 102 to be in satellite communication mode in the first time unit when the control signal is the first control signal, and control antenna system 102 to be in positioning mode in the second time unit when the control signal is the second control signal.

[0080] In the positioning mode, the antenna system 102 can receive positioning signals and transmit the positioning signals to the positioning module 103 through the tuning module 104. The positioning signals are used to determine location information. In the satellite communication mode, the antenna system 102 can communicate with communication satellites. The first time unit includes a time unit for receiving satellite communication signals, and the second time unit is a time unit other than the first time unit in the satellite communication time unit.

[0081] The above scheme, through the control of different time units, enables the antenna system to be time-division multiplexed during satellite communication. This allows the antenna system to switch between satellite communication mode and positioning mode, ensuring that positioning can still be performed during satellite communication and guaranteeing the timeliness and accuracy of the determined location information. It avoids the conflicts between satellite communication and positioning present in related technologies.

[0082] In this embodiment, the tuning module can be a device for tuning different matching circuits. By tuning different matching circuits, the tuning module controls the antenna system connected to it, enabling it to switch between positioning mode and satellite communication mode. The antenna used for satellite communication and the antenna used for positioning in the antenna system can be the same antenna; alternatively, they can be different antennas. The satellite communication transceiver module is a device responsible for transmitting and receiving satellite communication signals. The positioning module is a device capable of processing and decoding positioning signals to determine location information.

[0083] In one possible implementation, the satellite communication transceiver module integrates at least one functional module to achieve efficient and reliable transmission of satellite communication signals. The at least one functional module includes a satellite radio frequency chip and / or a satellite modem.

[0084] Satellite radio frequency (RF) chips are integrated circuits used to generate, transmit, and receive radio frequency signals. Satellite communication transceiver modules, for example, integrate satellite RF chips. In satellite communication mode, the antenna system receives satellite communication signals and transmits these signals to the satellite RF chip. After receiving the signals transmitted from the antenna system, the satellite RF chip performs a series of processes, such as signal amplification, demodulation, and filtering. The processed signals are then converted into digital signals for further processing and analysis.

[0085] A satellite modem is a device used to transmit and receive data during satellite communication. It has modulation and demodulation functions, enabling it to convert digital signals into analog signals and vice versa.

[0086] In one possible implementation, the positioning module may be a chip or module capable of receiving positioning signals from at least one of the satellite navigation systems such as GPS, BDS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS.

[0087] For example, the positioning module may be a GPS chip.

[0088] In one possible implementation, the satellite communication transceiver module and the tuning module communicate via general purpose input / output (GPIO) or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI).

[0089] Satellite communication is a time-division multiplexing (TDD) communication method. When a communication satellite uses TDD technology, the communication process is clearly divided into transmission (TX) time, reception (RX) time, and idle time. In some cases, the communication process only includes reception time and idle time. In other cases, the communication process may include transmission time, reception time, and idle time. Transmission time, reception time, and idle time refer to time periods.

[0090] In this embodiment of the application, based on this time-division communication method, the satellite communication process can be divided into different time units in the time domain. These time units can be one of the following: frames, subframes, bursts, time slots, micro-time slots, or time-domain symbols.

[0091] The first time unit and the second time unit represent different time periods during satellite communication. The first time unit can be pre-configured by the base station to indicate when communication with the communication satellite will take place. The second time unit can be a time unit other than the first time unit, determined by the satellite communication transceiver module from the satellite communication time units.

[0092] In this embodiment, during satellite communication, the communication satellite may exist in two states. The first state is operational mode, which is the state in which the communication satellite is providing actual communication services to the user. In this state, the communication satellite will occupy certain communication resources to support the data transmission of the terminal device. Operational mode includes, for example, a user engaging in satellite calls or other communication activities. The second state is network-hosted mode, which is the state in which the communication satellite is not performing any specific communication tasks or is idle. In network-hosted mode, the communication satellite still maintains a connection with the terminal device, but may not be in an active data transmission state.

[0093] In satellite communication, the control cycles for the stationary state and the service state are different, and the allocation of time units is also different.

[0094] When a satellite communication system is in a stationary state, the antenna system typically only receives satellite communication signals. In the time domain, the satellite communication process can be divided into time units for receiving satellite communication signals and time units for not receiving satellite communication signals. The first time unit is for receiving satellite communication signals, and the second time unit is for not receiving satellite communication signals.

[0095] For example, taking the Tiantong satellite as a communication satellite, with the Tiantong satellite in a network-hosted state and the time unit being a time slot, as an example. The control period for the network-hosted state can be set to 960ms. As shown in Figure 2, within this control period, the first time unit is the time slot used to receive satellite communication signals, i.e., the receiving time slot, with a length of 75ms. The second time unit is the time slot other than those used for receiving satellite communication signals, i.e., the idle time slot, with a length of 885ms.

[0096] In one possible implementation, the first time unit may include a time unit for receiving satellite communication signals and a time unit for transmitting satellite communication signals.

[0097] When a communication satellite is in operational mode, terminal devices typically need to both receive and transmit satellite communication signals. In the time domain, the satellite communication process can be divided into three time units: one for receiving signals, one for transmitting signals, and one where neither signal is received nor transmitted. The first time unit comprises the time units for receiving and transmitting signals, and the second time unit comprises the time unit where neither signal is received nor transmitted.

[0098] For example, taking the Tiantong satellite as an example, with the Tiantong satellite in operational mode and the time unit being a time slot. The control period for operational mode can be set to 60ms. Within this control period, the first time unit consists of a time slot for receiving satellite communication signals (i.e., a receive time slot) and a time slot for transmitting satellite communication signals (i.e., a transmit time slot), where the length of both the receive and transmit time slots can be configured, for example, to 12ms. The second time unit is a time slot where no satellite communication signals are received or transmitted, i.e., an idle time slot, with a length of 36ms.

[0099] In this embodiment, the transmit time slot, receive time slot, and idle time slot can alternate according to a fixed period. The length between the transmit and receive time slots can be random, for example, the length between the transmit and receive time slots can be 0, or it can be non-zero. The idle time slot can be between the receive and transmit time slots, or it can be after the receive and transmit time slots. The transmit time slot can be before or after the receive time slot. This application does not limit the order of the receive time slot, idle time slot, and transmit time slot.

[0100] As shown in Figure 3, taking the Tiantong satellite as an example, the time slot allocation in one control cycle is as follows: transmission time slot, reception time slot and idle time slot. The length of the transmission time slot is 12ms, the reception time slot is 12ms, and the length of the idle time slot is 36ms.

[0101] Taking the Tiantong satellite as an example, where idle time slots occur between the transmit and receive time slots, as shown in Figure 4, the time slot allocation within a control cycle is as follows: transmit time slot, idle time slot, receive time slot, idle time slot. The transmit time slot is 12ms long, the receive time slot is 12ms long, and each of the two idle time slots can be 18ms long. Of course, the lengths of the two idle time slots can also be different, for example, one can be 16ms long and the other 20ms long.

[0102] The control signal is either the first control signal or the second control signal. The control timing of the tuning module will be explained in detail below.

[0103] In one possible implementation, the tuning module can control the antenna system to enter satellite communication mode based on a first control signal at the start of the first time unit. At the end of the first time unit (i.e., the start of the second time unit), it can control the antenna system to enter positioning mode based on a second control signal. This allows the antenna system to be time-division multiplexed during satellite communication, focusing on receiving or transmitting satellite communication signals within the first time unit, while positioning can be performed within the second time unit. This enables positioning during the antenna system's idle time during satellite communication, improving the timeliness, accuracy, and effectiveness of the determined location information.

[0104] For example, time units are allocated in time slots, as shown in Figure 5. The time slot allocation is as follows: transmit time slot, idle time slot, transmit time slot, idle time slot. The start time of the transmit time slot is t0, the end time of the transmit time slot is t1, the start time of the receive time slot is t2, and the end time of the receive time slot is t3. The tuning module can control the antenna system to be in satellite communication mode at time t0 based on the first control signal, and in positioning mode at time t1 based on the first second control signal. It can also control the antenna system to be in satellite communication mode at time t2 based on the second first control signal, and in positioning mode at time t3 based on the second second control signal. Time t1 is not only the end time of the transmit time slot but also the start time of the idle time slot. Time t2 is not only the start time of the receive time slot but also the end time of the idle time slot. Time t3 is not only the end time of the receive time slot but also the start time of the idle time slot.

[0105] Specifically, the first second control signal can be sent by the satellite communication transceiver module to the tuning module before time t1, the second first control signal can be sent by the satellite communication transceiver module to the tuning module before time t2, and the second second control signal can be sent by the satellite communication transceiver module to the tuning module before time t3.

[0106] The following explanation assumes that the antenna used for satellite communication and the antenna used for positioning in the antenna system are the same antenna.

[0107] In one possible implementation, the antenna system 102 includes a first antenna 1021, and the tuning module 104 includes a first tuner 1041, as shown in FIG6. The first end of the first tuner 1041 is connected to the first antenna 1021, the second end of the first tuner 1041 is connected to the satellite communication transceiver module 101, the third end of the first tuner 1041 is connected to the positioning module 103, and the fourth end of the first tuner 1041 is connected to the satellite communication transceiver module 101. It is used to control the first antenna 1021 to be in a satellite communication state or a positioning state based on the control signal sent by the satellite communication transceiver module 101. The satellite communication mode is the mode in which the first antenna 1021 is in a satellite communication state, and the positioning mode is the mode in which the first antenna 1021 is in a positioning state.

[0108] The first tuner can adjust the operating parameters of the first antenna based on the received operating signal, so that the first antenna is in satellite communication mode or positioning mode. The operating parameters may be, for example, the resonant frequency.

[0109] The control signal is either a first control signal or a second control signal. The first control signal controls the first antenna to be in satellite communication mode, and the second control signal controls the first antenna to be in positioning mode. In satellite communication mode, the first antenna can receive satellite communication signals from the communication satellite and transmit these signals to the satellite communication transceiver module. Alternatively, in satellite communication mode, the first antenna can receive satellite communication signals from the communication satellite, transmit these signals to the satellite communication transceiver module, and also transmit satellite communication signals to the communication satellite.

[0110] Based on the above scheme, when satellite communication and positioning share the same antenna, the first antenna can switch between satellite communication mode and positioning mode by controlling different time units during satellite communication. This allows positioning to be performed during satellite communication without affecting satellite communication, ensuring the timeliness and accuracy of the location information obtained through positioning. Moreover, sharing the same antenna for satellite communication and positioning can also reduce hardware costs and energy consumption.

[0111] For example, as shown in Figure 7, the first tuner 1041 is equipped with a tuning switch assembly consisting of four switches. Each of these four switches, when closed, connects to at least one electronic component, such as a capacitor or inductor. The first tuner receives control signals from the satellite communication transceiver module and transmits these signals to its internal control module. The control module can then control the opening and closing states of the four switches based on the control signals. By changing the states of these four switches, different combinations of electronic components can be connected, thus forming different matching circuits. Different matching circuits connected to the first antenna 1021 will change the resonant frequency of the first antenna 1021, thereby enabling the antenna to switch between positioning and satellite communication states.

[0112] When the control circuit provided in this embodiment is installed on the terminal device, as shown in Figure 8, which is a schematic diagram of the position of the first antenna on the terminal device, the terminal device can achieve positioning during satellite communication by configuring only one first antenna 1021, ensuring the real-time and accuracy of the determined location information of the terminal device, thereby improving positioning accuracy. Moreover, since the same antenna is used to simultaneously realize the positioning function and the satellite communication function, the space occupied by the control circuit inside the terminal device can be effectively reduced, thereby reducing the overall cost of the system.

[0113] In addition, the terminal device may also include a fourth antenna 105, which is explained by the fact that the antenna used for satellite communication in the antenna system 102 and the antenna used for positioning in positioning mode are the same antenna. As shown in Figure 9, the fourth antenna 105 is connected to the positioning module 103 and is used to receive positioning signals from navigation satellites.

[0114] For example, the fourth antenna can be an L5 antenna, and Figure 10 shows a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the first antenna 1021 and the fourth antenna 105. As shown in Figure 10, the distance between the fourth antenna 105 and the first antenna 1021 is relatively large. This ensures that the operation of the fourth antenna will not affect the operation of the first antenna. The fourth antenna can continuously maintain an operational state, i.e., a positioning state. When the first antenna is in satellite communication mode, the fourth antenna is in positioning mode, and the fourth antenna can receive positioning signals from navigation satellites and determine the location information of the terminal device based on the positioning signals. The first antenna and the fourth antenna can operate independently without interference, thereby improving the positioning performance and stability of the entire system.

[0115] When both the first and fourth antennas are in positioning mode, they can receive positioning signals and transmit them to the positioning module. The positioning module can then determine the location information based on the positioning signals transmitted by the first and fourth antennas. In this way, the positioning module can simultaneously determine the location information of the terminal device based on positioning signals from different frequency bands, improving the accuracy and reliability of determining the terminal device's location.

[0116] The following explanation uses the example of antennas used for satellite communication and antennas used for positioning as different types of antennas in an antenna system.

[0117] In one possible implementation, as shown in Figure 11, the antenna system 102 includes a second antenna 1022 and a third antenna 1023. The tuning module 104 includes a second tuner 1042. The first end of the second tuner 1042 is connected to the second antenna 1022, the second end of the second tuner 1042 is connected to the first end of the satellite communication transceiver module 101, and the third end of the second tuner 1042 is connected to the positioning module 103. The second tuner 1042 is used to receive control signals sent by the satellite communication transceiver module 101 and control the first signal transmission state between the second antenna 1022 and the positioning module 103 based on the control signals.

[0118] Among them, the satellite communication mode is a mode in which the first signal transmission state is disconnected and the second signal transmission state between the third antenna 1023 and the satellite communication transceiver module 101 is connected, and the positioning mode is a mode in which the first signal transmission state is connected and the second signal transmission state is disconnected.

[0119] Figure 11 illustrates a second signal transmission state between the satellite communication transceiver module 101 and the third antenna 1023, specifically a connection state. The second antenna is used for positioning, and the third antenna is used for satellite communication. The second antenna can be, for example, an L1 antenna.

[0120] In this configuration, the first signal transmission state can be either disconnected or connected. The first tuner can control the first antenna to ground based on a first control signal. Alternatively, the first tuner can control the first antenna to connect to a corresponding matching circuit based on a second control signal, thereby connecting it to the positioning module.

[0121] The second signal transmission state can be controlled by the satellite communication transceiver module.

[0122] Based on the above scheme, when the first signal transmission state is disconnected, the second antenna no longer performs positioning but serves as a passive parasitic stub of the third antenna to assist the third antenna in satellite communication, thereby improving the gain and directivity of satellite communication and enhancing the efficiency and stability of satellite communication signal reception and transmission.

[0123] The second tuner can also be equipped with a tuning switch assembly, which may consist of four switches. Each of these switches, when closed, connects to at least one electronic component. The second tuner receives control signals from the satellite communication transceiver module. Upon receiving the control signals, it sends them to its internal control module. The control module then controls the opening and closing of the four switches based on the received signals. By changing the states of these four switches, different combinations of electronic components can be connected, forming different matching circuits. Different matching circuits connected to the second antenna alter the first signal transmission state between the second antenna and the positioning module, allowing the second antenna to switch between positioning and auxiliary states. The auxiliary state refers to the situation where, when the first signal transmission state is open, the second antenna no longer performs positioning but acts as a passive parasitic stub of the third antenna, assisting the third antenna in satellite communication.

[0124] The electronic components connected to the tuning switch assembly inside the second tuner are different from those connected to the tuning switch assembly of the first tuner. The specific electronic components can be flexibly configured according to actual applications, and this application embodiment does not impose limitations.

[0125] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the second antenna 1022 and the third antenna 1023. As shown in Figure 12, the distance between the second antenna 1022 and the third antenna 1023 is relatively close. When the first signal transmission state is disconnected, the second antenna no longer performs positioning but serves as a passive parasitic stub of the third antenna to assist the third antenna in satellite communication, thereby improving the gain and directivity of satellite communication and enhancing the efficiency and stability of signal reception and transmission in satellite communication.

[0126] The terminal device may also include a fourth antenna 105, as explained by the fact that the antenna used for satellite communication and the positioning antenna in the antenna system are different antennas. As shown in Figure 13, the fourth antenna 105 is connected to the positioning module 103 and is used to receive positioning signals from navigation satellites.

[0127] For example, the fourth antenna can be an L5 antenna, and Figure 14 shows a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the second, third, and fourth antennas. As shown in Figure 14, the distance between the fourth antenna 105 and the second antenna 1022 and the third antenna 1023 is relatively far. This ensures that the fourth antenna will not affect the second and third antennas when it is working. The fourth antenna can continuously maintain an operational state, i.e., a positioning state. When the second antenna is in an auxiliary state, although the second antenna cannot send positioning signals to the positioning module to support positioning, the fourth antenna is in a positioning state. The fourth antenna can receive positioning signals from navigation satellites and send the positioning signals to the positioning module, which can determine the location information of the terminal device based on these positioning signals. When both the second and fourth antennas are in a positioning state, the positioning module can receive positioning signals from between the second and fourth antennas and determine the location information based on these positioning signals in different frequency bands, further improving the accuracy of the determined location information.

[0128] In one possible implementation, as shown in Figure 15, the control circuit 100 includes a signal transmission control module 106. A first terminal of the signal transmission control module 106 is connected to a third terminal of the satellite communication transceiver module 101, and a second terminal of the signal transmission control module 106 is connected to a third antenna 1023. The signal transmission control module 106 receives a third control signal or a fourth control signal transmitted by itself. The third control signal controls the second signal transmission state to be in a connected state, and the fourth control signal controls the second signal transmission state to be in a disconnected state. The second signal transmission state refers to the signal transmission state between the third antenna and the satellite communication transceiver module.

[0129] The satellite communication transceiver module 101 can control the second signal transmission state to a connected state based on a third control signal, so that the third antenna 1023 can transmit satellite communication signals with the satellite communication transceiver module 101; or, the satellite communication transceiver module 101 can control the second signal transmission state to a disconnected state based on a fourth control signal, so that the third antenna 1023 cannot transmit satellite communication signals with the satellite communication transceiver module 101.

[0130] Figure 15 illustrates a second signal transmission state between the satellite communication transceiver module 101 and the third antenna 1023, specifically a connection state. The second antenna is used for positioning, and the third antenna is used for satellite communication. The second antenna can be, for example, an L1 antenna.

[0131] For example, the signal transmission control module includes a radio frequency (RF) switch. A third control signal can be used to control the RF switch to a first state, such that the RF switch connects the third antenna to the satellite communication transceiver module in the first state, thereby making the second signal transmission state a connected state. A fourth control signal can be used to control the RF switch to a second state, such that the RF switch disconnects the connection between the third antenna and the satellite communication transceiver signal in the second state, thereby making the second signal transmission state a disconnected state. The first state can be an on state, and the second state can be an off state.

[0132] An RF switch is a device used to switch signal paths in an RF circuit. RF switches typically use transistors as switching elements, controlling the switching of RF signals by controlling the transistor's on / off state. In the on state, the RF signal can be transmitted through the transistor; in the off state, the RF signal is isolated or switched.

[0133] Based on the foregoing embodiments, this application provides a terminal device, as shown in FIG16, the terminal device 200 including the control circuit 100 described above.

[0134] It should be noted that the descriptions of the same steps and contents in the embodiments of this application as in other embodiments can be referred to the descriptions in other embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0135] The terminal device provided in this application embodiment enables the antenna system to switch between satellite communication mode and positioning mode during satellite communication by controlling different time units, thereby ensuring that the terminal device can still be located during satellite communication, and ensuring the timeliness and accuracy of the determined location information of the terminal device.

[0136] Figure 17 is a schematic flowchart of a control method provided in an embodiment of this application. This control method can be applied to devices including the control circuit described above, such as terminal devices. The following provides a detailed explanation of each step of the control method.

[0137] S301. Send control signals to the tuning module via the satellite communication transceiver module.

[0138] S302. Through the tuning module, when the control signal is the first control signal, the antenna system is controlled to be in satellite communication mode in the first time unit.

[0139] S303. Through the tuning module, when the control signal is the second control signal, the antenna system is controlled to be in positioning mode in the second time unit.

[0140] In positioning mode, the antenna system can receive positioning signals and transmit them to the positioning module through the tuning module. The positioning signals are used to determine location information. In satellite communication mode, the antenna system can communicate with communication satellites. The first time unit includes a time unit for receiving satellite communication signals, and the second time unit is a time unit other than the first time unit in the satellite communication time unit.

[0141] In one possible implementation, the first time unit also includes a time unit for transmitting satellite communication signals.

[0142] In one possible implementation, the first time unit is one of the following: frame, subframe, burst, time slot, microtime slot, or time domain symbol.

[0143] In one possible implementation, in a design scheme where satellite communication and positioning share an antenna, the satellite communication mode is the mode in which the first antenna is in satellite communication state, and the positioning mode is the mode in which the first antenna is in positioning state. A first control signal is used to control the first antenna to be in satellite communication state, and a second control signal is used to control the first antenna to be in positioning state.

[0144] In one possible implementation, in a design where satellite communication and positioning do not share an antenna, the satellite communication mode is such that the first signal transmission state between the second antenna and the positioning module is disconnected, and the second signal transmission state between the third antenna and the satellite communication transceiver module is connected. A first control signal can be used to control the first signal transmission state to be disconnected, and a second control signal can be used to control the first signal transmission state to be connected.

[0145] It should be noted that the descriptions of the same steps and contents in the embodiments of this application as in other embodiments can be referred to the descriptions in other embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0146] This application provides a control method that, through the control of different time units, enables the antenna system to switch between satellite communication mode and positioning mode during satellite communication, thereby ensuring that the positioning of the terminal device can still be performed during satellite communication, and ensuring the timeliness and accuracy of the determined location information of the terminal device.

[0147] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working process and technical effects of the methods and terminal devices described above can be referred to the processes and technical effects of the embodiments corresponding to the aforementioned control circuit, and will not be repeated here.

[0148] In the several embodiments provided in this application, the disclosed circuits, devices, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, some features of the method embodiments described above can be ignored or not performed. The embodiments of circuits or terminal devices described above are merely illustrative; the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. Multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system. In addition, the coupling between units or between components can be direct coupling or indirect coupling, including electrical, mechanical, or other forms of connection.

[0149] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

[0150] Finally, the above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control circuit, characterized in that, The control circuit includes: Satellite communication transceiver module, used to generate control signals; Antenna system; Positioning module; A tuning module is connected to a satellite communication transceiver module, an antenna system, and a positioning module, respectively. It is used to receive control signals sent by the satellite communication transceiver module, and when the control signal is a first control signal, control the antenna system to be in satellite communication mode in a first time unit, and when the control signal is a second control signal, control the antenna system to be in positioning mode in a second time unit. In the positioning mode, the antenna system can receive positioning signals and transmit the positioning signals to the positioning module through the tuning module. The positioning signals are used to determine location information. In the satellite communication mode, the antenna system can communicate with communication satellites. The first time unit includes a time unit for receiving satellite communication signals, and the second time unit is a time unit other than the first time unit in the satellite communication time unit.

2. The control circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first time unit also includes a time unit for transmitting satellite communication signals.

3. The control circuit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The antenna system includes a first antenna, and the tuning module includes a first tuner, wherein: The first end of the first tuner is connected to the first antenna, the second end of the first tuner is connected to the satellite communication transceiver module, the third end of the first tuner is connected to the positioning module, and the fourth end of the first tuner is connected to the first end of the satellite communication transceiver module. It is used to control the first antenna to be in satellite communication mode or positioning mode based on the control signal sent by the satellite communication transceiver module. The satellite communication mode is the mode in which the first antenna is in satellite communication mode, and the positioning mode is the mode in which the first antenna is in positioning mode.

4. The control circuit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The antenna system includes a second antenna and a third antenna, and the tuning module includes a second tuner, wherein: The first end of the second tuner is connected to the second antenna, the second end of the second tuner is connected to the first end of the satellite communication transceiver module, and the third end of the second tuner is connected to the positioning module. It is used to receive the control signal sent by the satellite communication transceiver module and control the first signal transmission state between the second antenna and the positioning module based on the control signal. The satellite communication mode is a mode in which the first signal transmission state is disconnected and the second signal transmission state between the third antenna and the satellite communication transceiver module is connected; the positioning mode is a mode in which the first signal transmission state is connected and the second signal transmission state is disconnected.

5. The control circuit according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control circuit includes: A signal transmission control module, wherein a first end of the signal transmission control module is connected to a third end of the satellite communication transceiver module, and a second end of the signal transmission control module is connected to a third antenna, for receiving a third control signal or a fourth control signal sent by the signal transmission control module, wherein the third control signal is used to control the second signal transmission state to be in a connected state, and the fourth control signal is used to control the second signal transmission state to be in a disconnected state.

6. The control circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The first time unit is one of the following: frame, subframe, burst, time slot, micro-time slot, or time domain symbol.

7. The control circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The satellite communication transceiver module includes a satellite radio frequency chip and / or a satellite modem.

8. The control circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The satellite communication transceiver module and the tuning module communicate via general purpose input / output (GPIO) or mobile industrial processor interface (MIPI).

9. A terminal device, characterized in that, Includes the control circuit described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A control method, characterized in that, The method includes: The satellite communication transceiver module sends control signals to the tuning module. Through the tuning module, when the control signal is the first control signal, the antenna system is controlled to be in satellite communication mode within the first time unit; By means of the tuning module, when the control signal is the second control signal, the antenna system is controlled to be in positioning mode within the second time unit; In the positioning mode, the antenna system can receive positioning signals and transmit the positioning signals to the positioning module through the tuning module. The positioning signals are used to determine location information. In the satellite communication mode, the antenna system can communicate with communication satellites. The first time unit includes a time unit for receiving satellite communication signals, and the second time unit is a time unit other than the first time unit in the satellite communication time unit.

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