Communication method and apparatus, program product, and storage medium

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and apparatus, a program product, and a storage medium. The method comprises: receiving a bearer context request, the bearer context request being used for indicating adjustment of a bearer corresponding to a terminal device, the bearer context request being associated with an operating mode of a satellite base station, and the operating mode being any one of the following: a normal mode and a store-and-forward mode; and sending a bearer context acceptance, the bearer context acceptance being used for indicating completion of the adjustment of the bearer. In this way, the bearer context request is associated with the operating mode of the satellite base station, such that when the satellite base station is in different operating modes, a terminal device receives different bearer context requests, and on the basis of the received bearer context requests, the terminal device can dynamically adjust the bearer corresponding to the terminal device, enabling the terminal device to communicate on the basis of a suitable bearer.

Description

A communication method, apparatus, program product, and storage medium

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411641744.1, filed on November 15, 2024, entitled "A Communication Method, Apparatus, Program Product and Storage Medium", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, apparatus, program product and storage medium. Background Technology

[0003] Non-terrestrial networking (NTN) is a network that utilizes non-terrestrial communication infrastructure such as satellite base stations to achieve communication coverage. It has advantages such as wide coverage and flexible deployment. In NTN, as the satellite base station moves, the feeder link between the satellite base station and the ground station may be interrupted, meaning that there may be no feeder link between the satellite base station and the ground station.

[0004] How to adapt to different communication scenarios—one where there is no power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station, and the other where there is a power supply link—has become a pressing technical problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method, apparatus, program product, and storage medium, the purpose of which is to dynamically adjust the bearer corresponding to the terminal device so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted bearer.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, the method comprising: receiving a bearer context request, the bearer context request being used to instruct adjustment of the bearer corresponding to a terminal device, the bearer context request being associated with an operating mode of a satellite base station, the operating mode being any one of the following: normal mode, store-and-forward mode; and sending a bearer context acceptance, the bearer context acceptance being used to instruct completion of the bearer adjustment.

[0008] In the method provided in this application, when the satellite base station is in store-and-forward mode, there is no power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station. When the satellite base station is in normal mode, there is a power supply circuit between the satellite base station and the ground station. By associating the bearer context request with the working mode of the satellite base station, the terminal device will receive different bearer context requests when the satellite base station is in different working modes. Different bearer context requests will indicate different bearer adjustment methods. In this way, whether there is a power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station or not, the terminal device can dynamically adjust the bearer corresponding to the terminal device according to the received bearer context request, so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted bearer.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the bearer includes a first Evolved Packet System (EPS) bearer and a second EPS bearer. The Quality of Service (QoS) level of the first EPS bearer is lower than that of the second EPS bearer. The bearer context request is used to indicate activation or deactivation of the second EPS bearer. In the embodiments of this application, when a terminal device corresponds to multiple EPS bearers, the terminal device can dynamically adjust the bearer by activating or deactivating the EPS bearer with a higher QoS level. This allows the terminal device to communicate based on the adapted bearer, and the satellite base station can provide the terminal device with adapted QoS services based on the adjusted bearer.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the operating mode is normal mode, the bearer context request is an activation dedicated EPS bearer context request, and the activation dedicated EPS bearer context request is used to indicate the activation of the second EPS bearer; the method further includes: receiving or transmitting user plane data based on the second EPS bearer. In the embodiments of this application, when the satellite base station is in normal mode, it can provide QoS services with high QoS requirements, which requires a high QoS level EPS bearer. The terminal device can activate the high QoS level second EPS bearer based on a specific bearer context request, so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted high QoS level bearer, and the satellite base station can provide adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the high QoS level bearer, thereby optimizing the QoS services that the satellite base station can provide to the terminal.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the operating mode is a store-and-forward mode, and the bearer context request is a deactivation request for a dedicated EPS bearer context, which is used to indicate the deactivation of a second EPS bearer; the method further includes: receiving or sending user plane data based on the first EPS bearer. In this embodiment of the application, when the satellite base station is in store-and-forward mode, it can only provide QoS services with very low QoS requirements, requiring only a low QoS level EPS bearer. The terminal device can activate a high QoS level second EPS bearer based on a specific bearer context request, so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted low QoS level first EPS bearer. The satellite base station provides adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the low QoS level first EPS bearer, optimizing the QoS services that the satellite base station can provide to the terminal.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the bearer is an EPS bearer, and the bearer context request is used to indicate modification of the QoS level of the EPS bearer. In the embodiments of this application, when the terminal device corresponds to a single EPS bearer, the terminal device can dynamically adjust the bearer by modifying the QoS level of the EPS bearer, so that the terminal can communicate based on the adapted bearer, and the satellite base station can provide adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the adjusted bearer.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the operating mode is normal mode, and the bearer context request is a first modified EPS bearer context request. This first modified EPS bearer context request is used to indicate that the QoS level of the EPS bearer is modified from a first level to a second level, where the first level is lower than the second level. In this embodiment of the application, when the satellite base station is in normal mode, it can provide QoS services with high QoS requirements, requiring a high QoS level EPS bearer. The terminal device can improve the QoS level of the EPS bearer based on a specific bearer context request, so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted high QoS level bearer. The satellite base station provides adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the high QoS level bearer, thus optimizing the QoS services that the satellite base station can provide to the terminal.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the operating mode is a store-and-forward mode, and the bearer context request is a second modified EPS bearer context request. This second modified EPS bearer context request is used to indicate that the QoS level of the EPS bearer be modified from level three to level four, where level three is higher than level four. In this embodiment of the application, when the satellite base station is in store-and-forward mode, it can only provide QoS services with very low QoS requirements, requiring only low-QoS-level EPS bearers. The terminal device can reduce the QoS level of the EPS bearer based on a specific bearer context request, so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted low-QoS-level bearer. The satellite base station provides adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the low-QoS-level bearer, thus optimizing the QoS services that the satellite base station can provide to the terminal.

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the method further includes: obtaining the operating mode based on the monitored system broadcast; and sending a bearer resource allocation request or a bearer resource modification request based on the operating mode, wherein the bearer resource allocation request or bearer resource modification request is used to request bearer adjustment. In this embodiment of the application, the terminal device can actively monitor the system broadcast, determine the current operating mode of the satellite base station, and initiate a corresponding bearer resource allocation request or bearer resource modification request to actively request bearer adjustment. This allows for dynamic adjustment of the bearer based on changes in the power supply link, thereby optimizing the QoS service that the satellite base station can provide to the terminal device.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the operating mode is normal mode, the bearer includes a first EPS bearer and a second EPS bearer, the QoS level of the first EPS bearer is lower than the QoS level of the second EPS bearer, and the bearer resource allocation request carries a first request element, which is used to request activation of the second EPS bearer; or, the operating mode is store-and-forward mode, the bearer includes a first EPS bearer and a second EPS bearer, the QoS level of the first EPS bearer is lower than the QoS level of the second EPS bearer, and the bearer resource modification request carries a second request element, which is used to request deactivation of the second EPS bearer; or, the bearer is an EPS bearer, and the bearer resource modification request carries a third request element, which is used to request modification of the QoS level of the EPS bearer. In this application's implementation, by carrying corresponding request elements in the bearer resource allocation request or bearer resource modification request, the corresponding bearer adjustment method can be requested, improving the feasibility of the solution.

[0017] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the QoS class identifier field of the third request cell is used to indicate the QoS requirements of the EPS bearer. In this application embodiment, QoS requirements can be indicated through a specific field in the cell, so that corresponding bearer modifications can be sent, thus improving the feasibility of the solution.

[0018] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the method further includes: sending a bearer context request, the bearer context request being used to indicate adjustment of the bearer corresponding to the terminal device, the bearer context request being associated with the operating mode of the satellite base station, the operating mode being any one of the following: normal mode, store-and-forward mode; and receiving a bearer context acceptance, the bearer context acceptance being used to indicate completion of the bearer adjustment.

[0019] In the method provided in this application, when the satellite base station is in store-and-forward mode, there is no power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station. When the satellite base station is in normal mode, there is a power supply circuit between the satellite base station and the ground station. By associating the bearer context request with the working mode of the satellite base station, the network device will send different bearer context requests when the satellite base station is in different working modes. Different bearer context requests will indicate different bearer adjustment methods. In this way, whether there is a power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station or not, the terminal device can dynamically adjust the bearer corresponding to the terminal device according to the received bearer context request, so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted bearer.

[0020] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the bearer includes a first EPS bearer and a second EPS bearer, wherein the QoS level of the first EPS bearer is lower than that of the second EPS bearer, and the bearer context request is used to indicate activation or deactivation of the second EPS bearer. In embodiments of this application, when a terminal device corresponds to multiple EPS bearers, the network device can instruct the terminal device to activate or deactivate the EPS bearer with a higher QoS level, thereby achieving dynamic adjustment of the bearer. This allows the terminal device to communicate based on the adapted bearer, and the satellite base station can provide adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the adjusted bearer.

[0021] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation of the second aspect, the bearer is an EPS bearer, and the bearer context request is used to indicate modification of the QoS level of the EPS bearer. In the embodiments of this application, when the terminal device corresponds to a single EPS bearer, the network device can instruct the terminal device to modify the QoS level of the EPS bearer to achieve dynamic adjustment of the bearer, so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted bearer, and the satellite base station can provide adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the adjusted bearer.

[0022] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device for performing the communication method in the first aspect or any optional embodiment of the first aspect, or for performing the communication method in the second aspect or any optional embodiment of the second aspect.

[0023] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, which may include at least one processor. The processor is configured to invoke computer instructions in a memory to cause the communication device to execute the communication method in the first aspect or any optional embodiment of the first aspect, or to execute the communication method in the second aspect or any optional embodiment of the second aspect.

[0024] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in one possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the communication device may further include a memory.

[0025] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product including instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method in the first aspect or any optional embodiment of the first aspect, or to perform the communication method in the second aspect or any optional embodiment of the second aspect.

[0026] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute the communication method in the first aspect or any optional embodiment of the first aspect, or to execute the communication method in the second aspect or any optional embodiment of the second aspect.

[0027] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a chip system including a processor for supporting a device in implementing the functions involved in the foregoing aspects, such as transmitting or processing data and / or information involved in the foregoing methods. In one possible design, the chip system further includes a memory for storing program instructions and data necessary for the device. This chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0028] Eighthly, embodiments of this application provide a chip including one or more interface circuits and one or more processors; the interface circuits are configured to receive signals from the memory of an electronic device and send signals to the processors, the signals including computer instructions stored in the memory; when the processor executes the computer instructions, it causes the electronic device to perform the communication method in the first aspect or any optional embodiment of the first aspect, or to perform the communication method in the second aspect or any optional embodiment of the second aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the changes in the working mode of a satellite base station under NTN according to an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 5a is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 5b is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 5c is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 5d is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terminology used in the following embodiments is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to be a limitation of this application. As used in the specification and appended claims of this application, the singular expressions "a," "an," "the," "the," "the," and "this" are intended to also include expressions such as "one or more," unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that in the embodiments of this application, "one or more" refers to one, two, or more; "and / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist; for example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0042] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as described in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0043] The "multiple" mentioned in the embodiments of this application refers to two or more. It should be noted that in the description of the embodiments of this application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used only for the purpose of distinguishing descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, nor should they be construed as indicating or implying order.

[0044] The embodiments of this application are applied to communication systems, which can be second-generation (2G) communication systems, third-generation (3G) communication systems, long-term evolution (LTE) systems, fifth-generation (5G) communication systems, LTE and 5G hybrid architectures, 5G New Radio (5G NR) systems, and new communication systems that will emerge in the future development of communication.

[0045] The communication system includes a first device and a second device. The first device can be a network-side device used to provide network communication functions; in some cases, it is also called a network device or network element. Network devices can typically be base stations (including functional units of base stations, or combinations of functional units of base stations), core networks (CNs), or core network units. The core network can include mobility management entities (MMEs), serving gateways (S-GWs), packet data network gateways (P-GWs), etc. Core network units can be functional units within the core network, including but not limited to access and mobility management function (AMF) units or session management function (SMF) units. The second device can be a device accessing the network, typically a terminal device. An example of a communication system is shown in Figure 1, which includes a satellite base station 1 and a terminal device 2. Another example of a communication system is shown in Figure 2, which includes a satellite base station 1, a terminal device 2, a ground station 3, and a core network 4. There is a service link between the satellite base station 1 and the terminal device 2, and a power supply link between the satellite base station 1 and the ground station 3.

[0046] In the embodiments provided in this application, the base station can be any device with wireless transceiver capabilities, including but not limited to: evolved Node B (NodeB or eNB or e-NodeB) in LTE, base station (gNodeB or gNB) or transmission receiving point / transmission reception point (TRP) in new radio (NR), base stations evolved from 3GPP, access nodes in Wi-Fi systems, wireless relay nodes, wireless backhaul nodes, etc. The base station can be: macro base station, micro base station, pico base station, small cell, relay station, satellite base station, or balloon station, etc. The base station can include one or more co-located or non-co-located transmission reception points (TRPs). The base station can also be a radio controller, centralized unit (CU), and / or distributed unit (DU) in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. The base station can communicate with the terminal, or it can communicate with the terminal through a relay station. The terminal can communicate with multiple base stations using different technologies. For example, the terminal can communicate with base stations that support LTE networks, base stations that support 5G networks, and can also establish dual connections with both LTE and 5G base stations.

[0047] In the embodiments provided in this application, the terminal can take various forms, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminal device, augmented reality (AR) terminal device, wireless terminal in industrial control, vehicle-mounted terminal device, wireless terminal in self-driving, wireless terminal in remote medical care, wireless terminal in smart grid, wireless terminal in transportation safety, wireless terminal in smart city, wireless terminal in smart home, wearable terminal device, etc. The terminal may also be referred to as terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), access terminal equipment, vehicle-mounted terminal, industrial control terminal, UE unit, UE station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal equipment, mobile device, UE terminal equipment, terminal equipment, wireless communication equipment, UE agent, or UE device, etc. The terminal can also be a fixed terminal or a mobile terminal.

[0048] NTN technology is one of the technological directions for direct satellite connection between mobile phones and terrestrial cellular communication technology, serving as an important supplement to terrestrial cellular communication technology. By integrating satellite communication networks with terrestrial 5G networks, NTN technology can provide ubiquitous coverage regardless of terrain, connecting air, space, land, and sea to form an integrated ubiquitous access network, enabling on-demand access in all scenarios. Non-terrestrial networks are not limited by geographical location, achieving seamless global communication; furthermore, satellite communication networks can be flexibly deployed to quickly respond to various communication needs. Due to the advantages of global coverage and flexible deployment, non-terrestrial networks are now widely used in various communication scenarios.

[0049] Furthermore, Internet of Things-Non-Terrestrial Network (IoT-NTN) is an important branch of non-terrestrial network technology, aiming to provide connectivity services for IoT devices through non-terrestrial network means such as satellite communication. With the rapid development of IoT technology, more and more devices need to access networks to achieve interconnectivity. However, in some remote areas or regions such as oceans and airspace where traditional terrestrial networks are difficult to cover, connectivity for IoT devices has become a challenge. The emergence of IoT-NTN technology is precisely to solve this problem, achieving wide-area coverage and remote connectivity for IoT devices through non-terrestrial network means such as satellite.

[0050] Please refer to Figure 3, which is a schematic diagram illustrating the changes in the working mode of a satellite base station under an NTN according to an embodiment of this application. When using a satellite communication network in an NTN for communication, due to the limited coverage of ground stations, as satellite base stations move, the same satellite base station often cannot provide a power supply link to the ground station while simultaneously providing a service link to the terminal device. The power supply link refers to a radio link from a ground station located at a designated fixed point to a space station (such as a satellite base station), or from a space station to a ground station located at a fixed point. This link is mainly used for space radio communication services other than fixed services provided by the satellite base station. Specifically, the power supply link plays an important role in the satellite communication system; it is the communication link connecting the ground station (or gateway) and the satellite base station. The service link is used to connect the terminal device and the satellite base station in the satellite communication network to achieve data transmission and service interaction. In Figure 3, the satellite base station is initially in normal mode, where a power supply link is maintained between the satellite base station and the ground station, and a service link is maintained between the satellite base station and the terminal device. While maintaining connectivity, as the satellite base station moves, a service link is still maintained between the satellite base station and the terminal equipment, but the power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station is disconnected. At this time, the satellite base station will switch its working mode from normal mode to store and forward (S&F) mode to continue data transmission.

[0051] The QoS services provided by satellite base stations to terminal devices differ significantly between normal mode and store-and-forward mode. In normal mode, the satellite base station can provide QoS services with higher QoS requirements, with only slightly higher transmission latency compared to terrestrial networks. However, in store-and-forward mode, terminal devices can only receive / send data via store-and-forward, resulting in very high latency, and the satellite base station can only provide QoS services with very low QoS requirements. Clearly, the QoS services provided by the satellite base station to terminal devices differ significantly depending on whether a power supply link exists between them. If the QoS services provided by the satellite base station do not correspond to the bearer of the terminal device (e.g., the bearer's QoS level cannot meet the QoS service requirements), it will lead to a decrease in service quality; conversely, if the bearer's QoS level exceeds the actual QoS service requirements, it will result in a waste of network resources. Therefore, adapting communication between the two different scenarios—without a power supply link and with a power supply link—is a pressing technical problem that needs to be solved.

[0052] To this end, embodiments of this application provide a communication method, apparatus, program product, and medium. By associating bearer context requests with the operating modes of satellite base stations, the terminal device receives different bearer context requests when the satellite base station is in different operating modes. Different bearer context requests indicate different bearer adjustment methods. Thus, whether there is a power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station or not, the terminal device can dynamically adjust the bearer corresponding to the terminal device according to the received bearer context request, so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted bearer, and the satellite base station can provide adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the adjusted bearer.

[0053] Specifically, please refer to Figure 4, which is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in this application. This communication method can be executed by a communication system, which may include a terminal device and a core network. Unless otherwise specified, in this application embodiment, "terminal device" can refer to the terminal device itself, a component within the terminal device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal device's functions. Similarly, "core network" in this application embodiment can refer to the core network itself, a component within the core network (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the core network's functions. The communication method provided in this application embodiment may include the following steps:

[0054] S401, The core network sends a bearer context request.

[0055] The bearer context request is used to instruct the adjustment of the bearer corresponding to the terminal device. The bearer context request is associated with the working mode of the satellite base station, which can be any of the following: normal mode or store-and-forward mode.

[0056] In this embodiment, the bearer context request is associated with the operating mode of the satellite base station. This means that the operating mode of the satellite base station affects the content indicated by the bearer context request. Specifically, the adjustment method of the bearer indicated by the bearer context request when the satellite base station is in normal mode differs from the adjustment method when the satellite base station is in store-and-forward mode.

[0057] It should be noted that a bearer can be regarded as a logical aggregate of one or more service data flows. That is, multiple service data flows can use a single bearer, and all service data flows on the same bearer will receive the same QoS level guarantee.

[0058] S402, The terminal device receives a bearer context request.

[0059] In this embodiment of the application, after receiving the bearer context request, the terminal device can adapt and adjust the bearer corresponding to the terminal device based on the bearer context request, such as activating or deactivating the corresponding bearer, or modifying the QoS level of the bearer, etc.

[0060] S403, Terminal device sends bearer context acceptance.

[0061] The bearer context accepts instructions to complete the bearer adjustment.

[0062] In this embodiment of the application, after the terminal device completes the bearer adjustment, it can send a bearer context acceptance to the core network so that the core network knows that the terminal device has completed the bearer adjustment.

[0063] S404, Core network receive bearer context acceptance.

[0064] As can be seen, in the embodiments of this application, when the satellite base station is in store-and-forward mode, there is no power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station. When the satellite base station is in normal mode, there is a power supply circuit between the satellite base station and the ground station. By associating the bearer context request with the working mode of the satellite base station, the terminal device will receive different bearer context requests when the satellite base station is in different working modes. Different bearer context requests will indicate different bearer adjustment methods. Thus, whether there is a power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station or not, the terminal device can dynamically adjust the bearer corresponding to the terminal device according to the received bearer context request, so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted bearer, and the satellite base station can provide adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the adjusted bearer.

[0065] Please refer to Figure 5a, which is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in this application. Figure 5a further explains the communication method based on the communication method provided in Figure 4. This communication method can be executed by a communication system, which may include terminal equipment, satellite base stations, and a core network. Unless otherwise specified, the "satellite base station" in this application embodiment can refer to the satellite base station itself, or a component in the satellite base station (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the satellite base station. The definitions of terminal equipment and core network are the same as those in Figure 4 above, and will not be repeated here. This application embodiment uses a terminal equipment corresponding to multiple EPS bearers, with the satellite base station switching from store-and-forward mode to normal mode for illustration. The communication method provided in this application embodiment may include the following steps:

[0066] S501 a. The terminal device receives or sends user plane data based on the first EPS bearer.

[0067] In the embodiments of this application, the bearer may include a first EPS bearer and a second EPS bearer, wherein the QoS level of the first EPS bearer is lower than that of the second EPS bearer.

[0068] It's important to note that EPS bearer is a key concept in LTE networks. An EPS bearer refers to the logical channel established between the terminal equipment and the P-GW (Personal Gateway) for transmitting user plane data. All user plane data on the same EPS bearer will receive the same QoS level guarantee. EPS bearers are divided into default EPS bearers and dedicated EPS bearers. A default EPS bearer is a user bearer that meets the default QoS for data and signaling. A dedicated EPS bearer is established to provide specific QoS transmission requirements, and generally, the QoS level of a dedicated EPS bearer is higher than that of the default EPS bearer.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 6, which is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication system in Figure 6 includes a UE, an eNB, an S-GW, a P-GW, and a Packet Data Network (PDN). The UE and the core network can be connected under the same PDN. LTE-Uu is the interface between the UE and the eNB, S1 is the interface between the eNB and the S-GW, S5 is the interface between the S-GW and the P-GW, and SGi is the interface between the P-GW and the PDN. In Figure 6, a PDN connection is initiated through the UE's IP address, and the PDN is accessed based on the Access Point Name (APN). Two EPS bearers are established: a default EPS bearer and a dedicated EPS bearer. IP streams 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 can be transmitted through the two EPS bearers.

[0070] It is understood that the bearer in this application embodiment may include one default EPS bearer and at least one dedicated EPS bearer, and each EPS bearer may have different QoS characteristics. Specifically, the first EPS bearer in this application embodiment may be the default EPS bearer, and the second EPS bearer may be a dedicated EPS bearer.

[0071] It should be noted that the terminal device receives or sends user plane data based on the first EPS bearer, indicating that the satellite base station is operating in store-and-forward mode at this time. There is no power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station, and the terminal device and the satellite base station use a bearer with a lower QoS level for data transmission.

[0072] S502a, satellite base station connected to the feeder link.

[0073] It should be noted that as the satellite base station moves, it will connect to the power supply link. After connecting to the power supply link, the satellite base station will switch its working mode from store-and-forward mode to normal mode.

[0074] S503a, Satellite base station transmission system broadcast.

[0075] After the satellite base station switches its operating mode in the implementation of this application, the satellite base station can carry the latest operating mode in the system broadcast and send the system broadcast to the terminal device.

[0076] In this embodiment, the current operating mode of the satellite base station can be broadcast via systems such as SIB19. SIB19 provides broadcasts of NTN-specific information, which is essential for the operation of terminal devices in the NTN environment. Specific content may include satellite orbit information, time synchronization information, frequency information, and service area information, etc.

[0077] S504a: The terminal device obtains the working mode of the satellite base station based on the system broadcast it has been listening to.

[0078] It can be understood that at this time, the terminal device obtains the normal working mode of the satellite base station. The terminal device knows that there is a power supply link between the current satellite base station and the ground station, and can use EPS with a higher QoS level to carry it.

[0079] S505a: The terminal device sends a bearer resource allocation request based on the working mode.

[0080] In this embodiment, the terminal device can actively listen to system broadcasts, actively obtain the current working mode of the satellite base station, and initiate a corresponding bearer resource allocation request to actively request adjustments to the bearer. In this way, the bearer can be dynamically adjusted according to changes in the power supply link, thereby optimizing the QoS service that the satellite base station can provide to the terminal device.

[0081] The bearer resource allocation request in this embodiment can carry a first request element, which can be used to request the activation of a second EPS bearer. By carrying the corresponding request element, a bearer with a higher QoS level can be requested to be activated, thereby realizing the carrying of the corresponding bearer adjustment method under multiple EPS bearers and improving the feasibility of the solution.

[0082] The first request element can be a Required traffic flow QoS element.

[0083] S506a, The core network receives requests for bearer resource allocation.

[0084] In this embodiment of the application, when the core network receives a bearer resource allocation request, it can know that the second EPS bearer needs to be activated, and can send the corresponding bearer context request to the terminal device.

[0085] S507a, The core network sends a request to activate the dedicated EPS bearer context.

[0086] In this embodiment of the application, the bearer context request is an Activate Dedicated EPS Bearer Context Request, which is used to indicate the activation of the second EPS bearer.

[0087] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the core network can also proactively send an activation request for the dedicated EPS bearer context by combining the current operating mode of the satellite base station, as well as the user plane information, uplink and downlink data information of the terminal device, etc., thus avoiding the execution of S503a to S506a described above. Once the satellite base station is connected to the core network, the core network can learn the operating mode of the satellite base station.

[0088] S508a, The terminal device receives a request to activate the EPS bearer context.

[0089] In this embodiment of the application, after the terminal device receives the request to activate the EPS bearer context, it can activate the second EPS bearer.

[0090] S509a, Terminal device sends activation dedicated EPS bearer context acceptance.

[0091] In this embodiment of the application, the bearer context accept is the ACTIVATE DEDICATED EPS BEARER CONTEXT ACCEPT, which is used to indicate the completion of the activation of the second EPS bearer.

[0092] S510a, Core Network Receive Activation Dedicated EPS Bearer Context Accept.

[0093] S511a: The terminal device receives or transmits user plane data based on the second EPS bearer.

[0094] As can be seen, in the embodiments of this application, when the terminal device corresponds to multiple EPS bearers and the satellite base station is currently in normal mode, the satellite base station can provide QoS services with high QoS requirements, which requires high QoS level EPS bearers. The terminal device can activate a second EPS bearer with a high QoS level based on a specific activation dedicated EPS bearer context request, so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted high QoS level bearer. The satellite base station can provide adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the high QoS level bearer, thereby optimizing the QoS services that the satellite base station can provide to the terminal.

[0095] Please refer to Figure 5b, which is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in this application. Figure 5b further explains the communication method based on the communication method provided in Figure 4. This communication method can be executed by a communication system, which may include terminal equipment, a satellite base station, and a core network. The definitions of terminal equipment, core network, and satellite base station are the same as those in Figure 5a above, and will not be repeated here. This application embodiment uses a terminal equipment corresponding to multiple EPS bearers, with the satellite base station switching from normal mode to store-and-forward mode for illustration. The communication method provided in this application embodiment may include the following steps:

[0096] S501b: The terminal device receives or transmits user plane data based on the second EPS bearer.

[0097] In this embodiment, the bearer may include a first EPS bearer and a second EPS bearer, wherein the QoS level of the first EPS bearer is lower than that of the second EPS bearer. It is understood that the bearer in this embodiment is similar to the bearer in S501a of the above embodiment, and therefore will not be described again.

[0098] It should be noted that the terminal device receives or sends user plane data based on the second EPS bearer, indicating that the satellite base station is working in normal mode at this time. There is a power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station, and the terminal device and the satellite base station use a bearer with a higher QoS level for data transmission.

[0099] S502b, satellite base station transmission system broadcast.

[0100] It should be noted that as the satellite base station moves, its power supply link will be disconnected. After the power supply link is disconnected, the terminal device will be unable to communicate with the core network. Therefore, communication between the terminal device and the core network needs to be completed before the power supply link is disconnected.

[0101] In this embodiment, the satellite base station can determine the broadcast time based on its own operating trajectory, the location of the ground station, and other information, and broadcast the information to the terminal device at the designated broadcast time. This broadcast time must ensure that S508b is completed before the satellite base station disconnects the power supply link.

[0102] In this application, the satellite base station can include the upcoming operating mode in its system broadcast and send this system broadcast to the terminal device. Specifically, the upcoming operating mode can be carried through system broadcasts such as SIB19. It is understood that the operating mode carried in this system broadcast is store-and-forward mode.

[0103] S503b: The terminal device obtains the working mode of the satellite base station based on the system broadcast it listens to.

[0104] It can be understood that at this time, the terminal device obtains the working mode of the satellite base station as store-and-forward mode. The terminal device learns that there will soon be no power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station, and can use low QoS level EPS to carry it.

[0105] S504b: The terminal device sends a request to modify the bearer resources based on the working mode.

[0106] In this embodiment, the terminal device can actively listen to system broadcasts, actively obtain the working mode that the satellite base station is about to enter, and initiate a corresponding bearer resource modification request to actively request adjustments to the bearer. In this way, the bearer can be dynamically adjusted according to changes in the power supply link, thereby optimizing the QoS service that the satellite base station can provide to the terminal device.

[0107] The bearer resource allocation request in this embodiment can carry a second request element, which can be used to request the deactivation of the second EPS bearer. By carrying the corresponding request element, the high QoS level bearer can be requested to be deactivated, thereby realizing the carrying of the corresponding bearer adjustment method under multiple EPS bearers and improving the feasibility of the solution.

[0108] The second request element can be a Required traffic flow QoS element.

[0109] S505b: The core network receives requests to modify bearer resources.

[0110] In this embodiment of the application, when the core network receives a request to modify the bearer resources, it can know that the second EPS bearer needs to be deactivated, and can send the corresponding bearer context request to the terminal device.

[0111] S506b, the core network sends a request to deactivate the dedicated EPS bearer context.

[0112] In this embodiment of the application, the bearer context request is a DEACTIVATE EPS BEARER CONTEXT REQUEST, which is used to instruct the deactivation of the second EPS bearer.

[0113] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the core network can also proactively send a request to deactivate the dedicated EPS bearer context by combining the current operating mode of the satellite base station, as well as the user plane information, uplink and downlink data information of the terminal device, etc., thus avoiding the execution of S502b to S505b described above. Once the satellite base station is connected to the core network, the core network can learn the operating mode of the satellite base station.

[0114] S507b: The terminal device receives a request to deactivate the dedicated EPS bearer context.

[0115] In this embodiment of the application, after the terminal device receives a request to deactivate the dedicated EPS bearer context, it can deactivate the second EPS bearer.

[0116] S508b, Terminal device sends deactivation dedicated EPS bearer context receive.

[0117] In this embodiment of the application, the bearer context accept is a deactivation dedicated EPS bearer context accept, which is used to indicate the completion of the deactivation of the second EPS bearer.

[0118] S509b, satellite base station disconnects power supply link.

[0119] In this embodiment of the application, after the satellite base station disconnects the power supply link, it will switch its working mode from normal mode to store-and-forward mode.

[0120] S510b, Core Network Receiver Deactivates Dedicated EPS Bearer Context Acceptance.

[0121] S511b: The terminal device receives or transmits user plane data based on the first EPS bearer.

[0122] As can be seen, in the embodiments of this application, when the terminal device corresponds to multiple EPS bearers and the satellite base station is in store-and-forward mode, the satellite base station can only provide QoS services with very low QoS requirements. Only low-QoS level EPS bearers are needed. The terminal device can accept the deactivation of the dedicated EPS bearer context based on a specific context, and deactivate the second EPS bearer with a high QoS level. This allows the terminal device to communicate based on the adapted low-QoS level first EPS bearer. The satellite base station can provide adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the low-QoS level first EPS bearer, thus optimizing the QoS services that the satellite base station can provide to the terminal.

[0123] Please refer to Figure 5c, which is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in this application. Figure 5c further explains the communication method based on the communication method provided in Figure 4. This communication method can be executed by a communication system, which may include a terminal device, a satellite base station, and a core network. The definitions of the terminal device, core network, and satellite base station are the same as those in Figure 5a above, and will not be repeated here. This application embodiment is illustrated with a single EPS bearer corresponding to the terminal device, and the satellite base station switching from store-and-forward mode to normal mode. The communication method provided in this application embodiment may include the following steps:

[0124] The S501c terminal device is based on EPS and receives or sends user plane data.

[0125] It should be noted that at this time, the satellite base station is operating in store-and-forward mode, there is no power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station, and the QoS level carried by the EPS is relatively low.

[0126] S502c, satellite base station connected to the feeder link.

[0127] It should be noted that as the satellite base station moves, it will connect to the power supply link. Once connected to the power supply link, the satellite base station will switch from store-and-forward mode to normal mode.

[0128] S503c, satellite base station transmission system broadcast.

[0129] It is understood that S503c in this embodiment is similar to S503a in the above embodiment, so it will not be described again.

[0130] The S504c terminal device obtains the satellite base station's operating mode based on the system broadcast it listens for.

[0131] It can be understood that at this time, the terminal device obtains the normal working mode of the satellite base station. The terminal device knows that there is a power supply link between the current satellite base station and the ground station, and can use EPS with a higher QoS level to carry it.

[0132] S505c: The terminal device sends a request to modify the bearer resources based on the working mode.

[0133] In this embodiment, the terminal device can actively listen to system broadcasts, actively obtain the current working mode of the satellite base station, and initiate a corresponding bearer resource modification request to actively request adjustments to the bearer. In this way, the bearer can be dynamically adjusted according to changes in the power supply link, thereby optimizing the QoS service that the satellite base station can provide to the terminal device.

[0134] The bearer resource allocation request in this embodiment can carry a third request element. This third request element can be used to request modification of the QoS level of the EPS bearer. The QoS Class Identifier (QCI) field of the third request element is used to indicate the QoS requirements of the EPS bearer. By carrying the corresponding request element and indicating the QoS requirements in the QCI field of the element, the QoS level of the corresponding EPS bearer can be modified, thus realizing the carrying of the corresponding bearer adjustment method under a single EPS bearer, improving the feasibility of the solution.

[0135] Among them, the third request information element can be a requested traffic flow QoS information element.

[0136] It should be noted that the EPS QoS Information Element Identifier (EPS QoS IEI) is an information element identifier used in LTE networks to describe the QoS parameters carried by EPS, corresponding to Required traffic flow QoS. The EPS QoS IEI includes the following main parameters: QCI, Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP), Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR), Maximum Bit Rate (MBR), Packet Delay Budget (PDB), and Packet Error Loss Rate (PELR). Specifically, QCI identifies the QoS category, defining the priority and processing method for different types of traffic; ARP is used to determine the priority of resource allocation, especially under resource constraints; GBR and MBR define the minimum and maximum transmission rates of the data flow; PDB defines the maximum delay of a data packet from source to destination; and PELR defines the maximum allowable error rate during data packet transmission.

[0137] S506c, the core network receives requests to modify bearer resources.

[0138] In this embodiment of the application, when the core network receives a bearer resource modification request, it can learn about the QoS requirements and send the corresponding bearer context request to the terminal device.

[0139] S507c, the core network sends the first request to modify the EPS bearer context.

[0140] In this embodiment of the application, the bearer context request is a first Modify EPS Bearer Context Request (MODIFY EPS BEARER CONTEXT REQUEST), which is used to indicate that the QoS level of the EPS bearer is modified from the first level to the second level. The first level is lower than the second level, which means it is used to indicate that the QoS level of the EPS bearer is improved.

[0141] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the core network can also proactively send a first modification EPS bearer context request by combining the current operating mode of the satellite base station, as well as the user plane information, uplink and downlink data information of the terminal device, etc., thus avoiding the execution of S503c to S506c described above. Once the satellite base station is connected to the core network, the core network can learn the operating mode of the satellite base station.

[0142] S508c, The terminal device receives the first request to modify the EPS bearer context.

[0143] In this embodiment of the application, after the terminal device receives the first request to modify the EPS bearer context, it can modify the QoS level of the EPS bearer from the first level to the second level, thereby improving the QoS level of the EPS bearer.

[0144] S509c, The terminal device sends the first modified EPS bearer context acceptance.

[0145] In this embodiment of the application, the bearer context acceptance is the first modified EPS bearer context acceptance (MODIFY EPS BEARER CONTEXT ACCEPT), which is used to indicate that the QoS level of the EPS bearer has been modified from the first level to the second level.

[0146] S510c, core network receives first modified EPS bearer context.

[0147] S511c terminal devices receive or send user plane data based on the modified EPS bearer.

[0148] Understandably, the QoS level carried by the modified EPS has been improved.

[0149] As can be seen, in the embodiments of this application, when the terminal device corresponds to a single EPS bearer and the satellite base station is currently in normal mode, the satellite base station can provide QoS services with high QoS requirements, which requires a high QoS level EPS bearer. The terminal device can improve the QoS level of the EPS bearer based on a specific first modified EPS bearer context request, so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted high QoS level bearer. The satellite base station can provide adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the high QoS level bearer, thus optimizing the QoS services that the satellite base station can provide to the terminal.

[0150] Please refer to Figure 5d, which is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in this application. Figure 5d further explains the communication method based on the communication method provided in Figure 4. This communication method can be executed by a communication system, which may include a terminal device, a satellite base station, and a core network. The definitions of the terminal device, core network, and satellite base station are the same as those in Figure 5a above, and will not be repeated here. This application embodiment uses a single EPS bearer corresponding to the terminal device, with the satellite base station switching from normal mode to store-and-forward mode for illustration. The communication method provided in this application embodiment may include the following steps:

[0151] The S501d terminal device receives or transmits user plane data based on EPS.

[0152] It should be noted that the satellite base station is operating in normal mode at this time, and there is a power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station. The EPS carries a high QoS level.

[0153] S502d, satellite base station transmission system broadcast.

[0154] It is understood that S503d in this embodiment is similar to S503b in the above embodiment, so it will not be described again.

[0155] The S503d and terminal devices obtain the operating mode of the satellite base station based on the system broadcasts they have overheard.

[0156] It can be understood that at this time, the terminal device obtains the working mode of the satellite base station as store-and-forward mode. The terminal device learns that there will soon be no power supply link between the satellite base station and the ground station, and can use EPS with a lower QoS level to carry it.

[0157] S504d: The terminal device sends a request to modify the bearer resources based on the working mode.

[0158] It is understood that S505d in this embodiment is similar to S505c in the above embodiment, so it will not be described again.

[0159] S505d, the core network receives requests to modify bearer resources.

[0160] In this embodiment of the application, when the core network receives a bearer resource modification request, it can learn about the QoS requirements and send the corresponding bearer context request to the terminal device.

[0161] S506d, the core network sends a second request to modify the EPS bearer context.

[0162] In this embodiment, the bearer context request is a second Modify EPS Bearer Context Request (MODIFY EPS BEARER CONTEXT REQUEST), which is used to indicate that the QoS level of the EPS bearer is modified from the third level to the fourth level. The third level is higher than the fourth level, which means it is used to indicate that the QoS level of the EPS bearer is reduced.

[0163] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the core network can also proactively send a second modification EPS bearer context request by combining the current operating mode of the satellite base station, as well as the user plane information, uplink and downlink data information of the terminal device, etc., thus avoiding the execution of S502d to S505d described above. Once the satellite base station is connected to the core network, the core network can learn the operating mode of the satellite base station.

[0164] S507d, The terminal device receives a second request to modify the EPS bearer context.

[0165] In this embodiment of the application, after the terminal device receives the second request to modify the EPS bearer context, it can modify the QoS level of the EPS bearer from the third level to the fourth level, thereby reducing the QoS level of the EPS bearer.

[0166] S508d, the terminal device sends the second modified EPS bearer context to receive.

[0167] In this embodiment, the bearer context acceptance is the second modified EPS bearer context acceptance (MODIFY EPS BEARER CONTEXT ACCEPT), which is used to indicate that the QoS level of the EPS bearer has been modified from the third level to the fourth level.

[0168] S509d, satellite base station disconnects power supply link.

[0169] In this embodiment of the application, after the satellite base station disconnects the power supply link, it will switch its working mode from normal mode to store-and-forward mode.

[0170] S510d, core network receives second modified EPS bearer context.

[0171] S511d and terminal devices receive or send user plane data based on the modified EPS bearer.

[0172] Understandably, the QoS level carried by the modified EPS has been reduced.

[0173] As can be seen, in the embodiments of this application, when the terminal device corresponds to a single EPS bearer and the satellite base station is in store-and-forward mode, the satellite base station can only provide QoS services with very low QoS requirements. Only low-QoS level EPS bearers are needed. The terminal device can reduce the QoS level of the EPS bearer based on a specific second modified EPS bearer context request, so that the terminal device can communicate based on the adapted low-QoS level bearer. The satellite base station can provide adapted QoS services to the terminal device based on the low-QoS level bearer, thus optimizing the QoS services that the satellite base station can provide to the terminal.

[0174] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the foregoing method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the described order of actions, as some steps may be performed in other orders or simultaneously according to this application. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are preferred embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this application.

[0175] To facilitate better implementation of the above-described solutions in the embodiments of this application, related apparatus for implementing the above-described solutions is also provided below.

[0176] Please refer to Figure 7, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 700 includes: a transceiver unit 701 and a processing unit 702;

[0177] The transceiver unit 701 and the processing unit 702 are used to enable the communication device 700 to perform the functions of the terminal device in the above method embodiment, or to enable the communication device 700 to perform the functions of the network device in the above method embodiment.

[0178] In some possible implementations, the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application further includes: a storage unit for storing any data, computer instructions and / or computer programs that may be involved in the embodiments of this application.

[0179] In some possible implementations, the communication device 700 provided in this application embodiment can be applied to a terminal device. Unless otherwise specified, the "terminal device" in this application embodiment can refer to the terminal device itself, or a component in the terminal device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the terminal device. Alternatively, the communication device 700 can be applied to a network device. Unless otherwise specified, the "network device" in this application embodiment can refer to the network device itself, or a component in the network device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the network device.

[0180] The following describes the communication device 700 in detail, using the transceiver unit 701 and the processing unit 702 to enable the communication device 700 to perform the functions of the terminal device in the above method embodiment.

[0181] In some possible implementations, in the communication device 700 provided in this application embodiment, the transceiver unit 701 is used to receive a bearer context request. The bearer context request is used to indicate the adjustment of the bearer corresponding to the terminal device. The bearer context request is associated with the working mode of the satellite base station. The working mode is any one of the following: normal mode, store-and-forward mode.

[0182] The transceiver unit 701 is also used to send a bearer context accept, which is used to indicate the completion of bearer adjustment.

[0183] In some possible implementations, the communication device 700 provided in this application embodiment includes a first EEPROM bearer and a second EEPROM bearer. The quality of service (QoS) level of the first EEPROM bearer is lower than that of the second EEPROM bearer. The bearer context request is used to indicate the activation or deactivation of the second EEPROM bearer.

[0184] In some possible implementations, the communication device 700 provided in this application embodiment operates in normal mode, and the bearer context request is an activation of the dedicated evolved byte system bearer context request. The activation of the dedicated evolved byte system bearer context request is used to indicate the activation of the second evolved byte system bearer.

[0185] The transceiver unit 701 is also used to receive or send user plane data based on the second evolved packet system bearer.

[0186] In some possible implementations, the communication device 700 provided in this application embodiment operates in store-and-forward mode, and the bearer context request is a deactivation request for the Dedicated Evolution Packet System (DEPS) bearer context. The deactivation request for the DEPS bearer context is used to indicate the deactivation of the second EPS bearer.

[0187] The transceiver unit 701 is also used to receive or send user plane data based on an evolved packet system bearer.

[0188] In some possible implementations, in the communication device 700 provided in this application embodiment, the bearer is an Evolved Packet System bearer, and the bearer context request is used to indicate modification of the quality of service level of the Evolved Packet System bearer.

[0189] In some possible implementations, the communication device 700 provided in this application embodiment operates in normal mode, and the bearer context request is a first modified Evolved Packet System bearer context request. The first modified Evolved Packet System bearer context request is used to indicate that the quality of service level of the Evolved Packet System bearer is modified from the first level to the second level, where the first level is lower than the second level.

[0190] In some possible implementations, the communication device 700 provided in this application embodiment operates in store-and-forward mode, and the bearer context request is a second modified Evolved Packet System bearer context request. The second modified Evolved Packet System bearer context request is used to indicate that the quality of service level of the Evolved Packet System bearer is modified from level three to level four, where level three is higher than level four.

[0191] In some possible implementations, in the communication device 700 provided in this application embodiment, the processing unit 702 is used to obtain the working mode based on the system broadcast that has been listened to;

[0192] The transceiver unit 701 is also used to send a bearer resource allocation request or a bearer resource modification request based on the working mode. The bearer resource allocation request or the bearer resource modification request is used to request adjustments to the bearer.

[0193] In some possible implementations, the communication device 700 provided in this application embodiment operates in normal mode, and the bearer includes a first EPC bearer and a second EPC bearer. The quality of service (QoS) level of the first EPC bearer is lower than that of the second EPC bearer. The bearer resource allocation request carries a first request element, which is used to request the activation of the second EPC bearer.

[0194] Alternatively, the operating mode is store-and-forward mode, and the bearer includes a first EPC bearer and a second EPC bearer. The quality of service (QoS) level of the first EPC bearer is lower than that of the second EPC bearer. The bearer resource modification request carries a second request element, which is used to request the deactivation of the second EPC bearer.

[0195] Alternatively, the bearer is an Evolved Packet System bearer, and the bearer resource modification request carries a third request element, which is used to request modification of the quality of service level of the Evolved Packet System bearer.

[0196] In some possible implementations, in the communication device 700 provided in this application embodiment, the quality of service class identifier field of the third request cell is used to indicate the quality of service requirements carried by the evolved packet system.

[0197] The following describes the communication device 700 in detail, using the transceiver unit 701 and the processing unit 702 to enable the communication device 700 to perform the functions of the network device in the above method embodiment.

[0198] In some possible implementations, in the communication device 700 provided in this application embodiment, the transceiver unit 701 is used to send a bearer context request. The bearer context request is used to indicate the adjustment of the bearer corresponding to the terminal device. The bearer context request is associated with the working mode of the satellite base station. The working mode is any one of the following: normal mode, store-and-forward mode.

[0199] The transceiver unit 701 is also used to receive a bearer context acceptance, which is used to indicate the completion of bearer adjustment.

[0200] It should be noted that the information interaction and execution process between the various units of the above-mentioned device are based on the same concept as the method embodiment of this application, and the resulting technical effects are the same as those of the method embodiment of this application. For details, please refer to the description in the method embodiment shown above in this application, and it will not be repeated here.

[0201] Figure 8 illustrates another example of the composition of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 800 can be a first device, including but not limited to a base station, a core network, and a core network unit. Figure 8 shows a simplified schematic diagram of a base station structure. The base station includes parts 810, 820, and 830. Part 810 is mainly used for baseband processing and controlling the base station; part 810 is typically the control center of the base station, often referred to as a processor, used to control the base station to perform the processing operations on the first device side in the above method embodiments. Part 820 is mainly used for storing computer program code and data. Part 830 is mainly used for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals and converting radio frequency signals to baseband signals; part 830 can typically be referred to as a transceiver module, transceiver, transceiver circuit, or transceiver. The transceiver module of part 830, also referred to as a transceiver or transceiver, includes an antenna 833 and a radio frequency circuit (not shown in Figure 8), wherein the radio frequency circuit is mainly used for radio frequency processing. Optionally, the device used to implement the receiving function in part 830 can be regarded as a receiver, and the device used to implement the transmitting function can be regarded as a transmitter. That is, part 830 includes receiver 832 and transmitter 831. The receiver can also be called a receiving module, receiver, or receiving circuit, etc., and the transmitter can be called a transmitting module, transmitter, or transmitting circuit, etc.

[0202] Sections 810 and 820 may include one or more circuit boards, each of which may include one or more processors and one or more memories. The processors are used to read and execute programs from the memories to implement baseband processing functions and control the base station. If multiple circuit boards exist, they can be interconnected to enhance processing capabilities. As an alternative implementation, multiple circuit boards may share one or more processors, multiple circuit boards may share one or more memories, or multiple circuit boards may simultaneously share one or more processors.

[0203] For example, in one implementation, the transceiver module of section 830 is used to execute the transceiver-related processes performed by the base station (first device) in the aforementioned method embodiments. The processor of section 810 is used to execute the processing-related processes performed by the base station in the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0204] It should be understood that Figure 8 is merely an example and not a limitation, and the network devices described above, including processors, memory, and transceivers, may not depend on the structure shown in Figure 8.

[0205] Figure 9 illustrates another example of the composition of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication device can be a second device, including but not limited to mobile phones, smart wearable devices (such as smartwatches), and other electronic devices. Taking a mobile phone as an example, the communication device may include a processor 310, an external memory interface 320, an internal memory 321, a display screen 330, a camera 340, an antenna 100, an antenna 200, a cellular communication module 350, and a short-range communication module 360, etc.

[0206] It is understood that the structure illustrated in this embodiment does not constitute a specific limitation on the communication device. In other embodiments, the communication device may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0207] Processor 310 may include one or more processing units, such as: application processor (AP), modem processor, graphics processing unit (GPU), image signal processor (ISP), controller, video codec, digital signal processor (DSP), baseband processor, and / or neural network processing unit (NPU), etc. Different processing units may be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors.

[0208] It is understood that the interface connection relationships between the modules illustrated in this embodiment are merely illustrative and do not constitute a structural limitation on the communication device. In other embodiments of this application, the communication device may also employ different interface connection methods or combinations of multiple interface connection methods as described in the above embodiments.

[0209] The external storage interface 320 can be used to connect an external storage card, such as a Micro SD card, to expand the storage capacity of the communication device. The external storage card communicates with the processor 310 through the external storage interface 320 to perform data storage functions. For example, music, video, and other files can be saved on the external storage card.

[0210] Internal memory 321 can be used to store computer executable program code, which includes instructions. Processor 310 executes various functional applications and data processing of the communication device by running the instructions stored in internal memory 321, thereby implementing the communication method described in the above embodiments. Internal memory 321 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system, at least one application program required for a function (such as sound playback, image playback, etc.), etc. The data storage area may store data created during the use of the communication device (such as audio data, phonebook, etc.). Furthermore, internal memory 321 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, universal flash storage (UFS), etc. Processor 310 executes various functional applications and data processing of the communication device by running instructions stored in internal memory 321 and / or instructions stored in memory located within the processor.

[0211] The wireless communication function of the communication device can be realized through antenna 100, antenna 200, cellular communication module 350, short-range communication module 360, modem processor and baseband processor, etc.

[0212] Antennas 100 and 200 are used to transmit and receive electromagnetic wave signals. Each antenna in the communication device can be used to cover one or more communication frequency bands. Different antennas can also be multiplexed to improve antenna utilization. For example, antenna 100 can be multiplexed as a diversity antenna for a wireless local area network. In some other embodiments, the antennas can be used in conjunction with a tuning switch.

[0213] The cellular communication module 350 can provide solutions for wireless communication applications including 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G in communication devices. The cellular communication module 350 may include at least one filter, switch, power amplifier, low noise amplifier (LNA), etc. The cellular communication module 350 can receive electromagnetic waves through the antenna 100, and perform filtering, amplification, and other processing on the received electromagnetic waves before transmitting them to a modem processor for demodulation. The cellular communication module 350 can also amplify the signal modulated by the modem processor and convert it into electromagnetic waves for radiation through the antenna 100. In some embodiments, at least some functional modules of the cellular communication module 350 may be housed in the processor 310. In some embodiments, at least some functional modules of the cellular communication module 350 and at least some modules of the processor 310 may be housed in the same device.

[0214] In some embodiments, the communication device initiates or receives call requests via cellular communication module 350 and antenna 100.

[0215] Furthermore, an operating system runs on the aforementioned components. Examples include iOS, Android, and Windows operating systems. Applications can be installed and run on this operating system. Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, explanations and beneficial effects of the relevant content in any of the communication devices provided above can be found in the corresponding method embodiments provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0216] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple modules or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces, or indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or modules, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0217] The modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as modules may or may not be physical modules; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network modules. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0218] Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing module, or each module can exist physically separately, or two or more modules can be integrated into one module. The integrated modules described above can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules.

[0219] If the integrated module is implemented as a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the essential contribution of the technical solution of this application, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the processes of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory, random access memory, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0220] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit it. 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 scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method includes: Receive a bearer context request, the bearer context request being used to instruct the adjustment of the bearer corresponding to the terminal device, the bearer context request being associated with the working mode of the satellite base station, the working mode being any of the following: normal mode, store-and-forward mode; Send a bearer context accept, which is used to indicate that the adjustment of the bearer is complete.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The bearer includes a first EPC bearer and a second EPC bearer, wherein the quality of service (QoS) level of the first EPC bearer is lower than that of the second EPC bearer, and the bearer context request is used to indicate whether to activate or deactivate the second EPC bearer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, The operating mode is normal mode, and the bearer context request is a Dedicated Evolution Packet System Bearer Context Request, which is used to indicate the activation of the second Evolution Packet System bearer; The method further includes: Based on the second evolved packet system bearer, user plane data is received or transmitted.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein, The operating mode is store-and-forward mode, and the bearer context request is a deactivation request for the Dedicated Evolved Packet System (DEPS) bearer context. The deactivation request for the DEPS bearer context is used to indicate the deactivation of the second EPS bearer. The method further includes: Based on the first evolved packet system bearer, user plane data is received or sent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, The bearer is an Evolved Packet System bearer, and the bearer context request is used to indicate a modification to the Quality of Service (QoS) level of the Evolved Packet System bearer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The operating mode is the normal mode, and the bearer context request is the first modified Evolved Packet System bearer context request. The first modified Evolved Packet System bearer context request is used to indicate that the quality of service level of the Evolved Packet System bearer is modified from the first level to the second level, where the first level is lower than the second level.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the working mode is store-and-forward mode, the bearer context request is a second modified Evolved Packet System bearer context request, the second modified Evolved Packet System bearer context request being used to indicate that the quality of service level of the Evolved Packet System bearer be modified from level three to level four, wherein level three is higher than level four.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: The operating mode is obtained based on the system broadcasts monitored. Based on the aforementioned working mode, a bearer resource allocation request or a bearer resource modification request is sent, wherein the bearer resource allocation request or the bearer resource modification request is used to request adjustments to the bearer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, The operating mode is normal mode. The bearer includes a first EPC bearer and a second EPC bearer. The quality of service (QoS) level of the first EPC bearer is lower than that of the second EPC bearer. The bearer resource allocation request carries a first request element, which is used to request the activation of the second EPC bearer. Alternatively, the operating mode is store-and-forward mode, the bearer includes a first EPC bearer and a second EPC bearer, the quality of service level of the first EPC bearer is lower than that of the second EPC bearer, the bearer resource modification request carries a second request element, the second request element is used to request the deactivation of the second EPC bearer; Alternatively, the bearer is an Evolved Packet System bearer, and the bearer resource modification request carries a third request element, which is used to request modification of the quality of service level of the Evolved Packet System bearer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, The Quality of Service (QoS) class identifier field of the third request element is used to indicate the QoS requirements carried by the Evolved Packet System.

11. A communication method, comprising: The method includes: Send a bearer context request, the bearer context request being used to instruct the adjustment of the bearer corresponding to the terminal device, the bearer context request being associated with the working mode of the satellite base station, the working mode being any of the following: normal mode, store-and-forward mode; Receive bearer context acceptance, which is used to indicate that the adjustment of the bearer is completed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, The bearer includes a first EPC bearer and a second EPC bearer, wherein the quality of service (QoS) level of the first EPC bearer is lower than that of the second EPC bearer, and the bearer context request is used to indicate whether to activate or deactivate the second EPC bearer.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein, The bearer is an Evolved Packet System bearer, and the bearer context request is used to indicate a modification to the Quality of Service (QoS) level of the Evolved Packet System bearer.

14. A communications device, characterized by It includes at least one processor, the processor being configured to invoke computer instructions in memory to cause the communication device to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, or to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 11 to 13.

15. A computer program product, characterised in that, Includes instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, or to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 11 to 13.

16. A computer storage medium, comprising, Used to store computer programs that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, or to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 11 to 13.

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