Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

A communication method and an apparatus, applied to the technical field of communications, for example, being applied to an NTN. In the method, when a process is interrupted, a terminal apparatus indicates an identifier of the interrupted process to one or more network apparatuses, so as to inform, by means of the indicated identifier of the interrupted process, that the interrupted process needs to be restarted, so that any network apparatus among the one or more first network apparatuses restarts a first process for the terminal apparatus, allowing the first process to be continuously executed. When the first process is a user plane process, the method is conducive to the continuous execution of the user plane process, and further helps the terminal apparatus complete the user plane process in a timely manner, thereby improving service quality. When the first process is a control plane process, the method is conducive to the continuous execution of the control plane process, and further helps the terminal apparatus complete the control plane process in a timely manner and update control plane information, thereby improving communication quality.

Description

A communication method and apparatus

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411816693.1, filed on December 10, 2024, entitled "A Communication Method and Apparatus", 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 and apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] During the process of a base station providing services to a terminal, it can execute one or more procedures with the terminal, such as control plane procedures and user plane procedures. These procedures may be interrupted before completion due to a disconnection between the base station and the terminal. In one scenario, after the base station and terminal disconnect, when the base station regains coverage of the terminal, it pages the terminal via a paging message. Upon detecting the paging message, the terminal re-establishes a connection with the base station, and the interrupted procedures can then resume. However, the terminal may not detect the paging message, thus preventing the interrupted procedures from continuing. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a communication method and apparatus that facilitates timely completion of user plane processes by terminal devices, thereby improving service quality, or facilitates timely completion of control plane processes by terminal devices, thereby updating control plane information and improving communication quality.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication method executed by a terminal device. The terminal device can be a terminal, or a device within the terminal (e.g., a module, communication module, circuit or chip responsible for communication functions (such as a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core or a system-in-package (SIP) chip), a chip system, or a processor), or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal functions. In this method, the terminal device obtains an identifier of a first process, and if the first process is interrupted, sends first information to one or more first network devices. The first information indicates the identifier of the first process, and the identifier of the first process indicates that the first process needs to be restarted.

[0006] As can be seen, through the above method, when the first process is interrupted, the terminal device actively sends the identifier of the first process to one or more first network devices to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted, so that any one of the one or more first network devices can restart the first process for the terminal device. When the first process is a user plane process, this method facilitates the continued execution of the user plane process, thereby enabling the terminal device to complete the user plane process in a timely manner and improving service quality. When the first process is a control plane process, this method facilitates the continued execution of the control plane process, thereby enabling the terminal device to complete the control plane process in a timely manner, update control plane information, and improve communication quality.

[0007] In one optional implementation, the terminal device may receive second information from a second network device. The second information indicates a first time point and / or a first duration. The first time point represents a process restart triggered no earlier than the first time point, and the first duration represents a process restart triggered no earlier than a time point after the first duration. The second network device is the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted. In this method, the terminal device sending the first information to one or more first network devices includes: sending the first information to one or more first network devices based on the first time point and / or the first duration.

[0008] Based on the above scheme, the terminal device can indicate the identifier of the first process to one or more first network devices at a time point no earlier than a certain time point, according to the first time point and / or first duration indicated by the second network device, which helps to increase the probability of the first process being restarted.

[0009] In one optional implementation, when the terminal device sends first information to multiple first network devices, the first information is further used to indicate the respective identifiers of the multiple first network devices.

[0010] Based on the above scheme, the terminal device also assigns the respective identifiers of the multiple first network devices to each of the multiple first network devices. This is beneficial for the first network device that restarts the first process among the multiple first network devices to instruct other first network devices to interrupt the restart of the first process based on the identifiers of other first network devices besides itself, so as to reduce the resource waste caused by the first process being restarted multiple times.

[0011] In one optional implementation, the terminal device obtains the identifier of the first process by receiving the identifier of the first process from a second network device, the second network device being a network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted.

[0012] Based on the above scheme, the terminal device can receive the identifier of the first process from the network device that provides services to the terminal device before the first process is interrupted. Compared with the terminal device generating the identifier of the first process itself, this can reduce the computational load and power consumption of the terminal device.

[0013] In one optional implementation, before the terminal device receives the identifier of the first process from the second network device, it may send a request message to the second network device to request the acquisition of the identifier of the first process.

[0014] Based on the above method, the terminal device can obtain the identifier of the first process by requesting the second network device. This allows the second network device to send the identifier of the first process to the terminal device only after receiving the information from the terminal device requesting the acquisition of the identifier of the first process, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0015] In another optional implementation, the terminal device obtains the identifier of the first process, including: generating the identifier of the first process.

[0016] Based on the above scheme, the terminal device can generate the identifier of the first process itself, for example, it can generate the identifier of the first process when the first process starts executing. Compared with the terminal device obtaining the identifier of the first process from the second network device that provides services to the terminal device before the first process is interrupted, this method can reduce signaling overhead.

[0017] In one alternative implementation, the terminal device, in addition to generating its own identifier for the first process, also sends the identifier of the first process to a second network device, which is the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted.

[0018] Based on the above scheme, the terminal device will send the identifier of the first process that it generates to the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, so that the second network device can know the identifier of the first process. This will help the second network device to restart the first process based on the identifier of the first process when the terminal device requests to restart the first process through the identifier of the first process.

[0019] In one optional implementation, the terminal device receives paging messages from one or more first network devices, the paging messages including an identifier of a first process, the identifier of the first process being used to indicate that one or more first network devices have obtained the context parameters of the first process.

[0020] Based on the above scheme, the terminal device can learn from one or more paging messages that one or more first network devices have obtained the context parameters of the first process. This allows the terminal device to instruct the one or more first network devices to restart the first process if the first process is interrupted, thereby increasing the probability of the first process being successfully restarted.

[0021] In one optional implementation, the terminal device performs the following steps: receiving a handover command, the handover command indicating a handover to a third network device, the handover command including the identifiers of one or more second processes, the one or more second processes including a first process, the one or more second processes being processes for which the third network device has obtained context parameters; and determining whether to perform a handover to the third network device based on the handover command.

[0022] Based on the above scheme, the terminal device can learn which process context parameters the third network device has obtained through the handover command used to indicate the handover to the third network device. This is beneficial for the terminal device to perform the handover to the third network device when the third network device is able to restart the processes that need to be restarted.

[0023] In one optional implementation, the terminal device determines whether to perform a handover to a third network device based on a handover command, including: determining to perform a handover to a third network device if the number of identifiers of one or more second processes is greater than or equal to a first preset value.

[0024] Based on the above scheme, the terminal device can determine to perform a handover to the third network device when the third network device has a large number of processes to restart for the terminal device, which is beneficial for the terminal device to request the third network device to restart a large number of processes.

[0025] In another optional implementation, the terminal device performs the following steps: sending a registration area update request to a third network device, the registration area update request including the identifiers of one or more third processes, the identifiers of one or more third processes being used to characterize the need to obtain the context parameters of one or more third processes, the third network device being the target network device to be switched; receiving the identifiers of one or more fourth processes from the third network device, the one or more fourth processes being the processes among the one or more third processes for which the third network device has already obtained the context parameters.

[0026] Based on the above scheme, the terminal device can indicate to the third network device which process context parameters need to be obtained through the registration area update request, and by receiving the process identifier from the third network device, it can know which process context parameters the third network device has obtained. This is beneficial for the terminal device to request the third network device to restart the processes whose context parameters have been obtained by the third network device, and can increase the probability of the process being successfully restarted.

[0027] In one alternative implementation, the terminal device restarts the first process based on the context parameters of the first process.

[0028] Based on the above scheme, the terminal device restarts the first process based on the context parameters of the first process, which enables the first process to continue executing the unexecuted parts on the basis of the parts that have already been executed, and the first process can be fully executed with reduced overhead.

[0029] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a communication method, which can be executed by a first network device. The first network device can be a network equipment, or a device within the network equipment (e.g., a module, communication module, circuit or chip responsible for communication functions (such as a modem chip, or a SoC chip or SIP chip containing a modem core), chip system, or processor), or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of an access network device. In this method, the first network device receives first information from a terminal device. The first information is used to indicate the identifier of a first process, and the identifier of the first process is used to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted. Therefore, the first network device restarts the first process based on the context parameters of the first process.

[0030] As can be seen, through the above method, the first network device learns that the first process needs to be restarted by using the identifier of the first process indicated by the first information. Based on the context parameters of the first process, it restarts the first process for the terminal device, allowing the first process to continue execution. When the first process is a user plane process, this method facilitates the continued execution of the user plane process, thereby enabling the terminal device to complete the user plane process in a timely manner and improving service quality. When the first process is a control plane process, this method facilitates the continued execution of the control plane process, thereby enabling the terminal device to complete the control plane process in a timely manner, update control plane information, and improve communication quality.

[0031] In an optional implementation, the first information is further used to indicate the respective identifiers of the plurality of first network devices. In this manner, the first network device further sends third information based on the first information, the third information being used to indicate an interruption to restart the first process.

[0032] Based on the above scheme, the first network device that restarts the first process can also send third information to indicate the interruption of restarting the first process when the first information indicates the respective identifiers of multiple first network devices. This is beneficial for other network devices among the multiple first network devices to avoid repeatedly restarting the first process and reduce resource waste.

[0033] In one optional implementation, the first network device sends third information based on the first information, including: sending the third information to other network devices among the multiple first network devices (excluding itself) based on the respective identifiers of the multiple first network devices, thereby facilitating the interruption of the restart of the first process by all other network devices among the multiple first network devices (excluding itself) and reducing resource waste.

[0034] In one optional implementation, if the first network device was a network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, the first network device sends second information to the terminal device. The second information is used to indicate a first time point and / or a first duration. The first time point indicates that the process restart was triggered no earlier than the first time point, and the first duration indicates that the process restart was triggered no earlier than a time point after the first duration.

[0035] Based on the above scheme, the terminal device can trigger the restart of the process no earlier than a certain time point according to a first time point and / or a first duration, so as to increase the probability of the process being restarted.

[0036] In one optional implementation, the first time point and / or first duration are determined by the first network device based on ephemeris information. For example, the first network device determines, based on ephemeris information, that at the first time point, the coverage area of ​​one or more first network devices will include the location of the terminal device. Then, the network device indicates the first time point to the terminal device so that the terminal device can trigger a process restart no earlier than the first time point. This facilitates the possibility that when the terminal device triggers a process restart, one or more first network devices will be able to restart the process for the terminal device, increasing the probability of the process being restarted.

[0037] In one optional implementation, if the first network device is a network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, the first network device generates an identifier of the first process and sends the identifier of the first process to the terminal device.

[0038] Based on the above scheme, when the first network device is the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, it can generate its own identifier for the first process and inform the terminal device of the identifier. This is beneficial for the terminal device to request the restart of the first process by indicating the identifier when the first process is interrupted. In addition, generating the identifier for the first process itself by the first network device reduces signaling overhead compared to receiving the identifier for the first process from the terminal device.

[0039] In one optional implementation, when the first network device is a network device that provides services to the terminal device before the first process is interrupted, it receives the identifier of the first process from the terminal device before receiving the first information.

[0040] Based on the above scheme, the first network device receives the identifier of the first process from the terminal device in advance. Therefore, upon receiving the first information, it can restart the first process based on the identifier of the first process indicated by the first information. Furthermore, receiving the identifier of the first process from the terminal device reduces the computational load and power consumption of the first network device compared to generating the identifier of the first process itself.

[0041] In one optional implementation, the first network device sends a paging message, which includes an identifier of a first process, the identifier of which is used to indicate that the first network device has obtained the context parameters of the first process.

[0042] Based on the above scheme, the first network device can indicate to the terminal device through a paging message that it has obtained the context parameters of the first process, which is beneficial for the terminal device to request the first network device to restart the first process when the first process is interrupted, thereby increasing the probability that the first process can be successfully restarted.

[0043] In one optional implementation, the first network device sends a handover command to instruct the terminal device to switch to the third network device. The handover command includes the identifiers of one or more second processes, which include the first process. The one or more second processes are processes for which the third network device has obtained context parameters.

[0044] Based on the above scheme, the first network device can inform the terminal device of the identifiers of one or more second processes that the third network device has obtained context parameters through a switching command. This is beneficial for the terminal device to switch to the third network device when the third network device is able to restart the process that needs to be restarted.

[0045] In one optional implementation, the first network device is the target network device to be switched by the terminal device, and the first network device further performs the following steps: receiving a registration area update request from the terminal device, the registration area update request including the identifiers of one or more third processes, the identifiers of one or more third processes being used to characterize the need to obtain the context parameters of one or more third processes; sending the identifiers of one or more fourth processes to the terminal device, the one or more fourth processes being the processes among the one or more third processes for which the first network device has already obtained the context parameters.

[0046] Based on the above scheme, when the first network device is the target network device to be switched by the terminal device, it can learn which process context parameters need to be obtained through the registration area update request from the terminal device, and send the identifier of the process that has obtained the context parameters to the terminal device. This is beneficial for the terminal device to request the first network device to restart the process that the first network device has obtained the context parameters, thereby increasing the probability that the process is successfully restarted.

[0047] In one alternative implementation, if the first network device is not the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, the first network device receives context parameters of the first process from the second network device, where the second network device was the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted.

[0048] Based on the above scheme, the first network device obtains the context parameters of the first process from the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted. Thus, when it is known through the first information that the first process needs to be restarted, the first process can be restarted for the terminal device based on the context parameters of the first process. This enables the first process to continue executing the unexecuted parts on the basis of the parts that have already been executed, and the first process can be fully executed with reduced overhead.

[0049] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a communication device. This communication device has some or all of the functions of the terminal device described in the first aspect, or some or all of the functions of the network device described in the second aspect. For example, the communication device may have some or all of the functions of the terminal device described in the first aspect of this application, or it may have the functions of any one of the embodiments of this application implemented individually. The functions can be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units or modules corresponding to the above functions.

[0050] In one possible design, the communication device may include a processing unit and a communication unit. The processing unit is configured to support the communication device in performing the corresponding functions described in the above method. The communication unit is used to support communication between the communication device and other communication devices. The communication device may also include a storage unit coupled to the processing unit and the communication unit, which stores necessary program instructions and data for the communication device.

[0051] In one embodiment, the communication device includes a processing unit and a communication unit, the device being applied to a terminal device, and the communication unit being used to send and receive signals / signaling.

[0052] The processing unit is used to obtain the identifier of the first process;

[0053] The processing unit is further configured to send first information to one or more first network devices when the identifier of the first process is interrupted, the first information being used to indicate the identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process being used to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted.

[0054] In addition, other alternative implementations of the communication device in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the first aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0055] In another embodiment, the communication device includes a processing unit and a communication unit, and the device is applied to a first network device;

[0056] The communication unit is configured to receive first information from the terminal device, the first information being used to indicate the identifier of the first process, and the identifier of the first process being used to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted.

[0057] The processing unit is used to restart the first process based on the context parameters of the first process.

[0058] In addition, other alternative implementations of the communication device in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the second aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0059] As an example, the processing unit can be a processor, and the communication unit can be a transceiver unit, transceiver, or communication interface. It is understood that when the communication device is a communication apparatus (e.g., a terminal or network device), the communication unit can be a transceiver within the communication apparatus (e.g., a transceiver includes a transmitter and a receiver), implemented, for example, through an antenna, feeder, and codec within the communication apparatus. Alternatively, if the communication device is a chip located within a device, the processing unit can be the chip's processing circuitry, logic circuitry, etc., and the communication unit can be the chip's input / output interface, such as input / output circuitry, pins, etc.

[0060] In another embodiment, the communication device is a chip or chip system. The processing unit may also be a processing circuit or logic circuit; the communication unit may be an input / output interface, interface circuit, output circuit, input circuit, pin, or related circuit on the chip or chip system.

[0061] In implementation, the processor can be used for, but is not limited to, baseband-related processing, and the transceiver can be used for, but is not limited to, radio frequency transceiver. These devices can be disposed on separate chips, or at least partially or entirely on the same chip. For example, the processor can be further divided into analog baseband processors and digital baseband processors. The analog baseband processor can be integrated with the transceiver on the same chip, while the digital baseband processor can be disposed on a separate chip. With the continuous development of integrated circuit technology, more and more devices can be integrated on the same chip. For example, a digital baseband processor can be integrated with multiple application processors (e.g., but not limited to graphics processors, multimedia processors, etc.) on the same chip. Such a chip can be called a system-on-a-chip (SoC). Whether the various devices are disposed independently on different chips or integrated on one or more chips often depends on the needs of the product design. This application does not limit the implementation form of the above-mentioned devices.

[0062] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide a processor for executing the various methods described above. During the execution of these methods, the processes of sending and receiving the aforementioned information can be understood as the processor outputting the aforementioned information and the processor receiving the input information. When outputting the aforementioned information, the processor outputs the information to a transceiver for transmission. After being output by the processor, the information may require further processing before reaching the transceiver. Similarly, when the processor receives the input information, the transceiver receives the information and inputs it to the processor. Furthermore, after the transceiver receives the information, the information may require further processing before being input to the processor.

[0063] Unless otherwise specified, or unless it contradicts its actual function or internal logic in the relevant description, the transmission and reception operations involved by the processor can be more generally understood as processor output and reception, input and other operations, rather than transmission and reception operations directly performed by radio frequency circuits and antennas.

[0064] In implementation, the processor can be a dedicated processor for executing these methods, or it can be a processor that executes computer instructions stored in memory to execute these methods, such as a general-purpose processor. The memory can be a non-transitory memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), which can be integrated with the processor on the same chip or disposed on different chips. This application does not limit the type of memory or the arrangement of the memory and processor.

[0065] Fifthly, embodiments of this application also provide a communication system, which includes a terminal device for performing the method described in the first aspect and a network device for performing the method described in the second aspect. In another possible design, the system may further include other devices / functional network elements that interact with at least one of the terminal device and the network device.

[0066] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions that, when executed on a communication device, implement the method described in the first or second aspect above.

[0067] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product including instructions that, when executed on a communication device, implement the method described in the first or second aspect above.

[0068] Eighthly, this application provides a chip including a processor (or logic circuit). Optionally, the chip may further include a communication interface (or interface) for implementing the methods in any of the possible implementations of the first or second aspect. In one possible implementation, if the chip is the smallest processing unit in the entire machine, the chip may be a processor, or it may include a processor and a memory, or it may include a processor, a memory, and a transceiver for implementing the methods in any of the possible implementations of the first or second aspect.

[0069] Ninthly, this application provides a chip system. The chip system includes a processor and an interface. Optionally, it may also include memory for implementing the methods in any of the possible embodiments of the first or second aspect. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0070] The beneficial effects of the third to ninth aspects mentioned above can be found in the descriptions of the beneficial effects in the first or second aspects, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0071] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture;

[0072] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario for a satellite network;

[0073] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a SF scene;

[0074] Figure 4 is an interactive schematic diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0075] Figure 5 is an interactive schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0076] Figure 6 is an interactive schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0077] Figure 7 is an interactive schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0078] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0079] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0080] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0081] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided by an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system includes a radio access network (RAN) 100, wherein the RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (110a and 110b in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 110), and may also include at least one terminal device (120a-120j in Figure 1, collectively referred to as 120). The RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay devices and / or wireless backhaul devices (not shown in Figure 1). The terminal device 120 is wirelessly connected to the RAN node 110. Terminal devices and RAN nodes can be interconnected via wired or wireless means. The communication system may also include a core network 200. The RAN node 110 is connected to the core network 200 wirelessly or via wired means. The core network device in the core network 200 and the RAN node 110 in the RAN 100 can be independent and different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating the logical functions of the core network device and the logical functions of the RAN node. The communication system may also include the Internet 300.

[0082] RAN100 can be an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) system, a new radio (NR) system, or a future radio access system as defined in the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP). RAN100 can also include two or more of the aforementioned different radio access systems. RAN100 can also be an open RAN (O-RAN). RAN100 can be a terrestrial network communication system or a non-terrestrial network (NTN) communication system. The NTN system can be an NTN system integrated with 4G, 5G, and any future generation of communication systems, such as NR NTN, IoT NTN, etc. NTN communication systems can be, for example, satellite communication systems, and can also include unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), high altitude platform stations (HAPS), and other aerial access network equipment; this application does not limit this.

[0083] RAN nodes, also known as network devices, radio access network devices, RAN entities, or access nodes, are used to help terminal devices access communication systems wirelessly. In one application scenario, an RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in a 5G mobile communication system, or a base station in a future mobile communication system. RAN nodes can be macro base stations (as shown in Figure 1, 110a), micro base stations or indoor stations (as shown in Figure 1, 110b), relay nodes, or donor nodes. In satellite communication systems, RAN nodes can be satellites or base station equipment mounted on satellites. RAN nodes can also be gateway stations (or ground stations, earth stations, signaling stations, gateways, or gateway stations), high-altitude platforms (HAPs), drones, hot air balloons, low-Earth orbit satellites, medium-Earth orbit satellites, high-Earth orbit satellites, etc., without limitation.

[0084] In another application scenario, multiple RAN nodes can collaborate to help terminals achieve wireless access, with different RAN nodes implementing different functions of the base station. For example, a RAN node can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). Here, the CU performs the functions of the base station's Radio Resource Control (RRC) and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), and can also perform the functions of the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP). The DU performs the functions of the base station's Radio Link Control (RANC) and Medium Access Control (MAC) layers, and can also perform some or all of the physical layer functions. For specific descriptions of these protocol layers, refer to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications. The RU can be used to implement radio frequency signal transmission and reception. The CU and DU can be two independent RAN nodes or integrated into the same RAN node, such as within a baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in radio frequency equipment, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU) or an active antenna unit (AAU). The CU can be further divided into two types of RAN nodes: CU-control plane and CU-user plane.

[0085] In different systems, RAN nodes may have different names. For example, in an O-RAN system, a CU can be called an open CU (O-CU), a DU can be called an open DU (O-DU), and an RU can be called an open RU (O-RU). The RAN nodes in the embodiments of this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. For example, a RAN node can be a server loaded with the corresponding software modules. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the RAN nodes. For ease of description, a base station is used as an example of a RAN node in the following description.

[0086] Terminal equipment is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, capable of sending signals to or receiving signals from a base station. Terminal equipment can also be called a terminal, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as NTN, device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, and smart cities. Terminals can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. Terminals can also be satellite communication terminals, such as very small aperture terminals (VSAT terminals), portable stations, fixed stations, and vehicle-mounted or airborne satellite communication terminals. It should be understood that the satellite communication terminal communicates with satellites and can also act as a micro base station to provide a data interface to accessed user equipment. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the terminal.

[0087] Base stations and terminals can be fixed or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can be deployed on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the base stations and terminals.

[0088] The roles of base stations and terminals can be relative. For example, the helicopter or drone 120i in Figure 1 can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminals 120j that access the wireless access network 100 through 120i, terminal 120i is a base station; however, for base station 110a, 120i is a terminal, meaning that 110a and 120i communicate via a wireless air interface protocol. Of course, 110a and 120i can also communicate via a base station-to-base station interface protocol. In this case, relative to 110a, 120i is also a base station. Therefore, both base stations and terminals can be collectively referred to as communication devices. 110a and 110b in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with base station functions, and 120a-120j in Figure 1 can be called communication devices with terminal functions.

[0089] In this embodiment, the device for implementing the terminal's functions can be a terminal itself; or it can be a device capable of supporting the terminal in implementing those functions, such as a chip system, which can be installed in the terminal. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips, or it can include chips and other discrete devices.

[0090] In this embodiment, the network device can be a device for implementing RAN functions or a device for implementing core network functions. The device for implementing RAN functions can be a RAN node; or it can be a device capable of supporting the RAN node in implementing these functions, such as a chip system, which can be installed in the RAN node. The device for implementing core network functions can be a core network device; or it can be a device capable of supporting the core network device in implementing these functions, such as a chip system, which can be installed in the core network device.

[0091] Referring to Figure 2, which illustrates an application scenario of a satellite network, in this scenario, the terminal accesses the network via an air interface (which can be of various types, such as a 5G air interface). Base stations are deployed on satellites (referred to as satellite base stations) and connected to the ground-based core network via wireless links. For example, the satellite base station connects to the ground station via the NG interface, and the ground station connects to the control plane of the core network. The core network's control plane includes access and mobility management functions (AMF) and session management functions (SMF). The ground station can connect to the user plane function (UPF), and the UPF connects to the data network. Simultaneously, wireless links exist between satellites to facilitate signaling interaction and user data transmission between base stations. For example, satellite base stations can connect to each other via the Xn interface. Furthermore, the various network elements and interaction interfaces in Figure 2 may include:

[0092] (1) Terminal: This includes mobile devices that support the new air interface, such as any of the terminal types mentioned above. In this scenario, the terminal can access the satellite network via the air interface and initiate services such as making calls and accessing the Internet.

[0093] (2) Base station: mainly provides wireless access services, schedules wireless resources to access terminals, and provides reliable wireless transmission protocols and data encryption protocols, such as any of the base station types mentioned above.

[0094] (3) Core Network: This includes services such as user access control, mobility management, session management, user security authentication, and charging. The core network can be composed of multiple functional units, which can be divided into control plane and data plane functional entities. For example, the AMF is responsible for user access management, security authentication, and mobility management. The SMF is responsible for all control plane functions of user session management, such as session establishment, modification, and release. Its specific functions include UPF selection, Internet Protocol (IP) address allocation, session quality of service (QoS) management, obtaining policies from the policy control function (PCF), and policy and charging control (PCC) policies. The UPF is responsible for managing user plane data transmission, traffic statistics, and other functions.

[0095] (4) Ground station: responsible for forwarding signaling and service data between satellite base stations and core network, also known as ground gateway.

[0096] (5) Air interface: The wireless link between the terminal and the base station.

[0097] (6) Xn interface: The interface between base stations, mainly used for signaling interaction such as handover.

[0098] (7) NG interface: The interface between the base station and the core network, mainly used for exchanging non-access stratum (NAS) signaling of the core network and user service data.

[0099] Furthermore, when the solutions of this application embodiment are applied to future communication systems, the names of the corresponding network function entities may change, and this application does not limit this.

[0100] The embodiments disclosed in this application will be presented to illustrate various aspects, embodiments, or features of this application in relation to systems including multiple devices, components, modules, etc. It should be understood and appreciated that individual systems may include additional devices, components, modules, etc., and / or may not include all the devices, components, modules, etc. discussed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, combinations of these approaches may also be used.

[0101] For ease of understanding, examples are provided to illustrate some concepts related to the embodiments of this application, as shown below.

[0102] 1. Store and forward (SF).

[0103] On the one hand, due to the rapid movement of low-orbit satellites relative to the ground, the power supply circuit between the satellite and the ground gateway will be constantly released and rebuilt, making it impossible to maintain stability. On the other hand, relying on inter-satellite link relays can alleviate the problem of power supply link instability, but the deployment of large-scale constellations usually takes a long time. During the deployment of satellite constellations, some inter-satellite links may not be able to reach smoothly, so there may be situations where there is no real-time reachable link between the satellite and the ground gateway.

[0104] Alternatively, when a satellite covers a terminal, it may be unable to connect to the ground gateway, thus preventing communication with the core network; conversely, when the satellite covers the ground gateway and connects to the core network, the terminal may not be covered. Therefore, a store-and-forward mechanism is proposed. In this mechanism, when a satellite covers a terminal, communication between the satellite and the terminal occurs first. Then, when the satellite covers the ground gateway, communication between the satellite and the core network occurs, thus transmitting data in a relay manner. This requires the satellite to have sufficient storage and processing capabilities to cache data arriving from the terminal or core network and forward it at a later time. Therefore, the satellite in this store-and-forward scenario must be a regenerator satellite, i.e., a satellite connected to the base station.

[0105] For example, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a SF scenario. As shown in Figure 3, Satellite 1 connects to the ground gateway at time t1 and can communicate with the core network, but does not cover the terminal. Satellite 1 first communicates with the core network and stores the communication data with the core network. At time t2, Satellite 1 covers the terminal but is not connected to the ground gateway and cannot communicate with the core network. Satellite 1 can then send the stored communication data from communication with the core network at time t1 to the terminal, and can also communicate with the terminal and store the communication data with the terminal. At time t3, Satellite 1 connects to the ground gateway again but does not cover the terminal. Satellite 1 can then send the stored communication data from communication with the terminal at time t2 to the core network, and can also communicate with the core network and store the communication data from communication with the core network, so that when communicating with the terminal later, it can send the communication data from communication with the core network at time t3 to the terminal.

[0106] The embodiments of this application can be applied to store-and-forward communication scenarios, such as the SF scenario shown in Figure 3. Optionally, the embodiments of this application can also be applied to other scenarios besides store-and-forward.

[0107] 2. Process, process identifier, process context parameters.

[0108] During the process of a base station providing network services to a terminal, the base station and the terminal can execute one or more tasks / processes. These tasks / processes can be referred to as processes. A process includes, but is not limited to, at least one of the following tasks / processes: tasks / processes associated with user data transmission, tasks / processes associated with user control, tasks / processes associated with computation tasks, and tasks / processes associated with inference tasks. For example, a process can be a control plane process or a user plane process in a 5G system, where control plane processes include registration management, session management, mobility management, user authentication, etc., and user plane processes include data transmission, etc. As another example, a process can be a task / process in a future communication system.

[0109] A process identifier is used to identify a process. For example, a process identifier is a unique identifier used by the terminal, RAN node, and core network node to identify the process. The process identifier can be generated autonomously by the terminal, RAN node, or core network node, or it can be generated through negotiation between at least two of the terminal, RAN node, and core network node. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0110] In this embodiment of the application, when the terminal, RAN node, and core network node are operating in SF mode, the process executed by at least one of the terminal, RAN node, and core network node can be referred to as an SF process. Correspondingly, the process identifier can be referred to as an SF process identifier, or something similar.

[0111] The context parameters of a process include: context parameters generated and / or required when at least one of the terminal, RAN node, and core network node executes the process. For example, if the process is a task to transmit first data, then the context parameters of the process include the first data, the data that has been transmitted, and the data that has not been transmitted. As another example, if the process is a procedure to update the system parameters of a terminal, then the context parameters of the process include all the system parameters of the terminal, as well as the updated system parameters and the system parameters that have not yet been updated.

[0112] The processes executed by the base station and the terminal may be interrupted due to various reasons (such as disconnection between the base station and the terminal, or insufficient load), with some parts not yet completed. For example, in an NTN network, if a satellite base station moves outside the coverage area of ​​a terminal, the incomplete process between the satellite base station and the terminal may be interrupted. As another example, in an NTN network, during the process of a terminal switching from a communication mode to a store-and-forward mode, the ongoing process may be interrupted due to low load. To complete the user plane processes of the terminal device and improve service quality, or to complete the control plane processes of the terminal device and improve communication quality, the interrupted processes can be restarted so that they can continue to execute.

[0113] In the communication method 1000 provided in this application embodiment, when a process is interrupted, the terminal device actively indicates the identifier of the interrupted process to one or more network devices to inform them that the interrupted process needs to be restarted. Then, any one of the one or more network devices restarts the interrupted process based on its context parameters, allowing the interrupted process to continue execution. When the first process is a user plane process, this method facilitates the continued execution of the user plane process, thereby enabling the terminal device to complete the user plane process in a timely manner and improving service quality. When the first process is a control plane process, this method facilitates the continued execution of the control plane process, thereby enabling the terminal device to complete the control plane process in a timely manner, update control plane information, and improve communication quality.

[0114] In the communication method 2000 provided in this application embodiment, when the cell handover conditions are met, the network device providing services to the terminal device instructs the target network device to obtain context parameters of one or more processes via a handover command. The target network device then instructs the network device providing services to the terminal device via the handover command to indicate which of the one or more processes has obtained context parameters. Furthermore, the network device providing services to the terminal device instructs the terminal device via the handover command to indicate which processes of the target network device have obtained context parameters. The terminal device then determines whether to hand over to the target network device based on which processes of the target network device have obtained context parameters. This improves the success rate of subsequent restart processes, allowing interrupted processes to continue execution, and enabling the terminal device to complete user plane procedures in a timely manner, improving service quality. Alternatively, it may enable the terminal device to complete control plane procedures in a timely manner, update control plane information, and improve communication quality.

[0115] In the communication method 3000 provided in this application embodiment, the terminal device indicates to the network device that can provide services that it needs to obtain the context parameters of one or more third processes through a registration area update request. Therefore, the network device that can provide services indicates the identifiers of one or more fourth processes that have already obtained the context parameters to the terminal device, enabling the terminal device to subsequently request the network device that provides services to restart any one of the one or more fourth processes. This increases the success rate of process restarts, allowing interrupted processes to continue execution. This, in turn, helps the terminal device to complete user plane processes in a timely manner, improving service quality, or helps the terminal device to complete control plane processes in a timely manner, update control plane information, and improve communication quality.

[0116] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments of this application illustrate the corresponding methods using a terminal device and a network device as examples of the implementing entities. For example, the terminal device is the terminal in the system shown in Figure 2, and the network device is the base station in the system shown in Figure 2. However, this application does not limit the implementing entity of the method. For example, the terminal device in the method can also be a processor, module, chip, chip system, or software module that supports the implementation of the corresponding method, and the network device in the method can also be a processor, module, chip, chip system, or software module that supports the implementation of the corresponding method.

[0117] This application provides a communication method, and Figure 4 is an interactive schematic diagram of the communication method 1000. The communication method 1000 is described from the perspective of the interaction between a terminal device and a first network device. The communication method 1000 includes, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0118] S401. The terminal device obtains the identifier of the first process.

[0119] The first process can be any one of one or more processes executed by the second network device and the terminal device during the period when the second network device provides services to the terminal device. The processes are as described above and will not be repeated here. The identifier of the first process can refer to the identifiers of the processes described above and will not be repeated here.

[0120] S402. In the event that the first process is interrupted, the terminal device sends first information to one or more first network devices. The first information indicates the identifier of the first process, and the identifier of the first process indicates that the first process needs to be restarted. Correspondingly, the one or more first network devices respectively receive the first information from the terminal device.

[0121] In this embodiment, when the terminal device is a device, the terminal device can acquire information by receiving information through an antenna provided with the device, and can also transmit information through the same antenna. When the terminal device is a chip, the terminal device can acquire information through the chip, and can also output information through the chip. Optionally, the chip includes an interface, through which the terminal device can acquire and output information.

[0122] The term "interruption of the first process" refers to the interruption of execution of the first process when it is partially executed and partially not executed. There are various possibilities for the interruption of the first process, and this application does not limit the scope of these possibilities. For example, during the process of a terminal device switching from real-time communication mode to store-and-forward mode, insufficient load on the terminal device may cause the partial interruption of the first process that was not yet executed.

[0123] Additionally, the terminal device is located within the service area of ​​one or more first network devices. For example, if one or more first network devices are satellite base stations, and the terminal device is located within the coverage area of ​​one or more satellite base stations, then the terminal device is within the service area of ​​one or more satellite base stations. As another example, if one or more first network devices are core network nodes, the terminal device is located within the service area of ​​one or more core network nodes, such as within the service area of ​​one or more AMF network elements.

[0124] As can be seen, when the first process is interrupted, the terminal device sends first information to one or more first network devices capable of providing services to the terminal device. This first information, through the identifier of the first process, informs one or more first network devices that the first process needs to be restarted. This facilitates the restart of the first process by any one of the one or more first network devices, allowing the first process to continue execution. When the first process is a user plane process, this method facilitates the continued execution of the user plane process, thereby enabling the terminal device to complete the user plane process in a timely manner and improving service quality. When the first process is a control plane process, this method facilitates the continued execution of the control plane process, thereby enabling the terminal device to complete the control plane process in a timely manner, update control plane information, and improve communication quality.

[0125] S403. The first network device restarts the first process based on the context parameters of the first process.

[0126] In S403, the first network device is any one of the one or more first network devices in S402.

[0127] In addition, the context parameters of the first process can be referred to the context parameters of the processes mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0128] As can be seen, when one of the first network devices receives the first information, since the identifier of the first process indicated by the first information is used to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted, the first network device responds to the first information from the terminal device and restarts the first process based on the context parameters of the first process. This enables the first process to continue executing the unexecuted part on the basis of the part that has already been executed, and the first process can be fully executed with reduced overhead.

[0129] The following is an illustrative example of S401:

[0130] The terminal device can obtain the identifier of the first process through various implementation methods, and this application embodiment does not limit this. In one optional implementation, the terminal device obtains the identifier of the first process by: receiving the identifier of the first process from a second network device. Correspondingly, the second network device sends the identifier of the first process to the terminal device. The second network device is the network device currently providing services to the terminal device, or in other words, the second network device was the network device providing services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, or the second network device was the network device executing the first process before the first process was interrupted. It is evident that the terminal device can obtain the identifier of the first process from the second network device, which reduces the computational load and power consumption of the terminal device compared to the terminal device generating the identifier of the first process itself.

[0131] In one possible approach, the terminal device sends a request to the second network device to obtain the identifier of the first process before receiving it from the second network device. Then, upon receiving the request from the terminal device, the second network device sends the identifier of the first process to the terminal device. Thus, the terminal device can obtain the identifier of the first process by requesting it from the second network device, reducing signaling overhead as the second network device only sends the identifier of the first process after receiving the request from the terminal device.

[0132] In one possible approach, the identifier of the first process sent by the second network device to the terminal device can be generated by the second network device itself. For example, the second network device can generate the identifier of the first process when it is first started.

[0133] In another optional implementation, the terminal device obtains the identifier of the first process by generating the identifier of the first process. It is evident that the terminal device can generate the identifier of the first process itself. This method reduces signaling overhead compared to obtaining the identifier of the first process from the second network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted. For example, when the terminal device is operating in store-and-forward mode, the identifier of the first process is generated for the first process upon initial startup. As another example, when the terminal device and the second network device initially operate in real-time communication mode, the identifier of the first process is generated during the process of the terminal device switching from real-time communication mode to store-and-forward mode.

[0134] In one optional implementation, if the terminal device generates the identifier of the first process on its own, it can also send the identifier of the first process to the second network device so that the second network device can know the identifier of the first process. This is beneficial for the second network device to restart the first process based on the identifier of the first process when the terminal device requests to restart the first process through the identifier of the first process.

[0135] In another optional implementation, the terminal device obtains the identifier of the first process by negotiating with the second network device to generate the identifier of the first process. This method improves the reliability of the identifier of the first process compared to the terminal device or the second network device generating the identifier of the first process themselves. For example, the terminal device and the second network device negotiate and generate the identifier of the first process through multiple interactions, and the generated identifier of the first process is known to both the terminal device and the second network device.

[0136] It is evident that the terminal device can obtain the identifier of the first process being executed / started in multiple ways, which is beneficial for requesting the restart of the first process based on the identifier of the first process if the first process is interrupted.

[0137] In one possible approach, the terminal device can also obtain the identifiers of other processes being executed / started besides the first process. The method of obtaining these identifiers is similar to that used for the first process and will not be described further. This approach is advantageous because, in the event that other processes are interrupted, the terminal device can request the restart of the interrupted process by indicating its identifier.

[0138] The following is an illustrative example of S402:

[0139] In one optional implementation, the one or more first network devices do not include a second network device. Alternatively, this can be understood as: the one or more first network devices are network devices that can provide services to the terminal device during the period when the second network device no longer provides services to the terminal device after the first process is interrupted. In this approach, during a certain period when the second network device is not providing services to the terminal device, the terminal device sends first information to the one or more first network devices that can provide services to the terminal device. This information, through the identifier of the first process indicated by the first information, informs the one or more first network devices that the first process needs to be restarted, facilitating the restart of the first process by one of the one or more first network devices.

[0140] For example, before the first process is interrupted, the second network device providing services to the terminal device is satellite 1. Because satellite 1 moves outside the terminal device's location and ceases to provide services, the first process is interrupted. After satellite 1, satellites 2 and 3 move over the terminal device within the same time period and can provide services. Therefore, one or more first network devices are satellites 2 and 3, excluding satellite 1. Thus, the terminal device can send first information to satellites 2 and 3 to inform them that the first process needs to be restarted, using the identifier of the first process indicated in the first information.

[0141] In another optional implementation, to improve the success rate of restarting the first process or reduce startup latency, the terminal device sends first information to multiple first network devices. In this case, the multiple first network devices include second network devices. Alternatively, it can be understood as: one or more first network devices are network devices that can provide services to the terminal device during the period when the second network device can again provide services after the first process has been interrupted. In this approach, after the first process has been interrupted and the second network device can again provide services to the terminal device, the terminal device sends first information to multiple network devices that can provide services to the terminal device to inform them that the first process needs to be restarted. This facilitates one of the multiple network devices restarting the first process, allowing the first process to continue execution.

[0142] For example, before the first process is interrupted, the second network device providing services to the terminal device is satellite 1. Because satellite 1 moves outside the terminal device's location and ceases to provide services, the first process is interrupted. After a period of time, satellite 1 moves back over the terminal device and can provide services again. During the period when satellite 1 can provide services to the terminal device, the coverage areas of satellites 2 and 4 also include the terminal device's location, allowing them to provide services as well. Therefore, one or more first network devices include satellites 1, 2, and 4. Consequently, the terminal device sends a first message to satellites 1, 2, and 4, informing them that the first process needs to be restarted by using the identifier of the first process indicated in the first message.

[0143] In another optional implementation, when the terminal device sends first information to a first network device, the first network device is a second network device; that is, the first network device is the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, or the first network device is the network device that executed the first process before the first process was interrupted. In this method, when the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted can resume providing services, the terminal device sends the first information to that network device to indicate the need to restart the first process. This facilitates the network device restarting the first process, allowing it to continue execution.

[0144] For example, before the first process was interrupted, the second network device providing services to the terminal device was satellite 1. Because satellite 1 moved outside the terminal device's location and ceased providing services, the first process was interrupted. After a period of time, satellite 1 moved back above the terminal device and could provide services again. The terminal device then sent a first message to satellite 1 to inform it that the first process needed to be restarted.

[0145] Furthermore, the first information is used to indicate the identifier of the first process, and the identifier of the first process is used to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted. This can be understood as: the identifier of the first process indicated by the first information is used to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted; or, it can be understood as: the identifier of the first process indicated by the first information is used to request the restart of the first process.

[0146] In this embodiment of the application, when one or more first network devices are RAN nodes (such as satellite base stations), the first information can be information sent by the terminal device to the RAN node. For example, when one or more first network devices are satellite base stations, the first information can be Msg3 in the random access process. Alternatively, the terminal device can initiate random access to one or more satellite base stations respectively, and carry the identifier of the first process in Msg3 in the random access process, and the identifier of the first process carried in Msg3 is used to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted.

[0147] In this embodiment, when one or more first network devices are core network nodes, the first information can be information sent by the terminal device to the core network node. For example, when one or more first network devices are core network nodes, the first information can be Msg5 during the random access process. Alternatively, the terminal device can initiate random access to one or more RAN nodes respectively, and carry the identifier of the first process in the Msg5 during the random access process. One or more RAN nodes will transparently transmit the received Msg5 to their respective core network nodes, so that one or more core network nodes receive the Msg5 carrying the identifier of the first process, and the identifier of the first process carried in the Msg5 is used to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted.

[0148] It is evident that when one or more first network devices are network nodes of different types, the terminal device can indicate the identifier of the first process by sending information to the network node of that type, so as to inform that the first process needs to be restarted, which is beneficial for the network node to restart the first process.

[0149] In one optional implementation, the terminal device further receives second information from a second network device, the second information indicating a first time point and / or a first duration. Accordingly, the second network device sends the second information to the terminal device. The first time point characterizes a process restart triggered no earlier than the first time point, and the first duration characterizes a process restart triggered no earlier than a time point after the first duration. In this manner, the terminal device sending the first information to one or more first network devices includes: sending the first information to one or more first network devices based on the first time point and / or the first duration.

[0150] It is evident that the terminal device can receive a first time point and / or a first duration indicated by the second network device. The first time point is no earlier than the time point that triggers process restart, and the first duration is used to determine no earlier than the time point that triggers process restart. Thus, the terminal device can trigger process restart based on the first time point and / or the first duration. For example, based on the first time point and / or the first duration, the terminal device can send first information to one or more first network devices, which can increase the probability that the first process is successfully restarted.

[0151] For example, when the second information is used to indicate a first time point, the terminal device sends the first information to one or more first network devices based on the first time point, including: sending the first information to one or more first network devices at a time point later than the first time point to trigger the restart of the first process at a time point no earlier than the first time point. As another example, when the second information is used to indicate a first duration, the terminal device sends the first information to one or more first network devices based on the first duration, including: from the time the second information is received, sending the first information to one or more first network devices at a time point after the first duration to trigger the restart of the first process at a time point no earlier than the time point corresponding to the first duration.

[0152] Furthermore, the first time point and / or first duration indicated by the second network device to the terminal device can be determined by the second network device in various ways. In one possible approach, the first time point and / or first duration indicated by the second network device to the terminal device is determined by the second network device based on ephemeris information. For example, based on ephemeris information, if the second network device determines that after its coverage area no longer covers the terminal device, the coverage area of ​​one or more first network devices will cover the terminal device at time point t1, then it will indicate time point t1 to the terminal device. This allows the terminal device to trigger a process restart no earlier than time point t1, which is beneficial because when the terminal device triggers a process restart, one or more first network devices can restart the process for the terminal device, increasing the probability of a successful process restart.

[0153] For example, if the second network device determines that its coverage area will cover the terminal device for the second time at time t1 based on ephemeris information, it will indicate time t1 to the terminal device so that the terminal device can trigger process restart at time no earlier than t1. This is beneficial because when the terminal device triggers process restart, the second network device can restart the process for the terminal device, increasing the probability that the process will be successfully restarted.

[0154] For example, based on ephemeris information, the second network device determines that its coverage area will cover the terminal device for the second time at time t1 and for the third time at time t2. When the second network device covers the terminal device for the second time, it has many tasks to perform, and may not have spare load / resources to restart interrupted processes. However, when it covers the terminal device for the third time, it has fewer tasks to perform, and can restart interrupted processes. Therefore, the second network device indicates time t2 as the first time point to the terminal device, so that the terminal device triggers process restart no earlier than time t2. This is beneficial because when the terminal device triggers process restart, the second network device can restart the process, increasing the probability of successful restart.

[0155] In another optional implementation, the time at which the terminal device sends the first information to one or more first network devices when it has not received the second information can be determined by the terminal device itself. The terminal device can determine the time of sending the first information in various ways, and this application embodiment does not limit this. One possible approach is that the terminal device determines the time of sending the first information based on ephemeris information, or in other words, determines the time to trigger process restart based on ephemeris information, thereby increasing the probability of the process being successfully restarted.

[0156] For example, after the first process is interrupted, the terminal device, based on ephemeris information, determines that at time t3, the coverage area of ​​one or more first network devices includes the location of the terminal device, and these one or more first network devices can provide services to the terminal device. Therefore, at time t3, the terminal device sends a first message to one or more first network devices, informing them that the first process needs to be restarted by carrying the identifier of the first process in the first message. Since one or more first network devices can provide services to the terminal device at time t3, upon receiving the first message, these one or more first network devices can restart the first process for the terminal device, increasing the probability of the first process being successfully restarted.

[0157] In one optional implementation, the terminal device sends first information to one or more first network devices, including sending first information to multiple first network devices. In this method, the first information is further used to indicate the respective identifiers of the multiple first network devices. The identifiers of the first network devices are used to identify the first network devices, such as the identity identifier of the first network device; this application embodiment does not limit this. For example, if one or more first network devices include satellite 1, satellite 2, and satellite 3, then the first information includes the identifier of the first process, the identifier of satellite 1, the identifier of satellite 2, and the identifier of satellite 3.

[0158] It is evident that when the terminal device sends first information to multiple first network devices, the first information also indicates the respective identifiers of the multiple first network devices. This is beneficial for the network device that restarts the first process among the multiple first network devices to instruct other first network devices, excluding itself, not to restart the first process based on the respective identifiers of the multiple first network devices, thereby reducing the probability of the first process being repeatedly restarted.

[0159] In one optional implementation, the terminal device further receives paging messages from one or more first network devices, the paging messages including an identifier of a first process, the identifier of the first process being used to indicate that one or more first network devices have obtained the context parameters of the first process.

[0160] As can be seen, one or more first network devices can use paging messages to indicate to the terminal device that they have obtained the context parameters of the first process, or in other words, instruct the first network devices to page the terminal device to inform them that they have obtained the context parameters of the first process, or in other words, instruct the first network devices to be ready to restart the first process. Therefore, if the first process is interrupted, the terminal device can request to one or more first network devices to restart the first process, for example, by sending first information carrying the identifier of the first process to one or more first network devices. In this method, the one or more network devices to which the terminal device requests to restart the first process are those that have obtained the context parameters of the first process, which reduces invalid triggers for restarting the first process by the terminal device.

[0161] In one possible approach, one or more first network devices also indicate the identifiers of other processes that have obtained context parameters in the paging message. This facilitates the terminal device requesting the restart of processes that have obtained context parameters from one or more first network devices, thereby improving the success rate of process restart. In another possible approach, one or more first network devices indicate the identifiers of one or more processes that have obtained context parameters in the paging message using a bitmap.

[0162] In one optional implementation, one or more first network devices may also transmit the context parameters of one or more processes they have obtained to terminal devices within their coverage area via system broadcast. For example, the first network device broadcasts a system message carrying an identifier of the first process. The identifier of the first process carried in the system message indicates that the first network device has obtained the context parameters of the first process. Thus, terminal devices within the coverage area of ​​the first network device can learn that the first network device has obtained the context parameters of the first process by monitoring the system message, and can then request the first network device to restart the first process.

[0163] In one optional implementation, if the first process is interrupted, the terminal device also suspends the flow of the first process. Suspending the flow of the first process can be understood as caching the context parameters of the first process. This approach allows the terminal device to directly use the cached context parameters of the first process to restart it.

[0164] In one alternative implementation, if the first process is interrupted, the second network device can also suspend the first process, for example, by caching the context parameters of the first process. This approach is advantageous when the terminal device requests the second network device to restart the first process, as the second network device can directly use the cached context parameters of the first process to restart it. Alternatively, this approach allows the second network device to send the cached context parameters of the first process to other network devices, thereby enabling other network devices to restart the first process based on the context parameters.

[0165] The following is an illustrative example of S403:

[0166] In one optional implementation, when the first network device executing S403 is a second network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, the first network device stores the context parameters of the first process and can directly restart the first process based on the cached context parameters of the first process.

[0167] In another optional implementation, when the first network device executing S403 is not the second network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, the first network device also receives the context parameters of the first process from the second network device, and restarts the first process based on the context parameters of the first process.

[0168] In one possible approach, the context parameters of the first process can be actively sent from the second network device to the first network device. For example, after the first process is interrupted, if the second network device determines, based on ephemeris information, that a certain first network device will be able to provide services to the terminal device after the second network device, then the second network device actively sends the context parameters of the first process to that first network device, so that the first network device can restart the first process based on the context parameters when notified that the first process needs to be restarted.

[0169] In another possible approach, the context parameters of the first process can be sent by the second network device upon receiving a request from the first network device. For example, after receiving the first information, the first network device sends a request to the second network device to obtain the context parameters of the first process in order to restart the first process. Thus, the second network device sends the context parameters of the first process to the first network device upon receiving the request from the first network device.

[0170] In one optional implementation, the first network device restarts the first process based on context parameters of the first process, including: continuing to execute the first process using the context parameters of the first process. For example, if the first process is to send first data to a terminal device, then the first network device continues to send the untransmitted data in the first data to the terminal device based on the data that has been transmitted and / or the data that has not been transmitted. As another example, if the first process is to update the system parameters of the terminal device, then the first network device continues to update the system parameters of the terminal device based on the updated system parameters of the terminal device and / or the system parameters of the terminal device that have not been updated.

[0171] In one optional implementation, the first network device may further send information to the terminal device instructing the terminal device to restart the first process, thereby informing the terminal device that the first process can be restarted. For example, when the first network device is a core network node, the core network node sends response information to the terminal device through the RAN node instructing the restart of the first process, so that the terminal device can continue executing the first process.

[0172] In one optional implementation, the terminal device further restarts the first process based on the context parameters of the first process. The implementation method can refer to the implementation method of the first network device restarting the first process, and will not be repeated here.

[0173] In one optional implementation, when the first information further includes the respective identifiers of multiple first network devices, the first network device also sends third information based on the first information, the third information being used to indicate the interruption of restarting the first process.

[0174] In one possible approach, the first network device sends third information based on first information, including: sending third information to one or more first network devices other than itself based on the respective identifiers of the plurality of first network devices.

[0175] In one possible approach, when the first network device is a RAN node, the RAN node sends the received identifier of the first process to its home core network node. The core network node responds to the terminal device and restarts the first process. The core network node to which the RAN node belongs sends third information to the RAN node. Based on the identifiers of multiple RAN nodes, the RAN node sends the third information to other RAN nodes besides itself. The other RAN nodes send the received third information to their home core network node, which instructs the RAN node to interrupt the restart of the first process based on the third information to reduce resource waste.

[0176] In one possible approach, when the first network device is a core network node, the core network node responds to the terminal device and restarts the first process. The core network node also sends third information to the core network nodes other than itself, based on the identifiers of multiple core network nodes indicated by the first information, to cause other core network nodes to interrupt the restart of the first process, reducing resource waste.

[0177] As can be seen, when the first information also includes the respective identifiers of multiple first network devices, the first network device also sends third information to other first network devices besides itself to indicate interruption and restart of the first process, so that one or more other first network devices will no longer continue to restart the first process, reducing the probability of the first process being repeatedly restarted and reducing resource waste.

[0178] For example, the first information also includes the identifiers of satellite 1, satellite 2, and satellite 3. Satellite 1 is the satellite that starts restarting the first process the fastest among satellites 1, 2, and 3. Based on the identifiers of satellite 2 and 3, satellite 1 sends third information to satellites 2 and 3 respectively to indicate the interruption of restarting the first process, so that satellites 2 and 3 will no longer continue to restart the first process, thus preventing the first process from being restarted repeatedly and reducing resource waste.

[0179] As can be seen, in this embodiment, when a process is interrupted, the terminal device indicates the identifier of the interrupted process to one or more network devices to inform them that the interrupted process needs to be restarted. Thus, any one of the network devices can restart the interrupted process based on its context parameters, enabling the interrupted process to continue execution. When the first process is a user plane process, this method facilitates the continued execution of the user plane process, thereby enabling the terminal device to complete the user plane process in a timely manner and improving service quality. When the first process is a control plane process, this method facilitates the continued execution of the control plane process, thereby enabling the terminal device to complete the control plane process in a timely manner, update control plane information, and improve communication quality.

[0180] Furthermore, compared to a method where a network device pages a terminal device, and the terminal device establishes a connection with the network device after detecting a paging message, and then executes the interrupted process with the network device, this method reduces the paging overhead of the network device. Compared to a method where the terminal device may fail to detect the paging message, resulting in the inability to restart an interrupted process, this method increases the probability of the process being restarted.

[0181] This application embodiment also takes the above-described communication method 1000, in which the first process is process a, and one or more first network devices include RAN nodes #1, #2, and #3 located on a satellite, RAN node #1 is the RAN node that provides services to the terminal device before process a is interrupted, and RAN node #2 is the RAN node that starts restarting process a the fastest, as an example, to propose an exemplary communication method. The interaction diagram of this communication method can be seen in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 5, its interaction process includes, but is not limited to:

[0182] S501. Terminal device and RAN node #1 execute process a.

[0183] Understandably, if the terminal device and / or RAN node #1 determine that process a needs to be executed, they initiate process a, thereby allowing the terminal device and RAN node #1 to execute process a. For example, if RAN node #1 determines that a user plane procedure needs to be initiated, RAN node #1 initiates that user plane procedure, thereby allowing the terminal device and RAN node #1 to execute that user plane procedure.

[0184] S502. The terminal device and RAN node #1 determine the identifier of process a.

[0185] The process of the terminal device and RAN node #1 determining the identifier of process a can be done by the terminal device itself, by RAN node #1 itself, by the terminal device and RAN node #1 negotiating to determine the identifier of process a, or by the core network node to which RAN node #1 belongs determining the identifier of process a and informing the terminal device and RAN node #1.

[0186] Furthermore, the implementation method for the terminal device to determine the identifier of process a can refer to the implementation method in S401 above where the terminal device generates the identifier of the first process; the implementation method for RAN node #1 to determine the identifier of process a can refer to the implementation method in S401 above where the second network device generates the identifier of the first process; the implementation method for the terminal device and RAN node #1 to negotiate and determine the identifier of process a can refer to the implementation method in S401 above where the terminal device and the second network device negotiate and generate the identifier of the first process, and will not be repeated here.

[0187] S503. In the event that process a is interrupted, the terminal device and RAN node #1 cache the context parameters of process a.

[0188] In one alternative implementation, if process a is interrupted, RAN node #1 sends a partially completed instruction to the terminal device, which indicates that process a has been partially completed.

[0189] S504. The terminal device sends random access requests to RAN node #1, RAN node #2 and RAN node #3 respectively, and the random access requests are used to indicate the identifier of process a, the identifier of RAN node #1, the identifier of RAN node #2 and the identifier of RAN node #3. The identifier of process a is used to indicate that process a needs to be restarted.

[0190] In one alternative implementation, the random access request is Msg3 during the random access process.

[0191] It can be seen that when process a is interrupted, the terminal device indicates the identifier of process a to RAN node #1, RAN node #2 and RAN node #3 respectively through random access request, so as to inform that process a needs to be restarted, which is beneficial for any one of RAN node #1, RAN node #2 and RAN node #3 to restart process a.

[0192] In addition, the terminal device indicates the identifiers of RAN node #1, RAN node #2, and RAN node #3, which helps RAN nodes #1, #2, and #3 respond to the terminal device, restart process a, and send information to other RAN nodes to indicate the interruption and restart of process a, thereby reducing the resource waste caused by repeated restarts of process a.

[0193] In an optional implementation, the terminal device further receives second information from RAN node #1. This second information indicates a first time point and / or a first duration. The first time point and / or first duration are as described in S402 above and will not be repeated here. Therefore, the terminal device sends random access requests to RAN nodes #1, #2, and #3, including: sending random access requests to RAN nodes #1, #2, and #3 based on the first time point and / or the first duration. The implementation of this method can refer to the implementation in S402 above, where the terminal device sends first information to one or more first network devices based on the first time point and / or the first duration, and will not be repeated here.

[0194] In another optional implementation, the terminal device decides on its own to send a random access request to RAN node #1, RAN node #2 and RAN node #3 at a certain time. The implementation method can be found in the above-described S402, which describes the implementation method of the terminal device sending first information to one or more first network devices, and will not be repeated here.

[0195] In an optional implementation, the terminal device further receives paging messages from RAN node #1, RAN node #2 and RAN node #3 respectively. The paging message includes an identifier of process a. The identifier of process a is used to indicate that RAN node #1, RAN node #2 and RAN node #3 have obtained the context parameters of process a. The implementation method can refer to the description in S402 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0196] S505.RAN node #2 restarts process a based on the context parameters of process a; the terminal device restarts process a based on the context parameters of process a.

[0197] In this process, RAN node #2 and the terminal device restart process a based on the context parameters of process a. The implementation method of S403 described above can be referred to, and will not be repeated here.

[0198] In an optional implementation, RAN node #2 also receives context parameters of process a from RAN node #1. Correspondingly, RAN node #1 sends the context parameters of process a to RAN node #2. RAN node #1 may proactively send the context parameters of process a to RAN node #2, or it may send the context parameters of process a to RAN node #2 after receiving a request from RAN node #2. Specific implementation details can be found in S403 above and will not be repeated here.

[0199] S506. RAN node #2 sends third information to RAN node #1 and RAN node #3 respectively based on the identifiers of RAN node #1 and RAN node #3. The third information is used to indicate the interruption to restart the first process.

[0200] Specifically, based on the identifiers of RAN Node #1 and RAN Node #3 indicated by the random access request, RAN Node #2 sends third information to RAN Node #1 and RAN Node #3 respectively, to instruct RAN Node #1 and RAN Node #3 to interrupt the restart of process a, that is, to stop executing the process of restarting process a, thereby reducing the probability of process a being restarted multiple times and reducing resource waste.

[0201] As can be seen, in this method, the terminal device and RAN node #1 execute process a and determine the identifier of process a. If process a is interrupted, the terminal device initiates random access to RAN nodes #1, #2, and #3 that can currently provide services to the terminal device, and indicates the identifier of process a through the random access request, thus informing the need to restart process a. RAN node #2 among RAN nodes #1, #2, and #3 responds to the terminal device and restarts process a based on the context parameters of process a, allowing process a to continue execution. When process a is a user plane process, this facilitates the continued execution of the user plane process, thereby enabling the terminal device to complete the user plane process in a timely manner and improve service quality. When process a is a control plane process, this facilitates the continued execution of the control plane process, thereby enabling the terminal device to complete the control plane process in a timely manner, update control plane information, and improve communication quality.

[0202] In addition, RAN node #2 sends information to RAN node #1 and RAN node #3 respectively to indicate the restart of interrupted process a, so that process a is not redundantly restarted and resources are reduced.

[0203] This application also provides a communication method 2000, and Figure 6 is an interactive schematic diagram of the communication method 2000. The communication method 2000 is described from the perspective of the interaction between a terminal device, a fourth network device, and a third network device. The communication method 2000 includes, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0204] S601. When the cell handover conditions are met, the fourth network device sends a handover request to the third network device. The handover request requests the terminal device to hand over to the third network device, and includes identifiers of one or more fifth processes. The identifiers of the one or more fifth processes indicate that context parameters of one or more fifth processes need to be obtained. Accordingly, the third network device receives the handover request from the fourth network device.

[0205] In this context, the fourth network device is the RAN node currently providing services to the terminal device, and the radio resource control (RRC) connection between the fourth network device and the terminal device is not released. The third network device is the target RAN node to which the terminal device is to be handed over, or it can be the core network node to which the target RAN node belongs, such as an AMF network element. When the third network device is the core network node to which the target RAN node belongs, the fourth network device sends a handover request to the target RAN node, and the target RAN node then forwards the handover request to the core network node to which it belongs.

[0206] Additionally, cell handover conditions refer to the conditions under which the terminal device performs a handover to the third network device. For example, the signal quality of the third network device may be greater than a preset value. One or more fifth processes are processes that have been interrupted in the processes already executed by the fourth network device and the terminal device, or processes that are about to be interrupted in the processes already executed. Therefore, one or more fifth processes are processes that need to obtain context parameters.

[0207] As can be seen, when the cell handover conditions for the terminal device to hand over to the third network device are met, the fourth network device sends a handover request to the third network device to request the terminal device to hand over to the third network device. In addition, the fourth network device also indicates to the third network device, through the handover request, the identifiers of one or more fifth processes that need to obtain context parameters. This allows the third network device, while permitting the terminal device to hand over to itself, to obtain the context parameters of one or more fifth processes based on the identifiers of the one or more fifth processes indicated in the handover request. This facilitates the terminal device's ability to request the third network device to restart one or more processes within the fifth processes after handing over.

[0208] S602. The third network device sends a first handover command to the fourth network device. The first handover command is used to indicate that the terminal device is allowed to hand over to the third network device. The first handover command includes the identifiers of one or more second processes, which are processes among one or more fifth processes in which the third network device has obtained context parameters. Accordingly, the fourth network device receives the first handover command from the third network device.

[0209] As can be seen, the third network device, under the condition that the terminal device is allowed to switch to it, instructs the terminal device to switch to the third network device through the first handover command. In addition, the third network device also uses the first handover command to feed back to the fourth network device the context parameters of one or more second processes in one or more fifth processes.

[0210] In one optional implementation, the third network device further acquires context parameters of one or more second processes. In one possible approach, the third network device may acquire the context parameters of one or more second processes from a fourth network device. For example, the third network device receives context parameters of one or more second processes from the fourth network device. These context parameters may be sent proactively by the fourth network device to the third network device, or they may be sent after receiving a request from the third network device. For example, the third network device sends a request to the fourth network device to acquire context parameters of one or more second processes; upon receiving this request, the fourth network device sends identifiers of the one or more second processes to the third network device.

[0211] S603. The fourth network device sends a second handover command to the terminal device, the second handover command instructing the terminal device to hand over to the third network device, the second handover command including the identifiers of one or more second processes. Accordingly, the terminal device receives the second handover command from the fourth network device.

[0212] One or more second processes may include the first process.

[0213] As can be seen, the fourth network device instructs the terminal device to switch to the third network device via the second handover command. Furthermore, the fourth network device also uses the second handover command to indicate to the terminal device that the third network device has obtained the identifiers of one or more second processes from the context parameters. This facilitates the terminal device requesting the third network device to restart one or more processes within the second processes after switching to the third network device.

[0214] S604. The terminal device determines whether to perform a handover to the third network device based on the second handover command.

[0215] Understandably, the terminal device can determine whether to perform a handover to the third network device based on the handover command in various ways, and there is no limitation on this. In one possible way, the terminal device determines whether to perform a handover to the third network device based on the handover command, including: determining to perform a handover to the third network device if the number of identifiers of one or more second processes is greater than or equal to a first preset value; and determining not to perform a handover to the third network device if the number of identifiers of one or more second processes is less than the first preset value. The first preset value may be preset by the terminal device or configured by the fourth network device for the terminal device; this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0216] If the number of identifiers for one or more second processes is greater than or equal to a first preset value, it indicates that the third network device has obtained context parameters for a relatively large number of processes. If the terminal device switches to the third network device, the third network device can restart a relatively large number of processes for the terminal device. Therefore, the terminal device decides to switch to the third network device, which can improve the success rate of subsequent process restarts. If the number of identifiers for one or more second processes is less than the first preset value, it indicates that the third network device has obtained context parameters for a relatively small number of processes. If the terminal device switches to the third network device, the third network device may not be able to restart a relatively large number of processes for the terminal device. Therefore, the terminal device decides not to switch to the third network device.

[0217] In another possible approach, the terminal device determines whether to perform a handover to a third network device based on the handover command, including: determining to perform a handover to a third network device when one or more second processes include a sixth process; and determining not to perform a handover to a third network device when one or more second processes do not include a sixth process. Here, the sixth process is the process that the terminal device expects to restart, such as the first process in communication method 1000.

[0218] If one or more second processes include the sixth process, it indicates that the third network device is prepared to restart the process that the terminal device expects to restart. If the terminal device switches to the third network device, the third network device can restart the sixth process for the terminal device. Therefore, the terminal device's decision to switch to the third network device increases the probability that the sixth process will be successfully restarted. If one or more second processes do not include the sixth process, it indicates that the third network device is not prepared to restart the process that the terminal device expects to restart. If the terminal device switches to the third network device, the third network device cannot restart the sixth process for the terminal device. Therefore, the terminal device decides not to switch to the third network device.

[0219] In one optional implementation, if the terminal device determines that it needs to perform a handover to the third network device, it may request the third network device to restart one or more processes in the second process. This allows interrupted processes to continue execution, thereby facilitating the terminal device's timely completion of user plane procedures and improving service quality, or enabling the terminal device to timely complete control plane procedures, update control plane information, and improve communication quality. For example, the terminal device sends first information to the third network device, the first information indicating the identifier of the first process. This identifier indicates that the first process needs to be restarted. Thus, the third network device can restart the first process for the terminal device, allowing it to continue execution.

[0220] In one alternative implementation, when the terminal device determines that it is to perform a handover to a third network device, it switches from the fourth network device to the third network device to improve the continuity of communication.

[0221] As can be seen, in this method, when the cell handover conditions are met, the fourth network device providing services to the terminal device, through a handover request to request the terminal device to hand over to the third network device, indicates to the target network device (the third network device) that it needs to obtain the context parameters of one or more fifth processes. Then, the third network device, through a first handover command allowing the terminal device to hand over to the third network device, indicates to the fourth network device one or more second processes among the one or more fifth processes that have obtained the context parameters. Furthermore, the fourth network device, through a second handover command instructing the terminal device to hand over to the third network device, indicates to the terminal device one or more second processes of the third network device that have obtained the context parameters. Therefore, the terminal device can determine whether to perform a handover to the third network device based on the second handover command, which helps improve the success rate of subsequent restart processes of the terminal device, thereby enabling interrupted processes to continue execution. This facilitates the timely completion of user plane procedures by the terminal device, improving service quality, or facilitates the timely completion of control plane procedures by the terminal device, updating control plane information, and improving communication quality.

[0222] In this embodiment of the application, communication method 2000 can be implemented in conjunction with communication method 1000. For example, in communication method 1000, if the first network device that restarts the first process is the network device currently providing services to the terminal device, then the first network device can send a switching command to the terminal device. The switching command is used to instruct the terminal device that the target network device (third network device) to be switched to has obtained one or more second processes with context parameters. Thus, the terminal device determines whether to perform a switch to the third network device according to the switching command, so that if the third network device is able to restart the required process for the terminal device, it determines to perform a switch to the third network device.

[0223] In addition, other implementation methods of communication method 2000 combined with communication method 1000 can be found in the descriptions of communication method 1000 and communication method 2000, and will not be repeated here.

[0224] This application also provides a communication method 3000, and Figure 7 is an interactive schematic diagram of the communication method 3000. The communication method 3000 is described from the perspective of the interaction between a terminal device and a third network device. The communication method 3000 includes, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0225] S701. The terminal device sends a registration area update request to the third network device. The registration area update request includes the identifiers of one or more third processes, which indicate that context parameters of one or more third processes need to be obtained. Correspondingly, the third network device receives the registration area update request from the terminal device.

[0226] The third network device is a network device that can provide services to the terminal device; for example, the third network device is the target network device to which the terminal device is to be switched. The third network device can be a RAN node or the core network node to which the RAN node belongs. The registration area update request is used to request an update to the tracking list.

[0227] Additionally, the terminal device sends a registration area update request to the third network device, including sending the registration area update request to the third network device when the RRC connection with the fourth network device has been released. The fourth network device is the source RAN node of the terminal device, such as the source base station.

[0228] As can be seen, when the RRC connection between the terminal device and the source network device has been released, the terminal device sends a Registration Area Update Request to the third network device to request an update to the tracking list. The Registration Area Update Request indicates the need to obtain context parameters of one or more third processes, enabling the third network device to obtain the context parameters of processes within those one or more third processes. These one or more third processes are processes that have been interrupted from those already executed by the terminal device and the fourth network device.

[0229] S702. The third network device sends the identifiers of one or more fourth processes to the terminal device, wherein the one or more fourth processes are processes in the one or more third processes in which the third network device has obtained context parameters.

[0230] In one alternative implementation, the third network device obtains context parameters of one or more fourth processes. For example, when the third network device is a RAN node, the core network node to which it belongs, such as an AMF network element, obtains context parameters of one or more fourth processes.

[0231] In one optional implementation, the third network device obtains context parameters of one or more fourth processes from the fourth network device, for example, the third network device receives context parameters of one or more fourth processes from the fourth network device. Optionally, before receiving the context parameters of one or more fourth processes from the fourth network device, the third network device sends a request message to the fourth network device to request the acquisition of context parameters of one or more fourth processes.

[0232] In one optional implementation, if the identifier of a process that has obtained context parameters in one or more third processes is the same as the identifier of a process that the third network device already knows, then the third network device reassigns an identifier to the process that has obtained context parameters in the one or more third processes and indicates the reassigned identifier to the terminal device. In this mode, the identifiers of the one or more fourth processes are reassigned by the third network device for the one or more fourth processes.

[0233] As can be seen, in this method, the terminal device, through a registration area update request, indicates to the third network device that it needs to obtain the context parameters of one or more third processes. Consequently, the third network device indicates to the terminal device the identifiers of one or more fourth processes that have already obtained their context parameters. This facilitates the terminal device's subsequent request to the third network device to restart any one of the one or more fourth processes, increasing the success rate of process restarts. This allows interrupted processes to continue execution, enabling the terminal device to complete user plane procedures promptly, improving service quality, or to complete control plane procedures promptly, update control plane information, and improve communication quality.

[0234] In this embodiment, communication method 3000 can be implemented in conjunction with communication method 1000. For example, in communication method 1000, if the first network device that restarts the first process is a network device that can provide services to the terminal device in a scenario where the RRC connection between the terminal device and the source network device has been released, then the terminal device can also send a registration area update request to the first network device to indicate that it needs to obtain the context parameters of one or more third processes, and receive the identifiers of one or more fourth processes that have obtained the context parameters from the first network device. This facilitates the terminal device's subsequent request to the first network device to restart some of the one or more fourth processes, thereby improving the success rate of process restart.

[0235] In addition, other implementation methods of communication method 3000 combined with communication method 1000 can be found in the descriptions of communication method 1000 and communication method 3000, and will not be repeated here.

[0236] The following section further describes the corresponding device implementation scheme in relation to the technical solution described above.

[0237] To achieve the functions of the methods provided in the embodiments of this application, the terminal-side device and the network-side device may include hardware structures and / or software modules, implementing the above functions in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules. Whether a particular function is executed in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0238] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 8000 provided in this application. The device 8000 may include modules corresponding to the methods / operations / steps / actions described in any of the embodiments of communication methods 1000 to 3000. These modules may be hardware circuits, software, or a combination of hardware circuits and software.

[0239] The communication device 8000 includes a communication unit 8001 and a processing unit 8002, used to implement the methods executed by the various devices in the aforementioned embodiments. The communication unit 8001 is also called a transceiver unit, which includes a sending unit and a receiving unit. The sending unit is used to send signals, and the receiving unit is used to receive signals.

[0240] In one possible implementation, the device 8000 is, for example, a terminal device. Specifically, the processing unit 8002 is configured to acquire the identifier of the first process. The processing unit 8002 is also configured to, in the event that the first process is interrupted, send first information to one or more first network devices, the first information indicating the identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process indicating that the first process needs to be restarted.

[0241] In the communication method implemented by the device 8000, the terminal device actively indicates the identifier of the first process to one or more first network devices to inform that the first process needs to be restarted, so that any one of the one or more first network devices can restart the first process for the terminal device. This allows the first process to continue to be executed, which is conducive to timely completion of the user plane process of the terminal device and improvement of service quality, or to timely completion of the control plane process of the terminal device, update of control plane information, and improvement of communication quality.

[0242] In one possible embodiment, the communication unit 8001 is further configured to receive second information from a second network device, the second information indicating a first time point and / or a first duration, the first time point representing a process restart triggered no earlier than the first time point, the first duration representing a process restart triggered no earlier than a time point after the first duration, the second network device being a network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted; the communication unit 8001 sends first information to one or more first network devices, including: sending the first information to the one or more first network devices according to the first time point and / or the first duration.

[0243] In one possible manner, the communication unit 8001 sends first information to one or more first network devices, including: sending first information to multiple first network devices; the first information is further used to indicate the respective identifiers of the multiple first network devices.

[0244] In one possible approach, the processing unit 8002 acquires the identifier of the first process by: receiving the identifier of the first process from a second network device; the second network device being a network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted.

[0245] In another possible approach, the processing unit 8002 obtains the identifier of the first process, including generating the identifier of the first process; the communication unit 8001 is further configured to send the identifier of the first process to a second network device, the second network device being a network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted.

[0246] In one possible embodiment, the communication unit 8001 is further configured to receive paging messages from the one or more first network devices, the paging messages including an identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process being used to characterize that the one or more first network devices have obtained the context parameters of the first process.

[0247] In one possible embodiment, the processing unit 8002 is further configured to: receive a handover command, the handover command indicating a handover to a third network device, the handover command including the identifiers of one or more second processes, the one or more second processes including the first process, the one or more second processes being processes for which the third network device has obtained context parameters; and determine whether to perform a handover to the third network device based on the handover command.

[0248] In another possible manner, the communication unit 8001 is further configured to: send a registration area update request to a third network device, the registration area update request including the identifiers of one or more third processes, the identifiers of the one or more third processes being used to characterize the need to obtain the context parameters of the one or more third processes, the third network device being the target network device to be switched; and receive the identifiers of one or more fourth processes from the third network device, the one or more fourth processes being the processes among the one or more third processes in which the third network device has already obtained the context parameters.

[0249] In one possible approach, the processing unit 8002 is further configured to restart the first process based on the context parameters of the first process.

[0250] In another possible implementation, the device 8000 may be, for example, a first network device. Specifically, the communication unit 8001 is configured to receive first information from a terminal device, the first information indicating the identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process indicating that the first process needs to be restarted. The processing unit 8002 is configured to restart the first process based on the context parameters of the first process.

[0251] In the communication method implemented by the device 8000, the first network device learns that the first process needs to be restarted by the identifier of the first process indicated by the first information, and then restarts the first process for the terminal device based on the context parameters of the first process, so that the first process can continue to be executed. This is beneficial for timely completion of the user plane process of the terminal device and improving service quality, or for timely completion of the control plane process of the terminal device, updating control plane information and improving communication quality.

[0252] In one possible approach, the first information is further used to indicate the respective identifiers of multiple first network devices, and the processing unit 8002 is further used to send third information based on the first information, the third information being used to indicate an interruption to restart the first process.

[0253] In one possible approach, the first network device is the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, and the communication unit 8001 is further configured to send second information to the terminal device, the second information being used to indicate a first time point and / or a first duration; the first time point being used to characterize the restart of the process triggered no earlier than the first time point, and the first duration being used to characterize the restart of the process triggered no earlier than a time point after the first duration.

[0254] In one possible approach, the first network device is the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, and the processing unit 8002 is further configured to: generate an identifier of the first process; and send the identifier of the first process to the terminal device.

[0255] In another possible approach, the first network device is a network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, and the communication unit 8001 is also used to receive the identifier of the first process from the terminal device.

[0256] In one possible embodiment, the communication unit 8001 is further configured to send a paging message, the paging message including an identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process being used to characterize that the first network device has obtained the context parameters of the first process.

[0257] In another possible approach, the communication unit 8001 is also used to send a handover command, the handover command being used to indicate a handover to a third network device, the handover command including the identifier of one or more second processes, the one or more second processes including the first process, the one or more second processes being processes of the third network device that have obtained context parameters.

[0258] In another possible approach, the first network device is the target network device to be switched to by the terminal device, and the communication unit 8001 is further configured to: receive a registration area update request from the terminal device, the registration area update request including the identifiers of one or more third processes, the identifiers of the one or more third processes being used to characterize the need to obtain the context parameters of the one or more third processes; and send the identifiers of one or more fourth processes to the terminal device, the one or more fourth processes being the processes among the one or more third processes for which the first network device has already obtained the context parameters.

[0259] In one possible embodiment, the communication unit 8001 is further configured to receive context parameters of the first process from a second network device; the second network device is a network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted.

[0260] In one possible implementation, when the communication device 8000 is a chip, the chip includes a transceiver unit and a processing unit. The transceiver unit can be an input / output circuit or a communication interface; the processing unit is a processor, microprocessor, integrated circuit, or logic circuit integrated on the chip.

[0261] This application also provides a communication device 9000. Please refer to Figure 9, which is a schematic diagram of another communication device. The communication device 9000 can be used to perform the steps executed by the terminal device or network device in the above method embodiments, and can be referred to the relevant descriptions in the above method embodiments.

[0262] The communication device 9000 includes a processor 9001. Optionally, the communication device 9000 may also include a memory 9002 and a transceiver 9003.

[0263] In one possible implementation, the processor 9001, memory 9002, and transceiver 9003 are connected via a bus, and the memory stores computer instructions. Optionally, the processor 9001 and memory 9002 can also be integrated together.

[0264] Optionally, the processing unit 8002 in the foregoing embodiments may specifically be the processor 9001 in this embodiment, therefore the specific implementation of the processor 9001 will not be described in detail. The communication unit 8001 in the foregoing embodiments may specifically be the transceiver 9003 in this embodiment, therefore the specific implementation of the transceiver 9003 will not be described in detail.

[0265] In this application, the processor can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components, capable of implementing or executing the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in this application. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in this application can be directly manifested as being executed by a hardware processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0266] In this application, the memory can be non-volatile memory, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD), or it can be volatile memory, such as random-access memory (RAM). Memory is any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures, and accessible by a computer, but is not limited to this. The memory in this application can also be a circuit or any other device capable of implementing storage functions for storing program instructions and / or data.

[0267] This application provides another communication device, which includes a processor and an interface. Optionally, it also includes a memory, with the processor coupled to the memory, the processor being used to read and execute computer instructions stored in the memory to implement the communication methods as shown in the embodiments of communication methods 1000 to 3000.

[0268] This application also provides a communication system including a terminal device and a network device. The terminal device is used to perform all or part of the steps performed by the terminal device in the preceding embodiments. The network device is used to perform all or part of the steps performed by the first network device, the third network device, and the fourth network device in the preceding embodiments. In another possible design, the system may further include other devices / functional network elements that interact with at least one of the terminal device and the network device.

[0269] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium stores a program or instructions. When the instructions are executed on a communication device, the communication methods shown in the embodiments of communication methods 1000 to 3000 are implemented.

[0270] This application provides a computer program product. The computer program product includes instructions. When the instructions are executed on a communication device, they implement the communication methods shown in the embodiments of communication methods 1000 to 3000.

[0271] This application provides a chip or chip system including at least one processor and an interface, the interface and at least one processor being interconnected via a line, the at least one processor being used to run computer programs or instructions to perform communication methods as shown in the embodiments of communication methods 1000 to 3000.

[0272] The interfaces in the chip can be input / output interfaces, pins, or circuits, etc.

[0273] The aforementioned chip system can be a system on chip (SOC) or a baseband chip, etc. The baseband chip may include a processor, channel encoder, digital signal processor, modem and interface module, etc.

[0274] In one implementation, the chip or chip system described above in this application further includes at least one memory, which stores instructions. The memory can be an internal storage unit of the chip, such as a register or cache, or it can be a storage unit of the chip itself (e.g., read-only memory, random access memory, etc.).

[0275] The technical solutions provided in this application can be implemented in whole or in part through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, they can be implemented in whole or in part as a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a terminal, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., digital video discs (DVDs)), or semiconductor media, etc.

[0276] In this application, embodiments may reference each other without logical contradiction. For example, methods and / or terms may reference each other in method embodiments, functions and / or terms may reference each other in device embodiments, and functions and / or terms may reference each other between device embodiments and method embodiments.

[0277] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the scope of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a terminal device, and the method includes: Get the identifier of the first process; In the event that the first process is interrupted, first information is sent to one or more first network devices, the first information being used to indicate the identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process being used to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The system receives second information from a second network device, the second information being used to indicate a first time point and / or a first duration, the first time point being used to characterize the restart of the process triggered no earlier than the first time point, the first duration being used to characterize the restart of the process triggered no earlier than a time point after the first duration, and the second network device being a network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted. Sending the first information to one or more first network devices includes: The first information is sent to one or more first network devices based on the first time point and / or the first duration.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Sending the first information to one or more first network devices includes: Send first information to multiple first network devices; The first information is also used to indicate the respective identifiers of the plurality of first network devices.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the identifier of the first process includes: Receive the identifier of the first process from the second network device; The second network device is the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the identifier of the first process includes: Generate the identifier for the first process; The method further includes: The identifier of the first process is sent to a second network device, which was the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: Each device receives a paging message from one or more first network devices, the paging message including an identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process being used to indicate that the one or more first network devices have obtained the context parameters of the first process.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive a handover command, the handover command being used to indicate a handover to a third network device, the handover command including the identifier of one or more second processes, the one or more second processes including the first process, the one or more second processes being processes of the third network device that have obtained context parameters; Based on the handover command, determine whether to perform a handover to the third network device.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a registration area update request to a third network device. The registration area update request includes the identifiers of one or more third processes. The identifiers of the one or more third processes are used to indicate that the context parameters of the one or more third processes need to be obtained. The third network device is the target network device to be switched. Receive the identifier of one or more fourth processes from the third network device, wherein the one or more fourth processes are processes among the one or more third processes in which the third network device has obtained context parameters.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: Restart the first process based on the context parameters of the first process.

10. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a first network device, and the method includes: Receive first information from the terminal device, the first information being used to indicate the identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process being used to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted; Restart the first process based on the context parameters of the first process.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The first information is also used to indicate the respective identifiers of the plurality of first network devices, and the method further includes: Based on the first information, a third information is sent, which is used to indicate an interruption to restart the first process.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The first network device is the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, and the method further includes: Send second information to the terminal device, the second information being used to indicate a first time point and / or a first duration; The first time point is used to characterize the restart of the process triggered no earlier than the first time point, and the first duration is used to characterize the restart of the process triggered no earlier than a time point after the first duration.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, The first network device is the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, and the method further includes: Generate the identifier for the first process; The identifier of the first process is sent to the terminal device.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that, The first network device is the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted, and the method further includes: Receive the identifier of the first process from the terminal device.

15. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a paging message, the paging message including the identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process being used to indicate that the first network device has obtained the context parameters of the first process.

16. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that, The method further includes: A handover command is sent to indicate a handover to a third network device. The handover command includes the identifiers of one or more second processes, which include the first process. The one or more second processes are processes of the third network device that have obtained context parameters.

17. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that, The first network device is the target network device to be switched to by the terminal device, and the method further includes: Receive a registration area update request from the terminal device, the registration area update request including the identifiers of one or more third processes, the identifiers of the one or more third processes being used to indicate that context parameters of the one or more third processes need to be obtained; Send the identifier of one or more fourth processes to the terminal device, wherein the one or more fourth processes are the processes among the one or more third processes for which the first network device has obtained context parameters.

18. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive context parameters from the first process of the second network device; The second network device is the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted.

19. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes: A processing unit is used to obtain the identifier of the first process; The processing unit is further configured to send first information to one or more first network devices when the first process is interrupted, the first information being used to indicate the identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process being used to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that, The communication device further includes: A communication unit is configured to receive second information from a second network device, the second information being used to indicate a first time point and / or a first duration, the first time point being used to characterize a process restart triggered no earlier than the first time point, the first duration being used to characterize a process restart triggered no earlier than a time point after the first duration, and the second network device being a network device that provided services to the communication device before the first process was interrupted. The processing unit sends first information to one or more first network devices, specifically for: The first information is sent to one or more first network devices based on the first time point and / or the first duration.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that, The processing unit sends first information to one or more first network devices, specifically for: Send first information to multiple first network devices; The first information is also used to indicate the respective identifiers of the plurality of first network devices.

22. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that, The processing unit obtains the identifier of the first process, specifically for: Receive the identifier of the first process from the second network device; The second network device is the network device that provided services to the communication device before the first process was interrupted.

23. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that, The processing unit obtains the identifier of the first process, specifically for: Generate the identifier for the first process; The processing unit is also used for: The identifier of the first process is sent to a second network device, which was the network device that provided services to the communication device before the first process was interrupted.

24. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 23, characterized in that, The communication unit is further configured to receive paging messages from the one or more first network devices, the paging messages including the identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process being used to indicate that the one or more first network devices have obtained the context parameters of the first process.

25. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 23, characterized in that, The communication unit is also configured to receive a handover command, the handover command being used to indicate a handover to a third network device, the handover command including the identifier of one or more second processes, the one or more second processes including the first process, and the one or more second processes being processes of the third network device that have obtained context parameters; The processing unit is further configured to determine whether to perform a handover to the third network device based on the handover command.

26. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 23, characterized in that, The communication unit is further used for: Send a registration area update request to a third network device. The registration area update request includes the identifiers of one or more third processes. The identifiers of the one or more third processes are used to indicate that the context parameters of the one or more third processes need to be obtained. The third network device is the target network device to be switched. Receive the identifier of one or more fourth processes from the third network device, wherein the one or more fourth processes are processes among the one or more third processes in which the third network device has obtained context parameters.

27. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 26, characterized in that, The processing unit is further configured to restart the first process based on the context parameters of the first process.

28. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes: A communication unit is configured to receive first information from a terminal device, the first information being used to indicate the identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process being used to indicate that the first process needs to be restarted; The processing unit is configured to restart the first process based on the context parameters of the first process.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, characterized in that, The first information is also used to indicate the respective identifiers of the multiple network devices; The processing unit is further configured to send third information based on the first information, the third information being used to indicate an interruption to restart the first process.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28 or 29, characterized in that, The device is a network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted. The communication unit is further configured to send second information to the terminal device, the second information being used to indicate a first time point and / or a first duration; The first time point is used to characterize the restart of the process triggered no earlier than the first time point, and the first duration is used to characterize the restart of the process triggered no earlier than a time point after the first duration.

31. The apparatus according to any one of claims 28 to 30, characterized in that, The device is a network device that provides services to the terminal device before the first process is interrupted, and the processing unit is further configured to: Generate the identifier for the first process; The identifier of the first process is sent to the terminal device.

32. The apparatus according to any one of claims 28 to 30, characterized in that, The device is a network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted. The communication unit is also configured to receive the identifier of the first process from the terminal device.

33. The apparatus according to any one of claims 28 to 32, characterized in that, The communication unit is further configured to send a paging message, the paging message including the identifier of the first process, the identifier of the first process being used to indicate that the first network device has obtained the context parameters of the first process.

34. The apparatus according to any one of claims 28 to 32, characterized in that, The communication unit is further configured to send a handover command, the handover command being used to indicate a handover to a third network device, the handover command including the identifier of one or more second processes, the one or more second processes including the first process, the one or more second processes being processes of the third network device that have obtained context parameters.

35. The apparatus according to any one of claims 28 to 32, characterized in that, The device is the target network device to be switched by the terminal device, and the communication unit is further used for: Receive a registration area update request from the terminal device, the registration area update request including the identifiers of one or more third processes, the identifiers of the one or more third processes being used to indicate that context parameters of the one or more third processes need to be obtained; Send the identifier of one or more fourth processes to the terminal device, wherein the one or more fourth processes are the processes among the one or more third processes in which the third network device has obtained context parameters.

36. The apparatus according to claim 28 or 29, characterized in that, The communication unit is also configured to receive context parameters from the first process of the second network device; The second network device is the network device that provided services to the terminal device before the first process was interrupted.

37. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a processor configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, or configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 10 to 18.

38. A chip, characterized in that, It includes at least one processor, the processor being configured to execute instructions to cause a communication device including the chip to perform a communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, or to perform a communication method as described in any one of claims 10 to 18.

39. The chip according to claim 38, characterized in that, The chip also includes an interface circuit for receiving the executed instructions and transmitting them to the processor.

40. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium is used to store instructions that, when executed on a communication device, implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, or implement the method according to any one of claims 10 to 18.

41. A computer program product containing instructions, characterized in that, When the instructions are executed on the communication device, they implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, or the method according to any one of claims 10 to 18.

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