Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

Provided are a communication method and apparatus. The method comprises: receiving first information from a second network apparatus, wherein the first information is used for indicating a first measurement result and the location of the second network apparatus, the first measurement result being obtained by means of measuring a reference signal from a third network apparatus; and sending second information to a terminal, wherein the second information is used for indicating the location of the third network apparatus, the location of the third network apparatus being determined on the basis of the first information, and the location of the third network apparatus being used for determining the location of the terminal. The method is conducive to avoiding an observation error caused by visual observation of a third network apparatus, which is thus conducive to improving the accuracy of the location of the third network apparatus, and the higher the accuracy of the location of the third network apparatus, the higher the location of a terminal that is determined on the basis of the location of the third network apparatus.

Description

A communication method and apparatus

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510060688.0, filed on January 13, 2025, 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 communications, and more particularly to a communication method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] Non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) offer advantages such as wide coverage and flexible network configuration. Within an NTN, satellite communication and satellite positioning may have different requirements in terms of signal strength, timing, number of satellites, and satellite distribution. Therefore, the satellites used for communication and those used for navigation may be different. For example, satellite communication may rely on low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, while satellite positioning may rely on medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites and geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellites. GEO satellites can also be called geostationary orbit satellites or high-orbit satellites.

[0004] In satellite positioning technology, a terminal can determine its location by measuring reference signals from satellites (such as GEO or MEO satellites), such as measuring the arrival time of the reference signals, and based on the above information and the position of the satellites.

[0005] Currently, the terminal determines the satellite's position based on ephemeris information broadcast by the satellite. However, the ephemeris information is uploaded to the satellite by ground monitoring stations after observing the satellite. Therefore, the ephemeris information may contain errors, which may affect the estimation of the terminal's position. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a communication method and apparatus aimed at reducing satellite position errors, thereby minimizing the impact on terminal position estimation.

[0007] Firstly, this application provides a communication method that can be executed by a first network device. The first network device can be a core network device, a component configured within the core network device (such as a chip, chip system, processor, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the core network device's functions; this application does not limit its scope in this regard. The aforementioned core network device can, for example, be a location management function (LMF) network element, or an LMF entity, or an LMF functional entity, or a positioning server, etc.; this application does not limit its scope in this regard either.

[0008] For example, the method includes: receiving first information from a second network device, the first information indicating a first measurement result and the location of the second network device, the first measurement result being obtained by measuring a reference signal from a third network device; and sending second information to a terminal, the second information indicating the location of the third network device, the location of the third network device being determined based on the first information, the location of the third network device being used to determine the location of the terminal. The first information may be, for example, information 1 as described below, and the second information may be, for example, information 2 as described below. The first measurement result may be, for example, measurement result 1 as described below.

[0009] The aforementioned second network device may be, for example, an LEO satellite (which may integrate / deploy radio access network (RAN) equipment (hereinafter referred to as access network equipment) or some access network equipment functions), or a component configured in the LEO satellite (such as a chip, chip system, processor, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of realizing all or part of the LEO satellite functions. This application does not limit this.

[0010] The aforementioned third network device may be, for example, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellite (such as a GEO or MEO satellite), a component configured within a GNSS satellite (such as a chip, chip system, processor, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the GNSS satellite functions; this application does not limit this. The aforementioned GNSS satellite may integrate / deploy access network equipment or some access network equipment functions.

[0011] It is understood that the second and third network devices can also be understood as access network equipment (such as satellites that integrate access network equipment or some access network equipment functions). Similarly, the fourth network device described below can also be understood as access network equipment.

[0012] Among them, the aforementioned GNSS can be, for example, the Global Positioning System (GPS), the BeiDou system, or the Galileo system.

[0013] In the above scheme, the position of the third network device is determined by the position of the second network device and the measurement results obtained by the second network device from measuring the reference signal from the third network device. Compared with the method of determining the position of the third network device based on the ephemeris information observed by the ground monitoring station, the method provided in this application helps to avoid the observation error caused by visual observation of the third network device, thereby improving the accuracy of the position of the third network device. The higher the accuracy of the position of the third network device, the higher the position of the terminal determined based on the position of the third network device. In addition, both the second and third network devices are airborne devices. Therefore, the second network device is less likely to be blocked when receiving the reference signal from the third network device, and there is less multipath interference (such as reflection path). Therefore, it can be considered that the measurement result obtained by the second network device from measuring the reference signal from the third network device is smaller than that obtained by ground-based equipment. Therefore, the position of the third network device determined based on the measurement result of the second network device is more accurate.

[0014] In one possible design, the method further includes: receiving third information from the terminal, the third information being used to request calibration of the position of the third network device; and sending fourth information to the second network device, the fourth information being used to request measurement of a reference signal of the third network device. The third information may, for example, be information 3 as described below. The fourth information may, for example, be information 4 as described below.

[0015] In the above scheme, the terminal requests to calibrate the position of the third network device (e.g., when the terminal needs to locate, it requests to calibrate the position of the third network device), thereby triggering the second network device to measure the reference signal from the third network device. In this way, the second network device only measures the reference signal of the third network device when the terminal needs to calibrate the position of the third network device, which helps to reduce unnecessary overhead.

[0016] In one possible design, the first measurement result mentioned above includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the second network device measures the reference signal.

[0017] Secondly, this application provides a communication method that can be executed by a terminal, by a component configured in the terminal (such as a chip, chip system, processor, etc.), or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal's functions. This application does not limit the scope of the method.

[0018] For example, the method includes: receiving second information from a first network device, the second information indicating the location of a third network device, the location of the third network device being determined based on a first measurement result and the location of a second network device, the first measurement result being obtained by the second network device measuring a reference signal from the third network device; and determining the location of a terminal based on the second information and the second measurement result, the second measurement result being obtained by the terminal measuring the reference signal from the third network device. The first measurement result may be, for example, measurement result 1 as described below, the second measurement result may be, for example, measurement result 2 as described below, and the second information may be, for example, information 2 as described below.

[0019] In the above scheme, the position of the third network device is determined by the position of the second network device and the measurement results obtained by the second network device from measuring the reference signal from the third network device. The terminal's position is then determined based on this position. Compared to determining the position of the third network device based on ephemeris information obtained from ground monitoring stations, the method provided in this application helps avoid observation errors caused by visual observation of the third network device, thus improving the accuracy of the third network device's position. The higher the accuracy of the third network device's position, the higher the accuracy of the terminal's position determined based on it. Furthermore, since both the second and third network devices are airborne, the second network device is less prone to obstruction when receiving the reference signal from the third network device, and there is less multipath interference (such as reflection paths). Therefore, compared to ground-based equipment measuring the reference signal from the third network device, the measurement results obtained by the second network device have smaller errors. Consequently, the position of the third network device determined based on the measurement results of the second network device is more accurate.

[0020] In one possible design, the method further includes sending third information to the first network device, the third information being used to request calibration of the location of the third network device. This third information may, for example, be information 3 as described below.

[0021] In the above scheme, the terminal requests to calibrate the position of the third network device (e.g., when the terminal needs to locate, it requests to calibrate the position of the third network device) so as to trigger the second network device to measure the reference signal from the third network device. In this way, the second network device will only measure the reference signal of the third network device when the terminal needs to calibrate the position of the third network device, which helps to reduce unnecessary overhead.

[0022] In one possible design, the first or second measurement result mentioned above includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the reference signal from the third network device is measured by the second network device or terminal.

[0023] For example, the first measurement result includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the second network device measures the reference signal from the third network device; the second measurement result includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the terminal measures the reference signal from the third network device.

[0024] Thirdly, this application provides a communication method that can be executed by a second network device. The second network device may be an LEO satellite (which may integrate access network equipment or some access network equipment functions), a component configured in the LEO satellite (such as a chip, chip system, processor, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the LEO satellite functions; this application does not limit this.

[0025] For example, the method includes: measuring a reference signal from a third network device to obtain a first measurement result; sending first information to the first network device, the first information indicating the location of the first measurement result and the location of a second network device, the first information being used to determine the location of the third network device, the location of the third network device being used to determine the location of the terminal. The first measurement result may, for example, be measurement result 1 as described below, and the first information may, for example, information 1 as described below.

[0026] In the above scheme, the third network device can be located using the second network device. For example, the location of the third network device can be determined by the position of the second network device and the measurement results obtained by the second network device measuring the reference signal from the third network device. Compared to determining the location of the third network device based on ephemeris information obtained from ground monitoring stations, the method provided in this application helps avoid observation errors caused by visual observation of the third network device, thereby improving the accuracy of the third network device's location. The higher the accuracy of the third network device's location, the higher the accuracy of the terminal's location determined based on the third network device's location. In addition, both the second and third network devices are airborne devices. Therefore, the second network device is less prone to obstruction when receiving the reference signal from the third network device, and there is less multipath interference (such as reflection paths). Thus, it can be considered that the measurement results obtained by the second network device measuring the reference signal from the third network device have smaller errors than those obtained by ground-based devices measuring the reference signal from the third network device. Therefore, the accuracy of the location of the third network device determined based on the measurement results of the second network device is higher.

[0027] In one possible design, the method further includes receiving fourth information from the first network device, the fourth information being used to request measurement of a reference signal from the third network device. This fourth information may, for example, be information 4 as described below.

[0028] In one possible design, the first measurement result mentioned above includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the second network device measures the reference signal.

[0029] Fourthly, this application provides another communication method, which can be executed by a terminal, or by a component configured in the terminal (such as a chip, chip system, processor, etc.), or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal functions. This application does not limit the scope of this method.

[0030] For example, the method includes: receiving first information from a fourth network device, the first information indicating a first measurement result and the location of a second network device, the first measurement result being obtained by the second network device measuring a reference signal from a third network device; determining the location of the third network device based on the first information; and determining the location of a terminal based on the location of the third network device and the second measurement result, the second measurement result being obtained by the terminal measuring the reference signal from the third network device. The first information may, for example, be information 5 as described below. The first measurement result may, for example, be measurement result 3 as described below. The second measurement result may, for example, be measurement result 4 as described below.

[0031] In the above scheme, the position of the third network device is determined by the position of the second network device and the measurement results obtained by the second network device from measuring the reference signal from the third network device. Compared with the method of determining the position of the third network device based on the ephemeris information observed by the ground monitoring station, the method provided in this application helps to avoid the observation error caused by visual observation of the third network device, thereby improving the accuracy of the position of the third network device. The higher the accuracy of the position of the third network device, the higher the position of the terminal determined based on the position of the third network device. In addition, both the second and third network devices are airborne devices. Therefore, the second network device is less likely to be blocked when receiving the reference signal from the third network device, and there is less multipath interference (such as reflection path). Therefore, it can be considered that the measurement result obtained by the second network device from measuring the reference signal from the third network device is smaller than that obtained by ground-based equipment. Thus, the position accuracy of the third network device is higher.

[0032] In addition, in the above scheme, the terminal receives the first measurement result and the location of the second network device, and then calculates the location of the third network device. There is no need for the fourth network device to calculate the location of the third network device. The fourth network device only needs to forward the first measurement result and the location of the second network device to the terminal. This helps to reduce the latency for the terminal to obtain the above information and ensure the validity of the measurement results. In other words, the terminal can obtain the measurement results of the reference signal of the third network device by the second network device more quickly.

[0033] In one possible design, the method further includes: the terminal sending second information to a fourth network device, the second information being used to request calibration of the location of the third network device. This second information may, for example, be information 6 as described below.

[0034] In the above scheme, the terminal requests to calibrate the position of the third network device (e.g., when the terminal needs to locate, it requests to calibrate the position of the third network device) so as to trigger the second network device to measure the reference signal from the third network device. In this way, the second network device will only measure the reference signal of the third network device when the terminal needs to calibrate the position of the third network device, which helps to reduce unnecessary overhead.

[0035] In one possible design, the first or second measurement result mentioned above includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the reference signal from the third network device is measured by the second network device or terminal.

[0036] Fifthly, this application provides another communication method, which can be executed by a fourth network device. This fourth network device can be a service satellite (which may integrate access network equipment or some access network equipment functions), a component configured in the service satellite (such as a chip, chip system, processor, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the service satellite functions; this application does not limit this. The aforementioned service satellite can refer to a satellite that establishes a communication link with the terminal.

[0037] For example, the method includes: receiving first information from a second network device, the first information indicating a first measurement result and the location of the second network device, the first measurement result being obtained by measuring a reference signal from a third network device; and sending the first information to a terminal, the first information being used to determine the location of the third network device, the location of the third network device being used to determine the location of the terminal. The first information may, for example, be information 5 as described below. The first measurement result may, for example, be measurement result 3 as described below.

[0038] In the above scheme, the position of the third network device is determined by the position of the second network device and the measurement results obtained by the second network device from measuring the reference signal from the third network device. Compared with the method of determining the position of the third network device based on the ephemeris information observed by the ground monitoring station, the method provided in this application helps to avoid the observation error caused by visual observation of the third network device, thereby improving the accuracy of the position of the third network device. The higher the accuracy of the position of the third network device, the higher the position of the terminal determined based on the position of the third network device. In addition, both the second and third network devices are airborne devices. Therefore, the second network device is less likely to be blocked when receiving the reference signal from the third network device, and there is less multipath interference (such as reflection path). Therefore, it can be considered that the measurement result obtained by the second network device from measuring the reference signal from the third network device is smaller than that obtained by ground-based equipment. Thus, the position accuracy of the third network device is higher.

[0039] In one possible design, the method further includes: receiving second information from the terminal, the second information being used to request calibration of the position of the third network device; and sending third information to the second network device, the third information being used to request measurement of a reference signal of the third network device. The second information may, for example, be information 6 as described below, and the third information may, for example, be information 7 as described below.

[0040] In the above scheme, the terminal requests to calibrate the position of the third network device (e.g., when the terminal needs to locate, it requests to calibrate the position of the third network device), thereby triggering the second network device to measure the reference signal from the third network device. In this way, the second network device only measures the reference signal of the third network device when the terminal needs to calibrate the position of the third network device, which helps to reduce unnecessary overhead.

[0041] In one possible design, the first measurement result mentioned above includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the second network device measures the reference signal.

[0042] Sixthly, this application provides another communication method, which can be executed by a second network device. The second network device can be an LEO satellite (which can integrate all or part of the functions of access network equipment), a component configured in the LEO satellite (such as a chip, chip system, processor, etc.), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the LEO satellite; this application does not limit this.

[0043] For example, the method includes: measuring a reference signal from a third network device to obtain a first measurement result; sending first information to a fourth network device, the first information indicating the first measurement result and the location of a second network device, the first information being used to determine the location of the third network device, the location of the third network device being used to determine the location of the terminal. The first information may, for example, be information 5 as described below. The first measurement result may, for example, be measurement result 3 as described below.

[0044] In the above scheme, the third network device can be located using the second network device. For example, the location of the third network device can be determined by the position of the second network device and the measurement results obtained by the second network device measuring the reference signal from the third network device. Compared to obtaining ephemeris information from a ground monitoring station and then determining the location of the third network device based on the ephemeris information, the method provided in this application helps to avoid observation errors caused by visual observation of the third network device, thereby improving the accuracy of the third network device's position. The higher the accuracy of the third network device's position, the higher the position of the terminal determined based on the position of the third network device. In addition, both the second and third network devices are airborne devices. Therefore, the second network device is less prone to obstruction when receiving the reference signal from the third network device, and there is less multipath interference (such as reflection paths). Therefore, it can be considered that the measurement result obtained by the second network device measuring the reference signal from the third network device has a smaller error than that obtained by ground-based equipment measuring the reference signal from the third network device. Thus, the position accuracy of the third network device is higher.

[0045] In one possible design, the method further includes receiving third information from a fourth network device, the third information being used to request measurement of a reference signal from the third network device. This third information may, for example, be information 7 as described below.

[0046] In one possible design, the first measurement result mentioned above includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the second network device measures the reference signal.

[0047] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a communication apparatus for performing the methods of the first to sixth aspects and any possible implementation thereof. Specifically, the communication apparatus includes a module for performing the methods of any possible implementation thereof.

[0048] Eighthly, this application provides another communication device, including a processor coupled to a memory, which can be used to execute instructions in the memory to implement the methods in the first to sixth aspects and any possible implementations of the first to sixth aspects. Optionally, the communication device further includes a memory. Optionally, the communication device further includes a communication interface, to which the processor is coupled.

[0049] In one implementation, the communication device is a terminal device, a core network device, or a satellite, and the communication interface can be a transceiver or an input / output interface.

[0050] In another implementation, the communication device is a chip that can be used in terminal equipment, core network equipment, or satellites, in which case the communication interface can be an input / output interface.

[0051] Ninthly, this application provides a processor, including: an input circuit, an output circuit, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive signals through the input circuit and transmit signals through the output circuit, causing the processor to execute the methods described in the first to sixth aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0052] In the specific implementation process, the processor can be a chip, the input circuit can be an input pin, the output circuit can be an output pin, and the processing circuit can be a transistor, gate circuit, flip-flop, and various logic circuits. The input signal received by the input circuit can be received and input by, for example, but not limited to, a receiver, and the signal output by the output circuit can be, for example, but not limited to, output to a transmitter and transmitted by the transmitter. Furthermore, the input circuit and the output circuit can be the same circuit, which is used as the input circuit and the output circuit at different times. This application does not limit the specific implementation method of the processor and various circuits.

[0053] In a tenth aspect, this application provides a communication device including a processor and a memory. The processor is used to read instructions stored in the memory, receive signals via a receiver, and transmit signals via a transmitter to execute the methods in the first to sixth aspects and any possible implementations of the first to sixth aspects described above.

[0054] Optionally, the processor may be one or more, and the memory may be one or more.

[0055] Optionally, the memory may be integrated with the processor, or the memory may be separated from the processor.

[0056] In the specific implementation process, 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 set on different chips. This application does not limit the type of memory or the way the memory and processor are set.

[0057] The communication device in the tenth aspect above can be a chip. The processor can be implemented in hardware or software. When implemented in hardware, the processor can be a logic circuit, integrated circuit, etc. When implemented in software, the processor can be a general-purpose processor that reads software code stored in a memory. The memory can be integrated into the processor or located outside the processor and exist independently.

[0058] In one aspect, this application provides a computer program product comprising: a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when run, causes a computer to perform the methods described in the first to sixth aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0059] In a twelfth aspect, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods described in the first to sixth aspects and any possible implementation thereof.

[0060] It should be understood that aspects seven to twelfth of this application correspond to the technical solutions of aspects one to six of this application, and the beneficial effects achieved by each aspect and the corresponding feasible implementation are similar, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0061] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system applicable to the method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0062] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture between satellites provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0063] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the triaxial positioning principle provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0064] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the six roots provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0065] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of LEO satellite positioning of GNSS satellites provided in this application;

[0066] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 9 is another schematic block diagram of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0070] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0071] Before describing the technical solutions in this application, the following points should be noted.

[0072] First, in this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used to distinguish identical or similar items that have essentially the same function and purpose. For example, "first information" and "second information" are used merely to distinguish different information and do not limit their order. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and that the terms "first" and "second" do not necessarily imply that they are different.

[0073] Second, in this application, the words "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is being described as an example, illustration, or illustration. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design. Specifically, the use of the words "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0074] Third, in this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of singular or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0075] Fourth, in this application, "instruction" can include direct and indirect instructions, as well as explicit and implicit instructions. The information indicated by a certain instruction is called the information to be instructed. In specific implementation, there are many ways to instruct the information to be instructed, such as, but not limited to, directly instructing the information to be instructed, such as the information to be instructed itself or its index. It can also indirectly instruct the information to be instructed by instructing other information, where there is a relationship between the other information and the information to be instructed; or it can only instruct a part of the information to be instructed, while the other parts are known or pre-agreed upon. For example, the instruction can be implemented by using a pre-agreed (e.g., protocol predefined) arrangement of various information, thereby reducing instruction overhead to some extent. This application does not limit the specific method of instruction. It is understood that for the sender of the instruction, the instruction can be used to instruct the information to be instructed, and for the receiver of the instruction, the instruction can be used to determine the information to be instructed.

[0076] Fifth, in this application, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "send information to an LMF entity" can be understood as the destination of the information being the LMF entity, which can include direct transmission over the air interface or forwarding through a device. For example, in NTN, when a terminal sends information to an LMF entity, it can be understood as the terminal sending information to a satellite, the satellite sending the information to a gateway station, and the gateway station sending the information to the LMF entity; these are not listed here. "Receive information from a terminal" can be understood as the source of the information being the terminal, which can include receiving information directly from the terminal over the air interface or receiving it indirectly from the terminal through other devices. "Send" can also be understood as the "output" of the chip interface, and "receive" can also be understood as the "input" of the chip interface.

[0077] It is understandable that information may undergo necessary processing, such as encoding and modulation, before being sent from the source to the destination. Similarly, the destination, upon receiving information from the source, can also perform corresponding processing, such as decoding and demodulation, to interpret the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be understood in a similar way and will not be elaborated further.

[0078] The communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to FIG1.

[0079] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system applicable to the method provided in the embodiments of this application. The application scenarios applicable to this application will be described using the communication system architecture shown in Figure 1 as an example. Figure 1 illustrates a possible, non-limiting system schematic diagram.

[0080] As shown in Figure 1, the communication method provided in this application can be applied to an NTN communication system, which includes a terminal, a satellite, a base station (an example of an access network device), a gateway station, and a core network. In Figure 1, the base station or some of its functions are deployed on a satellite as an example, but this should not be construed as limiting this application. For example, in other implementations, the base station or some of its functions may also be deployed on a high altitude platform station (HAPS), or the base station or some of its functions may also be deployed on the ground; this application does not limit these possibilities.

[0081] Terminals can access the network via an air interface (which can be of various types, such as a 5G air interface) and connect to the core network via a wireless link. Gateway stations can be used to forward signaling and service data between base stations (such as base stations deployed on satellites) and the core network.

[0082] For example, in Figure 1, the terminal can establish a communication link with satellite 1 to communicate. In this case, satellite 1 can be referred to as the terminal's serving satellite. In one possible implementation, the base station or part of the base station functionality is deployed on the satellite. In this case, satellite 1 can implement the base station or part of the base station functionality. In another possible implementation, the base station or part of the base station functionality is deployed on the ground. In this case, satellite 1 can be used to relay signals between the terminal and the base station.

[0083] Optionally, when inter-satellite links exist between satellites, communication between them is possible. For example, if an inter-satellite link exists between satellite 1 (the terminal's serving satellite) and satellite 2, they can communicate wirelessly. In this case, the data transmission path between the terminal and satellite 2 (an example of a non-serving satellite) could be: data from satellite 2 is forwarded to the terminal via satellite 1, and conversely, data from the terminal is forwarded to satellite 2 via satellite 1. When there are no inter-satellite links between satellites, direct communication between them is not possible. For example, if there is no inter-satellite link between satellite 1 (the terminal's serving satellite) and satellite 2, satellite 1 and satellite 2 cannot communicate directly. In this case, the data transmission path between satellite 2 and the terminal could be: data from satellite 2 reaches the core network via a gateway station, the core network sends the data to satellite 1 via the gateway station, and satellite 1 sends the data to the terminal. Conversely, data from the terminal passes sequentially through satellite 1, the gateway station, and the core network, and the core network forwards the data to satellite 2 via the gateway station.

[0084] The core network can be used for services such as user access control, mobility management, session management, user security authentication, and billing. The core network can include multiple functional units (or functional entities, entities, or network elements). For example, the core network includes an LMF entity, which can be used to manage data related to the location of user equipment, provide location service support for user equipment (such as determining the location of user equipment), and perform location updates and tracking.

[0085] It should be understood that the system shown in Figure 1, with only one terminal as an example, is merely an illustration and should not be construed as limiting this application. In practical applications, a greater number of terminals may be included. Furthermore, the base station is an example of an access network device, and this application does not limit the types of access network devices and terminals.

[0086] It should also be understood that, in this application, the terminal can receive signals from serving satellites (such as LEO satellites) or signals broadcast from GNSS satellites.

[0087] In this application, the access network device can be any device with wireless transceiver capabilities. Access network equipment includes, but is not limited to: evolved node B (eNB), radio network controller (RNC), node B (NB), base station controller (BSC), base transceiver station (BTS), home base station (e.g., home evolved node B, or home node B, HNB), baseband unit (BBU), access point (AP), wireless relay node, wireless backhaul node, transmission point (TP), or transmission and reception point (TRP) in a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) system. It can also be a gNB or transmission point (TRP or TP) in a 5G (e.g., NR) system, or one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a base station in a 5G system, or a network node constituting a gNB or transmission point, such as a baseband unit (BBU) or a distributed unit (DU). Access network devices can also be wireless controllers in cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenarios.

[0088] In this application, the term "terminal" may also be referred to as terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals may include, but are not limited to: mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, mixed reality (MR) devices, extended reality (XR) devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, vehicle-mounted equipment, wireless terminals in autonomous driving, wireless terminals in remote medical care, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, wearable devices, video players, and full-range projectors. This application does not limit the specific form of the terminal.

[0089] In NTN (Network Networking), drones, high-altitude platforms, and satellites can be used to form a network, providing data transmission, voice communication, and other services to terminals. Satellites can be categorized into three types based on their orbital altitude: GEO, MEO, and LEO. GEO satellite communication has the advantage of remaining relatively stationary relative to the ground and providing a large coverage area. MEO satellite communication can achieve global coverage with a relatively small number of satellites. GEO and MEO satellites can be used for positioning and navigation; satellites used for positioning and navigation can be collectively referred to as GNSS satellites. LEO satellites orbit at lower altitudes than MEO and GEO satellites, offering advantages such as lower data propagation latency, lower transmission loss, and relatively lower launch costs. The number of LEO satellites may be relatively larger than the number of GEO / MEO satellites.

[0090] The architecture between satellites will be explained in detail below with reference to Figure 2.

[0091] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture between satellites provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0092] As shown in Figure 2, base stations in NTN are deployed on satellites (called airborne base stations). In other words, satellites have data processing capabilities and possess base station functions or some base station functions; in this case, the satellite can be regarded as a base station. Satellites (such as GEO and LEO satellites in Figure 2) can interconnect and communicate with gateway stations through the Uu interface. Gateway stations can forward data between satellites and the core network.

[0093] Within the view of a single GNSS satellite (using GEO satellites as an example in Figure 2), there may be hundreds or even thousands of LEO satellites. In other words, the number of LEO satellites may exceed the number of GNSS satellites. Furthermore, there may be no obstruction between LEO and GNSS satellites, meaning there is a direct line-of-sight between them. Additionally, there is less multipath interference (such as reflection paths) between LEO and GNSS satellites.

[0094] It should be understood that the number and type of satellites shown in Figure 2 are merely examples and should not constitute any limitation on this application.

[0095] In satellite positioning technology, a terminal can determine its location by measuring reference signals from GNSS satellites, such as the signal's time of arrival, and based on this information and the satellite's position. One possible method for determining the terminal's location is described below.

[0096] For example, the terminal can determine its position using the trilateration principle, which means determining the position of an unknown point based on the coordinates of at least three known points and the distance between the unknown point and the at least three known points. Specifically, the unknown point is located at the intersection of three spheres formed by the three known points.

[0097] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the triaxial positioning principle provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0098] As shown in Figure 3, assuming the positions of the three GNSS satellites are known, their coordinates are (x1, y1, z1), (x2, y2, z2), and (x3, y3, z3), and the terminal's coordinates are (x...). UE ,y UE ,z UE Given that the signal transmission times of each of the three GNSS satellites are t1, t2, and t3, and the terminal is located on a circle with the GNSS satellite as the center and the distance corresponding to the signal transmission time as the radius, the following equation can be derived:

[0099] In the above equation, c is the speed of light, Δt is the error caused by clock drift, and d1, d2, and d3 are the distances between the terminal and each GNSS satellite. The terminal can obtain t1, t2, and t3 by measuring the reference signals from the above three GNSS satellites. As long as the terminal obtains the positions of these three GNSS satellites, the terminal's position can be determined.

[0100] Currently, terminal devices determine the position of GNSS satellites based on ephemeris information broadcast by GNSS satellites. More specifically, the terminal can receive signals from GNSS satellites, which carry the satellite's timestamp and ephemeris information. The ephemeris information includes the GNSS satellite's orbital parameters, such as the Keplerian six-root numbers (or orbital six-root numbers). Using these parameters, the terminal can calculate the satellite's position. The specific meaning of the six-root numbers will be explained below with reference to Figure 4.

[0101] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the six roots provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0102] As shown in Figure 4, the specific parameters for the six orbital elements are as follows:

[0103] 1. Semi-major axis a: Half of the major axis of the elliptical orbit.

[0104] 2. Eccentricity e: The eccentricity of an ellipse is a measure used to describe the flatness of the ellipse. Eccentricity is the ratio of the distance between the two foci of the ellipse to the length of its major axis. An eccentricity of 0 indicates a circular orbit. The shape of a satellite orbit can be determined based on its semi-major axis a and eccentricity e.

[0105] 3. Orbital inclination i: Orbital inclination i describes the angle between the satellite's orbital plane and the Earth's equatorial plane. It is the angle at the ascending node that rotates counterclockwise from the equatorial plane to the planet's orbital plane, which determines the degree of inclination of the satellite's orbit relative to the Earth's surface.

[0106] 4. Ascending node longitude Ω: The ecliptic longitude of the ascending node of a planet's orbit, the longitude of the line where the equatorial plane intersects the orbital plane.

[0107] 5. Perigee argument ω: The angle at which the planet rotates counterclockwise from the ascending node along its orbit to perigee.

[0108] 6. True perigee angle φ: The angle of the satellite relative to its perigee.

[0109] Through trigonometric function calculations, the above parameters can represent the specific position and velocity of the object.

[0110] The ephemeris information mentioned above is uploaded to the GNSS satellite by ground monitoring stations after observation. Ground station observations of GNSS satellites can be understood as visual observations of their positions, such as video / image-based observations. This process may contain errors, for example, due to obstructions. Furthermore, various gravitational perturbations (such as Earth's gravity, the Moon's gravity, and the Sun's gravity) can cause shifts and fluctuations in satellite positions. Therefore, the satellite positions determined based on the ephemeris information may contain errors, thus affecting the estimation of the terminal equipment's position.

[0111] In view of this, this application provides a communication method that uses LEO satellites to determine the position of GNSS satellites, thereby facilitating a terminal to estimate its own position using the positions of the aforementioned GNSS satellites. Using LEO satellites to locate GNSS satellites has the following advantages:

[0112] 1. There are more LEO satellites than GNSS satellites. Within the view of a GNSS satellite, there may be many LEO satellites. These LEO satellites can receive reference signals from GNSS satellites, thereby locating GNSS satellites, resulting in higher robustness of the positioning.

[0113] 2. LEO satellites and GNSS satellites are located in the air, and there is little chance of obstruction between them. In other words, there is a direct line of sight between LEO satellites and GNSS satellites. Therefore, compared with ground monitoring stations to observe GNSS satellites, the method provided in this application is more advantageous in avoiding observation errors.

[0114] 3. There is less multipath (such as reflection path) interference between LEO satellites and GNSS satellites, so the positioning accuracy of GNSS satellites is higher based on the reference signals received from GNSS satellites by LEO satellites.

[0115] In summary, LEO satellite positioning of GNSS satellites, compared to ground-based measurements, helps reduce errors and thus lessen the impact on terminal position estimation.

[0116] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of LEO satellite positioning of GNSS satellites provided in this application.

[0117] As shown in Figure 5, multiple LEO satellites can receive reference signals from GNSS satellites to obtain measurement results, which facilitates the determination of the GNSS satellite positions based on the measurement results and positions of each LEO satellite. The terminal can then estimate its own position based on the measurement results from the reference signals from multiple GNSS satellites and the positions of these multiple GNSS satellites.

[0118] It should be understood that Figure 5 is merely an example, and this application does not limit the number of satellites or terminals.

[0119] The communication method of this application will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 6 and 7. The embodiments shown in this application illustrate the method provided by this application from the perspective of device interaction. The specific form and number of each device shown are merely examples and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation of the method provided by this application. In Figure 6, the communication method of the embodiment of this application is described in detail using an LEO satellite (an example of a second network device), a terminal, a GNSS satellite (an example of a third network device), and an LMF entity (an example of a first network device) as the execution subjects. In Figure 7, the communication method of the embodiment of this application is described in detail using an LEO satellite, a terminal, a GNSS satellite, and a service satellite (an example of a fourth network device) as the execution subjects.

[0120] It should be understood that a terminal can be the terminal itself, or it can be replaced by a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the terminal in implementing communication methods, or it can be replaced by a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the terminal; a LEO satellite can be the LEO satellite itself, or it can be replaced by a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the LEO satellite in implementing communication methods, or it can be replaced by a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the LEO satellite; a GNSS satellite can be the GNSS satellite itself, or it can be replaced by a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the GNSS satellite in implementing communication methods, or it can be replaced by a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the GNSS satellite; an LMF entity can be the LMF entity itself, or it can be replaced by a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the LMF entity in implementing communication methods, or it can be replaced by a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the LMF entity; a service satellite can be the service satellite itself, or it can be replaced by a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the service satellite in implementing communication methods, or it can be replaced by a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the service satellite. This application does not specifically limit this.

[0121] It should also be understood that the methods shown in Figures 6 and 7 can be applied to the communication system shown in Figure 1. Specifically, the method shown in Figure 6 is applicable to scenarios where there is no inter-satellite link between the LEO satellite and the terminal's serving satellite, in which case direct communication between the terminal's serving satellite and the LEO satellite is impossible. The method shown in Figure 7 is applicable to scenarios where there is an inter-satellite link between the LEO satellite and the terminal's serving satellite, in which case direct communication between the LEO satellite and the terminal's serving satellite is possible.

[0122] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a communication method 600 provided in an embodiment of this application. The method 600 includes the following steps:

[0123] In step 610, the LEO satellite measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite and obtains measurement result 1.

[0124] The aforementioned GNSS satellites may be, for example, GEO or MEO satellites, and this application does not limit them. The aforementioned GNSS may be, for example, GPS, BeiDou system, or Galileo system, and this application does not limit them.

[0125] The aforementioned reference signal can also be replaced by a ranging code, which is a special coded signal used to measure the duration of signal transmission. It can be used in positioning and navigation systems to determine the distance between the receiving and transmitting devices.

[0126] For example, a GNSS satellite broadcasts a reference signal, and a LEO satellite can receive the reference signal from the GNSS satellite to obtain measurement result 1.

[0127] Optionally, the above measurement result 1 includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the LEO satellite measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0128] The frequency offset of the aforementioned reference signal refers to the difference between the frequency of the received reference signal and the expected frequency. The time when the LEO satellite measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite can be the same as the time when the LEO satellite measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0129] For example, a GNSS satellite broadcasts a reference signal, and a LEO satellite receives the reference signal from the GNSS satellite, obtains the transmission time, arrival time, angle of arrival, phase, frequency offset, etc. of the reference signal, and records the time when the LEO measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0130] Optionally, there can be multiple LEO satellites. That is, a GNSS satellite broadcasts a reference signal, and multiple LEO satellites can measure the reference signal from the GNSS satellite to obtain measurement results. For example, a GNSS satellite broadcasts a reference signal, and LEO satellites 1, 2, and 3 respectively measure the reference signal from the GNSS satellite to obtain their respective measurement results. The steps described below use a single LEO satellite as an example, but this should not be construed as limiting this application. Other LEO satellites can also perform the same actions, thereby facilitating the LMF entity to obtain measurement results from multiple LEO satellites on the GNSS satellite signal.

[0131] In step 620, the LEO satellite sends information 1 to the LMF entity, which indicates the aforementioned measurement result 1 and the position of the LEO satellite. Accordingly, the LMF entity receives information 1 from the LEO satellite.

[0132] The LEO satellite measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite, obtains measurement result 1, and then sends information 1 to the LMF entity to indicate the aforementioned measurement result 1 and the position of the LEO satellite.

[0133] In step 630, the LMF entity sends information 2 to the terminal, which indicates the location of a GNSS satellite, the location of which is determined based on information 1. Accordingly, the terminal receives information 2 from the LMF entity.

[0134] Optionally, the method 600 above also includes step 625: the LMF entity determines the location of the GNSS satellite based on information 1.

[0135] For example, after receiving information 1, the LMF entity determines the location of the GNSS satellite based on information 1.

[0136] Optionally, the LMF entity can calculate the position of GNSS satellites based on any of the following algorithms: time difference of arrival (TDOA) positioning, phase difference of arrival (PDOA) positioning, angle of arrival (AOA) positioning, or Doppler positioning.

[0137] In the aforementioned positioning scenario (LEO satellite positioning of GNSS satellite), TDOA positioning refers to determining the location of a signal source (e.g., a GNSS satellite) based on the positions of multiple receivers (e.g., LEO satellites) and the time difference of the reference signal arriving at the multiple receivers. PDOA positioning refers to determining the location of a signal source based on the positions of multiple receivers and the phase difference of the reference signal arriving at the multiple receivers. AOA positioning refers to determining the location of a signal source based on the positions of multiple receivers and the angle at which the reference signal arrives at those receivers. Doppler positioning refers to determining the location of a signal source based on the positions of multiple receivers and the frequency offset of the reference signal. Detailed explanations of the above positioning algorithms can be found in existing technologies and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0138] In one example, each of the multiple LEO satellites can receive a reference signal from a GNSS satellite to obtain the arrival time of the reference signal, and report the arrival time of the reference signal and its own position to the LMF entity. The LMF entity uses the TDOA positioning algorithm to determine the position of the GNSS satellite based on the positions of the multiple LEO satellites and the time difference between the arrival of the GNSS satellite signal to the multiple LEO satellites.

[0139] Another example involves multiple LEO satellites, each of which can receive reference signals from GNSS satellites to obtain the phase of the reference signals. Each LEO satellite then reports the phase of the reference signals and its own position to the LMF entity. The LMF entity, based on the positions of the multiple LEO satellites and the phase difference between the GNSS signals arriving at the multiple LEO satellites, uses the PDOA positioning algorithm to determine the position of the GNSS satellites. Further examples are not provided here.

[0140] Optionally, step 630 includes: the LMF entity may periodically broadcast information 2, or the LMF entity may send information 2 to the terminal when the terminal requests calibration of the GNSS satellite position, and this application does not limit this.

[0141] In step 640, the terminal determines its position based on the aforementioned information 2 and measurement result 2, which is obtained by the terminal from measuring reference signals from GNSS satellites.

[0142] For example, multiple GNSS satellites broadcast reference signals, the terminal receives the reference signals from the multiple GNSS satellites, obtains the measurement results corresponding to each GNSS satellite, and determines its own position based on the measurement results and the positions of the multiple GNSS satellites.

[0143] It is understood that the above method of obtaining the position of a GNSS satellite is illustrated using a single GNSS satellite as an example. In practical applications, the terminal can obtain the positions of multiple GNSS satellites based on the above method. For example, for any one of the multiple GNSS satellites, denoted as GNSS satellite 1, multiple LEO satellites can receive the reference signal of GNSS satellite 1 to obtain the measurement results corresponding to each LEO satellite. The LMF entity can determine the position of GNSS satellite 1 based on the positions of each LEO satellite and the measurement results, and thus indicate the position of GNSS satellite 1 to the terminal.

[0144] Optionally, the above measurement result 2 includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the terminal measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0145] Among them, the time at which the terminal measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite can be the time at which the terminal measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0146] Optionally, the terminal can calculate its own position based on any of the following algorithms: trilateration principle, TDOA positioning, PDOA positioning, AOA positioning, or Doppler positioning.

[0147] In this scenario (based on a GNSS satellite positioning terminal), TDOA positioning refers to determining the receiver's position based on the positions of multiple transmitters (such as GNSS satellites) and the time difference between the arrival of reference signals from those transmitters at the receiver (such as the terminal). PDOA positioning refers to determining the receiver's position based on the positions of multiple transmitters and the phase difference between the arrival of reference signals from those transmitters at the receiver. AOA positioning refers to determining the receiver's position based on the positions of multiple transmitters and the angle between the arrival of reference signals from those transmitters at the receiver. Doppler positioning refers to determining the receiver's position based on the positions of multiple transmitters and the frequency offset between the arrival of reference signals from those transmitters at the receiver. The principle of trilateration positioning can be found above and will not be repeated here.

[0148] Optionally, the method 600 further includes step 601: the terminal sends information 3 to the LMF entity, which is used to request calibration of the GNSS satellite's position. Correspondingly, the LMF entity receives information 3 from the terminal. Specifically, sending information 3 from the terminal to the LMF entity may include the terminal sending information 3 to a serving satellite, which then transmits information 3 to the LMF entity via a gateway station, for example, in a scenario where the LMF entity is deployed on the ground. In another possible implementation, the LMF entity is deployed on a satellite, in which case the terminal sends information 3 to the serving satellite, which then directly transmits information 3 to the LMF entity.

[0149] For example, prior to step 610, the terminal sends information 3 to the LMF entity, which requests calibration of the GNSS satellite positions. Accordingly, the LMF entity receives information 3 from the terminal.

[0150] The aforementioned information 3 may be carried in LTE positioning protocol (LPP) signaling, for example. The aforementioned LPP signaling is merely an example and should not constitute any limitation on this application. It does not preclude the possibility that information 3 may be carried in other signaling in future protocols.

[0151] It is understandable that since the terminal can send information 3 to the LMF entity to request calibration of the GNSS satellite position before the actual positioning begins, it has already obtained the returned auxiliary information, such as the position of the GNSS satellite, when the actual measurement begins. Alternatively, it can be understood that after the terminal sends information 3, it does not only perform positioning once, but performs positioning for a relatively long period of time. During the continuous positioning, it does not need to initiate a request again, so the delay of the request can be ignored.

[0152] Optionally, the method 600 further includes step 602: the LMF entity sends information 4 to the LEO satellite, which is used to request the measurement of reference signals from the GNSS satellite or to request auxiliary information from the GNSS satellite. Accordingly, the LEO satellite receives information 4 from the LMF entity.

[0153] For example, after step 601, the LMF entity may send information 4 to multiple LEO satellites to request measurements of reference signals from the GNSS satellites. Accordingly, the multiple LEO satellites receive information 4 from the LMF entity.

[0154] Optionally, the aforementioned plurality of LEO satellites may be LEO satellites surrounding the terminal's serving satellite, such as LEO satellites whose distance from the terminal's serving satellite is less than or equal to a threshold. For example, after receiving information 3, the LMF entity determines a plurality of LEO satellites whose distance from the terminal's serving satellite is less than or equal to the threshold, and sends information 4 to these plurality of LEO satellites to request the measurement of the GNSS satellite's reference signal.

[0155] Based on the method 600 shown in Figure 6, it is beneficial to reduce the position error of GNSS satellites, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the terminal. For example, LEO satellites and GNSS satellites are located in the air, and there is little obstruction between them; in other words, there is a line-of-sight path between the LEO satellites and GNSS satellites. Therefore, compared to observing GNSS satellites from ground monitoring stations, the method provided in this application helps avoid observation errors. Furthermore, there is less multipath interference (such as reflection paths) between LEO satellites and GNSS satellites, resulting in higher positioning accuracy when locating GNSS satellites based on LEO satellites. In addition, it helps reduce the GNSS's dependence on ground monitoring stations, reducing the deployment cost of ground monitoring stations and the complexity of site selection.

[0156] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating another communication method 700 provided in an embodiment of this application. The method 700 includes the following steps:

[0157] In step 710, the LEO satellite measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite and obtains measurement result 3.

[0158] For a detailed explanation of step 710, please refer to step 610. For the sake of brevity, it will not be repeated here.

[0159] Optionally, the above measurement result 3 includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the LEO satellite measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0160] The explanation of measurement result 3 above can be found in the explanation of measurement result 1, and will not be elaborated here.

[0161] In step 720, the LEO satellite transmits information 5 to the service satellite, which indicates the aforementioned measurement result 3 and the position of the LEO satellite. Accordingly, the service satellite receives information 5 from the LEO satellite.

[0162] Among them, a service satellite refers to a satellite that has established a communication link with the terminal.

[0163] The LEO satellite measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite, obtains measurement result 3, and then transmits information 5 to the service satellite to indicate the aforementioned measurement result 3 and the position of the LEO satellite. Correspondingly, the service satellite receives information 5 from the LEO satellite.

[0164] In step 730, the serving satellite sends the aforementioned information 5 to the terminal. Accordingly, the terminal receives information 5 from the serving satellite.

[0165] For example, multiple LEO satellites can receive reference signals from GNSS satellites to obtain their respective measurement results, and send the measurement results and positions to the service satellite. After receiving the measurement results and positions of the multiple LEO satellites, the service satellite can send the measurement results and positions of the multiple LEO satellites to the terminal.

[0166] In step 740, the terminal determines the location of the GNSS satellite based on the information 5 mentioned above.

[0167] For example, the terminal can receive measurement results and positions of multiple LEO satellites, and determine the position of GNSS satellites based on the measurement results and positions of these multiple LEO satellites.

[0168] Optionally, the terminal can calculate the position of GNSS satellites based on any of the following algorithms: TDOA positioning, PDOA positioning, AOA positioning, or Doppler positioning.

[0169] For a detailed explanation of the above positioning algorithm, please refer to the relevant description in Figure 6, which will not be repeated here.

[0170] In step 750, the terminal determines its position based on the position of the GNSS satellite and measurement result 4, which is obtained by the terminal measuring the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0171] For example, multiple GNSS satellites broadcast reference signals, the terminal receives the reference signals from the multiple GNSS satellites, obtains the measurement results corresponding to each GNSS satellite, and determines its own position based on the measurement results and the positions of the multiple GNSS satellites.

[0172] Optionally, the above measurement result 4 includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the terminal measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0173] For an explanation of the above parameters and the process by which the terminal determines its own position, please refer to the relevant explanation in Figure 6, which will not be repeated here.

[0174] Optionally, the method 700 further includes step 701: the terminal sends information 6 to the serving satellite, the information 6 being used to request calibration of the GNSS satellite's position. Accordingly, the serving satellite receives information 6 from the terminal.

[0175] For example, prior to step 710, the terminal sends information 6 to the serving satellite, which requests calibration of the GNSS satellite's position. Accordingly, the serving satellite receives information 6 from the terminal.

[0176] The aforementioned information 6 can be carried in radio resource control (RRC) messages, medium access control-control element (MAC-CE) messages, or physical layer messages (such as uplink control information (UCI)). This application does not limit this.

[0177] It is understandable that since the terminal can send information 6 to the service satellite to request the calibration of the GNSS satellite position before the actual positioning begins, it has already obtained the returned auxiliary information, such as the position of the GNSS satellite, when the actual measurement begins. Alternatively, it can be understood that after the terminal sends information 6, it does not only perform positioning once, but performs positioning for a relatively long period of time. During the continuous positioning, it does not need to initiate a request again, so the delay of the request can be ignored.

[0178] Optionally, the method 700 further includes step 702: the serving satellite sends information 7 to the LEO satellite, which is used to request the measurement of reference signals from the GNSS satellite or to request auxiliary information from the GNSS satellite. Accordingly, the LEO satellite receives information 7 from the serving satellite.

[0179] For example, after step 701, the serving satellite may send information 7 to multiple LEO satellites to request measurements of reference signals from the GNSS satellites. Accordingly, the multiple LEO satellites receive information 7 from the serving satellite. Further, after receiving information 7, the LEO satellites measure the reference signals from the GNSS satellites.

[0180] Optionally, the aforementioned plurality of LEO satellites may be LEO satellites surrounding the terminal's serving satellite, such as LEO satellites located at a distance less than or equal to a threshold from the terminal's serving satellite. For example, after receiving information 6, the serving satellite identifies a plurality of LEO satellites located at a distance less than or equal to the threshold and sends information 7 to these plurality of LEO satellites to request the measurement of the GNSS satellite's reference signal.

[0181] Based on the method 700 shown in Figure 7, it is beneficial to reduce the position error of GNSS satellites, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the terminal. For example, LEO satellites and GNSS satellites are located in the air, and there is little obstruction between them. In other words, there is a direct line-of-sight path between the LEO satellites and GNSS satellites. Therefore, compared to observing GNSS satellites from ground monitoring stations, the method provided in this application helps avoid observation errors. Furthermore, there is less multipath (e.g., reflection path) interference between LEO satellites and GNSS satellites, resulting in higher positioning accuracy based on LEO satellites. Additionally, it reduces the GNSS system's dependence on ground monitoring stations, reducing the cost of deploying ground monitoring stations and the complexity of site selection. Moreover, the terminal receives measurement result 3 and the position of the LEO satellite to calculate the position of the GNSS satellite. The service satellite does not need to calculate the GNSS satellite's position; it only needs to forward measurement result 3 and the position of the LEO satellite to the terminal. This reduces the latency for the terminal to obtain the aforementioned information, ensuring the validity of the measurement results. In other words, the terminal can obtain the measurement results of the LEO satellite's reference signal to the GNSS satellite more quickly.

[0182] It should be noted that the order of the methods listed above does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic.

[0183] The communication method of the embodiments of this application has been described in detail above. The communication device of the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below. The communication device includes modules or units for performing each part of the above embodiments. The modules or units may be software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. The following is only a brief illustrative example of the communication device. For details of the implementation, please refer to the description of the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated below.

[0184] Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 800 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0185] As shown in Figure 8, the communication device 800 includes a processing module 810 and a transceiver module 820.

[0186] One possible implementation is that the communication device 800 can be used to implement the steps performed by the LEO satellite, terminal, and LMF entity in the method embodiment shown in FIG. 6. Another possible implementation is that the communication device 800 can be used to implement the steps performed by the terminal, serving satellite, and LEO satellite in the method embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

[0187] For example, the communication device 800 may include modules or units that correspond one-to-one with the methods / operations / steps / actions described in the method embodiment shown in FIG6. The modules or units may be hardware circuits, software, or a combination of hardware circuits and software.

[0188] For example, when the communication device 800 is used to implement the function of the LMF entity in the method embodiment shown in FIG6, the transceiver module 820 is used to receive information 1 from the LEO satellite, which is used to indicate measurement result 1 and the position of the LEO satellite. The measurement result 1 is obtained by measuring the reference signal from the GNSS satellite. The processing module 810 is used to determine information 2. The transceiver module 820 is also used to send information 2 to the terminal, which is used to indicate the position of the GNSS satellite. The position of the GNSS satellite is used to determine the position of the terminal.

[0189] Optionally, the transceiver module 820 is also configured to receive information 3 from the terminal, which is used to request calibration of the GNSS satellite's position; and to send information 4 to the LEO satellite, which is used to request measurement of the GNSS satellite's reference signal.

[0190] Optionally, measurement result 1 includes one or more of the following: angle of arrival of the reference signal, time of arrival of the reference signal, time of transmission of the reference signal, phase of the reference signal, frequency offset of the reference signal, or time when the LEO satellite measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0191] When the communication device 800 is used to implement the terminal function in the method embodiment shown in FIG6, the transceiver module 820 is used to receive information 2 from the LMF entity, which indicates the position of the GNSS satellite. The position of the GNSS satellite is determined based on measurement result 1 and the position of the LEO satellite. Measurement result 1 is obtained by the LEO satellite measuring the reference signal from the GNSS satellite. The processing module 810 is used to determine the position of the terminal based on information 2 and measurement result 2. Measurement result 2 is obtained by the terminal measuring the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0192] Optionally, the transceiver module 820 is further configured to: send information 3 to the LMF entity, the information 3 being used to request calibration of the GNSS satellite position.

[0193] Optionally, the above measurement result 1 or measurement result 2 includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the LEO satellite or terminal measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0194] When the communication device 800 is used to implement the function of the LEO satellite in the method embodiment shown in FIG6, the processing module 810 is used to measure the reference signal from the GNSS satellite to obtain measurement result 1; the transceiver module 820 is used to send information 1 to the LMF entity, the information 1 is used to indicate the measurement result 1 and the position of the LEO satellite, the information 1 is used to determine the position of the GNSS satellite, and the position of the GNSS satellite is used to determine the position of the terminal.

[0195] Optionally, the transceiver module 820 is also configured to receive information 4 from the LMF entity, which requests a measurement of the reference signal of the GNSS satellite.

[0196] Optionally, the above measurement result 1 includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the LEO satellite measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0197] When the communication device 800 is used to implement the terminal function in the method embodiment shown in FIG7, the transceiver module 820 is used to receive information 5 from the serving satellite, which is used to indicate the measurement result 3 and the position of the LEO satellite. The measurement result 3 is obtained by the LEO satellite measuring the reference signal from the GNSS satellite. The processing module 810 is used to determine the position of the GNSS satellite based on the above information 5. The processing module 810 is also used to determine the position of the terminal based on the position of the GNSS satellite and the measurement result 4, which is obtained by the terminal measuring the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0198] Optionally, the transceiver module 820 is also used to send information 6 to the service satellite, which is used to request calibration of the GNSS satellite's position.

[0199] Optionally, the above measurement result 3 or measurement result 4 includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the LEO satellite or terminal measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0200] When the communication device 800 is used to implement the function of serving satellite in the method embodiment shown in FIG7, the transceiver module 820 (specifically, it may be a receiving module) is used to receive information 5 from the LEO satellite. The information 5 is used to indicate the measurement result 3 and the position of the LEO satellite. The measurement result 3 is obtained by measuring the reference signal from the GNSS satellite. The transceiver module 820 (specifically, it may be a sending module) is also used to send information 5 to the terminal. The information 5 is used to determine the position of the GNSS satellite. The position of the GNSS satellite is used to determine the position of the terminal.

[0201] Optionally, the transceiver module 820 is further configured to receive information 6 from the terminal, which is used to request calibration of the GNSS satellite's position; and to send information 7 to the LEO satellite, which is used to request measurement of the GNSS satellite's reference signal.

[0202] Optionally, the above measurement result 3 includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the LEO satellite measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0203] When the communication device 800 is used to implement the function of the LEO satellite in the method embodiment shown in FIG7, the processing module 810 is used to measure the reference signal from the GNSS satellite to obtain the measurement result 3; and to send information 5 to the service satellite. The information 5 is used to indicate the measurement result 3 and the position of the LEO satellite. The information 5 is used to determine the position of the GNSS satellite. The position of the GNSS satellite is used to determine the position of the terminal.

[0204] Optionally, the transceiver module 820 is also configured to receive information 7 from the serving satellite, which is used to request the measurement of reference signals from the GNSS satellite.

[0205] Optionally, the above measurement result 3 includes one or more of the following: the angle of arrival of the reference signal, the arrival time of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the LEO satellite measures the reference signal from the GNSS satellite.

[0206] It should be understood that the communication device 800 here is embodied in the form of a functional module. The term "module" here can refer to application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), electronic circuits, processors (e.g., shared processors, proprietary processors, or group processors, etc.) and memories for executing one or more software or firmware programs, integrated logic circuits, and / or other suitable components supporting the described functions. In an alternative example, those skilled in the art will understand that the communication device 800 can specifically be a terminal, LEO satellite, LMF entity, or service satellite as described in the above embodiments. The communication device 800 can be used to execute the various processes and / or steps corresponding to the terminal, LEO satellite, LMF entity, or service satellite in the above method embodiments; to avoid repetition, these will not be described further here.

[0207] The aforementioned communication device 800 has the function of implementing the corresponding steps performed by the terminal, LEO satellite, LMF entity, or service satellite in the above method; the above functions can be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions.

[0208] It should be understood that the module division in the embodiments of this application is illustrative and only represents a logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods. Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into a single processor, exist as separate physical entities, or be integrated into a single module. The integrated modules described above can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules.

[0209] Figure 9 is another schematic block diagram of the communication device 900 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0210] The communication device 900 can be a chip system, or it can be an apparatus configured with a chip system to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system can be composed of chips, or it can include chips and other discrete devices.

[0211] As shown in FIG9, the communication device 900 may include a processor 910, which can be used to execute computer programs or instructions in memory to implement the steps performed by the terminal, LMF entity or LEO satellite in the embodiment shown in FIG6, or to implement the steps performed by the terminal, LEO satellite or service satellite in the method embodiment shown in FIG7.

[0212] The communication device 900 also includes a communication interface 920. The communication interface 920 can be used to communicate with other devices via a transmission medium, thereby enabling the communication device 900 to communicate with other devices. The communication interface 920 can be, for example, a transceiver, interface, pin, bus, circuit, or a device capable of transmitting and receiving functions. The processor 910 can use the communication interface 920 to input and output data, and to implement the steps performed by the terminal, LMF entity, or LEO satellite in the embodiment shown in FIG6, or to implement the steps performed by the terminal, LEO satellite, or service satellite in the method embodiment shown in FIG7.

[0213] In one possible implementation, the communication device 900 further includes at least one memory 930 for storing program instructions and / or data. The memory 930 is coupled to the processor 910. The coupling in this embodiment is an indirect coupling or communication connection between devices, units, or modules, and can be electrical, mechanical, or other forms, for information exchange between devices, units, or modules. The processor 910 may operate in conjunction with the memory 930. The processor 910 may execute program instructions stored in the memory 930. At least one of the at least one memory may be included in the processor.

[0214] It should be understood that the coupling in the embodiments of this application is an indirect coupling or communication connection between devices, units, or modules, which can be electrical, mechanical, or other forms, used for information interaction between devices, units, or modules. The processor 910 may operate in conjunction with the memory 930. The specific connection medium between the processor 910, communication interface 920, and memory 930 is not limited in the embodiments of this application. Optionally, the processor 910, communication interface 920, and memory 930 are connected via a bus 940. The bus 940 is represented by a thick line in Figure 9. The connection methods between other components are only illustrative and not intended to be limiting. The bus can be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus or an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus, etc. The bus can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is used in Figure 9, but this does not indicate that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0215] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions) that, when run, can implement the steps executed by the terminal, LEO satellite, or LMF entity in the embodiment shown in FIG6, or implement the steps executed by the terminal, LEO satellite, or service satellite in the method embodiment shown in FIG7.

[0216] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program (also referred to as code or instructions). When the computer program is run, it can implement the steps executed by the terminal, LEO satellite, or LMF entity in the embodiment shown in FIG6, or the steps executed by the terminal, LEO satellite, or service satellite in the method embodiment shown in FIG7.

[0217] It should be understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, each step of the above method embodiments can be completed by the integrated logic circuitry in the processor's hardware or by instructions in software form. The processor can be a combination of one or more of the following: a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a microprocessor unit (MPU), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an artificial intelligence processor (AI processor) or a neural processing unit (NPU), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly embodied in the execution of a hardware decoding processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software module can reside in a mature storage medium in the field, such as random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, or registers. This storage medium is located in memory, and the processor reads information from the memory and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above method.

[0218] It should also be understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be a cache, random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous linked dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory used in the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0219] The terms "unit," "module," etc., used in this specification can be used to refer to computer-related entities, hardware, firmware, combinations of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. In the embodiments of this application, "unit" and "module" have the same meaning and can be used interchangeably.

[0220] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the various illustrative logical blocks and steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application. In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus, devices, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for example, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the shown or discussed mutual couplings or direct couplings or communication connections may be through some interfaces; indirect couplings or communication connections between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0221] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0222] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0223] In the above embodiments, the functions of each functional unit can be implemented entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions (programs). When the computer program instructions (programs) are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, 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, optical fiber, 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 (e.g., solid-state drives, SSDs), etc.

[0224] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the technology, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0225] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a first network device, the method includes: Receiving first information from a second network device, the first information being used to indicate a first measurement result and the location of the second network device, the first measurement result being obtained by measuring a reference signal from a third network device; Sending second information to a terminal, the second information being used to indicate the location of the third network device, the location of the third network device being determined based on the first information, and the location of the third network device being used to determine the location of the terminal.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receiving third information from the terminal, the third information being used to request calibration of the location of the third network device; Sending fourth information to the second network device, the fourth information being used to request measurement of the reference signal of the third network device.

3. The method as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first measurement result includes one or more of the following: The angle of arrival of the reference signal, the time of arrival of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the second network device measures the reference signal.

4. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a terminal, the method includes: Receiving second information from a first network device, the second information being used to indicate the location of a third network device, the location of the third network device being determined based on a first measurement result and the location of a second network device, the first measurement result being obtained by the second network device measuring a reference signal from the third network device; Determining the location of the terminal based on the second information and a second measurement result, the second measurement result being obtained by the terminal measuring a reference signal from the third network device.

5. The method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The method further includes: Sending third information to the first network device, the third information being used to request calibration of the location of the third network device.

6. The method as described in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The first measurement result or the second measurement result includes one or more of the following: The angle of arrival of the reference signal, the time of arrival of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the second network device or the terminal measures the reference signal from the third network device.

7. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a second network device, the method includes: Measuring a reference signal from a third network device to obtain a first measurement result; Sending first information to a first network device, the first information being used to indicate the first measurement result and the location of the second network device, the first information being used to determine the location of the third network device, and the location of the third network device being used to determine the location of a terminal.

8. The method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receiving fourth information from the first network device, the fourth information being used to request measurement of the reference signal of the third network device.

9. The method as described in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The first measurement result includes one or more of the following: The angle of arrival of the reference signal, the time of arrival of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the second network device measures the reference signal.

10. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a terminal, the method includes: Receive first information from a fourth network device, the first information being used to indicate a first measurement result and the location of a second network device, the first measurement result being obtained by the second network device measuring a reference signal from a third network device; Based on the first information, determine the location of the third network device; Based on the location of the third network device and a second measurement result, determine the location of the terminal, the second measurement result being obtained by the terminal measuring a reference signal from the third network device.

11. The method as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send second information to the fourth network device, the second information being used to request calibration of the location of the third network device.

12. The method as described in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The first measurement result or the second measurement result includes one or more of the following: The angle of arrival of the reference signal, the time of arrival of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the second network device or the terminal measures the reference signal from the third network device.

13. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a fourth network device, the method includes: Receive first information from a second network device, the first information being used to indicate a first measurement result and the location of the second network device, the first measurement result being obtained by measuring a reference signal from a third network device; Send the first information to the terminal, the first information being used to determine the location of the third network device, the location of the third network device being used to determine the location of the terminal.

14. The method as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive second information from the terminal, the second information being used to request calibration of the location of the third network device; Send third information to the second network device, the third information being used to request measurement of the reference signal of the third network device.

15. The method as described in claim 13 or 14, characterized in that, The first measurement result includes one or more of the following: The angle of arrival of the reference signal, the time of arrival of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the second network device measures the reference signal.

16. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a second network device, the method includes: Measure a reference signal from a third network device to obtain a first measurement result; Send first information to a fourth network device, the first information being used to indicate the first measurement result and the location of the second network device, the first information being used to determine the location of the third network device, the location of the third network device being used to determine the location of the terminal.

17. The method as described in claim 16, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive third information from the fourth network device, the third information being used to request measurement of the reference signal of the third network device.

18. The method as described in claim 16 or 17, characterized in that, The first measurement result includes one or more of the following: The angle of arrival of the reference signal, the time of arrival of the reference signal, the transmission time of the reference signal, the phase of the reference signal, the frequency offset of the reference signal, or the time when the second network device measures the reference signal.

19. A communication device, characterized in that, Include a module for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

20. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes a processor which is used to call a computer program in a memory so that the communication device implements the method described in any one of claims 1 to 18.

21. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, A computer program or instruction is stored in the storage medium, and when the computer program or instruction is executed, the method described in any one of claims 1 to 18 is implemented.

22. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes instructions, and when the instructions are run, the method described in any one of claims 1 to 18 is implemented.

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