Communication method and communication apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a communication method and a communication apparatus. The communication method comprises: a terminal device receiving first information from a first TRP, wherein the first information is associated with identification information of the first TRP, and the first information includes a first RNTI; receiving a second RNTI from a controller; and on the basis of the first information and the second RNTI, accessing the first TRP. The first information and the first RNTI included therein are associated with the identification information of the first TRP, and the identification information does not change along with the movement of the first TRP, which means that it is not necessary to frequently update an RNTI set (e.g., a TC-RNTI set) carried by the first TRP as the first TRP is moving, and therefore the complexity at a network side in an access process is reduced. In addition, the terminal device directly interacts with the first TRP to acquire the first RNTI, which results in a relatively short access delay.

Description

Communication methods and communication devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510382636.5, filed on March 28, 2025, entitled "Communication Method and Communication Device", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communication technology, specifically to a communication method and a communication device. Background Technology

[0003] Compared to terrestrial networks (TN), non-terrestrial networks (NTN) offer advantages such as wider coverage and more flexible networking, enabling seamless global network coverage. NTN can be viewed as a supplement to current terrestrial networks, or as an independent communication system providing high-speed global network access to terminal devices. NTN communication utilizes devices such as drones, high-altitude platforms, or satellites to create networks that provide data transmission, voice communication, and other services to terminal devices.

[0004] In NTN communication systems, rapid movement of NTN devices (e.g., 7.5 km / s) can cause group handover or group reselection issues for terminal devices within a certain area, leading to terminal devices connecting from the source NTN device to the target NTN device. The hypercell (also known as a logical cell) mechanism in NTN communication reduces the number of cell handovers and signaling overhead for terminal devices by binding logical cells to geographical locations and having at least one transmission reception point (TRP) with the same physical cell identifier (PCI) serve that logical cell.

[0005] However, in NTN communication scenarios based on logical cells or NTN / TN converged communication scenarios, due to the mobility of NTN devices, directly reusing the terminal device access process in the current TN communication scenario leads to problems such as high network complexity and large access latency. Therefore, how to design access methods for the above communication scenarios has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a communication method and a communication device that can reduce the network-side complexity and access latency of terminal devices during the access process in NTN communication scenarios or NTN / TN converged communication scenarios.

[0007] Firstly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a terminal device or a chip within the terminal device. Unless otherwise specified, "terminal device" in this application can refer to the terminal device itself (e.g., a terminal device in an NTN communication system or an NTN / TN converged communication system), or a component within the terminal device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system, such as circuitry or chips in the terminal device responsible for communication functions (e.g., a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a system-on-chip (SoC) chip containing a modem core, or a system-in-package (SIP) chip)). Alternatively, it can be a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the terminal device's functions. For ease of description, the following explanation uses execution by a terminal device as an example.

[0008] The communication method includes: receiving first information from a first transmission reception point (TRP), the first information being associated with the identification information of the first TRP, the first information including a first radio network temporary identifier (RNTI); receiving a second RNTI from a controller, the second RNTI being associated with a first logical cell; and accessing the first TRP based on the first information and the second RNTI; wherein the terminal device is located within the first logical cell, and the first TRP is one of a plurality of TRPs serving the first logical cell.

[0009] Based on the above technical solution, the terminal device can obtain the first RNTI from the first TRP and the second RNTI from the controller. The first RNTI can be a temporary cell-RNTI (TC-RNTI), and the second RNTI can be a cell-RNTI (C-RNTI). The identification information of the first TRP is the information that uniquely identifies the first TRP. This identification information does not change with the change of the logical cell served by the first TRP, or in other words, it does not change with the movement of the first TRP. The first RNTI included in the first information is associated with the identification information of the first TRP, meaning that the set of RNTIs carried by the first TRP (e.g., the TC-RNTI set) is associated with the identification information of the first TRP. That is, the set of TC-RNTIs carried by the first TRP does not change with the change of the logical cell served by the first TRP. Therefore, during the access process of the terminal device, the first TRP does not need to frequently update the set of TC-RNTIs it carries, reducing the complexity on the network side. The same applies to other information included in the first information besides the first RNTI.

[0010] Furthermore, during the access process described above, the terminal device does not need to interact directly with the first TRP through the controller to obtain the first RNTI, thereby reducing message transmission latency and thus reducing the access latency of the terminal device.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, receiving a second RNTI from the controller includes: receiving second information from the controller, the second information indicating a first mapping rule between the first RNTI and the second RNTI; and obtaining the second RNTI based on the first RNTI and the first mapping rule.

[0012] Based on the above technical solution, the terminal device can flexibly obtain or update the second RNTI by storing and updating the first mapping rule and the first RNTI. Furthermore, by storing the relatively low-complexity first mapping rule, the terminal device can save storage space and reduce maintenance costs.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: receiving a synchronization signal block (SSB) and / or a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) from a first TRP, wherein the frequency domain offset of the SSB and / or the PBCH DMRS is associated with the identification information of the first TRP.

[0014] Based on the above technical solution, the SSB set carried by the first TRP does not need to change with the change of the logical cell served by the first TRP, and the frequency domain offset of PBCH DMRS also does not need to be re-determined due to the change of the logical cell served by the first TRP. In this way, the complexity of the network side during the access process of the terminal device can be further reduced.

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the identification information of the first TRP includes at least one of the following information of the first TRP: satellite ID, orbit ID, sector ID, remote radio head ID, or TRP ID.

[0016] Based on the above technical solution, the identification information can uniquely identify the first TRP or the different sectors covered by the first TRP in the NTN communication system, and will not change with the movement of the first TRP or the change of the logical cell served by the first TRP. Therefore, information associated with the above identification information, such as TC-RNTI, can also remain unchanged with the movement of the first TRP, thus reducing the complexity of the network side during the terminal device's access process.

[0017] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the effective area of ​​the second RNTI is the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell.

[0018] Based on the above technical solution, the second RNTI can also be understood as having an effective area bound to a geographical location. Therefore, when a terminal device experiences a serving TRP change within the first logical cell, its second RNTI remains within the effective area, and the controller does not need to reconfigure the second RNTI for that terminal device, reducing the network-side complexity of the access process.

[0019] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the second information further includes instruction information, which is used to instruct the terminal device to maintain the first RNTI and the second RNTI, or the instruction information is used to instruct the terminal device to maintain the first RNTI and the first mapping rule.

[0020] Based on the above technical solution, in an NTN communication scenario, the terminal device can continue to communicate with the first TRP and the controller via the first RNTI and the second RNTI according to the indication information. That is, both the first RNTI and the second RNTI can be active and used by the terminal device after completing the access. In a TN communication scenario, the terminal device can maintain only the second RNTI based on the existing access method. Thus, the communication method provided in this application embodiment has good compatibility with both NTN and NTN / TN converged communication scenarios.

[0021] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, when the first TRP serving the terminal device is changed to the second TRP, the method further includes: accessing the second TRP based on the third RNTI and the second RNTI, wherein the third RNTI is associated with the identification information of the second TRP, and the second TRP is one of multiple TRPs.

[0022] Based on the above technical solution, when a terminal device experiences a serving TRP change within the first logical cell, its second RNTI remains within the effective area. The terminal device can access the second TRP based on its second RNTI and the third RNTI from the second TRP. In this way, the terminal device can reuse its second RNTI and existing RRC-related configurations. This access process avoids the interaction processes such as RRC configuration between the terminal device and the controller, reducing signaling overhead and access latency.

[0023] Furthermore, the third RNTI can be a TC-RNTI, and since the third RNTI is associated with the identification information of the second TRP, the TC-RNTI set carried by the second TRP also does not need to be updated as the second TRP moves. Thus, the complexity on the network side is reduced during the aforementioned access process.

[0024] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: releasing the first RNTI; and / or receiving the third RNTI from the second TRP.

[0025] Based on the above technical solution, when a terminal device experiences a serving TRP change within the first logical cell, it can automatically release the first RNTI to reduce resource consumption and save storage space. Furthermore, the terminal device and the second TRP can configure the third RNTI through direct signaling interaction, resulting in lower transmission latency and consequently reduced access latency.

[0026] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, when the first TRP serving the terminal device is changed to the second TRP, the method further includes: accessing the second TRP based on the third RNTI and the fourth RNTI, wherein the third RNTI is associated with the identification information of the second TRP, and there is a second mapping rule between the third RNTI and the fourth RNTI, and the fourth RNTI is associated with the second logical cell; wherein the second TRP is the TRP serving the second logical cell.

[0027] Based on the above technical solution, when a terminal device experiences a serving TRP change between the first and second logical cells, its second RNTI will be outside the effective area. The terminal device accesses the second TRP by receiving a third RNTI from the second TRP and a fourth RNTI from the controller. The third RNTI can be a TC-RNTI, and the fourth RNTI can be a C-RNTI. During this process, the RNTI sets and other relevant information carried by the first and second TRPs remain unchanged, resulting in low network-side complexity for this access process.

[0028] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: receiving a third RNTI from a second TRP; and determining a fourth RNTI based on the second mapping rule and the third RNTI.

[0029] Based on the above technical solution, the terminal device updates the maintained first mapping rule to the second mapping rule, and obtains the fourth RNTI based on the third RNTI and the second mapping rule. This method of obtaining the fourth RNTI is highly flexible, and the storage and updating complexity is low. The mapping rules help reduce the storage space occupied by the terminal device, and the maintenance cost is low.

[0030] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the method further includes: receiving a second mapping rule from the controller; releasing the first RNTI and the second RNTI.

[0031] Based on the above technical solution, the terminal device can automatically release the first RNTI and the second RNTI, reducing its storage space usage.

[0032] Secondly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a first TRP. Unless otherwise specified, "first TRP" in this application can refer to the first TRP itself (e.g., a regenerating satellite TRP in an NTN communication system or an NTN / TN converged communication system), or a component in the first TRP (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system, such as a circuit or chip in the first TRP responsible for communication functions (e.g., a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a SoC chip or SIP chip containing a modem core)), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the first TRP. For ease of description, the following explanation uses the execution of the first TRP as an example.

[0033] The communication method includes: acquiring first information, which is associated with the identification information of a first TRP, the first information including a first radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), the first information being used to assist a terminal device in accessing the first TRP; sending the first information to a terminal device, the terminal device being located within a first logical cell; wherein the first TRP is one of a plurality of TRPs serving the first logical cell.

[0034] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: sending a synchronization signal block SSB and / or a physical broadcast channel demodulation reference signal PBCH DMRS to a terminal device, wherein the frequency domain offset of the SSB and / or PBCH DMRS is associated with the identification information of the first TRP.

[0035] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the identification information of the first TRP includes at least one of the following information of the first TRP: satellite ID, orbit ID, sector ID, remote radio head ID, or TRP ID.

[0036] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the effective area of ​​the second RNTI is the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell.

[0037] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: sending a first RNTI to the controller; or, sending a set of RNTIs to the controller, wherein the first RNTI belongs to the set of RNTIs.

[0038] Based on the above technical solution, the first TRP can inform the controller of the first RNTI sent to the terminal device, or it can pre-configure its own set of RNTIs in the controller, which can be a TC-RNTI set. Based on this, the controller can know the first RNTI scheduled by the first TRP and use this first RNTI for signaling interaction with the terminal device, such as scrambling RRC configuration information or the second RNTI and sending it to the terminal device via the first RNTI to complete the subsequent terminal device access process.

[0039] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, each RNTI in the RNTI set is associated with at least one effective time period, which is determined based on at least two of the following: the start time of universal time coordinated (UTC), the end time of UTC, and the duration.

[0040] Based on the above technical solution, the first TRP manages each RNTI in the RNTI set by configuring an effective time period, thereby achieving reasonable allocation of each RNTI. Correspondingly, each RNTI can be activated within a predefined time period according to its associated effective time period, enabling communication between the terminal device and the first TRP or controller. During other time periods, the RNTI can remain inactive, reducing or even avoiding interference with the communication system and helping to reduce system overhead.

[0041] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the method further includes: receiving third information from the controller, the third information being used to indicate an association between the first RNTI and the second RNTI; and sending first information to the terminal device, including: sending the first information to the terminal device based on the third information.

[0042] Based on the above technical solution, the controller can establish a mapping table. Taking the first RNTI as TC-RNTI and the second RNTI as C-RNTI as an example, the controller can establish this mapping table based on the received TC-RNTI set and the C-RNTI set carried by the controller. The third information can be a part of the mapping table, containing the mapping relationship between each TC-RNTI and C-RNTI in the TC-RNTI set carried by the first TRP.

[0043] The first TRP can determine the first RNTI to be sent to the terminal device based on the association between the first RNTI and the second RNTI indicated by the third information, combined with configuration information such as the effective area of ​​the second RNTI. Based on this, the first TRP manages and allocates the first RNTI more reasonably, reducing or even avoiding the situation where the first RNTI allocated to the terminal device fails or is unavailable, thereby reducing the latency of the terminal device's access process.

[0044] Thirdly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a controller. Unless otherwise specified, the term "controller" in this application can refer to the controller itself (e.g., the controller in an NTN communication system or an NTN / TN converged communication system), a component within the controller (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system, such as a circuit or chip in the controller responsible for communication functions (e.g., a modem chip, also known as a baseband chip, or a SoC chip or SIP chip containing a modem core)), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the controller's functions. For ease of description, the following explanation uses controller execution as an example.

[0045] The communication method includes: obtaining a second radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), the second RNTI being associated with a first logical cell, the second RNTI being used to assist a terminal device in accessing a first transmission receiving point (TRP); sending the second RNTI to a terminal device, the terminal device being located within the first logical cell; wherein the first TRP is one of a plurality of TRPs serving the first logical cell.

[0046] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, obtaining the second RNTI includes: obtaining second information, the second information being used to indicate a first mapping rule between the first RNTI and the second RNTI, the first RNTI being associated with the identification information of the first TRP; sending the second RNTI to the terminal device includes: sending the second information to the terminal device.

[0047] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the identification information of the first TRP includes at least one of the following information of the first TRP: satellite ID, orbit ID, sector ID, remote radio head ID, or TRP ID.

[0048] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the effective area of ​​the second RNTI is the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell.

[0049] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the coverage of the effective area is configured in the second RNTI through the following information: geographic area information, geographic location information, or reference location and distance threshold information.

[0050] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the method further includes: receiving a first RNTI from a first TRP; or, receiving a set of RNTIs from a first TRP, wherein the first RNTI belongs to the set of RNTIs.

[0051] In conjunction with the third aspect, some implementations of the third aspect also include: establishing a first mapping rule based on the first RNTI and the second RNTI; or, establishing a first mapping rule based on the RNTI set and the second RNTI.

[0052] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the method further includes: sending third information to the first TRP, the third information being used to indicate the association between the first RNTI and the second RNTI.

[0053] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the second information also includes instruction information, which is used to instruct the terminal device to maintain the first RNTI and the second RNTI, or the instruction information is used to instruct the terminal device to maintain the first RNTI and the first mapping rule.

[0054] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, when the first TRP serving the terminal device changes to the second TRP, the method further includes: receiving a third RNTI from the second TRP, wherein the third RNTI is associated with the identification information of the second TRP; wherein the second TRP is the TRP serving the second logical cell.

[0055] In conjunction with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the method further includes: sending a second mapping rule to the terminal device, wherein the second mapping rule is a mapping rule between the third RNTI and the fourth RNTI, and the fourth RNTI is associated with the second logical cell.

[0056] Fourthly, a communication apparatus is provided for performing the method provided in the first aspect. Specifically, the communication apparatus may include units and / or modules for performing the method provided in any of the above implementations of the first aspect, such as a processing unit and an acquisition unit.

[0057] In one implementation, the transceiver unit can be a transceiver or an input / output interface; the processing unit can be at least one processor. Optionally, the transceiver can be a transceiver circuit. Optionally, the input / output interface can be an input / output circuit.

[0058] In another implementation, the transceiver unit can be an input / output interface, interface circuit, output circuit, input circuit, pin, or related circuit on the chip, chip system, or circuit; the processing unit can be at least one processor, processing circuit, or logic circuit.

[0059] Fifthly, a communication apparatus is provided for performing the method provided in the second aspect. Specifically, the communication apparatus may include units and / or modules for performing the method provided in the second aspect, such as a processing unit and an acquisition unit.

[0060] In one implementation, the transceiver unit can be a transceiver or an input / output interface; the processing unit can be at least one processor. Optionally, the transceiver can be a transceiver circuit. Optionally, the input / output interface can be an input / output circuit.

[0061] In another implementation, the transceiver unit can be an input / output interface, interface circuit, output circuit, input circuit, pin, or related circuit on the chip, chip system, or circuit; the processing unit can be at least one processor, processing circuit, or logic circuit.

[0062] In a sixth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided for performing the method provided in the third aspect. Specifically, the communication apparatus may include units and / or modules for performing the method provided in the third aspect, such as a processing unit and an acquisition unit.

[0063] In one implementation, the transceiver unit can be a transceiver or an input / output interface; the processing unit can be at least one processor. Optionally, the transceiver can be a transceiver circuit. Optionally, the input / output interface can be an input / output circuit.

[0064] In another implementation, the transceiver unit can be an input / output interface, interface circuit, output circuit, input circuit, pin, or related circuit on the chip, chip system, or circuit; the processing unit can be at least one processor, processing circuit, or logic circuit.

[0065] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a communication device including at least one processor for executing the method provided in any one of the implementations of the first, second, or third aspects described above.

[0066] Unless otherwise specified, or if it does not contradict its actual function or internal logic in the relevant description, the transmission and acquisition / reception operations involved in the processor can be understood as processor output and reception, input and other operations, or as transmission and reception operations performed by radio frequency circuits and antennas. This application does not limit them in this regard.

[0067] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores program code for execution by a device, the program code including a method for performing any of the implementations of the first, second, or third aspects described above.

[0068] Ninth aspect, a computer program product containing instructions is provided, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method provided by any of the implementations of the first, second, or third aspects described above.

[0069] In a tenth aspect, a chip or chip system is provided, the chip or chip system including one or more processors and a communication interface, wherein the processor reads a computer program or instruction stored in a memory through the communication interface and executes the method provided by any of the implementations of the first, second or third aspects above.

[0070] Optionally, as one implementation, the chip also includes a memory storing computer programs or instructions, and a processor for executing the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory. When the computer programs or instructions are executed, the processor is used to perform the method provided by any of the first, second, or third implementations described above.

[0071] Eleventhly, a communication system is provided, including the communication devices described in the fourth to sixth aspects. Attached Figure Description

[0072] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the network architecture applicable to the embodiments of this application.

[0073] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the open radio access network (O-RAN) architecture.

[0074] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a satellite communication system according to an embodiment of this application.

[0075] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the transparent satellite architecture.

[0076] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a non-transparent satellite architecture.

[0077] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of one working mode of a satellite communication system beam.

[0078] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of another working mode of the satellite communication system beam.

[0079] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of mobility management in a satellite communication system.

[0080] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a logical cell division method.

[0081] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the initial access process for terminal devices.

[0082] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a logical cell provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0083] Figure 12 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0084] Figure 13 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0085] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0086] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the following points are provided.

[0087] First, in this application, "for indicating" can include both direct and indirect indication. When describing an indication information as indicating A, it can include whether the indication information directly indicates A or indirectly indicates A, but does not necessarily mean that the indication information includes A.

[0088] The information indicated by the instruction information is called the instruction-to-be-instructed information. In the specific implementation, there are many ways to instruct the instruction-to-be-instructed information. The instruction-to-be-instructed information can be sent as a whole, or it can be divided into multiple sub-information messages and sent separately. Furthermore, the sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be the same or different. This application does not limit the specific sending method. The sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be predefined, for example, according to a protocol, or configured by the transmitting device by sending configuration information to the receiving device.

[0089] Second, in this application, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "more than one" refers to two or more. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, "first," "second," and various numerical designations (e.g., "#1," "#2," etc.) are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The sequence numbers of the processes below do not imply an order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application. It should be understood that the objects described in this way can be interchanged where appropriate to describe solutions other than those in the embodiments of this application. Moreover, in the embodiments of this application, terms such as "S1210," "S1220," etc., are merely identifiers for descriptive convenience and do not limit the order of execution steps.

[0090] Third, in this application, the words "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or illustration. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the words "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0091] Fourth, the term "storage" in the embodiments of this application can refer to storage in one or more memories. These memories can be separate installations or integrated into an encoder, decoder, processor, or communication device. Alternatively, some memories can be separately installed, while others can be integrated into the decoder, processor, or communication device. The type of memory can be any form of storage medium, and this application does not limit this.

[0092] Fifth, the “protocol” involved in the embodiments of this application may refer to standard protocols in the field of communication, such as LTE protocol, NR protocol and related protocols applied to future communication systems, and this application does not limit it.

[0093] Sixth, in the embodiments of this application, "under the circumstances", "when", and "if" can sometimes be used interchangeably. It should be noted that when the distinction is not emphasized, their intended meanings are consistent.

[0094] Seventh, in the embodiments of this application, the terms and English abbreviations, such as radio resource control (RRC), are merely exemplary examples given for ease of description and should not constitute any limitation on this application. This application does not preclude the possibility of defining other terms that can achieve the same or similar functions in existing or future protocols.

[0095] Eighth, the term "and / or" in the embodiments of this application is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the related objects before and after it have an "or" relationship.

[0096] Ninth, the various message names or device names involved in the embodiments of this application are merely examples and do not constitute any limitation on the scope of protection of this application. For example, messages may have different names, as long as they can achieve the corresponding functions.

[0097] Tenth, in this application, "send" and "receive" indicate the direction of signal transmission. For example, "send information to XX" can be understood as the destination of the information being XX, and "send information" can include direct transmission or indirect transmission through other units or modules. "Receive information from YY" can be understood as the source of the information being YY, and "receive information" can include direct reception from YY or indirect reception from YY through other units or modules. Besides air interface transmission or reception signals implemented at the system level, such as network devices or terminal devices, "send" can also be understood as the "output" of a chip interface, and "receive" can also be understood as the "input" of a chip interface. For example, a modem or system-on-a-chip (SoC) chip or system-in-package (SIP) chip transmits or receives signals. "Send" or "receive" can also be performed through device components, for example, by using buses, traces, or interfaces to transmit or receive signals through several parts, modules, or chips of a device.

[0098] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0099] The technical solutions of this application can be applied to satellite communication systems, high altitude platform station (HAPS) communication, and non-terrestrial network (NTN) systems such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including integrated communication and navigation (ICAN) systems, GNSS, and ultra-dense low-Earth orbit satellite communication systems. Satellite communication systems can be integrated with traditional mobile communication systems. For example, the mobile communication system can be a fourth-generation (4G) communication system (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) system), a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) communication system, a fifth-generation (5G) communication system (e.g., new radio (NR) system), and future mobile communication systems and space-ground converged communication systems.

[0100] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a communication system applicable to embodiments of this application. The communication system includes at least one network device and at least one terminal. Terminals include ground-based mobile terminals, drones, etc. Both network devices and terminals are sometimes referred to as communication devices; for example, the network device in Figure 1 can be understood as a communication device with base station functionality, and the terminal can be understood as a communication device with terminal functionality.

[0101] It should be understood that Figure 1 is a simplified illustration of a communication scenario in which this application can be applied, using examples of communication between an access network device and a terminal device, and between an access network device and a core network device. It does not limit other scenarios in which this application can be applied. It should also be understood that Figure 1 is only a simplified schematic diagram for ease of understanding. This communication system may also include other network devices or other terminal devices, which are not shown in Figure 1.

[0102] The terminal in this application embodiment can also be referred to as a terminal device, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, etc. Terminals can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, drones, helicopters, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. Terminals typically contain communication modules, circuits, or chips that perform corresponding communication functions. The terminal can also be configured with program instructions for performing these communication functions.

[0103] The network devices in this application embodiment may sometimes be referred to as access network devices, open radio access network (RAN) entities, or access nodes, etc., and constitute part of the communication system to help terminals achieve wireless access. The communication system may include multiple network devices, which may be nodes of the same type or nodes of different types.

[0104] In one possible scenario, network equipment can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a next-generation base station in a future mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. Network equipment can be a macro base station, a micro base station or indoor station, a relay node or donor node, an integrated access and backhaul device, or a wireless controller. Optionally, network equipment can also be a server, wearable device, vehicle, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, the access network equipment in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be a roadside unit (RSU).

[0105] In another possible scenario, multiple network devices collaborate to assist terminals in achieving wireless access, with each device performing a portion of the base station's functions. For example, these network devices could be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU). The CU and DU can be configured separately or included in the same network element, such as the baseband unit (BBU). The CU and DU nodes separate the gNB's protocol layers; some protocol layer functions are centrally controlled by the CU, while the remaining partial or complete protocol layer functions are distributed across the DU, which is centrally controlled by the CU.

[0106] The CU is equipped with the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer, the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, and the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer in the protocol stack; the DU is equipped with the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, and the Physical Layer (PHY) in the protocol stack.

[0107] The CU has RRC, PDCP, and SDAP processing capabilities. The DU has RLC, MAC, and PHY processing capabilities.

[0108] It should be understood that the above functional division (or segmentation) is merely an example and does not constitute a limitation of CU and DU in this application. That is to say, there may be other ways to divide functions between CU and DU, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0109] The functions of a CU can be implemented by a single entity or by different entities. For example, the functions of a CU can be further divided, such as separating the control plane (CP) and the user plane (UP), i.e., the CU control plane (CU-CP) and the CU user plane (CU-UP). CU-CP and CU-UP can be implemented by different functional entities, and they can be coupled with DUs to jointly complete the functions of the network device. The CU control plane CU-CP can also include a further divided architecture, namely, dividing CU-CP into CU-CP1 and CU-CP2. CU-CP1 includes various radio resource management functions, while CU-CP2 only includes RRC functions and PDCP-control (C) functions (i.e., the basic functions of control plane signaling at the PDCP layer).

[0110] In one possible implementation, CU-CP handles control plane functions, primarily including RRC and PDCP-C. PDCP-C is mainly responsible for control plane data encryption / decryption, integrity protection, and data transmission. CU-UP handles user plane functions, primarily including SDAP and PDCP-user (U). SDAP is mainly responsible for processing core network data and mapping data flows to bearers. PDCP-U is mainly responsible for data plane encryption / decryption, integrity protection, header compression, sequence number maintenance, and data transmission. CU-CP and CU-UP are connected via an E1 interface. CU-CP represents the gNB and connects to the core network via the Ng interface. It connects to the DU via F1-C (control plane). CU-UP connects to the DU via F1-U (user plane). Another possible implementation is that PDCP-C is also located within CU-UP.

[0111] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, a radio access network can also be an open radio access network (O-RAN) architecture. In an ORAN system, CU can also be called an open CU (open CU, O-CU), DU can also be called an open DU (open DU, O-DU), CU-CP can also be called an open CU-CP (open CU-CP, O-CU-CP), CU-UP can also be called an open CU-UP (open CU-UP, O-CU-UP), and RU can also be called an O-RU. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software modules and hardware modules.

[0112] To facilitate understanding, the O-RAN architecture designed in this application is briefly introduced with reference to Figure 2. As can be seen from Figure 2, the O-RAN architecture includes: a first network unit, a second network unit, a third network unit, an O-eNB, an O-CU-CP, an O-CU-UP, an O-DU, an O-RU, and an O-cloud.

[0113] The aforementioned network elements (also referred to as nodes) can be interconnected. For example, the first network unit connects to the O-cloud via the O2 interface; the first network unit connects to the third network unit, O-eNB, O-CU-CP, O-CU-UP, O-DU, and O-RU via the O1 interface; the first network unit connects to the O-RU via the open fronthaul M-Plane interface; the O-DU connects to the O-RU via the open fronthaul M-Plane interface and the open fronthaul C / U / S-Plane interface; the third network unit connects to the O-eNB, O-CU-CP, O-CU-UP, and O-DU via the E2 interface; the O-CU-CP connects to the O-DU via the F1-c interface; the O-CU-UP connects to the O-DU via the F1-u interface; and the O-CU-CP connects to the O-CU-UP via the E1 interface. For a detailed description of the interfaces shown in Figure 2, please refer to existing standards; further details are omitted here.

[0114] One possible example is that the first network unit could be a service management and orchestration framework (SMO), or a network unit with similar functionality to an SMO; there is no limitation on which one.

[0115] One possible example is that the second network element can be a Non-RT RIC, or a network element with similar functionality to a Non-RT RIC; there is no limitation on this.

[0116] One possible example is that the third network unit could be a Near-RT RIC, or a network unit with similar functionality to a Near-RT RIC; there is no limitation on this.

[0117] O-RAN aims to achieve an intelligent and open access network. A key feature of the O-RAN architecture is the separation of hardware and software, enabling the virtualization of network functions and the standardization of hardware. Furthermore, O-RAN incorporates artificial intelligence (AI).

[0118] In the ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (Open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules.

[0119] In this embodiment, the communication system may also include core network equipment, i.e., equipment in the core network (CN) that provides service support to the terminal. Examples of core network equipment include: access and mobility management function (AMF) entities, session management function (SMF) entities, user plane function (UPF) entities, etc., which will not be listed here. The AMF entity is responsible for terminal access management and mobility management; the SMF entity is responsible for session management, such as user session establishment; and the UPF entity is a user plane function entity, primarily responsible for connecting to external networks. It should be noted that in this application, entities can also be referred to as network elements or functional entities. For example, an AMF entity can also be called an AMF network element or an AMF functional entity, and an SMF entity can also be called an SMF network element or an SMF functional entity, etc.

[0120] It should be understood that the above naming is defined solely for the purpose of distinguishing different functions and should not constitute any limitation on this application. This application does not preclude the possibility of using other naming conventions in 5G networks and other future networks. For example, in future communication networks, some or all of the above-mentioned network elements may use the terminology from 5G, or they may use other names, etc.

[0121] Currently, 5G has moved from the standardization phase to the commercial deployment phase. The NR standard was designed specifically for terrestrial communication, offering high-speed, high-reliability, and low-latency communication for user terminals. Compared to terrestrial communication, non-terrestrial networks (NTN) communication features large coverage areas and flexible networking. Currently, various research institutes, communication organizations, and companies are involved in researching NTN communication technologies and standards, striving to build a unified communication network integrating air, space, and ground communication. Depending on the payload type, NTN networks commonly employ two architectures: regenerative architecture and transparent architecture.

[0122] For example, the network devices and terminals in Figure 1 are devices in a satellite communication system. For instance, the network devices and terminals are devices in a converged network architecture of NTN and terrestrial networks. For ease of understanding, the satellite communication scenarios to which the solution of this application is applicable will be briefly introduced with reference to Figure 3.

[0123] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a satellite communication system according to an embodiment of this application. The satellite communication system includes satellite 101, satellite 102 and satellite 103. Each satellite can provide communication services, navigation services and positioning services to terminal devices through multiple beams. In this scenario, the satellites can be LEO satellites or MEO satellites, etc. Satellite 103 is connected to ground station equipment (core network equipment as shown in Figure 3).

[0124] For example, the satellite shown in Figure 3 can use multiple beams to cover the service area (as shown in Figure 3), and different beams can communicate through one or more of time division, frequency division, or space division. The satellite can communicate wirelessly with terminal equipment through broadcast communication signals and navigation signals, and can also communicate wirelessly with ground station equipment.

[0125] The satellite mentioned in the embodiments of this application may be a satellite base station, or may include an orbital receiver or repeater for relaying information, or network-side equipment mounted on a satellite.

[0126] For example, base station 201, satellite 101, satellite 102, or satellite 103 in Figure 3 can be referred to as nodes. The satellite is connected to base station 201 and / or base station 202 and receives control information and user data from the base station. In addition, the satellite can operate in a staring mode (e.g., earth-fixed coordinates or quasi-earth fixed coordinates) or a non-staring mode (e.g., earth-moving coordinates).

[0127] It should be understood that Figure 3 is a simplified schematic diagram for ease of understanding. This satellite communication system may also include other network devices or other terminal devices, which are not shown in Figure 3. Alternatively, the communication scenarios applicable to the embodiments of this application may also include communication systems that include other types of NTN devices, which will not be illustrated here.

[0128] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, some basic concepts involved in this application will be briefly explained.

[0129] 1. Non-terrestrial networks (NTN): These include nodes such as satellite networks, high-altitude platforms, and drones. They offer significant advantages such as global coverage, long-distance transmission, flexible networking, convenient deployment, and freedom from geographical limitations. They have been widely applied in various fields including maritime communication, positioning and navigation, disaster relief, scientific experiments, video broadcasting, and Earth observation. The integration of terrestrial 5G networks and satellite networks, leveraging their respective strengths, forms a seamless global communication network encompassing sea, land, air, space, and ground, meeting the diverse and ubiquitous service needs of users.

[0130] As an important component of NTN, the next-generation satellite network generally exhibits a trend towards ultra-dense and heterogeneous architecture: First, the scale of the satellite network has grown from 66 satellites in the Iridium constellation to 720 satellites in a single-network constellation, and eventually extended to the Starlink ultra-dense LEO satellite constellation of over 12,000 satellites; Second, the satellite network exhibits heterogeneous characteristics, evolving from a traditional single-layer communication network to a multi-layer communication network, and the functions of the communication satellite network are becoming more complex and diversified, gradually becoming compatible with and supporting functions such as navigation enhancement, Earth observation, and multi-dimensional information on-orbit processing.

[0131] 2. Satellite operating modes: These include transparent transmission mode and non-transparent transmission mode. Non-transparent transmission mode is also known as regeneration mode. In transparent transmission mode, the signal only undergoes frequency conversion and signal amplification on the satellite, and the satellite is transparent to the signal. In non-transparent transmission mode, the satellite functions as a base station during signal transmission, and the UE can send signals to the 5G core network (CN) through the satellite.

[0132] Alternatively, transparent transmission, also known as bend-tube relay transmission, means that the signal only undergoes frequency conversion and signal amplification on the satellite, and the satellite is transparent to the signal, as if it does not exist. Non-transparent transmission, also known as regeneration (on-board access or processing) transmission, means that the satellite has some or all base station functions (such as a satellite corresponding to a complete base station or DU).

[0133] As an example and not a limitation, satellite communication systems include transparent satellite architecture and non-transparent satellite architecture. In a transparent satellite architecture, the satellite operates in transparent mode, while in a non-transparent satellite architecture, the satellite operates in non-transparent mode. For ease of understanding, Figures 4 and 5 are used to briefly introduce the transparent and non-transparent satellite architectures. Figure 4 shows the transparent satellite architecture. As can be seen from Figure 4, the signal passes through the satellite and NTN gateway during transmission between the UE and gNB. However, the signal only undergoes frequency conversion and signal amplification on the satellite; the satellite is transparent to the signal. As shown in Figure 4, in the transparent satellite architecture, the satellite and NTN gateway are equivalent to a remote radio unit (RRU). Furthermore, as can be seen from Figure 5, in the non-transparent satellite architecture, the satellite functions as a base station during signal transmission, and the UE can send signals to the 5G CN via the satellite.

[0134] 3. Satellite communication system beam working mode: Taking satellite communication as an example, based on the working mode of the payload (such as beam), it can usually be divided into staring (earth-fixed or quasi-earth fixed) and non-staring (earth-moving) satellite communication systems.

[0135] For example, for a non-staring system, as shown in Figure 6, the satellite beam coverage area moves with the satellite over a period of time (e.g., times T1, T2, and T3); for a staring system, as shown in Figure 7, the satellite dynamically adjusts the beam direction over a period of time (e.g., times T1, T2, and T3) so that the beam approximately covers the same area of ​​the ground.

[0136] 4. Region: Unless otherwise specified, "region" in the following embodiments of this application refers to a geographical region. A region is fixed relative to the Earth, or can be understood as a geographical region that is fixed relative to the Earth. For example, a region may have at least one of the following attributes: shape, outline, size, radius, area, geographical location, etc. In addition, a "region" may also have an altitude attribute, that is, a region can be understood as a geographical region at a given altitude or altitude range. For example, a region may refer to a geographical region on the ground with an altitude of 0 km or within an altitude range of 0 km ± 2 km, or a geographical region with a certain average altitude, or a geographical region at a specific altitude, such as a geographical region with an altitude of 10 km or within an altitude range of 10 km ± 3 km.

[0137] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned region fixed relative to the Earth can also be referred to as a "wave position," "geographical region," "geographical location," etc. Of course, other names are also possible, and this application does not specifically limit the name of the region fixed relative to the Earth.

[0138] Different regions may have the same or different shapes, outlines, sizes, radii, and areas. Different regions may be geographically different. Different regions may or may not overlap.

[0139] In one possible implementation, "region fixed relative to the Earth" can be understood as follows: the region's outline, size, or geographical location remains unchanged; for example, the region's outline, size, or geographical location does not change over time. Alternatively, "region fixed relative to the Earth" can be understood as follows: the region's outline and the points within it can be described using a fixed Earth coordinate system, or the coordinates of each point on the region's outline in the fixed Earth coordinate system remain constant.

[0140] In one possible implementation, the shape of the region can be a regular hexagon, or other shapes such as a regular pentagon, a circle, an ellipse, etc. Alternatively, the shape of the region can also be irregular, without limitation.

[0141] For example, the shape of a region can be defined by a protocol or by a network device. Regions defined by different network devices can have the same or different shapes. The same network device can also define multiple region shapes. Similarly, the size, radius, and area of ​​a region can also be defined by a protocol or by a network device. Regions defined by different network devices can have the same or different sizes, radii, or areas. The same network device can also define multiple region sizes, multiple region radii, or multiple region areas.

[0142] In one possible implementation, the Earth's surface can be divided into multiple regions, and these regions can be indexed (e.g., numbered). Terminal devices and network devices can agree on the numbering method for these regions (e.g., starting from 1 or 0) and the correspondence between regions and indexes. Alternatively, the protocol can define the numbering method for these regions and the correspondence between regions and indexes. Based on the region indexes, information such as the region's geographical location can be determined.

[0143] Optionally, the multiple regions can completely cover the Earth's surface, such that any location on the Earth's surface belongs to a certain region; or, the multiple regions can also cover part of the geographical location on Earth, for example, the multiple regions may not cover the Earth's South Pole and / or North Pole, that is, the South Pole and / or North Pole may not exist in the region.

[0144] 5. Mobility Management: In the LEO satellite communication system, the movement of satellite nodes can cause group handover (e.g. for connected UEs) or group reselection (e.g. for idle UEs) of terminal devices in a certain area.

[0145] Taking group handover as an example, as shown in Figure 8, within a single beam position in Zone #2 (e.g., UE group 1 (UE-G1), where UE-G1 contains multiple UEs), at time T1, UE-G1 is served by one or more beams of satellite SAT#2; at time T2, the movement of satellite SAT#2 causes this beam position to become unserved by satellite SAT#2, and one or more beams of satellite SAT#1 take over the service of UE-G1. Therefore, UE-G1 undergoes group handover.

[0146] In addition, due to the relatively high speed of the satellites, approximately 7.5 km / s, the frequency of group switching is approximately once every few seconds to tens of seconds.

[0147] 6. PCI: PCI is the physical layer identifier used to uniquely identify a cell in a communication system. PCI is crucial for cell identification, allowing the UE to identify and distinguish different cells in the network. Specifically, PCI can be associated with the cell's synchronization signals (e.g., the primary synchronization signal (PSS) and the secondary synchronization signal (SSS)).

[0148] 7. Cell ID: Also known as cell identifier, it is a digital identifier used in mobile communication networks to uniquely identify a specific geographical area covered by a base station. It can be used to distinguish and locate each cell or service area in a wireless network.

[0149] 8. Hypercell: Also known as a logical cell, virtual cell, or unchanged cell (unchanged PCI or PCI unchanged). In terrestrial networks, a logical cell merges multiple TRPs (Transport Representation Points) that provide continuous coverage and operate in the same frequency band into a single logical cell. This allows terminal devices to move within the logical cell without needing to perform cell handover. The value of a logical cell lies in reducing signaling overhead during handover, improving the user experience at the edge, and reducing call drops due to handover failures. It is commonly used in high-speed scenarios such as high-speed rail, subways, and tunnels. As shown in Figure 9, cells PCI#1, PCI#2, and PCI#3 are merged into a supercell and adopt a unified physical cell identifier (such as PCI#1). Each of the original cells becomes a TRP under the logical cell.

[0150] The working principle of a logical cell is as follows: Multiple TRPs are configured into a single logical cell, with each TRP using the same PCI, cell global identifier (CGI), frequency, and bandwidth. Because each TRP uses the same PCI and CGI, the UE is unaware of the existence of multiple TRPs when moving between them, thus eliminating the need for traditional Layer 3 handover. Specifically, this includes:

[0151] Access: gNB selects the TRP with the highest RACH preamble quality (e.g., preamble RSRP) for the UE as the serving TRP, replacing the traditional access based on downlink SSB signal quality with uplink.

[0152] Coordination: Public information, such as the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), sounding reference signal (SRS), physical random access channel (PRACH), or SSB, is uniformly scheduled by the logical cell and occupies the same time and frequency resources, while UE-specific signaling and data are independently scheduled and allocated by the serving TRP.

[0153] Handover: gNB determines whether to switch TRP by measuring the UE's probe signal quality (such as SRS RSRP) under each TRP. When the SRS RSRP of the candidate TRP exceeds the first threshold of the SRS RSRP of the serving TRP, it switches to the new TRP. Based on this method, UE-insensitive TRP change based on uplink is realized.

[0154] 9. Initial Access in Standalone (SA) Mode: As shown in Figure 10, the initial access process in SA mode during NTN / TN communication scenarios is as follows:

[0155] S1010, Cell Search and Selection: The process by which the UE and the NR cell achieve downlink synchronization and select the NR cell with the best signal to camp on.

[0156] S1020, Random Access: The process of establishing a radio link between the UE and the base station, that is, the process by which the UE establishes uplink synchronization with the NR cell and obtains uplink resources through a random access procedure. Specifically, this process includes:

[0157] a) The UE sends a random access (RA) preamble, i.e., message 1 (msg 1). The purpose of the UE sending the RA preamble is to inform the gNB of the UE's random access request and to estimate the uplink time difference based on the reception of the RA preamble.

[0158] b) The gNB sends an RA response, i.e., msg 2. After receiving the RA preamble from the UE, the gNB obtains the UE's uplink timing advance (TA) based on the RA preamble. The gNB sends the RA response via msg 2 on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (multiple RA responses can be sent simultaneously on one PDSCH) to indicate that it has received the RA preamble, and carries the value of TA to the UE via msg 2 for adjusting the UE's transmission timing. In addition, the RA response carries information including the RA preamble identifier, uplink grant, and temporary cell radio network temporary identifier (TC-RNTI).

[0159] S1030, RRC Connection Establishment: The process of establishing signaling radio bearer 1 (SRB1) between the UE and gNB. Specifically, it includes:

[0160] c) The UE sends msg 3. The UE achieves uplink synchronization and can transmit the message (msg 3) on the predetermined physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). msg 3 carries the UE's unique identifier (UE ID), which is used for conflict resolution in subsequent steps to distinguish the UE involved in the conflict. If the UE has previously connected to a cell, it uses the cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) of that cell as its UE ID, which is unique within that cell; otherwise, the UE uses an identifier from the CN (either a temporary mobile subscriber identity (SAE) or a random number).

[0161] d) The gNB sends a contention resolution message, msg 4, to the UE. After the UE sends msg 3, it starts a contention resolution timer (the timer duration is 64 milliseconds, ms), and then checks the PDCCH within the timer window. The gNB assists the UE in contention resolution by using C-RNTI on the PDCCH or the UE contention resolution identity on the PDSCH (the UE contention resolution identity can be part or all of the UE ID, for example, the first 48 bits of the S-TMSI): Before the contention resolution timer expires, the UE continuously checks the PDCCH channel. If any of the following conditions exist, the UE considers the contention resolution successful (i.e., the UE has successfully accessed the network) and stops the contention resolution timer; otherwise, the timer is not stopped:

[0162] i) The UE detects its C-RNTI on the PDCCH via msg 4. At this point, the UE will stop the contention resolution timer and discard the TC-RNTI.

[0163] ii) The UE detects its TC-RNTI on the PDCCH via msg 4, and the UE contention resolution identifier contained in the MAC protocol data unit (PDU) received by the UE from the PDSCH is the same as the UE contention resolution identifier carried in msg 3 sent by the UE (i.e., MAC PDU decoding is successful). At this time, the UE will stop the contention resolution timer and set TC-RNTI to C-RNTI.

[0164] S1030, Initial Context Establishment: When making various event decisions or executing various algorithms, the gNB needs to know the UE's context information in order to make the most reasonable decision. After the initial context establishment is completed, the gNB can obtain all the UE context it needs.

[0165] S1040, PDU Session Establishment: The PDU session is used to provide PDU connectivity services between the UE and the data network (DN), that is, to support PDU exchange between the UE and the data network. Therefore, this step is optional and the PDU session establishment process is only involved when the UE initiates a data service.

[0166] It is worth noting that in the current NR initial access procedure, the UE will select a suitable cell for initial access based on the quality of the reference signal, such as selecting a suitable cell for access based on the S criterion.

[0167] 10. Ephemeris Information: The ephemeris information involved in this application includes, but is not limited to, orbital parameters, or parameters such as the satellite's azimuth and velocity calculated based on the orbital parameters. It is understood that ephemeris information can be used to calculate, predict, depict, or track the satellite's flight time, position, velocity, and other states.

[0168] As an example and not a limitation, ephemeris information can be in the form of position and velocity state vectors, or in the form of orbital parameters. For example, orbital parameters expressed in earth-centered, earth-fixed (ECEF) coordinates can represent the satellite's position state vector (x, y, z) axes and velocity state vector (x, y, z) axes, or 6-dimensional parameters expressed in earth-centered inertial coordinates. It should be noted that this application does not limit the specific form and content of the ephemeris information; reference can be made to the definitions of ephemeris information in existing protocols.

[0169] The preceding text, with reference to Figure 1, briefly introduced the application scenarios of the communication method provided in this application embodiment, and described the basic concepts that may be involved in this application embodiment. Within these basic concepts, a terminal device access method in the current NTN / TN communication scenario was introduced, in which the terminal device accesses the gNB through the aforementioned steps S1010 to S1040. However, in the NTN communication scenario, group handover or group reselection triggered by the rapid movement of satellite nodes is relatively frequent, and correspondingly, the terminal device access process is also frequent.

[0170] In NTN communication scenarios, TRPs have greater mobility and coverage, and their location can be determined based on ephemeris information. In TN scenarios, the method of the UE sending SRS or preamble RSRPs to detect TRPs is inefficient. Furthermore, in terrestrial networks, the primary cause of TRP changes or cell handovers is user movement, while in NTN scenarios, TRP changes or cell handovers are driven by satellite node movement. Therefore, directly reusing the logical cell division method from the terrestrial network communication scenarios described above is not applicable.

[0171] In the NTN communication scenario based on logical cells, as shown in Figure 11, logical cells are bound to geographical locations under fixed Earth coordinates. That is, each logical cell is associated with at least one geographical region. At different times, different sets of satellite TRPs provide services to logical cells, all sharing the same PCI. Correspondingly, the cell identifier of a logical cell is also bound to its geographical location under fixed Earth coordinates. This means that when the logical cell served by a TRP changes, the cell identifier (e.g., PCI or cell ID) corresponding to that TRP will also change. For example, when SAT-TRP#1 serves the first logical cell, the cell identifier corresponding to SAT-TRP#1 is the cell identifier of the first logical cell, such as PCI#x. However, when SAR-TRP#1 serves the second logical cell, the cell identifier corresponding to SAR-TRP#1 changes to the cell identifier of the second logical cell, such as PCI#y. Furthermore, the information carried (or managed and maintained) by the TRP and associated with the cell identifier, such as TC-RNTI, also changes with the change in the cell identifier corresponding to the TRP. Therefore, during the access process of terminal devices in this communication scenario, TRP needs to frequently update information such as the TC-RNTI set it carries, which is quite complex.

[0172] Furthermore, during the access process of the terminal device in the aforementioned communication scenario, the signaling interaction between the terminal device and the controller (such as msg 1 to msg 4) is forwarded via TRP. However, only the host (donor) TRP has a direct communication link with the controller; non-host TRPs need to communicate with the host TRP via inter-satellite links, and then with the controller. For example, when UE#1 communicates with the controller as shown in Figure 11, the message is first sent to SAT-TRP#1, which then forwards it to the host TRP, SAT-TRP#3, via the inter-satellite link, and finally forwards it to the controller. This means that the message transmission delay between the terminal device and the controller is relatively large, resulting in a large access delay for the terminal device.

[0173] To address the issues of high network complexity and long access latency in terminal device access, this application provides a communication method to reduce network complexity and latency during the access process in NTN or TNT / TN converged communication scenarios.

[0174] It should be understood that the communication method provided in this application can be applied to satellite communication systems, such as the satellite communication system shown in Figure 3. Exemplarily, the communication method provided in this application can also be used in the NTN communication scenario based on logical cells shown in Figure 11.

[0175] In the communication scenario shown in Figure 11, a logical cell includes at least one geographical region, and at least one geographical region can be served by at least one TRP. For example, the first logical cell includes geographical regions bw#1 to bw#18, and satellite sets SAT-TRP#1, SAT-TRP#2, and SAT-TRP#3 provide services to the first logical cell, with a cell PCI of PCI#x; the second logical cell includes geographical regions bw#19 to bw#24, and satellite sets SAT-TRP#3 to SAT-TRP#N provide services to the second logical cell, with a cell PCI of PCI#y. Here, bw#1, etc., are the geographical region numbers. For a description of the geographical regions, please refer to the explanation in the basic concepts section above; it will not be repeated here.

[0176] For example, the first logical cell includes at least one geographical area, which is served by multiple TRPs, including but not limited to the following possible implementations:

[0177] As one possible implementation, one of the multiple TRPs can provide services to multiple geographical areas. For example, the multiple TRPs serving the first logical cell include TRP#1, which can be SAT-TRP#1 shown in Figure 11, providing services to bw#1 to bw#9.

[0178] As another possible implementation, different TRPs within the multiple TRPs provide services for different geographical areas. For example, the multiple TRPs serving the first logical cell include TRP#1 and TRP#2, where TRP#1 can be SAT-TRP#1 as shown in Figure 11, and TRP#2 can be SAT-TRP#2 as shown in Figure 11. SAT-TRP#1 provides services for bw#4, and SAT-TRP#2 provides services for bw#14.

[0179] As another possible implementation, different TRPs within multiple TRPs can provide services for the same geographical area. For example, multiple TRPs serving the first logical cell include TRP#1 and TRP#2, where TRP#1 can be SAT-TRP#2 as shown in Figure 11, and TRP#2 can be SAT-TRP#3 as shown in Figure 11. Both SAT-TRP#2 and SAT-TRP#3 provide services for bw#14.

[0180] It should be understood that among the multiple TRPs serving the first logical cell, the geographical areas served by the multiple TRPs may not overlap, may overlap, or may partially overlap. In addition, there may be geographical areas within the first logical cell that are not served by these multiple TRPs, which will not be illustrated here.

[0181] It should also be understood that the geographical area served by the same satellite can belong to different logical cells. For example, in Figure 11, part of the beam of SAT-TRP#3 serves the first logical cell, and part of the beam serves the second logical cell. Furthermore, the geographical areas included by different logical cells can overlap; for example, the location of UE#2 belongs to both the first and second logical cells.

[0182] The application scenarios described above are merely examples and do not constitute any limitation on the scope of protection of this application.

[0183] It should be understood that the embodiments shown below do not particularly limit the specific structure of the execution subject of the method provided in the embodiments of this application, as long as it is possible to communicate according to the method provided in the embodiments of this application by running a program that records the code of the method provided in the embodiments of this application. For example, the execution subject of the method provided in the embodiments of this application can be a device, or a functional module in the device that can call and execute a program.

[0184] Figure 12 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method includes steps S1210 to S1230.

[0185] S1210, the terminal device receives the first information from the first TRP, and correspondingly, the first TRP sends the first information to the terminal device.

[0186] Specifically, the first information is associated with the identification information of the first TRP, and the first information includes the first RNTI. In other words, the first RNTI is associated with the identification information of the first TRP. The first RNTI can be a TC-RNTI, or it can be another RNTI defined in a future protocol that can achieve the same or similar function as the TC-RNTI.

[0187] In this context, the terminal device is located within the first logical cell, and the first TRP is one of multiple TRPs serving the first logical cell. For example, the first TRP is the target TRP that the terminal device will access. The first TRP is a satellite TRP operating in non-transparent transmission mode, or in other words, the first TRP is a regenerating satellite TRP. A description of the non-transparent transmission mode can be found in the explanation of satellite operating modes in the basic concepts section above, and will not be repeated here.

[0188] Optionally, the identification information of the first TRP includes at least one of the following: satellite ID, orbit ID, sector ID, remote radio head ID, or TRP ID. Except for the sector ID, the above information of the first TRP can uniquely identify the first TRP in the NTN communication system.

[0189] For example, the satellite ID of the first TRP is a number or identifier used to uniquely identify the first TRP, enabling it to be distinguished from other satellite TRPs in the NTN system. Furthermore, this satellite ID can be associated with the ephemeris information of the first TRP, allowing the terminal device to obtain information such as the orbital parameters of the first TRP from the relevant ephemeris information using the satellite ID. Similar to the satellite ID, the orbital ID, remote radio head ID, and TRP ID of the first TRP can all be used to uniquely identify the first TRP.

[0190] The satellite ID is associated with the ephemeris information of the first TRP. This means that if the terminal device can obtain the ephemeris information of the first TRP from the satellite ID, then the satellite ID can be considered to be associated with the ephemeris information of the first TRP. In other words, if the satellite ID can be associated with the ephemeris information of the first TRP, then the terminal device can obtain the ephemeris information of the first TRP associated with the satellite ID from the satellite ID.

[0191] The sector ID of the first TRP is also a unique identifier or code that can be used to uniquely identify different sectors (or different beam coverage areas) covered by the first TRP, or to distinguish the logical boundaries of different beams of the first TRP.

[0192] The aforementioned multiple identification information can also be used in combination to identify the first TRP. For example, the satellite ID and sector ID of the first TRP can be combined to uniquely identify a sector within the first TRP. The specific combination method is not limited in this application embodiment. For example, multiple identification information can be selected to jointly identify the first TRP or related information of the first TRP according to actual application needs.

[0193] It should be understood that, unlike cell identifiers, satellite ID, orbit ID, sector ID, remote radio head ID, or TRP ID are information that uniquely identifies a TRP or a sector within a TRP. These are attributes of a satellite TRP in an NTN communication system and do not change with the logical cell served by the TRP, or in other words, they do not change with the movement of the TRP. For example, the first TRP could be SAT-TRP#1 in Figure 11 above. At the time shown in the figure, SAT-TRP#1 serves the first logical cell. As SAT-TRP#1 moves along its orbit, the logical cell it serves changes to the second logical cell, but the satellite ID, orbit ID, sector ID, and other identifying information of SAT-TRP#1 remain unchanged.

[0194] This application repeatedly mentions the association between the first RNTI and the identification information of the first TRP; here, we will explain its meaning uniformly. Taking the first RNTI as a TC-RNTI as an example, the association between the first RNTI and the identification information of the first TRP means that the set of TC-RNTIs carried by the first TRP is associated with the identification information of the first TRP. Given that the identification information of the first TRP does not change with the change of the logical cell served by the TRP, the set of TC-RNTIs carried by the first TRP also does not change with the change of the logical cell served by the first TRP; in other words, the set of TC-RNTIs carried by the first TRP does not change with the movement of the first TRP.

[0195] Based on this, during the access process of terminal devices, the first TRP does not need to frequently update the TC-RNTI set it carries due to changes in the logical cell it serves, thus reducing network-side complexity. It should be understood that since the first information is associated with the identification information of the first TRP, even if the logical cell served by the first TRP changes, the first information associated with that first TRP will not change, such as the first RNTI in the first information, and other information contained in the first information besides the first RNTI.

[0196] Furthermore, in the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application, the RA preamble can be directly sent from the terminal device to the first TRP, and the first information and the first RNTI contained therein can be directly sent from the first TRP to the terminal device. That is, the terminal device and the first TRP can directly perform signaling interaction, thereby reducing transmission latency and thus reducing the access latency of the terminal device.

[0197] Furthermore, in addition to receiving the first information from the first TRP, the terminal device can also receive other relevant information for the access process. Therefore, the above method flow can further include:

[0198] The terminal device receives the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) and / or Physical Broadcast Channel Demodulation Reference Signal (PBCH DMRS) from the first TRP. As an example, the SSB synchronization signal includes PSS and SSS, which can be used for time-domain or frequency-domain synchronization during the terminal device's access process. The PBCH DMRS is generated based on a pseudo-random sequence and can be used by the terminal device for coherent demodulation of the PBCH signal. The frequency shift (v_shift) of the PBCH DMRS can be used to reduce co-channel interference and improve signal demodulation performance. In some related technologies, the frequency shift of the PBCH DMRS is determined based on the cell identifier (e.g., PCI). However, changes in the cell identifier of the first TRP will cause the frequency shift of the PBCH DMRS to be re-determined, increasing the complexity of the access process.

[0199] In this embodiment, the frequency domain offset of SSB and / or PBCH DMRS is associated with the identification information of the first TRP. For similar reasons, the set of SSBs carried by the first TRP does not need to be updated with changes in the cell identifier of the first TRP, and the frequency domain offset of PBCH DMRS also does not need to be re-determined due to changes in the cell identifier of the first TRP, thus further reducing the complexity on the network side during the access process of the terminal device.

[0200] Furthermore, in addition to the above information, the terminal device also receives a second RNTI from the controller for access. Therefore, the method shown in Figure 12 also includes:

[0201] S1220, the terminal device receives the second RNTI from the controller, and accordingly, the controller sends the second RNTI to the terminal device.

[0202] The controller, also known as a hypercell controller or logical cell controller, connects to the CN and is deployed on the ground or on an NTN device other than the one where the first TRP is located. For example, the controller can be a ground station node (e.g., a gateway station) or a satellite node deployed in orbit (e.g., a geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite node or a LEO satellite node, etc.).

[0203] The second RNTI can be a C-RNTI, a group-RNTI (G-RNTI), or another RNTI defined in a future protocol that can perform the same or similar function as a C-RNTI or G-RNTI. The second RNTI is used as the terminal device identifier after the terminal device establishes an RRC connection with the first TRP.

[0204] Specifically, the second RNTI is associated with the first logical cell. In other words, the second RNTI is associated with the cell identifier of the first logical cell. The cell identifier of the first logical cell is carried by the controller, which can be understood as the controller performing functions similar to a processor. Multiple TRPs serving the first logical cell can transmit information to the controller, which can process the received information. The controller can carry the cell identifier of at least one logical cell. For example, the controller shown in Figure 11 above can carry the cell identifiers of the first and second logical cells and receive information from multiple TRPs serving the first and second logical cells.

[0205] Taking the second RNTI as a C-RNTI as an example, the second RNTI is associated with the first logical cell, and the cell identifier of the first logical cell remains unchanged. This means that the C-RNTI (such as the C-RNTI set) carried by the controller remains unchanged during the access process of the terminal device. Combining the above-described transmission process of the first RNTI, in the communication method provided in this application embodiment, the TC-RNTI and C-RNTI are sent to the terminal device by the first TRP and the controller, respectively. This two-level allocation mechanism of RNTIs ensures that the TC-RNTI set carried by the first TRP does not need to be updated with changes in the cell identifier of the first TRP, thereby reducing the network-side complexity during the access process of the terminal device.

[0206] The second RNTI mentioned above is associated with the first logical cell, which can also be understood as the effective area of ​​the second RNTI being bound to the geographical location.

[0207] As one possible implementation, the effective area of ​​the second RNTI is the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell. That is, the effective area of ​​the second RNTI is at least one geographical area included by the first logical cell. Therefore, when a terminal device located within the first logical cell experiences a change in its serving TRP, the second RNTI of that terminal device remains valid. Based on this, the access process of the terminal device in the above situation no longer requires reconfiguration of the second RNTI, reducing the complexity on the network side.

[0208] In this application, the effective area of ​​the second RNTI can be configured by the controller, or in other words, the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell can be configured by the controller in the second RNTI.

[0209] As one possible implementation, the coverage of the effective area is configured by the controller in the second RNTI using the following information: geographic area information, geographic location information, or reference location and distance threshold information.

[0210] The geographic area information can be an index of a geographic area as described in the basic concept explanation of areas above. For example, the terminal device can be UE#1 in Figure 11 above. UE#1 is located within the first logical cell, and the effective area of ​​the second RNTI is the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell. The controller can configure the coverage range of the effective area of ​​the second RNTI by configuring the index information of the geographic areas included in the first logical cell (e.g., bw#1 to bw#18).

[0211] Geographic location information can be coordinate information described using a fixed Earth coordinate system. For example, the terminal device can be UE#1 in Figure 11 above. UE#1 is located within the first logical cell, and the effective area of ​​the second RNTI is the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell. The controller can configure the coverage area of ​​the effective area of ​​the second RNTI by configuring the coordinates of each point on the outline of the first logical cell in the Earth coordinate system.

[0212] The reference location can be any point within the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell, such as the cell center or beam center. The distance threshold can be the maximum distance between the effective location of the second RNTI and the reference location, typically expressed in Euclidean distance. For example, the terminal device can be UE#1 in Figure 11 above. UE#1 is located within the first logical cell, and the effective area of ​​the second RNTI is the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell. The controller can set the reference location to the center point of the first logical cell and obtain the distance threshold information based on the outline of the first logical cell. By configuring the reference location and distance threshold information in the second RNTI, the coverage area of ​​the effective area of ​​the second RNTI can be configured.

[0213] Through the above implementation, the effective area of ​​the second RNTI can be accurately associated with the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell. Taking the second RNTI as a C-RNTI as an example, the effective area of ​​the C-RNTI is accurately associated with the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell. Thus, when serving the first TRP change of the terminal device, the controller can determine the reconfiguration requirement of the terminal device's C-RNTI based on this effective range, so as to perform more accurate C-RNTI configuration management.

[0214] Furthermore, after receiving the first information and the second RNTI, the terminal device can access the first TRP based on the aforementioned information. Therefore, the method shown in Figure 12 further includes:

[0215] S1230, the terminal device accesses the first TRP based on the first information and the second RNTI.

[0216] Specifically, the terminal device sends msg 1 to the first TRP and obtains the first RNTI and other relevant information (such as RA response) from the first information from the first TRP, such as receiving msg 2 from the first TRP. Then, the terminal device sends msg 3 scrambled with the first RNTI to the controller and receives the second RNTI from the controller. The controller can send the second RNTI to the terminal device; for example, the controller can send the second RNTI along with msg 4, i.e., the second RNTI and msg 4 are carried in the same signaling; or, for another example, the controller can send the second RNTI to the terminal device first, and then send msg 4 to the terminal device. Subsequent access steps, such as the establishment of the initial context or the establishment of the PDU session, can be referred to the explanation of the basic concepts above, and will not be repeated here.

[0217] In the above method flow, the controller sending the second RNTI to the terminal device can be achieved by sending the mapping rule of the first RNTI and the second RNTI. In S1220, the terminal device receiving the second RNTI from the controller includes: the terminal device receiving second information from the controller; correspondingly, the controller sending the second RNTI to the terminal device includes: the controller sending the second information to the terminal device.

[0218] The second information is used to indicate the first mapping rule between the first RNTI and the second RNTI. The first mapping rule is established by the controller and may be, for example, the following formula satisfied by the first RNTI and the second RNTI:

[0219] Second RNTI = f(First RNTI), where f() represents a function.

[0220] Therefore, the terminal device can obtain the second RNTI based on the first RNTI and the first mapping rule.

[0221] Through the above implementation, the terminal device can calculate the second RNTI based on the first mapping rule and the first RNTI from the first TRP. By storing and updating the first mapping rule and the first RNTI, the terminal device can avoid storing a large mapping table between the first RNTI and the second RNTI, saving storage space and reducing maintenance costs.

[0222] Optionally, the controller determines the first mapping rule. For example, if the controller can obtain the first RNTI to establish the first mapping rule, then the above method flow may further include:

[0223] The first TRP sends a first RNTI to the controller, and the controller receives the first RNTI from the first TRP accordingly.

[0224] As one possible implementation, after the first TRP sends the first information to the terminal device, or after sending the RA response (msg 2) to the terminal device, the first TRP can send the first RNTI to the controller through the communication link or interface between the first TRP and the controller.

[0225] In the subsequent access process, the first RNTI is used by the controller to send msg 4 to the terminal device, that is, the msg4 sent by the controller to the terminal device is scrambled by the first RNTI.

[0226] Furthermore, if the controller can establish a first mapping rule based on the above information, the above method flow may also include:

[0227] The controller establishes the first mapping rule based on the first RNTI and the second RNTI.

[0228] Alternatively, the first TRP sends an RNTI set to the controller, and the controller receives the RNTI set from the first TRP. The first RNTI belongs to this RNTI set.

[0229] As another possible implementation, the first TRP can pre-configure its own set of RNTIs (e.g., TC-RNTI set) in the controller when the logical cell it serves is changed to the first logical cell.

[0230] Optionally, each RNTI in the RNTI set is associated with at least one effective time period. For example, the first RNTI in the RNTI set is associated with at least one effective time period during which the first RNTI is active by default, or in other words, during which the first RNTI is being used by a terminal device. It should be understood that the first RNTI can be sent to different terminal devices by the first TRP for use by different terminal devices during different effective time periods.

[0231] The effective period is determined based on at least two of the following: UTC start time, UTC end time, and duration.

[0232] UTC, also known as Coordinated Universal Time, is a time measurement system widely used in network time protocols, enabling time consistency among network devices worldwide. For example, a first TRP can define the effective period of a first RNTI by defining the UTC start and end times, or the UTC start time and the duration of the effective period.

[0233] Accordingly, the controller can establish a first mapping rule based on the RNTI set and the second RNTI. Taking the second RNTI as a C-RNTI as an example, it should be understood that the controller can establish a set of mapping rules based on this RNTI set (e.g., the TC-RNTI set) and the C-RNTI set it carries, where each mapping rule is a mapping rule between a TC-RNTI and a C-RNTI. The method for determining the first mapping rule is not limited. For example, the mapping rule can be determined by other devices and sent to the controller; or, for another example, the mapping rule can be predefined.

[0234] Furthermore, the controller can also establish a mapping table based on the above information. The mapping table contains the mapping relationship between TC-RNTI and C-RNTI for each terminal device. Taking UE#1 in Table 1 as an example, UE#1 is in a connected state with the first TRP at Time T1 (or time period), the first RTNI is TC-RNTI A1 and the second RNTI is C-RNTI C1.

[0235] It should be understood that the controller can carry the cell identifier of at least one logical cell, that is, the controller can carry at least one C-RNTI set. Furthermore, each TRP serving this at least one logical cell can pre-configure its carried TC-RNTI set to the controller. Then, the controller can establish a mapping table as shown in Table 1 below based on the received TC-RNTI set and the carried C-RNTI set.

[0236] Table 1 Mapping Relationship Table

[0237] Furthermore, when the set of TRPs serving the at least one logical cell changes, the controller updates the mapping table. For example, when the serving cell of the first TRP changes from the first logical cell to another logical cell, the controller can update its established mapping table. Exemplarily, the controller can determine whether the first TRP meets event triggering conditions related to time or location based on its ephemeris information, and update the mapping table when the event triggering conditions are met.

[0238] After establishing the above mapping table, the controller will also inform the first TRP of the mapping relationships in the table. Therefore, the above method flow may further include:

[0239] The first TRP receives the third information from the controller, and in turn, the controller sends the third information back to the first TRP.

[0240] The third information is used to indicate the association between the first RNTI and the second RNTI.

[0241] After receiving the third information, the first TRP can send the first RNTI to the terminal device according to the association relationship between the first RNTI and the second RNTI indicated by the information. That is, S1210 may further include:

[0242] The first TRP sends the first information to the terminal device based on the third information.

[0243] It should also be understood that the third information sent by the controller to the first TRP may include the mapping relationship between each TC-RNTI and C-RNTI in the TC-RNTI set carried by the first TRP.

[0244] The above content describes the interaction between the terminal device, the first TRP, and the controller during the process of the terminal device accessing the first TRP. The following section will explain the situation when the first TRP serving the terminal device changes.

[0245] As one possible implementation, the second information received by the terminal device from the controller also includes instruction information, which instructs the terminal device to maintain the first RNTI and the second RNTI. Alternatively, after accessing the first TRP, the terminal device can continue to communicate with the network side via the first RNTI and the second RNTI. For example, the terminal device can communicate with the first TRP via the first RNTI and with the controller via the second RNTI.

[0246] As another possible implementation, the instruction information is used to instruct the terminal device to maintain the first RNTI and the first mapping rule. The terminal device can obtain the second RNTI based on the first RNTI and the first mapping rule. Maintaining the first RNTI and the first mapping rule can achieve similar effects as described above. When the first mapping rule is simpler than the second RNTI, it can also reduce the maintenance cost and storage space usage of the terminal device.

[0247] Through the above implementation, the terminal device can maintain both the first and second RNTIs simultaneously in an NTN communication scenario, according to the instructions in the instruction information. In a TN communication scenario, the terminal device can maintain only the second RNTI based on existing access methods. Thus, the access method proposed in this application has good compatibility with both NTN and NTN / TN converged communication scenarios.

[0248] As one possible implementation, when the first TRP serving the terminal device changes to the second TRP, the above method flow may further include:

[0249] The terminal device releases the first RNTI. Releasing the first RNTI reduces resource consumption and saves storage space.

[0250] The terminal device receives the third RTNI from the second TRP, and correspondingly, the second TRP sends the third RNTI to the terminal device.

[0251] The second TRP is a regenerable satellite TRP among multiple TRPs serving the first logical cell, and the third RNTI can be a TC-RNTI, or the third RNTI can be other RNTIs defined in future agreements that can achieve the same or similar functions as the TC-RNTI.

[0252] The third RNTI is associated with the identification information of the second TRP, which has a similar meaning to the first information mentioned above, or the association between the first RNTI and the identification information of the first TRP, and will not be elaborated here.

[0253] Furthermore, if the terminal device can access the second TRP based on the above information, the above method flow may further include:

[0254] The terminal device accesses the second TRP based on the third RNTI and the second RNTI.

[0255] In the above process, the first or second TRP accessed by the terminal device serves the first logical cell. That is, when the terminal device changes its TRP within the logical cell, its second RNTI remains within the effective range. If the terminal device changes its serving TRP from the first TRP to the second TRP, the terminal device can automatically release its first RNTI and receive the third RTNI from the second TRP. The terminal device's second RNTI and RRC-related configurations can continue to be used. This access process avoids RRC reconfiguration and other interactions between the terminal device and the controller, reducing signaling overhead and access latency.

[0256] For example, the terminal device can be UE#1 in Table 1 above. At time T1 (or time period), UE#1 accepts the service of the first TRP, the first RNTI is TC-RNTI A1 and the second RNTI is C-RNTI C1; at time T2 (or time period), UE#1 accepts the service of the second TRP, the third RNTI is TC-RNTI A2 and the second RNTI is still C-RNTI C1.

[0257] As another possible implementation, when the first TRP serving the terminal device changes to the second TRP, the above method flow may also include:

[0258] The terminal device receives the third RNTI from the second TRP, and in turn, the second TRP sends the third RNTI to the terminal device.

[0259] The second TRP serves the second logical cell. Similar to the first logical cell, the cell identifier of the second logical cell is also carried by the controller, meaning the controller can obtain the set of RNTIs carried by the second TRP. The third RNTI is associated with the identifier information of the second TRP. The third RNTI can be a TC-RNTI, or it can be another RNTI defined in a future protocol that can achieve the same or similar function as the TC-RNTI.

[0260] In addition to the third RNTI mentioned above, the terminal device also receives a fourth RNTI from the controller. Therefore, the above method flow may also include:

[0261] The terminal device receives the second mapping rule from the controller, and the controller sends the second mapping rule to the terminal device accordingly.

[0262] Specifically, the second mapping rule is the mapping rule between the third RNTI and the fourth RNTI. The fourth RNTI can be a C-RNTI, a G-RNTI, or it can also be other RNTIs defined in future protocols that can achieve the same or similar functions as C-RNTI or G-RNTI.

[0263] The fourth RNTI is associated with the second logical cell, and its meaning is similar to that of the second RNTI being associated with the first logical cell mentioned earlier, so it will not be repeated here.

[0264] The terminal device determines the fourth RNTI based on the second mapping rule and the third RNTI.

[0265] Furthermore, based on the above information, the terminal device can access the second TRP, meaning the above method process also includes:

[0266] The terminal device accesses the second TRP based on the third RNTI and the fourth RNTI.

[0267] Optionally, the above method may further include: the terminal device releasing the first RNTI and the second RNTI.

[0268] In the above process, the first or second TRP accessed by the terminal device serves different logical cells. This means the terminal device is changing the TRP between logical cells, and during this process, the terminal device's second RNTI will exceed its effective range. If the terminal device's serving TRP changes from the first TRP to the second TRP, the terminal device can automatically release the first and second RNTIs, receive the third RNTI from the second TRP and the fourth RNTI from the controller, and update the relevant RRC configuration. During this access process, the RNTI sets and other related information maintained by the first and second TRPs remain unchanged, resulting in low network-side complexity.

[0269] For example, the terminal device can be UE#2 in Table 1 above. At time T1 (or time period), UE#1 accepts the service of the first TRP, with the first RNTI being TC-RNTI A2 and the second RNTI being C-RNTI C2; at time T2 (or time period), UE#1 accepts the service of the second TRP, with the third RNTI being TC-RNTI A3 and the fourth RNTI being C-RNTI C3.

[0270] It is understandable that, in the case where the first TRP serving the terminal device changes to the second TRP, the controller also receives relevant information from the second TRP to establish a second mapping rule. Therefore, the above method flow may also include:

[0271] The controller receives the third RNTI from the second TRP, and in turn, the second TRP sends the third RNTI to the controller.

[0272] Among them, the second TRP is the TRP serving the second logical cell, and the third RNTI is associated with the identification information of the second TRP.

[0273] It should be understood that the sequence number of each process does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0274] It should also be understood that sets, such as the C-RNTI set and the TC-RNTI set, are mentioned in some of the embodiments above. Taking the C-RNTI set as an example, the C-RNTI set can also be called a C-RNTI group or at least one C-RNTI, and the C-RNTI set can also be called a C-RNTI if it includes a C-RNTI.

[0275] It should also be understood that, unless otherwise specified or logically conflicting, the terminology and / or descriptions in the various embodiments of this application are consistent and can be referenced interchangeably. Furthermore, technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships.

[0276] The communication method provided in the embodiments of this application has been described in detail above with reference to Figure 12. The above communication method is mainly described from the perspective of interaction between various entities. It can be understood that, in order to realize the above functions, the terminal device, the first TRP, and the controller include the corresponding hardware structure and / or software module for executing each function.

[0277] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples 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.

[0278] The communication device provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 13 and 14. It should be understood that the description of the device embodiments corresponds to the description of the method embodiments. Therefore, for details not described in detail, please refer to the method embodiments above; for brevity, some details will not be repeated.

[0279] This application embodiment can divide the terminal device, the first TRP, and the controller into functional modules according to the above method example. For example, each function can be divided into its own functional modules, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. It should be noted that the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods. The following description uses the division of functional modules according to each function as an example.

[0280] Figure 13 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 10 provided in an embodiment of this application. The device 10 includes a transceiver unit 11 and a processing unit 12. The transceiver unit 11 can implement corresponding communication functions, and the processing unit 12 is used for data processing. In other words, the transceiver unit 11 is used to perform operations related to receiving and sending, while the processing unit 12 is used to perform other operations besides receiving and sending. The transceiver unit 11 can also be referred to as a communication interface or communication unit.

[0281] Optionally, the device 10 may further include a storage unit 13, which may be used to store instructions and / or data. The processing unit 12 may read the instructions and / or data in the storage unit so that the device can perform the operation of the device in the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0282] In one design, the device 10 may correspond to the terminal device in the above method embodiments, or a component of the terminal device (such as a chip).

[0283] The device 10 can implement the steps or processes corresponding to those executed by the terminal device in the above method embodiments. The transceiver unit 11 can be used to perform transceiver-related operations of the terminal device in the above method embodiments, and the processing unit 12 can be used to perform processing-related operations of the terminal device in the above method embodiments.

[0284] In one possible implementation, transceiver unit 11 is configured to receive first information from a first Transmitting Receiver Point (TRP), the first information being associated with the identification information of the first TRP, and the first information including a first Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI). Transceiver unit 11 is further configured to receive a second RNTI from a controller, the second RNTI being associated with a first logical cell. Processing unit 12 is configured to access the first TRP based on the first information and the second RNTI. Wherein, the terminal device is located within the first logical cell, and the first TRP is one of a plurality of TRPs serving the first logical cell.

[0285] When the device 10 is used to execute the method in FIG12, the transceiver unit 11 can be used to execute the steps of transmitting and receiving information in the method, such as steps S1210 and S1220; the processing unit 12 can be used to execute the processing steps in the method, such as step S1230.

[0286] It should be understood that the specific process of each unit performing the above-mentioned corresponding steps has been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0287] In another design, the device 10 may correspond to the first TRP in the above method embodiment, or a component of the first TRP (such as a chip).

[0288] The device 10 can implement the steps or processes corresponding to the execution of the first TRP in the above method embodiment, wherein the transceiver unit 11 can be used to perform the transceiver-related operations of the first TRP in the above method embodiment, and the processing unit 12 can be used to perform the processing-related operations of the second TRP in the above method embodiment.

[0289] In one possible implementation, processing unit 12 is configured to acquire first information associated with the identification information of the first TRP, the first information including a first Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI), and the first information being used to assist a terminal device in accessing the first TRP. Transceiver unit 11 is configured to send the first information to the terminal device, the terminal device being located within a first logical cell. The first TRP is one of a plurality of TRPs serving the first logical cell.

[0290] When the device 10 is used to execute the method in FIG12, the transceiver unit 11 can be used to execute the steps of transmitting and receiving information in the method, such as step S1210.

[0291] It should be understood that the specific process of each unit performing the above-mentioned corresponding steps has been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0292] In another design, the device 10 may correspond to the controller in the above method embodiments, or a component of the controller (such as a chip).

[0293] The device 10 can implement the steps or processes corresponding to those executed by the controller in the above method embodiments, wherein the transceiver unit 11 can be used to perform the transceiver-related operations of the first TRP in the above method embodiments, and the processing unit 12 can be used to perform the processing-related operations of the second TRP in the above method embodiments.

[0294] In one possible implementation, processing unit 12 is configured to acquire a second Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI), which is associated with a first logical cell and is used to assist a terminal device in accessing a first Transmitter Receiver Point (TRP). Transceiver unit 11 sends the second RNTI to the terminal device, which is located within the first logical cell. The first TRP is one of a plurality of TRPs serving the first logical cell.

[0295] When the device 10 is used to execute the method in FIG12, the transceiver unit 11 can be used to execute the steps of transmitting and receiving information in the method, such as step S1220.

[0296] It should be understood that the specific process of each unit performing the above-mentioned corresponding steps has been described in detail in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0297] It should also be understood that the device 10 here is embodied in the form of a functional unit. The term "unit" here can refer to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), electronic circuitry, a processor (e.g., a shared processor, a proprietary processor, or a group processor, etc.) and memory for executing one or more software or firmware programs, integrated logic circuitry, and / or other suitable components supporting the described functions. In an alternative example, those skilled in the art will understand that device 10 may be specifically the first TRP in the above embodiments, and may be used to execute the various processes and / or steps corresponding to the first TRP in the above method embodiments; or, device 10 may be specifically the terminal device in the above embodiments, and may be used to execute the various processes and / or steps corresponding to the terminal device in the above method embodiments; or, device 10 may be specifically the controller in the above embodiments, and may be used to execute the various processes and / or steps corresponding to the controller in the above method embodiments; to avoid repetition, further details are omitted here.

[0298] The apparatus 10 of each of the above-described schemes has the function of implementing the corresponding steps performed by the entities (such as the terminal device, the first TRP, and the controller) in the above-described methods. This function can be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units corresponding to the above-described functions; for example, the transceiver unit can be replaced by a transceiver (e.g., the transmitting unit in the transceiver unit can be replaced by a transmitter, and the receiving unit in the transceiver unit can be replaced by a receiver), and other units, such as processing units, can be replaced by processors, which respectively execute the transceiver operations and related processing operations in each method embodiment.

[0299] In addition, the transceiver unit 11 can also be a transceiver circuit (for example, it may include a receiving circuit and a transmitting circuit), and the processing unit can be a processing circuit.

[0300] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of another communication device 20 provided in an embodiment of this application. The device 20 includes a processor 21, which is used to execute computer programs or instructions stored in a memory 22, or to read data / signaling stored in the memory 22, to perform the methods in the above method embodiments. Optionally, there may be one or more processors 21.

[0301] Optionally, as shown in FIG14, the device 20 further includes a memory 22 for storing computer programs or instructions and / or data. The memory 22 may be integrated with the processor 21 or may be disposed separately. Optionally, there may be one or more memories 22.

[0302] Optionally, as shown in FIG14, the device 20 further includes a transceiver 23 for receiving and / or transmitting signals. For example, the processor 21 is used to control the transceiver 23 to receive and / or transmit signals.

[0303] As one option, the device 20 is used to implement the operations performed by the terminal device, the first TRP, or the controller in the various method embodiments described above.

[0304] It should be understood that the processor mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be a central processing unit (CPU), or it can be one or more combinations of other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), microprocessor units (MPUs), microcontroller units (MCUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), artificial intelligence processors (AI processors), or neural processing units (NPUs); or, the processor mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be an ASIC or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, discrete hardware component, etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0305] It should also be understood that the memory mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory can be cache or random access memory (RAM). For example, RAM can be used as an external cache. By way of example and not limitation, RAM includes the following forms: 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).

[0306] It should be noted that when the processor is a general-purpose processor, DSP, ASIC, FPGA, or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, or discrete hardware component, the memory (storage module) can be integrated into the processor.

[0307] It should also be noted that the memory described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0308] This application also provides a chip or chip system, which (or may also be called a processing system) includes logic circuits and an input / output interface.

[0309] The logic circuit can be a processing circuit in the chip system. The logic circuit can be coupled to a memory cell, calling instructions from the memory cell, enabling the chip system to implement the methods and functions of the embodiments of this application. The input / output interface can be an input / output circuit in the chip system, outputting processed information or inputting data or signaling information to be processed into the chip system for processing.

[0310] As one approach, the chip system is used to implement the operations performed by the terminal device, the first TRP, or the controller in the various method embodiments described above.

[0311] For example, the logic circuit is used to implement the processing-related operations performed by the terminal device, the first TRP, or the controller in the above method embodiments; the input / output interface is used to implement the sending and / or receiving-related operations performed by the terminal device, the first TRP, or the controller in the above method embodiments.

[0312] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions for implementing the methods executed by a terminal device, a first TRP, or a controller in the above-described method embodiments.

[0313] For example, when the computer program is executed by a computer, it enables the computer to implement the methods executed by the terminal device, the first TRP, or the controller in the various embodiments of the above methods.

[0314] This application also provides a computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, implement the methods performed by a terminal device, a first TRP, or a controller in the above-described method embodiments.

[0315] This application also provides a communication system, including the aforementioned access network device, first TRP, and controller. Optionally, the communication system further includes the aforementioned terminal device.

[0316] The explanations and beneficial effects of the relevant contents in any of the devices provided above can be found in the corresponding method embodiments provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0317] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0318] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, 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 coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0319] 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.

[0320] 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.

[0321] 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 prior art, 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, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0322] 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, A terminal device applied in a non-terrestrial communication network (NTN), the method comprising: Receive first information from a first transmission receiving point (TRP), the first information being associated with the identification information of the first TRP, the first information including a first radio network temporary identifier (RNTI); Receive a second RNTI from the controller, the second RNTI being associated with the first logical cell; Based on the first information and the second RNTI, access the first TRP; The terminal device is located within the first logical cell, and the first TRP is one of a plurality of TRPs serving the first logical cell.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The receiving of the second RNTI from the controller includes: Receive second information from the controller, the second information being used to indicate a first mapping rule between the first RNTI and the second RNTI; Based on the first RNTI and the first mapping rule, obtain the second RNTI.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: The system receives a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) and / or a Physical Broadcast Channel Demodulation Reference Signal (PBCH DMRS) from the first TRP, wherein the frequency domain offset of the SSB and / or the PBCH DMRS is associated with the identification information of the first TRP.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The identification information of the first TRP includes at least one of the following information of the first TRP: Satellite ID, orbit ID, sector ID, remote radio head ID, or TRP ID.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The effective area of ​​the second RNTI is the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell.

6. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, The second information also includes instruction information, which is used to instruct the terminal device to maintain the first RNTI and the second RNTI, or the instruction information is used to instruct the terminal device to maintain the first RNTI and the first mapping rule.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the first TRP serving the terminal device is changed to the second TRP, the method further includes: Based on the third RNTI and the second RNTI, the second TRP is accessed. The third RNTI is associated with the identification information of the second TRP, wherein the second TRP is one of the plurality of TRPs.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: Release the first RNTI; and / or, Receive the third RNTI from the second TRP.

9. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the first TRP serving the terminal device is changed to the second TRP, the method further includes: Access to the second TRP is based on the third RNTI and the fourth RNTI. The third RNTI is associated with the identification information of the second TRP, and there is a second mapping rule between the third RNTI and the fourth RNTI. The fourth RNTI is associated with the second logical cell. Wherein, the second TRP is the TRP serving the second logical cell.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive the third RNTI from the second TRP; The fourth RNTI is determined based on the second mapping rule and the third RNTI.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive the second mapping rule from the controller; Release the first RNTI and the second RNTI.

12. A communication method, characterized in that, The method, applied to a first transmit-receive point (TRP) in a non-terrestrial communication network (NTN), includes: Obtain first information, which is associated with the identification information of the first TRP. The first information includes a first wireless network temporary identifier (RNTI) and is used to assist the terminal device in accessing the first TRP. The first information is sent to the terminal device, which is located within the first logical cell; The first TRP is one of a plurality of TRPs serving the first logical cell.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The method further includes: The synchronization signal block SSB and / or physical broadcast channel demodulation reference signal PBCH DMRS are sent to the terminal device, wherein the frequency domain offset of the SSB and / or the PBCH DMRS is associated with the identification information of the first TRP.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The identification information of the first TRP includes at least one of the following information of the first TRP: Satellite ID, orbit ID, sector ID, remote radio head ID, or TRP ID.

15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that, The effective area of ​​the second RNTI is the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell.

16. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send the first RNTI to the controller; or, Send an RNTI set to the controller, wherein the first RNTI belongs to the RNTI set.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that, Each RNTI in the set is associated with at least one effective time period, which is determined based on at least two of the following: Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) start time, UTC end time, and duration.

18. A communication method, characterized in that, A controller applied in a non-terrestrial communication network (NTN), the method comprising: Obtain a second wireless network temporary identifier (RNTI), which is associated with the first logical cell and is used to assist terminal devices in accessing the first transmission receiving point (TRP). Send the second RNTI to the terminal device, wherein the terminal device is located within the first logical cell; The first TRP is one of a plurality of TRPs serving the first logical cell.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that, The acquisition of the second RNTI includes: Obtain second information, which is used to indicate a first mapping rule between the first RNTI and the second RNTI, wherein the first RNTI is associated with the identification information of the first TRP; Sending the second RNTI to the terminal device includes: The second information is sent to the terminal device.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The identification information of the first TRP includes at least one of the following information of the first TRP: Satellite ID, orbit ID, sector ID, remote radio head ID, or TRP ID.

21. The method according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that, The effective area of ​​the second RNTI is the coverage area of ​​the first logical cell; The coverage area of ​​the effective region is configured in the second RNTI using the following information: Geographic region information, geographic location information, or reference location and distance threshold information.

22. The method according to any one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive the first RNTI from the first TRP; or, Receive the set of RNTIs from the first TRP, wherein the first RNTI belongs to the set of RNTIs.

23. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that, The method further includes: The first mapping rule is established based on the first RNTI and the second RNTI; or, the first mapping rule is established based on the RNTI set and the second RNTI.

24. The method according to any one of claims 19 to 23, characterized in that, The second information also includes instruction information, which is used to instruct the terminal device to maintain the first RNTI and the second RNTI, or the instruction information is used to instruct the terminal device to maintain the first RNTI and the first mapping rule.

25. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that, When the first TRP serving the terminal device is changed to the second TRP, the method further includes: Receive a third RNTI from the second TRP, the third RNTI being associated with the identification information of the second TRP, the second TRP being a TRP serving the second logical cell; A second mapping rule is sent to the terminal device. The second mapping rule is a mapping rule between the third RNTI and the fourth RNTI, and the fourth RNTI is associated with the second logical cell.

26. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes at least one processor for executing computer programs or instructions to cause the apparatus to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 25.

27. A computer program product, characterized in that, When the computer program product is run on a computer, it causes the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 25.

28. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 25.

29. A chip or chip system, characterized in that, At least one processor is configured to retrieve and run a computer program from memory, causing a communication device equipped with the chip system to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 25.

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