Terminal Context Reuse for Regenerative Satellite RAN Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
In a regenerative satellite-based radio access network (RAN) architecture of a non-terrestrial network (NTN), the deployment of terrestrial NTN gateways is limited by geography, leading to satellites unable to establish connections with the core network, resulting in inefficient network access and communication disruptions for terminal devices.
Innovation Solution
Terminal devices store context information when an access network device cannot connect to the core network, allowing them to quickly re-establish connections with another access network device using the stored context, reducing signaling overheads and improving access efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the terminal device re-accesses the next access network device after the first access network device stops providing service, then the terminal device can seek network service, but the access-related information needs to be reconfigured which takes a long period of time
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal device stores access-related context information (such as parameters for establishing RRC connections, mobility management information, and session data) during the service period with the first access network device. When needing to switch to the second access network device, the terminal device retrieves and reuses this pre-stored context information, eliminating the need for complete reconfiguration and significantly reducing access setup time while maintaining service continuity.
2Productivity
If the terminal device stores context information for rapid re-access, then the access efficiency is improved, but the signaling overheads for setting up connection to the second access network device are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal device extracts and stores only the essential context information needed for rapid re-access (such as RRC configuration parameters, mobility management data, and active session states) while filtering out unnecessary signaling overhead. This selective extraction allows the terminal device to maintain high access efficiency by reusing critical context data, while minimizing the transmission of redundant signaling information during the handover process to the second access network device.
Data Source
AI summary
This application discloses a communication method, apparatus, and system. In the method, a terminal device receives first indication information from a first access network device, where the first indication information indicates that the first access network device is currently not connected to a core network device. The terminal device stores a context of the terminal device based on the first indication information after the terminal device accesses the first access network device, so that the terminal device can access a second access network device based on the context of the terminal device after the first access network device stops providing a service for the terminal device. In the foregoing solution, efficiency of accessing an access network device by the terminal device can be improved, so that a delay in setting up a connection to a network side by the terminal device is shortened.