NTN Terminal Set Handover Scheduling for Signaling Congestion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-terrestrial network (NTN) communication systems experience frequent handovers due to the high-speed movement of satellites, leading to signaling storms and congestion, particularly in scenarios involving non-geostationary orbits (NGSO), which disrupt communication services.
Innovation Solution
A communication method and apparatus that groups terminal devices into sets based on time windows, reference locations, and distance thresholds to control handover times, allowing for orderly handovers and reducing signaling congestion by using common configuration information and resource reservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If terminal devices perform frequent handovers due to high-speed satellite movement, then communication coverage is maintained, but signaling congestion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple terminal devices into terminal device sets based on common characteristics (time windows, reference locations, distance thresholds). Instead of managing handovers individually for each terminal device, the system performs handovers at the set level, combining multiple handover processes into unified operations. This reduces the number of signaling messages and alleviates signaling congestion while maintaining communication coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments terminal devices into different terminal device sets based on their temporal and spatial characteristics. By dividing the population of terminal devices into manageable sets with distinct time windows and location parameters, the system can control handover timing and reduce simultaneous handover traffic, thereby reducing signaling congestion.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If handover timing is controlled for terminal device sets, then signaling congestion is reduced, but handover coordination complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces specific parameters (time windows, reference locations, distance thresholds) to characterize and differentiate terminal device sets. By changing and utilizing these parameters, the system can automatically determine which terminal devices should be grouped together and when handovers should occur, simplifying the coordination process through parameter-based rules rather than complex centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables terminal devices to autonomously determine their own set membership and handover timing based on the parameters (time windows, location) provided by the network. Terminal devices self-organize into sets and execute handovers independently according to pre-configured rules, reducing the coordination burden on the network side while maintaining controlled handover timing.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a communication method and apparatus, to alleviate signaling congestion in a handover process. The method includes: A first access network device sends, to one or more terminal devices, first information used to determine a terminal device set to which each of the one or more terminal devices belongs; after determining, based on the first information, the terminal device set to which each of the one or more terminal devices belongs, the one or more terminal devices send, to the first access network device, second information indicating a terminal device set to which the terminal device belongs; the first access network device sends a handover request message to a second access network device based on the second information, where the handover request message includes identification information and/or a quantity of terminal devices in a first terminal device set; and the first access network device receives a handover request acknowledgment message from the second access network device, and broadcasts handover indication information, where the handover indication information indicates the terminal device in the first terminal device set to perform handover.