WO2023152302A1

WO2023152302A1 - Non-terrestrial network access

Info

Publication number: WO2023152302A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/053326
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jonas SEDIN; Emre YAVUZ; Talha KHAN; Johan Rune; PELAYO Ignacio Javier PASCUAL
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
Priority date: 2022-02-11
Filing date: 2023-02-10
Publication date: 2023-08-17

Abstract

A method performed by a communication device (18) configured for use in a non- terrestrial network, NTN, (10) is disclosed. The communication device (18) makes a decision about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix (20) of the communication device (18) before accessing the NTN (10), even though the geopositioning fix (20) is valid. In some embodiments, the decision is made based on a remaining duration of time (26) for which the geopositioning fix (20) will be valid. The communication device (18) further updates, or refrains from updating, the geopositioning fix (20) before accessing the NTN (10), according to the decision.

Description

NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORK ACCESS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates generally to a non-terrestrial network, and relates more particularly to access to such a network.

BACKGROUND

A non-terrestrial network (NTN) is a network that uses an airborne or space-borne vehicle to embark a transmission equipment relay node or base station. A satellite, for example, is a space-borne vehicle embarking a bent pipe payload or a regenerative payload telecommunication transmitter, e.g., placed into Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO), or Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO). Using such an airborne or space-borne vehicle, an NTN can provide communication service over a wider area of Earth than a terrestrial network, e.g., so that service is more independent of location.

An NTN nonetheless has a larger propagation delay than a terrestrial network. For a bent pipe satellite network, the round-trip delay may for example range from tens of milliseconds (ms) in the case of LEO satellites to several hundreds of ms for GEO satellites. As a comparison, the round-trip delays in terrestrial networks are typically below 1 ms.

Because of the long propagation delay in an NTN, a timing advance (TA) that a communication device uses for its uplink transmissions has to be much greater than in terrestrial networks in order for the uplink and downlink to be time aligned. When accessing the NTN, then, the communication device performs a random access (RA) procedure to acquire such timing advance. But even the initial message that the communication device transmits as part of the random access procedure, referred to as a random access preamble, has to be transmitted with a timing advance to allow a reasonable size of the random access preamble reception window. The TA the communication device uses for the RA preamble transmission in an NTN is called a “pre-compensation TA”. In some approaches, the communication device can determine the pre-compensation TA from a geopositioning fix of the communication device, e.g., based on a difference between the communication device’s geopositioning fix and a reference geoposition in an NTN cell for which the communication device has a reference TA.

Challenges exist in ensuring the communication device has an accurate geopositioning fix when needed. After the communication device acquires a geopositioning fix, the communication device starts a validity timer. While the validity timer is running, the geopositioning fix is valid and the communication device is allowed to establish, re-establish, or resume a connection with the NTN. Problematically, though, if the validity timer expires while the communication device is connected to the NTN, the geopositioning fix becomes invalid and the communication device must take action to address such invalidity, e.g., by re-acquiring the geopositioning fix in a measurement gap, by releasing its connection to the NTN in order to re-acquire the geopositioning fix, or the like. Addressing geopositioning fix invalidity thereby threatens to degrade system performance, e.g., by reducing data throughput, increasing data latency, and/or otherwise reducing the perceived quality of experience.

SUMMARY

According to some embodiments herein, a communication device proactively updates its geopositioning fix before accessing an NTN, even if the geopositioning fix is still valid. The communication device may do so, for example, if the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid is less than a threshold duration, e.g., reflecting an estimated connection duration. By proactively updating the geopositioning fix in this way, some embodiments advantageously reduce the chances that the communication device will have to address geopositioning fix invalidity during the course of the device’s connection to the NTN. Some embodiments thereby improve system performance.

More particularly, embodiments herein include a method performed by a communication device configured for use in a non-terrestrial network, NTN. The method comprises making a decision about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix of the communication device before accessing the NTN, even though the geopositioning fix is valid. In some embodiments, the decision is made based on a remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid. The method also comprises updating, or refraining from updating, the geopositioning fix before accessing the NTN, according to the decision.

In some embodiments, said making comprises, if the remaining duration of time is less than a threshold duration, making the decision to update the geopositioning fix before accessing the NTN. In some embodiments, said making also comprises, if the remaining duration of time is more than the threshold duration, making the decision to refrain from updating the geopositioning fix before accessing the NTN. In one or more of these embodiments, the method further comprises receiving the threshold duration from the NTN. In one or more of these embodiments, receiving the threshold duration comprises receiving the threshold duration in System Information of the NTN. In one or more of these embodiments, receipt of the threshold duration overrides a preconfigured threshold duration preconfigured at the communication device. In one or more of these embodiments, the communication device is preconfigured with the threshold duration. In one or more of these embodiments, the threshold duration is specific to a purpose for which the communication device is accessing the NTN or a procedure with which the communication device is accessing the NTN. In one or more of these embodiments, the threshold duration is specific to a type of a satellite providing an NTN cell that the communication device is accessing. In one or more of these embodiments, the threshold duration is specific to an orbit altitude of a satellite providing an NTN cell that the communication device is accessing. In one or more of these embodiments, the threshold duration is specific to a type, category, or class of the communication device.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining whether or not to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid. In one or more of these embodiments, said determining is performed based on whether the communication device receives signaling indicating that the communication device is to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid. In one or more of these embodiments, the signaling comprises a threshold duration. In one or more of these embodiments, the signaling comprises a flag indicating whether or not the communication device is to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid. In one or more of these embodiments, said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid if the communication device is configured with a power saving mode. Alternatively, said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid if the communication device is configured to perform at least a threshold number of transmission repetitions. Alternatively, said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid if the communication device belongs to one or more certain coverage classes. Alternatively, said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid if the communication device belongs to one or more certain coverage enhancement modes, classes, or levels. In one or more of these embodiments, said determining is performed based on a purpose for which the communication device is accessing the NTN or a procedure with which the communication device is accessing the NTN. In one or more of these embodiments, said determining comprises determining to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid if the communication device is performing initial access to the NTN. In one or more of these embodiments, said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid if access to the NTN is triggered by a downlink control channel order from the NTN. Alternatively, said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid if coverage of a serving satellite will be lost before the geopositioning fix becomes invalid.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining the threshold duration based on an estimated duration of time for which the communication device will be accessing the NTN. In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining the threshold duration based on an estimated duration of a connection that the communication device will establish, re-establish, or resume as part of accessing the NTN.

In some embodiments, accessing the NTN comprises performing random access to the NTN and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to the NTN.

In some embodiments, accessing the NTN comprises performing Early Data Transmission (EDT) or Preconfigured Uplink Resource (PUR) transmission.

In some embodiments, accessing the NTN comprises performing random access to a cell of the NTN and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to a cell of the NTN.

In some embodiments, accessing the NTN comprises transitioning to a radio resource control (RRC) connected state.

In some embodiments, the geopositioning fix comprises a Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS, positioning fix.

In some embodiments, the geopositioning fix is valid while a validity timer is running, wherein the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid is a remaining duration of the validity timer.

In some embodiments, the validity timer is starter or restarted when the communication device obtains or updates the geopositioning fix.

In some embodiments, the communication device is configured to transition into an RRC idle state upon expiry of the validity timer.

In some embodiments, the communication device is configured to transition into an RRC idle state when the geopositioning fix becomes invalid.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining a pre-compensation timing advance from the geopositioning fix, as updated or not depending on the decision. The method further comprises performing a random access channel transmission using the determined pre-compensation timing advance as part of accessing the NTN.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises providing user data and forwarding the user data to a host computer via the transmission to a base station.

Other embodiments herein include a method performed by a network node configured for use in a non-terrestrial network. The method comprises transmitting, to a communication device, signaling that controls a decision by the communication device about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix of the communication device before accessing the NTN, even though the geopositioning fix is valid.

In some embodiments, the signaling indicates a threshold duration of time for which the geopositioning fix must remain valid after accessing the NTN in order for the communication device to access the NTN without updating the geopositioning fix. In one or more of these embodiments, the indicated threshold duration is to override a preconfigured threshold duration preconfigured at the communication device. In one or more of these embodiments, the indicated threshold duration is specific to a purpose for which the communication device is accessing the NTN or a procedure with which the communication device is accessing the NTN. In one or more of these embodiments, the indicated threshold duration is specific to a type of a satellite providing an NTN cell that the communication device is accessing. In one or more of these embodiments, the indicated threshold duration is specific to an orbit altitude of a satellite providing an NTN cell that the communication device is accessing. In one or more of these embodiments, the indicated threshold duration is specific to a type, category, or class of the communication device.

In some embodiments, the signaling indicates whether or not the communication device is to make the decision about whether to update the geopositioning fix when the geopositioning fix is valid.

In some embodiments, the signaling comprises a flag indicating whether or not the communication device is to make the decision based on a remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid.

In some embodiments, the signaling indicates the communication device is to update the geopositioning fix if the communication device is configured with a certain power saving mode, if the communication device is configured to perform at least a threshold number of transmission repetitions, if the communication device belongs to one or more certain coverage classes, or if the communication device belongs to one or more certain coverage enhancement modes, classes, or levels. In some embodiments, the signaling indicates the certain power saving mode, the threshold number of transmission repetitions, the one or more certain coverage classes, or the one or more certain coverage enhancement modes.

In some embodiments, the signaling indicates the communication device is to update the geopositioning fix if the communication device is accessing the NTN for a certain purpose or with a certain procedure.

In some embodiments, the signaling indicates the communication device is to update the geopositioning fix if the communication device is performing initial access to the NTN.

In some embodiments, the signaling indicates the communication device is not to update the geopositioning fix if access to the NTN is triggered by a downlink control channel order from the NTN. Alternatively, the signaling indicates the communication device is not to update the geopositioning fix if coverage of a serving satellite will be lost before the geopositioning fix becomes invalid.

In some embodiments, accessing the NTN comprises performing random access to the NTN and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to the NTN. In some embodiments, accessing the NTN comprises performing Early Data Transmission (EDT) or Preconfigured Uplink Resource (PUR) transmission.

In some embodiments, the geopositioning fix is valid while a validity timer is running. In some embodiments, the signaling controls whether, or how, the communication device is to make the decision based on a remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid. In one or more of these embodiments, the geopositioning fix is valid while a validity timer is running. In some embodiments, the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid is a remaining duration of the validity timer. In one or more of these embodiments, the validity timer is started or restarted when the communication device obtains or updates the geopositioning fix. In one or more of these embodiments, the communication device is configured to transition into an RRC idle state upon expiry of the validity timer.

Embodiments herein also include corresponding apparatus, computer programs, and carriers of those computer programs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) according to some embodiments.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of a satellite network with bent pipe transponders.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of a satellite orbit as parameterized by a set of orbital elements according to some embodiments.

Figure 4 is a timing diagram illustrating a problem with the timing of a GNSS fix that is addressed by some embodiments.

Figure 5 is a timing diagram illustrating the timing of a GNSS fix according to some embodiments.

Figure 6 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a user equipment according to some embodiments.

Figure 7 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a communication device according to some embodiments.

Figure 8 is a logic flow diagram of a method performed by a network node according to some embodiments.

Figure 9 is a block diagram of a communication device according to some embodiments. Figure 10 is a block diagram of a network node according to some embodiments.

Figure 11 is a block diagram of a communication system in accordance with some embodiments

Figure 12 is a block diagram of a user equipment according to some embodiments.

Figure 13 is a block diagram of a network node according to some embodiments.

Figure 14 is a block diagram of a host according to some embodiments.

Figure 15 is a block diagram of a virtualization environment according to some embodiments.

Figure 16 is a block diagram of a host communicating via a network node with a UE over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a non-terrestrial network (NTN) 10 according to some embodiments. The NTN 10 as shown includes a satellite 12 (e.g., a communications satellite) and an earth-based gateway 14 that connects the satellite 12 to a base station or a core network. The satellite 12, potentially in cooperation with the earth-based gateway 14, provides communication coverage for serving a communication device 18, e.g., via a spot beam or cell 16.

In this context, the communication device 18 is capable of acquiring a geopositioning fix 20 of the communication device 18. The geopositioning fix 20 represents a geographical position of the communication device 18, e.g., as derived from one or more positioning measurements. The communication device 18 is more particularly capable of acquiring its geopositioning fix 20 even before the communication device 18 accesses the NTN 10. In some embodiments, for example, the communication device 18 acquires its geopositioning fix 20 via a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) comprising multiple GNSS satellites 22. The communication device 18 in this case may have a GNSS receiver capable of performing GNSS measurements for deriving the geopositioning fix 20 in the form of a GNSS positioning fix.

In some embodiments, the communication device 18 deems the geopositioning fix 20 as valid for a certain amount of time after having acquired the geopositioning fix 20. Here, validity of the geopositioning fix 20 may represent that the geopositioning fix 20 still represents a geographical position of the communication device 18 with at least a certain level of accuracy or performance, i.e., that the geopositioning fix 20 has not yet become stale. The communication device 18 may for example start a validity timer 24 upon acquiring the geopositioning fix 20. In this case, while the validity timer 24 is running, the communication device 18 deems the geopositioning fix 20 as valid. When the validity timer 24 expires, though, the communication device 18 deems the geopositioning fix 20 as invalid.

In some embodiments, the communication device 18 is configured to exploit this geopositioning fix 20 for determining a pre-compensation timing advance (TA). The communication device 18 may then perform a random access channel transmission (not shown) using the pre-compensation TA, as part of accessing the NTN 10, e.g., establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection with the NTN 10. In these and other embodiments, then, validity of the geopositioning fix 20 is a prerequisite for the communication device 18 to access the NTN 10.

Notably, though, rather than just naively accessing the NTN 10 so long as its geopositioning fix 20 is valid, the communication device 10 herein may proactively update its geopositioning fix 20 before accessing the NTN 10, even if the geopositioning fix 20 is still valid. The communication device may do so, for example, if the remaining duration of time 26 for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid is less than a threshold duration, e.g., reflecting an estimated connection duration or otherwise reflecting an estimated duration of time for which the communication device 18 will be accessing the NTN 18. Figure 1 in this regard shows the remaining duration of time 26 for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid as being reflected by the current value of the validity timer 24. In this case, then, the communication device 18 may proactively update its geopositioning fix 20 before accessing the NTN 10, if the current value of the validity timer 24 is less than the threshold duration. Regardless, by proactively updating the geopositioning fix 20 in this way, some embodiments advantageously reduce the chances that the geopositioning fix 20 will become invalid during the course of the device’s connection to the NTN 10. This in turn reduces the chances that the communication device 10 will have to perform geopositioning measurements during a measurement gap, release its connection to the NTN 10, or otherwise take an action that would reduce performance.

According to some embodiments in this regard, the communication device 10 makes a decision about whether or not to update its geopositioning fix 20 before accessing the NTN 10, even though the geopositioning fix 20 is valid. The communication device 10 may make this decision based on the remaining duration of time 26 for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid. More specifically, for example, if the remaining duration of time 26 is less than the threshold duration, the communication device 10 makes the decision to update the geopositioning fix 20 before accessing the NTN 10. On the other hand, if the remaining duration of time 26 is more than the threshold duration, the communication device 18 makes the decision to refrain from updating the geopositioning fix 20 before accessing the NTN 10.

In some embodiments, the communication device 18 receives, from a network node 30 in the NTN 10, signaling 28 that controls the communication device’s decision in this regard. The signaling 28 may for example indicate the threshold duration described above, i.e., the threshold duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 must remain valid after accessing the NTN 10 in order for the communication device 18 to access the NTN 10 without updating the geopositioning fix 20. Alternatively or additionally, the signaling 28 may indicate whether or not the communication device 18 is to make the decision about whether to update the geopositioning fix 20 even when the geopositioning fix 20 is valid. The signaling 28 may for example be a flag indicating whether or not the communication device 18 is to make such a decision. Or, the signaling 28 may indicate one or more conditions under which the communication device 18 is (or is not) to make such a decision.

Some embodiments herein are applicable in the following example context where the communication device 18 is exemplified as a user equipment (UE), the geopositioning fix 20 is exemplified as a GNSS positioning fix, and the validity timer 24 is exemplified as a GNSS validity timer.

In particular, some embodiments herein are applicable to NTNs as specified in 3GPP. In one or more embodiments, a satellite radio access network may include the following components: (i) a satellite that refers to a space-borne platform; (ii) an earth-based gateway that connects the satellite to a base station or a core network, depending on the choice of architecture; (iii) a feeder link that refers to the link between a gateway and a satellite; (iv) an access link that refers to the link between a satellite and a user equipment (UE).

Depending on the orbit altitude, a satellite in some embodiments may be categorized as low earth orbit (LEO), medium earth orbit (MEO), or geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite. LEO has typical heights ranging from 250 - 1 ,500 km, with orbital periods ranging from 90 - 120 minutes. MEO has typical heights ranging from 5,000 - 25,000 km, with orbital periods ranging from 3 - 15 hours. And GEO has a typical height at about 35,786 km, with an orbital period of 24 hours.

In some embodiments, an NTN may have one of two basic architectures, depending on the functionality of the satellites in the system.

One architecture has a transparent payload, and is also referred to as a bent pipe architecture. In this case, the satellite forwards the received signal between the terminal and the network equipment on the ground with only amplification and a shift from uplink frequency to downlink frequency. When applied to general 3GPP architecture and terminology, the transparent payload architecture means that the gNB is located on the ground and the satellite forwards signals/data between the gNB and the UE.

The other architecture has a regenerative payload. The satellite includes on-board processing to demodulate and decode the received signal and regenerate the signal before sending it back to the earth. When applied to general 3GPP architecture and terminology, the regenerative payload architecture means that the gNB is located in the satellite.

Figure 2 shows an example architecture of a satellite network with bent pipe transponders (i.e., the transparent payload architecture). In this case, the satellite 12 forwards signals between the communication device 18 and network equipment on the ground with only amplification and a shift from uplink frequency to downlink frequency. The network node 30 from Figure 1 is shown as a base station (BS) 30, e.g., in the form of a gNB, that is located on the ground with a gateway 14, and the satellite 12 forwards signals/data between the base station 30 and the device 18 via an access link and a feeder link. The base station 30 may be integrated in the gateway 14 or connected to the gateway 14 via a terrestrial connection (wire, optic fiber, wireless link).

In some embodiments, a communication satellite generates multiple beams over a given area. The footprint of a beam may be in an elliptic shape, which may be considered as a cell, but cells consisting of the coverage footprint of multiple beams are not excluded. The footprint of a beam may also be referred to as a spotbeam. The footprint of a beam may move over the earth’s surface with the satellite movement or may be earth fixed with a beam pointing mechanism used by the satellite to compensate for the satellite’s motion. The size of a spotbeam depends on the system design, which may range from tens of kilometers to a few thousands of kilometers.

Propagation delay is an aspect of satellite communications that is different from the delay expected in a terrestrial mobile system. For a bent pipe satellite network, the round-trip delay may, depending on the orbit height, range from tens of ms in the case of LEO satellites to several hundreds of ms for GEO satellites. As a comparison, the round-trip delays in terrestrial cellular networks are typically below 1 ms.

The distance between the UE and a satellite can vary significantly, depending on the position of the satellite and thus the elevation angle s seen by the UE. Assuming circular orbits, the minimum distance is realized when the satellite is directly above the UE (E = 90°), and the maximum distance when the satellite is at the smallest possible elevation angle. Table 1 shows the distances between satellite and UE for different orbital heights and elevation angles together with the one-way propagation delay and the maximum propagation delay difference (the difference from the propagation delay at E = 90°). Note that this table assumes regenerative payload architecture. For the transparent payload case, the propagation delay between gateway and satellite needs to be considered as well, unless the base station corrects for that.

Table 1 : Propagation delay for different orbital heights and elevation angles.

The propagation delay may also be highly variable due to the high velocity of the LEO and MEO satellites and change in the order of 10 - 100 ps every second, depending on the orbit altitude and satellite velocity.

For Non-Terrestrial Networks using 3GPP technology, in particular 5G/NR, the long propagation delay means that the timing advance (TA) the UE uses for its uplink transmissions has to be much greater than in terrestrial networks in order for the uplink and downlink to be time aligned at the gNB, as is the case in NR and LTE. One of the purposes of the random access (RA) procedure is to provide the UE with a valid TA (which the network later can adjust based on the reception timing of uplink transmission from the UE). However, even the random access preamble (i.e., the initial message from the UE in the random access procedure) has to be transmitted with a timing advance to allow a reasonable size of the RA preamble reception window in the gNB (and to ensure that the cyclic shift of the preamble’s Zadoff-Chu sequence cannot be so large that it makes the Zadoff-Chu sequence, and thus the preamble, appear as another Zadoff Chu sequence, and thus preamble, based on the same Zadoff-Chu root sequence). But this TA does not have to be as accurate as the TA the UE subsequently uses for other uplink transmissions. The TA the UE uses for the RA preamble transmission in NTN is called “pre-compensation TA”.

Some embodiments herein for geoposition fix update are applicable for supporting any of multiple alternatives for how to determine the pre-compensation TA. All such alternatives may involve information originating both at the gNB and at the UE. In particular, some embodiments herein for geoposition fix update are applicable for supporting a first pre-compensation TA alternative that broadcasts a “common TA” which is valid at a certain reference point, e.g., a center point in the cell. The UE calculates how its own precompensation TA deviates from the common TA, based on the difference between the UE’s own location and the reference point together with the position of the satellite. Herein, the UE acquires its own position using GNSS measurements and the UE obtains the satellite position using satellite orbital data (including satellite position at a certain time) broadcast by the network.

Some embodiments herein for geoposition fix update are alternatively or additionally applicable for a second pre-compensation TA alternative in which the UE autonomously calculates the propagation delay between the UE and the satellite, based on the UE’s and the satellite’s respective positions, and the network/gNB broadcasts the propagation delay on the feeder link, i.e., the propagation delay between the gNB and the satellite. Herein, the UE acquires its own position using GNSS measurements and the UE obtains the satellite position using satellite orbital data (including satellite position at a certain time) broadcast by the network. The pre-compensation TA is then twice the sum of the propagation delay on the feeder link and the propagation delay between the satellite and the UE.

Some embodiments herein for geoposition fix update are alternatively or additionally applicable for a third pre-compensation TA alternative in which the gNB broadcasts a timestamp (in SIB9), which the UE compares with a reference timestamp acquired from GNSS. Based on the difference between these two timestamps, the UE can calculate the propagation delay between the gNB and the UE, and the pre-compensation TA is twice as long as this propagation delay.

In conjunction with the random access procedure, the gNB provides the UE with an accurate (i.e. fine-adjusted) TA in the Random Access Response message (in 4-step RA) or MsgB (in 2-step RA), based on the time of reception of the random access preamble. The gNB can subsequently adjust the UE’s TA using a Timing Advance Command Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) (or an Absolute Timing Advance Command MAC CE), based on the timing of receptions of uplink transmissions from the UE. A goal with such network control of the UE’s timing advance is typically to keep the time error of the UE’s uplink transmissions at the gNB’s receiver within the cyclic prefix (which is required for correct decoding of the uplink transmissions). The time advance control framework also includes a time alignment timer that the gNB configures the UE with. The time alignment timer is restarted every time the gNB adjusts the UE’s TA and if the time alignment timer expires, the UE is not allowed to transmit in the uplink without a prior random access procedure (which serves the purpose to provide the UE with a valid timing advance). For NTN, in addition to the gNB’s control of the UE’s TA, the UE is allowed to autonomously update its TA based on estimation of changes in the UE-gNB round-trip time (RTT) using the UE’s location (e.g., obtained from GNSS measurement) and knowledge of the serving satellite’s ephemeris data and feeder link delay information from the gNB.

A second relevant aspect is that not only is the propagation delay between the UE and a satellite, or between the UE and a gNB, very long in NTN, but due to the large distances, the difference in propagation delay to two different satellites, or two different gNBs, may be significant on the timescales relevant for cellular communication, including signaling procedures, even when the satellites/gNBs serve neighboring cells. This has an impact on all procedures involving reception or transmission in two cells served by different satellites and/or different gNBs.

A third aspect related to the long propagation delay/RTT in Non-Terrestrial Networks is the introduction of an additional parameter to compensate for the long propagation delay/RTT. In terrestrial cellular networks, the UE-gNB RTT may range from more or less zero to several tens of microseconds in a cell. A difference in Non-Terrestrial Networks, apart from the sheer size of the propagation delay/RTT, is that even at the location in the cell where the propagation delay/RTT is the smallest, it will be large and nowhere close to zero. In fact, the variation of the propagation delay/RTT within a NTN cell is small compared to the propagation delay/RTT. This speaks in favor of introducing an offset which essentially takes care of the RTT between the cell’s footprint on the ground and the satellite, while other mechanisms, including signaling and control loops, take care of the RTT dependent aspects within the smaller range of RTT variation within the cell on top of the offset.

To this end, a Koffset parameter (also referred to as K_offset) may be used in some embodiments in various timing related mechanisms, e.g., in the scheduling of uplink transmissions on the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH). Koffset is used to indicate an additional delay between the uplink (UL) grant and the PUSCH transmission resources allocated by the UL grant to be added to the slot offset parameter K2 in the downlink control information (DCI) containing the UL grant. The offset between the UL grant and the slot in which the PUSCH transmission resources are allocated is thus Koffset + K2. When used this way in uplink scheduling, Koffset can be said to serve the purpose to ensure that the UE is never scheduled to transmit at a point in time that, due to the large TA the UE has to apply, would occur before the point in time when the UE receives the UL grant. In some embodiments, the network’s configuration of Koffset may take into account the TA the UE may have signaled that it has used.

A fourth aspect closely related to the timing is a Doppler frequency offset induced by the motion of the satellite. The access link may be exposed to Doppler shift in the order of 10 - 100 kHz in sub-6 GHz frequency band and proportionally higher in higher frequency bands. Also, the Doppler shift is varying, with a rate of up to several hundred Hz per second in the S-band and several kHz per second in the Ka-band.

In some embodiments, e.g., consistent with 3GPP TR 38.821 v16.1 .0, ephemeris data is provided to the UE, for example to assist with pointing a directional antenna (or an antenna beam) towards the satellite, and to calculate a correct Timing Advance (TA) and Doppler shift. Broadcasting of ephemeris data in the system information is one option.

In some embodiments, a satellite orbit is fully described by a set of parameters, e.g., using 6 parameters. Exactly which set of parameters is chosen can be decided by the user; many different representations are possible. For example, a choice of parameters used often in astronomy is the set (a, E, i, Q, co, t). Here, the semi-major axis a and the eccentricity E describe the shape and size of the orbit ellipse; the inclination i, the right ascension of the ascending node Q, and the argument of periapsis co determine its position in space, and the epoch t determines a reference time (e.g. the time when the satellites moves through periapsis). This set of parameters is illustrated in Figure 3.

As an example of a different parametrization, the two-line element sets (TLEs) use mean motion n and mean anomaly M instead of a and t. A completely different set of parameters is the position and velocity vector (x, y, z, v_x, v_y, v_z) of a satellite. These are sometimes called orbital state vectors. They can be derived from the orbital elements and vice versa, since the information they contain is equivalent. All these formulations (and many others) are possible choices for the format of ephemeris data to be used in NTN.

In some embodiments, a UE is capable of determining the position of a satellite with accuracy of at least a few meters. In one embodiment, LEO satellites have GNSS receivers and can determine their position with some meter level accuracy.

Another aspect is the validity time of ephemeris data. Predictions of satellite positions in general degrade with increasing age of the ephemeris data used, due to atmospheric drag, maneuvering of the satellite, imperfections in the orbital models used, etc. Therefore, the publicly available TLE data are updated quite frequently, for example. The update frequency depends on the satellite and its orbit and ranges from weekly to multiple times a day for satellites on very low orbits which are exposed to strong atmospheric drag and need to perform correctional maneuvers often.

So, while it seems possible to provide the satellite position with the required accuracy, care needs to be taken to meet these requirements, e.g., when choosing the ephemeris data format, or the orbital model to be used for the orbital propagation.

In some embodiments, support serving-satellite ephemeris broadcast is based on one or more of the following sets.

Set 1 includes satellite position and velocity state vectors, including position X,Y,Z in ECEF (m) and velocity VX,VY,VZ in ECEF (m/s).

Set 2 includes at least the following parameters in orbital parameter ephemeris format: Semimajor axis a [m], Eccentricity e, Argument of periapsis co [rad], Longitude of ascending node Q [rad], Inclination i [rad], and Mean anomaly M [rad] at epoch time t₀. Pre-provisioned ephemeris based on orbital elements can be used as reference. Thereby, only delta corrections can be broadcast in order to reduce the overhead

Specifications may support delivery of ephemeris information using both ephemeris formats, i.e., state vectors and orbital elements.

A validity timer for UL synchronization (e.g., for satellite ephemeris and potentially other aspects) may be configured by the network.

To handle the timing and frequency synchronization in a NR or LTE based NTN, the device can be equipped with a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver. The GNSS receiver allows a device to estimate its geographical position. The UE can then determine the propagation delay, the delay variation, the Doppler shift, and its variation rate based on its own and the satellite location information.

Different levels of integration of the GNSS chip in a 3GPP cellular modem can be anticipated. A UE may support GNSS, but not make use of this support during RRC Connected mode for achieving timing and frequency correction:

In some embodiments, a UE can estimate and pre-compensate timing and frequency offset with sufficient accuracy for UL transmission.

In some embodiments, simultaneous GNSS and NTN NB-loT/eMTC operation is not assumed. Indeed, in some embodiments, the UE may share parts of its radio frequency (RF) architecture between the cellular modem and the GNSS chip. One solution is to make use of the same antenna for receiving the GNSS reference signal, and for receiving and transmitting an LTE or NR signal. A switch determines if the antenna should be connected to the cellular RF frontend or the GNSS RF frontend. The switch provides needed isolation between the cellular transmitter and the GNSS receiver but does also prevent simultaneous GNSS and cellular operation.

In some embodiments, the UE autonomously determines its GNSS validity duration X and reports information associated with this valid duration to the network via RRC signalling. In some embodiments, the UE needs to have a valid GNSS fix before going to connected. In some embodiments, the UE re-aquires the GNSS fix before establishing the connection (regardless if previously valid or not), if needed to avoid interruption during the connection.

In some embodiments, when the GNSS fix becomes outdated in RRC_CONNECTED mode, the UE goes to IDLE mode. This means that a timer, whose duration is decided by the UE, is started whenever the UE finishes the GNSS fix and at the expiry the UE will move to IDLE mode autonomously. In one embodiment, the duration of the timer may have the following values: X = {10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, 20 min, 25 min, 30 min, 60 min, 90 min, 120 min, infinity}.

Note that, in some embodiments, a GNSS fix refers to the action of acquiring a valid GNSS measurement with a given level of performance.

To obtain a GNSS fix, the UE may utilize GNSS assistance information, that is information that may be broadcasted to the UE or provided by other means such as preconfigured or signalled in a dedicated message. The GNSS assistance information can ease the UE’s ability obtain the GNSS fix and may decrease the time to obtain a GNSS fix. The obtaining of assistance information may happen after or before the need for the UE to obtain a GNSS fix.

In some embodiments, the UE is assumed to acquire its position information from the GNSS data. It can then use its position for various tasks such as calculating time and frequency pre-compensation values. A GNSS validity timer will start when the UE has performed a GNSS fix. Upon the expiry of this timer, the UE will leave connected mode, which heretofore makes network operation very challenging.

In some embodiments, a UE shall perform GNSS fix before connecting to a cell. This heretofore creates a problem since the UE will have to perform a number of actions before fully connecting to an NTN cell and this could potentially mean that, while the UE has performed a GNSS fix before connecting to an NTN cell, this might not be recent enough. This heretofore can cause UEs to connect to a cell when the remaining validity duration is still low. This problem can be seen in Figure 4 where the GNSS validity duration ends at a time T during a data transmission procedure.

Certain aspects of the disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. Some embodiments herein impose requirements on the GNSS validity for the UE to connect to an NTN cell in different scenarios.

In some embodiments, for example, the UE may obtain GNSS assistance information, perform a GNSS measurement, and start a GNSS validity duration timer. The UE may also obtain an indication regarding a condition for GNSS validity duration. The UE decides, e.g., based on the condition, whether to perform another GNSS fix or connect to the network. Depending on the decision, the UE performs either of: (i) a GNSS fix and then connects to the NTN cell, or (ii) directly connects to the NTN cell.

In some embodiments, the condition is that the GNSS validity duration is above a threshold. In one such embodiment, the threshold is configured by the network. Alternatively, the threshold is hardcoded in the specifications, e.g., 3GPP specifications.

In some embodiments, the indication is related to a specific connection use case, that can be RRC resume, RRC re-establishment, handovers, early data transmission (EDT), preconfigured uplink resource (PUR).

Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). According to some embodiments, the network gets more control of how the UE is synchronized so that the likeliness that the UE goes to idle mode at the expiry of the GNSS validity duration is minimized.

Generally, some embodiments herein introduce a threshold where the UE is only allowed to connect to a cell if the GNSS validity duration is larger than the threshold. This puts a requirement on the UE to have performed GNSS well enough in time so that the network would roughly know that the UE would be able to at least stay in the cell for a certain duration.

The threshold may for instance be configurable by the network, e.g., configured in the cell’s system information. This allows flexibility for the network to make sure that a UE can stay in connected state for a long enough time and can also allow for different values being configured depending on how long a time it would take to deliver a typical data packet. In a LEO network it would likely be a lot quicker to deliver a packet compared to a GEO network due to the propagation delay, thus the configurable threshold would naturally be lower for LEO and higher for GEO.

The threshold could also be hardcoded, e.g., specified in a standard specification, so for instance the UE would be required to have a remaining duration of the GNSS validity duration that is above a value before being allowed to connect to any NTN cell.

Multiple threshold values can be defined and specified for different UE classes or categories. Such multiple threshold values may be standardized, or the threshold values and their associated UE classes or categories may be indicated in configuration data from the network, e.g., in the system information.

Different threshold values may also be specified or configured for different types of network access, e.g., for: random access from RRCJDLE state (e.g., RRC connection setup), random access from RRCJNACTIVE state (e.g., RRC connection resume), random access in a target cell during handover or access to a newly added secondary cell, random access triggered by a PDCCH order (i.e., a DCI message from the network on the PDCCH instructing the UE to perform a random access procedure), contention-based random access, and contention-free random access.

An example with a threshold for the GNSS validity duration can be seen in Figure 5. As shown, GNSS validity is checked before establishing a connection to the NTN cell, e.g., even though the GNSS validity timer has not expired.

In some embodiments, the above is configurable in the sense that the network configures whether the hardcoded threshold is used or not. In the hardcoded case, this may be a flag in system information that indicates whether the requirement should be used or not and in the configurable threshold case the network configures this by including the threshold (if the threshold is not included it is not configured). A hybrid solution is also possible, where a threshold is specified in a standard, and this is valid by default, but it may be overridden by a configured value.

In one embodiment, the requirements on the GNSS validity duration are only for the UE when performing initial access, i.e., perform RRC connection establishment (sending RRCConnectionRequesf). This allows the network to at least know that the GNSS status is sufficient when a UE is for instance performing initial access where the UE needs to be configured with security etc.

In another embodiment, when the UE performs RRC resume (sending RRCConnectionResumeRequesf), the requirements on GNSS validity are applicable. The requirement can be the same as for RRCConnectionRequesf or be different for RRC Resume. This is motivated by the fact that the time expected to be connected should be significantly less when the UE performs RRC Resume as contexts and configurations are already supplied and available in the RAN and that the UE usually only has very little data to transmit.

In another embodiment, when the UE performs early data transmission (EDT) (sending RRCConnectionResumeRequest+Data or RRCEarlyDataRequesf) or preconfigured uplink resource (PUR) (sending RRCEarlyDataRequesf), the requirement may similarly apply as for RRCConnectionRequest or RRCConnectionResumeRequest, or a separate requirement may be used specifically for EDT or PUR. In this case, it is further motivated to have a different requirement as the expected duration in RRC connected is expected to be a lot less.

In another embodiment, when the UE has to perform RRC connection re-establishment (sending RRCConnectionReestablishmentRequesf) the requirement on GNSS validity may or may not be required. This can for instance force the UE to redo the GNSS fix or potentially allow the UE to not have to redo the GNSS fix. A separate requirement for RRC connection re-establishment may be introduced.

In another embodiment, when the UE performs handover, the network signals the requirements (if any) on the target cell regarding requirements or threshold on the GNSS validity duration. This can then influence whether the UE needs to perform GNSS measurement during a handover procedure or not. The target cell may e.g., signal this in the Handovercommand (containing configuration data the UE should apply when accessing the target cell) constructed by the target node (e.g., target eNB/gNB) and sent to source cell via inter-node signaling (X2) and then sent to the UE.

If the UE is not able to get a GNSS fix that is fresh enough to satisfy the configured or specified requirement on the minimum remaining GNSS measurement validity time, in some embodiments, the UE may still be allowed to access the network, if it informs the network of the failure and how long GNSS measurement validity time that currently remains for the UE’s latest GNSS measurement. If the UE uses contention-based random access to access the network from RRCJDLE or RRCJNACTIVE state, the UE could indicate this in the RRCSetupRequest message or the RRCResumeRequest message in Msg3 or in the RRCSetupComplete message or the RRCResumeComplete message. If the UE uses random access from RRC_CONNECTED state, it could include the indication in the form of a MAC CE in Msg3. If the network access (uplink transmission) is from RRC_CONNECTED state and/or is something else than a random access, the UE could include the indication in a MAC CE or possibly in an RRC message (opportunistically in an RRC message that would anyway have been sent or in an RRC message sent solely for this purpose prior to the intended uplink transmission. The network, e.g., the eNB/gNB, may use the information about the remaining GNSS measurement validity time e.g., to prioritize the UE during scheduling, so that the UE can communicate as much as possible, or can conclude the communication needs it currently has (e.g., empty its transmission buffer(s) (and possibly receive responses in the downlink) before the UE’s GNSS measurement validity time expires. If the UE, after having indicated to the UE that its remaining GNSS measurement validity time is below the required minimum remaining validity time (e.g., below the configured or specified threshold), and optionally also indicated the actual remaining GNSS measurement validity time, manages to acquire a fresh GNSS measurement, the UE can indicate this to the network (e.g., in a MAC CE or in an RRC message) and optionally also indicate how long the GNSS measurement validity time is.

In one embodiment, the minimum remaining GNSS measurement validity time requirement does not apply when the UE accesses the network using a random access procedure triggered by a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) order from the network. In one embodiment variant, this is specified in a standard. In another embodiment variant, this is configured in the system information. In yet another embodiment variant, this is indicated in the DCI containing the PDCCH order.

In one embodiment, the network, e.g. a eNB/gNB, indicates in a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) order (i.e. a DCI message instructing the UE to perform a random access procedure) that the UE may perform the random access procedure in accordance with the PDCCH order, even if the UE’s remaining GNSS measurement validity time does not fulfill the requirement on the minimum remaining GNSS measurement validity time (e.g. even if the UE’s remaining GNSS measurement validity time does not exceed a specified or configured threshold), and that if the UE’s remaining GNSS measurement validity time does not fulfill the minimum requirement, the UE should indicate this in conjunction with the random access procedure (e.g. in a MAC CE in Msg3). As one option, this indication may comprise an indication of how long time that remains of the UE’s GNSS measurement validity time. When the UE receives the PDCCH order containing any of these indications, the UE behaves accordingly.

In one embodiment, the network (e.g. a eNB/gNB) may indicate in a PDCCH order that the time within which the UE is expected to initiate the PDCCH ordered random access is extended (and optionally how long it is) to allow the UE to have enough time to perform a GNSS measurement before initiating the random access procedure. If the UE receiving a PDCCH order including such an indication has a remaining GNSS measurement validity time that does not fulfill the minimum requirement, the UE performs a GNSS measurement before initiating the random access procedure.

In one embodiment, a UE connecting to a cell in a discontinuous coverage scenario may disregard the requirement of GNSS validity duration whenever the remaining time until the endtime of the serving satellite’s coverage is lower than the UE’s current GNSS validity timer, i.e., the coverage gap will start before the GNSS validity timer is expired. Otherwise, if the UE were to comply with the requirement and acquire a fresh GNSS fix, it would potentially miss the current coverage window and be forced to wait until the next satellite is visible. A discontinuous coverage scenario is characterized by significant coverage gaps due to a low density of satellites in a constellation. This case may be indicated either via System Information or dedicated signaling.

Figure 6 shows steps performed by a UE according to some embodiments. In Step 1 , the UE may obtain GNSS assistance information.

In Step 2, the UE performs a GNSS measurement and starts a GNSS validity duration timer.

In Step 3, the UE obtains an indication regarding a condition for GNSS validity duration. This may be obtained from a hardcoded value, or from configuration information from the network, e.g., in the form of configuration parameter(s) signaled via the system information or via dedicated signaling, such as RRC signaling MAC signaling or DCI signaling. The indication may be a minimum remaining time of the GNSS validity duration that the UE must have when accessing the network.

In Step 4, the UE decides whether to perform another GNSS fix (e.g., if its remaining GNSS validity time does not exceed a minimum required time) or connect to the network (e.g., if the UE’s remaining GNSS validity time exceeds a minimum required time).

In Step 5, depending on the decision in step 4, the UE performs either of: (a) GNSS fix and then connects to the NTN cell, or (b) directly connects to the NTN cell.

However, some embodiments account for the fact that frequent GNSS fixes can reduce the battery life of the UE, e.g., an loT UE. In some embodiments, then, an loT UE is allowed to relax the aforementioned GNSS fix requirement under certain specified conditions, i.e., it may bypass steps 3 and 4, and perform step 5b instead of step 5a. For example, those conditions can include one or more of the following: (i) when the UE is configured with power saving mode; (ii) when the UE is configured with a certain number of repetitions; (iii) when the UE belongs to a certain coverage class; or (iv) when the UE belongs to a certain Coverage Enhancement (CE) mode/class/level.

As used herein, the terms “GNSS validity duration”, “GNSS validity time”, “GNSS measurement validity duration”, and “GNSS measurement validity time” are used interchangeably. Similarly, the terms “GNSS validity timer”, “GNSS validity duration timer”, “GNSS measurement validity timer”, and “GNSS measurement validity duration timer” are used interchangeably. Generally, then, validity of the geopositioning fix 20 herein may be specified or reflected as validity of geopositioning measurement(s) or data associated with that geopositioning fix.

Furthermore, although some embodiments herein have been described in a context for LTE (as the GNSS validity duration has so far only been introduced for loT NTN), embodiments herein can also apply to 5G NR.

In view of the modifications and variations herein, Figure 7 depicts a method performed by a communication device 18 configured for use in a non-terrestrial network, NTN, 10 in accordance with particular embodiments. The method includes making a decision about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix 20 of the communication device 18 before accessing the NTN 10, even though the geopositioning fix 20 is valid (Block 700). In some embodiments, the decision is made based on a remaining duration of time 26 for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid. Regardless, the method may also include updating, or refraining from updating, the geopositioning fix 20 before accessing the NTN 10, according to the decision (Block 710).

In some embodiments, said making comprises, if the remaining duration of time 26 is less than a threshold duration, making the decision to update the geopositioning fix 20 before accessing the NTN 10. In some embodiments, said making also comprises, if the remaining duration of time is more than the threshold duration, making the decision to refrain from updating the geopositioning fix 20 before accessing the NTN 10. In one or more of these embodiments, the method further comprises receiving the threshold duration from the NTN 10, e.g., in System Information of the NTN 10 (Block 705). In one or more of these embodiments, receipt of the threshold duration overrides a preconfigured threshold duration preconfigured at the communication device 18. In other embodiments, the communication device 18 is preconfigured with the threshold duration.

In some embodiments, the threshold duration is specific to a purpose for which the communication device 18 is accessing the NTN 10 or a procedure with which the communication device 18 is accessing the NTN 10. In some embodiments, the threshold duration is alternatively or additionally specific to a type of a satellite providing an NTN 10 cell that the communication device 18 is accessing. In some embodiments, the threshold duration is alternatively or additionally specific to an orbit altitude of a satellite providing an NTN 10 cell that the communication device 18 is accessing. In some embodiments, the threshold duration is alternatively or additionally specific to a type, category, or class of the communication device 18.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining whether or not to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid (Block 707). In one or more of these embodiments, said determining is performed based on whether the communication device 18 receives signaling indicating that the communication device 18 is to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid. In some embodiments, the signaling comprises a threshold duration. In some embodiments, the signaling comprises a flag indicating whether or not the communication device 18 is to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid. In some embodiments, said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid if the communication device 18 is configured with a power saving mode. Alternatively, said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid if the communication device 18 is configured to perform at least a threshold number of transmission repetitions. Alternatively, said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid if the communication device 18 belongs to one or more certain coverage classes. Alternatively, said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid if the communication device 18 belongs to one or more certain coverage enhancement modes, classes, or levels. In some embodiments, said determining is performed based on a purpose for which the communication device 18 is accessing the NTN 10 or a procedure with which the communication device 18 is accessing the NTN 10. In some embodiments, said determining comprises determining to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid if the communication device 18 is performing initial access to the NTN 10. In some embodiments, said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid if access to the NTN 10 is triggered by a downlink control channel order from the NTN 10. Alternatively, said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid if coverage of a serving satellite will be lost before the geopositioning fix 20 becomes invalid.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining the threshold duration based on an estimated duration of time for which the communication device 18 will be accessing the NTN 10.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining the threshold duration based on an estimated duration of a connection that the communication device 18 will establish, re-establish, or resume as part of accessing the NTN 10.

In some embodiments, accessing the NTN 10 comprises performing random access to the NTN 10 and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to the NTN 10.

In some embodiments, accessing the NTN 10 comprises performing Early Data Transmission (EDT) or Preconfigured Uplink Resource (PUR) transmission.

In some embodiments, accessing the NTN 10 comprises performing random access to a cell of the NTN 10 and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to a cell of the NTN 10.

In some embodiments, accessing the NTN 10 comprises transitioning to a radio resource control (RRC) connected state.

In some embodiments, the geopositioning fix 20 comprises a Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS, positioning fix.

In some embodiments, the geopositioning fix 20 is valid while a validity timer is running, wherein the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid is a remaining duration of the validity timer. In some embodiments, the validity timer is starter or restarted when the communication device 18 obtains or updates the geopositioning fix 20.

In some embodiments, the communication device 18 is configured to transition into an RRC idle state upon expiry of the validity timer.

In some embodiments, the communication device 18 is configured to transition into an RRC idle state when the geopositioning fix 20 becomes invalid.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining a pre-compensation timing advance from the geopositioning fix 20, as updated or not depending on the decision (Block 720). The method further comprises performing a random access channel transmission using the determined pre-compensation timing advance as part of accessing the NTN 10 (Block 730).

Figure 8 shows a method performed by a network node 30 configured for use in a nonterrestrial network. The method comprises transmitting, to a communication device 18, signaling that controls a decision by the communication device 18 about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix 20 of the communication device 18 before accessing the NTN 10, even though the geopositioning fix 20 is valid (Block 820).

In some embodiments, the method also comprises generating the signaling (Block 810), e.g., as described below.

In some embodiments, the signaling indicates a threshold duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 must remain valid after accessing the NTN 10 in order for the communication device 18 to access the NTN 10 without updating the geopositioning fix 20. In one or more of these embodiments, the method may further comprise determining the threshold duration (Block 800).

In some embodiments, the indicated threshold duration is to override a preconfigured threshold duration preconfigured at the communication device 18. In some embodiments, the indicated threshold duration is specific to a purpose for which the communication device 18 is accessing the NTN 10 or a procedure with which the communication device 18 is accessing the NTN 10. In some embodiments, the indicated threshold duration is specific to a type of a satellite providing an NTN 10 cell that the communication device 18 is accessing. In some embodiments, the indicated threshold duration is specific to an orbit altitude of a satellite providing an NTN 10 cell that the communication device 18 is accessing. In some embodiments, the indicated threshold duration is specific to a type, category, or class of the communication device 18.

In some embodiments, the signaling indicates whether or not the communication device 18 is to make the decision about whether to update the geopositioning fix 20 when the geopositioning fix 20 is valid. In some embodiments, the signaling comprises a flag indicating whether or not the communication device 18 is to make the decision based on a remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid.

In some embodiments, the signaling indicates the communication device 18 is to update the geopositioning fix 20 if the communication device 18 is configured with a certain power saving mode, if the communication device 18 is configured to perform at least a threshold number of transmission repetitions, if the communication device 18 belongs to one or more certain coverage classes, or if the communication device 18 belongs to one or more certain coverage enhancement modes, classes, or levels. In some embodiments, the signaling indicates the certain power saving mode, the threshold number of transmission repetitions, the one or more certain coverage classes, or the one or more certain coverage enhancement modes.

In some embodiments, the signaling indicates the communication device 18 is to update the geopositioning fix 20 if the communication device 18 is accessing the NTN 10 for a certain purpose or with a certain procedure.

In some embodiments, the signaling indicates the communication device 18 is to update the geopositioning fix 20 if the communication device 18 is performing initial access to the NTN 10.

In some embodiments, the signaling indicates the communication device 18 is not to update the geopositioning fix 20 if access to the NTN 10 is triggered by a downlink control channel order from the NTN 10. Alternatively, the signaling indicates the communication device 18 is not to update the geopositioning fix 20 if coverage of a serving satellite will be lost before the geopositioning fix 20 becomes invalid.

In some embodiments, the geopositioning fix 20 is valid while a validity timer is running. In some embodiments, the signaling controls whether, or how, the communication device 18 is to make the decision based on a remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid. In one or more of these embodiments, the geopositioning fix 20 is valid while a validity timer is running. In some embodiments, the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix 20 will be valid is a remaining duration of the validity timer. In one or more of these embodiments, the validity timer is started or restarted when the communication device 18 obtains or updates the geopositioning fix 20. In one or more of these embodiments, the communication device 18 is configured to transition into an RRC idle state upon expiry of the validity timer.

Embodiments herein also include corresponding apparatuses. Embodiments herein for instance include a communication device 18 configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 18.

Embodiments also include a communication device 18 comprising processing circuitry and power supply circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 18. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to the communication device 18.

Embodiments further include a communication device 18 comprising processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 18. In some embodiments, the communication device 18 further comprises communication circuitry.

Embodiments further include a communication device 18 comprising processing circuitry and memory. The memory contains instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the communication device 18 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 18.

Embodiments moreover include a user equipment (UE). The UE comprises an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals. The UE also comprises radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the communication device 18. In some embodiments, the UE also comprises an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry. The UE may comprise an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry. The UE may also comprise a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

Embodiments herein also include a network node 30 configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 30. Embodiments also include a network node 30 comprising processing circuitry and power supply circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 30. The power supply circuitry is configured to supply power to the network node 30.

Embodiments further include a network node 30 comprising processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 30. In some embodiments, the network node 30 further comprises communication circuitry.

Embodiments further include a network node 30 comprising processing circuitry and memory. The memory contains instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the network node 30 is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments described above for the network node 30.

More particularly, the apparatuses described above may perform the methods herein and any other processing by implementing any functional means, modules, units, or circuitry. In one embodiment, for example, the apparatuses comprise respective circuits or circuitry configured to perform the steps shown in the method figures. The circuits or circuitry in this regard may comprise circuits dedicated to performing certain functional processing and/or one or more microprocessors in conjunction with memory. For instance, the circuitry may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory, cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory may include program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein, in several embodiments. In embodiments that employ memory, the memory stores program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, carries out the techniques described herein.

Figure 9 for example illustrates a communication device 18 as implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, the communication device 18 includes processing circuitry 910 and communication circuitry 920. The communication circuitry 920 (e.g., radio circuitry) is configured to transmit and/or receive information to and/or from one or more other nodes, e.g., via any communication technology. Such communication may occur via one or more antennas that are either internal or external to the wireless communication device 900. The processing circuitry 910 is configured to perform processing described above, e.g., in Figure 7, such as by executing instructions stored in memory 930. The processing circuitry 910 in this regard may implement certain functional means, units, or modules. Figure 10 illustrates a network node 30 as implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown, the network node 30 includes processing circuitry 1010 and communication circuitry 1020. The communication circuitry 1020 is configured to transmit and/or receive information to and/or from one or more other nodes, e.g., via any communication technology. The processing circuitry 1010 is configured to perform processing described above, e.g., in Figure 8, such as by executing instructions stored in memory 1030. The processing circuitry 1010 in this regard may implement certain functional means, units, or modules.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that embodiments herein further include corresponding computer programs.

A computer program comprises instructions which, when executed on at least one processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to carry out any of the respective processing described above. A computer program in this regard may comprise one or more code modules corresponding to the means or units described above.

Embodiments further include a carrier containing such a computer program. This carrier may comprise one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

In this regard, embodiments herein also include a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable (storage or recording) medium and comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform as described above.

Embodiments further include a computer program product comprising program code portions for performing the steps of any of the embodiments herein when the computer program product is executed by a computing device. This computer program product may be stored on a computer readable recording medium.

Figure 11 shows an example of a communication system 1100 in accordance with some embodiments.

In the example, the communication system 1100 includes a telecommunication network 1102 that includes an access network 1104, such as a radio access network (RAN), and a core network 1106, which includes one or more core network nodes 1108. The access network 1104 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 1110a and 1110b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 1110), or any other similar 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access node or non-3GPP access point. The network nodes 1110 facilitate direct or indirect connection of user equipment (UE), such as by connecting UEs 1112a, 1112b, 1112c, and 1112d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 1112) to the core network 1106 over one or more wireless connections.

Example wireless communications over a wireless connection include transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. Moreover, in different embodiments, the communication system 1100 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and/or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signals whether via wired or wireless connections. The communication system 1100 may include and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and/or other similar type of system.

The UEs 1112 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network nodes 1110 and other communication devices. Similarly, the network nodes 1110 are arranged, capable, configured, and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with the UEs 1112 and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the telecommunication network 1102 to enable and/or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and/or to perform other functions, such as administration in the telecommunication network 1102.

In the depicted example, the core network 1106 connects the network nodes 1110 to one or more hosts, such as host 1116. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediary networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. The core network 1106 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 1108) that are structured with hardware and software components. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UEs, network nodes, and/or hosts, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the core network node 1108. Example core network nodes include functions of one or more of a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier De-concealing function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and/or a User Plane Function (UPF).

The host 1116 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of the access network 1104 and/or the telecommunication network 1102, and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. The host 1116 may host a variety of applications to provide one or more service. Examples of such applications include live and pre-recorded audio/video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data on various ambient conditions detected by a plurality of UEs, analytics functionality, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for an alarm and surveillance center, or any other such function performed by a server. As a whole, the communication system 1100 of Figure 11 enables connectivity between the UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In that sense, the communication system may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards that include, but are not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G); wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (WiFi); and/or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC) ZigBee, LiFi, and/or any low- power wide-area network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

In some examples, the telecommunication network 1102 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, the telecommunications network 1102 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to the telecommunication network 1102. For example, the telecommunications network 1102 may provide Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) services to some UEs, while providing Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and/or Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC)ZMassive loT services to yet further UEs.

In some examples, the UEs 1112 are configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a UE may be designed to transmit information to the access network 1104 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the access network 1104. Additionally, a UE may be configured for operating in single- or multi-RAT or multi-standard mode. For example, a UE may operate with any one or combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio) and LTE, i.e. being configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved-UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio - Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

In the example, the hub 1114 communicates with the access network 1104 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 1112c and/or 1112d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 1110b). In some examples, the hub 1114 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs. For example, the hub 1114 may be a broadband router enabling access to the core network 1106 for the UEs. As another example, the hub 1114 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UEs. Commands or instructions may be received from the UEs, network nodes 1110, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in the hub 1114. As another example, the hub 1114 may be a data collector that acts as temporary storage for UE data and, in some embodiments, may perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, the hub 1114 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, loudspeaker or other media delivery device, the hub 1114 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which the hub 1114 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and/or after adding additional local content. In still another example, the hub 1114 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular in if one or more of the UEs are low energy loT devices.

The hub 1114 may have a constant/persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 1110b. The hub 1114 may also allow for a different communication scheme and/or schedule between the hub 1114 and UEs (e.g., UE 1112c and/or 1112d), and between the hub 1114 and the core network 1106. In other examples, the hub 1114 is connected to the core network 1106 and/or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, the hub 1114 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over the access network 1104 and/or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with the network nodes 1110 while still connected via the hub 1114 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the hub 1114 may be a dedicated hub - that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communications to/from the UEs from/to the network node 1110b. In other embodiments, the hub 1114 may be a non-dedicated hub - that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and network node 1110b, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and/or end point for certain data channels.

Figure 12 shows a UE 1200 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other UEs. Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, mobile phone, cell phone, voice over IP (VoIP) phone, wireless local loop phone, desktop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), wireless cameras, gaming console or device, music storage device, playback appliance, wearable terminal device, wireless endpoint, mobile station, tablet, laptop, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), smart device, wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded/integrated wireless device, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a narrow band internet of things (NB-loT) UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.

A UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X). In other examples, a UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).

The UE 1200 includes processing circuitry 1202 that is operatively coupled via a bus 1204 to an input/output interface 1206, a power source 1208, a memory 1210, a communication interface 1212, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 12. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

The processing circuitry 1202 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory 1210. The processing circuitry 1202 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 1202 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

In the example, the input/output interface 1206 may be configured to provide an interface or interfaces to an input device, output device, or one or more input and/or output devices. Examples of an output device include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. An input device may allow a user to capture information into the UE 1200. Examples of an input device include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide an input device and an output device.

In some embodiments, the power source 1208 is structured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic device, or power cell, may be used. The power source 1208 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from the power source 1208 itself, and/or an external power source, to the various parts of the UE 1200 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of the power source 1208. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from the power source 1208 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 1200 to which power is supplied.

The memory 1210 may be or be configured to include memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash drives, and so forth. In one example, the memory 1210 includes one or more application programs 1214, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 1216. The memory 1210 may store, for use by the UE 1200, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

The memory 1210 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as tamper resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs), such as a USIM and/or ISIM, other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC may for example be an embedded UICC (eUlCC), integrated UICC (iUICC) or a removable UICC commonly known as ‘SIM card.’ The memory 1210 may allow the UE 1200 to access instructions, application programs and the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied as or in the memory 1210, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.

The processing circuitry 1202 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using the communication interface 1212. The communication interface 1212 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 1222. The communication interface 1212 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or a network node in an access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 1218 and/or a receiver 1220 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth). Moreover, the transmitter 1218 and receiver 1220 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 1222) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

In the illustrated embodiment, communication functions of the communication interface 1212 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. Communications may be implemented in according to one or more communication protocols and/or standards, such as IEEE 802.11 , Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so forth.

Regardless of the type of sensor, a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 1212, via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by sensors of a UE can be communicated through a wireless connection to a network node via another UE. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to even out the load from reporting from several sensors), in response to a triggering event (e.g., when moisture is detected an alert is sent), in response to a request (e.g., a user initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

As another example, a UE comprises an actuator, a motor, or a switch, related to a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input the states of the actuator, the motor, or the switch may change. For example, the UE may comprise a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight according to the received input or to a robotic arm performing a medical procedure according to the received input.

A UE, when in the form of an Internet of Things (loT) device, may be a device for use in one or more application domains, these domains comprising, but not limited to, city wearable technology, extended industrial application and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such an loT device are a device which is or which is embedded in: a connected refrigerator or freezer, a TV, a connected lighting device, an electricity meter, a robot vacuum cleaner, a voice controlled smart speaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door/window sensor, a flood/moisture sensor, an electrical door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system like a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR), a wearable for tactile augmentation or sensory enhancement, a water sprinkler, an animal- or item-tracking device, a sensor for monitoring a plant or animal, an industrial robot, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device, like a heart rate monitor or a remote controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an loT device comprises circuitry and/or software in dependence of the intended application of the loT device in addition to other components as described in relation to the UE 1200 shown in Figure 12.

As yet another specific example, in an loT scenario, a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another UE and/or a network node. The UE may in this case be an M2M device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the UE may implement the 3GPP NB-loT standard. In other scenarios, a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, a bus, a truck, a ship and an airplane, or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

In practice, any number of UEs may be used together with respect to a single use case. For example, a first UE might be or be integrated in a drone and provide the drone’s speed information (obtained through a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE may adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g. by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone’s speed. The first and/or the second UE can also include more than one of the functionalities described above. For example, a UE might comprise the sensor and the actuator, and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuators.

Figure 13 shows a network node 1300 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and/or with other network nodes or equipment, in a telecommunication network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)).

Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and so, depending on the provided amount of coverage, may be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS). Other examples of network nodes include multiple transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), Operation and Maintenance (O&M) nodes, Operations Support System (OSS) nodes, Self-Organizing Network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E-SMLCs)), and/or Minimization of Drive Tests (MDTs).

The network node 1300 includes a processing circuitry 1302, a memory 1304, a communication interface 1306, and a power source 1308. The network node 1300 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which the network node 1300 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, the network node 1300 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 1304 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 1310 may be shared by different RATs). The network node 1300 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 1300, for example GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 1300.

The processing circuitry 1302 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 1300 components, such as the memory 1304, to provide network node 1300 functionality.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 1302 includes a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 1302 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1312 and baseband processing circuitry 1314. In some embodiments, the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 1312 and the baseband processing circuitry 1314 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 1312 and baseband processing circuitry 1314 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units. The memory 1304 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by the processing circuitry 1302. The memory 1304 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, and/or other instructions capable of being executed by the processing circuitry 1302 and utilized by the network node 1300. The memory 1304 may be used to store any calculations made by the processing circuitry 1302 and/or any data received via the communication interface 1306. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 1302 and memory 1304 is integrated.

The communication interface 1306 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and/or data between a network node, access network, and/or UE. As illustrated, the communication interface 1306 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 1316 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection. The communication interface 1306 also includes radio front-end circuitry 1318 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, the antenna 1310. Radio front-end circuitry 1318 comprises filters 1320 and amplifiers 1322. The radio front-end circuitry 1318 may be connected to an antenna 1310 and processing circuitry 1302. The radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 1310 and processing circuitry 1302. The radio front-end circuitry 1318 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. The radio front-end circuitry 1318 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 1320 and/or amplifiers 1322. The radio signal may then be transmitted via the antenna 1310. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 1310 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 1318. The digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 1302. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 1300 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 1318, instead, the processing circuitry 1302 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 1310. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 1312 is part of the communication interface 1306. In still other embodiments, the communication interface 1306 includes one or more ports or terminals 1316, the radio front-end circuitry 1318, and the RF transceiver circuitry 1312, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communication interface 1306 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 1314, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

The antenna 1310 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. The antenna 1310 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 1318 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In certain embodiments, the antenna 1310 is separate from the network node 1300 and connectable to the network node 1300 through an interface or port.

The antenna 1310, communication interface 1306, and/or the processing circuitry 1302 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a UE, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, the antenna 1310, the communication interface 1306, and/or the processing circuitry 1302 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node and/or any other network equipment.

The power source 1308 provides power to the various components of network node 1300 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). The power source 1308 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of the network node 1300 with power for performing the functionality described herein. For example, the network node 1300 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., the power grid, an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry of the power source 1308. As a further example, the power source 1308 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail.

Embodiments of the network node 1300 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 13 for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and/or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 1300 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into the network node 1300 and to allow output of information from the network node 1300. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 1300.

Figure 14 is a block diagram of a host 1400, which may be an embodiment of the host 1116 of Figure 11 , in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, the host 1400 may be or comprise various combinations hardware and/or software, including a standalone server, a blade server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, a virtual machine, container, or processing resources in a server farm. The host 1400 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

The host 1400 includes processing circuitry 1402 that is operatively coupled via a bus 1404 to an input/output interface 1406, a network interface 1408, a power source 1410, and a memory 1412. Other components may be included in other embodiments. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the devices of previous figures, such as Figures 12 and 13, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of host 1400.

The memory 1412 may include one or more computer programs including one or more host application programs 1414 and data 1416, which may include user data, e.g., data generated by a UE for the host 1400 or data generated by the host 1400 for a UE. Embodiments of the host 1400 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown. The host application programs 1414 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Versatile Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding for multiple different classes, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., handsets, desktop computers, wearable display systems, heads-up display systems). The host application programs 1414 may also provide for user authentication and licensing checks and may periodically report health, routes, and content availability to a central node, such as a device in or on the edge of a core network. Accordingly, the host 1400 may select and/or indicate a different host for over-the-top services for a UE. The host application programs 1414 may support various protocols, such as the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH), etc.

Figure 15 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 1500 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device described herein, or components thereof, and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 1500 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes, such as a hardware computing device that operates as a network node, UE, core network node, or host. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host), then the node may be entirely virtualized. Applications 1502 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment Q400 to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

Hardware 1504 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and/or instructions executable by hardware processing circuitry, and/or other hardware devices as described herein, such as a network interface, input/output interface, and so forth. Software may be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 1506 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 1508a and 1508b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 1508), and/or perform any of the functions, features and/or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 1506 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 1508.

The VMs 1508 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 1506. Different embodiments of the instance of a virtual appliance 1502 may be implemented on one or more of VMs 1508, and the implementations may be made in different ways. Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.

In the context of NFV, a VM 1508 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of the VMs 1508, and that part of hardware 1504 that executes that VM, be it hardware dedicated to that VM and/or hardware shared by that VM with others of the VMs, forms separate virtual network elements. Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more VMs 1508 on top of the hardware 1504 and corresponds to the application 1502.

Hardware 1504 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 1504 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 1504 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 1510, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 1502. In some embodiments, hardware 1504 is coupled to one or more radio units that each include one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that may be coupled to one or more antennas. Radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station. In some embodiments, some signaling can be provided with the use of a control system 1512 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

Figure 16 shows a communication diagram of a host 1602 communicating via a network node 1604 with a UE 1606 over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments. Example implementations, in accordance with various embodiments, of the UE (such as a UE 1112a of Figure 11 and/or UE 1200 of Figure 12), network node (such as network node 1110a of Figure 11 and/or network node 1300 of Figure 13), and host (such as host 1116 of Figure 11 and/or host 1400 of Figure 14) discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to Figure 16.

Like host 1400, embodiments of host 1602 include hardware, such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. The host 1602 also includes software, which is stored in or accessible by the host 1602 and executable by the processing circuitry. The software includes a host application that may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as the UE 1606 connecting via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1650 extending between the UE 1606 and host 1602. In providing the service to the remote user, a host application may provide user data which is transmitted using the OTT connection 1650.

The network node 1604 includes hardware enabling it to communicate with the host 1602 and UE 1606. The connection 1660 may be direct or pass through a core network (like core network 1106 of Figure 11) and/or one or more other intermediate networks, such as one or more public, private, or hosted networks. For example, an intermediate network may be a backbone network or the Internet.

The UE 1606 includes hardware and software, which is stored in or accessible by UE 1606 and executable by the UE’s processing circuitry. The software includes a client application, such as a web browser or operator-specific “app” that may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 1606 with the support of the host 1602. In the host 1602, an executing host application may communicate with the executing client application via the OTT connection 1650 terminating at the UE 1606 and host 1602. In providing the service to the user, the UE's client application may receive request data from the host's host application and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 1650 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The UE's client application may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides to the host application through the OTT connection 1650.

The OTT connection 1650 may extend via a connection 1660 between the host 1602 and the network node 1604 and via a wireless connection 1670 between the network node 1604 and the UE 1606 to provide the connection between the host 1602 and the UE 1606. The connection 1660 and wireless connection 1670, over which the OTT connection 1650 may be provided, have been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host 1602 and the UE 1606 via the network node 1604, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices.

As an example of transmitting data via the OTT connection 1650, in step 1608, the host 1602 provides user data, which may be performed by executing a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a particular human user interacting with the UE 1606. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with a UE 1606 that shares data with the host 1602 without explicit human interaction. In step 1610, the host 1602 initiates a transmission carrying the user data towards the UE 1606. The host 1602 may initiate the transmission responsive to a request transmitted by the UE 1606. The request may be caused by human interaction with the UE 1606 or by operation of the client application executing on the UE 1606. The transmission may pass via the network node 1604, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. Accordingly, in step 1612, the network node 1604 transmits to the UE 1606 the user data that was carried in the transmission that the host 1602 initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1614, the UE 1606 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which may be performed by a client application executed on the UE 1606 associated with the host application executed by the host 1602.

In some examples, the UE 1606 executes a client application which provides user data to the host 1602. The user data may be provided in reaction or response to the data received from the host 1602. Accordingly, in step 1616, the UE 1606 may provide user data, which may be performed by executing the client application. In providing the user data, the client application may further consider user input received from the user via an input/output interface of the UE 1606. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE 1606 initiates, in step 1618, transmission of the user data towards the host 1602 via the network node 1604. In step 1620, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the network node 1604 receives user data from the UE 1606 and initiates transmission of the received user data towards the host 1602. In step 1622, the host 1602 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the UE 1606.

One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to the UE 1606 using the OTT connection 1650, in which the wireless connection 1670 forms the last segment.

In an example scenario, factory status information may be collected and analyzed by the host 1602. As another example, the host 1602 may process audio and video data which may have been retrieved from a UE for use in creating maps. As another example, the host 1602 may collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling vehicle congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights). As another example, the host 1602 may store surveillance video uploaded by a UE. As another example, the host 1602 may store or control access to media content such as video, audio, VR or AR which it can broadcast, multicast or unicast to UEs. As other examples, the host 1602 may be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time critical electrical load to balance power generation needs, location services, presentation services (such as compiling diagrams etc. from data collected from remote devices), or any other function of collecting, retrieving, storing, analyzing and/or transmitting data.

In some examples, a measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1650 between the host 1602 and UE 1606, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in software and hardware of the host 1602 and/or UE 1606. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with other devices through which the OTT connection 1650 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection 1650 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not directly alter the operation of the network node 1604. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like, by the host 1602. The measurements may be implemented in that software causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 1650 while monitoring propagation times, errors, etc.

Although the computing devices described herein (e.g., UEs, network nodes, hosts) may include the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise computing devices with different combinations of components. It is to be understood that these computing devices may comprise any suitable combination of hardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein. Determining, calculating, obtaining or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination. Moreover, while components are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, computing devices may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between separate components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and/or the functionality of the components may be partitioned between the processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be provided by processing circuitry executing instructions stored on in memory, which in certain embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer- readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by the processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a non-transitory computer- readable storage medium or not, the processing circuitry can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry alone or to other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole, and/or by end users and a wireless network generally.

Example embodiments of the techniques and apparatus described herein include, but are not limited to, the following enumerated examples:

Group A Embodiments

A1 . A method performed by a communication device configured for use in a non-terrestrial network, NTN, the method comprising: making a decision about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix of the communication device before accessing the NTN, even though the geopositioning fix is valid, wherein the decision is made based on a remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid; and updating, or refraining from updating, the geopositioning fix before accessing the NTN, according to the decision.

A2. The method of embodiment A1 , wherein said making comprises: if the remaining duration of time is less than a threshold duration, making the decision to update the geopositioning fix before accessing the NTN; and if the remaining duration of time is more than the threshold duration, making the decision to refrain from updating the geopositioning fix before accessing the NTN.

A3. The method of embodiment A2, further comprising receiving the threshold duration from the NTN. A4. The method of embodiment A3, wherein receiving the threshold duration comprises receiving the threshold duration in System Information of the NTN.

A5. The method of any of embodiments A3-A4, wherein receipt of the threshold duration overrides a preconfigured threshold duration preconfigured at the communication device.

A6. The method of embodiment A2, wherein the communication device is preconfigured with the threshold duration.

A7. The method of any of embodiments A2-A6, wherein the threshold duration is specific to a purpose for which the communication device is accessing the NTN or a procedure with which the communication device is accessing the NTN.

A8. The method of any of embodiments A2-A7, wherein the threshold duration is specific to a type of a satellite providing an NTN cell that the communication device is accessing.

A9. The method of any of embodiments A2-A8, wherein the threshold duration is specific to an orbit altitude of a satellite providing an NTN cell that the communication device is accessing.

A10. The method of any of embodiments A2-A9, wherein the threshold duration is specific to a type, category, or class of the communication device.

A11 . The method of any of embodiments A1-A10, further comprising determining whether or not to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid.

A12. The method of embodiment A11 , wherein said determining is performed based on whether the communication device receives signaling indicating that the communication device is to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid.

A13. The method of embodiment A12, wherein the signaling comprises a threshold duration.

A14. The method of embodiment A12, wherein the signaling comprises a flag indicating whether or not the communication device is to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid. A15. The method of any of embodiments A11-A14, wherein said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid if: the communication device is configured with a power saving mode; the communication device is configured to perform at least a threshold number of transmission repetitions; the communication device belongs to one or more certain coverage classes; or the communication device belongs to one or more certain coverage enhancement modes, classes, or levels.

A16. The method of any of embodiments A11-A15, wherein said determining is performed based on a purpose for which the communication device is accessing the NTN or a procedure with which the communication device is accessing the NTN.

A17. The method of any of embodiments A11-A16, wherein said determining comprises determining to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid if the communication device is performing initial access to the NTN.

A18. The method of any of embodiments A11-A16, wherein said determining comprises determining to not make the decision based on the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid if any one of: access to the NTN is triggered by a downlink control channel order from the NTN; or coverage of a serving satellite will be lost before the geopositioning fix becomes invalid.

A19. The method of any of embodiments A2-A10, further comprising determining the threshold duration based on an estimated duration of time for which the communication device will be accessing the NTN.

A20. The method of any of embodiments A2-A10, further comprising determining the threshold duration based on an estimated duration of a connection that the communication device will establish, re-establish, or resume as part of accessing the NTN.

A21. The method of any of embodiments A1-A20, wherein accessing the NTN comprises performing random access to the NTN and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to the NTN. A22. The method of any of embodiments A1 -A21 , wherein accessing the NTN comprises performing Early Data Transmission (EDT) or Preconfigured Uplink Resource (PUR) transmission.

A23. The method of any of embodiments A1 -A22, wherein accessing the NTN comprises performing random access to a cell of the NTN and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to a cell of the NTN.

A24. The method of any of embodiments A1 -A23, wherein accessing the NTN comprises transitioning to a radio resource control (RRC) connected state.

A25. The method of any of embodiments A1-A24, wherein the geopositioning fix comprises a Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS, positioning fix.

A26. The method of any of embodiments A1-A25, wherein the geopositioning fix is valid while a validity timer is running, wherein the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid is a remaining duration of the validity timer.

A27. The method of any of embodiments A1 -A26, wherein the validity timer is starter or restarted when the communication device obtains or updates the geopositioning fix.

A28. The method of any of embodiments A1-A27, wherein the communication device is configured to transition into an RRC idle state upon expiry of the validity timer.

A29. The method of any of embodiments A1-A28, wherein the communication device is configured to transition into an RRC idle state when the geopositioning fix becomes invalid.

A30. The method of any of embodiments A1-A29, further comprising: determining a pre-compensation timing advance from the geopositioning fix, as updated or not depending on the decision; and performing a random access channel transmission using the determined pre-compensation timing advance as part of accessing the NTN.

AA. The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising: providing user data; and forwarding the user data to a host computer via the transmission to a base station. Group B Embodiments

B1 . A method performed by a network node configured for use in a non-terrestrial network, NTN, the method comprising: transmitting, to a communication device, signaling that controls a decision by the communication device about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix of the communication device before accessing the NTN, even though the geopositioning fix is valid.

B2. The method of embodiment B1 , wherein the signaling indicates a threshold duration of time for which the geopositioning fix must remain valid after accessing the NTN in order for the communication device to access the NTN without updating the geopositioning fix.

B3. The method of embodiment B2, wherein the indicated threshold duration is to override a preconfigured threshold duration preconfigured at the communication device.

B4. The method of any of embodiments B2-B3, wherein the indicated threshold duration is specific to a purpose for which the communication device is accessing the NTN or a procedure with which the communication device is accessing the NTN.

B5. The method of any of embodiments B2-B4, wherein the indicated threshold duration is specific to a type of a satellite providing an NTN cell that the communication device is accessing.

B6. The method of any of embodiments B2-B5, wherein the indicated threshold duration is specific to an orbit altitude of a satellite providing an NTN cell that the communication device is accessing.

B8. The method of any of embodiments B2-B7, wherein the indicated threshold duration is specific to a type, category, or class of the communication device.

B9. The method of any of embodiments B1-B8, wherein the signaling indicates whether or not the communication device is to make the decision about whether to update the geopositioning fix when the geopositioning fix is valid.

B10. The method of any of embodiments B1-B9, wherein the signaling comprises a flag indicating whether or not the communication device is to make the decision based on a remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid.

B11 . The method of any of embodiments B1 -B10, wherein the signaling indicates the communication device is to update the geopositioning fix if the communication device is configured with a certain power saving mode, if the communication device is configured to perform at least a threshold number of transmission repetitions, if the communication device belongs to one or more certain coverage classes, or if the communication device belongs to one or more certain coverage enhancement modes, classes, or levels, wherein the signaling indicates the certain power saving mode, the threshold number of transmission repetitions, the one or more certain coverage classes, or the one or more certain coverage enhancement modes.

B12. The method of any of embodiments B1-B11 , wherein the signaling indicates the communication device is to update the geopositioning fix if the communication device is accessing the NTN for a certain purpose or with a certain procedure.

B13. The method of any of embodiments B1-B12, wherein the signaling indicates the communication device is to update the geopositioning fix if the communication device is performing initial access to the NTN.

B14. The method of any of embodiments B1-B13, wherein the signaling indicates the communication device is not to update the geopositioning fix if: access to the NTN is triggered by a downlink control channel order from the NTN; or coverage of a serving satellite will be lost before the geopositioning fix becomes invalid.

B15. The method of any of embodiments B1-B14, wherein accessing the NTN comprises performing random access to the NTN and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to the NTN.

B16. The method of any of embodiments B1-B15, wherein accessing the NTN comprises performing Early Data Transmission (EDT) or Preconfigured Uplink Resource (PUR) transmission.

B17. The method of any of embodiments B1 -B16, wherein accessing the NTN comprises performing random access to a cell of the NTN and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to a cell of the NTN. B18. The method of any of embodiments B1-B17, wherein accessing the NTN comprises transitioning to a radio resource control (RRC) connected state.

B19. The method of any of embodiments B1-B18, wherein the geopositioning fix comprises a Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS, positioning fix.

B20. The method of any of embodiments B1-B19, wherein the geopositioning fix is valid while a validity timer is running.

B21 . The method of any of embodiments B1 -B20, wherein the signaling controls whether, or how, the communication device is to make the decision based on a remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid.

B22. The method of embodiment B21 , wherein the geopositioning fix is valid while a validity timer is running, wherein the remaining duration of time for which the geopositioning fix will be valid is a remaining duration of the validity timer.

B23. The method of any of embodiments B20-B22, wherein the validity timer is started or restarted when the communication device obtains or updates the geopositioning fix.

B24. The method of any of embodiments B20-B23, wherein the communication device is configured to transition into an RRC idle state upon expiry of the validity timer.

B25. The method of any of embodiments B1-B24, wherein the communication device is configured to transition into an RRC idle state when the geopositioning fix becomes invalid.

BB. The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising: obtaining user data; and forwarding the user data to a host computer or a wireless communication device.

Group C Embodiments

C1 . A communication device configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

C2. A communication device comprising processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments. C3. A communication device comprising: communication circuitry; and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

C4. A communication device comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the communication device.

C5. A communication device comprising: processing circuitry and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the communication device is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

C6. A user equipment (UE) comprising: an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals; radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry; the processing circuitry being configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry; an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry; and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

C7. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a communication device, causes the communication device to carry out the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

C8. A carrier containing the computer program of embodiment C7, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

C9. A network node configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

C10. A network node comprising processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

C11 . A network node comprising: communication circuitry; and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

C12. A network node comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments; power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the network node.

C13. A network node comprising: processing circuitry and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the network node is configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

C14. The network node of any of embodiments C9-C13, wherein the network node is a base station.

C15. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a network node, causes the network node to carry out the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

C16. The computer program of embodiment C14, wherein the network node is a base station.

C17. A carrier containing the computer program of any of embodiments C15-C16, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

Group D Embodiments

D1 . A communication system including a host computer comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the cellular network comprises a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station’s processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

D2. The communication system of the previous embodiment further including the base station.

D3. The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

D4. The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

D5. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host computer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the base station performs any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

D6. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the base station, transmitting the user data.

D7. The method of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein the user data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application, the method further comprising, at the UE, executing a client application associated with the host application.

D8. A user equipment (UE) configured to communicate with a base station, the UE comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform any of the previous 3 embodiments.

D9. A communication system including a host computer comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE’s components configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

D10. The communication system of the previous embodiment, wherein the cellular network further includes a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

D11 . The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

D12. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host computer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

D13. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the UE, receiving the user data from the base station.

D14. A communication system including a host computer comprising: communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station, wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE’s processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

D15. The communication system of the previous embodiment, further including the UE.

D16. The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward to the host computer the user data carried by a transmission from the UE to the base station. D17. The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; and the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data.

D18. The communication system of the previous 4 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing request data; and the UE’s processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data in response to the request data.

D19. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host computer, receiving user data transmitted to the base station from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

D20. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the UE, providing the user data to the base station.

D21. The method of the previous 2 embodiments, further comprising: at the UE, executing a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted; and at the host computer, executing a host application associated with the client application.

D22. The method of the previous 3 embodiments, further comprising: at the UE, executing a client application; and at the UE, receiving input data to the client application, the input data being provided at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application, wherein the user data to be transmitted is provided by the client application in response to the input data.

D23. A communication system including a host computer comprising a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a user equipment (UE) to a base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station’s processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

D24. The communication system of the previous embodiment further including the base station.

D25. The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

D26. The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data to be received by the host computer.

D27. A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host computer, receiving, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission which the base station has received from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

D28. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the base station, receiving the user data from the UE.

D29. The method of the previous 2 embodiments, further comprising at the base station, initiating a transmission of the received user data to the host computer.

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3. RP-193234, Solutions for NR to support non-terrestrial networks (NTN), 3GPP RAN#86

4. RP-193235, Study on NB-lo/eMTC support for Non-Terrestrial Network, 3GPP RAN#86

5. RP-202689, Study on NB-loT/eMTC support for Non-terrestrial Network, RAN#90, Dec 2020. RP-211601 , NB-loT/eMTC support for Non-terrestrial Networks (NTN), RAN#92-e, Jun 2021. TR 36.763, Study on Narrow-Band Internet of Things (NB-loT) I enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC) support for Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), 3GPP, 17.0.0, Jun 2021.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1 . A method performed by a communication device (18) configured for use in a nonterrestrial network, NTN, (10) the method comprising: making (700) a decision about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix (20) of the communication device (18) before accessing the NTN (10), even though the geopositioning fix (20) is valid, wherein the decision is made based on a remaining duration of time (26) for which the geopositioning fix (20) will be valid; and updating, or refraining from updating, (710) the geopositioning fix (20) before accessing the NTN (10), according to the decision.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said making comprises: if the remaining duration of time (26) is less than a threshold duration, making the decision to update the geopositioning fix (20) before accessing the NTN (10); and if the remaining duration of time (26) is more than the threshold duration, making the decision to refrain from updating the geopositioning fix (20) before accessing the NTN (10).

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving the threshold duration from the NTN (10).

4. The method of any of claims 2-3, wherein the threshold duration is specific to: a purpose for which the communication device (18) is accessing the NTN (10) or a procedure with which the communication device (18) is accessing the NTN (10); a type of a satellite providing an NTN cell that the communication device (18) is accessing; an orbit altitude of a satellite providing an NTN cell that the communication device (18) is accessing; and/or a type, category, or class of the communication device (18).

5. The method of any of claims 1-4, further comprising receiving signaling (28) indicating that the communication device (18) is to make the decision based on the remaining duration of time (26) for which the geopositioning fix (20) will be valid, and determining to make the decision according to the signaling (28).

6. The method of any of claims 1-4, further comprising determining to make the decision

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RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91) ISA/EP based on the remaining duration of time (26) for which the geopositioning fix (20) will be valid, based on a purpose for which the communication device (18) is accessing the NTN (10) or a procedure with which the communication device (18) is accessing the NTN (10).

7. The method of any of claims 1-6, further comprising determining the threshold duration based on an estimated duration of a connection that the communication device (18) will establish, re-establish, or resume as part of accessing the NTN (10).

8. The method of any of claims 1-7, wherein accessing the NTN (10) comprises: performing random access to the NTN (10) and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to the NTN (10); performing random access to a cell of the NTN (10) and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to a cell of the NTN (10); performing Early Data Transmission (EDT) or Preconfigured Uplink Resource (PUR) transmission; and/or transitioning to a radio resource control (RRC) connected state.

9. The method of any of claims 1-8, wherein the geopositioning fix (20) is valid while a validity timer is running, wherein the remaining duration of time (26) for which the geopositioning fix (20) will be valid is a remaining duration of the validity timer, wherein the validity timer is starter or restarted when the communication device (18) obtains or updates the geopositioning fix (20).

10. The method of any of claims 1-9, further comprising: determining a pre-compensation timing advance from the geopositioning fix (20), as updated or not depending on the decision; and performing a random access channel transmission using the determined pre-compensation timing advance as part of accessing the NTN (10).

11. The method of any of claims 1-10, wherein the geopositioning fix (20) comprises a Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS, positioning fix.

12. A method performed by a network node (30) configured for use in a non-terrestrial network, NTN, (10) the method comprising: transmitting (820), to a communication device (18), signaling (28) that controls a decision by the communication device (18) about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix (20) of the communication device (18) before accessing the

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RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91) ISA/EP NTN (10), even though the geopositioning fix (20) is valid.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the signaling (28) indicates a threshold duration of time for which the geopositioning fix (20) must remain valid after accessing the NTN (10) in order for the communication device (18) to access the NTN (10) without updating the geopositioning fix (20).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the indicated threshold duration is specific to: a purpose for which the communication device (18) is accessing the NTN (10) or a procedure with which the communication device (18) is accessing the NTN (10); a type of a satellite providing an NTN cell that the communication device (18) is accessing; an orbit altitude of a satellite providing an NTN cell that the communication device (18) is accessing; and/or a type, category, or class of the communication device (18).

15. The method of any of claims 12-14, wherein the signaling (28) indicates whether or not the communication device (18) is to make the decision about whether to update the geopositioning fix (20) when the geopositioning fix (20) is valid.

16. The method of any of claims 12-15, wherein the signaling (28) indicates the communication device (18) is to update the geopositioning fix (20) if the communication device (18) is configured with a certain power saving mode, if the communication device (18) is configured to perform at least a threshold number of transmission repetitions, if the communication device (18) belongs to one or more certain coverage classes, or if the communication device (18) belongs to one or more certain coverage enhancement modes, classes, or levels, wherein the signaling (28) indicates the certain power saving mode, the threshold number of transmission repetitions, the one or more certain coverage classes, or the one or more certain coverage enhancement modes.

17. The method of any of claims 12-16, wherein the signaling (28) indicates the communication device (18) is to update the geopositioning fix (20) if the communication device (18) is accessing the NTN (10) for a certain purpose or with a certain procedure.

18. The method of any of claims 12-17, wherein the signaling (28) indicates the communication device (18) is not to update the geopositioning fix (20) if: access to the NTN (10) is triggered by a downlink control channel order from the NTN

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RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91) ISA/EP (10); or coverage of a serving satellite will be lost before the geopositioning fix (20) becomes invalid.

19. The method of any of claims 12-18, wherein accessing the NTN (10) comprises: performing random access to the NTN (10) and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to the NTN (10); performing random access to a cell of the NTN (10) and/or establishing, re-establishing, or resuming a connection to a cell of the NTN (10); performing Early Data Transmission (EDT) or Preconfigured Uplink Resource (PUR) transmission; and/or transitioning to a radio resource control (RRC) connected state.

20. The method of any of claims 12-19, wherein the signaling (28) controls whether, or how, the communication device (18) is to make the decision based on a remaining duration of time (26) for which the geopositioning fix (20) will be valid, wherein the geopositioning fix (20) is valid while a validity timer is running, wherein the remaining duration of time (26) for which the geopositioning fix (20) will be valid is a remaining duration of the validity timer, wherein the validity timer is started or restarted when the communication device (18) obtains or updates the geopositioning fix (20).

21. The method of any of claims 12-20, wherein the geopositioning fix (20) comprises a Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS, positioning fix.

22. A communication device (18) configured for use in a non-terrestrial network, NTN, (10) the communication device (18) configured to: make a decision about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix (20) of the communication device (18) before accessing the NTN (10), even though the geopositioning fix (20) is valid, wherein the decision is made based on a remaining duration of time (26) for which the geopositioning fix (20) will be valid; and update, or refrain from updating, the geopositioning fix (20) before accessing the NTN (10), according to the decision.

23. The communication device (18) of claim 22, configured to perform the method of any of claims 2-11.

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24. A network node (30) configured for use in a non-terrestrial network, NTN, (10) the network node (30) configured to: transmit, to a communication device (18), signaling (28) that controls a decision by the communication device (18) about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix (20) of the communication device (18) before accessing the NTN (10), even though the geopositioning fix (20) is valid.

25. The network node (30) of claim 24, configured to perform the method of any of claims 13-21.

26. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a communication device (18), causes the communication device (18) to perform the method of any of claims 1-11.

27. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a network node (30), causes the network node (30) to perform the method of any of claims 12-21.

28. A carrier containing the computer program of any of claims 26-27, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium.

29. A communication device (18) configured for use in a non-terrestrial network, NTN, (10) the communication device (18) comprising: communication circuitry (920); and processing circuitry (910) configured to: make a decision about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix (20) of the communication device (18) before accessing the NTN (10), even though the geopositioning fix (20) is valid, wherein the decision is made based on a remaining duration of time (26) for which the geopositioning fix (20) will be valid; and update, or refrain from updating, the geopositioning fix (20) before accessing the NTN (10), according to the decision.

30. The communication device (18) of claim 29, wherein the processing circuitry (910) is configured to perform the method of any of claims 2-11.

31. A network node (30) configured for use in a non-terrestrial network, NTN, (10) the

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RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91) ISA/EP network node (30) comprising: communication circuitry (1020); and processing circuitry (1010) configured to transmit, to a communication device (18), signaling (28) that controls a decision by the communication device (18) about whether or not to update a geopositioning fix (20) of the communication device

(18) before accessing the NTN, (10) even though the geopositioning fix (20) is valid.

32. The network node (30) of claim 31 , wherein the processing circuitry (910) is configured to perform the method of any of claims 13-21.

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RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91) ISA/EP