Handover coordination for large area coverage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021083763-A1
Application number	US-202017018855-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 11, 2020
Priority date	Sep 13, 2019
Publication date	Mar 18, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for performing a handover operation includes using one or more processors of a non-terrestrial node to initiate communication with a first terrestrial node of a network, the terrestrial node having a first unique node identifier and a cell identifier and store a mapping that associates the first unique node identifier with the cell identifier. The method also includes using the one or more processors to receive an indicator that the mapping is subject to change and update the mapping to associate a second unique node identifier of a second terrestrial node of the network with the cell identifier based on the received indicator.

First claim

1 . A method for performing a handover operation, the method comprising:
initiating, by one or more processors of a non-terrestrial node, communication with a first terrestrial node of a network, the first terrestrial node having a first unique node identifier and a cell identifier; storing, by the one or more processors, a mapping that associates the first unique node identifier with the cell identifier; receiving, by the one or more processors, an indicator that the mapping is subject to change; and based on the received indicator, the one or more processors updating the mapping to associate a second unique node identifier of a second terrestrial node of the network with the cell identifier.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first unique node identifier is a first E-UTRAN cell global identifier (ECGI); the second unique node identifier is a second ECGI; and the cell identifier is a physical cell identifier (PCI).

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mapping is stored at a local memory of the non-terrestrial node.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving of the indicator is based on the non-terrestrial node being in motion relative to the first terrestrial node.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is a flag associated with the first unique node identifier.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is a flag associated with the cell identifier.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the updating of the mapping occurs after the one or more processors initiates communication with the second terrestrial node of the network.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the updating of the mapping includes checking a unique node identifier of a node with which the one or more processors are communicating at regular intervals.

9 . A system of a non-terrestrial node, the system comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
initiate communication with a first terrestrial node of a network, the terrestrial node having a first unique node identifier and a cell identifier;
store a mapping that associates the first unique node identifier with the cell identifier;
receive an indicator that the mapping is subject to change; and
based on the received indicator, update the mapping to associate a second unique node identifier of a second terrestrial node of the network with the cell identifier.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the first unique node identifier is a first E-UTRAN cell global identifier (ECGI); the second unique node identifier is a second ECGI; and the cell identifier is a physical cell identifier (PCI).

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the mapping is stored at a local memory of the non-terrestrial node.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the indicator is received based on the non-terrestrial node being in motion relative to the first terrestrial node.

13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the indicator is a flag associated with the first unique node identifier.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the indicator is a flag associated with the cell identifier.

15 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the mapping is updated according to a communication with the second terrestrial node of the network.

16 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the mapping updated based on a check of a unique node identifier of a node with which the one or more processors are communicating performed at regular intervals.

17 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a non-terrestrial node of a network, cause the one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:
initiating communication with a first terrestrial node of a network, the terrestrial node having a first unique node identifier and a cell identifier; storing a mapping that associates the first unique node identifier with the cell identifier; receiving an indicator that the mapping is subject to change; and based on the received indicator, updating the mapping to associate a second unique node identifier of a second terrestrial node of the network with the cell identifier.

18 . The medium of claim 17 , wherein:
the first unique node identifier is a first E-UTRAN cell global identifier (ECGI); the second unique node identifier is a second ECGI; and the cell identifier is a physical cell identifier (PCI).

19 . The medium of claim 17 , wherein the indicator is a flag associated with the first unique node identifier.

20 . The medium of claim 17 , wherein the indicator is a flag associated with the cell identifier.

Assignees

• Loon Llc

Inventors

• Ananth Sharath
• Barritt Brian
• Nuggehalli Pavan

Classifications

• H04W40/248

  Connectivity information update · CPC title

• H04W40/246

  Connectivity information discovery · CPC title

• H04W40/24

  Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update · CPC title

• H04W36/0009

  for a plurality of users or terminals, e.g. group communication or moving wireless networks (user group management H04W4/08; processing of subscriber group data H04W8/186) · CPC title

• H04W84/06

  Airborne or Satellite Networks (space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185) · CPC title