FIG. 3, initiating random access based on the second random access configuration information in response to non-autonomous determination of timing advance by the terminal includes steps S1011 and S1012.

In step S1011, a time domain location of the second random access time domain resource is determined according to a time domain location of the first random access time domain resource and the first multiple and an offset.

In step S1012, in response to non-autonomous determination of timing advance by the terminal, random access is initiated at the time domain location of the second random access time domain resource.

In one embodiment, where the density of the first random access time domain resource is the first multiple of the density of the second random access time domain resource, the base station may indicate to the terminal the time domain location of the first random access time domain resource as well as the first multiple and the offset, without the need of indicating the time domain location of the second random access time domain resource to the terminal. The terminal can determine the time domain location of the second random access time domain resource according to the time domain location of the first random access time domain resource and the first multiple and the offset, and further initiates random access at the time domain location of the second random access time domain resource in a case where the terminal determines timing advance non-autonomously.

For example, if the first random access time domain resource is configured at signal frames 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, the density of the first random access time domain resource is 2 times the density of the second random access time domain resource, i.e., the first multiple m=2, and the base station may send the value 2 and the offset to the terminal, or the terminal may pre-store the offset.

For example, if the offset is 1, then signal frames at which the second random access time domain resource is configured is half of the signal frames at which the first random access time domain resource is configured, namely, 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and then offset by one signal frame, namely 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9.

In some examples, the offset is received from the base station or pre-stored.

In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first random access frequency domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second random access frequency domain resource. The first random access frequency domain resource is different from the second random access frequency domain resource.

In one embodiment, the first random access configuration information and the second random access configuration information are different. Specifically, the first random access frequency domain resource indicated by the first random access configuration information being different from the second random access frequency domain resource indicated by the second random access configuration information.

In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource. Alternatively, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a first offset of the second random access frequency domain resource relative to the first frequency domain location. Alternatively, the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource, and the first random access configuration information is for indicating a second offset of the first random access frequency domain resource relative to the second frequency domain location.

In one embodiment, the first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource may be directly indicated by the first random access configuration information, and the second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource may be directly indicated by the second random access configuration information.

The first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource may be also indicated by the first random access configuration information, and the first offset of the second random access frequency domain resource relative to the first frequency domain location may be indicated by the second random access configuration information, so that the terminal can determine the second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource according to the first frequency domain location and the first offset.

Also, the second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource may be indicated by the second random access configuration information, and the second offset of the first random access frequency domain resource relative to the second frequency domain location may be indicated by the first random access configuration information. Therefore, the terminal can determine the first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource based on the second frequency domain location and the second offset.

In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first random access preamble and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second random access preamble. The first random access preamble is different from the second random access preamble.

In one embodiment, the first random access configuration information and the second random access configuration information are different. Specifically, the first random access preamble indicated by the first random access configuration information being different from the second random access preamble indicated by the second random access configuration information.

FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart illustrating a configuration indication method in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method shown in this embodiment can be applied to a base station in a non-terrestrial network, and the base station may be a base station located on the ground in a non-terrestrial network, or a network equipment located in space in a non-terrestrial network, such as a satellite, an aerial platform or the like. The base station may communicate with a terminal serving as a user device, including but not limited to electronic equipment like mobile phones, tablets, wearable devices, sensors, Internet of Things devices or the like. The following is mainly illustrated in the case that the network device is a satellite.

As shown in FIG. 4, the configuration indication method may include the step S201. In step S201, indication information containing first random access configuration information and second random access configuration information is sent. The indication information is for instructing the terminal to initiate random access based on the first random access configuration information when the terminal determines timing advance autonomously, and to initiate random access based on the second random access configuration information when the terminal determines timing advance non-autonomously, and the first random access configuration information is different from the second random access configuration information.

In the related art, since the base station cannot figure out whether the terminal determines timing advance autonomously or non-autonomously, in order to ensure that the above-mentioned two ways are both applicable for the communication between the base station and the terminal, the base station may configure random access resources for the terminal according to the second way as mentioned above, and the terminal may thus send information to the base station based on only this random access configuration information in the process of random access, resulting in the less random access capacity per unit time and the greater scheduling delay.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the base station may transmit different random access configuration information respectively for the case where the terminal determines timing advance autonomously or the case where the terminal determines timing advance non-autonomously, so that the terminal can initiate random access based on first random access configuration information in a case where it determines timing advance autonomously, and can initiate random access based on the second random access configuration information in a case where it determines timing advance non-autonomously, and the first random access configuration information and the second random access configuration information are different.

As such, in a case where the terminal determines the timing advance autonomously, the capacity of random access per unit time is increased and the scheduling delay is decreased. In a case where the terminal determines the timing advance non-autonomously, it is guaranteed that intervals of random access resources accommodate errors of communication delay.

That is, in a case where the terminal determines timing advance autonomously and in a case where the terminal determines timing advance non-autonomously, random access information such as Msg1, Msg3, MsgA or the like, can be sent to the terminal based on different random access configuration information, so that the terminal does not have to send information to the base station based on only one random access configuration information.

For example, in the case of autonomous timing advance determination, the density of the random access resource corresponding to the first random access configuration information can be relatively large because the possible error of the communication delay may be small. Thus, the capacity of random access per unit time can be increased and the scheduling delay can be decreased. In the case of non-autonomous timing advance determination, the density of the random access resource corresponding to the second random access configuration information can be relatively small because the possible error of the communication delay may be large, so as to guarantee that the intervals of random access resources accommodate the error of the communication delay.

In some examples, the indication information is carried in broadcast signaling and/or RRC signaling.

In one embodiment, the base station may instruct the terminal via broadcast signaling to initiate random access based on the first random access configuration information when timing advance is determined autonomously, or may instruct the terminal via RRC signaling to initiate random access based on the first random access configuration information when timing advance is determined autonomously.

In one embodiment, the base station may instruct the terminal via broadcast signaling to initiate random access based on the second random access configuration information when timing advance is determined non-autonomously, and the base station may also instruct the terminal via RRC signaling to initiate random access based on the second random access configuration information when timing advance is determined non-autonomously.

In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first random access time domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second random access time domain resource. The first random access time domain resource is different from the second random access time domain resource.

In one embodiment, the first random access configuration information and the second random access configuration information are different, specifically, the first random access time domain resource being different from the second random access time domain resource.

In some examples, density of the first random access time domain resource is different from density of the second random access time domain resource.

In one embodiment, the first random access time domain resource is different from the second random access time domain resource, specifically, the density of the first random access time domain resource being different from the density of the second random access time domain resource.

In some examples, the density of the first random access time domain resource is greater than the density of the second random access time domain resource.

In one embodiment, when timing advance is determined autonomously, the density of the first random access time domain resource corresponding to the first random access configuration information may be relatively large due to the possible small errors of communication delay, so that the capacity of the random access per unit time is increased and the scheduling delay is decreased. In a case where timing advance is determined non-autonomously, the density of the second random access time domain resource corresponding to the second random access configuration information can be relatively small due to the possible large error of communication delay, so that the intervals of random access resources accommodate the errors of communication delay.

In some examples, the density of the first random access time domain resource is a first multiple of the density of the second random access time domain resource, where the first multiple is greater than 1.

In one embodiment, the density of the first random access time domain resource may be a first multiple of the density of the second random access time domain resource. That is, in a case where the density of the first random access time domain resource is greater than the density of the second random access time domain resource, the first random access time domain resource and the second random access time domain resource may not be distributed randomly, but may have a certain relationship therebetween.

Accordingly, since the two random access time domain resources have a certain relationship therebetween, the terminal may determine, based on one of the two random access time domain resources, the other random access time domain resource, which is beneficial to reducing the information the base station needs to indicate the terminal, thereby reducing the occupation of communication resources.

In one embodiment, the base station may indicate the first random access configuration information and the second random access configuration information according to prach-ConfigurationIndex in the signaling. In a case where the density of the first random access time domain resource is the first multiple of the density of the second random access time domain resource, prach-ConfigurationIndex respectively corresponding to the first random access configuration information and the second random access configuration information may be the same, and the terminal can directly determine the first random access time domain resource according to prach-ConfigurationIndex corresponding to the first random access configuration information. However, the second random access time domain resource should be determined according to prach-ConfigurationIndex corresponding to the first random access configuration information and the first multiple indicated by the base station.

In some examples, the indication information is further for instructing the terminal to determine a time domain location of the second random access time domain resource according to a time domain location of the first random access time domain resource and the first multiple and an offset.

In one embodiment, where the density of the first random access time domain resource is the first multiple of the density of the second random access time domain resource, the base station may indicate to the terminal the time domain location of the first random access time domain resource as well as the first multiple and the offset, without the need of indicating the time domain location of the second random access time domain resource to the terminal. The terminal can determine the time domain location of the second random access time domain resource according to time domain location of the first random access time domain resource and the first multiple and offset, and further initiates random access at the time domain location of the second random access time domain resource in a case where the terminal determines timing advance non-autonomously.

For example, if the first random access time domain resource is configured at signal frames 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, the density of the first random access time domain resource is 2 times the density of the second random access time domain resource, i.e., the first multiple m=2, and the base station may send the value 2 and the offset to the terminal, or the terminal may pre-store the offset.

For example, if the offset is 1, then signal frames at which the second random access time domain resource is configured is half of the signal frames at which the first random access time domain resource is configured, namely, 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and then offset by one signal frame, namely 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9

In some examples, the offset is contained in the indication information, or the offset is pre-stored in the terminal.

In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating the first random access frequency domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating the frequency domain resource for the second random access. The first random access frequency domain resource is different from the second random access frequency domain resource.

In one embodiment, the first random access configuration information and the second random access configuration information are different, specifically, the first random access frequency domain resource indicated by the first random access configuration information being different from the second random access frequency domain resource indicated by the second random access configuration information.

In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource. Alternatively, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a first offset of the second random access frequency domain resource relative to the first frequency domain location. Alternatively, the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource, and the first random access configuration information is used to indicate a second offset of the first random access frequency domain resource relative to the second frequency domain location.

In one embodiment, the first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource may be directly indicated by the first random access configuration information, and the second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource may be directly indicated by the second random access configuration information.

The first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource may also be indicated by the first random access configuration information, and the first offset of the second random access frequency domain resource relative to the first frequency domain location may be indicated by the second random access configuration information. Therefore, the terminal can determine the second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource according to the first frequency domain location and the first offset. Also, the second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource may be indicated by the second random access configuration information, and the second offset of the first random access frequency domain resource relative to the second frequency domain location may be indicated by the first random access configuration information. Therefore, the terminal can determine the first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource based on the second frequency domain location and the second offset.

In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first random access preamble and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second random access preamble. The first random access preamble is different from the second random access preamble.

In one embodiment, the first random access configuration information and the second random access configuration information are different, specifically, the first random access preamble indicated by the first random access configuration information being different from the second random access preamble indicated by the second random access configuration information.

Corresponding to the aforementioned embodiments of the random access method and the configuration indication method, the present disclosure also provides embodiments of a random access apparatus and a configuration indication apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a random access apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The apparatus shown in this embodiment can be applied to a terminal in a non-terrestrial network, the terminal including but not limited to mobile phones, tablets, wearable devices, sensors, Internet of Things devices or the like. The terminal can serve as a user device in communication with a base station, where the base station may be a base station located on the ground in a non-terrestrial network, or a network device located in space in the non-terrestrial network, such as a satellite or an aerial platform or the like. The following is mainly illustrated in the case that the network device is a satellite.

As shown in FIG. 5, the random access apparatus 100 may include: a random access module 101 configured to initiate random access based on first random access configuration information in response to autonomous determination of timing advance by the terminal, to initiate random access based on second random access configuration information in response to non-autonomous determination of timing advance by the terminal. The first random access configuration information is different from the second random access configuration information.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram illustrating another random access apparatus 100 shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 6, the apparatus 100 includes the random access module 101 and further includes a configuration determination module 102.

The configuration determination module 102 is configured to determine, according to broadcast signaling and/or radio resource control signaling sent by a base station, to initiate the random access based on the first random access configuration information in response to the autonomous determination of the timing advance by the terminal. In addition, or alternatively, the configuration determination module 102 determines, according to broadcast signaling and/or radio resource control signaling sent by the base station, to initiate the random access based on the second random access configuration information in response to the non-autonomous determination of the timing advance by the terminal.

In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first random access time domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second random access time domain resource. The first random access time domain resource is different from the second random access time domain resource.

In some examples, density of the first random access time domain resource is different from density of the second random access time domain resource. In some examples, the density of the first random access time domain resource is greater than the density of the second random access time domain resource.

In some examples, the density of the first random access time domain resource is a first multiple of the density of the second random access time domain resource, where the first multiple is greater than 1.

In some examples, the random access module is configured to determine a time domain location of the second random access time domain resource according to a time domain location of the first random access time domain resource and the first multiple and an offset; and in response to the non-autonomous determination of the timing advance by the terminal, initiate the random access at the time domain location of the second random access time domain resource.

In some examples, the offset is received from a base station or pre-stored. In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first random access frequency domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second random access frequency domain resource. The first random access frequency domain resource is different from the second random access frequency domain resource.

In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource. Alternatively, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a first offset of the second random access frequency domain resource relative to the first frequency domain location. Alternatively, the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource, and the first random access configuration information is for indicating a second offset of the first random access frequency domain resource relative to the second frequency domain location.

In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first random access preamble and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second random access preamble. The first random access preamble is different from the second random access preamble.

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration indication apparatus 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The apparatus 200 shown in this embodiment can be applied to a base station in a non-terrestrial network, and the base station may be a base station located on the ground in the non-terrestrial network, or a network equipment located in space in a non-terrestrial network, such as a satellite, an aerial platform or the like. The base station may communicate with a terminal serving as a user device, including but not limited to electronic equipment like mobile phones, tablets, wearable devices, sensors, Internet of Things devices or the like. The following is mainly illustrated in the case that the network device is a satellite.

As shown in FIG. 7, the configuration indication apparatus 200 may include a configuration indication module 201, configured to send indication information containing first random access configuration information and second random access configuration information to the terminal. The indication information is for instructing the terminal to initiate random access based on the first random access configuration information when the terminal determines timing advance autonomously, and to initiate random access based on the second random access configuration information when the terminal determines timing advance non-autonomously, the first random access configuration information being different from the second random access configuration information.

In some examples, the indication information is carried in broadcast signaling and/or radio resource control signaling.

In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first random access time domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second random access time domain resource. The first random access time domain resource is different from the second random access time domain resource.

In some examples, density of the first random access time domain resource is different from density of the second random access time domain resource. In some examples, the density of the first random access time domain resource is greater than the density of the second random access time domain resource.

In some examples, the density of the first random access time domain resource is a first multiple of the density of the second random access time domain resource, where the first multiple is greater than 1.

In some examples, the indication information is further for instructing the terminal to determine a time domain location of the second random access time domain resource according to a time domain location of the first random access time domain resource and the first multiple and an offset.

In some examples, the offset is included in the indication information, or the offset is pre-stored in the terminal. In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first random access frequency domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second random access frequency domain resource. The first random access frequency domain resource is different from the second random access frequency domain resource.

In some examples, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource. Alternatively, the first random access configuration information is for indicating a first frequency domain location of the first random access frequency domain resource, and the second random access configuration information is for indicating a first offset of the second random access frequency domain resource relative to the first frequency domain location. Alternatively, the second random access configuration information is for indicating a second frequency domain location of the second random access frequency domain resource, and the first random access configuration information is for indicating a second offset of the first random access frequency domain resource relative to the second frequency domain location.