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US-12621791-B2 - Terrestrial network (TN) and non-terrestrial network (NTN) interference management

US12621791B2US 12621791 B2US12621791 B2US 12621791B2US-12621791-B2

Abstract

Technologies for managing interference between terrestrial network (TN) and non-terrestrial network (NTN) are disclosed. An example method includes determining a location of a user equipment (UE), assessing potential interference between TN and NTN based on the determined UE location and spectrum band coverage information of TN and NTN, acting on the UE's connection to the NTN or a request from the UE for connection to the NTN based on the assessed potential interference, and updating the spectrum band coverage information of TN and NTN.

Inventors

  • Mehdi Alasti
  • Jingyi Zhou
  • Siddhartha Chenumolu

Assignees

  • Boost SubscriberCo L.L.C.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20230126

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A computer-implemented method for managing interference between a terrestrial network (TN) and a non-terrestrial network (NTN), the method comprising: determining a location of a user equipment (UE); assessing potential interference between the TN and NTN based, at least in part, on searching spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN to identify all applicable spectrum bands used by the TN and NTN within a proximity threshold of the determined location of the UE; receive information indicating whether the UE is currently using the TN or the NTN; in response to the UE currently using the NTN, acting on the UE's connection to the NTN or-based, at least in part, on the assessed potential interference and the information indicating that the UE is currently using the NTN; and in response to the UE currently using the TN, acting on a request from the UE for connection to the NTN based, at least in part, on the assessed potential interference and the information indicating whether the UE is currently using the TN; and updating the spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the location of the UE includes a geographic point or area where the UE is currently connected with or attempting to connect with the NTN.
  3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the location of the UE is based on at least one of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or Global Positioning System (GPS) that the UE supports.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein assessing potential interference between the TN and NTN comprises determining at least one of spectrum overlap or spectrum coexistence between the TN and NTN.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein acting on the UE's connection to the NTN or a request from the UE for connection to the NTN comprises at least one of deregistering the UE connected to the NTN, maintaining the UE's connection to the NTN, rejecting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN, or accepting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN.
  6. 6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the deregistering the UE connected to the NTN or rejecting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN is performed in accordance with Mobility Management and Session Management procedures.
  7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN includes a map indicating geographical coverage of one or more spectrum bands used by the TN or NTN.
  8. 8 . An interference management system for terrestrial network (TN) and non-terrestrial network (NTN), comprising: at least one memory that stores computer executable instructions; and at least one processor that executes the computer executable instructions to cause actions to be performed, the actions comprising: determining a location of a user equipment (UE); searching spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN to identify all applicable spectrum bands used by the TN and NTN within a proximity threshold of the determined location of the UE; assessing potential interference between a TN and an NTN based, at least in part, on a subset of the identified applicable spectrum bands; receiving information indicating whether the UE is currently using the TN or the NTN; and acting on the UE's connection to the NTN or a request from the UE for connection to the NTN based, at least in part, on the assessed potential interference and the information indicating whether the UE is currently using the TN or the NTN.
  9. 9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the location of the UE includes a geographic point or area where the UE is currently connected with or attempting to connect with the TN or NTN.
  10. 10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein assessing potential interference between the TN and NTN comprises determining at least one of spectrum overlap or spectrum coexistence between the TN and NTN.
  11. 11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein acting on the UE's connection to the NTN or a request from the UE for connection to the NTN comprises at least one of deregistering the UE connected to the NTN, maintaining the UE's connection to the NTN, rejecting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN, or accepting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN.
  12. 12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the deregistering the UE connected to the NTN or rejecting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN is performed in accordance with Mobility Management and Session Management procedures.
  13. 13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the actions further comprise obtaining updated spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN.
  14. 14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing contents that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform actions comprising: determining a location of a user equipment (UE); assessing potential interference between a TN and an NTN based, at least in part, on searching spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN to identify all applicable spectrum bands used by the TN and NTN within a distance threshold of the determined location of the UE; receiving information indicating whether the UE is currently using the TN or the NTN; and acting on the UE's connection to the NTN or a request from the UE for connection to the NTN based, at least in part, on the assessed potential interference and the information indicating whether the UE is currently using the TN ort the NTN.
  15. 15 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the location of the UE includes a geographic point or area where the UE is currently connected with or attempting to connect with the TN or NTN.
  16. 16 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the actions further comprise updating at least a portion of the spectrum band coverage information.
  17. 17 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein assessing potential interference between the TN and NTN comprises determining at least one of spectrum overlap or spectrum coexistence between the TN and NTN.
  18. 18 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein acting on the UE's connection to the NTN or a request from the UE for connection to the NTN comprises at least one of deregistering the UE connected to the NTN, maintaining the UE's connection to the NTN, rejecting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN, or accepting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN.
  19. 19 . The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the deregistering the UE connected to the NTN or rejecting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN is performed in accordance with Mobility Management and Session Management procedures.
  20. 20 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN includes a map indicating geographical coverage of one or more spectrum bands used by the TN or NTN.

Description

BACKGROUND In telecommunications, 5G is the fifth-generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks. 5G networks are cellular networks, in which the service area is divided into small geographical areas called cells. In a terrestrial network (TN), user equipment (UE) can communicate by radio waves with a cellular base station (e.g., located on a cellular tower) via fixed antennas, over frequency channels. The base stations can be connected to switching centers in the telephone network and routers for Internet access by high-bandwidth optical fiber or wireless backhaul connections. A non-terrestrial network (NTN) uses an Earth-orbiting satellite as a base station that communicates with an earthbound UE. In TNs and NTNs, time and frequency resources that are available for use in uplink and downlink channels are limited. BRIEF SUMMARY In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for managing interference between a TN and an NTN includes determining a location of a UE, assessing potential interference between the TN and NTN based, at least in part, on the determined UE location and spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN, acting on the UE's connection to the NTN or a request from the UE for connection to the NTN based, at least in part, on the assessed potential interference, and updating the spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN. In some embodiments, the location of the UE includes a geographic point or area where the UE is currently connected with or attempting to connect with the TN or NTN. In some embodiments, the determining of the location of the UE is based on at least one of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or Global Positioning System (GPS) that the UE supports. In some embodiments, assessing potential interference between the TN and NTN comprises determining at least one of spectrum overlap or spectrum coexistence between the TN and NTN. In some embodiments, acting on the UE's connection to the NTN or a request from the UE for connection to the NTN comprises at least one of deregistering the UE connected to the NTN, maintaining the UE's connection to the NTN, rejecting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN, or accepting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN. In some embodiments, at least one of the deregistering the UE connected to the NTN or rejecting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN is performed in accordance with Mobility Management and Session Management procedures. In some embodiments, the spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN includes a map indicating geographical coverage of one or more spectrum bands used by the TN or NTN. In some embodiments, an interference management system for terrestrial network (TN) and non-terrestrial network (NTN) includes at least one memory that stores computer executable instructions and at least one processor that executes the computer executable instructions to cause actions to be performed. The actions include determining a location of a UE, assessing potential interference between a TN and an NTN based, at least in part, on the determined UE location and spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN, and acting on the UE's connection to the NTN or a request from the UE for connection to the NTN based, at least in part, on the assessed potential interference. In some embodiments, the location of the UE includes a geographic point or area where the UE is currently connected with or attempting to connect with the TN or NTN. In some embodiments, assessing potential interference between the TN and NTN comprises determining at least one of spectrum overlap or spectrum coexistence between the TN and NTN. In some embodiments, acting on the UE's connection to the NTN or a request from the UE for connection to the NTN comprises at least one of deregistering the UE connected to the NTN, maintaining the UE's connection to the NTN, rejecting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN, or accepting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN. In some embodiments, at least one of the deregistering the UE connected to the NTN or rejecting the request from the UE for connection to the NTN is performed in accordance with Mobility Management and Session Management procedures. In some embodiments, the actions further comprise obtaining updated spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN. In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium stores contents that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform actions. The actions include determining a location of a UE, assessing potential interference between a TN and an NTN based, at least in part, on the determined UE location and spectrum band coverage information of the TN and NTN; and acting on the UE's connection to the NTN or a request from the UE for connection to the NTN based, at least in part, on the assessed potential interference. In s