Network aspects of integrating 5G and satellite communication

Since 2017, 3rd Generation Partnership Program (3GPP) is working on integration of satellite communication in 3GPP. This paper discusses the results of the work on service and network architecture aspects in 3GPP Technical Specification Group (TSG) Service and System Aspects (SA) and 3GPP TSG Core Networks and Terminals (CT). This paper does not discuss radio aspects as are specified in 3GPP TSG radio access network (RAN). 3GPP first specified requirements and use cases for satellite access. Subsequently, architecture and protocol specifications were created for integration scenarios, direct access, network selection, mobility management, and satellite backhaul with quality of service (QoS). Also, impacts of regulatory aspects on satellite integration have been discussed in 3GPP. With the completion of Release 17, 3GPP specifications are now ready for implementation of integrated 5G satellite networks. 3GPP will continue with further development of satellite integration in Release 18 and Release 19.     

Radio interface protocols and radio resource management procedures for 5G new radio non-terrestrial networks

In Release 17, 3GPP introduced adaptations and enhancements to the 5G new radio (NR) specification to support non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) operation. The main challenges were due to long propagation delays, especially in GEO deployments, and the movement of the satellites in LEO deployments. In this paper, we give an overview of the protocol adaptations to support NTNs. The main user plane protocol adaptations include changes to random access and hybrid automatic repeat request to due long propagation delays. The control plane protocol adaptations include a variety of mobility related enhancements for user equipment.     

Requirements on Satellite Access Node and User Equipment for Non-Terrestrial Networks in 5G New Radio of 3GPP Release-17

For the first time, 3GPP considered in Release-17 the introduction of mobile satellite service (MSS) frequency bands for 3GPP user equipment (UE) direct connectivity with satellites and had to consider the coexistence in adjacent bands with terrestrial networks (TNs). This paper will further explain the most challenging and the main surprising outcomes of this work, which opened new market opportunities for both terrestrial and nonterrestrial stakeholders. 5G New Radio nonterrestrial networks (NTNs) for satellite communications are representing a major breakthrough in the history of telecommunication for the capability of reuniting two different types of services, that is, terrestrial and nonterrestrial, by reusing the same waveform and potentially the same type of terminal. One of the major conclusions of the 5G NR NTN 3GPP work in Release-17 was that NTN UE could reuse the current requirements of the TN UE. For this reason, the same terminal can connect to both TNs and to nonterrestrial satellite constellations. Consequently, the market is not fragmented and therefore there will be a real opportunity for both terrestrial and satellite operators to increase the coverage and the quality of the service all over the world. This is one of the most important breakthroughs that 3GPP Release-17 work was able to justify because it clearly shows that satellite connectivity using 5G NR technology is not only for dedicated satellite 5G NR UE with a higher power class. On the other hand, the 3GPP work also shows that the satellite connectivity does not require a dedicated satellite waveform, because 5G NR waveform based on CP-OFDM (for downlink) and DFT-s-OFDM (for uplink) is sufficient. Another important finding is that TN can coexist with NTN on adjacent channels with relaxed ACIR requirements for the tested simulation scenarios. In fact, the satellite 5G NR requirements are lower when compared with terrestrial base station (BS) requirements from previous 3GPP releases. The satellite ecosystem tremendously changed after these findings, and both satellite and terrestrial stakeholders now see a potential market opportunity.     

5G-NR蜂窝系统功能演进趋势分析

3GPP Rel-15版本规范为5G-NR系统奠定了最基本的系统功能集合和部署工作方式,主要实现了超宽带eMBB类和高可靠低延时URLLC类基本业务和应用。之后的Rel-16版本引入了许多增强的系统特征功能,更多地强化eMBB和URLLC类的业务应用性能。Rel-17旨在面向和5G相关的更多垂直行业领域,把Rel-15/16未能实现及完成的系统功能做得更全面、更精细,以更逼近"全频谱、全覆盖、全应用"万物互联的通信愿景,同时也为下一代6G蜂窝系统做好了铺垫和基线。基于3GPP Rel-17业界最新的立项动态信息,对潜在重要的系统特征功能进行了全面介绍、归类和整理,并从终端、网络、运营三大阵营维度进行了提炼分析,提出了各个阵营维度最为关注的标准研究点和未来价值利益倾向。依据梳理出的相关规律,希望相关研究者能够对蜂窝系统功能演进的趋势具有更深入的理解和判定。     

卫星通信物理层安全技术研究展望

物理层安全技术为通信信息安全研究开辟了新的途径。论述了卫星通信物理层安全技术应用的可行性,分析了现有物理层安全技术及其应用于卫星通信的潜在问题,提出了卫星通信物理层安全可研究方向,及基于单星平台、星座平台、天基平台通信系统条件下的关键技术,展望了卫星通信物理层安全技术的发展前景。     

5G高频设计及国际标准化分析

高频是移动通信的重要应用方向,也是5G设计的重要方向.3GPP在R15、R16及R17中对于高频都做了相关研究和标准化工作.结合3 GPP国际标准化工作,首先对高频的各种用例、部署场景进行了详细介绍;接着对3 GPP标准化中帧结构设计、接入设计、大规模天线设计和频域配置等关键技术进行了分析;最后对5G高频相关的国际标准化内容进行了总结和展望.     

卫星通信与5G融合系统发展探究

5G具有先进和成熟的技术,而卫星通信具有天然优势,例如灵活提供网络无线宽带回传、大广域广播多播、安全应急类通信等,是未来移动通信的重要组成部分.文章分析了5G和卫星通信发展情况,以及融合场景与核心技术,表达了对未来发展的展望,为相关人员提供参考.     

多层卫星通信网络自适应路由策略

单层卫星网络由于轨道高度和覆盖能力的不同,以至构成通信的单层系统往往不能满足不同业务服务质量的需求。分析了Walkerdelta型星座构建多层卫星通信网络的拓扑结构和ISL性能,提出了在统计分布模型下的多层卫星自适应路由策略,综合考虑了路径时延和ISL链路负载。仿真结果表明了多层网络自适应路由策略能够更加有效地分配网络通信量,网络具有较小的丢包率、网络平均归一化链路负载和特定路径综合路径权重,有利于降低网络平均阻塞概率和特定路径阻塞概率,获得更高的可靠性,较传统的单层非自适应路由更加有效、可靠。     

Transport protocols in multicast via satellite

In a wide variety of broadband applications, there is a need to distribute information to a potentially large number of receiver sites that are widely dispersed from each other. Communication satellites are a natural technology option and are extremely well suited for carrying such services because of the inherent broadcast capability of the satellite channel. Despite the potential of satellite multicast, there exists little support for multicast services over satellite networks. Although several multicast protocols have been proposed for use over the Internet, they are not optimized for satellite networks. One of the key multicast components that is affected when satellite networks are involved in the communication is the transport layer. In this paper, we attempt to provide an overview of the design space and the ways in which the network deployment and application requirements affect the solution space for transport layer schemes in a satellite environment. We also highlight some of the issues that are critical in the development of next generation satellite multicast services. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transport layer protocols and architectures for satellite networks

Designing efficient transmission mechanisms for advanced satellite networks is a demanding task, requiring the definition and the implementation of protocols and architectures well suited to this challenging environment. In particular, transport protocols performance over satellite networks is impaired by the characteristics of the satellite radio link, specifically by the long propagation delay and the possible presence of segment losses due to physical channel errors. The level of impact on performance depends upon the link design (type of constellation, link margin, coding and modulation) and operational conditions (link obstructions, terminal mobility, weather conditions, etc.). To address these critical aspects a number of possible solutions have been presented in the literature, ranging from limited modifications of standard protocols (e.g. TCP, transmission control protocol) to completely alternative protocol and network architectures. However, despite the great number of different proposals (or perhaps also because of it), the general framework appears quite fragmented and there is a compelling need of an integration of the research competences and efforts. This is actually the intent of the transport protocols research line within the European SatNEx (Satellite Network of Excellence) project. Stemming from the authors' work on this project, this paper aims to provide the reader with an updated overview of all the possible approaches that can be pursued to overcome the limitations of current transport protocols and architectures, when applied to satellite communications. In the paper the possible solutions are classified in the following categories: optimization of TCP interactions with lower layers, TCP enhancements, performance enhancement proxies (PEP) and delay tolerant networks (DTN). Advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches, as well as their interactions, are investigated and discussed, taking into account performance improvement, complexity, and compliance to the standard semantics. From this analysis, it emerges that DTN architectures could integrate some of the most efficient solutions from the other categories, by inserting them in a new rigorous framework. These innovative architectures therefore may represent a promising solution for solving some of the important problems posed at the transport layer by satellite networks, at least in a medium‐to‐long‐term perspective. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

5G卫星通信系统频偏估计算法

卫星通信系统中存在的大的多普勒频偏严重影响着系统的性能.为了提高频偏估计的性能,基于5G NR帧结构和同步信号,提出新的利用级联积分梳状(Cascaded Integrator Comb,CIC)滤波器插值的小数倍频偏估计算法.该算法分两步实现小数倍频偏估计:首先,利用结构简单、运算快速的CIC滤波器对接收主同步序列(...     

Terminal location method with NLOS exclusion based on unsupervised learning in 5G‐LEO satellite communication systems

We investigate the terminal location method in 5G‐Low Earth Orbit (5G‐LEO) satellite communication systems. To overcome the dependence on the external Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), we propose to use a single LEO satellite in 5G‐LEO satellite communication systems for terminal location and utilize the downlink synchronization detection for pseudorange differential measurement. Then, a data clustering method of unsupervised machine learning is proposed to classify the measured data into line‐of‐sight (LOS) and non‐line‐of‐sight (NLOS) signals. Furthermore, the NLOS data are excluded, and the Taylor series expansion iteration method is used to calculate the terminal coordinates. Simulation results show that the proposed method can effectively reduce the influence of NLOS error on measurement results and improve the accuracy of terminal location. In simulated urban scenario, the average location accuracy is improved from 10 km by traditional methods to 0.7 km and the convergence time is reduced from 400 to 250s.     

低轨卫星通信网络中改进的综合加权接入算法

针对用户终端有效与可靠接入低轨卫星通信网络的需求,基于现有的接入算法,综合考虑了卫星对用户终端的覆盖时间、卫星空闲信道数以及卫星接收信号的信噪比因素,提出了一种改进的综合加权接入算法,对该算法的目标函数和参数进行了设计与计算.仿真结果表明,采用改进的综合加权接入算法,新呼叫阻塞率和强制中断率等性能都得到了明显的改善.     

5G广播电视演进和主要技术特点

地面无线广播电视作为广播电视最为重要的传输手段,在广播电视发展的很长一段时间内占据主导地位。随着计算机、微电子、移动通信、材料科学等技术飞速发展和人们不断提高的精神、物质、文化需求,无线广播电视技术开始探索向移动终端和个性化领域发展,广播电视与通信技术的融合已经成为全球性话题和探索研究方向。以国际通信组织3GPP为代表的通信与广播电视技术人员,从本世纪初开始了对现代广播电视传播体系的全面系统研究和探讨。本文全面介绍了3GPP广播模式的发展历程和主要技术特点,并基于我国广电兼具广播运营商和电信运营商的双重身份,指出了广电5G广播电视网建设演进路线,建议了未来中国3GPP广播电视分三阶段发展,提出了中国广播电视的核心模式:卫星组网+地面广播+基站覆盖。     

Interference management for spectral coexistence in a heterogeneous satellite network

With the advent of the fifth generation of mobile radio communication by 2020, there will be many challenges such as increasing service demand with low delay in providing billions of end users called the satellite mobile users. It is expected that terrestrial communication systems will be faced with a dense network having many small cells anywhere and anytime. Therefore, there are some remote regions in the world where terrestrial systems cannot provide any services to end users. Furthermore, because of lack of spectral resources, it is very important that the spectrum is shared between satellite systems and terrestrial equipment by a suitable solution to interference management. In this paper, a heterogeneous satellite network that includes low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation and terrestrial equipment is proposed to provide low delay services. In this type of structure, interference management based on transmission power control between LEO satellite systems and mobile users is very important for obtaining high throughput. Moreover, in order to mitigate interference, transmission power control is shown based on noncooperative Stackelberg game under many subgames through pricing‐based algorithm and convex optimization method. Finally, the simulation results show that the performance of this study's system model will be improved through the proposed algorithm.     

On the effects of traffic mixtures in direct broadcast satellite networks

In this paper we present a multi‐criterion control simulation in a realistically complex environment of a satellite network, involving non‐symmetric up and downlinks. Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) networks carrying heterogeneous traffic is characterized with challenges, such as high traffic burstiness, wireless channel dynamics, and large, but limited capacity. On the other hand, there are system characteristics that can be leveraged to address these challenges such as in centralized topology, different levels in quality of service (QoS) and priorities, availability of side information about channel conditions, flexibility in delivery of delay insensitive traffic, etc. We have developed an adaptive resource allocation and management (ARAM) system that takes the advantage of such characteristics to maximize the utilization of the available capacity on the forward DBS link, while maintaining QoS in the presence of channel effects and congestion in the network. Since variable‐bit‐rate (VBR) video traffic is given priority over available‐bit‐rate (ABR) data traffic in the ARAM concept, in this paper we investigate the impact of the fraction of VBR load in overall load. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

蜂窝通信和卫星通信融合的机遇、挑战及演进

蜂窝通信和卫星通信在过去几十年都已取得巨大成功，但若它们继续独立发展，则难以顺应目前电信业务中泛在通信和万物互联的发展趋势，这将促使两者融合发展。梳理了蜂窝通信和卫星通信的历史和现状，分析了两者继续独立发展面临的挑战及融合发展获取的益处，并提出了两者融合发展的三个阶段——联合网络、混合网络和一体网络，最后讨论了相关关键技术和未来研究方向。     

中国移动在A频段5G部署策略研究

首先分析了中国移动可以使用的频率资源,建议随着3G用户的大幅减少,采用SUL方式在A频段上部署5G网络,以增加上行峰值速率和降低空中接口时延,然后给出了SUL载波和NUL载波的调度方式以及SUL参数的配置原则和建议,最后给出了A频段、D频段和3.5 GHz频段的峰值速率,采用SUL方式,A频段和D频段的上行峰值速率可以...     

Clustering strategies for multicast precoding in multibeam satellite systems

Next generation multibeam SatCom architectures will heavily exploit full frequency reuse schemes along with interference management techniques, eg, precoding or multiuser detection, to drastically increase the system throughput. In this framework, we address the problem of the user selection for multicast precoding by formulating it as a clustering problem. By introducing a novel mathematical framework, we design fixed/variable size clustering algorithms that group users into simultaneously precoded and served clusters while maximising the system throughput. Numerical simulations are used to validate the proposed algorithms and to identify the main system‐level trade‐offs.     

Channel estimation and physical layer adaptation techniques for satellite networks exploiting adaptive coding and modulation

The exploitation of adaptive coding and modulation techniques for broadband multi‐beam satellite communication networks operating at Ka‐band and above has been shown to theoretically provide large system capacity gains. In this paper, the problem of how to accurately estimate the time‐variant channel and how to adapt the physical layer taking into account the effects of estimator errors and (large) satellite propagation delays is analyzed, and practical solutions for both the forward and the reverse link are proposed. A novel pragmatic solution to the reverse link physical layer channel estimation in the presence of time‐variant bursty interference has been devised. Physical layer adaptation algorithms jointly with design rules for hysteresis thresholds have been analytically derived. The imperfect physical layer channel estimation impact on the overall system capacity has been finally derived by means of an original semi‐analytical approach. Through comprehensive system simulations for a realistic system study case, it is showed that the devised adaptation algorithms are able to successfully track critical Ka‐band fading time series with a limited impact on the system capacity while satisfying the link outage probability requirement. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.