Apple patents smoother satellite handoffs for 5G devices
Apple describes a method for managing the switch between satellite cells in a non-terrestrial network. The system checks the status of the new satellite cell to determine if the device needs to resynchronize its downlink signal. It then sends specific timing instructions to the device to start receiving data without using a standard random access procedure.
In the filing’s own words
A network device including a transceiver and a processor is disclosed. The processor is configured to determine a status of a target cell for handover of a user equipment (UE) from a serving network device in a serving cell to a target network device in the target cell. The serving cell and the target cell are in a non-terrestrial network (NTN). In accordance with the determined status of the target status, the processor is configured to determine whether the UE requires a downlink (DL) synchronization with the target cell, and determine a start time of scheduling the UE in the target cell without the UE performing random access channel (RACH) procedure during handover of the UE. The processor is configured to transmit, via the transceiver to the UE, and based on the determined start time of scheduling the UE in the target cell, instructions for performing the DL synchronization.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An apparatus comprising memory coupled to a processor, the processor configured to: determine a status of a target cell for handover of a user equipment (UE) from a serving network device in a serving cell to a target network device in the target cell, the serving cell and the target cell are in a non-terrestrial network (NTN); in accordance with the determined status of the target cell, determine, whether the UE requires a downlink (DL) synchronization with the target cell; and a start time of scheduling the UE in the target cell without the UE performing random access channel (RACH) procedure during handover of the UE from the serving cell to the target cell; and transmit, to the UE, and based on the determined start time of scheduling the UE in the target cell, instructions for performing the DL synchronization with the target network device in the target cell.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- DOWNLINK SYNCHRONIZATION ENHANCEMENT IN ENHANCED NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORK HANDOVER
- Publication number
- US20260281839A1
- Application number
- 19472562
- Filed
- Apr 4, 2023
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Inventors
- 6
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H04W 36/00725 Electricity & electronicsH04B 7/18541 Electricity & electronicsH04W 56/001 Electricity & electronicsMore from Apple in Networks & wireless
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.