Distributed network node locations in a mobile node network

• US 10,476,585 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2018
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Torres, Robert James, Choquette, George Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Phuoc H
• Application Number:
  US16/221,177
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 455 131, 455405, 455 31, 370320, 348 7, 379 40
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18515 Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18521 Systems of inter linked satellites, i.e. inter satellite service for optical links between satellites H04B10/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/19 Earth-synchronous stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/195 Non-synchronous stations

Abstract

Various arrangements for establishing a bidirectional satellite communication session are presented. Initialization data may be accessed to tune an antenna to a geosynchronous satellite, wherein the initialization data is stored locally by the access node. The initialization data may be used to point and tune the antenna to the geosynchronous satellite. Ephemeris data may be received from the geosynchronous satellite. The ephemeris data may be indicative of orbital locations of satellites that are part of a non-geosynchronous satellite constellation. The ephemeris data may be used to point and tune the antenna to a satellite of the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation. The bidirectional satellite communication session may then be established with the satellite of the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a bidirectional satellite communication session, the method comprising:

accessing, by an access node, initialization data to tune an antenna to a geosynchronous satellite, wherein the initialization data is stored locally by the access node;

using, by the access node, the initialization data to point and tune the antenna to the geosynchronous satellite;

receiving, by the access node, ephemeris data from the geosynchronous satellite, wherein the ephemeris data is indicative of orbital locations of satellites that are part of a non-geosynchronous satellite constellation;

using, by the access node, the ephemeris data from the geosynchronous satellite to point and tune the antenna to a satellite of the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation; and

establishing, by the access node, the bidirectional satellite communication session with the satellite of the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation.

2. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing, by the access node, a communication network via the satellite of the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation with which the bidirectional satellite communication session has been established.

3. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 1, further comprising:

broadcasting, by the geosynchronous satellite, the ephemeris data on a periodic basis as multicast data.

4. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the access node, a request for ephemeris data to the geosynchronous satellite via the antenna that has been pointed and tuned to the geosynchronous satellite.

5. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting, by the geosynchronous satellite, the ephemeris data to the access node in response to the request.

6. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 1, wherein the antenna of the access node is a flat panel antenna and is electronically pointed.

7. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 1, wherein the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation is a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation.

8. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 1, wherein the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation is a medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite constellation.

9. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 1, wherein the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation is an eccentric earth orbit satellite constellation.

10. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 1, wherein the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation is a hybrid satellite constellation that includes one or more non-geosynchronous satellites in LEO and one or more non-geosynchronous satellites in MEO.

11. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the access node, that locally-stored ephemeris data is no longer valid, wherein the initialization data is accessed in response to determining that the locally-stored ephemeris is no longer valid.

12. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 11, wherein determining that the locally-stored ephemeris data is no longer valid comprises:

determining a time difference that has elapsed between a current time and a timestamp of the locally-stored ephemeris data; and

determining that the time difference exceeds an ephemeris data validity time threshold.

13. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the access node, that locally-stored ephemeris data cannot be used to successfully communicate with the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation, wherein the initialization data is accessed in response to determining that the locally-stored ephemeris data cannot be used to successfully communicate with the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation.

14. The method for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 1, wherein the ephemeris data includes one or more items selected from the group consisting of:

frequency, carrier sizes, carrier types.

15. A system for establishing a bidirectional satellite communication session, the system comprising:

an access node, comprising;

a steerable antenna;

a network interface;

one or more processors in communication with the network interface and the steerable antenna, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

access initialization data to tune an antenna to a geosynchronous satellite, wherein the initialization data is stored locally by the access node;

use the initialization data to point and tune the antenna to the geosynchronous satellite;

receive ephemeris data from the geosynchronous satellite, wherein the ephemeris data is indicative of orbital locations of satellites that are part of a non-geosynchronous satellite constellation;

use the ephemeris data from the geosynchronous satellite to point and tune the antenna to a satellite of the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation; and

establish the bidirectional satellite communication session with the satellite of the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation.

16. The system for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

access a communication network via the satellite of the non-geosynchronous satellite constellation with which the bidirectional satellite communication session has been established.

17. The system for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 15, the system further comprising the geosynchronous satellite that is configured to broadcast the ephemeris data on a periodic basis as multicast data.

18. The system for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

transmit a request for ephemeris data to the geosynchronous satellite via the steerable antenna that has been pointed and tuned to the geosynchronous satellite.

19. The system for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 18, the system further comprising the geosynchronous satellite that is configured to transmit the ephemeris data to the access node in response to the request.

20. The system for establishing the bidirectional satellite communication session of claim 15, wherein the steerable antenna of the access node is a flat panel antenna and is electronically pointed.