Communications in layered orbital networks
First Claim
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1. A satellite system, comprising:
- first set of satellite devices orbiting in a first orbital configuration;
second set of satellite devices orbiting in a second orbital configuration;
a communication network formed among the satellite devices and configured to selectively exchange communications among satellite devices in the first orbital configuration and satellite devices in the second orbital configuration based at least in part on an operational status of the communication network;
a source satellite device configured to identify network traffic for delivery to a ground system, and transfer the network traffic for delivery to the ground system over the communication network; and
based at least on the operational status of the communication network indicating a target satellite device that can presently communicate with the ground system, one or more of the satellite devices configured to route the network traffic for delivery to the ground system by at least transferring the network traffic from the source satellite device over the one or more satellite devices to the target satellite for delivery of the network traffic to the ground system via the target satellite.
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Abstract
Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying communication networks in clusters of satellite devices. In one example, a first set of satellite devices is configured to orbit in a first orbital configuration, and a second set of satellite devices is configured to orbit in a second orbital configuration. A communication network is formed among the satellite devices and is configured to selectively exchange communications among satellite devices in the first orbital configuration and satellite devices the second orbital configuration based at least in part on an operational status of the communication network.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A satellite system, comprising:
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first set of satellite devices orbiting in a first orbital configuration; second set of satellite devices orbiting in a second orbital configuration; a communication network formed among the satellite devices and configured to selectively exchange communications among satellite devices in the first orbital configuration and satellite devices in the second orbital configuration based at least in part on an operational status of the communication network; a source satellite device configured to identify network traffic for delivery to a ground system, and transfer the network traffic for delivery to the ground system over the communication network; and based at least on the operational status of the communication network indicating a target satellite device that can presently communicate with the ground system, one or more of the satellite devices configured to route the network traffic for delivery to the ground system by at least transferring the network traffic from the source satellite device over the one or more satellite devices to the target satellite for delivery of the network traffic to the ground system via the target satellite. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of operating a satellite system, the method comprising:
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establishing a first set of satellite devices within in a first orbital configuration; establishing a second set of satellite devices within in a second orbital configuration; in communication network formed among the satellite devices, selectively exchanging communications among satellite devices of the first orbital configuration and satellite devices of the second orbital configuration based at least in part on an operational status of the communication network; in a source satellite device, identifying network traffic for delivery to a ground system, and transferring the network traffic for delivery to the ground system over the communication network; and based at least on the operational status of the communication network indicating a target satellite device that can presently communicate with the ground system, routing over one or more of the satellite devices the network traffic for delivery to the ground system by at least transferring the network traffic from the source satellite device over the one or more satellite devices to the target satellite for delivery of the network traffic to the ground system via the target satellite. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A satellite cluster, comprising:
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first set of satellite devices orbiting in a first orbital configuration; second set of satellite devices orbiting in a second orbital configuration different than the first orbital configuration; a communication network formed among the satellite devices and configured to selectively route communications among the first set of satellite devices and the second set of satellite devices, wherein the communication network comprises; one or more first communication paths formed among members of at least the first set that routes at least a first portion of the traffic of the communication network in a first direction with respect to the first orbital configuration; and one or more second communication paths formed among members of at least the second set that routes at least a second portion of the traffic of the communication network in a second direction with respect to the second orbital configuration; a source satellite device configured to identify network traffic for delivery to a ground system, and transfer the network traffic for delivery to the ground system over the communication network; and based at least on the operational status of the communication network indicating a target satellite device that can presently communicate with the ground system, one or more of the satellite devices configured to route the network traffic for delivery to the ground system by at least transferring the network traffic from the source satellite device over the one or more satellite devices to the target satellite for delivery of the network traffic to the ground system via the target satellite. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification