Methods and apparatus for path discovery between a mobile platform and a ground segment
First Claim
1. A method for discovering a data routing path via satellite link to a mobile platform from a ground segment of a communications network wherein the mobile platform and the ground segment are configured to communicate via at least one of a plurality of satellite transponders, each transponder having a dedicated ground segment equipment chain, the method comprising the steps of:
- assigning a unique path signature to each of the plurality of transponder equipment chains;
multicasting, by the ground segment via at least one of the transponder equipment chains, at least one message containing the path signature corresponding to the at least one transponder equipment chain; and
the platform transmitting, to the ground segment, at least one path signature received by the platform via the at least one message.
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Abstract
A method for discovering a data routing path via satellite link to a mobile platform from a ground segment of a communications network. The mobile platform and ground segment communicate via satellite transponder. Each transponder has a dedicated ground segment equipment chain. A unique path signature is assigned to each chain. The ground segment multicasts, via the chain(s), message(s) containing the path signature corresponding to the chain(s). The platform transmits, to the ground segment, path signature(s) received by the platform via the message(s). The ground segment maintains information for controlling path discovery. Thus misrouting due to differences in transponder path identification is eliminated.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for discovering a data routing path via satellite link to a mobile platform from a ground segment of a communications network wherein the mobile platform and the ground segment are configured to communicate via at least one of a plurality of satellite transponders, each transponder having a dedicated ground segment equipment chain, the method comprising the steps of:
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assigning a unique path signature to each of the plurality of transponder equipment chains;
multicasting, by the ground segment via at least one of the transponder equipment chains, at least one message containing the path signature corresponding to the at least one transponder equipment chain; and
the platform transmitting, to the ground segment, at least one path signature received by the platform via the at least one message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for discovering a data routing path via satellite link to a mobile platform from a ground segment of a communications network wherein the mobile platform and the ground segment are configured to communicate via at least one of a plurality of satellite transponders, each transponder having a dedicated ground segment equipment chain, the method comprising the steps of:
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assigning a unique multicast address to each of the plurality of transponder equipment chains;
multicasting, by the ground segment, at least one message to and including at least one of the multicast addresses; and
the platform transmitting, in at least one polling response to the ground segment, at least one multicast address received by the platform via the at least one message from at least one of the equipment chains. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for statistically multiplexing transponder use by a plurality of users on a mobile platform communicating via satellite link with a ground segment of a communications network, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of satellite transponders assigned to the platform for communication with the ground segment, each transponder comprising a dedicated ground segment equipment chain;
at least one ground segment router configured to transmit a multicast of a plurality of messages via the equipment chains to the platform, each of the messages including a signature of a path through the equipment chain through which the message is multicast;
a route server configured to advertise, to the network, path signatures received and returned by the platform to the ground segment; and
a ground segment router configured to distribute use of an aggregate transponder pipe among the transponders based on the path signatures returned by the platform. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 15, 16)
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14. A method for discovering a data routing path via satellite link to a mobile platform from a ground segment of a communications network wherein the mobile platform and the ground segment are configured to communicate via at least one of a plurality of satellite transponders, the method comprising the step of the platform communicating, to the ground segment, each of the transponders onto a signal of which a receiver of the platform is locked.
Specification