Methods and apparatus for path discovery between a mobile platform and a ground segment

• US 20020152468A1
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Parkman, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,450,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

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.

Claims

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.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of advertising the at least one received path signature to the network, said step being performed by a route server.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of advertising comprises correlating a received path signature to an associated equipment chain.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the equipment chain path signature includes a multicast address to which the message is transmitted.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of transmitting at least one path signature to the ground segment comprises the steps of:

extracting a multicast address from a received path signature message;

including the multicast address in a polling response; and

transmitting the response to the ground segment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the multicasting step is performed periodically.

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:

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.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of including the platform in at least one group for receiving the multicast messages.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

correlating a received multicast address to an associated equipment chain; and

advertising, to the network, a data path described by the associated equipment chain, said step being performed by a route server.

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:

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.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each of the equipment chains comprises a unique multicast address.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the platform is included in a plurality of multicast groups, each of the groups associated with one of the equipment chains.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the platform is configured to return the path signature in a polling response.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of tuning a receiver based on a platform transponder assignment table.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of advertising locked transponder paths to the network.

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.