Method and Apparatus for Providing a Communications Pathway with High Reliability

• US 20130273839A1
• Filed: 04/11/2012
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Breshears, Brian Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,467,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/12 Shortest path evaluation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/44 Distributed routing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing a communications network. A potential pathway in a group of potential pathways formed between each pair of adjacent node groups in a plurality of node groups is identified. A communications link is formed along the potential pathway identified between each pair of adjacent node groups in the plurality of node groups such that a series of communications links is formed between a first end node group in the plurality of node groups and a second end node group in the plurality of node groups. Information is exchanged between a first end point and a second end point using the series of communications links between the first end node group and the second end node group.

Claims

1. A communications network comprising:

a plurality of node groups,

wherein each node group in the plurality of node groups comprises a plurality of nodes; and

wherein the each node group in the plurality of node groups is configured to form a group of potential pathways for a communications link between the each node group and another node group in the plurality of node groups; and

a control system configured to form a communications channel between a first end point and a second end point using a series of communications links between a first end node group in the plurality of node groups and a second end node group in the plurality of node groups, wherein a communications link in the series of communications links between a first node group in the plurality of node groups and a second node group in the plurality of node groups is formed along a potential pathway selected from the group of potential pathways between the first node group and the second node group.

2. The communications network of claim 1, wherein the plurality of node groups comprises:

the first end node group;

the second end node group; and

a set of node groups, wherein the first node group is selected from one of the first end node group, the second end node group, and a node group in the set of node groups and wherein the second node group is selected from one of the first end node group, the second end node group, and the node group in the set of node groups.

3. The communications network of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first end node group, the second end node group, and the node group in the set of node groups is located in an aerial region.

4. The communications network of claim 1, wherein a node in the plurality of nodes in a node group in the plurality of node groups comprises:

a communications system configured to form a plurality of potential pathways between the node and another node in another plurality of nodes in another node group in the plurality of node groups.

5. The communications network of claim 4, wherein the communications system comprises:

a number of communications devices, wherein a communications device in the number of communications devices is selected from one of a parabolic dish, a parabolic reflector, a radio frequency receiver, an antenna, an optical emitter, an optical receiver, a lens, and an aperture.

6. The communications network of claim 1, wherein the control system comprises:

a plurality of controllers, wherein a controller in the plurality of controllers is configured to control a node group in the plurality of node groups.

7. The communications network of claim 6, wherein the controller comprises:

a node switcher configured to select one of a first node and a second node in the plurality of nodes in the node group for forming a particular communications link between the node group and another node group in the plurality of node groups.

8. The communications network of claim 7, wherein the controller further comprises:

a plurality of pathway selectors comprising;

a first pathway selector configured to select one of a first plurality of potential pathways formed by the first node as a selected potential pathway when the first node is selected by the node switcher; and

a second pathway selector configured to select one of a second plurality of potential pathways formed by the second node as the selected potential pathway when the second node is selected by the node switcher, wherein the selected potential pathway is used to form the particular communications link between the node group and the another node group in the plurality of node groups.

9. The communications network of claim 1, wherein the communications channel has at least one of a desired level of availability and a desired level of reliability.

10. The communications network of claim 1, wherein the communications channel has a desired bandwidth.

11. The communications network of claim 1, wherein each communications link in the series of communications links is formed between a pair of adjacent node groups in the plurality of node groups.

12. The communications network of claim 1, wherein a node in the plurality of nodes in a node group in the plurality of node groups is associated with a platform.

13. The communications network of claim 12, wherein the platform is selected from one of an aircraft, an unmanned aerial vehicle, a space shuttle, a ship, a submarine, an aerial vehicle, a water vehicle, a land-based vehicle, and a space-based vehicle.

14. A communications network comprising:

a plurality of node groups comprising;

a first end node group;

a second end node group; and

a set of node groups,

wherein each node group in the set of node groups comprises a plurality of airborne nodes; and

wherein each of the plurality of node groups is configured to form a group of potential pathways for a communications link with another node group in the plurality of node groups; and

a control system comprising a plurality of controllers,

wherein each controller in the plurality of controllers is configured to control a corresponding node group in the plurality of node groups and form one communications link in a series of communications links between the first end node group and the second end node; and

wherein the one communications link is formed between the corresponding node group and an adjacent node group in the plurality of node groups along a potential pathway selected from the group of potential pathways formed between the corresponding node group and the adjacent node group.

15. A method for managing a communications network, the method comprising:

identifying a potential pathway in a group of potential pathways formed between each pair of adjacent node groups in a plurality of node groups;

forming a communications link along the potential pathway identified between the each pair of adjacent node groups in the plurality of node groups such that a series of communications links is formed between a first end node group in the plurality of node groups and a second end node group in the plurality of node groups; and

exchanging information between a first end point and a second end point using the series of communications links between the first end node group and the second end node group.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of forming the communications link along the potential pathway identified between the each pair of adjacent node groups in the plurality of node groups comprises:

forming the communications link along the potential pathway identified between the each pair of adjacent node groups in the plurality of node groups such that the series of communications links is formed between the first end node group in the plurality of node groups and the second end node group in the plurality of node groups, wherein the series of communications links forms a communications channel between the first end point and the second end point.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the communications channel has at least one of a desired level of availability, a desired level of reliability, and a desired bandwidth.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of identifying the potential pathway in the group of potential pathways formed between the each pair of adjacent node groups in the plurality of node groups comprises:

identifying the potential pathway in the group of potential pathways formed between a first node group in the plurality of node groups and a second node group in the plurality of node groups, wherein the potential pathway is between one of a first plurality of nodes in the first node group and a second plurality of nodes in the second node group.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of identifying the potential pathway in the group of potential pathways formed between the each pair of adjacent node groups in the plurality of node groups comprises:

selecting a node in a plurality of nodes in a node group in the plurality of node groups; and

selecting the potential pathway from a plurality of potential pathways formed by the node selected.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

determining whether a first node in a node group in the plurality of node groups is unavailable for forming a particular communications link between the node group and another node group in the plurality of node groups; and

forming the communications link between the node group in the plurality of node groups and the another node group in the plurality of node groups using a second node in the node group in response to a determination that the first node in the node group is unavailable.