Satellite System Comprising Satellites in LEO and Other Orbits

• US 20180062737A1
• Filed: 03/22/2017
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WorldVu Satellites Limited
• Original Assignee: WorldVu Satellites Limited
• Inventors: WYLER, Gregory Thane
• Granted Patent: US 10,666,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1851 Systems using a satellite or space-based relay H04B7/18508, H04B7/18521 take precedence; providing specific services H04B7/18523 - H04B7/18576
• 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 7/18584 Arrangements for data networking, i.e. for data packet routing, for congestion control data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/19 Earth-synchronous stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/195 Non-synchronous stations

Abstract

A satellite communications system comprising satellites in low earth orbit (LEO) as well as one or more satellites in orbits other than LEO, such as satellites in medium earth orbit (MEO) and/or satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO). The system routes data packets, such as may be received from the Internet, to either the LEO satellites or non-LEO satellites in accordance with routing logic. In some embodiments, the routing logic is based on the latency of the communications.

Claims

1. A satellite system comprising:

a first constellation of satellites in low earth orbit (LEO);

a second constellation of satellites in a non-LEO; and

a core network, wherein the core network routes first data packets, wherein each first data packet is routed to one of either a satellite in the first constellation or a satellite in the second constellation in accordance with a first routing logic.

2. The satellite system of claim 1 wherein the satellites in the second constellation are in medium earth orbit (MEO).

3. The satellite system of claim 1 wherein the satellites in the second constellation are in geostationary orbit (GEO).

4. The satellite system of claim 1 wherein the satellites in the second constellation are in highly elliptical orbit (HEO).

5. The satellite system of claim 1 wherein the satellites in the second constellation are not in any one of LEO, MEO, GEO, and HEO.

6. The satellite system of claim 2 and further comprising a third constellation of satellites, wherein the satellites in the third constellation are in GEO, and wherein the core network routes each first data packet to one of either a satellite in the first constellation, second constellation, or third constellation in accordance with the first routing logic.

7. The satellite system of claim 2 and further comprising a third constellation of satellites, wherein the satellites in the third constellation are not in any one of LEO, MEO, and GEO, and wherein the core network routes each first data packet to one of either a satellite in the first constellation, second constellation, or third constellation in accordance with the first routing logic.

8. The satellite system of claim 3 and further comprising a third constellation of satellites, wherein the satellites in the third constellation are not in any one of LEO, MEO, and GEO, and wherein the core network routes each first data packet to one of either a satellite in the first constellation, second constellation, or third constellation in accordance with the first routing logic.

9. The satellite system of claim 1 wherein the first routing logic is based on a latency of communications of between a satellite in the first constellation and a user and between a satellite in the second constellation and the user.

10. The satellite system of claim 1 wherein the first routing logic is based on a logic selected from the group consisting of the following:

conjunction, frequency availability, and security.

11. The satellite system of claim 1 and further comprising a user terminal, wherein the user terminal transmits second data packets, and all second data packets are transmitted to a satellite in the first constellation.

12. The satellite system of claim 1 and further comprising a user terminal, wherein the user terminal routes second data packets, and wherein each second data packet is routed to one of either a satellite in the first constellation or a satellite in the second constellation in accordance with a second routing logic.

13. The satellite system of claim 12 wherein the first routing logic and the second routing logic are different from one another.

14. A satellite system comprising:

a first constellation of satellites in low earth orbit (LEO), wherein the satellites in the first constellation are two-way satellites;

one or more satellites in non-LEO, wherein the one or more satellite in non-LEO are one-way, forward-link satellites;

a core network, wherein the core network receives first data packets from and transmits second data packets to the Internet; and

a user terminal, wherein the user terminal routes the second data packets to a satellite in the first constellation.

15. The satellite system of claim 14 wherein the core network routes the first data packets to one of either a satellite in the first constellation or the one or more non-LEO satellites in accordance with a routing logic.

16. The satellite system of claim 15 wherein the routing logic is selected from the group consisting of latency, conjunction, frequency availability, security, and path length.

17. A satellite system comprising:

a first satellite in low earth orbit (LEO) satellite; and

a second satellite in an orbit selected from the group consisting of medium earth orbit (MEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO); and

a core network, wherein the core network routes data packets, wherein each data packet is routed to one of either the first satellite or the second satellite based on latency of communications, wherein a data packet associated with low-latency communications is routed to the first satellite and a data packet associated with non-critical latency communications are routed to the second satellite.

18. A method comprising:

receiving, at a core network, a first data packet; and

routing, in accordance with a routing logic, the first data packet from the core network to one of a first satellite in low earth orbit (LEO) or a second satellite in an orbit other than LEO.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the routing logic is based latency, the method further comprising:

determining a latency associated with the first data packet; and

when the latency is low, routing the first data packet to the first satellite.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the routing logic is based latency, the method further comprising:

determining a latency associated with the first data packet; and

when the latency is not critical, routing the first data packet to the second satellite.