METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTIPLEXING HYBRID SATELLITE CONSTELLATIONS
First Claim
1. A method for switching forward link communications of a user terminal between first and second satellites, the method performed by the user terminal and comprising:
- receiving first data on a forward link of the first satellite;
receiving time-division multiplexing (TDM) configuration information on the forward link of the first satellite, the TDM configuration information specifying a TDM transmission pattern for forward link communications to the user terminal from at least the first and second satellites;
switching forward link communications of the user terminal from the first satellite to the second satellite during a handover operation;
receiving second data on a forward link of the second satellite after the handover operation; and
transmitting one or more control or data messages to a network controller on a return link of the first satellite after the handover operation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for operating a satellite system including different satellites that may belong to different types of satellite constellations. In some implementations, the satellite system may include a LEO satellite constellation and one or more non-LEO satellite constellations that can be used to increase the forward link capacity of the LEO satellite constellation, for example, by allowing an LEO satellite to offload at least some of its forward link traffic to one of the non-LEO satellites. The user terminals can dynamically switch forward link communications between a LEO satellite and a non-LEO satellite while maintaining a return link connection with the LEO satellite.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for switching forward link communications of a user terminal between first and second satellites, the method performed by the user terminal and comprising:
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receiving first data on a forward link of the first satellite; receiving time-division multiplexing (TDM) configuration information on the forward link of the first satellite, the TDM configuration information specifying a TDM transmission pattern for forward link communications to the user terminal from at least the first and second satellites; switching forward link communications of the user terminal from the first satellite to the second satellite during a handover operation; receiving second data on a forward link of the second satellite after the handover operation; and transmitting one or more control or data messages to a network controller on a return link of the first satellite after the handover operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A user terminal configured to switch forward link communications between first and second satellites, the user terminal comprising:
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one or more processors; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the user terminal to; receive first data on a forward link of the first satellite; receive time-division multiplexing (TDM) configuration information on the forward link of the first satellite, the TDM configuration information specifying a TDM transmission pattern for forward link communications to the user terminal from at least the first and second satellites; switch forward link communications of the user terminal from the first satellite to the second satellite during a handover operation; receive second data on a forward link of the second satellite after the handover operation; and transmit one or more control or data messages to a network controller on a return link of the first satellite after the handover operation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a user terminal, cause the user terminal to switch forward link communications between first and second satellites by performing operations including:
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receiving first data on a forward link of the first satellite; receiving time-division multiplexing (TDM) configuration information on the forward link of the first satellite, the TDM configuration information specifying a TDM transmission pattern for forward link communications to the user terminal from at least the first and second satellites; switching forward link communications of the user terminal from the first satellite to the second satellite during a handover operation; receiving second data on a forward link of the second satellite after the handover operation; and transmitting one or more control or data messages to a network controller on a return link of the first satellite after the handover operation. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An apparatus configured to switch forward link communications between first and second satellites, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving first data on a forward link of the first satellite; means for receiving time-division multiplexing (TDM) configuration information on the forward link of the first satellite, the TDM configuration information specifying a TDM transmission pattern for forward link communications to the user terminal from at least the first and second satellites; means for switching forward link communications of the user terminal from the first satellite to the second satellite during a handover operation; means for receiving second data on a forward link of the second satellite after the handover operation; and means for transmitting one or more control or data messages to a network controller on a return link of the first satellite after the handover operation.
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Specification