Method and apparatus for regional cell management in a satellite communication system
First Claim
1. A method of operating a node in a communication system comprised of a plurality of nodes, each node projecting antenna beams on earth'"'"'s surface, said method comprising the steps of:
- establishing a local region associated with said node, said local region comprising a set of nodes of said plurality of nodes that are within a radio line-of-sight of said node;
assigning a channel to a subscriber unit, said channel being non-interfering with channels currently assigned by said node and by said set of nodes of said local region, said subscriber unit being within said antenna beams associated with said node; and
notifying each node of said set of nodes of said local region that said channel has been assigned by said node wherein said plurality of nodes are satellite communication stations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a satellite communication system, communication channels are dynamically assigned in real-time based on actual demand using a regionalized channel assignment and reuse scheme. The tradeoff between system capacity and channel interference:is optimized through the use of interlocking local regions. Satellite communication stations within a radio line-of-sight of each other make up each local region. The communication stations of a local region change as the communication stations move through orbital positions. Channel reuse rules are adapted to system load and demand for services. Each communication station establishes its local region and notifies the other communication stations within its local region whenever it assigns a communication channel to a subscriber unit. Channel assignments within each local region are maintained locally by the defining communication station.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of operating a node in a communication system comprised of a plurality of nodes, each node projecting antenna beams on earth'"'"'s surface, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a local region associated with said node, said local region comprising a set of nodes of said plurality of nodes that are within a radio line-of-sight of said node; assigning a channel to a subscriber unit, said channel being non-interfering with channels currently assigned by said node and by said set of nodes of said local region, said subscriber unit being within said antenna beams associated with said node; and notifying each node of said set of nodes of said local region that said channel has been assigned by said node wherein said plurality of nodes are satellite communication stations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of operating a communication system comprised of a plurality of communication nodes, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, at a first node, notice of channel assignments from nodes within a radio line-of-sight of each other; determining, at said first node, a pool of available channels based on said notice of channel assignments; and assigning, by said first node, a channel from said pool to a subscriber unit located within a service area of said first node wherein said plurality of nodes are satellite communication stations. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A communication station comprising:
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a transceiver for transmitting and receiving data to and from other communication stations that are within a radio line-of-sight of said communication station; and a processor coupled to said transceiver, said processor including; means for defining a local region associated with said communication station, said local region comprising said other communication stations; and means for assigning a communication channel to a subscriber unit, said communication channel being non-interfering with communication channels currently assigned by said other communication stations of said local region, and wherein said transceiver includes means for notifying each communication station of said local region that said communication channel has been assigned by said communication station, wherein said communication station and other communication stations are satellite communication stations. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification