Method and apparatus for providing private global networks in a satellite communication system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A communication system comprising:
- a first communication terminal;
a second communication terminal, said first communication terminal and said second communication terminal forming a first pair; and
a plurality of non-geosynchronous satellites which are capable of maintaining a first dedicated communication path between said first pair, said first dedicated communication path having a first duration which exceeds a length of time of a first data transfer session between said first communication terminal and said second communication terminal, wherein maintaining said first dedicated communication path involves performing hand-offs of said first communication terminal and said second communication terminal during said first duration.
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Abstract
Private Global Networks (PGNs) between communication terminals (110, 114, 116, 118) are established within a satellite communication system (100). Each PGN provides to its users a network of dedicated communication paths which have durations that exceed the duration of a particular call. A dedicated communication path is established by determining (416, 424) hand-off schedules for satellite-to-terminal links for both a source and destination terminal, and also by determining (428) satellite cross-link schedules necessary to maintain the dedicated path for a duration which exceeds the duration of a particular call.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A communication system comprising:
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a first communication terminal; a second communication terminal, said first communication terminal and said second communication terminal forming a first pair; and a plurality of non-geosynchronous satellites which are capable of maintaining a first dedicated communication path between said first pair, said first dedicated communication path having a first duration which exceeds a length of time of a first data transfer session between said first communication terminal and said second communication terminal, wherein maintaining said first dedicated communication path involves performing hand-offs of said first communication terminal and said second communication terminal during said first duration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In a satellite communication system which comprises a plurality of non-geosynchronous satellites, a method for establishing communication links between communication terminals comprising said steps of:
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identifying a first dedicated path between a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal, wherein said first dedicated path includes links supported by at least one of said plurality of non-geosynchronous satellites; determining a duration for said first dedicated path, wherein said duration exceeds a length of time of a first data transfer session between said first communication terminal and said second communication terminal; establishing said first dedicated path at a start time of said duration; and maintaining said first dedicated path for said duration. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. In a satellite communication system which comprises a plurality of non-geosynchronous satellites, a method for operating a satellite comprising said steps of:
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establishing a dedicated link between said satellite and a first communication terminal, said dedicated link being a first portion of a dedicated communication path between said first communication terminal and a second communication terminal, said dedicated communication path being a path which said satellite communication system maintains for a duration which exceeds a length of time of a first data transfer session between said first communication terminal and said second communication terminal; maintaining said dedicated link for at least a portion of said duration; and handing-off said dedicated link in order to continue maintenance of said dedicated link. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In a satellite communication system which comprises a plurality of non-geosynchronous satellites, a method for establishing communication paths between pairs of communication terminals, said method comprising said steps of:
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a) determining a source communication terminal which will communicate over a first dedicated path with a destination communication terminal, wherein said first dedicated path is maintained for a duration which exceeds a length of time of a first data transfer session between said source communication terminal and said destination communication terminal; b) determining a first hand-off schedule for said source communication terminal, said first hand-off schedule identifying a source-linking satellite in said plurality of non-geosynchronous satellites which will provide a first link of said first dedicated path, and subsequent satellites to which said source communication terminal will hand-off during said duration; c) determining a second hand-off schedule for said destination communication terminal, said second hand-off schedule identifying a destination-linking satellite in said plurality of non-geosynchronous satellites which will provide a second link of said first dedicated path, and other subsequent satellites to which said destination communication terminal will hand-off during said duration; and d) handing-off said source communication terminal and said destination communication terminal according to said first hand-off schedule and said second hand-off schedule during at least a portion of said duration. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A satellite of a communication system, said satellite comprising:
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a communication terminal interface which enables said satellite to communicate with at least one communication terminal; and a controller, coupled to said communication terminal interface, which maintains a link of a dedicated communication path between a source communication terminal and a destination communication terminal for at least a portion of a duration of said dedicated communication path, said dedicated communication path having said duration which exceeds a length of time of a first data transfer session between said source communication terminal and said destination communication terminal. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A communication terminal of a communication system, said communication terminal comprising:
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a satellite interface which enables said communication terminal to communicate with at least one satellite of said communication system; and a processor, coupled to said satellite interface, which supports a link of a dedicated communication path between said communication terminal and a second communication terminal for at least a portion of a duration of said dedicated communication path, said dedicated communication path having said duration which exceeds a length of time of a first data transfer session between said communication terminal and said second communication terminal.
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Specification