Communication system with satellite diversity and method of operation thereof
First Claim
1. A satellite communication system for providing telecommunication services, the satellite communication system comprising:
- at least one satellite constellation comprised of a plurality of satellites, each satellite of the plurality of satellites providing a coverage area;
at least one network control facility capable of communicating with the plurality of satellites and of directing activity of the plurality of satellites, the network control facility including;
capacity augmentation means for predicting variations in satellite coverage areas and directing satellites to communicate with specific communication units located within the satellite coverage area of each satellite such that more than one satellite will not actively communicate with the same communication unit at the same time during non-hand-off condition; and
a processor capable of applying a serving strategy for determining which satellite of multiple satellites capable of providing a service link to a communication unit in a service region should be designated to provide the service link to the communication unit at a particular time and capable of assigning one satellite of the multiple satellites capable of providing service to provide the service link to the communication unit, wherein the serving strategy is comprised, at least in part, of selecting a highest satellite in the sky from the multiple satellites capable of providing the service link to the communication unit;
one or more communication units, the one or more communication units capable of communicating with the satellite constellation,wherein the one or more communication units are situated within a coverage area of multiple satellites of the plurality of satellites at substantially any time, andwherein, during non-hand-off conditions, each communication unit of the one or more communication units actively communicates with only one satellite of the multiple satellites at any time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing an economically viable satellite communication system (100) for voice, data, and video using satellite diversity to augment capacity of the system, to mitigate the effects of network operational issues such as the effects of satellite failure and/or satellite blockage, and to maintain service links (180) in a cost-effective manner. Satellite diversity is incorporated into the communication architecture, along with the ability to utilize all satellites (110) within a communication range (or view) of one or more service regions (197). Management methods are used to allocate satellite diversity to enhance service and mitigate network operational issues. Satellite constellation (120) is designed to maximize the availability of satellite diversity as a resource. The method and apparatus described herein also provide a satellite communication system (100) having flexibility to adapt to changing demand and capacity requirements in various service regions (197) and to unknown or unanticipated changes in demand developing over time after the satellite communication system (100) has been deployed in whole or part.
76 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A satellite communication system for providing telecommunication services, the satellite communication system comprising:
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at least one satellite constellation comprised of a plurality of satellites, each satellite of the plurality of satellites providing a coverage area; at least one network control facility capable of communicating with the plurality of satellites and of directing activity of the plurality of satellites, the network control facility including; capacity augmentation means for predicting variations in satellite coverage areas and directing satellites to communicate with specific communication units located within the satellite coverage area of each satellite such that more than one satellite will not actively communicate with the same communication unit at the same time during non-hand-off condition; and a processor capable of applying a serving strategy for determining which satellite of multiple satellites capable of providing a service link to a communication unit in a service region should be designated to provide the service link to the communication unit at a particular time and capable of assigning one satellite of the multiple satellites capable of providing service to provide the service link to the communication unit, wherein the serving strategy is comprised, at least in part, of selecting a highest satellite in the sky from the multiple satellites capable of providing the service link to the communication unit; one or more communication units, the one or more communication units capable of communicating with the satellite constellation, wherein the one or more communication units are situated within a coverage area of multiple satellites of the plurality of satellites at substantially any time, and wherein, during non-hand-off conditions, each communication unit of the one or more communication units actively communicates with only one satellite of the multiple satellites at any time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A satellite communication system for providing telecommunication services, the satellite communication system comprising:
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at least one satellite constellation comprised of a plurality of satellites, each satellite of the plurality of satellites providing a coverage area; at least one network control facility capable of communicating with the plurality of satellites and of directing activity of the plurality of satellites, the network control facility including a processor capable of applying a serving strategy for determining which satellite of multiple satellites capable of providing a service link to a communication unit in a service region should be designated to provide the service link to the communication unit at a particular time and capable of assigning one satellite of the multiple satellites capable of providing service to provide the service link to the communication unit, wherein the serving strategy is comprised, at least in part, of selecting a highest satellite in the sky from the multiple satellites capable of providing the service link to the communication unit; one or more communication units, the one or more communication units capable of communicating with the satellite constellation, wherein the one or more communication units are situated within a coverage area of multiple satellites of the plurality of satellites at substantially any time, and wherein, during non-hand-off conditions, each communication unit of the one or more communication units actively communicates with only one satellite of the multiple satellites at any time. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for managing resources in a satellite communication system having at least one satellite constellation comprised of a plurality of satellites, at least one network control facility capable of communicating with the satellites and directing activity of the satellites, and one or more communication units capable of communicating with the at least one satellite constellation, each communication unit of the one or more communication units being located within a coverage area of more than one satellite of the at least one satellite constellation, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving a request for service from a first communication unit of the one or more communication units; b) identifying at least two satellites having coverage areas which correspond, at least in part, with a location of the first communication unit; c) determining which satellite of the at least two satellites should provide a service link to the first communication unit by applying at least one predetermined serving strategy that determines which satellite of the at least two satellites should provide the service link to the first communication unit and identifies a highest satellite in the sky capable of providing the service link; and d) designating a first satellite of the at least two satellites to provide the service link to the first communication unit for a first period of time by assigning the highest satellite in the sky to provide the service link to the first communication unit. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for managing resources in a satellite communication system having at least one satellite constellation comprised of at least two satellites and one or more communication units, wherein the at least two satellites reside in one or more predetermined orbits, and wherein each satellite has a coverage area which overlaps, at least in part, with the coverage area of another satellite in the satellite constellation, to provide an overlapping coverage region, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving a request for service from a communication unit located within the overlapping coverage region of a set of satellites; b) determining which satellite of the set of satellites should provide a service link to the communication unit in the overlapping coverage region; and c) designating a first satellite of the set of satellites to provide the service link to the communication unit in the overlapping coverage region; d) instructing the first satellite designated to provide the service link; e) receiving by the first satellite an instruction to provide the service link; f) configuring communication resources in the satellite to provide the service link; and g) providing the service link between the first satellite and the communication unit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for mitigating satellite failure in a satellite communication system having at least one satellite constellation comprised of at least two satellites, and one or more communication units, wherein the at least two satellites reside in one or more predetermined orbits, and wherein each satellite has a coverage area which overlaps, at least in part, with the coverage area of another satellite in the satellite constellation, to provide an overlapping coverage region, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) detecting a service failure of a first satellite of the at least one satellite constellation; b) identifying a second satellite, which is capable of providing a service link to one or more communication units located in the overlapping coverage region, to provide the service link to at least one of the one or more communication units previously communicating with the first satellite; and c) directing the second satellite to provide the service link to the at least one of the one or more communication units without adjusting a relative position of the second satellite in its predetermined orbit. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A method for augmenting capacity in a satellite communication system using satellite diversity, the satellite communication system having at least one satellite constellation comprised of at least two satellites, wherein the at least two satellites reside in one or more predetermined orbits, and wherein each satellite of the at least two satellites has a coverage area which overlaps, at least in part, with a coverage area of another satellite of the at least two satellites, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) identifying a first service region within a service area of the at least one satellite constellation; b) ascertaining a service capacity requirement for the first service region at a first time; c) identifying one or more satellites each having a coverage area which corresponds at least in part to a location of the first service region; and d) allocating responsibility for satisfying the service capacity requirement for the first service region at the first time among the two or more satellites in accordance with a responsibility allocation method. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A communication unit for communicating in a satellite communication system having a satellite constellation including a plurality of satellites, the plurality of satellites including multiple satellites situated within a communication range of the communication unit and able to provide simultaneous service to the communication unit, the communication unit comprising:
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a processor for creating a service request and for processing instructions from the satellite communication system directing the communication unit to communicate at a particular time only with a first designated satellite of the multiple satellites situated within a communication range of the communication unit through a service link with the first designated satellite of the plurality of satellites; and a transceiver, coupled to the processor, for sending the service request for receiving the instructions, and for communicating with the first designated satellite through the service link.
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29. A network control facility for use in a satellite communication system having at least one satellite constellation comprised of at least two satellites, and one or more communication units, wherein the at least two satellites reside in one or more predetermined orbits, and wherein each satellite has a coverage area which overlaps, at least in part, with the coverage area of another satellite in the satellite constellation to provide an overlapping coverage region, the network control facility comprising:
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a receiver for receiving a request for service from a communication unit located within the overlapping coverage region; and a processor, coupled to the receiver, for predicting variations in satellite coverage areas and determining a particular satellite of the at least two satellites having an area of coverage that corresponds, at least in part, to the overlapping coverage region, and for designating only the particular satellite to provide the service link to the communication unit at a particular time such that more than one satellite of the at least two satellites will not actively communicate with the same communication unit at the same time during non-hand-off conditions.
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30. A satellite communication system using satellite diversity for augmenting capacity, maintaining service links and mitigating network operational issues including effects of satellite failure and service blockage, the satellite communication system comprising:
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at least one satellite constellation comprised of a plurality of satellites, the satellite constellation having a service area, and each satellite of the plurality of satellites providing a coverage area within the service area; means for communicating with the plurality of satellites and directing activity of the plurality of satellites; one or more communication units, the communication units capable of communicating with the at least one satellite constellation, wherein the one or more communication units are situated within coverage area of multiple satellites at substantially any time; means for receiving a request for service from a first communication unit of the one or more communication units situated within the coverage areas of the multiple satellites; means for determining which satellite of the multiple satellites should provide a service link to the first communication unit, wherein the means for determining includes means for applying a predetermined serving strategy to determine which satellite of the multiple satellites should provide the communication link; means for designating a first satellite of the multiple satellites to provide the service link to the first communication unit; means for ascertaining whether a link obstacle exists between the first communication unit and the first satellite; means for designating a second satellite to provide the service link if the link obstacle exists between the first communication unit and the first satellite; means for detecting a failed satellite in the satellite constellation; means for identifying another second satellite capable of providing the service link to the first communication unit previously communicating with the failed satellite and for directing the second satellite to communicate with the communication unit previously communicating with the failed satellite; means for identifying a first service region within the service region of the satellite constellation; means for ascertaining a service capacity requirement for the first service region at a first time; means for identifying the multiple satellites having coverage areas which correspond at least in part to the first service region; and means for allocating responsibility for satisfying the service capacity requirement for the first service region at the first time among the multiple satellites in accordance with a responsibility allocation method.
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Specification