Systems and methods for maintaining a signaling link in a communications network

• US 6,574,198 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2000
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Petersson, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Huy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US09/611,100
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/235, 370/252, 370/277, 370/278, 370/316, 370/310, 370/349, 370/400, 370/412, 370/422, 370/467, 370/469, 455/427, 455/73, 455/12.1, 343/700.R, 342/359, 342/358, 701/226, 701/13
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system

Abstract

Systems and methods related to maintaining a signaling link between network terminals in a communications network. Periodic receiver ready frames are transmitted from a first terminal to a second terminal when there are no data frames to be transmitted. A temporal period is determined during which a predetermined condition will affect communications with the second terminal; the predetermined condition can be, for example, a period during which the sun will be within a predetermined subtended angle of an antenna associated with the second terminal. The second terminal transmits a pause frame to the first terminal prior to the temporal period; the pause frame includes the identification of the temporal period. The first terminal then pauses the transmission of data frames and the periodic receiver ready frames during the temporal period, and resumes the transmission of data frames and periodic receiver ready frames subsequent to the expiration of the temporal period, whereby it is unnecessary to re-establish a signaling link between the first and second terminals upon the expiration of the temporal period.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining a signaling link between a first terminal and a second terminal in a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting periodic receiver ready frames from said first terminal to said second terminal when there are no data frames to be transmitted therebetween;

determining a temporal period during which a predetermined condition will affect communications with said second terminal;

transmitting a pause frame from said second terminal to said first terminal prior to said temporal period, wherein said pause frame comprises information indicating the beginning and duration of said temporal period;

pausing the transmission of data frames and said periodic receiver ready frames from said first terminal to said second terminal during said temporal period; and

resuming the transmission of data frames and said periodic receiver ready frames from said first terminal to said second terminal subsequent to the expiration of said temporal period, whereby it is unnecessary to re-establish said signaling link between said first terminal and a second terminal upon the expiration of said temporal period.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said predetermined condition is a sun outage period during which the sun will be within a predetermined subtended angle of an antenna associated with said second terminal.

3. The method recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of rotating said antenna associated with said second terminal away from its nominal position during said temporal period.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said pause frame identifies said temporal period by means of a start time value and a duration value.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said pause frame identifies said temporal period by means of a start time value and an end time value.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said pause frame is transmitted over a Logical Link Control (LLC) layer of a signaling link protocol stack.

7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein said LLC conforms to the IEEE 802.2 standard.

8. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing data frames destined for said second terminal in a buffer during said temporal period; and

transmitting said data frames stored in said buffer upon the expiration of said temporal period.

9. A network terminal for transmitting information through a communications network, said network terminal comprising:

a processor;

volatile memory; and

a non-volatile media for storing a software-definable process, said processor and volatile memory being operative to retrieve and execute said software-definable process to perform the steps of;

transmitting periodic receiver ready frames to a remote terminal when there are no data frames to be transmitted therebetween;

receiving a pause frame from said remote terminal, said pause frame identifying a temporal period during which a predetermined condition will affect communications with said remote terminal, wherein said pause frame comprises information indicating the beginning and duration of said temporal period;

pausing the transmission of data frames and said periodic receiver ready frames to said remote terminal during said temporal period; and

resuming the transmission of data frames and said periodic receiver ready frames to said remote terminal upon the expiration of said temporal period, whereby it is unnecessary to re-establish a signaling link between said network terminal and said remote terminal upon the expiration of said temporal period.

10. The network terminal recited in claim 9, wherein said predetermined condition is a sun outage period during which the sun will be within a predetermined subtended angle of an antenna associated with said remote terminal.

11. The network terminal recited in claim 9, wherein said pause frame identifies said temporal period by means of a start time value and a duration value.

12. The network terminal recited in claim 9, wherein said pause frame identifies said temporal period by means of a start time value and an end time value.

13. The network terminal recited in claim 9, wherein said pause frame is received over a Logical Link Control (LLC) layer of a signaling link protocol stack.

14. The network terminal recited in claim 13, wherein said LLC conforms to the IEEE 802.2 standard.

15. The network terminal recited in claim 9, wherein said processor and volatile memory are further operative to retrieve and execute a software-definable process to perform the steps of:

storing data frames destined for said remote terminal in a buffer during said temporal period; and

transmitting said data frames stored in said buffer upon the expiration of said temporal period.

16. A network terminal for transmitting information through a communications network, said network terminal comprising:

a processor;

volatile memory; and

a non-volatile media for storing a software-definable process, said processor and volatile memory being operative to retrieve and execute said software-definable process to perform the steps of;

monitoring the receipt of periodic receiver ready frames from a remote terminal when there are no data frames to be transmitted therefrom, the receipt of said periodic receiver ready frames causing said network terminal to maintain a signaling link to said remote terminal;

determining a temporal period during which a predetermined condition will affect communications with said remote terminal;

transmitting a pause frame to said remote terminal prior to said temporal period, said pause frame usable by said remote terminal to temporarily cease the transmission of said periodic receiver ready frames during said temporal period, wherein said pause frame comprises information indicating the beginning and duration of said temporal period;

pausing the monitoring of receipt of said periodic receiver ready frames during said temporal period; and

resuming the monitoring of receipt of said periodic receiver ready frames upon the expiration of said temporal period, whereby it is unnecessary to re-establish a signaling link between said network terminal and said remote terminal upon the expiration of said temporal period.

17. The network terminal recited in claim 16, wherein said predetermined condition is a sun outage period during which the sun will be within a predetermined subtended angle of an antenna associated with said network terminal.

18. The network terminal recited in claim 16, wherein said pause frame identifies said temporal period by means of a start time value and a duration value.

19. The network terminal recited in claim 16, wherein said pause frame identifies said temporal period by means of a start time value and an end time value.

20. The network terminal recited in claim 16, wherein said pause frame is transmitted over a Logical Link Control (LLC) layer of a signaling link protocol stack.

21. The network terminal recited in claim 19, wherein said LLC conforms to the IEEE 802.2 standard.