Internet protocol network architecture for a global satellite system

• US 6,735,184 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2000
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Boltz, David, Valentine, Eric, Davidson, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanderpuye, Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Juntima, Nittaya
• Application Number:
  US09/531,916
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/316, 370/328, 370/352, 370/356, 370/401, 370/389, 370/392, 370/474
• US Class Current: 370/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18584 Arrangements for data networking, i.e. for data packet routing, for congestion control data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

A system and method for a terrestrial IP network for efficient transmissions within a satellite-terrestrial network. The terrestrial network of a satellite-terrestrial telecommunications system provides for IP signaling between satellite access nodes without the use of dedicated, circuit switched trunks therebetween. The terrestrial network configuration provides for mobile services switching center redundancy and load sharing, as well as direct packet routing between satellite access nodes. Alternatively, a signaling gateway may be interposed on dedicated satellite access node links for converting inter-satellite access node traffic into an IP signaling format for efficient utilization of the direct links.

Claims

1. A satellite telecommunications system having a plurality of satellites, said system comprising:

a first satellite access node in communication with at least one of said plurality of satellites across an air interface;

an Internet protocol transmission means, connected to said first satellite access node, for transmitting a communication from said first satellite access node to another node across an Internet protocol network;

a first mobile services switching center for coordinating communications between a plurality of mobile subscribers, public switched telephone network subscribers, and satellite subscribers; and

a first terrestrial network manager wherein a communication destined for said another node within said satellite telecommunications system is received by said first terrestrial network manager wherein a destination IP address for said communication is provided to said first terrestrial network manager by said mobile services switching center.

2. The satellite telecommunication system according to claim 1, wherein said first satellite access node is coupled to a media gateway for providing a communication interface to said internet protocol network.

3. The satellite telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein said Internet protocol transmission means transmits said communication across said Internet protocol network using a destination IP address corresponding to said another node.

4. The satellite telecommunications system according to claim 3, wherein said destination IP address is associated with a component selected from a group consisting of said first satellite access node, a second satellite access node, a mobile services switching center, a media gateway, and a terrestrial network manager.

5. The satellite telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein said first satellite access node comprises:

a radio frequency terminal for providing a radio interface with said at least one of said plurality of satellites.

6. The satellite telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein said first satellite access node comprises:

a base station subsystem for coordinating communication with at least one terrestrial communication network associated with said satellite access node.

7. The satellite telecommunication system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile services switching center is in communication with an interworking unit.

8. The satellite telecommunication system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile switching center is coupled to a signaling gateway for providing signaling conversion between said first satellite access node and said Internet protocol network.

9. The satellite telecommunications system according to claim 1, wherein said destination IP address specifies a second satellite access node, said first satellite access node and said second satellite access node establishing inter-satellite access node communications therebeeen after reception of said communication by said first satellite access node.

10. The satellite telecommunications system according to claim 9, wherein said inter-satellite access node communications are established between said first terrestrial network manager and a second terrestrial network manager associated with said second satellite access node.

11. The satellite telecommunications system according to claim 10, wherein said inter-satellite access node communications are established with a destination IP address specifying said second terrestrial network manager.

12. The satellite telecommunications system according to claim 9, wherein said inter-satellite access node communications are established between said first terrestrial network manager and a media gateway associated with said second satellite access node.

13. The satellite telecommunications system according to claim 12, wherein said inter-satellite access node communications are established with said destination IP address specifying said media gateway.

14. A satellite telecommunications system having plurality of satellites, said system comprising:

a first satellite access node in communication with at least one of said plurality of satellites across an air interface;

an Internet protocol transmission means, connected to said first satellite access node, for transmitting a communication from said first satellite access node to another node across an Internet protocol network;

wherein said another node is a second satellite access node;

wherein said communication is packetized by a packet assembler/disassembler associated with said first satellite access node and subsequently transferred to said second satellite access node and depacketized by a second packet assembler/disassembler associated with said second satellite access node, said second satellite access node specified by a destination IP address; and

wherein a pulse code module circuit-switched channel is established between a media gateway associated with said second satellite access node and a terrestrial network manager associated with said second satellite access node and a transcoder and rate adaptor unit (TRAU) associated with said media gateway performs transcoding and rate adaption on said pulse code modulation circuited-switched channel.

15. The satellite telecommunication system according to claim 14, wherein said pulse code modulation circuit-switched channel operates at 64 kbit/s.

16. The satellite telecommunication system according to claim 14, wherein said depacketized communication is transferred across said pulse code modulation circuit-switched channel to said terrestrial network manager.

17. In a satellite telecommunications system including, a satellite access node in communication with at least one of a plurality of satellites across an air interface, a second satellite access node, and a media gateway associated with said second satellite access node, comprisig:

said satellite access node further comprising;

a packetizing means for packetizing a communication received by said satellite access node; and

an Internet protocol transmission means for transmitting said packetized communication across an Internet protocol network; and

a terrestrial network manager associated with said second satellite access node wherein a pulse code modulation circuit-switched channel is established betneen said media gateway and said terrestrial network manager and wherein said terrestrial network manager performs transcoding and rate adaption on said pulse code modulation circuit-switched channel.

18. The satellite access node according to claim 17, wherein said packetizing means comprises a packet assembler/disassembler.

19. The satellite access node according to claim 18, wherein packetizing means depacketizes a packetized communication.

20. The satellite access node according to claim 17, further comprising:

a radio frequency terminal for providing a radio interface with said at least one of said plurality of satellites.

21. The satellite access node according to claim 17, wherein said first satellite access node composes:

a base station subsystem for coordinating communication with at least one terrestrial communication network associated with said first satellite access node.

22. The satellite access node according to claim 17, wherein said first satellite access node is coupled to a media gateway for providing a communication interface to said Internet protocol network.

23. The satellite access node according to claim 17, wherein said internet protocol transmission means transmits said communication using a destination IP address.

24. The satellite access node according to claim 23, wherein said destination IP address is associated with a component selected from a group consisting of said first satellite access node, a second satellite access node, a mobile services switching center, a media gateway, and a terrestrial network manager.

25. The satellite access node according to claim 17, wherein said pulse code modulation circuit-switched channel operates at 64 kbit/s.

26. The satellite access node according to claim 17, wherein a said depacketized communication is transferred across said pulse code circuit-switched channel to said terrestrial network manager.

27. The satellite access node according to claim 17, wherein said pulse code modulation circuit-switched channel operates at 64 kbit/s, and wherein said transcoding and rate adaption extracts speech signals on 16 kbit/s channels and data signals on 16 kbit/s channels.

28. The satellite access node according to claim 27, wherein said transcoding and rate adaption extracts data signals on 8 kbit/s channels.

29. In a satellite telecommunications system including, a satellite access node in communication with at least one of a plurality of satellites acos an air interface, comprising:

said satellite access node further comprising;

a packetizing means for packetizing a communication received by said satellite access node; and

an Internet protocol transmission means for trasmiting said packetized communication across an Internet protocol network;

a first terrestrial network manager; and

a first mobile services switching center for coordinating communications between a plurality of mobile subscribers, public switched telephone network subscribers, and satellite;

wherein said mobile services swithing center is couopled to a signaling gateway for providing siqnaling conversion between said first satellite access node and an Internet protocol network and wherein a communication destined for a second satellite access node is received by said first terrestrial network manager and a destination IP address for said communication is provided to said first terrestrial network manager by said first mobile services switching center.

30. The satellite access node according to claim 29, wherein said mobile services switching center is in communication with an interworking unit.

31. The satellite access node according to claim 29, wherein said destination IP address specifies said second satellite access node, said first satellite access node and said second satellite access node establishing inter-satellite access node communications therebetween after reception of said communication by said first satellite access node.

32. The satellite access node according to claim 31, wherein said inter-satellite access node communications are established between said first terrestrial network manager and a second terrestrial network manager associated with said second satellite access node.

33. The satellite access node according to claim 32, wherein said inter-satellite access node communications are established with a destination IP address specifying said second terrestrial network manager.

34. The satellite access node according to claim 31, wherein said inter-satellite access node communications are established between said first terrestrial network manager and a media gateway associated with said second satellite access node.

35. The satellite access node according to claim 34, wherein said inter-satellite access node communications are established with a destination IP address specifying said media gateway.