Satellite communication system providing multi-gateway diversity and improved satellite loading
First Claim
1. A method for operating a satellite communication system, comprising steps of:
- establishing a call connection between a terrestrial telecommunications network and a user terminal via a first gateway and at least one satellite; and
while the call connection is established, selecting at least one further satellite, which may be the at least one satellite; and
maintaining the call connection to the terrestrial telecommunications network via a second gateway, the least one further satellite, and the first gateway, the at least one further satellite being selected at least in part based on information transmitted from the second gateway to the first gateway through an inter-gateway communications link.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method includes steps of (a) establishing a call connection between a terrestrial telecommunications network and a user terminal via a first gateway and at least one satellite, (b) while the call connection is established, selecting at least one further satellite, and (c) maintaining the call connection to the terrestrial telecommunications network via a second gateway, the least one further satellite, and the first gateway. The at least one further satellite is selected, at least in part, based on information transmitted from the second gateway to the first gateway through an inter-gateway communications link, and can be based on signal quality indications determined at the user terminal, signal quality indications determined at the gateway(s), or path gains calculated at the gateway(s).
281 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for operating a satellite communication system, comprising steps of:
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establishing a call connection between a terrestrial telecommunications network and a user terminal via a first gateway and at least one satellite; and
while the call connection is established, selecting at least one further satellite, which may be the at least one satellite; and
maintaining the call connection to the terrestrial telecommunications network via a second gateway, the least one further satellite, and the first gateway, the at least one further satellite being selected at least in part based on information transmitted from the second gateway to the first gateway through an inter-gateway communications link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
detecting at the first gateway that the user terminal is capable of communicating with the at least one further satellite that is in view of the second gateway and the user terminal;
negotiating with the second gateway for an assignment of resources to establish a connection with the user terminal; and
bidirectionally coupling the terrestrial telecommunications network to the user terminal through the first gateway, through the second gateway, and through the at least one further satellite using the assigned resources.
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4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of selecting includes steps of:
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generating signal quality indications in the user terminal;
transmitting the signal quality indications back to the first gateway directly and via the second gateway; and
selecting the at least one further satellite at the first gateway based at least in part on the signal quality indications.
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5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the step of selecting further considers at least one of satellite elevation angle relative to the user terminal, satellite loading, satellite power consumption, and satellite transmitted power flux density.
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6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of selecting includes steps of:
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generating signal quality indications at the first gateway based on signals received from the user terminal at the first and second gateways; and
selecting the at least one further satellite at the first gateway based at least in part on the signal quality indications.
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7. A method as in claim 6, wherein the step of selecting further considers at least one of satellite elevation angle relative to the user terminal, satellite loading, satellite power consumption, and satellite transmitted power flux density.
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8. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of selecting includes steps of:
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generating signal quality indications at the first gateway based on signals received from the user terminal at the first gateway;
generating signal quality indications at the second gateway based on signals received from the user terminal at the second gateway;
transmitting the generated signal quality indications back to the first gateway from second gateway; and
selecting the at least one further satellite at the first gateway based at least in part on the signal quality indications.
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9. A method as in claim 8, wherein the step of selecting further considers at least one of satellite elevation angle relative to the user terminal, satellite loading, satellite power consumption, and satellite transmitted power flux density.
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10. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of selecting includes steps of:
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calculating at least one of current or future path gains at the first gateway based on signals received from the user terminal at the first and second gateways; and
selecting the at least one further satellite at the first gateway based at least in part on the calculated path gains.
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11. A method as in claim 10, wherein the step of selecting further considers at least one of satellite elevation angle relative to the user terminal, satellite loading, satellite power consumption, and satellite transmitted power flux density.
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12. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of selecting includes steps of:
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calculating at least one of current or future path gains at the first gateway based on signals received from the user terminal at the first gateway;
calculating at least one of current or future path gains at the second gateway based on signals received from the user terminal at the second gateway;
transmitting the calculated path gains back to the first gateway from second gateway; and
selecting the at least one further satellite at the first gateway based at least in part on the calculated path gains.
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13. A method as in claim 12, wherein the step of selecting further considers at least one of satellite elevation angle relative to the user terminal, satellite loading, satellite power consumption, and satellite transmitted power flux density.
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14. A method for allocating communications traffic through a plurality of satellites of a constellation of non-geosynchronous orbit satellites, comprising the steps of:
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providing each of the plurality of satellites with a receiver for receiving communication links from a gateway, a transmitter for transmitting communication links to user terminals, a receiver for receiving communication links from user terminals, and a transmitter for transmitting communication links to the gateway;
determining signal quality indications in a user terminal for signals received from the gateway through a plurality of the satellites;
transmitting a message to the gateway that includes the determined signal quality indications;
determining an identity of a satellite having a best signal quality indication associated therewith; and
for a case where the satellite having a best signal quality indication can be assigned a new communication link, assigning a new communication link to the satellite. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method for allocating communications traffic through a plurality of satellites of a constellation of non-geosynchronous orbit satellites, comprising the steps of:
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providing each of the plurality of satellites with a receiver for receiving communication links from a gateway, a transmitter for transmitting communication links to user terminals, a receiver for receiving communication links from user terminals, and a transmitter for transmitting communication links to the gateway;
transmitting a message to the gateway from the user terminal through a plurality of the satellites;
determining message quality indications in the gateway for signals received through the plurality of the satellites;
determining an identity of a satellite having a best message quality indication associated therewith; and
for a case where the satellite having a best message quality indication can be assigned a new communication link, assigning a new communication link to the satellite. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method for allocating communications traffic through a plurality of satellites of a constellation of non-geosynchronous orbit satellites, comprising the steps of:
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providing each of the plurality of satellites with a receiver for receiving communication links from a gateway, a transmitter for transmitting communication links to user terminals, a receiver for receiving communication links from user terminals, and a transmitter for transmitting communication links to the gateway;
transmitting a message to the gateway from the user terminal through a plurality of the satellites;
determining, in the gateway, path gains for signal paths through the plurality of the satellites;
determining an identity of a satellite having a best current or predicted path gain associated therewith; and
for a case where the satellite having the best path gain can be assigned a new communication link, assigning a new communication link to the satellite. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A satellite communication system comprising a plurality of terrestrial gateways, at least one user terminal, and a plurality of satellites, said system further comprising:
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circuitry in a first gateway for bidirectionally coupling said first gateway to a first terrestrial telecommunications network and circuitry for bidirectionally coupling said at least one user terminal to said first terrestrial telecommunications network through at least one satellite;
an inter-gateway communications link bidirectionally coupled between said first gateway and a second gateway; and
further circuitry in said first gateway, coupled to said inter-gateway communications link, for coupling said at least one user terminal to said first terrestrial telecommunications network via said second gateway and at least one further satellite, said first gateway further comprising means for selecting a satellite for establishing a new communication link or handing off an existing communication link based on information received from the user terminal at the first gateway and based on information received from the second gateway via the inter-gateway communications link.
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Specification