Layer-2 connectivity from switch to access node/gateway

• US 8,379,613 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Foxworthy, Michael, Chandran, Girish, Lau, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Rutkowski, Jeffrey M
• Application Number:
  US12/761,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20100265876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18571 for satellites; for fixed or mobile stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18582 Arrangements for data linking, i.e. for data framing, for error recovery, for multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4645 Details on frame tagging routing of packets H04L45/00; support for virtual LAN H04L49/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network, are described. A system includes a satellite configured to transmit data packets. The system further includes a non-autonomous gateway in communication with the satellite. The non-autonomous gateway is configured to receive the data packets from the satellite at layer-1 (L1) of the OSI-model, generate a plurality of virtual tagging tuples within the layer-2 packet headers of the plurality of data packets. The non-autonomous gateway is further configured to transmit, at layer-2 (L2) of the OSI-model, the virtually tagged data packets. Each of the packets including a virtual tagging tuple and an entity destination. The system further includes a L2 switch in communication with the non-autonomous gateway. The L2 switch configured to receive the data packets and transmit the data packets to the entity based on the virtual tuples associated with each of the data packets.

Claims

1. A system for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network, the system comprising:

one or more bent pipe satellites configured to receive signals from one or more user terminals and to relay the signals at layer-1 of the OSI-model (L1);

a non-autonomous gateway in communication with the one or more bent pipe satellites, the non-autonomous gateway configured to;

receive and demodulate the signals relayed from the one or more bent pipe satellites,

generate from the demodulated signals data packets having layer-2 of the OSI-model (L2) packet headers,

generate a plurality of virtual tagging tuples within the L2 packet headers of the plurality of data packets, wherein each virtual tagging tuple includes an entity destination associated with an entity, and

transmit, at L2, the virtually tagged data packets; and

a first L2 switch of the non-routed ground segment network in communication with the non-autonomous gateway, the first L2 switch configured to receive the virtually tagged data packets and transmit the virtually tagged data packets to the entity via a second L2 switch of the non-routed ground segment network in communication with the entity based on each of the virtual tagging tuples associated with each of the data packets.

2. A system for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 1, further comprising a core node comprising the first L2 switch and a gateway module in communication with the first L2 switch.

3. A system for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 1, wherein the non-autonomous gateway comprises a SMTS.

4. A system for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 3, wherein the SMTS comprises one or more base stations.

5. A system providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 4, wherein the one or more base stations are in communication with the first L2 switch via an iEEE 802.1 Q fiber trunk.

6. A system providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 5, wherein the plurality of virtual tagging tuples designate at least one strand of the iEEE 802.1 Q trunk fiber.

7. A system providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 4, wherein the plurality of base stations are in communication with the first L2 switch via a LAN PHY connection.

8. A system providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 1, wherein the user terminals are configured to receive L1 signals from the one or more bent pipe satellites.

9. A system providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 8, further comprising a plurality of clients in communication with the one or more user terminals.

10. A system providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of virtual tagging tuples are configured to designate the entity and a location of the entity.

11. A system providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 1, further comprising a first code node in communication with the non-autonomous gateway.

12. A system providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 11, further comprising a second code node in communication with the non-autonomous gateway.

13. A system providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 12, wherein the first core node is in communication with the second core node through the non-autonomous gateway at L2.

14. A system providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 13, wherein the first core node and the second core node are included in a core.

15. A method for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network, the method comprising:

transmitting, by one or more bent pipe satellites, signals at layer-1 of the OSI-model (L1) received from one or more user terminals;

receiving, at a non-autonomous gateway, the L1 signals from the one or more bent pipe satellites;

demodulating, at the non-autonomous gateway, the received L1 signals to generate data packets having layer-2 of the OSI-model (L2) packet headers;

generating, by the non-autonomous gateway, a plurality of virtual tagging tuples within the L2 packet headers of the plurality of data packets, wherein each virtual tagging tuple includes an entity destination associated with an entity;

transmitting, by the non-autonomous gateway at L2, the virtually tagged data packets;

receiving, at a first L2 switch of the non-routed ground segment network in communication with the non-autonomous gateway, the virtually tagged data packets; and

transmitting, by the first L2 switch, the virtually tagged data packets to the entity via a second L2 switch of the non-routed ground segment network in communication with the entity based on each of the virtual tagging tuples associated with each of the data packets.

16. A method for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 15, further comprising designating at least one strand of a iEEE 802.1 Q trunk fiber using the plurality of virtual tagging tuples.

17. A method for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting, by a user terminal, signals to the one or more bent pipe satellites; and

receiving signals from the one or more bent pipe satellites.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network, having sets of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive and demodulate, at a non-autonomous gateway in communication with one or more bent pipe satellites, signals relayed by the one or more bent pipe satellites from one or more user terminals at layer-1 of the OSI-model (L1);

generate from the demodulated signals data packets having layer-2 of the OSI-model (L2) packet headers,

generate a plurality of virtual tagging tuples within the L2 packet headers of the plurality of data packets, wherein each virtual tagging tuple includes an entity destination associated with an entity;

transmit, at L2, the virtually tagged data packets;

receive, at a first L2 switch of the ground segment network, the virtually tagged data packets; and

transmit, by the first L2 switch, the virtually tagged data packets to the entity via a second L2 switch of the non-routed ground segment network in communication with the entity based on each of the virtual tagging tuples associated with each of the data packets.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 18, wherein the entity is located at the entity destination.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network as in claim 18, wherein the sets of instructions which, when further executed by the computer, cause the computer to designate at least one strand of a iEEE 802.1 Q trunk fiber using the plurality of virtual tagging tuples.