Multi-satellite architecture

• US 8,427,999 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• 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): HAN, CLEMENCE S
• Application Number:
  US12/761,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20100265879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: H04B 7/18591 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00

Abstract

A satellite networking system is described. The system includes a first satellite, a second satellite, and a core network. The core node is configured to provide a plurality of services. The system further includes a first gateway in communication with the first satellite and the core network, and a second gateway in communication with the second satellite and the core network. The first satellite is configured to share the plurality of services with the second satellite through the first and second gateways.

Claims

1. A satellite networking system comprising:

a first satellite configured to provide access at a first location via a first spot beam;

a second satellite configured to provide access at a second location via a second spot beam;

a plurality of gateways;

a core network in communication with the plurality of gateways at layer-2 of the OSI-model (L2), the core network configured to provide a plurality of services to the first satellite and the second satellite through one or more of the plurality of gateways;

a mobile device, at the first location, in communication with the core network via the first satellite, the core network configuring the mobile device for connectivity via a logical private network of the core network;

wherein, upon moving from the first location to the second location, the mobile device establishes communication via the second satellite, and wherein the mobile device maintains the connectivity at the second location via the logical private network.

2. A satellite networking system as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of services comprise one or more of the following:

shared resources, redundancy services, customer services, and mobility services.

3. A satellite networking system as in claim 2, wherein the shared resources comprise one or more of the following:

acceleration resources, provisioning resources, authentication resources, authorization resources, and certification resources.

4. A satellite networking system as in claim 2, wherein the customer services comprise one of more of the following:

2-way residential broadband service, enterprise services, and wholesale services.

5. A satellite networking system as in claim 1, wherein the first satellite is coupled with the core network via a first gateway of the plurality of gateways.

6. A satellite networking system as in claim 5, wherein the second satellite is coupled with the core network via a second gateway of the plurality of gateways.

7. A satellite networking system as in claim 6, wherein the networking system comprises L2 connectivity to the network system'"'"'s edge.

8. A satellite networking system as in claim 1, wherein configuring the mobile device for connectivity comprises providing an IP address.

9. A satellite networking system as in claim 8, wherein during the move from the first location to the second location the mobile device maintains the same IP address.

10. A satellite networking system as in claim 1, wherein the core network comprises one or more core nodes connected by a private L2 network.

11. A satellite networking system as in claim 10, wherein the private L2 network carries traffic for one or more subscribers.

12. A satellite networking system comprising:

a first satellite configured to provide access at a first location via a first spot beam, wherein the first satellite is a first satellite type;

a second satellite configured to provide access at a second location via a second spot beam, wherein the second satellite is a second satellite type;

a gateway in communication with the first and second satellite

a core network in communication with the gateway at layer-2 of the OSI-model (L2), the core network configured to provide a plurality of services to the first satellite and the second satellite through the gateway; and

a mobile device, at the first location, in communication with the core network via the first satellite, the core network configuring the mobile device for connectivity via a logical private network of the core network,

wherein, upon moving from the first location to the second location, the mobile device establishes communication via the second satellite, and wherein the mobile device maintains the connectivity at the second location via the logical private network.

13. A satellite networking system as in claim 12, wherein the first satellite type is a KU-band satellite.

14. A satellite networking system as in claim 12, wherein the second satellite type is a KA-band satellite.

15. A satellite networking system comprising:

a first satellite configured to provide access at a first location via a first spot beam;

a second satellite configured to provide access at a second location via a second spot beam;

a first gateway in communication with the first satellite;

a second gateway in communication with the second satellite;

a first core node of a non-routed ground segment network, the first core node in communication with the first gateway at layer-2 of the OSI-model (L2);

a second core node of the non-routed ground segment network, the second core node in communication, at L2, with the first core node and the second gateway, wherein the first satellite is configured to shared a plurality of services with the second satellite through the first and second gateways and the first and second core nodes; and

a mobile device, at the first location, in communication with the first core node via the first satellite, the non-routed ground segment network configuring the mobile device for connectivity via a logical private network of the non-routed ground segment network

wherein, upon moving from the first location to the second location, the mobile device establishes communication via the second satellite, and wherein the mobile device maintains the connectivity at the second location via the logical private network.

16. A method for providing mobility in a multi-satellite network, the method comprising:

providing a first satellite configured to provide access at a first location via a first spot beam;

providing a second satellite configured to provide access at a second location via a second spot beam;

providing a core network configured to provide a plurality of services;

providing a first gateway in communication, at layer-2 of the OSI-model (L2), with the first satellite and the core network;

providing a second gateway in communication, at L2, with the second satellite and the core network, wherein the first satellite is configured to share the plurality of services with the second satellite through the first and second gateways; and

establishing, by the core network, a network configuration for a mobile device at the first location, the mobile device in communication with the core network via the first satellite, the network configuration supporting connectivity by the mobile device via a logical private network of the core network,

wherein, upon moving from the first location to the second location, the mobile device establishes communication via the second satellite, and wherein the mobile device maintains the connectivity at the second location via the logical private network using the established network configuration.

17. A method for providing mobility in a multi-satellite networking system as in claim 16, wherein the plurality of services comprise one or more of the following:

shared resources, redundancy services, customer services, and mobility services.

18. A method for providing mobility in a multi-satellite networking system as in claim 17, wherein the shared resources comprise one or more of the following:

acceleration resources, provisioning resources, authentication resources, authorization resources, and certification resources.

19. A method for providing mobility in a multi-satellite networking system as in claim 17, wherein the customer services comprise one of more of the following:

2-way residential broadband service, enterprise services, and wholesale services.