Mobility across satellite beams using L2 connectivity

• US 9,264,127 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• 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): Pham, Brenda H
• Application Number:
  US13/889,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20130242856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 370/400, 370/401, 370/389, 370/395.5, 370/395.6, 370/388, 370/387
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18541 for handover of resources
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0016 Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/142 over the same radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing mobility across satellite beams, are described. The system includes a first core node, a second core node in communication with the first core node at layer-2 of the OSI model (L2), and a first gateway in communication, at L2, with the first core, the first gateway configured to provide access to a first spot beam at a first location. The system further includes a second gateway in communication, at L2, with the second core node, the second gateway configure to provide access to a second spot beam at a second location, and a mobile device, at the first location, in communication, with the first gateway via the first spot beam, wherein the mobile device is assigned an IP address by the first core node. The mobile device moves from the first location to the second location. Further, the first gateway, in response to the mobile device moving from the first location to the second location, notifies the second gateway, through the first core node and the second core node, that the mobile device is moving to the second location, and transmits the session information to the second gateway, and the second gateway, in response to the notification, maintains connectivity with the mobile device using the IP address.

Claims

1. A system for providing mobility across satellite beams, the system comprising:

a first core node configured for processing at multiple layers of the OSI model;

a first gateway in communication, at layer-2 of the OSI model (L2), with the first core node, the first gateway configured to transmit and receive network access communications for a first spot beam;

a second gateway in communication, at L2, with the first core node, the second gateway configured to transmit and receive network access communications for a second spot beam; and

a mobile device, at a first location within the first spot beam, in communication with the first gateway via the first spot beam, the communication comprising at least one communication session between the mobile device and an external network via the first core node, and wherein the mobile device moves from the first location to a second location within the second spot beam,

wherein the first gateway, in response to the mobile device moving from the first location to the second location, notifies the second gateway, through the first core node, that the mobile device is moving to the second location, and transmits session information for the at least one communication session to the second gateway, wherein transition of the mobile device from a first coverage area of the first spot beam to a second coverage area of the second spot beam is detected according to an overlap of the first coverage area and the second coverage area, and wherein the second gateway, in response to the notification, maintains connectivity for the at least one communication session for the mobile device in the second location.

2. The system for providing mobility across satellite beams as in claim 1, wherein the at least one communication session comprises a communication protocol at a layer of the OSI model above layer-2.

3. The system for providing mobility across satellite beams as in claim 2, wherein the communication protocol comprises at least one of Internet Protocol (IP), DECNet, or AppleTalk, or a combination thereof.

4. The system for providing mobility across satellite beams as in claim 1, wherein the session information comprises an IP address assigned to the mobile device by the first core node, and wherein the connectivity for the at least one communication session for the mobile device in the second location is maintained using the assigned IP address.

5. The system for providing mobility across satellite beams as in claim 1, wherein the at least one communication session comprises a virtual private network (VPN) session.

6. The system for providing mobility across satellite beams as in claim 1, wherein the second gateway is directly coupled, at L2, with the first core node.

7. The system for providing mobility across satellite beams as in claim 1, wherein the external network comprises one or more of an Internet, a proprietary service provider network, a content service network, or a content delivery network.

8. The system for providing mobility across satellite beams as in claim 1, wherein the first spot beam and the second spot beam comprise spot beams of a same spot beam satellite.

9. A system for providing mobility across satellite beams, the system comprising:

a first core node configured for processing at multiple layers of the OSI model;

a first gateway in communication, at layer-2 of the OSI model (L2), with the first core node, the first gateway configured to transmit and receive network access communications for a first spot beam;

a second gateway in communication, at L2, with the first core node, the second gateway configured to transmit and receive network access communications for a second spot beam;

a second core node in communication, at L2, with the first core node and the second gateway, wherein the second gateway is in communication with the first core node via the second core node; and

a mobile device, at a first location within the first spot beam, in communication with the first gateway via the first spot beam, the communication comprising at least one communication session between the mobile device and an external network via the first core node, and wherein the mobile device moves from the first location to a second location within the second spot beam,

wherein the first gateway, in response to the mobile device moving from the first location to the second location, notifies the second gateway, through the first core node, that the mobile device is moving to the second location, and transmits session information for the at least one communication session to the second gateway, wherein the second core node receives the session information for the at least one communication session from the first core node and transfers the session information to the second gateway, and wherein the second gateway, in response to the notification, maintains connectivity for the at least one communication session for the mobile device in the second location.

10. The system for providing mobility across satellite beams as in claim 9, wherein the first gateway, the second gateway, the first core node, and the second core node are on a same subnet of a ground segment network.

11. A method for providing mobility across satellite beams, the method comprising:

communicating, by a first gateway at layer-2 of the OSI model (L2), with a first core node configured for processing at multiple layers of the OSI model, the first gateway configured to transmit and receive network access communications for a first spot beam;

processing communications, at the first gateway, for a mobile device at a first location within the first spot beam, the communications comprising at least one communication session between the mobile device and an external network;

determining that the mobile device has moved from the first location to a second location within a second spot beam, wherein network access communications are transmitted and received for the second spot beam by a second gateway, the second gateway in communication, at L2, with the first core node;

notifying the second gateway, through the first core node, that the mobile device is moving to the second location; and

transmitting session information for the at least one communication session to the second gateway, the session information used by the second gateway to maintain connectivity for the at least one communication session for the mobile device, wherein transmitting the session information to the second gateway comprises transmitting the session information to a second core node in communication, at L2, with the first core node, the second core node in communication, at L2, with the second gateway.

12. The method for providing mobility across satellite beams as in claim 11, wherein the first gateway, the second gateway, the first core node, and the second core node are on a same subnet of a ground segment network.

13. The method for providing mobility across satellite beams as in claim 11, wherein the at least one communication session comprises a communication protocol at a layer of the OSI model above layer-2.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having sets of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to:

communicate, by a first gateway at layer-2 of the OSI model (L2), with a first core node configured for processing at multiple layers of the OSI model, the first gateway configured to transmit and receive network access communications for a first spot beam;

process communications, at the first gateway, for a mobile device at a first location within the first spot beam, the communications comprising at least one communication session between the mobile device and an external network;

determine that the mobile device has moved from the first location to a second location within a second spot beam, wherein network access communications are transmitted and received for the second spot beam by a second gateway, the second gateway in communication, at L2, with the first core node;

notify the second gateway, through the first core node, that the mobile device is moving to the second location; and

transmit session information for the at least one communication session to the second gateway, the session information used by the second gateway to maintain connectivity for the at least one communication session for the mobile device, wherein transmitting the session information to the second gateway comprises transmitting the session information to a second core node in communication with the first core node at L2, the second core node in communication, at L2, with the second gateway.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 14, wherein the session information comprises an IP address assigned to the mobile device by the first core node, and wherein the connectivity for the at least one communication session for the mobile device in the second location is maintained using the assigned IP address.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 14, wherein the at least one communication session comprises a communication protocol at a layer of the OSI model above layer-2.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 14, wherein the at least one communication session comprises a virtual private network (VPN) session.