Preserving terminal network addresses over satellite networks when switching to a different satellite hub

• US 9,800,324 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2015
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Ahluwalia, Sandeep, Xiao, Liqing, Wang, Ran, Jain, Neha
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, CHANDRAHAS B
• Application Number:
  US14/696,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20160315692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18519 Operations control, administration or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18521 Systems of inter linked satellites, i.e. inter satellite service for optical links between satellites H04B10/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18528 Satellite systems for providing two-way communications service to a network of fixed stations, i.e. fixed satellite service or very small aperture terminal [VSAT] system
• 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: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]

Abstract

An apparatus and a system to preserve Internet Protocol (IP) addressing over a space link is disclosed. The apparatus includes: a network interface; a space link interface; a configuration table comprising Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) network information and a satellite hub table, wherein the VSAT network information comprises subnet and range information for a network linked to the network interface; and a VSAT registration module. The VSAT registration module is configured to: select a satellite hub from the satellite hub table for communicating with using the space link interface, register the apparatus with the selected hub, and advertise the local-network information by communicating a route based on the local-network information to the selected hub, wherein the local-network information is independent of the hub selected from the satellite hub table.

Claims

1. An apparatus to preserve Internet Protocol (IP) addressing over a space link, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface;

a space link interface;

a configuration table, disposed in a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT), comprising Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) network information and a satellite hub table, wherein the VSAT network information comprises subnet and range information for a network linked to the network interface; and

a VSAT registration module configured to;

select a satellite hub from the satellite hub table for communicating with using the space link interface,

register the apparatus with the selected hub, and

advertise the local-network information by communicating a route based on the local-network information to the selected hub,

wherein the local-network information is independent of the hub selected from the satellite hub table.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a router stack to communicate an IP datagram over the space link interface, wherein the IP datagram comprises the route based on the local-network information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the local-network information is based on a routing packet received over the network interface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the local network information comprises an IP address for the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to operate as a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT).

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the VSAT registration module is configured to select the satellite hub based on one or more of space link availability, load on the hub, a communication latency, cost of the space link, or a combination thereof.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the VSAT registration module is configured to advertise using a standard internet routing protocol compliant with the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the VSAT registration module is configured to register with a second hub selected from the satellite hub table, wherein the second hub is different than the selected hub.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the satellite hub table comprises space link addressing information for a plurality of satellite hubs.

10. A system to preserve Internet Protocol (IP) addressing over a space link, the system comprising:

a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) comprising;

a network interface,

a space link interface, and

a configuration table comprising Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) network information and a satellite hub table, wherein the VSAT network information comprises subnet and range information for a network linked to the network interface, and

a VSAT registration module configured to select a satellite hub from the satellite hub table for communicating with using the space link interface, register the apparatus with the selected hub, and advertise the local-network information by communicating a route based on the local-network information to the selected hub; and

a satellite hub comprising;

a registration module configured to register the VSAT, and

an advertise networks module to advertise the local network information from the VSAT,

wherein the local-network information is independent of the hub selected from the satellite hub table.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the local-network information is based on a routing packet received over the network interface.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the local network information comprises an IP address for the apparatus.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the VSAT registration module is configured to select the satellite hub based on one or more of space link availability, load on the hub, a communication latency, cost of the space link, or a combination thereof.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the VSAT registration module is configured to advertise using a standard internet routing protocol compliant with the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the VSAT registration module is configured to register with a second hub selected from the satellite hub table, wherein the second hub is different than the selected hub.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the VSAT further comprises a router stack to communicate an IP datagram over the space link interface, wherein the IP datagram comprises the route based on the local-network information.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the satellite hub table comprises space link addressing information for a plurality of satellite hubs.