Hughes Network Systems, LLC

Hughes Electronics Corporation

Rajeev Gopal

Channasandra S Ravishankar

Nassir Benammar

John Corrigan

Yash Vasavada

Stanley Edward Kay

Anthony Robert Noerpel

Gaguk Zakaria

Deepak Manohar Arur

Xiaoling Huang

James Lykins

Aaron Valdivia

James Jehong Jong

Trevor Eagling

Russell Fang

Harish Ramchandran

Ishan Weerakoon

A user terminal (UT) for a mobile satellite communications system, and an associated method for managing tracking areas for such a UT is provided. When initiating establishment of a radio connection, the UT transmits a connection request message to a satellite gateway (SGW) of the mobile satellite communications system, where the connection request message includes position information identifying a current location of the UT. The UT processes a connection setup message received in response to the connection request message, where the connection setup message includes a first tracking area identifier (TAID) that identifies a one of a plurality of tracking areas that is associated with the current location of the UT. The UT transmits a connection complete message to the SGW, together with an attach request message for a core network of the mobile satellite communications system, which includes the first TAID.

Approaches for high speed global packet data services for LEO/MEO satellite systems

An orchestrator server and a terminal are disclosed. The server can include a computer that executes instructions which include, to: instruct a first terminal to communicate wirelessly via a carrier frequency using a first long-range wireless communication (LRWC) mode; determine that, relative to the first terminal, a subtended angle between a satellite and a cellular node is less than an alignment threshold; and based on the determination, transmit a command to the first terminal to communicate wirelessly via the carrier frequency using a second LRWC mode, wherein the first LRWC mode is different that the second LRWC mode.

Efficient resource sharing across diverse networks

A method for networked scheduling is disclosed. The method includes: providing a gateway; a plurality of channels assigned to a color reuse scheme including colors, wherein some of the plurality of channels assigned to one of the colors comprise a set of co-channels; associating the set of co-channels with the gateway; generating a traffic pattern for the set of co-channels for an upcoming allocation slot; determining a channel state of each co-channel in the set of co-channels per the traffic pattern; and setting a Modulation and Coding scheme (MODCOD) of each co-channel in the set of co-channels based on the respective channel state.

System and method for networked scheduling for improved spectral efficiency

A method comprises monitoring, by a control module of a wireless communications terminal, factors related to a first data path for transmission/reception of data communications by the wireless communications terminal over a wireless data communications network. The control module then determines that the first data path is affected by condition(s), by determining that at least one of the factors satisfies a predetermined state reflecting the condition(s) affecting the first data path. The control module then determines a second data path, wherein the second data path is not affected by the conditions affecting the first data path. The control module then switches from the first data path to the second data path for the transmission/reception of the data communications by the wireless communications terminal over the wireless data communications network.

Multi-modem user terminal and policy-based management for satellite transport resiliency

A satellite system comprises LEO satellites and MEO satellites, and a control plane protocol architecture. The PHY, MAC, MAC/RLC and RRC layers are optimized for satellite environment. When the satellites are not processing satellites, eNB functions are implemented in a satellite gateway, and, when the satellites are processing satellites, protocol architecture in the control plane differ from LTE, as follows: PHY layer is moved to the communicating LEO/MEO satellite on the user link, MAC/RLC, RRC and PDCP are be located in satellite or gateway depending on satellite complexity, and the need to have mesh connectivity between UTs. When the RRC is implemented in the satellite, the RRC is divided into RRC-Lower and RRC-Upper layers. The RRC-L is satellite-based, and handles UT handover. The RRC-U is eNB-based, and handles resource management functions. The RRC-U communicates with the PDCP layer in the eNB to configure security, header and data compression.

A system is provided for reducing latency data collection from space-based sensor satellites. A mobile vehicle platform, configured to travel around the Earth, includes a sensor module and a relay satellite terminal. The sensor module monitors certain conditions, circumstances, environments and/or situations occurring on or around, or associated with, the Earth, and generates sensor data resulting from the monitoring. The relay satellite terminal executes data communications with a first of a plurality of satellites while the mobile vehicle platform is in a first area within a communications range of the first satellite, and, upon moving to a second area within a communications range of a second of the plurality of satellites, the relay satellite terminal switches the data communications to the second satellite. The data communications relay the sensor data, via the satellites, to a central processing facility for aggregation, processing, analysis and/or dissemination of the data.

System and architecture for space-based and mobile terrestrial sensor vehicles, and end-to-end network for aggregation and processing of sensor data

Approaches are provided for an SDSN that employs a satellite network nodes, where central L2 network nodes are controlled via a centralized Controller. Link status information is obtained regarding links of each L2 node. Global routing constraints, satellite ephemeris data, and resource allocation information are obtained. A constellation topology of the network nodes is determined based on the ephemeris data. Network routes between pairs of endpoints are determined. Each route includes links based on the link status information regarding the links, the global routing constraints, the bandwidth resources of the links and the current allocation of bandwidth resources, and/or the constellation topology. A forwarding table is generated for each network node, wherein each forwarding table includes route entries providing a next hop indicating a destination for data packets, wherein the destination is associated with a link of the respective network node that represents a link of a respective route.

Centralized ground-based route determination and traffic engineering for software defined satellite communications networks

Approaches are provided for a congestion detection algorithm for detection of congestion in outroute port queues (associated with respective satellite downlink beams), of a Layer 2 switch on-board a processing satellite, before the congestion reaches the point of dropping packets. Such approaches employ congestion notification protocols to inform all inroute sources of the congested ports. The on-board Layer 2 switch sends congestion notifications to the on-board system controller. The system controller broadcasts a notification reflecting the report of contested ports/beams to source terminals. The source terminals then segregate bandwidth requests regarding traffic destined for congested beams from traffic destined to all uncongested beams, and categorize such requests based on respective traffic priority levels. The system controller makes bandwidth grants according to congestion (for example allowing only higher priority traffic on congested beams) to alleviate the congestion conditions of the respective ports/beams.

System and method for congestion management for downlink queues of digital processing satellites for differentiated quality-of-service (QOS)

A system is provided for reducing latency data collection from space-based sensor satellites. A mobile vehicle platform includes a sensor module configured to monitor certain conditions, circumstances, environments and situations occurring on or around, or associated with, the Earth, and to generate sensor data resulting from the monitoring. A relay satellite terminal is configured to execute data communications via a communications channel of a first satellite beam, wherein the data communications are configured to relay the sensor data, via satellites, to respective gateways for forwarding to a central processing facility for one or more of aggregation, processing, analysis and dissemination of the data. The relay satellite terminal is further configured to switch the data communications from the communications channel of the first satellite beam to a communications channel of a second satellite beam based on a position of the relay satellite terminal relative to the first and second satellite beams.

A transmission and reception spot beam antenna is provided. A first transponder is configured to receive communications signals within a first receive spot beam and to transmit the communications signals within a first transmit spot beam. A second transponder is configured to receive reach-back signals within a second receive spot beam and to process the reach-back signals. A link between the second transponder and the first transponder passes the reach-back signals to the first transponder for transmission within the first transmit spot beam. A third transponder is configured to receive communications signals within a third receive spot beam and to transmit the communications signals within a third transmit spot beam. A link between the first transponder and the third transponder passes the communications signals to the third transponder, wherein the third transponder is configured to process the communications signals for transmission within the third transmit spot beam.

System architecture for high density satellite capacity footprint with flexible antenna signal routing capabilities

A method and system are provided for allocating satellite resources in a satellite communication system. A network interface is provided for making requests for satellite resources. A request processor determines whether the requests can be fulfilled based on a plurality of system constraints. The constraints can include, for example, the number of antennas on board the satellite, the number of active demodulators available on board the satellite, the configuration of a switch matrix which connects antennas to demodulators, and interference between signals transmitted to and from neighboring geographic cells. The network interface is preferably implemented in a web browser connected to a network which includes the Internet.

Method and apparatus for allocating data communications resources in a satellite communications network

An approach for managing system capacity of a satellite communications system is disclosed. A satellite communications system provides communication services to a region. A terminal () is located within the region and is configured to transmit and receive signals over a satellite () having a payload that processes the signals. The terminal () has a predetermined profile that includes service class information and rate information. A hub () is configured to receive system capacity resource configuration data that reflect capacity requirements of a service provider and to determine partitioning of system capacity over the region based upon the system capacity resource configuration data. The hub () transmits configuration information to the payload of the satellite () according to the determined partitions. The terminal () is configured to transmit a bandwidth request message to the payload. The payload selectively allocates bandwidth in response to the request message based upon the configuration information.

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North Potomac, MD, United States of America

Rajeev Gopal