Handover reduction in satellite communication systems

A method for facilitating handover reduction, comprising:

• detecting, by a processor, from a plurality of user terminals, a user terminal that is scheduled for a handover procedure for maintaining signal connectivity to a radio beam of a plurality of radio beams corresponding to at least one satellite, wherein the handover procedure facilitates to switch the signal connectivity of the user terminal from a source beam to a target beam of the plurality of radio beams;
• evaluating, by the processor, based on input data, an ideal time value pertaining to a pre-defined time instance at which a scheduled handover is to be performed, wherein the scheduled handover corresponds to at least one of a scheduled change in operating frequency within same beam or a scheduled feeder link handover due to a change in gateway communicating with the satellite;
• and
• estimating, by the processor, based on the evaluation and the input data, an optimized time value that pertains to an optimized time instance associated with an expected handover reduction, wherein the expected handover reduction leads to an estimated decrease in the number of handovers in the handover procedure such that the expected handover reduction at the optimized time instance executes an optimized beam handover without a need to execute the scheduled handover.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having an executable stored thereon, which, when executed, instructs a processor to perform a method as follows:

• detecting, from a plurality of user terminals, a user terminal that is selected for a handover procedure for maintaining signal connectivity to a radio beam of a plurality of radio beams corresponding to at least one satellite, wherein the handover procedure facilitates to switch the signal connectivity of the user terminal from a source beam to a target beam of the plurality of radio beams;
• evaluating, based on input data, an ideal time value pertaining to a pre-defined time instance at which a scheduled handover is to be performed, wherein the scheduled handover corresponds to at least one of a scheduled change in operating frequency within same beam or a scheduled feeder link handover due to a change in gateway communicating with the satellite;
• and
• estimating, based on the evaluation and the input data, an optimized time value that pertains to an optimized time instance associated with an expected handover reduction, wherein the expected handover reduction leads to an estimated decrease in the number of handovers in the handover procedure such that the expected handover reduction at the optimized time instance executes an optimized beam handover without a need to execute the scheduled frequency or feeder link handover.