Non-terrestrial fronthaul network architectures

A method of coordinating transmissions between terrestrial and non-terrestrial components of a wireless network, comprising:

• receiving, by a satellite gateway, ephemeris data for a satellite, wherein the satellite comprises a radio unit;
• determining, by the satellite gateway using the ephemeris data and a location of the satellite gateway, a maximum distance and a minimum distance between the satellite and the satellite gateway during a time period when the satellite will be in line-of-sight communication with the satellite gateway;
• determining, by the satellite gateway, a maximum propagation time for signals exchanged between the satellite and the satellite gateway during the time period based on the maximum distance;
• determining, by the satellite gateway, a minimum propagation time for the signals exchanged between the satellite and the satellite gateway during the time period based on the minimum distance;
• and
• providing, by the satellite gateway, the minimum propagation time and the maximum propagation time to a distributed unit;
• wherein, in response to receiving the minimum propagation time and the maximum propagation time, the distributed unit coordinates with the radio unit, via the satellite gateway, a first reception time frame during the time period when the distributed unit will receive uplink data from the radio unit of the satellite and a first transmission time frame during the time period when the distributed unit will transmit downlink data to the radio unit of the satellite using the minimum propagation time and the maximum propagation time.

A satellite gateway, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a memory connected to the one or more processors storing one or more computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
• receive ephemeris data for a satellite that comprises a radio unit and an antenna;
• determine, using the ephemeris data and a location of the satellite gateway, a maximum distance and a minimum distance between the satellite and the satellite gateway during a time period when the satellite will be in line-of-sight communication with the satellite gateway;
• determine, based on the maximum distance, a maximum propagation time for signals exchanged between the satellite and the satellite gateway during the time period;
• determine, based on the minimum distance, a minimum propagation time for the signals exchanged between the satellite and the satellite gateway during the time period;
• and
• provide the minimum propagation time and the maximum propagation time to a distributed unit;
• wherein, in response to receiving the minimum propagation time and the maximum propagation time, the distributed unit coordinates with the radio unit, via the satellite gateway, a first reception time frame during the time period when the distributed unit will receive uplink data from the radio unit of the satellite and a first transmission time frame during the time period when the distributed unit will transmit downlink data to the radio unit of the satellite using the minimum propagation time and the maximum propagation time.