Fail-over of forward link equipment

A method of transmitting signals from a ground station to a mobile platform via at least one transponder, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) managing paths for a plurality of primary chains of forward link equipment and a plurality of spare chains of forward link equipment in a forward link assignment manager;
• (b) storing paths for the plurality of primary chains of forward link equipment and the spare chains of forward link equipment in at least one route server;
• (c) providing the paths for the primary chains of forward link equipment and the paths for the spare chains of forward link equipment to at least one router;
• (d) selecting a path for a chain of primary forward link equipment by the router;
• (e) transmitting the signals from the router to the primary chain of forward link equipment having the selected path of step (d);
• (f) transmitting the signals from the chain of primary forward link equipment to the transponder;
• and
• (g) transmitting the signals from the transponder to the mobile platform,
• wherein if the chain of primary forward link equipment from step (f) fails, the router selects a path for a spare chain of forward link equipment that transmits the signals to the transponder.

A system for switching chains of forward link equipment used to transmit signals from a ground station to a mobile platform, the system comprising:

• a plurality of primary chains of forward link equipment, wherein each primary chain of forward link equipment comprises a path having a unique address;
• a plurality of spare chains of forward link equipment wherein each spare chain of forward link equipment comprises a path having a unique address;
• at least one router that transmits signals to the primary chains of forward link equipment and the spare chains of forward link equipment via the paths;
• at least one route server that presents the paths of the primary chains of forward link equipment and the paths of the spare chains of forward link equipment to the router;
• at least one forward link assignment manager that manages the paths of the primary chains of forward link equipment and the paths of the spare chains of forward link equipment;
• at least one transponder that receives signals from the primary chains of forward link equipment and the spare chains of forward link equipment;
• at least one receiver in communication with the transponder and the route server;
• and
• at least one mobile platform that receives the unique address of the paths of primary chains of forward link equipment and the spare chains of forward link equipment via the transponder,
• wherein when a primary chain of forward link equipment is transmitting signals to the mobile platform, the unique address of the path of the primary chain of forward link equipment is transmitted from the mobile platform to the forward link assignment manager via the receiver, and
• wherein when the primary chain of forward link equipment that is transmitting signals to the mobile platform fails, the unique address of the path of the failed primary chain of forward link equipment is not transmitted from the mobile platform to the forward link assignment manager such that the forward link assignment manager presents paths of spare chains of forward link equipment to the route server.