Systems and methods for facilitating wireless network communication, satellite-based wireless network systems, and aircraft-based wireless network systems, and related methods

A method for routing data packets in a wireless network system, the method comprising:

• initiating at a source node a data packet transmission via a first source wireless interface,
• receiving at a repeater node the data packet transmission on one of a first repeater wireless interface and a second repeater wireless interface;
• repeating the data packet transmission on the other of the first repeater wireless interface and the second repeater wireless interface;
• and
• receiving the data packet transmission on one of a first destination wireless interface and a second destination wireless interface of a destination node.

A satellite-based, wireless network system comprising:

• an earth-station server configured to transmit data packets to a secondary network;
• a first satellite client of a plurality of satellite clients;
• a terrestrial client configured to maintain a table of known satellites, wherein the table is operable to store an address for each satellite client known to the terrestrial client;
• at least one processor associated with at least one of the earth-station server, the first satellite client, and the terrestrial client, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
• establish a temporary route between the terrestrial client and the earth-station server via the first satellite client;
• ping a second satellite client;
• measure a response latency of the second satellite client;
• determine, based on the measured response latency, whether the second satellite client has a reliable time-to-live,
• wherein, if the second satellite client is determined to have the reliable time-to-live, initiate a normal-mode handoff to the second satellite client;
• and
• wherein, if the second satellite client is determined not to have the reliable time-to-live, initiate a survival-mode handoff.

A method for routing data packets in a satellite-based, wireless network, the method comprising:

• maintaining at a terrestrial client a table of known satellites, wherein the table is operable to store an address for each known satellite client in the table;
• establishing a temporary route between the terrestrial client and an earth-station server configured to transmit data packets to a secondary network through a first satellite client in a plurality of satellite clients;
• pinging a second satellite client;
• measuring a response latency of the first satellite client;
• determining, based on the measured response latency, whether the second satellite client has a predetermined reliable time-to-live;
• wherein, if the satellite client is determined to have the reliable time-to-live, initiating a normal handoff to the second satellite client;
• and
• wherein, if the first satellite client is determined not to have the reliable time-to-live, initiating a survival-mode handoff.

A method for routing data packets in a wireless network system, the method comprising:

• initiating a data packet transmission via a source wireless interface associated with a terrestrial client;
• receiving the data packet transmission on a first frequency at an uplink interface associated with a satellite client and repeating the data packet transmission on a second frequency at a downlink interface associated with the satellite client, wherein the first and second frequencies are non-overlapping;
• receiving the data packet transmission on one of a first destination wireless interface and a second destination wireless interface associated with an earth-station server;
• repeating the data packet transmission on the other of the first destination wireless interface and the second destination wireless interface;
• and
• transmitting the data packet transmission to a secondary network.

A wireless network system comprising:

• an earth-station server configured to provide a gateway to a secondary network;
• and
• a plurality of clients, each comprising a client controller configured to implement a client process,
• wherein the client process of at least one of the clients selects a transmission path to the earth-station server that is an indirect link to the earth-station server through at least one of the other clients, and
• wherein at least one of the clients is aircraft-based.

A method for routing data packets in a wireless network, the method comprising:

• configuring an earth-station server to provide a gateway to a secondary network;
• providing a plurality of clients;
• and
• implementing a client process operable via one or more of the plurality of clients to select a transmission path to the earth-station server that is an indirect link to the earth-station server through at least another of the plurality clients,
• wherein at least one of the clients is aircraft-based.