Inter-satellite handover optimization based on terrestrial obstacle obstruction prediction by user device in obstruction scenarios

A method comprising:

• receiving, via a communication subsystem of a user device, communication service by a currently serving satellite of a constellation of satellites in low earth orbit (LEO), the serving satellite having a field of view encompassing a target area surrounding the user device and communicatively coupled via an inter-satellite communication system with other satellites;
• determining a location of the user device;
• tracking trajectories and corresponding fields of view of the constellation of satellites;
• determining one or more target satellites of the constellation of satellites having respective field of views that encompasses the target area that encompasses the user device;
• predicting, based on one or more topological terrain maps, device location and movement of a satellite in its orbit towards an obstruction on the terrain map, whether a radio link failure is predicted to occur due to one or more terrestrial obstructions between the user device and respective ones of the currently serving device and the one or more target satellites that have a field of view encompassing the target area surrounding the user device;
• and
• in response to predicting a radio link failure due to a terrestrial obstruction between the user device and the serving satellite, triggering, via the communications subsystem, completion of a conditional handover of a radio link to a target satellite that is not predicted to have a radio link failure due to a terrestrial obstruction.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage device;
• and
• program code on the computer readable storage device that when executed by a processor associated with a user device, the program code enables the user device to provide functionality of:
• receiving, via a communication subsystem of the user device, communication service by a currently serving satellite of a constellation of satellites in low earth orbit (LEO), the serving satellite having a field of view encompassing a target area surrounding the user device and communicatively coupled via an inter-satellite communication system with other satellites;
• determining a location of the user device;
• tracking trajectories and corresponding fields of view of the constellation of satellites;
• determining one or more target satellites having respective field of views that encompasses the target area that encompasses the user device;
• predicting, based on one or more topological terrain maps, device location and movement of a satellite in its orbit towards an obstruction on the terrain map, whether a radio link failure is predicted to occur due to one or more terrestrial obstructions between the user device and respective ones of the currently serving device and the one or more target satellites that have a field of view encompassing the target area surrounding the user device;
• and
• in response to predicting a radio link failure due to a terrestrial obstruction between the user device and the serving satellite, triggering, via the communications subsystem, completion of a conditional handover of a radio link to a target satellite that is not predicted to have a radio link failure due to a terrestrial obstruction.