Satellite constellation switching
AssigneeSpace Systems/Loral, Inc.
InventorJun Fang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A constellation of satellites form a communication system that includes communication between satellites and ground terminals as well as communication between satellites. The inter-satellite communication is implemented via wireless network comprising a first set of rings in a first orientation and a second set of rings in a second orientation. Each ring of the first set of rings and the second set of rings comprises two ringlets transmitting in opposite directions. Each satellite of the plurality of satellites is configured to communicate in a ring of the first set of rings and communicate in a ring of the second set of rings.
Claims25
A satellite communication system, comprising:
- a plurality of satellites, each of the satellites is configured to wirelessly communicate with ground terminals, each of the satellites is configured to wirelessly communicate with other satellites to form a wireless network comprising a first set of rings in a first orientation and a second set of rings in a second orientation, each ring of the first set of rings and the second set of rings comprises two ringlets transmitting in opposite directions, each satellite of the plurality of satellites is configured to communicate in a ring of the first set of rings and communicate in a ring of the second set of rings, each of the satellites of the plurality are configured to automatically detect a portion of the wireless network being unavailable, and to alert other satellite that the portion of the wireless network being unavailable.
A satellite communication system, comprising:
- a spacecraft;
- and
- a communications payload comprising a ground communication interface configured to communicate with one or more ground terminals and an inter-satellite communication interface configured to communicate with other satellites via two network rings, each network ring comprises two ringlets transmitting in opposite directions, the ground communication interface is connected to the inter-satellite communication interface, and the inter-satellite communication interface comprises:
- a MAC client;
- a first controller for the first ring in communication with the MAC client;
- and
- a second controller for the second ring in communication with the MAC client.
A method for operating a satellite communication system, comprising,
- accessing a message for communication to a destination via a constellation of satellites orbiting the Earth, each of the satellites configured to wirelessly communicate with other satellites to form a wireless network comprising a first set of rings and a second set of rings such that each satellite of the constellation of satellites is configured to communicate in a ring of the first set of rings and communicate in a ring of the second set of rings, each ring of the first set of rings and the second set of rings comprises two ringlets transmitting in opposite directions;
- identifying a target satellite of the constellation of satellites orbiting the Earth that will be in orbital position to service the destination at a future time of delivery of the message to the destination;
- operating a network switch on one or more satellites of the constellation of satellites orbiting the Earth to send the message toward the identified target satellite;
- transmitting the message from the identified target satellite to the destination;
- automatically discovering that at least a portion of the wireless network is not available;
- and
- sending out one or more control packets on the first set of rings and the second set of rings identifying the portion of the wireless network that is not available.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.