Communication within a private access channel

Abstract

Communication within a private access channel The present invention relates to a method (10) for communication within a private access channel comprising the following steps: - generation (12) of a random number suitable for being translated, according to a rule, into an access key to said private access channel defining a frequency hopping law comprising a plurality of time and frequency positions of the radio resources to be allocated, said rule being known by any equipment suitable for being authorized to access said channel and / or to control access thereto; - acquisition (14) and translation of said random number into said key; - using said key obtained from said random number, request (18) for access to said private access channel, and / or authorization (20) for access to said private access channel; and / or allocation (22), to said private access channel, of the radio resources defined by said access key; - communication (24) using said private access channel. Figure for abstract: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Communication within a private access channel

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of communication within a private access channel whose access frame is broadcast within a communication network.

[0002] The present invention also relates to a computer program comprising software instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement such a communication method within a private access channel whose access frame is broadcast within a communication network.

[0003] The present invention also relates to a communication system configured to implement such a communication method within a private access channel whose access frame is broadcast within a communication network.

[0004] The invention relates to the field of communications and more particularly to telecommunications, in particular satellite telecommunications.

[0005] Currently, for terrestrial mobile communications, cellular waveforms (i.e. dedicated to cellular networks) have a public access channel whose characteristics are either defined in a 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) standard in a static manner, or specified in the system information broadcast by each cell.

[0006] In other words, according to current standards associated with land mobile communications, user terminals attach to the network by means of an access channel whose characteristics are published on a broadcast channel or are predefined in the standard (i.e. the standard).

[0007] This public access channel is a contention access channel and collisions may occur there.

[0008] Furthermore, it is known that a denial of service is unfortunately easy to implement on this type of channel. Indeed, any transmitter, following decoding of the system information, can jam only this access channel, the other transmitting terminals are then interfered on this channel and cannot access the network. Furthermore, a jammer specifically targeting this type of public access channel and generating a denial of service is not only easy to implement but also difficult to detect.

[0009] Thus, such a public access channel as implemented in cellular networks for several decades has the disadvantage of its lack of robustness in denial of service.

[0010] Alternatively, a communication solution consists of not implementing a public access channel, but a static access channel not published in pre-reserving dedicated resources per terminal, which is cumbersome in terms of planning, expensive in terms of bandwidth and preferentially suited to small networks, such as those implemented in particular within the “System 21®” military satellite communications system developed by the Applicant.

[0011] The disadvantage of an unpublished static access channel is that it becomes detectable as soon as terminals use it, an external observer being able to determine the characteristics of this channel from the observed behavior of the terminals in the spectrum.

[0012] As an alternative, another known technical solution is static scheduling of terminals, avoiding them having to request resources because they have a private access channel. However, the disadvantage of current static scheduling lies in the fact that taking into account or deleting a user station (i.e. a terminal) requires a non-automated re-scheduling intervention. In addition, such scheduling is statically incompatible with mobility and scaling corresponding to (i.e. being) a quasi-instantaneous access capacity for a large number of user terminals.

[0013] Satellite communications will likely adopt 3GPP standards from terrestrial mobile communications.

[0014] Thus, the present invention furthermore aims, more particularly, at an application to the field of satellite communications (satcom), in particular with a view to an application of the future standard (i.e. standard) for non-terrestrial 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) networks.

[0015] The new satellite constellations as well as the high-throughput geostationary HTS (High Throughput Satellite) satellites offer global or multi-spot coverage, each spot being typically a circle or ellipse of 100 to 500 km in diameter, multi-spot coverage covering one or more continents, or even the entire globe.

[0016] More specifically, a protected communications domain uses satellites traveling in non-geostationary orbit, such as low Earth orbit (LEO) or medium Earth orbit (MEO).

[0017] For such communications under a moving constellation, the coverage is no longer global, but regional under each of the satellites which are no longer “fixed” (i.e. geostationary) but move through space.

[0018] For such constellations of satellites in LEO or MEO type orbit, a user terminal (i.e. equipment) is generally capable of autonomously determining its transit time. Indeed, each satellite in this type of constellation manages a multitude of spots. The size of the spot is generally less than 100 km. The terminal is able to determine the spot in which it is located, and therefore its approximate location, by listening to the beacon signal transmitted by the transmitter in this spot.

[0019] While some brief communications can be made via the same moving satellite, in general, communications must be relayed between satellites when the transmitter of a communication and the corresponding receiver are not or no longer covered by the same satellite. Indeed, since terrestrial communication networks are fixed (i.e. anchored), the anchor stations are not constantly moving to ensure continuity of communication with the same satellite.

[0020] In the context of protected communications, particularly for government use cases, a denial of service, as mentioned previously with regard to public access channels used for land mobile communications, is not conceivable.

[0021] The aim of the invention is then to propose a network access channel which remains robust to denial of service attacks and which is also in particular applicable to satellite communications implemented by constellations of moving satellites capable of forming a plurality of spots.

[0022] To this end, the invention relates to a method of communication within a private access channel whose access frame is broadcast within a communication network of a communication system, the method comprising the following steps:

[0023] - generation of a random variable capable of being translated, according to a predetermined rule, into a access key to said private access channel, said at least one access key defining a frequency hopping law comprising at least a plurality of time and frequency positions of the radio resources to be allocated, in said access frame, according to said random number, to said private access channel, said predetermined rule being known in advance by any equipment of said communication system capable of being authorized to access said private access channel and / or to control access to said private access channel;

[0024] - acquisition and translation of said random number into said access key, by at least one equipment capable of being authorized to access said private access channel and / or to control access to said private access channel;

[0025] - using said access key obtained from said random number:

[0026] - request for access to said private access channel implemented by said at least one equipment corresponding to a terminal capable of being authorized to access said private access channel,

[0027] and / or

[0028] - authorization of access to said private access channel implemented by said at least one equipment corresponding to access control equipment to said private access channel;

[0029] and / or

[0030] - allocation, to said private access channel, of the radio resources defined by said key access, said allocation being implemented by said at least one equipment corresponding to a base station of said communication system;

[0031] - communication within said communication system using said channel private access, said communication being implemented by a terminal authorized by said access control equipment to said private access channel.

[0032] Thus, the present invention proposes to implement access to a private access channel whose allocated resources have variability and / or temporal and frequency spread. This variability or this spread are defined by at least one random element deriving from a predefined access key (i.e. access encryption key) defining a frequency hopping law comprising at least a plurality of temporal and frequency positions of the radio resources to be allocated, in the access frame, according to said random element, to said private access channel.

[0033] Said frequency hopping law thus defines the private access channel according to the present invention by configuring a radio resource (from the English radio block) in the time-frequency matrix.

[0034] This access channel necessarily uses resources normally used by traffic. The random factor determining the characteristics of the channel, as well as the access method in this channel are known only to the network and its equipment (i.e. terminals), the configuration of these random factors being specific to be carried out beforehand on the network.

[0035] In other words, the access channel thus defined according to the present invention by allocation / configuration of radio resources, in particular in uplink, is only accessible by the network and its equipment which know the random factor determining the characteristics of the channel, as well as the method of access in this channel and inaccessible to a malicious actor wishing to interfere, the characteristics of this channel not being broadcast as such, but at best only a reference to this channel

[0036] Indeed, such a malicious actor wishing to interfere has at best knowledge of the public channel as mentioned above in relation to the state of the art, in particular via the standards or information broadcast within this public channel but does not know of the existence of said private access channel according to the present invention which he sees at best as traffic on the uplink.

[0037] Thus the introduction of variable spatio-temporal randomness(ies) according to the present invention makes it possible to prevent a terminal from being able to detect the position of the radio resources allocated by listening to the allocation matrix.

[0038] According to other advantageous aspects of the invention, the method comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all technically possible combinations:

[0039] - said frequency hopping law comprising at least a plurality of positions temporal and frequency of the radio resources to be allocated in said access frame to said private access channel defines their arrangement, along a frequency axis, with the number and position of the sub-carriers allocated to said private access channel, and along a time axis, with the time slots usable on said allocated sub-carriers;

[0040] - said predetermined rule is obtained by prior association of each value randomizing a set of distinct random values ​​respectively to each allocation of a set of distinct allocations of radio resources in said access frame;

[0041] - said association also takes into account at least one of the parameters belonging to the group comprising at least:

[0042] - a cell number in which said at least one piece of equipment of said communication system corresponding to a terminal capable of being authorized to access said private access channel;

[0043] - a radio frame number (36) suitable for being transmitted during an access frame (34), the duration of said access frame covering a plurality of radio frame durations, a radio frame being dedicated to the allocation of resources for user traffic via the terminals of said communication system;

[0044] - a predetermined number of contiguous radio resources to be allocated when said network communication is a satellite communications network implemented via at least one constellation of moving satellites;

[0045] - an identifier of a satellite visible to said at least one piece of equipment of said system of communication corresponding to a terminal capable of being authorized to access said private access channel, when said communication network is a satellite communications network implemented via at least one constellation of moving satellites;

[0046] - said association, a step of determining said visible satellite identifier and / or said predetermined number of contiguous radio resources to be allocated, necessary for access to said at least one piece of equipment of said communication system corresponding to a terminal capable of being authorized to access said private access channel, under the coverage of said at least one constellation of moving satellites;

[0047] - said determination step is implemented by said terminal using the ephemerides received from said at least one constellation of moving satellites;

[0048] - said step of determining said predetermined number of radio resources contiguous to be allocated includes determining the maximum and minimum values ​​of the transit times from the center of the satellite spot in which said terminal is located, and taking into account said maximum and minimum values ​​of the transit times to determine said predetermined number of contiguous radio resources;

[0049] - when said communication network is a satellite communications network implemented via at least one constellation of moving satellites, said access key also defines at least one spatial dimension corresponding to a satellite direction to be used by a terminal authorized by said access control equipment to said private access channel.

[0050] The invention also relates to a computer program comprising software instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement a communication method within a private access channel whose access frame is broadcast within a communication network as defined above.

[0051] The invention also relates to a communication system configured to implement the method described above.

[0052] The invention will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the drawings in which:

[0053] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] is a flowchart of a communication process within of a private access channel whose access frame is broadcast within a communication network, according to the invention;

[0054] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] illustrates two examples of resource allocation obtained according to the present invention within the time-frequency matrix;

[0055] [Fig.3] [Fig.4] Figures 3 and 4 illustrate in schematic form the determination of the predetermined number of contiguous radio resources to be allocated.

[0056] According to one embodiment, not shown, the communication system, configured to implement the method according to the present invention, comprises, for example, at least one constellation of moving satellites, and a plurality of ground equipment comprising at least one communication terminal and at least one ground anchoring station connected by a network.

[0057] Each anchor station comprises a receiver / transmitter of radio frequency signals (also called RF signals hereinafter) which can be fixed or mobile on the ground in a known geographical area. Some anchor stations (i.e. ground stations) can be configured only for transmitting RF signals and some other anchor stations (i.e. ground stations) can be configured only for receiving RF signals.

[0058] According to various embodiments, the communication system may comprise fixed or mobile anchor stations (i.e. ground stations) in distinct geographical areas. For example, the communication system may comprise a pair of fixed or mobile ground stations in one geographical area and a pair of fixed or mobile ground stations in another geographical area.

[0059] Optionally, at least one of the anchor stations is capable of acting as a “Hub” by being further connected to a terrestrial computer network, such as an RF network or a wired network. Thus, this anchor station acting as a “Hub” makes it possible to relay signals between a satellite and another ground station which is not directly covered by a satellite.

[0060] The satellite constellation comprises N (with N being an integer) satellites traveling in a non-geostationary orbit, such as low Earth orbit or medium Earth orbit. The number N is greater than two, advantageously greater than ten and preferably greater than fifty. Generally, the number N may be between two and one thousand. In certain embodiments, the number N is between two and ten thousand. Still in certain other embodiments, the number N is greater than ten thousand.

[0061] Each satellite is for example a mini-satellite or a nano-satellite. Furthermore, in a manner known per se, each satellite comprises a payload comprising all of its electronic components enabling it to ensure its communication functions with the ground and with other satellites.

[0062] The payloads of the satellites are, for example, substantially similar to each other and generally comprise a radiofrequency signal receiver / transmitter, also called an RF signal receiver / transmitter.

[0063] The RF signal receiver / transmitter makes it possible to receive RF signals, for example, from a ground station and to transmit RF signals, for example, also to a ground station, using one or more bands allocated to satellite communications, such as the C, X, Ku, Ka bands, etc. In other words, the RF signal receiver / transmitter makes it possible to provide a radiofrequency link with another receiver / transmitter located at a distance from the satellite 20-1, such as, for example, a ground station or another satellite.

[0064] To do this, the RF signal receiver / transmitter is connected to one or more antennas capable of forming a plurality of spots. Each beam can cover different sub-areas within the same geographical area. Thus, upon transmission, RF signals can be selectively switched to one or more spots covering the desired sub-area.

[0065] The payload of a satellite is capable of comprising other known elements such as a processing module, a modem for transmitting / receiving optical signals, a control module, etc., which will not be detailed further below.

[0066] As an optional addition, said communication system further comprises a manager, also called an orchestrator hereinafter, arranged for example on the ground, in a fixed or mobile manner and covered at all times by at least one of the satellites of the constellation. Such a manager makes it possible in particular to transmit to at least a satellite of said constellation of configuration data allowing to control the command modules of all the satellites of the constellation.

[0067] As an optional addition, said communication system further comprises access control equipment for said private access channel implemented according to the present invention. Optionally, said access control equipment is embedded or not within said manager.

[0068] A method 10 of communication within a private access channel whose access frame is broadcast within a communication network of such a communication system is explained below with reference to [Fig.l] presenting a flowchart of the steps of this method 10.

[0069] As illustrated by [Fig.l], said method 10 generally comprises a first step 12 of generation GEN of a random number suitable for being translated, according to a predetermined rule, into an access key to said private access channel, said access key defining a frequency hopping law comprising at least a plurality of time and frequency positions of the radio resources to be allocated, in said access frame, according to said random number, to said private access channel, said predetermined rule being known in advance by any equipment of said communication network system suitable for being authorized to access said private access channel and / or to control access to said private access channel.

[0070] Said method 10 further comprises a second step 14 of ACQ acquisition and translation of said random number into said access key, by at least one piece of equipment capable of being authorized to access said private access channel and / or to control access to said private access channel.

[0071] Then, using said access key obtained from said random number, said method 10 comprises a set 16 of steps including a step 18 of requesting access DEM to said private access channel implemented by said at least one piece of equipment corresponding to a terminal capable of being authorized to access said private access channel.

[0072] Alternatively or in addition, said set 16 of steps comprises a step 20 of authorizing access AUT to said private access channel implemented by said at least one device corresponding to an access control device to said private access channel. It should be noted that to do this, the private access channel is capable of operating with a return signaling channel capable of being public in order to allow the terminals with private access to know via the public channel that they have been admitted and to know the synchronization instruction to be applied.

[0073] Alternatively or in addition, said set 16 of steps comprises a step 22 of allocation ALLOC, to said private access channel, of the radio resources defined by said access key, said allocation being implemented by said at least one piece of equipment corresponding to a base station of said communication system.

[0074] Finally, said method 10 comprises a step 24 of COMM communication within said communication system using said private access channel, said communication being implemented by a terminal authorized by said access control equipment to said private access channel.

[0075] As an optional addition, as shown in dotted lines, said method further comprises a prior ASSO association step 26 according to which said predetermined rule is obtained by associating each random value of a set of distinct random values ​​respectively with each allocation of a set of distinct allocations of radio resources in said access frame.

[0076] As an optional addition, said association 26 also takes into account at least one of the parameters belonging to the group comprising at least:

[0077] - a cell number in which said at least one piece of equipment of said communication network system corresponding to a terminal capable of being authorized to access said private access channel;

[0078] - a radio frame number suitable for being transmitted during an access frame, the duration of said access frame covering a plurality of radio frame durations, a radio frame being dedicated to the allocation of resources for user traffic via the terminals of said communication system;

[0079] - a predetermined number of contiguous radio resources to be allocated when said network communication is a satellite communications network implemented via at least one constellation of moving satellites;

[0080] - an identifier of a satellite visible to said at least one piece of equipment of said system of communication corresponding to a terminal capable of being authorized to access said private access channel, when said communication network is a satellite communications network implemented via at least one constellation of moving satellites.

[0081] According to this optional addition, via the spatio-temporal randomness according to the present invention, the position of the channel is capable of varying as a function of the frame number and / or as a function of the cell number.

[0082] As an optional addition, as shown in dotted lines, said method further comprises a step 28, prior to said association step 26, of determining DET said visible satellite identifier and / or said predetermined number of contiguous radio resources to be allocated, necessary for access by said at least one item of equipment of said communication system corresponding to a terminal capable of being authorized to access said private access channel, under the coverage of said at least one constellation of moving satellites.

[0083] As an optional addition, said determination step 28 is implemented by said terminal considered using the ephemerides received from said at least one constellation of moving satellites, an ephemeris containing the detailed orbital parameters for each satellite in the constellation considered.

[0084] Each of these steps is described in more detail below, particularly in relation to Figures 2 to 4.

[0085] More precisely, subsequently, in a non-limiting but purely illustrative manner, the implementation of the present invention is described more precisely within a communication system as previously described where the plurality of ground equipment comprising at least one communication terminal and at least one ground anchoring station connected by a network, are respectively SATCOM® products of the applicant, namely at least one SATCOM® communication terminal and at least one SATCOM® anchoring station.

[0086] In particular, in the case of a network established between such SATCOM® equipment, if the SATCOM® terminal has approximate knowledge of its position, of the position of a satellite, for example acquired via the ephemerides broadcast by said satellite or the constellation, and the network also indicates in a broadcast channel the transit time between the SATCOM® anchor station and said satellite, the terminal is able to determine, prior to any transmission, its synchronization with respect to the transmitter. Due to this ability of the terminal to synchronize, we then speak of orthogonal access mode.

[0087] In this context, the generation 12 of randomness is notably implemented via a randomness generator suitable for being embedded within one of the anchoring stations including the one suitable for playing the role of “Hub”, or within said manager or even within said access control equipment to said private access channel. The generated randomness is distributed by an external means, for example a key injector, to any equipment of the plurality of ground equipment of said communication system comprising at least one communication terminal and at least one ground anchoring station connected by a network.

[0088] The acquisition and translation 14 of the random number implements a function generating an access key according to a predefined algorithm common to the equipment of said plurality of equipment, in particular said at least one terminal and said at least one anchoring station.

[0089] As illustrated by examples 30 and 32 of [Fig.2] of pseudo-random allocation of radio resources, the access key defines a frequency hopping law comprising at least a plurality of time and frequency positions of the radio resources to be allocated, represented in black, in said access frame 34, according to said random number, to said private access channel, said predetermined rule being known in advance by any equipment of said communication system capable of being authorized to access said private access channel and / or to control access to said private access channel. Example 30 illustrates a pseudo-random allocation with one radio resource (i.e. radio block), shown in black, at a time and which “hops” frequency over time, while example 32 illustrates the pseudo-random allocation of three contiguous radio resources (i.e. contiguous radio blocks) at a time and which “hops” frequency over time.

[0090] In other words, said access key defines more precisely the arrangement of the radio resources dedicated to the private access channel. A change of access key is associated with a change of randomness, so that over time it is possible to modify the encryption key and therefore the randomness derived therefrom to use another arrangement of the radio resources dedicated to the private access channel, which makes it impossible for equipment seeking to interfere to access such a private channel (i.e. private access channel).

[0091] As an optional addition, said frequency hopping law comprising at least a plurality of time and frequency positions of the radio resources to be allocated in said access frame to said private access channel defines their arrangement, along a frequency axis, with the number and position of the sub-carriers allocated to said private access channel, and along a time axis, with the time slots usable on said allocated sub-carriers.

[0092] According to another optional addition, when said communication network is a satellite communications network implemented via at least one constellation of moving satellites, said access key also defines at least one spatial dimension corresponding to a satellite direction to be used by a terminal authorized by said access control equipment to said private access channel. In other words, according to this optional addition, there are a plurality of satellites to which the terminal could transmit.

[0093] Thus the access key corresponds to a unique pattern in a time / frequency, or time / frequency / direction, representation.

[0094] The translation of the random number, i.e. a randomly generated variable, into an access key is carried out either via a correspondence table which will have been previously loaded into the terminal and the anchor station. It can also be done by means of an algorithmic translation, the algorithm having been previously loaded into any equipment of said plurality of equipment of the communication system comprising said at least one terminal and said at least one anchor station.

[0095] This access key defines for each slot of the access frame the frequencies of the sub-carriers associated with said private access channel, in other words the frequencies represented in black in [Fig.2] of the radio resources (i.e. sub-carriers) allocated to said private access channel.

[0096] This representation is valid for an access frame 34 and is repeated in the following access frame 34. It should be noted in [Fig.2] that the duration of the access frame 34 is generally much greater than the duration of radio frame 36, in which resource allocations for user traffic are made, in order to reinforce the random aspect of the radio resources allocated to the access channel.

[0097] As indicated previously, said access key is used both by said at least one user terminal to determine the configuration of the private access channel, and by the anchor station (i.e. base station) to determine the time and frequency positions of the radio resources allocated to the private access channel.

[0098] Thus, in practice, when a user terminal wishes to access the private network, via said private access channel, it determines the access key from the random number and the cell number indicated by the broadcast channel.

[0099] The random factor determining the characteristics of the private access channel, as well as the method of accessing this channel, being known only to the network and the terminals of the communication system capable of being authorized to access it.

[0100] The start of the access frame is determined by the terminal from the radio frame number, previously determined by the terminal by conventionally listening to the public broadcast channels of the cell.

[0101] It should be noted that if a communication cell is accessible via a plurality of satellites, an access key is determined for each visible satellite, based on the identity of the satellite visible to the terminal, which is known by means of previously loaded ephemerides.

[0102] The base station proceeds symmetrically by allocating resources to the private access channel according to said frequency hopping law defined by said access key obtained from said random number.

[0103] As notably illustrated by example 32 of [Fig.2], in an embodiment specific to the spatial context. The pattern of radio resources (i.e. radio blocks) allocated in the frame is a function of the frame number but also constrained by the number of contiguous radio resources (i.e. radio blocks) to be allocated.

[0104] Indeed, the initial access being intended to allow fine synchronization of the terminal accessing said private channel (i.e. private access channel), the number of contiguous radio resources (i.e. contiguous radio blocks) to be allocated temporally in transmission is conditioned by the uncertainty on the propagation time of the signal.

[0105] More specifically, as an optional addition, as illustrated by [Fig.3] and 4, as an optional addition, said step of determining said predetermined number of contiguous radio resources to be allocated comprises determining the maximum and minimum values ​​of the transit times from the center of the satellite spot in which said terminal is located, and taking into account said maximum and minimum values transit times to determine said predetermined number of contiguous radio resources.

[0106] More precisely, according to this variant illustrated by the set of steps 38 of [Fig.3], during said step of determining said predetermined number of contiguous radio resources, said terminal firstly determines during a step 40 the size of the spot T_S of the satellite which illuminates it as well as, successively or in parallel, during a step 42 its ephemeris E.

[0107] [Fig.4] illustrates such a spot of diameter X, Alpha the minimum angle under which the satellite S illuminates this spot, D the maximum distance at which this satellite S is located from the center of the spot.

[0108] From the ephemeris E making it possible to determine the distance D, and from the spot size T_S, said terminal determines, during a step 44, the maximum Vmax and minimum Vmin values ​​of the transit times from the center of the satellite spot in which said terminal is located, such that:

[0109] - Vmax=Dmax / c, with c the speed of the wave and Dmax=D+Xcos(Alpha) such that shown in [Fig.4], and

[0110] - Vmin=Dmin / c, with c the Fonde speed and Dmin=D-Xcos(Alpha) such that shown in [Fig.4].

[0111] Thus, the travel time spread is given by DeltaT= (Dmax-Dmin) / c.

[0112] During step 46, the terminal then determines the number N_R_B_C of contiguous radio resources (i.e. contiguous radio blocks) to be allocated for access in private mode, and this as a function of said spread of the travel time DeltaT, and also of the duration T_RB of a radio resource obtained previously during a step 48 of determination D_R_B of this duration.

[0113] More precisely, the number N_R_B_C of contiguous radio resources to be allocated for private mode access is the upper rounding of the ratio: DeltaT / T_RB.

[0114] In parallel, a step 50 of application2 A_C_A of the access keys as described previously is carried out and during step 52 the radio resource allocator of said at least one anchor station for example uses said number N_R_B_C of contiguous radio resources and the frequency hopping law to implement the allocation of resources to the private channel (i.e. private access channel) according to the present invention.

[0115] In other words, according to this embodiment variant, in a planning phase, the method determines 46 the number of contiguous radio resources (i.e. contiguous radio blocks) necessary for access by a terminal under the coverage of a constellation. In the access phase, the allocator of the radio resources (i.e. radio blocks) takes into account this number N_R_B_C and the access keys to determine the effective allocation of the M radio resources (i.e. radio blocks) which will be usable by the accessing terminals. private. The terminal is configured to know the number of contiguous radio resources (i.e. radio blocks) when it is under constellation coverage, and is able to determine the transit times from the center of the spot from the ephemeris it has received.

[0116] It should be noted that several private access channels according to the present invention are capable of coexisting, in particular to meet a need to make several distinct “private” communication systems (from the English slice) coexist. Thus, each “private network” can thus have its own private access channel.

[0117] Note that in this particular case of coexistence, a collision is possible when in certain frames the same private radio resource is allocated to two distinct coexisting private access channels.

[0118] Those skilled in the art will understand that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described, nor to the particular examples of the description, the embodiments and variants mentioned above being suitable for being combined with each other to generate new embodiments of the invention.

[0119] The present invention thus makes it possible to provide a terminal with private and random access under a given constellation to an access channel whose characteristics as such are never broadcast, the private access channel being defined by a frequency hopping law derived from an access key common to the allocator (i.e. said at least one anchor station) and to said at least one terminal of the communication system according to the present invention. Such an access channel is then “invisible” to an intentional interferer because the position of the radio resources is not known to him and varies.

[0120] According to a particular variant, as described previously, the private access channel is formed by a set of contiguous radio resources (i.e. contiguous radio blocks) in time and whose contiguous radio resources (i.e. contiguous radio blocks) change frequency according to said access key from which the random number is derived, this number being in particular determined and allocated according to the maximum and minimum values ​​of the transit times taking into account the fact that the terminal has knowledge of the spot in which it is located and of the ephemerides of the constellation.

[0121] The solution according to the present invention thus avoids the main drawback of the public access channel which is ultimately not to be private, by private we mean unknown except by the members (i.e. equipment) having access to it. In addition, this solution avoids the drawback of static planning which does not allow scaling in number of spots or terminals. Finally, this solution avoids the implementation of a static private access channel because according to the present invention the channel evolves dynamically according to a common access key, because the allocated radio resources vary at the same time as the access key and the randomness deriving from this access key.

[0122] Furthermore, it should be noted that this solution is advantageously compatible with the waveforms of cellular radios applied to SATCOM® equipment, fifth generation non-terrestrial network, 5G NTN (from the English Non-Terrestrial Network), and usefully suited to being applied within the framework of the 3GPP standard, in particular by providing a response to private access under scrolling constellation.

Claims

Claims

1. Method (10) of communication within a private access channel whose access frame is broadcast within a communication network of a communication system, the method comprising the following steps: - generation (12) of a random number suitable for being translated, according to a predetermined rule, into an access key to said private access channel, said at least one access key defining a frequency hopping law comprising at least a plurality of time and frequency positions of the radio resources to be allocated, in said access frame, according to said random number, to said private access channel, said predetermined rule being known in advance by any equipment of said communication system suitable for being authorized to access said private access channel and / or to control access to said private access channel;- acquisition (14) and translation of said random number into said access key, by at least one equipment suitable for being authorized to access said private access channel and / or for controlling access to said private access channel; - using said access key obtained from said random number: - request (18) for access to said private access channel implemented by said at least one equipment corresponding to a terminal suitable for being authorized to access said private access channel, and / or - authorization (20) for access to said private access channel implemented by said at least one equipment corresponding to equipment for controlling access to said private access channel; and / or - allocation (22), to said private access channel, of the radio resources defined by said access key, said allocation being implemented by said at least one equipment corresponding to a base station of said communication system;- communication (24) within said communication system using said private access channel, said communication being implemented by a terminal authorized by said access control equipment to said private access channel.;

2. A communication method (10) according to claim 1, wherein said frequency hopping law comprises at least a plurality of time and frequency positions of the radio resources to be allocated in said access frame to said private access channel defines their arrangement, along a frequency axis, with the number and position of the subcarriers allocated to said private access channel, and along a time axis, with the time slots usable on said allocated subcarriers.

3. A communication method (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said predetermined rule is obtained by prior association (26) of each random value of a set of distinct random values respectively with each allocation of a set of distinct allocations of radio resources in said access frame.

4. Communication method (10) according to claim 3, wherein said association (26) also takes into account at least one of the parameters belonging to the group comprising at least: - a cell number in which said at least one equipment of said communication system is located corresponding to a terminal suitable for being authorized to access said private access channel; - a radio frame number (36) suitable for being transmitted during an access frame (34), the duration of said access frame covering a plurality of radio frame durations, a radio frame being dedicated to the allocation of resources for user traffic via the terminals of said communication system; - a predetermined number of contiguous radio resources to be allocated when said communication network is a satellite communications network implemented via at least one constellation of moving satellites;- an identifier of a satellite visible to said at least one piece of equipment of said communication system corresponding to a terminal capable of being authorized to access said private access channel, when said communication network is a satellite communications network implemented via at least one constellation of moving satellites.;

5. Communication method (10) according to claim 4, further comprising, prior to said association (26), a step of determining (28) said visible satellite identifier and / or said predetermined number of contiguous radio resources to be allocated, necessary for access to said at least one piece of equipment of said communication system corresponding to a terminal capable of being authorized to access said private access channel, under the cover of said at least one constellation of moving satellites.

6. A communication method (10) according to claim 5, wherein said determining step (28) is implemented by said terminal using the ephemerides received from said at least one constellation of moving satellites.

7. A method (10) of communication according to claim 6, wherein said step of determining (28) said predetermined number of contiguous radio resources to be allocated comprises determining the maximum and minimum values of the transit times from the center of the satellite spot in which said terminal is located, and taking into account said maximum and minimum values of the transit times to determine said predetermined number of contiguous radio resources.

8. Communication method (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, when said communication network is a satellite communications network implemented via at least one constellation of moving satellites, said access key also defines at least one spatial dimension corresponding to a satellite direction to be used by a terminal authorized by said access control equipment to said private access channel.

9. A program comprising software instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement a method of communication within a private access channel whose access frame is broadcast within a communication network according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. Communication system configured to implement the communication method within a private access channel whose access frame is broadcast within a communication network according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 8.

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