Aircraft LEO Satellite Router Link Aggregation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current air-to-ground communication systems, particularly using geostationary satellites, face limitations in capacity, performance, and cost due to high latency and frequent handovers, which are exacerbated by increasing data demands from aircraft passengers for streaming and internet access.
Innovation Solution
A wireless satellite communication system for aircraft utilizing multiple low earth orbit (LEO) satellites with a router that establishes connections via two or more separate communication links to a terrestrial remote server, employing aggregated communication to increase capacity, reliability, and reduce latency, while using directional satellite antennas and multiple operators to enhance coverage and redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If geostationary satellites are used for air-to-ground communication, then coverage is provided, but capacity is limited and latency is very high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from geostationary satellite orbits to LEO satellite orbits, fundamentally changing the orbital parameter to reduce distance and latency. This parameter change enables lower latency communication while maintaining coverage through constellation architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the single geostationary satellite approach into multiple LEO satellites forming a constellation. This segmentation allows the system to maintain continuous coverage while individual satellites provide low-latency communication, resolving both coverage and latency requirements.
2Loss of time
If LEO satellites are used for communication, then latency is reduced, but coverage is limited and handovers are frequent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple LEO satellite connections into a unified communication link through link aggregation. By combining multiple satellite links at the network layer, the system maintains continuous coverage and reduces the impact of frequent handovers while preserving low latency benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite communication link by aggregating multiple LEO satellite connections. This composite approach combines the low-latency properties of individual LEO links with the coverage continuity of multiple satellites, achieving both objectives simultaneously.
3Productivity
If multiple LEO satellites are used with link aggregation, then capacity and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an aggregation server as an intermediary that manages multiple LEO satellite links. This mediator handles the complexity of link aggregation, load balancing, and handover management, allowing the aircraft router to benefit from increased capacity without directly managing the complex multi-satellite infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless satellite communication system for an aircraft comprises at least one router in the aircraft for communication with at least one terrestrial remote server through at least one external network comprising a plurality of low earth orbit, LEO, satellites. The router is arranged to establish connection with the remote server via the LEO satellites over at least two separate communication links, and the at least one terrestrial remote server at least comprises an aggregation server. The router is configured for receiving and transmitting wireless data to and from the aggregation server, using aggregated communication over the at least two separate communication links, the communication thereby at the end points appearing as a single link.