Satellite Beam Mobility Area Mapping for Core Network Compatibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Satellite-based location and mobility management poses challenges due to the constant movement of satellite beams relative to ground-based mobility areas, which is not compatible with existing land-based cellular network protocols, requiring innovative solutions to maintain seamless connectivity and interoperability with standard core networks.
Innovation Solution
A satellite network system coordinates satellite-based radio access by determining and updating mappings between satellite beams and mobility areas, allowing user terminals to report their positions and enabling precise paging without modifying the core network, using techniques such as GPS coordinates, triangulation, and encryption methods to maintain compatibility with 3G, 4G, and 5G core networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If satellite beams are used to provide radio access, then coverage area is improved, but the mapping between beams and ground regions becomes unstable due to constant beam movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic mapping between satellite beams and mobility areas by continuously updating the mapping relationship as satellites move. The system maintains current mapping information in the satellite access network device, allowing it to adapt to changing beam positions while preserving stable mobility area definitions in the core network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces mobility areas as an intermediary layer between satellite beams and core network cells. This intermediate abstraction decouples the core network from satellite-specific dynamics, allowing stable core network operations while accommodating moving satellite beams through the mobility area mapping mechanism.
2Area of stationary object
If satellite networks operate with moving beams, then radio access coverage is improved, but compatibility with land-based protocols deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses mobility areas as an intermediary that translates satellite beam movements into stable location information for the core network. The satellite access network device maintains mapping between beams and mobility areas, allowing land-based protocols to operate with stationary mobility area assumptions while satellite beams move freely.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the network into distinct functional layers: the satellite access network handles beam dynamics and maintains beam-to-mobility-area mappings, while the core network operates with static mobility area definitions. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize for its specific requirements without compromising overall compatibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If core network is altered to accommodate satellite beam movement, then satellite network functionality is improved, but core network complexity and control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prevents core network modification by introducing mobility areas as an intermediary buffer. The core network continues to use standard land-based protocols with static mobility area definitions, while the satellite access network device handles all satellite-specific complexity through dynamic beam-to-mobility-area mapping.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts satellite-specific complexity from the core network and concentrates it in the satellite access network device. All beam movement tracking, mapping maintenance, and location determination functions are removed from the core network and implemented solely in the satellite access network device, preserving core network simplicity.
4Area of stationary object
If satellite beam coverage is expanded, then service area is improved, but beam movement speed increases making location tracking more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic mapping that automatically adapts to beam movement speed. The satellite access network device continuously updates the mapping between satellite beams and mobility areas, allowing the system to handle fast-moving LEO satellite beams while maintaining accurate location tracking through real-time mapping updates.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer-readable media, for location management for satellite systems. In some implementations, a controller of a satellite network system receives location data from a user terminal and registers the user terminal in a mobility area with a core network. The controller updates a mapping between satellite beams and mobility areas as the satellite beams move along the ground with respect to the mobility areas, then uses the updated mapping to communicate with the user terminal using an appropriate satellite beam. In some implementations, a controller of a satellite network system determines a mapping of satellite beams to mobility areas, and broadcasts, for each of multiple satellite beams, a message indicating (i) a set of mobility areas that are at least partially covered by the satellite beam and (ii) an indication of boundaries of the mobility areas in the set of mobility areas.