Satellite Data Packet Routing via Fixed Area Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Satellite communications systems face significant signaling overhead and transmission delays due to the need for frequent updates of routing tables, especially as satellites move rapidly and serve terminal devices for short periods.
Innovation Solution
A data packet processing method and apparatus that divides the earth surface, space, and network space into areas with fixed identifiers, establishing a mapping relationship between these identifiers. This allows satellites to forward data packets without involving ground stations, reducing signaling interactions and transmission delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If IP-based routing tables are established on satellites to enable direct satellite-to-satellite communication, then transmission delay is reduced, but signaling overhead increases due to frequent routing table updates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the traditional ground-based routing function into satellite-based routing functions. Each satellite maintains its own routing table independently, making routing decisions locally rather than relying on centralized ground station control. This segmentation enables direct satellite-to-satellite communication while distributing the routing management load across multiple satellites, reducing the signaling overhead associated with frequent centralized updates.
2Reliability
If routing tables are updated frequently to track satellite movements, then routing accuracy is maintained, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-calculating and pre-distributing routing information to satellites before it is needed. The ground station predicts future satellite positions and prepares routing tables in advance, then distributes them to satellites proactively rather than reactively updating them in real-time. This approach maintains routing accuracy while reducing the complexity and frequency of real-time routing table updates.
Data Source
AI summary
This application provides a data packet processing method and apparatus, applied to a satellite communications system. An earth surface, space, and network space are divided based on a satellite constellation and an ephemeris of a satellite, and an identifier is allocated to each ground area, each space area, and each network that are sub-divisions of the earth surface, space and network space, to establish a fixed mapping relationship between the EID, the SID, and the NID. In addition, each satellite maintains mapping relationship information recording the mapping relationship. Unless a satellite joins the constellation or one satellite leave service, the mapping relationship recorded in the mapping relationship information does not need to be updated. Based on the mapping relationship information, a satellite may route a data packet, thereby reducing a large amount of signaling interaction caused by establishing and maintaining a routing table in the conventional manner.