Schedule-Driven Satellite Handovers for Low-Latency Beam Switching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless handover technologies in satellite-based communication systems experience perceptible latencies, loss or interruption of service, and have limited scalability and flexibility, leading to degraded user experience and reduced availability of wireless services.
Innovation Solution
A schedule-driven handover scheme that predicts and schedules handover events in advance, using a route distribution service to generate communication schedules based on ephemeris data, location information, and other factors to facilitate seamless, stable, and efficient handovers between satellites and satellite terminals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If traditional wireless handover technologies are used, then handover can be performed, but perceptible latencies and service interruption occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by predicting future handover events based on ephemeris data and location information before they actually occur. The route distribution service generates communication schedules in advance, allowing the network to prepare handover parameters and establish new connections before the satellite moves out of coverage, thereby eliminating perceptible latencies and service interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the route distribution service continuously monitors satellite ephemeris data, location information, and communication schedules to dynamically adjust handover predictions. This feedback loop ensures that handover events are accurately predicted and scheduled, maintaining service continuity while minimizing latency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional handover technologies are used, then basic handover function is provided, but scalability and flexibility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a route distribution service that handles multiple handover scenarios through a single unified system. The service can process different types of satellite movements, coverage areas, and communication requirements using the same ephemeris data and location information mechanisms, thereby increasing adaptability without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by dynamically adjusting handover prediction parameters based on varying satellite ephemeris data, location information, and communication schedules. This allows the system to adapt to different handover scenarios by modifying parameters such as prediction time windows, scheduling intervals, and handover thresholds, thereby enhancing flexibility while maintaining manageable system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and non-transitory media are provided for low latency handovers. An example method can include receiving, by a user terminal associated with a cell served by a satellite, a schedule of communications between the user terminal and one or more satellites, wherein the one or more satellites comprises the satellite and a different satellite, and wherein the schedule of communications is obtained by the user terminal from the satellite; requesting, based on the schedule, a handover from a beam of the satellite to an additional beam of the satellite or a beam of the different satellite; performing the handover from the beam of the satellite to the additional beam of the satellite or the beam of the different satellite; and after the handover, transmitting, by the user terminal, one or more packets via the additional beam of the satellite or the beam of the different satellite.