Satellite Connection Request Offload via Service Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional satellite infrastructure and connection request scheduling techniques do not account for the varying services loaded on different satellites, leading to inefficient fulfillment of connection requests and increased overhead due to unnecessary service loading.

Innovation Solution

A method is implemented where a first satellite receives a connection request, analyzes the services needed, and if it lacks the required services, performs an offload process to identify and register with another satellite that has the necessary services loaded, thereby offloading the connection request to that satellite.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a satellite receives and fulfills connection requests without checking service availability, then connection requests can be processed quickly, but services may need to be loaded unnecessarily increasing overhead

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection request processing speedVSAvoidservice loading overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by having satellites pre-register their available services in a database before receiving connection requests. This allows the network to determine service availability in advance, avoiding the need to load services after connection requests are received, thus reducing service loading overhead while maintaining fast processing speeds

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where satellites continuously report their service status to the network, and the network uses this feedback information to make intelligent routing decisions. This feedback loop ensures that connection requests are directed to satellites that already have the required services loaded, preventing unnecessary service loading and reducing overhead

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If services are loaded on all satellites to ensure service availability, then connection requests can be fulfilled reliably, but resource expenditure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice fulfillment reliabilityVSAvoidsatellite resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by having different satellites load different services based on their specific roles, coverage areas, and capabilities. Instead of uniformly loading all services on all satellites, each satellite is configured with the specific services needed for its local function, ensuring reliable service fulfillment while minimizing resource consumption across the network

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a network/database intermediary that coordinates service distribution across satellites. This intermediary maintains information about which satellites have which services loaded and routes connection requests accordingly, eliminating the need for each satellite to have all services locally available, thus reducing overall resource consumption while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If connection requests are offloaded to other satellites, then service efficiency improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice fulfillment efficiencyVSAvoidoffload management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements universality by creating a standardized offload mechanism that can be applied to any satellite and any service type. The database and routing protocol provide a universal framework that handles service matching and offloading consistently across different satellites and services, improving efficiency without proportionally increasing complexity through standardization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250141534A1Management of connection requests based on services loaded on satellites

Publication Date: 2025.05.01 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes receiving, on a first satellite, a first connection request, and analyzing the first connection request to determine services needed to fulfill the first connection request. In response to a determination that the first satellite does not have at least a predetermined number of the determined services loaded, a predetermined offload process is performed. Performing the predetermined offload process includes identifying at least one satellite having a footprint coverage region that simultaneously matches a footprint coverage region of the first satellite within a first area of Earth's surface, determining whether a first of the identified satellites has at least the predetermined number of the determined services loaded, and causing the first connection request to be offloaded to the first identified satellite in response to a determination that the first identified satellite has at least the predetermined number of the determined services loaded.