Satellite Beam Outroute Load Balancing for Multicast Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing satellite communication systems face challenges in managing load balancing across multiple outroutes to maintain quality of service (QoS) levels, particularly when multicast sessions are involved, leading to redundancy and bandwidth wastage.
Innovation Solution
A method for balancing traffic loads on beam outroutes by designating a multicast outroute and comparing traffic loads, performing load balancing routines to redistribute terminals, and excluding those actively receiving multicast traffic, using terminal and network-initiated load balancing mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If dynamic outroute load balancing is implemented to distribute terminals across multiple outroutes, then load balancing and resource utilization are improved, but multicast traffic redundancy increases and bandwidth is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts multicast-receiving terminals from the general terminal population and excludes them from load balancing operations. This allows multicast traffic to be delivered efficiently to these terminals while other terminals are freely load-balanced across outroutes, eliminating the need for redundant multicast stream replication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments terminals into two categories: those receiving multicast traffic and those that are not. This segmentation enables differentiated load balancing strategies - multicast terminals remain stationary to avoid redundancy, while non-multicast terminals are actively load-balanced, optimizing overall system efficiency.
2Productivity
If terminals are moved for load balancing purposes, then traffic distribution is optimized, but multicast session continuity may be disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts multicast-receiving terminals from load balancing operations by identifying them through multicast group membership information and excluding them from outroute changes. This ensures multicast session continuity while allowing load balancing for other terminals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic exclusion from load balancing - terminals are excluded from load balancing only when they are actively receiving multicast traffic. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize traffic distribution for non-multicast terminals while protecting multicast session integrity when needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multicast streams are replicated across multiple outroutes to serve different terminals, then service coverage is improved, but system performance degrades and bandwidth is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single outroute universal for multicast delivery by concentrating all multicast-receiving terminals on one outroute. This eliminates the need to replicate multicast streams across multiple outroutes, improving system performance while maintaining service coverage through the terminal exclusion mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges all multicast-receiving terminals onto a single outroute rather than distributing them across multiple outroutes. This consolidation eliminates redundant multicast stream replication and improves bandwidth utilization while maintaining comprehensive service coverage.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus, system, and method for balancing traffic loads on beam outroutes that contain both multicast and unicast traffic. An outroute is designated for supplying at least multicast traffic within a beam of a satellite communication system. Terminals interested in receiving the multicast traffic are moved to the designated outroute. Traffic loads on all outroutes within the beam, including the designated outroute, are compared to determine if variations in the traffic loads exceed a predetermined threshold. A load balancing routine is performed to redistribute the traffic loads on all outroutes, while excluding any terminal that is actively receiving the multicast traffic from the load balancing routine.