Handoff for non-geosynchronous satellite communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016323032-A1
Application number	US-201514856933-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 17, 2015
Priority date	May 1, 2015
Publication date	Nov 3, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Various aspects of the disclosure relate to handoff of a user terminal in communication with a gateway through a satellite in a non-geosynchronous satellite communication system. In some aspects, a gateway and a user terminal use a satellite and beam transition table to determine when to handoff the user terminal from one beam to another and/or from one satellite to another. In some aspects, a user terminal sends capability information, location information, or other information to a gateway whereby, based on this information, the gateway generates a satellite and beam transition table and/or selects a handoff procedure for the user terminal. In some aspects, handoff of a user terminal to a different satellite involves the user terminal conducting satellite signal measurements and sending a measurement message to the gateway. In some aspects, the gateway generates a new satellite and beam transition table as a result of receiving a measurement message.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of communication, comprising:
generating satellite and beam transition information that specifies a time to start and a time to terminate communication with a particular beam of a particular satellite; and sending the satellite and beam transition information to a user terminal.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the generation of the satellite and beam transition information is based on at least one of: capabilities information for the user terminal, location information for the user terminal, ephemeris information, or a restriction due to an incumbent system.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the capabilities information indicates at least one of: whether the user terminal can sense multiple beams, whether the user terminal can sense multiple satellites, an inter-beam tune time for the user terminal, or an inter-satellite tune time for the user terminal.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the location information comprises a current location for the user terminal or a motion vector for the user terminal.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the generation of the satellite and beam transition information is triggered based on at least one of: handoff of the user terminal to a different satellite, or receipt of a measurement message from the user terminal.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing handoffs for the user terminal to different beams and at least one satellite based on the satellite and beam transition information.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a measurement message from the user terminal; and determining, based on the measurement message, whether to modify the satellite and beam transition information.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the modification of the satellite and beam transition information comprises advancing a handoff or delaying a handoff.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting a handoff procedure for the user terminal based on capability information received from the user terminal.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the selection of the handoff procedure comprises enabling or disabling monitoring for a measurement message from the user terminal based on whether the user terminal is dual sense capable.

11 . The method of claim 1 , performed by a satellite network portal for at least one non-geosynchronous satellite.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a time of a handoff of the user terminal; and transferring user queues prior to the handoff.

13 . An apparatus for communication comprising:
a memory device; and a processing circuit coupled to the memory device and configured to:
generate satellite and beam transition information that specifies a time to start and a time to terminate communication with a particular beam of a particular satellite; and
send the satellite and beam transition information to a user terminal.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:
generate the satellite and beam transition information based on at least one of: capabilities information for the user terminal, location information for the user terminal, ephemeris information, or a restriction due to an incumbent system.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the capabilities information indicates at least one of: whether the user terminal can sense multiple beams, whether the user terminal can sense multiple satellites, an inter-beam tune time for the user terminal, or an inter-satellite tune time for the user terminal.

16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:
perform handoffs for the user terminal to different beams and at least one satellite based on the satellite and beam transition information.

17 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:
receive a measurement message from the user terminal; and determine, based on the measurement message, whether to modify the satellite and beam transition information.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein, to modify the satellite and beam transition information, the processing circuit is further configured to advance a handoff or delay a handoff.

19 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:
select a handoff procedure for the user terminal based on capability information received from the user terminal.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein, to select the handoff procedure, the processing circuit is further configured to enable or disable whether the apparatus monitors for a measurement message from the user terminal based on whether the user terminal is dual sense capable.

21 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:
determine a time of a handoff of the user terminal; and transfer user queues prior to the handoff.

22 . An apparatus for communication comprising:
means for generating satellite and beam transition information that specifies a time to start and a time to terminate communication with a particular beam of a particular satellite; and means for sending the satellite and beam transition information to a user terminal.

23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising:
means for performing handoffs for the user terminal to different beams and at least one satellite based on the satellite and beam transition information.

24 . The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising:
means for receiving a measurement message from the user terminal; and means for determining, based on the measurement message, whether to modify the satellite and beam transition information.

25 . The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising:
means for selecting a handoff procedure for the user terminal based on capability information received from the user terminal.

26 . The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising:
means for determining a time of a handoff of the user terminal; and means for transferring user queues prior to the handoff.

27 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code, including code to:
generate satellite and beam transition information that specifies a time to start and a time to terminate communication with a particular beam of a particular satellite; and send the satellite and beam transition information to a user terminal.

28 . A method of communication, comprising:
receiving satellite and beam transition information that specifies a time to start and a time to terminate communication with a particular beam of a particular satellite; and performing handoff to the particular beam of the particular satellite based on the satellite and beam transition information.

29 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising:
measuring signals from at least one satellite; and sending a measurement message based on the measured signals, wherein the satellite and beam transition information is received as a result of sending the measurement message.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the measurement message comprises at least one of: measurement data, a request to advance handoff timing, or a request to delay handoff timing.

31 . The method of claim 29

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Ulupinar Fatih
• Purkayastha Punyaslok

Classifications

• H04W36/18

  for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection · CPC title

• H04B7/18541 Primary

  for handover of resources · CPC title

• H04W84/06

  Airborne or Satellite Networks (space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185) · CPC title

• H04W36/00837

  Determination of triggering parameters for hand-off · CPC title

• H04W36/0085

  Hand-off measurements · CPC title