Approaches for high speed global packet data services for LEO/MEO satellite systems

1. A user terminal (UT) for a mobile satellite communications system, comprising:

at least one processor;

wherein, when initiating a radio resource control (RRC) connection for establishing a radio connection between the UT and a respective gateway and for entering an RRC active state, the processor is configured to control the UT to transmit a connection request message to a first satellite gateway (SGW) of the mobile satellite communications system, wherein the connection request message includes position information identifying a current location of the UT and a UT identifier (UTID),

wherein the processor is further configured to process a connection setup message received by the UT in response to the connection request message, wherein the connection setup message includes a first tracking area identifier (TAID) that identifies a one of a plurality of tracking areas that is associated with the current location of the UT, and

wherein the processor is further configured to, after processing the connection setup message, control the UT to transmit a connection complete message to the first SGW, together with an attach request message for a core network of the mobile satellite communications system, which includes the first TAID.

2. The UT according to claim 1 , wherein:

the processor is configured to control the UT to transmit a position verification message to the first SGW when the UT moves to a new location more than a predetermined threshold distance from its previously reported location, wherein the position verification message includes updated position information identifying a new location of the UT;

the processor is further configured to process a response message received by the UT in response to the position verification message, which includes either the first TAID when the new location of the UT is associated with the one tracking area or a second TAID that identifies another of the plurality of tracking areas that is associated with the new location of the UT; and

the processor is further configured to determine whether the response message includes the first TAID or the second TAID, and to control the UT to transmit a tracking area update message to the first SGW for the core network when it is determined that the response includes the second TAID, wherein the tracking area update message includes the second TAID.

3. The UT according to claim 1 , wherein:

the processor is configured to control the UT to transmit a position verification message to the first SGW when the UT moves to a new location more than a predetermined threshold distance from its previously reported location, wherein the position verification message includes updated position information identifying a new location of the UT;

the processor is further configured to process a handover command received by the UT from a second SGW of the mobile satellite communications system, wherein the handover command includes either the first TAID when the new location of the UT is associated with the one tracking area or a second TAID that identifies another of the plurality of tracking areas that is associated with the new location of the UT; and

the processor is further configured to determine whether the handover command includes the first TAID or the second TAID, and to control the UT to transmit a tracking area update message to the second SGW for the core network when it is determined that the response message includes the second TAID, wherein the tracking area update message includes the second TAID.

4. The UT according to claim 1 , wherein the connection complete message includes a gateway identifier (GWID) that identifies the first SGW as the gateway that is servicing the UT for the connection.

5. A method for managing tracking areas for a user terminal (UT) of a mobile satellite communications system, comprising:

when initiating a radio resource control (RRC) connection for establishing a radio connection between the UT and a respective gateway and for entering an RRC active state by the UT, transmitting, by the UT, a connection request message to a first satellite gateway (SGW) of the mobile satellite communications system, wherein the connection request message includes position information identifying a current location of the UT and a UT identifier (UTID);

processing a connection setup message received by the UT in response to the connection request message, wherein the connection setup message includes a first tracking area identifier (TAID) that identifies a one of a plurality of tracking areas that is associated with the current location of the UT; and

transmitting, by the UT, a connection complete message to the first SGW, together with an attach request message for a core network of the mobile satellite communications system, which includes the first TAID.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the UT, a position verification message to the first SGW when the UT moves to a new location more than a predetermined threshold distance from its previously reported location, wherein the position verification message includes updated position information identifying a new location of the UT;

processing a response message received by the UT in response to the position verification message, which includes either the first TAID when the new location of the UT is associated with the one tracking area or a second TAID that identifies another of the plurality of tracking areas that is associated with the new location of the UT;

determining whether the response message includes the first TAID or the second TAID; and

transmitting, by the UT, a tracking area update message to the first SGW for the core network when it is determined that the response message includes the second TAID, wherein the tracking area update message includes the second TAID.

7. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the UT, a position verification message to the first SGW when the UT moves to a new location more than a predetermined threshold distance from its previously reported location, wherein the position verification message includes updated position information identifying a new location of the UT;

processing a handover command received by the UT from a second SGW of the mobile satellite communications system, wherein the handover command includes either the first TAID when the new location of the UT is associated with the one tracking area or a second TAID that identifies another of the plurality of tracking areas that is associated with the new location of the UT;

determining whether the handover command includes the first TAID or the second TAID; and

transmitting, by the UT, a tracking area update message to the second SGW for the core network when it is determined that the response message includes the second TAID, wherein the tracking area update message includes the second TAID.

8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the connection complete message includes a gateway identifier (GWID) that identifies the first SGW as the gateway that is servicing the UT for the connection.

9. A mobile satellite communications system comprising:

one or more non-geosynchronous orbit satellites;

a user terminal (UT);

a first satellite gateway (SGW); and

a core network; and

wherein, when initiating establishment of a radio resource control (RRC) connection for establishing a radio connection between the UT and the first satellite gateway and for entering an RRC active state, the UT is configured to transmit a connection request message to the first SGW, which includes position information identifying a current location of the UT and a UT identifier (UTID),

wherein the first SGW is configured to, after receiving the connection request message from the UT, determine, based on the position information, a one of a plurality of tracking areas that is associated with the current location of the UT, and to transmit a connection setup message back to the UT, which includes a first tracking area identifier (TAID) that identifies the one tracking area,

wherein the UT is configured to, after receiving the connection setup message from the first SGW, transmit a connection complete message to the first SGW, together with an attach request message for the core network, which includes the first TAID, and

wherein the first SGW is configured to, after receiving the connection complete and attach request messages from the UT, transmit an initial UT message to the core network, which includes the first TAID.

10. The mobile satellite communications system according to claim 9 , wherein:

the UT is configured to transmit a position verification message to the first SGW when the UT moves to a new location more than a predetermined threshold distance from its previously reported location, wherein the position verification message includes updated position information identifying a new location of the UT;

the first SGW is configured to, after receiving the position verification message from the UT, determine, based on the updated position information, which of the plurality of tracking areas is associated with the new location of the UT, and to transmit a response message back to the UT, which includes either the first TAID when the new location of the UT is associated with the first tracking area or a second TAID that identifies another of the plurality of tracking areas that is associated with the new location of the UT;

the UT is configured to, after receiving the response message from the first SGW, determine whether the response message includes the first TAID or the second TAID, and to transmit a tracking area update message to the first SGW for the core network when it is determined that the response includes the second TAID, wherein the tracking area update message includes the second TAID; and

the first SGW is configured to, after receiving the tracking area update message from the UT, transmit the tracking area update message, including the second TAID, to the core network.

11. The mobile satellite communications system according to claim 9 , wherein the connection complete message includes a gateway identifier (GWID) that identifies the first SGW as the gateway that is servicing the UT for the connection.

12. The mobile satellite communications system according to claim 9 , wherein:

the UT is configured to transmit a position verification message to the first SGW when the UT moves to a new location more than a predetermined threshold distance from its previously reported location, wherein the position verification message includes updated position information identifying a new location of the UT;

the first SGW is configured to, after receiving the position verification message from the UT, determine, based on the updated position information, whether a handover to a second SGW is required;

when the first SGW determines that the handover to the second SGW is required, (i) the first SGW is configured to transmit an SGW handover message to the second SGW, including the UTID and the updated UT position information, (ii) the second SGW is configured to, after receiving the SGW handover message from the first SGW, determine, based on the updated position information, which of the plurality of tracking areas is associated with the new location of the UT, and to transmit a handover command message to the UT, which includes either the first TAID when the new location of the UT is associated with the first tracking area or a second TAID that identifies another of the plurality of tracking areas that is associated with the new location of the UT, (iii) the UT is configured to, after receiving the handover command message from the first SGW, determine whether the handover command message includes the first TAID or the second TAID, and to transmit a tracking area update message to the second SGW for the core network when it is determined that the handover command message includes the second TAID, wherein the tracking area update message includes the second TAID, and (iv) the second SGW is configured to, after receiving the tracking area update message from the UT, transmit the tracking area update message, including the second TAID, to the core network.

13. The mobile satellite communications system according to claim 12 , wherein the connection complete message includes a first gateway identifier (GWID) that identifies the first SGW as the gateway that is initially servicing the UT for the connection, and the handover command message includes a second gateway identifier (GWID) that identifies the second SGW as the gateway that is servicing the UT for the connection after the handover to the second SGW.

14. The mobile satellite communications system according to claim 12 , wherein:

the position verification message is transmitted to the first SGW via at least a first of the one or more non-geosynchronous orbit satellites;

wherein the second SGW is associated with at least a second of the of the one or more non-geosynchronous orbit satellites;

the second SGW is configured to, after receiving the SGW handover message from the first SGW, transmit a satellite handover message to the second satellite;

the second satellite is configured to, after receiving the satellite handover message from the first SGW, transmit a satellite handover response message back to the second SGW, which includes satellite handover parameters;

the handover command message is transmitted by the second SGW to the UT via the first SGW and at least the first satellite; and

the tracking area update message is transmitted by the UT to the second SGW for the core network via at least the second satellite.

15. The mobile satellite communications system according to claim 14 , wherein the connection complete message includes a first gateway identifier (GWID) that identifies the first SGW as the gateway that is initially servicing the UT for the connection, and the handover command message includes a second gateway identifier (GWID) that identifies the second SGW as the gateway that is servicing the UT for the connection after the handover to the second SGW.