Satellite network service sharing
Methods, systems, and devices are described for providing network access services to mobile users via multi-user network access terminals over a multi-beam satellite system. Quality-of-service (QoS) is controlled for the mobile devices at a per-user level according to user-specific traffic policies. Mobile users may be provisioned on the satellite system according to a set of traffic policies based on their service level agreement (SLA). System resources of the satellite may be allocated to mobile users based on the demand of each mobile user and the set of traffic polices associated with each mobile user, regardless of which multi-user network access terminal is used to access the system. Dynamic multiplexing of traffic from fixed terminals and mobile users on the same satellite beam can take advantage of statistical multiplexing of large numbers of users and on different usage patterns between fixed terminals and mobile users.
1. A method for providing a network access service at a multi-user network access terminal on a vehicle, comprising:
establishing, at the multi-user network access terminal, a plurality of local connections with a plurality of mobile devices on the vehicle;
establishing a network access connection via a satellite beam of a satellite communications system;
identifying respective user-specific traffic policies associated with the plurality of mobile devices;
identifying respective return link data streams associated with the plurality of mobile devices comprising data to be sent by the multi-user network access terminal to external networks via the satellite beam;
receiving a first allocation of resources of the satellite beam for a first time period for uplink data to be sent via the network access connection;
distributing the first allocation of resources among the respective return link data streams based on a first level of the respective user-specific traffic policies associated with the plurality of mobile devices and respective resource demands associated with the return link data streams for the first time period;
receiving a second allocation of resources of the satellite beam for a second time period for uplink data to be sent via the network access connection;
distributing the second allocation of resources among the respective return link data streams based on a second level of the respective user-specific traffic policies associated with the plurality of mobile devices and respective resource demands associated with the return link data streams for the second time period.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying each of the respective return link data streams based on at least one of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses assigned to each of the plurality of mobile devices, virtual local area network (VLAN) tag addresses assigned to each of the plurality of mobile devices, or tunneling protocol addresses assigned to each of the plurality of mobile devices.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user-specific traffic policies comprise at least one of a minimum information rate (MinIR), a committed information rate (CIR), a peak information rate (PIR), or a maximum amount of data.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first level corresponds to the PIR and the second level corresponds to one of the MinIR or the CIR.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein distributing the second allocation of resources among the respective return link data streams comprises distributing portions of the second allocation of resources up to the second level to each of the plurality of mobile devices for portions of the respective resource demands up to the second level and according to a fair sharing allocation for portions of the respective resource demands exceeding the second level.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the fair sharing allocation comprises a weighted fair sharing allocation.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network access connection is established via a first satellite beam of the satellite communications system for the first time period and via a second satellite beam of the satellite communications system for the second time period.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining an aggregate resource demand based on the respective resource demands associated with the return link data streams for the second time period and the first level of the respective user-specific traffic policies associated with the plurality of mobile devices; and
sending a request for the second allocation of resources of the satellite beam for uplink data based on the determined aggregate resource demand.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the received second allocation of resources of the satellite beam for uplink traffic includes less than the requested aggregate resource demand.
10. A multi-user network access terminal for providing a network access service on a vehicle, comprising:
a satellite terminal interface that establishes a plurality of connections with a plurality of mobile devices on the vehicle;
a satellite modem coupled with the satellite terminal interface that establishes a network access connection via a satellite beam of a satellite communications system;
a return link scheduler coupled with the satellite terminal interface and the satellite modem that identifies respective user-specific traffic policies associated with the plurality of mobile devices,
wherein:
the satellite terminal interface identifies respective return link data streams associated with the plurality of mobile devices comprising data to be sent by the multi-user network access terminal to external networks via the satellite beam;
the satellite modem receives a first allocation of resources of the satellite beam for a first time period for uplink data to be sent via the network access connection;
the return link scheduler distributes the first allocation of resources among the respective return link data streams based on a first level of the respective user-specific traffic policies associated with the plurality of mobile devices and respective resource demands associated with the return link data streams for the first time period;
the satellite modem receives a second allocation of resources of the satellite beam for a second time period for uplink data to be sent via the network access connection;
the return link scheduler distributes the second allocation of resources among the respective return link data streams based on a second level of the respective user-specific traffic policies associated with the plurality of mobile devices and respective resource demands associated with the return link data streams for the second time period.
11. The multi-user network access terminal of claim 10 , wherein the satellite terminal interface identifies each of the respective return link data streams based on at least one of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses assigned to each of the plurality of mobile devices, virtual local area network (VLAN) tag addresses assigned to each of the plurality of mobile devices, or tunneling protocol addresses assigned to each of the plurality of mobile devices.
12. The multi-user network access terminal of claim 10 , wherein the user-specific traffic policies comprise at least one of a minimum information rate (MinIR), a committed information rate (CIR), a peak information rate (PIR), or a maximum amount of data.
13. The multi-user network access terminal of claim 12 , wherein the first level corresponds to the PIR and the second level corresponds to one of the MinIR or the CIR.
14. The multi-user network access terminal of claim 10 , wherein the return link scheduler distributes the second allocation of resources among the respective return link data streams by distributing portions of the second allocation of resources up to the second level to each of the plurality of mobile devices for portions of the respective resource demands up to the second level and according to a fair sharing allocation for portions of the respective resource demands exceeding the second level.
15. The multi-user network access terminal of claim 14 , wherein the fair sharing allocation comprises a weighted fair sharing allocation.
16. The multi-user network access terminal of claim 10 , wherein the satellite modem establishes the network access connection via a first satellite beam of the satellite communications system for the first time period and via a second satellite beam of the satellite communications system for the second time period.
17. The multi-user network access terminal of claim 10 , wherein the return link scheduler:
determines an aggregate resource demand based on the respective resource demands associated with the return link data streams for the second time period and the first level of the respective user-specific traffic policies associated with the plurality of mobile devices; and
sends a request for the second allocation of resources of the satellite beam for uplink data based on the determined aggregate resource demand.
18. The multi-user network access terminal of claim 17 , wherein the received second allocation of resources of the satellite beam for uplink traffic includes less than the requested aggregate resource demand.
19. A multi-user network access terminal for providing a network access service on a vehicle, comprising:
at least one processor;
a memory in communication with the at least one processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the multi-user network access terminal to:
establish a plurality of local connections with a plurality of mobile devices on the vehicle;
establish a network access connection via a satellite beam of a satellite communications system;
identify respective user-specific traffic policies associated with the plurality of mobile devices, the respective user-specific traffic policies comprising a;
identify respective return link data streams associated with the plurality of mobile devices comprising data to be sent by the multi-user network access terminal to external networks via the satellite beam;
receive a first allocation of resources of the satellite beam for a first time period for uplink data to be sent via the network access connection;
distribute the first allocation of resources among the respective return link data streams based on a first level of the respective user-specific traffic policies associated with the plurality of mobile devices and respective resource demands associated with the return link data streams for the first time period;
receive a second allocation of resources of the satellite beam for a second time period for uplink data to be sent via the network access connection;
distribute the second allocation of resources among the respective return link data streams based on a second level of the respective user-specific traffic policies associated with the plurality of mobile devices and respective resource demands associated with the return link data streams for the second time period.
20. The multi-user network access terminal of claim 19 , wherein the instructions for distributing the second allocation of resources among the respective return link data streams comprise instructions for distributing portions of the second allocation of resources up to the second level to each of the plurality of mobile devices for portions of the respective resource demands up to the second level and according to a fair sharing allocation for portions of the respective resource demands exceeding the second level.