Efficient inroute (return channel) load balancing scheme of guaranteed QoS traffic mixed with best effort traffic in an oversubscribed satellite network

1. A method comprising:

selecting an inroute set carrying traffic load in a satellite communication system based on a predetermined time interval;

performing a super inroute group load balance between at least one super inroute group contained in the selected inroute set, each of the at least one super inroute group having a different symbol rate;

performing an inroute group load balance between one or more inroute groups contained in each of the at least one super inroute group, each of the one or more inroute groups having a different modulation rate; and

performing an inroute load balance between one or more inroutes contained in each of the one or more inroute groups,

wherein the traffic load includes at least guaranteed service terminal traffic and/or backlog terminal traffic,

wherein traffic load for the satellite communication system is balanced across the at least one super inroute group, the one or more inroute groups, and the one or more inroutes,

wherein performing the super inroute group load balance comprises balancing a committed traffic load across the at least one super inroute group contained in the selected inroute set and balancing a backlog traffic load across the at least one super inroute group contained in the selected inroute set, and

wherein balancing the committed traffic load comprises determining a mean committed service load density of the selected inroute set, determining a committed service load density of each super inroute group within the selected inroute set, and moving one or more guaranteed service terminals across the at least one super inroute group until the committed service load density of each super inroute group is within a predetermined tolerance of the mean committed service load density of the selected inroute set.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more guaranteed service terminals are moved based, at least in part, on a CQI and committed load of each guaranteed service terminal within the selected inroute set.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a CQI for each guaranteed service terminal in the selected inroute set;

setting a maximum number of allowed moves for guaranteed service terminals in the selected inroute set; and

setting a minimum residency period for guaranteed service terminals in the selected inroute set,

wherein the one or more guaranteed service terminals are moved across the at least one super inroute group based, at least in part, on the determined CQI, current number of moves, and current residency period.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the maximum number of allowed moves is based, at least in part, on a predetermined time interval.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein moving one or more guaranteed service terminals comprises:

sorting the guaranteed service terminals in the selected inroute set in a list arranged in descending order of CQI;

selecting at least one guaranteed service terminal from the top of the list to be moved to an inroute group with a higher symbol rate, if the selected at least one guaranteed service terminal has a committed service load that is greater than or equal to the mean committed service load density for the selected inroute set; and

selecting at least one guaranteed service terminal from the bottom of the list to be moved to an inroute group with a lower symbol rate, if the selected at least one guaranteed service terminal has a committed service load that is less than the mean committed service load density for the selected inroute set.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein guaranteed service terminals having admittance controlled constant bit rate (AC-CBR) sessions are excluded from the list, if their current number of moves exceed the maximum number of allowed moves and/or their current residency periods are below the minimum residency period.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein balancing the backlog traffic load comprises:

determining a mean backlog load density for the selected inroute set;

determining a backlog load density of each super inroute group within the selected inroute set; and

moving one or more backlog terminals across different super inroute groups until the backlog load density of each super inroute group is within a predetermined tolerance of the mean backlog load density of the selected inroute set.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more backlog terminals are moved based, at least in part, on a CQI and backlog of each backlog terminal within the selected inroute set.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

determining a CQI for each backlog terminal in the selected inroute set; and

setting a backlog volume threshold for the backlog terminals in the selected inroute set,

wherein the one or more backlog terminals are moved across different super inroute groups based, at least in part, on the determined CQI and backlog volume threshold.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the backlog volume threshold is determined based on values for a mean and standard deviation of backlog volume for the backlog terminals in the selected inroute set.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

sorting the backlog terminals in the selected inroute set in a list arranged in descending order of CQI;

moving one or more backlog terminals from the top of the list to an inroute group with a higher symbol rate, if the one or more backlog terminals have a backlog that is greater than or equal to the backlog volume threshold; and

moving one or more backlog terminals from the bottom of the list to an inroute group with a lower symbol rate, if the one or more backlog terminals have a backlog that is greater than or equal to the backlog volume threshold.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein backlog terminals having AC-CBR sessions are excluded from the list.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the inroute group load balance comprises:

balancing a committed traffic load across inroute groups contained in each of the at least one super inroute group; and

balancing a backlog traffic load across inroute groups contained in each of the at least one super inroute group.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein balancing the committed traffic load comprises, for each super inroute group:

determining a mean committed service load density for the super inroute group;

determining a committed load density for each inroute group within the super inroute group;

identifying a low inroute group having a lowest committed load density relative to the mean committed service load density of the super inroute group;

identifying a high inroute group having a highest committed load density relative to the mean committed service load density of the super inroute group;

moving one or more guaranteed service terminals between the low inroute group and the high inroute group until the committed load density of the low inroute group and the committed load density of the high inroute group are each within a predetermined tolerance of the mean committed service load density for the super inroute group; and

repeating the steps of determining a committed load density, identifying a low inroute group, identifying a high inroute group, and moving one or more guaranteed service terminals, until the committed load densities of all inroute groups within the super inroute group are within the predetermined tolerance of the mean committed service load density for the super inroute group.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein balancing the backlog traffic load comprises, for each super inroute group:

determining a mean backlog load density for the super inroute group;

determining a backlog load density for each inroute group within the super inroute group;

identifying a low inroute group having a lowest backlog load density relative to the mean backlog load density of the super inroute group;

identifying a high inroute group having a highest backlog load density relative to the mean backlog load density of the super inroute group;

moving one or more backlog terminals between the low inroute group and the high inroute group until the backlog load density of the low inroute group and the backlog load density of the high inroute group are each within a predetermined tolerance of the mean backlog load density for the super inroute group; and

repeating the steps of determining a backlog load density, identifying a low inroute group, identifying a high inroute group, and moving one or more backlog terminals, until the backlog load densities of all inroute groups within the super inroute group are within the predetermined tolerance of the mean backlog load density for the super inroute group.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the inroute load balance comprises:

balancing committed traffic load across inroutes contained in each of the one or more inroute groups; and

balancing backlog traffic load across inroutes contained in each of the one or more inroute groups.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein balancing the backlog traffic load comprises, for each inroute group:

determining a backlog-based centroid for the inroute group;

determining a backlog volume for each inroute within the inroute group;

selecting a low inroute having a lowest backlog volume relative to the centroid;

selecting a high inroute having a highest backlog volume relative to the centroid;

moving at least one backlog terminal between the low inroute and the high inroute until the backlog volume of the low inroute group and the backlog volume of the high inroute group are each within a predetermined tolerance of the centroid; and

repeating the steps of determining a backlog volume, selecting a low inroute, selecting a high inroute, and moving at least one backlog terminal, until the backlog volumes of all inroutes within the inroute group are within the predetermined tolerance of the centroid.