Dynamic outroute load balancing and multicast

1. A method comprising:

designating an outroute for supplying at least multicast traffic within a beam of a satellite communication system;

comparing traffic loads on all outroutes within the beam, including the designated outroute;

determining if variations in the traffic loads exceed a predetermined threshold;

performing a load balancing routine, if the variations exceed the predetermined threshold, to redistribute the traffic loads on all outroutes by moving at least one terminal to a destination outroute; and

excluding, from the load balancing routine, any terminal in the designated outroute that is actively receiving the multicast traffic.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the load balancing routine is terminal initiated; and

the at least one terminal is receiving only unicast traffic.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing a load balancing routine further comprises:

replicating all traffic associated with the at least one terminal over a source outroute; and

supplying the replicated traffic to the destination outroute prior to moving the at least one terminal.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein outroutes within the beam are managed by multiple gateways, and performing a load balancing routine further comprises:

identifying the gateway managing the destination outroute for the at least one terminal;

registering the at least one terminal with the identified gateway; and

moving the at least one terminal to the destination outroute.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting a least robust ModCod supported by all terminals in the designated outroute, wherein the selected ModCod maintains predetermined link conditions.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the selected ModCod is dynamically adjusted to improve link conditions of the designated outroute, size of the designated outroute, or both.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated outroute is statically assigned to supply the multicast traffic.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein designating an outroute further comprises:

dynamically selecting an outroute within the beam for supplying the multicast traffic; and

announcing, to all outroutes within the beam, designation of the selected outroute for supplying multicast traffic and parameters for receiving the multicast traffic,

wherein terminals independently move to the designated outroute to receive the multicast traffic.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the designated outroute supplies the multicast traffic for a predetermined time interval.

10. The method of claim 1 , performing a load balancing routine further comprises:

determining if variations in the traffic loads across all terminals exceed a second predetermined threshold; and

performing a network initiated load balancing routine.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second predetermined threshold is higher than the predetermined threshold.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein excluding any terminal further comprises identifying terminals actively receiving the multicast traffic based on previously transmitted session join messages.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining if a difference between the traffic load on the designated outroute and an average of the traffic loads on all other outroutes within the beam exceeds a third threshold; and

reconfiguring one or more of a size, position, and configuration of the beam to accommodate higher demand for the multicast traffic.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

designating a second outroute for supplying the multicast traffic; and

replicating, at a satellite, the multicast traffic for the designated second outroute.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising transmitting the replicated multicast traffic from the satellite to at least one additional beam.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a service interruption in the designated outroute; and

determining whether the service interruption is a result of an extended failure of the designated outroute or a transient loss from signal attenuation.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the signal loss is a result of an extended failure, and further comprising:

moving terminals currently on the designated outroute to a different outroute;

reestablishing unicast traffic on the different outroute; and

periodically checking if service on the designated outroute has resumed.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

remaining on the designated outroute if the service interruption is a transient loss from signal attenuation; and

initiating a temporary outage period for the terminal.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein each physical outroute contains a plurality of streams.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

designating one or more streams from the physical outroute for supplying the multicast traffic; and

designating the remaining streams from the physical outroute for supplying unicast traffic.