SATELLITE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH GATEWAY DIVERSITY
The technology provides a gateway system that enables satellite communication with user equipment (UE). A system includes multiple gateways, where each gateway includes processing devices, baseband units, a gateway channel routing block, and a set of antennas for communicating with a constellation of orbiting satellites. The gateways include a primary gateway and a diversity gateway. A set of communication links operatively connects the gateways together. A diversity combiner may be operatively coupled to the gateways via one or more of the communication links. The diversity combiner is configured to receive and combine signals from at least two of the gateways. The system is configured to determine when to switch a satellite communication link from the primary gateway to the diversity gateway according to a threshold level of communication requirement based on a status condition of the primary gateway and a status condition of the diversity gateway.
1 . A system configured for satellite communication, the system comprising:
a plurality of gateways including a set of antennas configured to communicate with a constellation of orbiting satellites, wherein the plurality of gateways includes a first gateway and a second gateway; and
a diversity combiner operatively coupled to the plurality of gateways via one or more of a plurality of communication links, the diversity combiner being configured to receive and combine signals from at least two of the plurality of gateways;
wherein the system is configured to determine when to switch a satellite communication link between the first gateway and the second gateway.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the diversity combiner is arranged at a geographically central location relative to the plurality of gateways.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each gateway is geographically remote from the other gateways in the plurality.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each gateway is separated by a minimum physical distance from the other gateways in the plurality.
5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a network control center separate from the plurality of gateways, the network control center including the diversity combiner and being configured to provide updated communication information to the second gateway.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the network control center is further configured to decide which gateway of the plurality of gateways is a primary gateway.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein when the first gateway is communicating with a setting satellite of the constellation of orbiting satellites, then no switch is made of the satellite communication link from the first gateway to the second gateway.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to determine when to switch the satellite communication link according to different weather conditions at the first gateway and at the second gateway.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one gateway of the plurality of gateways is configured as a backup to one or more other ones of the plurality of gateways.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to determine when to switch the satellite communication link from the first gateway to the second gateway according to a threshold level of communication requirement.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the threshold level of communication requirement is based on a status condition of the first gateway and a status condition of the second gateway
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein when the status condition of the first gateway and the status condition of the second gateway both do not satisfy a status condition threshold, then no switch is made from the first gateway to the second gateway.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each gateway further includes one or more processing devices, a set of baseband units, and a gateway channel routing block.
14 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the plurality of communication links.
15 . A method for implementing satellite communication with user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
providing a plurality of gateways, each gateway including a set of antennas configured to communicate with a constellation of orbiting satellites, wherein the plurality of gateways includes a first gateway and a second gateway;
operatively connecting each of the plurality of gateways using a plurality of communication links; and
determining when to switch a satellite communication link from the first gateway to the second gateway.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining, by a control device operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of gateways, which gateway of the plurality of gateways is a primary gateway.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein when the first gateway is communicating with a setting satellite of the constellation of orbiting satellites, then no switching of the satellite communication link is made from the first gateway to the second gateway.
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein determining when to switch the satellite communication link is performed according to weather condition at either the first gateway or at the second gateway.
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein determining when to switch the satellite communication link from the first gateway to the second gateway is made according to a threshold level of communication requirement.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the threshold level of communication requirement is based on a status condition of at least one of the first gateway or the second gateway.