Handoff for satellite communication

1. A method of communication, comprising:

generating satellite handoff information that specifies a handoff time for a particular cell of a particular satellite;

receiving a measurement message from a user terminal;

modifying the satellite handoff information based on the measurement message; and

sending the modified satellite handoff information to the user terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generation of the satellite handoff information is based on capability information for the user terminal.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the capability information indicates at least one of: whether the user terminal can sense multiple cells or whether the user terminal can sense multiple satellites.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the capability information indicates at least one of: an inter-cell tune time for the user terminal or an inter-satellite tune time for the user terminal.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the generation of the satellite handoff information is based on location information for the user terminal; and

the location information comprises a motion vector for the user terminal.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generation of the satellite handoff information is based on at least one of: ephemeris information, a restriction due to an incumbent system, or a satellite pointing error.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generation of the satellite handoff information is triggered based on at least one of: handoff of the user terminal to a different satellite or receipt of a measurement message from the user terminal.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing handoffs for the user terminal to different cells and at least one satellite based on the satellite handoff information.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the handoffs involve a change of at least one of: a satellite access network (SAN) or a satellite network portal (SNP) antenna.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the handoffs involve a change of at least one of: a satellite cell or a forward service link (FSL) frequency.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modification of the satellite handoff information comprises advancing handoff timing or delaying handoff timing.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a measurement gap for measuring satellite signals; and

sending information indicative of the measurement gap to the user terminal,

wherein the measurement message comprises an indication of a measurement of signals from at least one satellite conducted during the measurement gap.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving capability information from the user terminal; and

selecting a handoff procedure for the user terminal based on the received capability information.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:

the capability information indicates whether the user terminal is dual sense capable; and

the selection of the handoff procedure comprises enabling or disabling monitoring for a measurement message from the user terminal based on whether the user terminal is dual sense capable.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a time of a handoff of the user terminal; and

transferring at least one user queue prior to the handoff.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the satellite handoff information comprises a table that includes a handoff activation time.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the satellite handoff information comprises at least one tune-away time.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the user terminal, a message comprising user terminal paging area information.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that a measurement gap is not needed for measuring satellite signals,

wherein, as a result of the determination, the generation of the satellite handoff information comprises not including a tune-away time in the satellite handoff information.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the handoff information is for at least one future handoff.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the handoff information is for the next beam handoff and for at least one future satellite handoff.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generation of the satellite handoff information is based on a satellite beam pattern.

23. An apparatus for communication comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory,

the processor and the memory configured to:

generate satellite handoff information that specifies a handoff time for a particular cell of a particular satellite;

receive a measurement message from a user terminal;

modify the satellite handoff information based on the measurement message; and

send the modified satellite handoff information to the user terminal.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:

generate the satellite handoff information based on at least one of: capability information for the user terminal, location information for the user terminal, ephemeris information, a restriction due to an incumbent system, or a satellite pointing error.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the capability information indicates at least one of: whether the user terminal can sense multiple cells, whether the user terminal can sense multiple satellites, an inter-cell tune time for the user terminal, or an inter-satellite tune time for the user terminal.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:

perform handoffs for the user terminal to different cells and at least one satellite based on the satellite handoff information.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein, to modify the satellite handoff information, the processor and the memory are further configured to advance handoff timing or delay handoff timing.

28. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:

determine a measurement gap for measuring satellite signals; and

send information indicative of the measurement gap to the user terminal,

wherein the measurement message comprises an indication of a measurement of signals from at least one satellite conducted during the measurement gap.

29. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:

receive capability information from the user terminal; and

select a handoff procedure for the user terminal based on the received capability information.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein:

the capability information indicates whether the user terminal is dual sense capable; and

to select the handoff procedure, the processor and the memory are further configured to enable or disable whether the apparatus monitors for a measurement message from the user terminal based on whether the user terminal is dual sense capable.

31. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:

determine a time of a handoff of the user terminal; and

transfer user queues prior to the handoff.

32. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:

receive, from the user terminal, a message comprising user terminal paging area information.

33. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein:

the processor and the memory are further configured to determine that a measurement gap is not needed for measuring satellite signals; and

as a result of the determination, the generation of the satellite handoff information comprises not including a tune-away time in the satellite handoff information.

34. An apparatus for communication comprising:

means for generating satellite handoff information that specifies a handoff time for a particular cell of a particular satellite;

means for receiving a measurement message from a user terminal;

means for modifying the satellite handoff information based on the measurement message; and

means for sending the modified satellite handoff information to the user terminal.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 , further comprising:

means for performing handoffs for the user terminal to different cells and at least one satellite based on the satellite handoff information.

36. The apparatus of claim 34 , further comprising:

means for receiving capability information from the user terminal; and

means for selecting a handoff procedure for the user terminal based on the received capability information.

37. The apparatus of claim 34 , further comprising:

means for determining a time of a handoff of the user terminal; and

means for transferring user queues prior to the handoff.

38. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code, including code to:

generate satellite handoff information that specifies a handoff time for a particular cell of a particular satellite;

receive a measurement message from a user terminal;

modify the satellite handoff information based on the measurement message; and

send the modified satellite handoff information to the user terminal.

39. A method of communication, comprising:

measuring at least one signal from at least one satellite;

generating a measurement message based on the measurement of the at least one signal;

sending the measurement message;

receiving satellite handoff information that is based on the measurement message, wherein the satellite handoff information specifies a handoff time for a particular cell of a particular satellite; and

performing a handoff to the particular cell of the particular satellite based on the satellite handoff information.

40. The method of claim 39 , wherein the measurement message comprises at least one of: measurement data based on the at least one signal, a request to advance handoff timing, or a request to delay handoff timing.

41. The method of claim 39 , further comprising:

receiving information indicative of a measurement gap for measuring satellite signals,

wherein the measurement of the at least one signal is conducted during the measurement gap.

42. The method of claim 39 , further comprising:

determining whether to send the measurement message based on at least one of: whether signals from a current serving satellite are inadequate or whether signals from a target satellite are inadequate.

43. The method of claim 39 , further comprising:

sending a message comprising user terminal capability information, wherein the received satellite handoff information is based on the user terminal capability information.

44. The method of claim 43 , wherein the user terminal capability information indicates at least one of: whether a user terminal can sense multiple cells, whether a user terminal can sense multiple satellites, a user terminal inter-cell tune time, or a user terminal inter-satellite tune time.

45. The method of claim 43 , wherein the sending of the message comprising user terminal capability information is triggered as a result of an initial connection to a satellite.

46. The method of claim 39 , further comprising:

sending a message comprising user terminal location information, wherein the received satellite handoff information is based on the user terminal location information.

47. The method of claim 46 , wherein the user terminal location information comprises at least one of: a current user terminal location or a user terminal motion vector.

48. The method of claim 46 , wherein the sending of the message comprising user terminal location information is triggered as a result of at least one of: an initial connection to a satellite, whether a user terminal is beyond a geographical boundary, or whether an error bound has been exceeded.

49. The method of claim 39 , wherein the handoff involves a change of at least one of: a satellite access network (SAN), a satellite network portal (SNP) antenna, a satellite cell, or a forward service link (FSL) frequency.

50. The method of claim 39 , further comprising:

receiving a dedicated preamble signature; and

performing a non-contention-based random access procedure using the dedicated preamble signature.

51. The method of claim 39 , wherein the satellite handoff information comprises a table that includes a handoff activation time.

52. The method of claim 39 , wherein the satellite handoff information comprises at least one tune-away time.

53. The method of claim 39 , wherein the satellite handoff information is defined based, in part, on a satellite pointing error.

54. The method of claim 39 , further comprising:

sending a message comprising user terminal paging area information.

55. The method of claim 39 , wherein the handoff information is for at least one future handoff.

56. The method of claim 39 , wherein the handoff information is for the next beam handoff and for at least one future satellite handoff.

57. An apparatus for communication comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory,

the processor and the memory configured to:

measure at least one signal from at least one satellite;

generate a measurement message based on the measurement of the at least one signal;

send the measurement message;

receive satellite handoff information that is based on the measurement message, wherein the satellite handoff information specifies a handoff time for a particular cell of a particular satellite; and

perform a handoff to the particular cell of the particular satellite based on the satellite handoff information.

58. The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein:

the processor and the memory are further configured to receive information indicative of a measurement gap for measuring satellite signals; and

the measurement of the at least one signal is conducted during the measurement gap.

59. The apparatus of claim 58 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:

determine whether to send the measurement message based on at least one of: whether signals from a current serving satellite are inadequate, or whether signals from a target satellite are inadequate.

60. The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein:

the processor and the memory are further configured to send a message comprising user terminal capability information; and

the received satellite handoff information is based on the user terminal capability information.

61. The apparatus of claim 60 , wherein the user terminal capability information indicates at least one of: whether a user terminal can sense multiple cells, whether a user terminal can sense multiple satellites, a user terminal inter-cell tune time, or a user terminal inter-satellite tune time.

62. The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein:

the processor and the memory are further configured to send a message comprising user terminal location information; and

the received satellite handoff information is based on the user terminal location information.

63. The apparatus of claim 62 , wherein the sending of the message comprising user terminal location information is triggered as a result of at least one of: an initial connection to a satellite, whether a user terminal is beyond a geographical boundary, or whether an error bound has been exceeded.

64. The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:

receive a dedicated preamble signature; and

perform a non-contention-based random access procedure using the dedicated preamble signature.

65. The apparatus of claim 57 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:

send a message comprising user terminal paging area information.

66. An apparatus for communication comprising:

means for measuring at least one signal from at least one satellite;

means for generating a measurement message based on the measurement of the at least one signal;

means for sending the measurement message;

means for receiving satellite handoff information that is based on the measurement message, wherein the satellite handoff information specifies a handoff time for a particular cell of a particular satellite;

means for performing a handoff to the particular cell of the particular satellite based on the satellite handoff information.

67. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code, including code to:

measure at least one signal from at least one satellite;

generate a measurement message based on the measurement of the at least one signal;

send the measurement message;

receive satellite handoff information that is based on the measurement message, wherein the satellite handoff information specifies a handoff time for a particular cell of a particular satellite; and

perform a handoff to the particular cell of the particular satellite based on the satellite handoff information.