A model for the handover traffic in low earth-orbiting (LEO) satellite networks for personal communications

The spectacular growth of cellular telephone networks has demonstrated the demand for personal communications. Communication systems based on low earth orbit (LEO) constellations of satellites seem to be an adequate approach to achieve a world-wide network. When defining the capacity in terms of satellite circuits, the network designer has to take into account the handover traffic. Unfortunately, in a LEO communication network where handover is most often due to the network nodes motion, handover traffic models for terrestrial cellular networks cannot be used. Hence specific models must be developed. This paper proposes an analytical model for the handover in LEO satellite networks. This model is applied to different network configurations and compared to discrete-time simulations. Simulation results agree with those obtained from the analytical model.     

QoS handover management for multimedia LEO satellite networks

Low earth orbit (LEO) satellite systems gained considerable interest towards the end of the previous decade by virtue of some of the appealing features that are endowed with, such as low propagation delay and the ability to communicate with handheld terminals. However, after the limited commercial success of the first networks of this kind, future satellite networks are now conceived as complementary rather than competitive to terrestrial networks. In this paper, we focus on one of the most influential factors in system performance, that is, the handover of a call. First, we provide a succinct review of the handover strategies that have been proposed in the literature. Then we propose two different satellite handover techniques for broadband LEO satellite systems that capitalize upon the satellite diversity that a system may provide. The proposed schemes cater for multimedia traffic and are based on the queuing of handover requests. Moreover, a deallocation scheme is also proposed according to which capacity reservation requests are countermanded when the capacity that they strive to reserve is unlikely to be used. Simulation studies further document and confirm the positive characteristics of the proposed handover schemes.     

Analysis of handover characteristics in shadowed LEO satellite communication networks

In the near future, low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication networks will partially substitute the fixed terrestrial multimedia networks especially in sparsely populated areas. Unlike fixed terrestrial networks, ongoing calls may be dropped if satellite channels are shadowed. Therefore, in most LEO satellite communication networks more than one satellite needs to be simultaneously visible in order to hand over a call to an unshadowed satellite when the communicating satellite is shadowed. In this paper, handover characteristics for fixed terminals (FTs) in LEO satellite communication networks are analysed. The probability distribution of multiple satellite visibility is analytically obtained and the shadowing process of satelites for FTs are modelled. Using the proposed analysis model, shadowing effects on the traffic performance are evaluated in terms of the number of intersatellite and interbeam handovers during a call. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

QoS Handover Management in LEO/MEO Satellite Systems

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks are foreseen to complement terrestrial networks in future global mobile networks. Although space segment topology of a LEO network is characterized by periodic variations, connections of mobile stations (MSs) to the satellite backbone network alter stochastically. As a result the quality of service delivered to users may degrade. Different procedures have been proposed either as part of a resource allocation mechanism or as part of an end-to-end routing protocol to manage transitions of MSs from one satellite to another (handover). All of these techniques are based on the prioritization of requested handovers to ease network operation and therefore enhance provision of service. This paper proposes a new handover procedure that exploits all geometric characteristics of a satellite-to-MS connection to provide an equable handover in systems incorporating onboard processing satellites. Its performance is evaluated by simulations for a variety of satellite constellations to prove its general applicability. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

中低轨卫星跨层激光链路二次同步切换方法

中低轨卫星之间跨层激光链路的无缝切换直接决定了双层卫星光网络的稳定性.异步切换方法会导致网络拓扑频繁重构,而集中同步切换将造成两层间连接中断,网络运行状态失控.为此,本文提出了中低轨卫星星座激光链路的二次同步切换方法,在保证中低轨道卫星连通的基础上,可降低网络拓扑重构频率.研究了整数周期比的中轨道和低轨道卫星空间位置特性,建立了中低轨卫星星座构形二阶非球摄动模型,确定了中低轨道之间轨道周期比为3的双层卫星星座构形.按连接和切换顺序将该星座构形中跨层激光链路分为两组,以相对周期的1/4为基准,每次令其中一组同步切换,通过交替完成切换.研究结果表明,二次同步切换方法使得网络拓扑重构频率降低到链路切换频率的1/7,比集中切换方法在网络平均时延方面降低了30ms.     

低中轨道双层卫星光网络的分时切换半实物仿真演示系统

为精确模拟验证低中轨道（LEO／MEO）双层卫星光网络及其关键技术,按1：30的比例设计了分时切换双层卫星光网络半实物实验演示系统。系统包括计算机仿真环境和硬件平台两部分,通过SITL模块互联而成。软件部分由虚拟网络组成,实现灵活、可扩展的配置;硬件平台由1个圆形往复转台、6个伺服机构、6个无线激光通信终端和6组自动追...     

Footprint handover rerouting protocol for low Earth orbit satellite networks

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks will be an integral part of the next generation telecommunications infrastructures. In a LEO satellite network, satellites and their individual coverage areas move relative to a fixed observer on Earth. To ensure that ongoing calls are not disrupted as a result of satellite movement, calls should be transferred or handed over to new satellites. Since two satellites are involved in a satellite handover, connection route should be modified to include the new satellite into the connection route. The route change can be achieved by augmenting the existing route with the new satellite or by completely rerouting the connection. Route augmentation is simple to implement, however the resulting route is not optimal. Complete rerouting achieves optimal routes at the expense of signaling overhead. In this paper, we introduce a handover rerouting protocol that maintains the optimality of the initial route without performing a routing algorithm after intersatellite handovers. The FHRP makes use of the footprints of the satellites in the initial route as the reference for rerouting. More specifically, after an optimum route has been determined during the call establishment process, the FHRP ensures that the new route due to handover is also optimum. The FHRP demands easy processing, signaling, and storage costs. The performance results show that the FHRP performs similar to a network without any handovers in terms of call blocking probability.     

A New Connection Admission Control for Spotbeam Handover in LEO Satellite Networks

Frequent spotbeam handovers in low earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks require a technique to decrease the handover blocking probabilities. A large variety of schemes have been proposed to achieve this goal in terrestrial mobile cellular networks. Most of them focus on the notion of prioritized channel allocation algorithms. However, these schemes cannot provide the connection-level quality of service (QoS) guarantees. Due to the scarcity of resources in LEO satellite networks, a connection admission control (CAC) technique becomes important to achieve this connection-level QoS for the spotbeam handovers. In this paper, a geographical connection admission control (GCAC) algorithm is introduced, which estimates the future handover blocking performance of a new call attempt based on the user location database, in order to decrease the handover blocking. Also, for its channel allocation scheme, an adaptive dynamic channel allocation (ADCA) scheme is introduced. By simulation, it is shown that the proposed GCAC with ADCA scheme guarantees the handover blocking probability to a predefined target level of QoS. Since GCAC algorithm utilizes the user location information, performance evaluation indicates that the quality of service (QoS) is also guaranteed in the non-uniform traffic pattern.     

低轨卫星移动通信系统接入方案

在低轨卫星移动通信系统中,由于卫星和移动用户间的相对运动使得呼叫切换频繁发生.为了降低星间切换请求到达率,减小系统切换开销,本文在距离优先接入方案基础上进一步提出了两种接入策略:覆盖时间优先方案和仰角加权的覆盖时间优先方案.构造了非均匀分布全球话务密度模型.并参照某实际系统参数,对不同接入方案准则下的全球话务服务进行了系统仿真,得到了相应的系统性能参数.     

A Handover Strategy in the LEO Satellite-Based Constellation Networks with ISLs

A new handover strategy named minimal-hops handover(MHH) strategy for the lowearth orbit(LEO) satellite constellations networks equipped with inter-satellite links(ISLs) is proposed.MHH strategy,which is based on the hops of the end-to-end connection paths and makes good use of theregularity of the constellation network topology,can appropriately combine the handover procedure withrouting and efficiently solve the inter-satellite handover issue.Moreover,MHH strategy can providequality of services(QoS) guarantees to some extent.The system performances of the MHH strategy,suchas time propagation delay and handover frequency,are evaluated and compared with that of otherprevious strategies.The simulation results show that MHH strategy performs better than other previoushandover strategies.     

低轨卫星网小区移动性对切换的影响

低轨卫星网络点波束覆盖布局与用户相对运动方向决定了用户在小区间的切换关系,并直接影响用户切换性能。该文针对两种典型的小区运动模式建立了移动模型,分析了驻留时间、切换概率和平均切换次数等移动性指标,并结合具体的信道分配策略分析比较了小区移动性对用户切换性能的影响。结果表明在小区低重叠度的条件下小区运动模式Ⅱ的用户切换性能优于模式Ⅰ,更适用于低轨卫星网络,为低轨卫星点波束的布局提供了参考。     

基于纠缠度计算的低轨道量子卫星通信切换算法

为了解决低轨道(Low Earth Orbit, LEO) 量子卫星通信的越区切换问题,提出了基于纠缠度计算的量子卫星通信切换算法。在卫星与终端距离和量子噪声的作用下,得出了环境与量子系统消相干后两粒子系统的纠缠度,并且系统始终选择与终端纠缠度最大的卫星进行切换。仿真结果表明,LEO卫星在700km和1400km轨道上在一定纠缠度下的切换成功率可达到95%以上,这很好的实现了量子卫星的平稳切换,对于构建未来全球量子通信系统及其标准的制定有着重要的技术支撑作用。     

Hybrid channel adaptive handover scheme for non-GEO satellitediversity based systems

This article presents an improved hybrid handover scheme, which is proposed for the satellite component of UMTS. The scheme is channel adaptive and is generic as it can operate in soft and hard handover. The handover algorithm uses different power thresholds to add/drop a highest and second highest satellite and uses dual satellite diversity only under critical channel conditions. The analysis includes the simulation of a LEO constellation and the elevation-dependent satellite channel. Based on the channel time series the hybrid scheme shows improved performance when compared to existing handover schemes and is less bandwidth demanding than continuous diversity     

低轨卫星星座网的切换研究

提出了一种适用于装备有星际链路的低轨卫星星座网的切换策略——最小跳数切换策略。该策略以端到端连接的跳数为基础,充分利用了低轨星座网的特点,将切换过程与路由有机地结合为一体,有效解决了不同卫星之间的切换问题。仿真结果表明,同已有的切换策略相比,该策略能够提供一定程度的QoS保障,获得较好的系统性能,如较低的传播延时和较小的切换频率,具有很好的实用价值。     

A Model for the Handover Traffic and Channel Occupancy Timein LEO Satellite Networks

ＡＭｏｄｅｌｆｏｒｔｈｅＨａｎｄｏｖｅｒＴｒａｆｆｉｃａｎｄＣｈａｎｎｅｌＯｃｃｕｐａｎｃｙＴｉｍｅｉｎＬＥＯＳａｔｅｌｌｉｔｅＮｅｔｗｏｒｋｓＷａｎｇＪｉｎｇｙｕ；ＹａｏＹｏｎｇｙａｎｇ（ＣｈｉｎａＡｃａｄｅｍｙｏｆＴｅｌｅｃｏｍｍｕｎｉｃａｔｉｏ...     

Evaluation of handover mechanisms in shadowed low earth orbit land mobile satellite systems

This paper presents a quantitative analysis by computer simulation of the active set update (ASU) handover algorithm for a shadowed low earth orbit (LEO) land mobile satellite (LMS) environment. As a precursor to the handover analysis, the mutual visibility statistics for a 66 satellite polar and 48 satellite rosette-type constellation are presented. These results show the statistical nature of the levels of satellite diversity and mobile-to-satellite elevation angles (to the highest satellite) within each network and also indicate the influence of the channel characteristics on the handover strategy. A two-state Markov modulated channel model is assumed in the handover analysis, and this enables the assessment of increased levels of power and time hysteresis on the quality of service and network signalling load in a shadowed land mobile satellite environment. In particular, attention is given to the different modes of ASU operation for hard handover, switch diversity and soft handover.     

Efficient dynamic channel allocation techniques with handoverqueuing for mobile satellite networks

Efficient dynamic channel allocation techniques with handover queuing suitable for applications in mobile satellite cellular networks, are discussed. The channel assignment on demand is performed on the basis of the evaluation of a suitable cost function. Geostationary and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites have been considered. In order to highlight the better performance of the dynamic techniques proposed, a performance comparison with a classical fixed channel allocation (FCA) has been carried out, as regards the probability that a newly arriving call is not completely served. It has also been shown that a higher traffic density, with respect to GEO systems, is manageable by means of LEO satellites     

机载低轨卫星通信发展及关键技术综述

卫星通信是保障机载平台远程飞行的主要通信手段。低轨卫星通信具有传输损耗小、传输时延短、卫星发射灵活、能全球覆盖等优点,已成为机载卫星通信领域的研究热点。梳理了国内外机载低轨卫星通信技术发展历程,开展了机载低轨卫星通信应用分析,重点从相控阵天线、信号同步、编码调制、接入与切换等方面阐述了机载低轨卫星通信需要解决的关键技术,探讨了机载低轨卫星通信发展趋势,可为机载低轨卫星通信系统建设应用提供借鉴。     

Variable-target admission control for nonstationary handover traffic in LEO satellite networks

Handover management is of great importance in a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite system. However, the blocking performance of handover traffic in an LEO satellite system is not easily formulated with an acceptable level of accuracy because of the nonstationary nature of handover traffic, which causes difficulty in quantitatively making optimal decisions for channel assignment to meet a given quality-of-service requirement. Even though many challenging schemes have been proposed to dynamically determine the number of guard channels, most either use heuristic methods or are based on simplifying assumptions, causing invalid decision results. As an alternative, we suggest a quantified method to minimize the fraction of the number of blocked calls out of the number of total calls under nonstationary handover traffic. We develop new mathematical formulations of those fraction and optimization models with efficient exact solution algorithms. Performance analysis shows that the proposed method improves the blocking probabilities of handovers and new calls; this improvement results from a highly adaptive and reactive characteristic to the fluctuating handover traffic condition.