Patent ID: 11949495
Assignee: HUGHES NETWORK SYSTEMS, LLC
Field: Digital communication (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A method for operating a hybrid Fourth Generation (4G) satellite network, the method comprising:
providing a Next Generation Service Gateway (NGSG) comprising a satellite Access Stratum/Non-Access Stratum (AS/NAS) stack, a terrestrial 4G stack and a relay to connect the satellite AS/NAS stack and the terrestrial 4G stack;
transporting a 4G traffic between a 4G User Equipment (UE) and the NGSG using a channel of the satellite air interface;
utilizing a terrestrial network between the NGSG and a 4G Core Network (CN) to transport the 4G traffic; and
mapping, with the relay, the 4G traffic between the satellite AS/NAS stack and the terrestrial 4G stack and vice versa,
wherein the channel and the satellite air interface are managed by a satellite gateway, and the satellite gateway is distinct from the NGSG.