Patent ID: 6404769
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
In a satellite communications system having a constellation of satellites orbiting about a primary body, wherein said satellites represent nodes in a communications network, a method for use in routing an information packet from a source node to a destination node in said communications network, said method comprising the steps of:providing a satellite communications network having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of paths connecting said plurality of nodes, said plurality of paths including a first group of paths having a first orientation and a second group of paths having a second, different orientation, wherein said first group of paths intersects said second group of paths at multiple node points; providing an information packet at a source node, in said satellite communications network, said information packet to be delivered to a destination node in said satellite communications network, wherein said source node is on a first path in said first group of paths and said destination node is on a second, different path in said first group of paths; monitoring traffic levels on said second group of paths from a centralized location in the satellite communications system; choosing a third path from said second group of paths to carry said information packet from said first path to said second path based on traffic levels determined in said monitoring step; and delivering said information packet from said source node to said destination node via a route including said third path.