Patent ID: 6404749
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: H04B,H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A method for transferring a data packet in a connectionless manner between a first source terminal and a first destination terminal, in a communications network which supports connection-oriented communications, said communications network having a plurality of source terminals, destination terminals, uplink and downlink antenna beams with one of said uplink antenna beams covering said first source terminal and one of said downlink antenna beams covering said first destination terminal, said data packet including a destination address identifying a user for which said data packet is directed, the method comprising the steps of:assigning a source terminal identifier value to each said source terminal in said communications network; segmenting said data packet into one or more cells, each cell being of a predetermined length a first portion of which comprises a cell header and a second portion of which comprises a cell body; formatting each said cell header with sufficient information to route said cells from said first source terminal through said network and to said first destination terminal comprising the steps of: defining a cell type identifier field, a source terminal identifier field and an information field in each cell header, assigning each said destination terminal a destination terminal identifier value, placing a destination terminal identifier value corresponding to said first destination terminal into said information field of each cell header, establishing a destination terminal identifier look-up table on each satellite which correlates destination terminal identifier values to local routing values, each local routing value providing sufficient information to route said cells through a satellite on-board cell switch, placing a source terminal identifier value corresponding to said first source terminal into the source terminal identifier field of each said cell header, and, placing a predetermined value into said information field of each said cell header, said predetermined value providing routing information used by said network to route each said cell from said first source terminal to said first destination terminal; reading said destination terminal identifier value in each said cell header; consulting said destination terminal identifier look-up table for a local routing tag; routing said cells through said on-board cell switch; repeating the reading, consulting and routing steps by each satellite receiving said cells until one said satellite routes said cells to said downlink antenna beam which covers said first destination terminal; broadcasting said cells over said downlink antenna beam; and receiving said cells by destination terminals located within said downlink antenna beam, one of said destination terminals being said first destination terminal.