PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-12081311-B1
Application Number: US-202117483665-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Communication scheduler

Abstract:
A communications system may include user equipment (UE) devices, communications satellites, gateways, and a terrestrial network. The UE devices may receive broadcast signals from the constellation. The UE devices may transmit registration requests to the gateways via the satellites in response to the broadcast signals. The registration requests may include information identifying the geographic locations of the UE devices and may include two-line element (TLE) identifiers. A scheduler on the terrestrial network may receive forward link traffic requests for the UE devices, each with a corresponding priority. The scheduler may also receive satellite information that includes thermal constraints, position information, and power information associated with the satellites. The scheduler may generate forward link traffic grants for the UE devices based on the forward link traffic requests, the thermal constraints, the TLE versions, the geographic locations, and the priorities.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of operating one or more processors in a satellite communications network to schedule forward link data transmissions to a set of user equipment devices via a constellation of communications satellites, the method comprising:
 receiving forward link traffic requests for the set of user equipment devices; 
 receiving satellite information that identifies thermal constraints of the communications satellites in the constellation; 
 generating forward link traffic grants for the set of user equipment devices based on the forward link traffic requests and the thermal constraints identified by the satellite information; and 
 controlling one or more gateways to transmit forward link signals to the set of user equipment devices via the constellation of communications satellites based on the forward link traffic grants. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the satellite information identifies power availability for the communications satellites in the constellation and wherein generating the forward link traffic grants comprises:
 assigning data rates to the set of user equipment devices based on the power availability and the thermal constraints identified by the satellite information. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving the satellite information comprises receiving the satellite information from an application programming interface (API) of an operator of the constellation of communications satellites. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the forward link traffic grants comprises:
 generating a thermal model for a communications satellite in the constellation; 
 generating a predicted temperature for the communications satellite based on the thermal model and the thermal constraints identified by the satellite information; and 
 assigning a user equipment device from the set of user equipment devices to the satellite when the predicted temperature is less than a threshold temperature. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein generating the forward link traffic grants further comprises:
 assigning the user equipment device to an additional satellite when the predicted temperature exceeds the threshold temperature. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the thermal constraints comprise a sun incident angle at the communications satellite. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the forward link traffic grants comprises:
 generating first forward link traffic grants having a first message priority prior to second forward link traffic grants having a second message priority that is less than the first message priority; 
 ordering the first forward link traffic grants on a first-come-first serve basis; and 
 ordering the second forward link traffic grants on a first-come-first serve basis. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, via the constellation, reverse link signals from the set of user equipment devices, wherein the reverse link signals identify geographic locations of the set of user equipment devices and wherein generating the forward link traffic grants comprises generating the forward link traffic grants based on the geographic locations. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 identifying a set of communications satellites in the constellation having visibility to the set of user equipment devices based on the geographic locations and based on communications satellite positions identified by the satellite information, wherein generating the forward link traffic grants comprises:
 generating thermal models for the set of communications satellites, 
 generating predicted temperatures for the set of communications satellites based on the thermal models and the thermal constraints identified by the satellite information, and 
 assigning user equipment devices from the set of user equipment devices to the communications satellites in the set of communications satellites having predicted temperatures that are less than a threshold temperature. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the forward link traffic grants comprises:
 generating a first forward link traffic grant for a first user equipment device in a cell of a communications satellite in the constellation; and 
 generating a second forward link traffic grant for a second user equipment device in the cell of the communications satellite that is contiguous with the first forward link traffic grant. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forward link traffic requests for the set of user equipment devices are generated by one or more entities other than the set of user equipment devices. 
     
     
       12. A method of operating one or more processors in a satellite communications network to schedule forward link data transmissions via a constellation of communications satellites, the method comprising:
 receiving, via the constellation, a registration request transmitted by a user equipment device, wherein the registration request identifies a geographic location of the user equipment device and a two-line element (TLE) identifier that identifies a version of a TLE that is stored on the user equipment device; 
 receiving a forward link traffic request for the user equipment device, wherein the forward link traffic request includes forward link data; 
 generating a forward link traffic grant for the user equipment device based on the forward link traffic request, the geographic location of the user equipment device, and the TLE identifier; and 
 controlling a gateway to transmit the forward link data to the user equipment device via the constellation based on the forward link traffic grant. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein generating the forward link traffic grant comprises:
 identifying, using the TLE identified by the TLE identifier, a communications satellite in the constellation having a signal beam that overlaps the geographic location. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving, from an operator of the constellation, an additional TLE that is more recent than the TLE identified by the TLE identifier; and 
 storing the additional TLE in a database. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein generating the forward link traffic grant further comprises:
 receiving a thermal constraint associated with the communications satellite; 
 generating a thermal model for the communications satellite; 
 generating a predicted temperature for the communications satellite based on the thermal model and the thermal constraint; and 
 assigning the communications satellite to the user equipment device when the predicted temperature is less than a threshold temperature. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein generating the forward link traffic grant comprises buffering the forward link traffic grant for a later forward link transmission cycle when the predicted temperature exceeds the threshold temperature. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15  further comprising, when the predicted temperature exceeds the threshold temperature:
 identifying, using the TLE identified by the TLE identifier, an additional communications satellite in the constellation having an additional signal beam that overlaps the geographic location, wherein generating the forward link traffic grant further comprises:
 generating an additional thermal model for the additional communications satellite, 
 generating an additional predicted temperature for the additional communications satellite based on the additional thermal model, and 
 assigning the additional communications satellite to the user equipment device when the additional predicted temperature is less than the threshold temperature. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , wherein generating the forward link traffic grant comprises buffering the forward link traffic grant for a later forward link transmission cycle when there are no communications satellites in the constellation having a signal beam that overlaps the geographic location. 
     
     
       19. A method of operating a user equipment device to communicate with a gateway via a constellation of communications satellites, the method comprising:
 receiving, from terrestrial network wireless communications equipment, a two-line element (TLE) associated with the communications satellite when the user equipment device is within a coverage area of the terrestrial wireless communications equipment; 
 storing the TLE on storage circuitry; 
 receiving, when the user equipment device is outside of the coverage area of the terrestrial network wireless communications equipment, a broadcast signal from the constellation of communications satellites; and 
 transmitting, in response to the receiving the broadcast signal, a registration request to the gateway via the constellation of communications satellites, wherein the registration request identifies a version of the TLE stored on the storage circuitry. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 identifying, when the user equipment device is outside of the coverage area of the terrestrial network wireless communications equipment, a geographic location of the user equipment, wherein the registration request identifies the geographic location; and 
 receiving, from a communications satellite in the constellation of communications satellites, forward link data scheduled for the communications satellite based on the geographic location and the version of the TLE stored on the storage circuitry, wherein the forward link data comprises an emergency response message generated by an emergency services provider.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/223,826, filed Jul. 20, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to wireless communications, including wireless communications by user equipment via one or more satellites. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Communications systems are used to convey data between user equipment devices. Some communications systems include satellites that wirelessly convey data between user equipment devices and gateways. Each satellite provides wireless network access to the user equipment devices located within a corresponding coverage area on Earth. 
     The user equipment transmits reverse link data to the gateways via the satellites. Conversely, the gateways transmit forward link data to the user equipment via the satellites. In practice, it can be difficult to provide forward link data to multiple user equipment devices distributed across one or more geographic locations in an efficient manner. 
     SUMMARY 
     A communications system may include user equipment (UE) devices, a constellation of communications satellites, gateways, and a terrestrial network. The gateways may transmit forward link data to the UE devices via the constellation. The UE devices may transmit reverse link data to the gateways via the constellation. A satellite communications cloud region may be implemented on the terrestrial network. The satellite communications cloud region may include a scheduler for scheduling forward link transmissions. 
     The UE devices may receive broadcast signals from the constellation. The UE devices may transmit registration requests to the gateways via the constellation in response to the broadcast signals. The registration requests may include information identifying the geographic locations of the UE devices and may include two-line element (TLE) identifiers that identify versions of TLEs stored on the UE devices. The scheduler may receive forward link traffic requests for the UE devices, each with a corresponding priority. The scheduler may also receive satellite information that includes thermal constraints, position information, and power information associated with the constellation. The scheduler may generate forward link traffic grants for the UE devices based on the forward link traffic requests, the thermal constraints, the TLE versions, the geographic locations, and the priorities. 
     For example, the scheduler may identify satellites having coverage areas that overlap the geographic locations. The scheduler may assign resources from the satellites that account for the thermal constraints and power information (e.g., by avoiding scheduling for communications satellites that are excessively hot, by reducing data rates to accommodate power constraints, etc.). The scheduler may order the forward link traffic grants on a priority basis and then on a first-come-first-serve basis within each priority. If desired, the scheduler may group forward link traffic grants for the same signal beam of the same satellite together as contiguous data bursts. In this way, the scheduler may perform forward link scheduling in a fair manner based on the geographic locations, the TLE versions, and constraints on the communications satellites. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a diagram of an illustrative communications system having user equipment devices that communicate with gateways via a constellation of communications satellites in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of an illustrative user equipment device in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram of an illustrative communications satellite in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  4    is a diagram showing how an illustrative communications satellite may communicate using signal beams directed towards different cells distributed across a geographic region in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  5    is a diagram of an illustrative satellite communications cloud region having a satellite communications scheduler for scheduling the transmission of forward link data to multiple user equipment devices in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  6    is a flow chart of illustrative operations that may be performed by a user equipment device in receiving forward link data via a communications satellite in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  7    is a flow chart of illustrative operations that may be performed by a satellite communications cloud region to schedule forward link data transmissions for multiple user equipment devices in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  8    is a diagram showing how an illustrative satellite communications scheduler may generate forward link traffic grants for different user equipment devices based on forward link traffic requests and satellite information in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  9    is a diagram of an illustrative forward link data block that may be transmitted by a communications satellite within a corresponding signal beam in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG.  10    is a diagram showing one example of how an illustrative communications scheduler may rearrange forward link data blocks for different user equipment devices based on priority and signal beam in accordance with some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    is a diagram of an illustrative communications system  8 . Communications system  8  (sometimes referred to herein as communications network  8 , network  8 , satellite communications system  8 , or satellite communications network  8 ) may include a ground-based (terrestrial) gateway system that includes one or more gateways  14 , one or more user equipment (UE) devices  10  (e.g., a first UE device  10 - 1 , a second UE device  10 - 2 , a third UE device  10 - 3 , etc.), and a terrestrial network  6  on Earth. Terrestrial network  6  may include terrestrial-based wireless communications equipment  22  and network portion  18 . Wireless communications equipment  22  may include one or more wireless base stations (e.g., for implementing a cellular telephone network) and/or access points. Communications system  8  may also include a constellation  4  of one or more communication satellites  12  (e.g., a first communications satellite  12 - 1 , a second communications satellite  12 - 2 , etc.). Constellation  4  may sometimes be referred to herein as satellite constellation  4 . Communications satellites  12  are located in space (e.g., in orbit above Earth). While communications system  8  may include any desired number of gateways  14 , only a single gateway  14  is illustrated in  FIG.  1    for the sake of clarity. Each gateway  14  in communications system  8  may be located at a different respective geographic location on Earth (e.g., across different regions, states, provinces, countries, continents, etc.). 
     Network portion  18  may be communicably coupled to wireless communications equipment  22  and each of the gateways  14  in communications system  8 . Gateway  14  may include a satellite network ground station and may therefore sometimes also be referred to as ground station  14  or satellite network ground station  14 . Each gateway  14  may include one or more antennas (e.g., electronically and/or mechanically adjustable antennas), modems, transceivers, amplifiers, beam forming circuitry, control circuitry, etc. The components of each gateway  14  may, for example, be disposed at a respective geographic location (e.g., within the same computer, server, data center, building, etc.). Gateways  14  may convey communications data between terrestrial network  6  and UE devices  10  via satellite constellation  4 . 
     Network portion  18  may include any desired number of network nodes, terminals, and/or end hosts that are communicably coupled together using communications paths that include wired and/or wireless links. The wired links may include cables (e.g., ethernet cables, optical fibers or other optical cables that convey signals using light, telephone cables, etc.). Network portion  18  may include one or more relay networks, mesh networks, local area networks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), ring networks (e.g., optical rings), cloud networks, virtual/logical networks, the Internet, combinations of these, and/or any other desired network nodes coupled together using any desired network topologies (e.g., on Earth). The network nodes, terminals, and/or end hosts may include network switches, network routers, optical add-drop multiplexers, other multiplexers, repeaters, modems, servers, network cards, wireless access points, wireless base stations, UE devices such as UE devices  10 , and/or any other desired network components. The network nodes in network portion  18  may include physical components such as electronic devices, servers, computers, user equipment, etc., and/or may include virtual components that are logically defined in software and that are distributed across (over) two or more underlying physical devices (e.g., in a cloud network configuration). 
     Network portion  18  may include one or more satellite network operations centers such as network operations center (NOC)  16 . NOC  16  may control the operation of gateways  14  in communicating with satellite constellation  4 . NOC  16  may also control the operation of the satellites  12  in satellite constellation  4 . For example, NOC  16  may convey control commands via gateways  14  that control positioning operations (e.g., orbit adjustments), sensing operations (e.g., thermal information gathered using one or more thermal sensors), and/or any other desired operations performed in space by satellites  12 . NOC  16 , gateways  14 , and satellite constellation  4  may be operated or managed by a corresponding satellite constellation operator. 
     Communications system  8  may also include a satellite communications (satcom) network service provider (e.g., a satcom network carrier or operator) for controlling wireless communications between UE devices  10  and terrestrial network  6  via satellite constellation  4 . The satcom network service provider may be a different entity than the satellite constellation operator that controls/operates NOC  16 , gateways  14 , and satellite constellation  4  or, if desired, may be the same entity as the satellite constellation operator. Wireless communications equipment  22  in terrestrial network  6  may be operated by a terrestrial network carrier or service provider. The terrestrial network carrier or service provider may be a different entity than the satcom network service provider or, if desired, may be the same entity as the satcom network service provider. 
     Gateway  14  may control the operations of satellite constellation  4  over corresponding radio-frequency communications links. Satellite constellation  4  may include any desired number of satellites (e.g., two satellites, four satellites, ten satellites, dozens of satellites, hundreds of satellites, thousands of satellites, etc.), two of which are shown in  FIG.  1   . If desired, two or more of the satellites  12  in satellite constellation  4  may convey radio-frequency signals between each other using satellite-to-satellite (e.g., relay) links. 
     Satellites  12  may include low earth orbit (LEO) satellites at orbital altitudes of less than around 8,000 km (e.g., satellites in low earth orbits, inclined low earth orbits, low earth circular orbits, etc.), geosynchronous satellites at orbital altitudes of greater than around 30,000 km (e.g., satellite in geosynchronous orbits), medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites at orbital altitudes between around 8,000 km and 30,000 km (e.g., satellite in medium earth orbits), sun synchronous satellites (e.g., satellites in sun synchronous orbits), satellites in tundra orbits, satellites in Molniya orbits, satellites in polar orbits, and/or satellites in any other desired orbits around Earth. Communications system  8  may include satellites in any desired combination of orbits or orbit types. 
     Each satellite  12  may communicate with one or more UE devices  10  on Earth using one or more radio-frequency communications links (e.g., satellite-to-user equipment links). Satellites  12  may also communicate with gateways  14  on Earth using radio-frequency communications links (e.g., satellite-to-gateway links). Radio-frequency signals may be conveyed between UE devices  10  and satellites  12  and between satellites  12  and gateways  14  in IEEE bands such as the IEEE C band (4-8 GHZ), S band (2-4 GHz), L band (1-2 GHZ), X band (8-12 GHz), W band (75-110 GHz), V band (40-75 GHZ), K band (18-27 GHZ), K a  band (26.5-40 GHz), K u  band (12-18 GHz), and/or any other desired satellite communications bands. If desired, different bands may be used for the satellite-to-user equipment links than for the satellite-to-gateway links. 
     Communications may be performed between gateways  14  and UE devices  10  in a forward (FWD) link direction and/or in a reverse link direction. In the forward link direction (sometimes referred to simply as the forward link), wireless data is conveyed from gateways  14  to UE device(s)  10  via satellite constellation  4 . For example, a gateway  14  may transmit forward link data to one of the satellites in satellite constellation  4  such as satellite  12 - 1  (e.g., using radio-frequency signals  28 ). Satellite  12 - 1  may transmit (e.g., relay) the forward link data received from gateway  14  to UE device(s)  10  (e.g., using radio-frequency signals  26 ). Radio-frequency signals  28  are conveyed in an uplink direction from gateway  14  to satellite  12 - 1  and may therefore sometimes be referred to herein as uplink (UL) signals  28 , forward link UL signals  28 , or forward link signals  28 . Radio-frequency signals  26  are conveyed in a downlink direction from satellite  12 - 1  to UE device(s)  10  and may therefore sometimes be referred to herein as downlink (DL) signals  26 , forward link DL signals  26 , or forward link signals  26 . 
     In the reverse link direction (sometimes referred to simply as the reverse link), wireless data is conveyed from UE device(s)  10  to gateways  14  via satellite constellation  4 . For example, one of the UE devices  10  such as UE device  10 - 1  may transmit reverse link data to satellite  12 - 1  using radio-frequency signals  24  and satellite  12 - 1  may transmit (e.g., relay) the reverse link data received from UE device  10 - 1  to a corresponding gateway  14  using radio-frequency signals  30 . Radio-frequency signals  24  are conveyed in an uplink direction from UE device  10 - 1  to satellite  12 - 1  and may therefore sometimes be referred to herein as uplink (UL) signals  24 , reverse link UL signals  24 , or reverse link signals  24 . Radio-frequency signals  30  are conveyed in a downlink direction from satellite  12 - 1  to gateway  14  and may therefore sometimes be referred to herein as downlink (DL) signals  30 , reverse link DL signals  30 , or reverse link signals  30 . Gateway  14  may forward wireless data between UE device(s)  10  and network portion  18 . Network portion  18  may forward the wireless data to any desired network nodes or terminals. 
     If desired, UE devices  10  may also convey radio-frequency signals with terrestrial-based wireless communications equipment  22  over terrestrial network wireless communication links  2  when available. Wireless communications equipment  22  may include wireless base stations and/or access points. UE devices  10  may sometimes be referred to herein as being “online” or “on-grid” when the UE devices are within range of wireless communications equipment  22  and when wireless communications equipment  22  provides access (e.g., communications resources) to network portion  18  for the UE devices. When the UE devices are online, the UE devices may communicate with other network nodes or terminals in network portion  18  via terrestrial network wireless communications links  2 . Conversely, UE devices  10  may sometimes be referred to herein as being “offline” or “off-grid” when the UE devices are out of range of wireless communications equipment  22  or when wireless communications equipment  22  does not provide access to network portion  18  for the UE devices (e.g., when wireless communications equipment  22  is disabled due to a power outage, natural disaster, traffic surge, or emergency, when wireless communications equipment  22  denies access to network portion  18  for the UE devices, when wireless communications equipment  22  is overloaded with traffic, etc.). If desired, UE devices  10  may include separate antennas for handling communications over the satellite-to-user equipment link and one or more terrestrial network wireless communication links  2  or UE devices  10  may include a single antenna that handles both the satellite-to-user equipment link and the terrestrial network wireless communications links. The terrestrial network wireless communications links may be, for example, cellular telephone links (e.g., links maintained using a cellular telephone communications protocol such as a 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol, a 3G protocol, a 3GPP Fifth Generation (5G) New Radio (NR) protocol, etc.), wireless local area network links (e.g., Wi-Fi® and/or Bluetooth links), etc. 
     The wireless data conveyed in DL signals  26  may sometimes be referred to herein as DL data, forward link DL data, or forward link data. UL signals  28  may also convey the forward link data (e.g., forward link data that is routed by satellite  12 - 1  to UE device(s)  10  in DL signals  26 ). The wireless data conveyed in UL signals  24  may sometimes be referred to herein as UL data, reverse link UL data, or reverse link data. DL signals  30  may also convey the reverse link data. The forward link data may be generated by any desired network nodes or terminals of terrestrial network  6 . The forward link data and the reverse link data may include text data such as email messages, text messages, web browser data, an emergency or SOS message, a location message identifying the location of UE device(s)  10 , or other text-based data, audio data such as voice data (e.g., for a bi-directional satellite voice call) or other audio data (e.g., streaming satellite radio data), video data (e.g., for a bi-directional satellite video call or to stream video data transmitted by gateway  14  at UE device(s)  10 ), cloud network synchronization data, data generated or used by software applications running on UE device(s)  10 , and/or any other desired data. UE devices  10  may only receive forward link data, may only transmit reverse link data, or may both transmit reverse link data and receive forward link data. Each satellite  12  may communicate with the UE devices  10  located within its coverage area (e.g., UE devices  10  located within cells on Earth that overlap the signal beam(s) producible by the satellite). The UE and ground station scheduler may determine when to switch satellites for communications (e.g., thereby using the same TLE version so that the transition is synchronous between the UE and scheduler). 
     The satcom network service provider for communications system  8  may operate, control, and/or manage a satcom control network such as satcom network region  20  in network portion  18 . Satcom network region  20  may be implemented on one or more network nodes and/or terminals of network portion  18 . In one implementation that is described herein as an example, satcom network region  20  may be formed from a cloud computing network distributed over multiple underlying physical network nodes and/or terminals distributed across one or more geographic regions. Satcom network region  20  may therefore sometimes be referred to herein as satcom cloud region  20 , satcom cloud network  20 , or satcom cloud network region  20 . 
     Satcom cloud region  20  may control and coordinate wireless communications between terminals of terrestrial network  6  and UE devices  10  via satellite constellation  4 . For example, gateways  14  may receive reverse link data from UE devices  10  via satellite constellation  4  and may route the reverse link data to satcom cloud region  20 . Satcom cloud region  20  may perform any desired processing operations on the reverse link data. For example, satcom cloud region  20  may identify destinations for the reverse link data and may forward the reverse link data to the identified destinations. Satcom cloud region  20  may also receive forward link data for transmission to UE devices  10  from one or more terminals of terrestrial network  6 . Satcom cloud region  20  may process the forward link data to schedule the forward link data for transmission to UE devices  10  via satellite constellation  4 . Satcom cloud region  20  may schedule the forward link data for transmission to UE devices  10  by generating forward link traffic grants for each of the UE devices that are to receive forward link data. Satcom cloud region  20  may provide the forward link data and the forward link traffic grants to gateways  14 . Gateways  14  may transmit the forward link data to UE devices  10  via satellite constellation  4  according to the forward link traffic grants (e.g., according to a forward link communications schedule that implements the forward link traffic grants). 
     UE device  10  may be a computing device such as a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wristwatch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a device embedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which electronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile, a wireless internet-connected voice-controlled speaker, a home entertainment device, a remote control device, a gaming controller, a peripheral user input device, a wireless base station or access point, equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices, or other electronic equipment. 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , UE device  10  may include components located on or within an electronic device housing such as housing  32 . Housing  32 , which may sometimes be referred to as a case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, metal alloys, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. In some situations, parts or all of housing  32  may be formed from dielectric or other low-conductivity material (e.g., glass, ceramic, plastic, sapphire, etc.). In other situations, housing  32  or at least some of the structures that make up housing  32  may be formed from metal elements. 
     UE device  10  may include control circuitry  34 . Control circuitry  34  may include storage such as storage circuitry  36 . Storage circuitry  36  may include hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid-state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Storage circuitry  36  may include storage that is integrated within UE device  10  and/or removable storage media. 
     Control circuitry  34  may include processing circuitry such as processing circuitry  38 . Processing circuitry  38  may be used to control the operation of UE device  10 . Processing circuitry  38  may include on one or more processors, microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, host processors, baseband processor integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), etc. Control circuitry  34  may be configured to perform operations in device  10  using hardware (e.g., dedicated hardware or circuitry), firmware, and/or software. Software code for performing operations on UE device  10  may be stored on storage circuitry  36  (e.g., storage circuitry  36  may include non-transitory (tangible) computer readable storage media that stores the software code). The software code may sometimes be referred to as program instructions, software, data, instructions, or code. Software code stored on storage circuitry  36  may be executed by processing circuitry  38 . 
     Control circuitry  34  may be used to run software on UE device  10  such as satellite navigation applications, internet browsing applications, voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, etc. To support interactions with external equipment, control circuitry  34  may be used in implementing communications protocols. Communications protocols that may be implemented using control circuitry  34  include internet protocols, wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimes referred to as Wi-Fi®), protocols for other short-range wireless communications links such as the Bluetooth® protocol or other wireless personal area network (WPAN) protocols, IEEE 802.11ad protocols (e.g., ultra-wideband protocols), cellular telephone protocols (e.g., 3G protocols, 4G (LTE) protocols, 5G protocols, etc.), antenna diversity protocols, satellite navigation system protocols (e.g., global positioning system (GPS) protocols, global navigation satellite system (GLONASS) protocols, etc.), antenna-based spatial ranging protocols (e.g., radio detection and ranging (RADAR) protocols or other desired range detection protocols for signals conveyed at millimeter and centimeter wave frequencies), satellite communications protocols, or any other desired communications protocols. Each communications protocol may be associated with a corresponding radio access technology (RAT) that specifies the physical connection methodology used in implementing the protocol. 
     UE device  10  may store satellite information associated with one or more of the satellites  12  in satellite constellation  4  on storage circuitry  36 . The satellite information may include a satellite almanac identifying the position (e.g., orbit information, elevation information, altitude information, inclination information, eccentricity information, orbital period information, trajectory information, right ascension information, declination information, ground track information, etc.) and/or the velocity of satellites  12  (e.g., relative to the surface of Earth). This information may include a two-line element (TLE) such as TLE  42 . TLE  42  may identify (include) information about the orbital motion of one or more of the satellites  12  in satellite constellation  4  (e.g., satellite epoch, first and/or second derivatives of motion, drag terms, etc.). TLE  42  may, for example, be used by control circuitry  34  as an input for calculating, predicting, or identifying the location of satellites  12  at a given point in time. TLE  42  may be in the format of a text file having two lines or columns that include the set of elements forming the TLE, for example. 
     The TLE describing the satellites  12  in satellite constellation  4  may change over time (e.g., as the operating characteristics of satellite constellation  4  change over time, are refined to characterize the orbits of satellites  12  at different points in the future more accurately, etc.). UE device  10  may receive (e.g., download) a current (updated) version of TLE  42  from wireless communications equipment  22  when the UE device is online and whenever a current (updated) version of the TLE is available. NOC  16  may, for example, generate an updated TLE associated with satellite constellation  4  and may forward the updated TLE to UE device  10  via external communications equipment  22  when UE device  10  is online. TLE  42  may be too large to be transmitted via satellite constellation  4  itself without consuming excessive resources on satellite constellation  4  (e.g., while UE device  10  is offline). UE device  10  may also store information identifying the current version of the TLE  42  stored on storage circuitry  36  (e.g., a TLE version number or identifier). NOC  16  may maintain a list of all versions of the TLEs associated with satellite constellation  4 . UE device  10 - 1  may use TLE  42  in generating uplink signals  24  when the UE device has reverse link data for transmission. 
     UE device  10  may include input-output devices  44 . Input-output devices  44  may be used to allow data to be supplied to UE device  10  and to allow data to be provided from UE device  10  to external devices. Input-output devices  44  may include user interface devices, data port devices, and other input-output components. For example, input-output devices  44  may include touch sensors, displays (e.g., touch-sensitive and/or force-sensitive displays), light-emitting components such as displays without touch sensor capabilities, buttons (mechanical, capacitive, optical, etc.), scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, cameras, buttons, speakers, status indicators, audio jacks and other audio port components, digital data port devices, motion sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, and/or compasses that detect motion), capacitance sensors, proximity sensors, magnetic sensors, force sensors (e.g., force sensors coupled to a display to detect pressure applied to the display), temperature sensors, etc. In some configurations, keyboards, headphones, displays, pointing devices such as trackpads, mice, and joysticks, and other input-output devices may be coupled to UE device  10  using wired or wireless connections (e.g., some of input-output devices  44  may be peripherals that are coupled to a main processing unit or other portion of UE device  10  via a wired or wireless link). 
     UE device  10  may also include wireless circuitry to support wireless communications. The wireless circuitry may include one or more antennas  40  and one or more radios  46 . Each radio  46  may include circuitry that operates on signals at baseband frequencies (e.g., baseband processor circuitry), signal generator circuitry, modulation/demodulation circuitry (e.g., one or more modems), radio-frequency transceiver circuitry (e.g., radio-frequency transmitter circuitry, radio-frequency receiver circuitry, mixer circuitry for downconverting radio-frequency signals to baseband frequencies or intermediate frequencies between radio and baseband frequencies and/or for upconverting signals at baseband or intermediate frequencies to radio-frequencies, etc.), amplifier circuitry (e.g., one or more power amplifiers and/or one or more low-noise amplifiers (LNAs)), analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuitry, digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry, control paths, power supply paths, signal paths (e.g., radio-frequency transmission lines, intermediate frequency transmission lines, baseband signal lines, etc.), switching circuitry, filter circuitry, and/or any other circuitry for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals using antenna(s)  40 . The components of each radio  46  may be mounted onto a respective substrate or integrated into a respective integrated circuit, chip, package, or system-on-chip (SOC). If desired, the components of multiple radios  46  may share a single substrate, integrated circuit, chip, package, or SOC. 
     Antenna(s)  40  may be formed using any desired antenna structures. For example, antenna(s)  40  may include antennas with resonating elements that are formed from loop antenna structures, patch antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, helical antenna structures, monopole antennas, dipoles, hybrids of these designs, etc. If desired, one or more antennas  40  may include antenna resonating elements formed from conductive portions of housing  32  (e.g., peripheral conductive housing structures extending around a periphery of a display on UE device  10 ). Filter circuitry, switching circuitry, impedance matching circuitry, and/or other antenna tuning components may be adjusted to adjust the frequency response and wireless performance of antenna(s)  40  over time. If desired, multiple antennas  40  may be implemented as a phased array antenna (e.g., where each antenna forms a radiator or antenna element of the phased array antenna, which is sometimes also referred to as a phased antenna array). In these scenarios, the phased array antenna may convey radio-frequency signals within a signal beam. The phases and/or magnitudes of each radiator in the phased array antenna may be adjusted so the radio-frequency signals for each radiator constructively and destructively interfere to steer or orient the signal beam in a particular pointing direction (e.g., a direction of peak signal gain). The signal beam may be adjusted or steered over time. 
     Transceiver circuitry in radios  46  may convey radio-frequency signals using one or more antennas  40  (e.g., antenna(s)  40  may convey the radio-frequency signals for the transceiver circuitry). The term “convey radio-frequency signals” as used herein means the transmission and/or reception of the radio-frequency signals (e.g., for performing unidirectional and/or bidirectional wireless communications with external wireless communications equipment). Antenna(s)  40  may transmit the radio-frequency signals by radiating the radio-frequency signals into free space (or to free space through intervening device structures such as a dielectric cover layer). Antenna(s)  40  may additionally or alternatively receive the radio-frequency signals from free space (e.g., through intervening devices structures such as a dielectric cover layer). The transmission and reception of radio-frequency signals by antenna(s)  40  each involve the excitation or resonance of antenna currents on an antenna resonating element in the antenna by the radio-frequency signals within the frequency band(s) of operation of the antenna. 
     Each radio  46  may be coupled to one or more antennas  40  over one or more radio-frequency transmission lines. The radio-frequency transmission lines may include coaxial cables, microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, edge-coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, transmission lines formed from combinations of transmission lines of these types, etc. The radio-frequency transmission lines may be integrated into rigid and/or flexible printed circuit boards if desired. One or more of the radio-frequency lines may be shared between radios  46  if desired. Radio-frequency front end (RFFE) modules may be interposed on one or more of the radio-frequency transmission lines. The radio-frequency front end modules may include substrates, integrated circuits, chips, or packages that are separate from radios  46  and may include filter circuitry, switching circuitry, amplifier circuitry, impedance matching circuitry, radio-frequency coupler circuitry, and/or any other desired radio-frequency circuitry for operating on the radio-frequency signals conveyed over the radio-frequency transmission lines. 
     Radios  46  may use antenna(s)  40  to transmit and/or receive radio-frequency signals within different frequency bands at radio frequencies (sometimes referred to herein as communications bands or simply as a “bands”). The frequency bands handled by radios  46  may include satellite communications bands (e.g., the C band, S band, L band, X band, W band, V band, K band, K a  band, K u  band, etc.), wireless local area network (WLAN) frequency bands (e.g., Wi-Fi® (IEEE 802.11) or other WLAN communications bands) such as a 2.4 GHZ WLAN band (e.g., from 2400 to 2480 MHZ), a 5 GHZ WLAN band (e.g., from 5180 to 5825 MHZ), a Wi-Fi® 6E band (e.g., from 5925-7125 MHZ), and/or other Wi-Fi® bands (e.g., from 1875-5160 MHz), wireless personal area network (WPAN) frequency bands such as the 2.4 GHZ Bluetooth® band or other WPAN communications bands, cellular telephone frequency bands (e.g., bands from about 600 MHz to about 5 GHZ, 3G bands, 4G LTE bands, 5G New Radio Frequency Range 1 (FR1) bands below 10 GHZ, 5G New Radio Frequency Range 2 (FR2) bands between 20 and 60 GHZ, etc.), other centimeter or millimeter wave frequency bands between 10-300 GHz, near-field communications (NFC) frequency bands (e.g., at 13.56 MHZ), satellite navigation frequency bands (e.g., a GPS band from 1565 to 1610 MHZ, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) band, a BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) band, etc.), ultra-wideband (UWB) frequency bands that operate under the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol and/or other ultra-wideband communications protocols, communications bands under the family of 3GPP wireless communications standards, communications bands under the IEEE 802.XX family of standards, and/or any other desired frequency bands of interest. 
     While control circuitry  34  is shown separately from radios  46  in the example of  FIG.  2    for the sake of clarity, radios  46  may include processing circuitry that forms a part of processing circuitry  38  and/or storage circuitry that forms a part of storage circuitry  36  of control circuitry  34  (e.g., portions of control circuitry  34  may be implemented on radios  46 ). As an example, control circuitry  34  may include baseband circuitry or other control components that form a part of radios  46 . The baseband circuitry may, for example, access a communication protocol stack on control circuitry  34  (e.g., storage circuitry  36 ) to: perform user plane functions at a PHY layer, MAC layer, RLC layer, PDCP layer, SDAP layer, and/or PDU layer, and/or to perform control plane functions at the PHY layer, MAC layer, RLC layer, PDCP layer, RRC, layer, and/or non-access stratum layer. 
       FIG.  3    is a diagram of an illustrative satellite  12  in communications system  8 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , satellite  12  may include satellite support components  48 . Support components  48  may include batteries, solar panels, sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, temperature sensors, light sensors, etc.), guidance systems, propulsion systems, and/or any other desired components associated with supporting satellite  12  in orbit above Earth. 
     Satellite  12  may include control circuitry  50 . Control circuitry  50  may be used in controlling the operations of satellite  12 . Control circuitry  50  may include processing circuitry such as processing circuitry  38  of  FIG.  2    and may include storage circuitry such as storage circuitry  36  of  FIG.  2   . Control circuitry  50  may also control support components  48  to adjust the trajectory or position of satellite  12  in space. 
     Satellite  12  may include antennas  54  and one or more radios  52 . Radios  52  may use antennas  54  to transmit DL signals  26  and DL signals  30  and to receive UL signals  24  and UL signals  28  of  FIG.  1    (e.g., in one or more satellite communications bands). Radios  52  may include transceivers, modems, integrated circuit chips, application specific integrated circuits, filters, switches, up-converter circuitry, down-converter circuitry, analog-to-digital converter circuitry, digital-to-analog converter circuitry, amplifier circuitry (e.g., multiport amplifiers), beam steering circuitry, etc. 
     Antennas  54  may include any desired antenna structures (e.g., patch antenna structures, dipole antenna structures, monopole antenna structures, waveguide antenna structures, Yagi antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, cavity-backed antenna structures, combinations of these, etc.). In one suitable arrangement, antennas  52  may include one or more phased array antennas. Each phased array antenna may include beam forming circuitry having a phase and magnitude controller coupled to each antenna element in the phased array antenna. The phase and magnitude controllers may provide a desired phase and magnitude to the radio-frequency signals conveyed over the corresponding antenna element. The phases and magnitudes of each antenna element may be adjusted so that the radio-frequency signals conveyed by each of the antenna elements constructively and destructively interfere to produce a radio-frequency signal beam (e.g., a spot beam) in a desired pointing direction (e.g., an angular direction towards Earth at which the radio-frequency signal beam exhibits peak gain). Radio-frequency lenses may also be used to help guide the radio-frequency signal beam in a desired pointing direction. Each radio-frequency signal beam also exhibits a corresponding beam width. This allows each radio-frequency signal beam to cover a corresponding cell on Earth (e.g., a region on Earth overlapping the radio-frequency signal beam such that the radio-frequency signal beam exhibits a power greater than a minimum threshold value within that region/cell). Satellite  12  may convey radio-frequency signals over multiple concurrently-active signal beams if desired. If desired, satellite  12  may offload some or all of its beam forming operations to gateway  14 . 
     If desired, radios  52  and antennas  54  may support communications using multiple polarizations. For example, radios  52  and antennas  54  may transmit and receive radio-frequency signals with a first polarization (e.g., a left-hand circular polarization (LHCP)) and may transmit and receive radio-frequency signals with a second polarization (e.g., a right-hand circular polarization (RHCP)). Antennas  54  may be able to produce a set of different signal beams at different beam pointing angles (e.g., where each beam overlaps a respective cell on Earth). The set of signal beams may include a first subset of signal beams that convey LHCP signals (e.g., LHCP signal beams) and a second subset of signal beams that convey RHCP signals (e.g., RHCP signal beams). The LHCP and RHCP signal beams may, for example, be produced using respective multiport power amplifiers (MPAs) on satellite  12 . Each MPA may include a number of solid state power amplifiers (SSPAs) (e.g., each MPA may include one SSPA for each signal beam producible using that MPA). This may allow LHCP and RHCP signal beams to be active simultaneously. For example, if radios  52  and antennas  54  can produce 16 different signal beams, the 16 signal beams may include a first MPA having 8 SSPAs for producing 8 LHCP signal beams and may include a second MPA having 8 SSPAs for producing 8 RHCP signal beams. This is merely illustrative and, in general, satellite  12  may produce any desired number of signal beams having any desired polarizations. 
       FIG.  4    is a diagram showing how a given satellite  12  may produce different signal beams for conveying radio-frequency signals within different cells on Earth. As shown in  FIG.  4   , satellite  12  may be capable of providing forward link and/or reverse link coverage across geographic region  60  at any given time. Geographic region  60  may sometimes be referred to herein as the coverage area of satellite  12 . Geographic region  60  may span some or all of a city, county, state, province, country, continent, ocean, or any other desired region on Earth. Geographic region  60  may be a few miles, tens of miles, or hundreds of miles in diameter, for example. 
     Satellite  12  may be able to provide radio-frequency signal beams at different beam pointing angles towards Earth (e.g., by adjusting the phases and magnitudes of each antenna  54 ). Each beam pointing angle may overlap with a corresponding cell  62  within geographic region  60  (e.g., a first cell  62 - 1 , a second cell  62 - 2 , a third cell  62 - 3 , etc.). The example of  FIG.  4    in which satellite  12  produces seven signal beams for covering seven cells  62  is merely illustrative and, in general, satellite  12  may produce any desired number of signal beams for covering any desired number of cells (e.g., 16 cells, 32 cells, 4 cells, 8 cells, 64 cells, 128 cells, more than 16 cells, more than 7 cells, more than 4 cells, more than 32 cells, less than 7 cells, etc.). Cells  62  may have any desired diameter (e.g., 100-150 km, less than 100 km, greater than 150 km, less than 10 km, etc.). Cells  62  may have any desired shape. 
     Beam forming may allow satellite  12  to produce a single active radio-frequency signal beam and thus a single active cell at any given time or may produce multiple active radio-frequency signal beams and thus multiple active cells at any given time. In practice, satellite  12  has a finite amount of radio-frequency power that can be distributed across one or more cells  62 . The radio-frequency power provided within each cell  62  also corresponds to the maximum data rate for satellite communications within the cell. In general, the greater number of cells  62  that are active at any given time, the less power (and maximum data rate) is provided to each cell by the satellite. For example, satellite  12  may have 81 dBW of power that can be focused on a single cell  62  or that can be distributed across some or all of cells  62 . Satellite  12  may also control the amount of power provided to each cell  62  by increasing the amount of time that each cell  62  is active (e.g., the dwell time for that cell). The longer a given cell  62  is active, the more power is provided to that cell. If all cells  62  in geographic region  60  are active at once, there may be insufficient power-per-cell to support satisfactory radio-frequency communications with UE devices  10  in each cell (e.g., UE devices  10  may not be able to connect to satellite  12  or may not be able to convey large amounts of data unless there is a sufficient amount of radio-frequency power within the corresponding cell). If desired, satellite  12  may perform a beam hopping operation in which satellite  12  cycles through different active radio-frequency signal beams and thus active cells  62  over time. This may allow each active cell to be provided with a satisfactory amount of power while still providing coverage across all cells  62  in geographic region  60 . 
     Satellite  12  may convey radio-frequency signals simultaneously within LHCP signal beams and RHCP signal beams. To help mitigate interference between cells  62 , cells  62  may be divided into a set of RHCP cells and a set of LHCP cells. The odd-numbered cells  62  (e.g., cells  62 - 1 ,  62 - 3 ,  62 - 5 , etc.) in geographic region  60  may be LHCP cells and the even-numbered cells  62  (e.g., cells  62 - 2 ,  62 - 4 ,  62 - 6 , etc.) may be RHCP cells, for example. Given the resources available on satellite  12  and the need to support sufficiently high power (data rates) in each cell, satellite  12  may limit its active signal beams to a single signal beam of each polarization or to as many two signal beams of each polarization at any given time, for example. A signal beam is sometimes referred to herein as “active” when the signal beam is currently being used to convey radio-frequency signals (e.g., in the uplink or downlink direction) and is sometimes referred to herein as “inactive” when the signal beam is not currently being used to convey radio-frequency signals. Forward link data for each UE device within a given cell  62  may be transmitted within the corresponding signal beam (e.g., in the downlink signals transmitted to UE devices  10 ) sequentially and contiguously in time (e.g., where the forward link data for a subsequent UE device begins immediately upon the end of the forward link data for the previous UE device). 
     Each satellite  12  in satellite constellation  4  may provide communications capacity to a respective geographic region  60  on Earth. In practice, different UE devices  10  may be located in different geographic regions. There may be, for example, multiple UE devices in multiple cells  62  for multiple satellites  12  in satellite constellation  4 . If care is not taken, it can be difficult to provide forward link data to each of these UE devices in a time-efficient manner given the current operating resources of communications system  8 . Satcom cloud region  20  ( FIG.  1   ) may include a satellite communications scheduler for scheduling forward link data transmissions for each of UE devices  10  in a time-efficient manner given the current operating resources of communications system  8 . 
       FIG.  5    is a diagram showing one example of how satcom cloud region  20  may include a satellite communications scheduler for scheduling forward link data transmissions. As shown in  FIG.  5   , satcom cloud region  20  may be communicably coupled to satellite operator application programming interface (API)  70  in network portion  18  and may be communicably coupled to gateways  14  (e.g., over wired and/or wireless links and/or other network nodes or subnetworks in network portion  18 ). Satcom cloud region  20  may also be communicably coupled to other entities in network portion  18  such as content delivery network (CDN)  76 , satcom provisioning service (SPS) server  92 , unified messaging service server  94 , and/or emergency services relay center  96 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , satcom cloud region  20  may include a satellite communications interface (nexus) such as satcom interface  78 , a satcom data pipeline such as data pipeline  80 , a database such as TLE database  84 , a medium access control (MAC) layer processor such as MAC processor  82 , an emergency services interface such as emergency services interface  86 , and a unified messaging service interface such as unified messaging service interface  88 . MAC processor  82  may include scheduling elements such as satcom scheduler  90 . Satcom scheduler  90  may perform forward link scheduling for UE devices  10  (e.g., satcom scheduler  90  may generate forward link schedules for the UE devices). Satcom scheduler  90  may perform forward link scheduling by assigning forward link traffic grants to each of the UE devices, for example. 
     Satcom interface  78  may serve as a networking (communications) interface or nexus between gateways  14 , satellite operator API  70 , CDN  76 , and MAC processor  82 . Unified messaging service interface  88  may serve as a networking interface between unified messaging service server  94  and MAC processor  82 . Emergency services interface  86  may serve as a networking interface between emergency services relay center  96  and MAC processor  82 . The components of satcom cloud region  20  may be implemented on (e.g., distributed across) one or more underlying hardware devices (e.g., user equipment devices, servers, network cards, racks, computers, network nodes, communication terminals, etc.) having one or more processors (e.g., processing circuitry such as processing circuitry  38  of  FIG.  3   ) and storage (e.g., storage circuitry such as storage circuitry  36  of  FIG.  2   ). The one or more processors may, for example, perform the operations of satcom cloud region  20  as described herein. 
     Satellite operator API  70  may be managed and operated by the satellite constellation operator. Satellite operator API  70  may store and maintain satellite information  74 . Satellite operator API  70  may be implemented on one or more underlying terminals or nodes of network portion  18 . Satellite information  74  may include operating information associated with each of the satellites  12  in satellite constellation  4 . Satellite information  74  may, for example, include position information for each of satellites  12 , yaw information for each of satellites  12 , velocity information for each of satellites  12 , sensor information gathered by each satellite  12  such as thermal sensor information, power information identifying the amount of power available at each satellite  12 , beam information identifying signal beams that are formable by each satellite  12 , etc. The thermal sensor information may identify thermal properties such as temperature at one or more locations on or within the satellite. Satellite operator  70  may provide satellite information  74  to satcom interface  78  of satcom cloud region  20 . Satcom interface  78  may pass satellite information  74  to MAC processor  82  for use in scheduling forward link traffic. 
     Content delivery network  76  may produce and distribute content to be delivered to UE devices  10  (e.g., in forward link signals transmitted by gateways  14 ). The content may include application data, message data, video data, audio data, voice data, or any other desired content data. Content delivery network  76  may deliver content for the UEs to data pipeline  80  on satcom cloud region  20 . Data pipeline  80  may convert the format of content received from content delivery network  76  to a format that can be used by satcom cloud region  20  to provide to UE devices  10  via satellite constellation  4 . Data pipeline  80  may pass the content to MAC processor  82  via satcom interface  78 , for example. Content delivery network  76  may be controlled and/or managed by the satcom network service provider and/or by other service providers. 
     TLE database  84  may be a database, data table, or any other desired data structure. TLE database  84  may store each version of the TLEs used by satellite constellation  4 . Satellite operator API  70  may provide each current (updated) version of the TLE to satcom cloud region  20  when available. 
     Emergency services interface  86  may serve as an interface between satcom cloud region  20  and emergency services relay center  96 . Emergency services relay center  96  may receive emergency messages from satcom cloud region  20  and may forward or relay the emergency messages to appropriate emergency services. For example, emergency services relay center  96  may receive an emergency message transmitted by a particular UE device (e.g., in reverse link signals) and may forward the emergency message to the emergency services provider for the geographic region where that UE device is located. If desired, emergency services relay center  96  may also forward messages from the emergency service provider to satcom cloud region  20  for transmission to UE devices  10  (e.g., in forward link signals). 
     Unified messaging service server  94  may serve as a gateway to messaging in a unified messaging service associated with satcom cloud region  20 . Unified messaging service server  94  may, for example, handle notification services such as push notification services and other messaging services for UE devices  10 . Unified messaging service server  94  may forward message data and/or notifications such as push notifications to UE devices  10  (e.g., for display using applications running on the UE devices) based on requests from other operators or application developers. Satcom cloud region  20  may forward the message data and/or notifications to UE devices  10  (e.g., in forward link signals transmitted by gateways  14 ). Unified messaging service server  94  may be controlled and/or managed by the satcom network service provider and/or by other service providers. 
     Satcom provisioning service server  92  may be communicably coupled to MAC processor  82 . Satcom provisioning service server  92  may provision UE devices  10  for performing satellite communications using satellite constellation  4 . Satcom provisioning service server  92  may, for example, handle authentication services and keys for authenticating UE devices  10  and for providing the UE devices with access to satellite constellation  4 . The example of  FIG.  5    is merely illustrative and, in general, any desired components of network portion  18  may communicate with satcom cloud region  20 . Content delivery network  76 , unified messaging service server  94 , emergency services relay center  96 , and/or any other desired nodes or terminals of network portion  18  may provide forward link data to satcom cloud region  20  for transmission to UE devices  10  via satellite constellation  4 . 
     Satcom scheduler  90  may schedule transmission of the forward link data to UE devices  10 . Satcom scheduler  90  may schedule forward link data transmission by assigning different forward link traffic grants to each of the UE devices that are to receive forward link data. Satcom scheduler  90  may perform forward link scheduling based on the forward link data to be transmitted, information received from UE devices  10  (e.g., in reverse link signals), and satellite information  74  in a manner that is time-efficient, that is fair to each of the UE devices  10 , and that accounts for the constraints associated with satellites  12 . 
       FIG.  6    is a flow chart of illustrative operations that may be performed by a given UE device  10  to receive forward link data in forward link signals transmitted by a corresponding gateway  14  (e.g., as scheduled by satcom scheduler  90 ). 
     At operation  100 , when UE device  10  is online, UE device  10  may receive a current (updated) TLE associated with satellite constellation  4  (e.g., via terrestrial network wireless communication link  2  of  FIG.  1   ). UE device  10  may store the current TLE as TLE  42  of  FIG.  2   . UE device  10  may also store information identifying the version of the TLE that is stored on UE device  10 . UE device  10  may later use the stored TLE during transmission of reverse link signals via satellite constellation  4 . 
     UE device  10  may continue to perform communications with external communications equipment  22  (e.g., via terrestrial network wireless communication link  2 ) while the UE device is online (e.g., because terrestrial network wireless links generally support higher bandwidths and lower transmit power levels than satellite links). When satellite communications are needed, processing may proceed to operation  102 . Satellite communications may be needed when UE device  10  is offline and when UE device  10  has reverse link data to transmit. As one example, satellite communications may be needed when UE device  10  is offline and when UE device  10  has an emergency message to transmit to an emergency service provider (e.g., because the user of UE device  10  has suffered an accident, is lost, is in danger, etc.). Because terrestrial network communications are not available to UE device  10  while offline, UE device  10  may instead send the emergency message via reverse link signals transmitted to satellite constellation  4 . 
     At operation  102 , UE device  10  may receive downlink broadcast signals transmitted by one of the satellites  12  in satellite constellation  4 . Satellite  12  may periodically transmit the broadcast signals within each of the cells of its coverage area, for example. The broadcast signals may include a broadcast interval message, for example. 
     At operation  104 , UE device  10  may respond to the broadcast signals with reverse link signals that include a registration request for UE device  10  to perform communications via satellite constellation  4  (e.g., receipt of the broadcast signals may trigger UE device  10  to register or sign up for subsequent satellite communications). The registration request may include information identifying the geographic location of device  10  and information identifying the version of TLE  42  stored on UE device  10  (e.g., a TLE version number or other TLE identifier). The information identifying the geographic location of device  10  may include a geographic location identified by UE device  10  based on satellite navigation signals received at UE device  10  (e.g., a GPS location of UE device  10 ). 
     At operation  106 , UE device  10  may begin to receive forward link data transmitted by a gateway  14  via one of the communications satellites  12  in satellite constellation  4 . The forward link data (e.g., the timing of the forward link data) may be scheduled by satcom scheduler  90  on satcom cloud region  20 . If desired, UE device  10  may respond to the forward link data (e.g., over a bi-directional link). 
       FIG.  7    is a flow chart of operations involved in using satcom cloud region  20  to schedule forward link data for multiple UE devices  10 . 
     At operation  110 , satcom cloud region  20  may receive satellite information  74  from satellite operator API  70 . Satcom cloud region  20  may receive satellite information  74  periodically or whenever updated satellite information is available, for example. Operation  110  may be performed concurrently, before, or after operations  112 ,  114 , and/or  116  of  FIG.  7    if desired. 
     At operation  112 , satcom cloud region  20  may receive reverse link signals (e.g., registration requests) from a set of N UE devices  10  via satellite constellation  4  and gateways  14  (e.g., as transmitted by UE devices  10  while performing operation  104  of  FIG.  6   ). 
     At operation  114 , satcom cloud region  20  may identify the geographic location for each of the N UE devices from the received reverse link information (e.g., using the GPS location of the UE devices as transmitted in the registration requests). If desired, satcom cloud region  20  may fuzz the geographic locations for privacy purposes (e.g., to coarsely identify the geographic location of the UE devices such as to within the nearest cell  62  but without identifying the exact location of the UE devices). Satcom cloud region  20  may also identify the TLE version used by each of the N UE devices (e.g., using the TLE version number as transmitted in the registration requests). Satcom cloud region  20  may store each of the geographic locations and TLE versions for subsequent processing (e.g., at TLE database  84 ). Satcom cloud region  20  may decode any reverse link data in the reverse link signals and may forward the reverse link data to corresponding destinations within network portion  18 . 
     At operation  116 , satcom cloud region  20  may receive forward link requests for the transmission of forward link data to each of the N UE devices  10 . The forward link requests may be generated by elements of network portion  18  (e.g., in response to the reverse link data forwarded at operation  114 ) such as content delivery network  76 , unified messaging service server  94 , emergency services relay center  96 , and/or other terminals of network portion  18 . The forward link requests may identify the particular UE device  10  that is the intended recipient of the forward link data as well as the forward link data itself and optionally a message priority identifier, for example. 
     Consider one example in which satcom cloud region  20  receives a first forward link request for UE device  10 - 1  from emergency services relay center  96  and a second forward link request for UE device  10 - 2  from another communication terminal. The first forward link request may, for example, be received in response to an emergency message transmitted by UE device  10 - 1  in the reverse link signals and forwarded to emergency services relay center  96  at operation  114 . The second forward link request may, for example, be a request for a push notification to be displayed at UE device  10 - 2  (e.g., from unified messaging service server  94 ). In this example, the first forward link request may be higher priority than the second forward link request because the first forward link request is related to emergency services. The first forward link request may therefore include a priority identifier that identifies the first forward link request as higher priority, whereas the second forward link request may include a priority identifier that identifies the second forward link request as lower priority. 
     At operation  118 , scheduler  90  may schedule forward link transmissions for an upcoming forward link transmission cycle by assigning forward link traffic grants to each of the N UE devices for which forward link requests have been received. Each forward link transmission cycle may last a duration of 2.56 seconds, as an example. Scheduler  90  may generate (e.g., compute, calculate, produce, output, identify, assign, allocate, etc.) a forward link traffic grant for each of the received forward link requests based on the forward link data in the forward link request, the priority identifier in the forward link request, the length of the forward link data, satellite information  74  (e.g., thermal constraints as identified by satellite information  74 , satellite orbit information as identified by satellite information  74 , satellite beam availability information as identified by satellite information  74 , satellite power capabilities as identified by satellite information  74 , information on the available gateways  14  and the antennas on gateways  14 , etc.), the geographic location of each of the N UE devices, and/or the TLE version of each of the N UE devices. This scheduling may be performed in a fair manner based on the forward link data, the geographic locations, the TLE versions, and the satellite-based constraints of satellite information  74 . 
     In generating forward link traffic grants for the N UE devices  10 , scheduler  90  may process the forward link requests in priority order, scheduling higher priority requests before lower priority requests. Within the same priority class, scheduler  90  may process the forward link requests on a first-in-time basis (e.g., in a time-order in which earlier-received requests are processed before later-received requests). For each of the forward link traffic grants, scheduler  90  may identify a particular satellite  12  in constellation  4  that will have a coverage area overlapping the geographic location of the corresponding UE devices  10  during the upcoming forward link transmission cycle (e.g., a satellite having visibility to the UE device). If multiple satellites  12  meet this criteria, scheduler  90  may assign the satellite having the highest elevation angle to the UE device. Scheduler  90  may then identify a particular beam on each of the satellites that will overlap each of the N UE devices (e.g., based on the beam availability information in satellite information  74  and the stored geographic locations of the UE devices). Scheduler  90  may, for example, select a beam based on the yaw of the satellite, the position of the satellite, and the speed of the satellite as identified by satellite information  74 . In selecting satellites with visibility to the UE devices, scheduler  90  may perform orbit propagation on the satellites using the TLE version stored on each of the UE devices (e.g., as identified at operation  114 ) rather than the most up-to-date TLE version if there is a newer TLE available. This may ensure that the UE device and scheduler land on the same satellite and beam. 
     Scheduler  90  may also identify the gateways  14  that service the identified satellites, as well as the particular antennas on the identified gateways that service the identified satellites. Scheduler  90  may, for example, find all satellites  12  that have visibility or will have visibility to one or more antennas on one or more gateways  14 . If desired, scheduler  90  may perform an initial power and thermal check for the satellite (e.g., using satellite information  74 ) to confirm whether the satellite is available (e.g., assuming 100% duty cycle utilization). The identified gateways may be gateways that can deliver desired power to the satellite given the gateway antenna&#39;s limits on effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP). If the power condition is met by multiple gateways  14 , the scheduler may find the gateway that tracks the satellite at the highest elevation. 
     In assigning forward link traffic grants, scheduler  90  may also allocate data rate (power) to each of the N UE devices. If desired, scheduler  90  may dynamically allocate data rates to each of the forward link traffic grants based on the power capacity and thermal information in satellite information  74  (e.g., forward link data may be transmitted at higher data rates and power levels on satellites  12  having greater power capacity and lower thermal measurements than on satellites  12  having lower power capacity or higher thermal measurements). Satellites  12  having higher thermal measurements may be consuming a relatively high amount of power and/or may be at points in their orbits where the satellites are exposed to direct sunlight, for example. 
     When more than one of the N UE devices  10  are located in the same cell (signal beam) of the same satellite, scheduler  90  may assemble the forward link data for each of those UE devices as continuous/contiguous blocks of forward link data that sharing the same header (at operation  120 ). If there are no available satellites with sufficient power or a suitable beam overlapping any of the UE devices during the upcoming forward link transmission cycle, or if the thermal constraints received in satellite information  74  identify that a satellite  12  does not have the thermal capacity to accommodate the needed forward link traffic (e.g., because the satellite is located in the sun, is too hot, etc.), scheduler  90  may buffer the forward link requests for those UE devices until a later cycle (at operation  122 ). Alternatively, scheduler  90  may assign that forward link traffic a lower data rate (power level) if desired. 
     Scheduler  90  may perform a thermal assessment based on the thermal information in satellite information  74  to determine whether a given satellite  12  with UE visibility has sufficient thermal capacity to be assigned forward link data. The thermal assessment may involve generating and running a thermal model for the satellite. The thermal model may receive inputs that include thermal limits, sun incident angles α and β defined with respect to satellite  12  (e.g., where α is azimuth from x about the y-axis and β is elevation from the X-Z plane), temperature coefficients for α and β, gateway visibility, the thermal characteristics of satellite  12  during the last forward link transmission cycle, and/or average DC power dissipation for satellite  12 , as examples. Scheduler  90  may use the thermal model to generate a predicted temperature for satellite  12  and may compare the predicted temperature to a temperature threshold value. If the predicted temperature is less than the temperature threshold, the satellite may have sufficient thermal capacity and scheduler  90  may scheduler that satellite for forward link traffic during the upcoming forward link transmission cycle. If the predicted temperature exceeds the temperature threshold, scheduler  90  may assign the UE devices for the satellite to a different satellite with both gateway and UE device visibility for the upcoming forward link transmission cycle or may buffer the corresponding forward link requests for transmission in a later forward link transmission cycle (e.g., at operation  122 ). The scheduler may save the (updated) state of the thermal model for use in the next forward link transmission cycle if desired. 
     Scheduler  90  may perform power-thermal (P-T) assessments in dynamically assigning data rates (power levels) to each of the UE devices. The P-T assessment may begin with a desired target radio-frequency (RF) power. The scheduler may then calculate backed-off target RF power from the desired target power. The scheduler may then perform a gateway EIRP power check. This may involve calculating combined signal power and finding the deliverable power to the satellite based on elevation angle and type of antenna (e.g., 68 dB vs 72 dB antennas). In cases with two simultaneous beams-per-polarization, the scheduler may route traffic to two gateways  14  if the gateways are both tracking the same satellite  12 . The scheduler may then calculate the total RF power per polarization. If desired, the scheduler may add inter-modulation and thermal noise to the target RF power per MPA on the satellite. The scheduler may then find the expected power supply voltage V dd  for the satellite from the total RF power (e.g., using polynomial curve fitting with coefficients supplied in satellite information  74 ). The scheduler may then calculate DC consumption from the total RFF power and power supply voltage V dd  (e.g., using polynomial curve fitting with coefficients supplied in satellite information  74 ). The scheduler may then calculate DC dissipation from the DC consumption and the total RF power (e.g., where DC dissipation is equal to the DC consumption minus the total RF power). The scheduler may take into account gateway visibility and the duty cycle of the requested forward link traffic. For example, the scheduler may identify the DC power consumption while the transmitter is on, the DC power consumption while the transmitter is off, the DC power dissipation while the transmitter is on, the DC power dissipation while the transmitter is off. If there is no gateway visibility, the average DC power consumption may be equal to the average dissipation. 
     If desired, the scheduler may also perform a watt-hour bank assessment in performing the P-T assessments. For example, the scheduler may check the satellite orbit as identified by satellite information  74  (e.g., to determine whether the orbit is an all-sun orbit located entirely in sunlight, eclipse information, post eclipse recharge information, etc.). The scheduler may choose an appropriate watt-hour bank from the satellite information  74  received from satellite operator API  70  (e.g., a post-eclipse watt-hour bank or an eclipse watt-hour bank). The scheduler may calculate reserve energy for the remaining time in this state (e.g., based on gateway visibility of the satellite for the remainder of the orbit, with expected utilization of the satellite per cycle at the expected desired target power level). The scheduler may calculate discretionary energy available for the upcoming forward link transmission cycle (e.g., where the discretionary energy is equal to the watt-hour bank minus the reserve energy). The scheduler may also calculate the watt-hour consumption for the forward link transmission cycle (e.g., where watt-hour consumption is equal to the DC consumption in watts times the duration of the cycle (e.g., 2.56 seconds)). The scheduler may deduct the watt-hour consumption from the watt-hour bank in updating the state. 
     At operation  124 , satcom cloud region  20  may control gateways  14  to transmit the forward link data from the forward link requests to the N UE devices  10  via satellite constellation  4  according to the forward link schedule generated by scheduler  90  (e.g., according to the forward link traffic grants produced by scheduler  90 ). MAC processor  82  may forward the forward link traffic grants to the corresponding gateways  14  (via satcom interface  78 ) and the gateways may transmit the forward link data from the forward link traffic grants via satellites  12  according to the scheduling identified by the forward link traffic grants. Satellites  12  may relay the forward link data (e.g., in a bent-pipe configuration) to the N UE devices  10  (e.g., the UE devices may receive the forward link data while performing operation  106  of  FIG.  6   ). 
       FIG.  8    is a diagram showing one example of how scheduler  90  may generate forward link traffic grants based on received forward link traffic requests. As shown in  FIG.  8   , scheduler  90  may have a first input that receives respective forward link traffic requests traff_req i  for each of the N UE devices  10  to receive forward link data (e.g., where i is an integer index for the UE devices from 1 to N). Scheduler  90  may have a second input that receives API information api_info from satellite operator API  70 . API information api_info may include satellite information  74 , for example. The satellite information  74  may include satellite orbit information (e.g., position and velocity information, orbital characteristics, etc.), beam capabilities, thermal information including thermal constraints and sensor values, and power information for each of the satellites  12  in satellite constellation  4 , for example. 
     Scheduler  90  may generate respective forward link traffic grants traff_grant i  for each of the N UE devices  10  based on the corresponding traffic request traff_req i  and based on API information api_info (e.g., while processing operation  118  of  FIG.  7   ). As shown in  FIG.  8   , each forward link traffic request traff_req i  may include or identify the forward link data to be transmitted (e.g., a forward link message), a request token for the corresponding UE device  10 , information identifying the priority of the forward link data (e.g., the message priority), the time of the request, an ack/unicast identifier that identifies the type of request (e.g., whether the forward link data includes an acknowledgement (ack) or unicast data), UE location information identifying the geographic location of the corresponding UE device (e.g., as identified at operation  114  of  FIG.  7   ), the TLE version of the corresponding UE device (e.g., as identified at operation  114  of  FIG.  7   ), and/or information identifying the length of the forward link data (e.g., in bytes). 
     The API information api_info received at scheduler  90  may include, for example, a list of gateways  14  and antennas on the gateways for use in communicating with satellites  12 , a list of antenna elevation powers, a list of high precision TLEs characterizing satellite constellation  4 , a list of power limits for satellites  12 , a list of satellite contacts for satellites  12 , a list of satellite eclipses for satellites  12 , a scheduler report for satellites  12  (e.g., a report produced by an API that pre-calculates yaw, angles α and β, etc. ahead of time or offline so resources do not need to be assigned to calculate these values during scheduling of cycle traffic), thermal parameters for satellites  12 , waveform backoffs for satellites  12 , and/or any other desired information. These lists may be generated by satellite operator API  70  in a json file format, as one example. 
     Each forward link traffic grant traff_grant i  may include or identify a grant token for the corresponding UE device, the forward link data (e.g., message) from the corresponding forward link traffic request traff_req i , a priority identifier P identifying the priority of the forward link traffic grant (e.g., based on the message priority received in the corresponding forward link traffic request traff_req i ), the ack/unicast identifier, information identifying the length of the forward link data (e.g., in ms), a start time for the forward link traffic grant, information identifying the gateway  14  and the antenna on that gateway assigned to transmit the forward link data, information identifying the satellite  12  in satellite constellation  4  assigned to relay the forward link data, information identifying the particular signal beam of the satellite  12  to be used to transmit the forward link data to the corresponding UE device (e.g., the signal beam that overlaps the geographic location of the UE device), information identifying a polarization assignment for the corresponding UE beam (e.g., LHCP or RHCP), a time advance for the forward link data, information identifying the data rate (power) assignment for transmission of the forward link data, and/or information identifying the transmit (TX) power assigned for transmission of the forward link data in the signal beam. Scheduler  90  may provide forward link traffic grants traff_grant i  to the corresponding gateways (e.g., as identified within the traffic grants) for transmission to UE devices  10  (e.g., according to the configuration settings and timing specified by the traffic grants). 
     Consider a simple example in which UE device  10 - 1  of  FIG.  1    is located within cell  62 - 2  of  FIG.  4    and UE device  10 - 2  of  FIG.  1    is located within cell  62 - 3  of  FIG.  4    (e.g., within the coverage area of the same satellite  12 ) and in which both UE devices are to receive forward link data with the same priority. In this example, scheduler  90  may receive a first forward link traffic request traff_req 1  for UE device  10 - 1  and a second forward link traffic request traff_req 2  for UE device  10 - 2  after receiving forward link traffic request traff_req 1 . Forward link traffic request traff_req 1  may identify that UE device  10 - 1  is located within cell  62 - 2  and may identify the TLE version stored on UE device  10 - 1 . Forward link traffic request traff_req 2  may identify that UE device  10 - 2  is located within cell  62 - 3  and may identify the TLE version stored on UE device  10 - 2 . Scheduler  90  may process forward link traffic request traff_req 1  based on API information api_info to generate a forward link traffic grant traff_grant 1  for UE device  10 - 1 . Similarly, scheduler  90  may process forward link traffic request traff_req 2  based on API information api_info to generate a forward link traffic grant traff_grant 2  for UE device  10 - 2 . 
     Because the forward link traffic requests have the same priority, scheduler  90  will process the first request received (e.g., forward link traffic request traff_req 1 ). Scheduler  90  may first compute the orbits of the satellites  12  in satellite constellation  4  using the TLE version for UE device  10 - 1  to identify a satellite  12  that will have a coverage area (e.g., geographic region  60  of  FIG.  4   ) that overlaps UE device  10 - 1  for the upcoming forward link transmission cycle. Scheduler  90  may then process the beam information, polarization information, and/or orbit information for that satellite  12  (e.g., from API information api_info) to identify the signal beam overlapping UE device  10 - 1  within cell  62 - 2 . Scheduler  90  may perform a power-thermal assessment on the satellite based on the thermal information received in API information api_info to determine whether the satellite can support forward link communications for UE device  10 - 1 . For example, scheduler  90  may generate a thermal model for the satellite based on the thermal information in API information api_info to generate (e.g., identify, compute, calculate, produce, output, etc.) a predicted temperature for the satellite. If the predicted temperature is less than a threshold temperature, the satellite can support the forward link communications and can be assigned to UE device  10 - 1  within forward link traffic grant traff_grant 1 . If the predicted temperature exceeds the threshold temperature, scheduler  90  may find another satellite  12  with a coverage area overlapping cell  62 - 2  to check to see if that satellite can handle the forward link communications or, if no such satellite is available, scheduler  90  may buffer forward link traffic request traff_req 1  for a subsequent forward link transmission cycle. 
     Once the satellite  12  and the corresponding signal beam for UE device  10 - 1  have been identified (assigned), scheduler  90  may generate (e.g., assign, identify, compute, calculate, output, produce, etc.) a data rate and transmit power for conveying the forward link data to UE device  10  via the assigned satellite and signal beam (e.g., by performing P-T assessments and/or watt-hour assessments on the assigned satellite). Scheduler  90  may include information identifying the data rate and transmit power in forward link traffic grant traff_grant 1 . Scheduler  90  may then perform the same process on forward link traffic request traff_req 2  to produce forward link traffic grant traff_grant 2 . Scheduler  90  may repeat this process for each forward link traffic request traff_req i  to generate forward link traffic grants traff_grant i  for each of the N UE devices  10  (e.g., processing the requests first in order of priority and then in time-order within each priority). 
     For any given forward link transmission cycle, each satellite  12  may transmit the forward link data for all of the UE devices located in any given cell  62  (e.g., overlapping any given signal beam) within a forward link data block such as forward link data block  130  of  FIG.  9   . As shown in  FIG.  9   , forward link data block  130  may include broadcast interval (BI) header information  132  followed by a contiguous block  134  of forward link data bursts. Header  132  may, for example, a single codeword that informs the UE devices in the corresponding cell whether the UE devices should wake up to receive forward link data. UE devices that do not have forward link data to receive are not instructed to wake up. The broadcast interval occurs at a fixed position relative to each forward link transmission cycle, so the UE devices may know when to listen for the receipt of forward link data blocks  130 . 
     Contiguous block  134  may include a series of forward link data bursts, where each forward link data burst is a unicast user data burst destined for a respective UE device in the corresponding cell. Each forward link data burst may include one or more code words. Each forward link data burst is contiguous with one or two other forward link data bursts (e.g., without any gap between the forward link data bursts). The forward link data bursts may be in priority order and then in time-order within each priority. Consider an example in which UE devices  10 - 1 ,  10 - 2 , and  10 - 3  of  FIG.  1    are located within the same cell  62  of  FIG.  4    (e.g., within the same signal beam of a given polarization), where UE device  10 - 3  is to receive high priority data, UE devices  10 - 1  and  10 - 2  are to receive low priority data, and the forward link traffic request for UE device  10 - 2  was received at scheduler  90  before the forward link traffic request for UE device  10 - 1 . In this example, contiguous block  134  may include a first forward link data burst for UE device  10 - 3 , which is followed immediately and contiguously by a second forward link data burst for UE device  10 - 2 , which is followed immediately and contiguously by a third forward link data burst for UE device  10 - 1 . The gateway  14  assigned to UE devices  10 - 1 ,  10 - 2 , and  10 - 3  may control satellite  12  to transmit forward link data block  130  within the signal beam overlapping UE devices  10 - 1 ,  10 - 2 , and  10 - 3 , with the data rate and transmit power assigned by the forward link traffic grants traff_grant i  for UE devices  10 - 1 ,  10 - 2 , and  10 - 3 . 
     The examples above in which the forward link traffic grants are generated in priority order and then in time-order within each priority is merely illustrative. If desired, scheduler  90  may generate forward link traffic grants in priority order and then in time order within each priority but may order forward link traffic grants for any given signal beam consecutively (e.g., to produce forward link data blocks  130  of  FIG.  9   ) to more efficiently utilize the resources on satellite  12 .  FIG.  10    is a timing diagram showing one such example of how scheduler  90  may implement fair, priority-based scheduling for three UE devices  10  that are to receive forward link data. 
     In the example of  FIG.  10   , there may be a first UE device  10 - 1  located within cell  62 - 1  of  FIG.  4   , a second UE device  10 - 2  located within cell  62 - 3 , and a third UE device  10 - 3  located within cell  62 - 1 . In this example, scheduler  90  first receives a first forward link traffic request  140 - 1  for UE device  10 - 1 , then receives a second forward link traffic request  140 - 2  for UE device  10 - 2 , and then receives a third forward link traffic request  140 - 3  for UE device  10 - 3 . First forward link traffic request  140 - 1  may include forward link data DAT 1  for transmission to UE device  10 - 1 , a relatively high priority P 0 , and control information CTRL 1  that includes all of the other information from the forward link traffic request. Second forward link traffic request  140 - 2  may include forward link data DAT 2  for transmission to UE device  10 - 2  and may also have relatively high priority P 0 . Second forward link traffic request  140 - 2  may also include control information CTRL 2  that includes all of the other information from the forward link traffic request. Third forward link traffic request  140 - 3  may include forward link data DAT 3  for transmission to UE device  10 - 3  and may have a relatively low priority P 1 . Third forward link traffic request  140 - 3  may also include control information CTRL 3  that includes all of the other information from the forward link traffic request. 
     Scheduler  90  may process forward link traffic requests  140 - 1 ,  140 - 2 , and  140 - 3  to produce respective forward link traffic grants  142 - 1 ,  142 - 2 , and  142 - 3 , as shown by arrow  146 . Because forward link traffic request  140 - 3  is destined for the same cell and signal beam as forward link traffic request  140 - 1 , scheduler  90  may schedule forward link traffic grant  142 - 3  immediately after forward link traffic grant  142 - 1  and may schedule forward link traffic grant  142 - 2  after forward link traffic grant  142 - 3 . Forward link traffic grant  142 - 3  may be scheduled after forward link traffic grant  142 - 1  because forward link traffic grant  142 - 3  is lower priority than forward link traffic grant  142 - 1 . If desired, scheduler  90  may schedule a time gap  144  between forward link traffic grants  142 - 3  and  142 - 2  to allow room for preambles for synchronization and UE wake up intervals. Forward link traffic grants  142 - 1  and  142 - 3  may include information identifying the signal beam B 1  to be used for UE devices  10 - 1  and  10 - 3 . Forward link traffic grant  142 - 1  may also include priority identifier P 0  identifying its high priority whereas forward link traffic grant  142 - 3  includes priority identifier P 1  identifying its low priority. Forward link traffic grant  142 - 1  may include control information CTRL 1 ′ that includes all of the other information from the forward link traffic grant. Forward link traffic grant  142 - 3  may include control information CTRL 3 ′ that includes all of the other information from the forward link traffic grant. Forward link traffic grant  142 - 2  may include information identifying the signal beam B 3  to be used for UE device  10 - 3 , priority identifier P 0 , and control information CTRL 2 ′ that includes all of the other information from the forward link traffic grant. In this example, UE devices  10 - 1 ,  10 - 2 , and  10 - 3  are each to receive forward link signals with the same polarization. In this way, scheduler  90  may schedule traffic for all beams that belong to the same polarization for a given satellite  12  beginning with the highest priority messages and with a first-come-first-served scheme within each priority, but may re-order the traffic schedule so that traffic for the same signal beam is sent out before the traffic for other signal beams (e.g., because the traffic destined for any single signal beam needs to be contiguous). If there is more traffic than can be accommodated per polarization, scheduler  90  may set a congestion flag for the satellite if desired. 
     One or more of the components of communications system  8  such as UE devices  10  may gather and/or use personally identifiable information. It is well understood that the use of personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining the privacy of users. In particular, personally identifiable information data should be managed and handled so as to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly indicated to users. 
     For one or more aspects, at least one of the components set forth in one or more of the preceding figures may be configured to perform one or more operations, techniques, processes, or methods as set forth in the example section below. For example, the control circuitry as described above in connection with one or more of the preceding figures may be configured to operate in accordance with one or more of the examples set forth below. For another example, circuitry associated with a UE device, base station, gateway, satellite, network element, satellite communications network, satcom cloud region, scheduler, etc. as described above in connection with one or more of the preceding figures may be configured to operate in accordance with one or more of the examples set forth below in the example section. 
     Examples 
     In the following sections, further exemplary aspects are provided. 
     Example 1 includes a method of operating one or more processors in a satellite communications network to schedule forward link data transmissions to a set of user equipment devices via a constellation of communications satellites, the method comprising: receiving forward link traffic requests for the set of user equipment devices; receiving satellite information that identifies thermal constraints of the communications satellites in the constellation; generating forward link traffic grants for the set of user equipment devices based on the forward link traffic requests and the thermal constraints identified by the satellite information; and controlling one or more gateways to transmit forward link signals to the set of user equipment devices via the constellation of communications satellites based on the forward link traffic grants. 
     Example 2 includes the method of example 1 or some other example or combination of examples herein, wherein the satellite information identifies power availability for the communications satellites in the constellation and wherein generating the forward link traffic grants comprises: assigning data rates to the set of user equipment devices based on the power availability and the thermal constraints identified by the satellite information. 
     Example 3 includes the method of example 2 or some other example or combination of examples herein, wherein receiving the satellite information comprises receiving the satellite information from an application programming interface (API) of an operator of the constellation of communications satellites. 
     Example 4 includes the method of example 1 or some other example or combination of examples herein, wherein generating the forward link traffic grants comprises: generating a thermal model for a communications satellite in the constellation; generating a predicted temperature for the communications satellite based on the thermal model and the thermal constraints identified by the satellite information; and assigning a user equipment device from the set of user equipment devices to the satellite when the predicted temperature is less than a threshold temperature. 
     Example 5 includes the method of example 4 or some other example or combination of examples herein, wherein generating the forward link traffic grants further comprises: assigning the user equipment device to an additional satellite when the predicted temperature exceeds the threshold temperature. 
     Example 6 includes the method of example 4 or some other example or combination of examples herein, wherein the thermal constraints comprise a sun incident angle at the communications satellite. 
     Example 7 includes the method of example 1 or some other example or combination of examples herein, wherein generating the forward link traffic grants comprises: generating first forward link traffic grants having a first message priority prior to second forward link traffic grants having a second message priority that is less than the first message priority; ordering the first forward link traffic grants on a first-come-first serve basis; and ordering the second forward link traffic grants on a first-come-first serve basis. 
     Example 8 includes the method of example 1 or some other example or combination of examples herein, further comprising: receiving, via the constellation, reverse link signals from the set of user equipment devices, wherein the reverse link signals identify geographic locations of the set of user equipment devices and wherein generating the forward link traffic grants comprises generating the forward link traffic grants based on the geographic locations. 
     Example 9 includes the method of example 8 or some other example or combination of examples herein, further comprising: identifying a set of communications satellites in the constellation having visibility to the set of user equipment devices based on the geographic locations and based on communications satellite positions identified by the satellite information, wherein generating the forward link traffic grants comprises: generating thermal models for the set of communications satellites, generating predicted temperatures for the set of communications satellites based on the thermal models and the thermal constraints identified by the satellite information, and assigning user equipment devices from the set of user equipment devices to the communications satellites in the set of communications satellites having predicted temperatures that are less than a threshold temperature. 
     Example 10 includes the method of example 1 or some other example or combination of examples herein, wherein generating the forward link traffic grants comprises: generating a first forward link traffic grant for a first user equipment device in a cell of a communications satellite in the constellation; and generating a second forward link traffic grant for a second user equipment device in the cell of the communications satellite that is contiguous with the first forward link traffic grant. 
     Example 11 includes a method of operating one or more processors in a satellite communications network to schedule forward link data transmissions via a constellation of communications satellites, the method comprising: receiving, via the constellation, a registration request transmitted by a user equipment device, wherein the registration request identifies a geographic location of the user equipment device and a two-line element (TLE) identifier that identifies a version of a TLE that is stored on the user equipment device; receiving a forward link traffic request for the user equipment device, wherein the forward link traffic request includes forward link data; generating a forward link traffic grant for the user equipment device based on the forward link traffic request, the geographic location of the user equipment device, and the TLE identifier; and controlling a gateway to transmit the forward link data to the user equipment device via the constellation based on the forward link traffic grant. 
     Example 12 includes the method of example 11 or some other example or combination of examples herein, wherein generating the forward link traffic grant comprises: identifying, using the TLE identified by the TLE identifier, a communications satellite in the constellation having a signal beam that overlaps the geographic location. 
     Example 13 includes the method of example 12 or some other example or combination of examples herein, further comprising: receiving, from an operator of the satellite constellation, an additional TLE that is more recent than the TLE identified by the TLE identifier; and storing the additional TLE in a database. 
     Example 14 includes the method of example 12 or some other example or combination of examples herein, wherein generating the forward link traffic grant further comprises: receiving a thermal constraint associated with the communications satellite; generating a thermal model for the communications satellite; generating a predicted temperature for the communications satellite based on the thermal model and the thermal constraint; and assigning the communications satellite to the user equipment device when the predicted temperature is less than a threshold temperature. 
     Example 15 includes the method of example 14 or some other example or combination of examples herein, wherein generating the forward link traffic grant comprises buffering the forward link traffic grant for a later forward link transmission cycle when the predicted temperature exceeds the threshold temperature. 
     Example 16 includes the method of example 14 or some other example or combination of examples herein, further comprising, when the predicted temperature exceeds the threshold temperature: identifying, using the TLE identified by the TLE identifier, an additional communications satellite in the constellation having an additional signal beam that overlaps the geographic location, wherein generating the forward link traffic grant further comprises: generating an additional thermal model for the additional communications satellite, generating an additional predicted temperature for the additional communications satellite based on the additional thermal model, and assigning the additional communications satellite to the user equipment device when the additional predicted temperature is less than the threshold temperature. 
     Example 17 includes the method of example 12 or some other example or combination of examples herein, wherein generating the forward link traffic grant comprises buffering the forward link traffic grant for a later forward link transmission cycle when there are no communications satellites in the constellation having a signal beam that overlaps the geographic location. 
     Example 18 includes a method of operating a user equipment device to communicate with a gateway via a constellation of communications satellites, the method comprising: receiving, from terrestrial network wireless communications equipment, a two-line element (TLE) associated with the communications satellite when the user equipment device is within a coverage area of the terrestrial wireless communications equipment; storing the TLE on storage circuitry; receiving, when the user equipment device is outside of the coverage area of the terrestrial network wireless communications equipment, a broadcast signal from the constellation of communications satellites; and transmitting, in response to the receiving the broadcast signal, a registration request to the gateway via the constellation of communications satellites, wherein the registration request identifies a version of the TLE stored on the storage circuitry. 
     Example 19 includes the method of example 18 or some other example or combination of examples herein, further comprising: identifying, when the user equipment device is outside of the coverage area of the terrestrial network wireless communications equipment, a geographic location of the user equipment, wherein the registration request identifies the geographic location; and receiving, from a communications satellite in the constellation of communications satellites, forward link data scheduled for the communications satellite based on the geographic location and the version of the TLE stored on the storage circuitry. 
     Example 20 includes the method of example 19 or some other example or combination of examples herein, wherein the forward link data comprises an emergency response message generated by an emergency services provider. 
     Example 21 may include an apparatus comprising means to perform one or more elements of a method described in or related to any of examples 1-20 or any combination thereof, or any other method or process described herein. 
     Example 22 may include one or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions to cause an electronic device, upon execution of the instructions by one or more processors of the electronic device, to perform one or more elements of a method described in or related to any of examples 1-20 or any combination thereof, or any other method or process described herein. 
     Example 23 may include an apparatus comprising logic, modules, or circuitry to perform one or more elements of a method described in or related to any of examples 1-20 or any combination thereof, or any other method or process described herein. 
     Example 24 may include a method, technique, or process as described in or related to any of examples 1-20 or any combination thereof, or portions or parts thereof. 
     Example 25 may include an apparatus comprising: one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method, techniques, or process as described in or related to any of examples 1-20, or any combination thereof, or portions thereof. 
     Example 26 may include a signal as described in or related to any of examples 1-20, or any combination thereof, or portions or parts thereof. 
     Example 27 may include a datagram, information element, packet, frame, segment, PDU, or message as described in or related to any of examples 1-20, or any combination thereof, or portions or parts thereof, or otherwise described in the present disclosure. 
     Example 28 may include a signal encoded with data as described in or related to any of examples 1-20, or any combination thereof, or portions or parts thereof, or otherwise described in the present disclosure. 
     Example 29 may include a signal encoded with a datagram, IE, packet, frame, segment, PDU, or message as described in or related to any of examples 1-20, or any combination thereof, or portions or parts thereof, or otherwise described in the present disclosure. 
     Example 30 may include an electromagnetic signal carrying computer-readable instructions, wherein execution of the computer-readable instructions by one or more processors is to cause the one or more processors to perform the method, techniques, or process as described in or related to any of examples 1-20, or any combination thereof, or portions thereof. 
     Example 31 may include a computer program comprising instructions, wherein execution of the program by a processing element is to cause the processing element to carry out the method, techniques, or process as described in or related to any of examples 1-20, or any combination thereof, or portions thereof. 
     Example 32 may include a signal in a wireless network as shown and described herein. 
     Example 33 may include a method of communicating in a wireless network as shown and described herein. 
     Example 34 may include a system for providing wireless communication as shown and described herein. 
     Example 35 may include a device for providing wireless communication as shown and described herein. 
     Any of the above-described examples may be combined with any other example (or combination of examples), unless explicitly stated otherwise. The foregoing description of one or more implementations provides illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of aspects to the precise form disclosed. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20210923
Publication Date: 20240903
Grant Date: 20240903
Priority Date: 20210720
Inventors: TALAKOUB, SHAHRAM
SEEBER, SEBASTIAN B.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04B7/18513", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W72/569", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W4/029", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W72/566", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W88/16", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W4/90", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W84/06", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W72/1273", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B7/18567", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B7/18539", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B7/2041", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B7/18513", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W72/21", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W72/23", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W88/16", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W84/06", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W72/23", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W4/90", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W84/06", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W72/569", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W72/23", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W4/029", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B7/18513", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 91953663