Amazon.com, Inc.
System for low-latency satellite communication handover

Abstract:

Satellites provide communication between devices such as user terminals and gateways to other networks, such as the Internet. Non-geosynchronous orbit satellites move relative to terrestrial user terminals, passing in and out of communication over time. To maintain ongoing communication, a handover takes place in which the responsibility to maintain communication with a particular user terminal passes from one satellite to another. To minimize disruption due to the handover, satellite motion and availability of communication resources are allocated in advance. Participating devices such as the user terminal, current satellite, and next satellite, are provided with details of the handover in advance. As a result, interruption in communication due to a handover from one satellite to another is substantially reduced.