Dynamic signal routing

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said obtaining step comprises the step of looking up said routing code in a routing look up table to obtain said link identifier wherein said routing code identifies a space region to which said data packet is directed, said space region being associated with a destination of said data packet.

Claim 4

A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said constellation is comprised of switching nodes dispersed around the earth and delivers said signal between two points having a relative movement with respect to said switch, and said method additionally comprises the steps of: generating new routing look up tables from time to time, to compensate for said relative movement of said two points with respect to said switch; and switching operation of said looking up step between a currently used look up table and a new look up table in accordance with a schedule.

Claim 6

A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said data packet additionally includes a logical channel identification (LCID) value therein and said evaluating step comprises the step of evaluating said LCID value to confirm whether a channel identified by said LCID value is served by said switch.

Claim 7

A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said method additionally comprises the steps of: maintaining a list of channels served by neighbor nodes of said constellation of nodes; and selecting, when said switch is not a terminal node for said data packet, one neighbor node for receipt of said data packet, said one neighbor node being selected in response to said list and said LCID value.

Claim 8

A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said method additionally comprises the steps of: maintaining a list describing a capacity status of a current traffic carrying capacity of each of said plurality of communication links; and consulting said list to verify that said data packet is compatible with said capacity status for said one communication link, said consulting step being performed prior to said transmitting step when said evaluating step determines that said switch is not said terminal node for said data packet.

Claim 9

A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said consulting step comprises the step of altering, when said data packet is not compatible with said capacity status, said link identifier so that another of said plurality of communication links is specified and so that said data packet is compatible with said capacity status from said list for said another communication link.

Claim 10

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said dynamically determining step comprises the step of dynamically determining said one communication link where said one communication link is said first choice communication link when said link status indicates that said first choice communication link has not failed and said neighbor node associated with said first choice link can process said data packet, said one communication link being a second choice communication link when said link status indicates that said first choice communication link has failed or when said neighbor node associated with said first choice link cannot process said data packet.

Claim 11

A method as claimed in claim 9 further comprising the step of dynamically determining if said second choice communication link has failed and if the neighbor node associated with said second choice communication link cannot process said data packet when said link status indicates that said first choice communication link has failed or said neighbor node associated with said first choice communication link cannot process said data packet.

Claim 12

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said neighbor nodes is associated with a plurality of neighbor node communication links, and in said receiving step, said neighbor service update messages indicate if one of said neighbor node communication links has failed.

Claim 13

A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of exchanging with said neighbor nodes, neighbor service update messages which indicate said link status of said communication links, said exchanging step being performed on a regular basis as said nodes change their relative position.

Claim 16

A method as claimed in claim 13 additionally comprising, prior to said sending step, the step of obtaining a link identifier in response to said routing code, said link identifier specifying one of a plurality of communication links for sending said data packet away from said first node.

Claim 17

A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said obtaining step comprises the step of looking up said routing code in a routing look up table to obtain said link identifier.

Claim 18

A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said method additionally comprises the steps of: generating new routing look up tables from time to time, said new routing look up tables compensating for said relative movement of said two points with respect to said constellation; and switching operation of said looking up step between a currently used look up table and a new look up table in accordance with a predetermined schedule.

Claim 19

A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said method additionally comprises the steps of: maintaining, at said first node, a list describing a capacity status of the current traffic carrying capacity of each of said plurality of communication links; and consulting said list to verify that said data packet is compatible with said capacity status for said one communication link.

Claim 20

A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said consulting step comprises the step of altering, when said data packet is not compatible with said capacity status, said link identifier so that another of said plurality of communication links is specified and so that said data packet is compatible with said capacity status from said list for said another communication link.

Claim 21

A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein: said method additionally comprises the step of maintaining, at said second node, a list of logical channels served by neighbor nodes to said second node; and said transmitting step additionally determines said second communication link in response to said list.

Claim 22

A method as claimed in claim 13 additionally comprising, prior to said receiving step, the steps of: receiving said data packet at a fourth node of said constellation; adding said routing code to said data packet; and sending said data packet to said first node from said fourth node, said first node being identified in response to said routing code.

Claim 23

A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said data packet is received through one of a plurality of channels at said fourth node from outside said constellation, and said method additionally comprises the steps of identifying said one channel, and obtaining said routing code in response to said identified one channel.

Claim 24

A data packet switching node for routing a signal within a constellation of switching nodes dispersed around the earth, said switching node having a plurality of communication links associated therewith and having a neighbor node associated with each of said communication links, said switching node comprising: a first receiver configured to receive a data packet having a routing code therein, said data packet representing at least a portion of said signal; a second receiver configured to receive neighbor service update messages at said switching node indicating if any of said communication links has failed or if any of said neighbor nodes cannot process traffic data; means, coupled to said first receiver, for obtaining a link identifier in response to said routing code, said link identifier specifying a first choice communication link for routing said data packet away from said switching node; means for dynamically determining a link status from said neighbor service update messages for said first choice communication link, said link status indicating if said first choice communication link has failed or if said neighbor node associated with said first choice communication link can receive said data packet; means for dynamically evaluating said link status to determine if said neighbor node associated with said first choice communication link specified by said link identifier has not failed and is able to receive said data packet; and a transmitter, coupled to said means for obtaining, for transmitting said data packet away from said switching node over said first choice communication link.

Claim 25

A data packet switching node for routing a signal within a constellation of switching nodes dispersed around the earth, said switching node having a plurality of communication links associated therewith and having a neighbor node associated with each of said communication links, said switching node comprising: a first receiver configured to receive a data packet having a routing code therein, said data packet representing at least a portion of said signal; a second receiver configured to receive neighbor service update messages at said switching node indicating if any of said communication links has failed or if any of said neighbor nodes cannot process traffic data; means, coupled to said first receiver, for obtaining a link identifier in response to said routing code, said link identifier specifying a first choice communication link for routing said data packet away from said switching node; means for dynamically determining a link status from said neighbor service update messages for said first choice communication link, said link status indicating if said first choice communication link has failed or if said neighbor node associated with said first choice communication link can receive said data packet; means for dynamically evaluating said link status to determine if said neighbor node associated with said first choice communication link specified by said link identifier has not failed and is able to receive said data packet; and a transmitter, coupled to said means for obtaining, for transmitting said data packet away from said switching node over said first choice communication link.

Claim 26

A data packet switching node as claimed in claim 22 wherein said means for obtaining comprises a memory, said memory being configured as a look up table in which said routing code is looked up to obtain said link identifier.

Claim 27

A data packet switching node as claimed in claim 23 additionally comprising means, coupled to said means for obtaining, for determining whether said switching node is a terminal node for said data packet, said terminal node being a constellation node which routes said data packet out of said constellation.

Claim 28

A data packet switching node as claimed in claim 24 wherein: said data packet additionally includes a logical channel identification (LCID) value therein; said determining means comprises means for evaluating said LCID value to verify that a channel identified by said LCID value is actually served by said switching node; said switching node additionally comprises a memory structure configured as a list of channels served by neighbor nodes to said switching node; and said switching node additionally comprises means, coupled to said determining means and to said memory structure, for selecting said neighbor node for receipt of said data packet when said LCID value is not served by said switching node.

Claim 29

A switching node as claimed in claim 22 further comprising means for dynamically determining a second choice communication link when said link status indicates that said first choice communication link has failed or when said neighbor node associated with said first choice link cannot receive said data packet.