Managing connection handover in satellite networks

The low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks require a reliable handover re-routing protocol that is critical for connections with multihop intersatellite links (ISLs). We introduce a footprint handover re-route protocol (FHRP) that maintains the optimality of the initial route without performing a routing algorithm after satellite handovers. Furthermore, the FHRP handles the inter-orbit handover problem which has been neglected in the majority of the existing literature. Conceptually, the FHRP makes use of the footprints of the satellites in the initial route as the reference for re-routing. More specifically, after an optimum route has been determined during the call establishment process, the FHRP ensures that the new route due to handover is also optimum.