Delay Deterministic Routing Algorithm Based on Inter-controller Cooperation for Multi-layer Low Earth Orbit Satellite Networks

HUANG Longhui; DING Xiaojin; ZHANG Gengxin

doi:10.11999/JEIT251100

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HUANG Longhui, DING Xiaojin, ZHANG Gengxin. Delay Deterministic Routing Algorithm Based on Inter-controller Cooperation for Multi-layer Low Earth Orbit Satellite Networks[J]. Journal of Electronics & Information Technology. doi: 10.11999/JEIT251100

Citation:

HUANG Longhui, DING Xiaojin, ZHANG Gengxin. Delay Deterministic Routing Algorithm Based on Inter-controller Cooperation for Multi-layer Low Earth Orbit Satellite Networks[J]. Journal of Electronics & Information Technology. doi: 10.11999/JEIT251100

Citation:

HUANG Longhui, DING Xiaojin, ZHANG Gengxin. Delay Deterministic Routing Algorithm Based on Inter-controller Cooperation for Multi-layer Low Earth Orbit Satellite Networks[J]. Journal of Electronics & Information Technology. doi: 10.11999/JEIT251100

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Delay Deterministic Routing Algorithm Based on Inter-controller Cooperation for Multi-layer Low Earth Orbit Satellite Networks

doi: 10.11999/JEIT251100 cstr: 32379.14.JEIT251100

School of Communications and Information Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts andTelecommunications, Nanjing 210003, China

Funds: The National Natural Science Foundation of China ( U21A20450)

Received Date: 2025-10-15
Accepted Date: 2026-01-27
Rev Recd Date: 2026-01-26

Available Online: 2026-02-12

Abstract

Abstract

Objective The massive scale and large number of satellites in multi-layer Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations produce highly dynamic network topologies. Coupled with time-varying traffic loads, this condition causes temporal fluctuations in satellite network resources, such as available link queue size and link bandwidth. These variations make it difficult to establish stable end-to-end transmission paths and guarantee Quality of Service (QoS). To address this problem, Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is applied to multi-layer LEO constellations. SDN controllers collect network state information and enable unified management of network resources. The constellation is divided into multiple regions, with a controller deployed in each region to coordinate the operation of the constellation. A deterministic delay routing algorithm is designed within the SDN controller to compute inter-region transmission paths for traffic and satisfy deterministic delay requirements. Methods A deterministic delay routing algorithm based on controller cooperation is proposed for multi-layer LEO constellations. First, a regional division strategy and controller deployment scheme are designed. The satellite network is partitioned into multiple regions, each managed by a designated controller. Second, criteria are defined for Inter-Satellite Links (ISLs) between satellites within the same layer and across different layers to characterize link communication states. Third, a Time-Varying Graph (TVG) model represents the network topology and link resource attributes, including bandwidth, queue size, and link duration. This model is combined with a multi-destination Lagrange relaxation method to optimize path selection. The resulting paths satisfy both delay and delay jitter constraints. Adjacent regional controllers exchange network state information to support cooperative computation of feasible inter-region transmission paths. Results and Discussions To evaluate the proposed method, a simulation system for multi-layer LEO constellations was developed. The performance of the algorithm was tested under different data transmission rates. Compared with IUDR, the proposed method improves network performance by reducing end-to-end delay, delay jitter, and packet loss rate, and by increasing throughput. At a data transmission rate of 3 Mbit/(s·Hz), the average end-to-end delay is reduced by 16.0% (Fig. 3(a)), delay jitter by 37.9% (Fig. 3(b)), and packet loss rate by 37.2% (Fig. 3(c)). Throughput increases by approximately 2% (Fig. 3(d)). In terms of signaling overhead, the proposed algorithm achieves a higher Reduction-Improvement Gain Ratio, which increases by approximately 111.8% compared with IUDR. This result indicates superior overall performance of the DDRA-ICC. Additionally, the proposed method shows lower time complexity for route computation than IUDR. Conclusions To address deterministic delay requirements for traffic transmission in multi-layer LEO constellations, a controller cooperation-based deterministic delay routing algorithm is proposed. Performance evaluation under different load conditions shows that: (1) Compared with IUDR, the proposed algorithm reduces the average end-to-end delay, delay jitter, and packet loss rate by 16.0%, 37.9%, and 37.2%, respectively, and increases the average throughput by approximately 2%. (2) Although the additional overhead of DDRA-ICC is comparable to that of IUDR, the packet loss rate decreases further to 2.96%, representing a reduction of 52.49%, and the Reduction-Improvement Gain Ratio reaches 1.97. These results indicate lower packet loss, a higher Reduction-Improvement Gain Ratio, and a better balance between signaling overhead and reliability. Therefore, the proposed method provides advantages in ensuring deterministic traffic transmission. Future work may consider additional practical factors, such as satellite node failures and their effects on network performance, to further improve system capability.
- Multi-layer Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation,
- Software-Defined Networking (SDN),
- Deterministic routing,
- Controller cooperation

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References(24)

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