Enriched K-Tier Heterogeneous Satellite Networks Model with User Association Policies

TL;DR

This paper models multi-tier heterogeneous satellite networks using stochastic geometry, analyzing user association policies and their impact on coverage, delay, and interference, validated by simulations with Starlink data.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analytical framework for HetSatNets with two user association policies, deriving explicit performance metrics and proposing a new weighted metric for system trade-offs.

Findings

Optimal user association policy varies with network conditions.

Analytical results closely match Monte Carlo simulations.

Proposed weighted metric effectively balances coverage, delay, and handover probability.

Abstract

In the rapid evolution of the non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), satellite communication has emerged as a focal area of research due to its critical role in enabling seamless global connectivity. In this paper, we investigate two representative user association policies (UAPs) for multi-tier heterogeneous satellite networks (HetSatNets), namely the nearest satellite UAP and the maximum signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (max-SINR) satellite UAP, where each tier is characterized by a distinct constellation configuration and transmission pattern. Employing stochastic geometric, we analyze various intermediate system aspects, including the probability of a typical user accessing each satellite tier, the aggregated interference power, and their corresponding Laplace transforms (LTs) under both UAPs. Subsequently, we derive explicit expressions for coverage probability (CP), non-handover probability (NHP), and time delay outage probability (DOP) of the typical user. Furthermore, we propose a novel weighted metric (WM) that integrates CP, NHP, and DOP to explore their trade-offs in the system design. The robustness of the theoretical framework is verified is verified through Monte Carlo simulations calibrated with the actual Starlink constellation, affirming the precision of our analytical approach. The empirical findings underscore an optimal UAP in various HetSatNet scenarios regarding CP, NHP, and DOP..