Approaches for improved frequency reuse efficiency and interference avoidance for a multi-beam satellite communications network

• US 10,355,775 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2018
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Kay, Stanley, Roos, Dave, Gaske, Paul, Noerpel, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US15/906,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20180331754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/068 using space frequency diversity space-frequency coding H04L1/0606
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/12 Frequency diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/185 Space-based or airborne stations; Stations for satellite systemsH04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18515 Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2041 Spot beam multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location

Abstract

An RF communications transmitter system comprising a processor, a switch and a plurality of feedhorns. The switch is configured to receive a feed signal of a frequency bandwidth. The processor is configured to control the switch to provide the feed signal to each of at least two of the feedhorns for a respective time period. Each of the at least two feedhorns is configured to generate a beam during the respective time period that the feed signal is provided thereto, wherein the beam is formed based on the feed signal and is transmitted to cover a geographic area of the Earth. The formation and transmission of the beams by the feedhorns is controlled by the processor to provide a time-based allocation of bandwidth amongst the beams based on the time period that the feed signal is provided to each of the feedhorns and a respective frequency/polarization reuse scheme.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) communications transmitter system comprising:

at least one control processor;

a plurality of switches; and

a plurality of feedhorns associated with each switch; and

wherein each switch is configured to receive a feed signal of a respective frequency bandwidth and to output a transmission signal of the respective frequency bandwidth for each of the plurality of feedhorns associated with the switch;

wherein the at least one control processor is configured to control each switch to output the transmission signals for the plurality of feedhorns associated with the switch during each of a number of respective time periods;

wherein each of the plurality of feedhorns associated with a respective switch is configured to form and transmit a communications beam during each respective time period that the switch is outputting the transmission signal for the feedhorn, wherein each beam is formed based on the respective feed signal and is transmitted to cover a respective geographic area on the surface of the Earth, and the beams of the plurality of feedhorns associated with each switch are configured to form a respective pattern of beams on the surface of the Earth, each beam of a given pattern being of the frequency bandwidth of the respective switch and at a respective polarization; and

wherein the at least one control processor is configured to control the number of time periods during which each of the plurality of switches outputs the respective transmission signals, for the formation and transmission of the respective beam pattern by the associated feedhorns, to switch between different combinations of beam pattern transmissions over time in accordance with a respective frequency/polarization reuse scheme.

2. A radio frequency (RF) communications transmission method comprising:

receiving, by each of a plurality of switches of an RF communications transmitter system, a feed signal of a respective frequency bandwidth and outputting, by each switch, a transmission signal of the respective frequency bandwidth for each of a plurality of feedhorns associated with the switch;

controlling each switch, by at least one processor, to output the transmission signals for a plurality of feedhorns associated with the switch during each of a number of respective time periods;

forming and transmitting, by each of the plurality of feedhorns associated with a respective switch, a communications beam during each respective time period that the switch is outputting the transmission signal for the feedhorn, wherein each beam is formed based on the respective feed signal and is transmitted to cover a respective geographic area on the surface of the Earth, and the beams of the plurality of feedhorns associated with each switch are configured to form a respective pattern of beams on the surface of the Earth, each beam of a given pattern being of the frequency bandwidth of the respective switch and at a respective polarization; and

controlling, by the at least one processor, the number of time periods during which each of the plurality of switches outputs the respective transmission signals, for the formation and transmission of the respective beam pattern by the associated feedhorns, to switch between different combinations of beam pattern transmissions over time in accordance with a respective frequency/polarization reuse scheme.