Method and apparatus for a triple use satellite system

• US 10,454,566 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Roos, Dave, Morris, Adrian, Kay, Stanley, Kaul, Pradman
• Primary Examiner(s): Beharry, Noel R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Preval, Lionel
• Application Number:
  US14/028,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20140064179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,226 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18528 Satellite systems for providing two-way communications service to a network of fixed stations, i.e. fixed satellite service or very small aperture terminal [VSAT] system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18578 Satellite systems for providing broadband data service to individual earth stations for selecting H04W; provisions for broadband connection, H04Q11/0478
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2041 Spot beam multiple access

Abstract

A triple use satellite system includes a VSAT population including a VSAT, and a satellite including a broadcast beam for a broadcast service and spot beams for a broadband service, where each of the spot beams provides broadband service to VSATs in separate coverage areas in a geographic region and the broadcast beam provides a broadcast service to the VSAT population in the geographic region.

Claims

1. A triple use satellite apparatus comprising:

a satellite comprising a plurality of spot beams for a broadband service in a geographic region and a single broadcast beam for a broadcast service in the geographic region, wherein the broadcast beam is a different beam than a union of the plurality of spot beams, wherein each of the spot beams of the plurality of spot beams includes a forward downlink and a return uplink and provides the broadband service to respective separate coverage areas in the geographic region, and the broadcast beam includes a broadcast downlink that is provided in a different portion of a frequency band than the forward downlink of each one of the plurality of spot beams and provides the broadcast service to all of the respective separate coverage areas in the geographic region, wherein the different portion of the frequency band is in between a lower portion of the frequency band carrying forward downlinks of first spot beams in the plurality of spot beams and a higher portion of the frequency band carrying forward downlinks of different second spot beams in the plurality of spot beams.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the satellite further comprises a shaped reflector for the broadcast beam, wherein the shaped reflector is shaped to direct the broadcast beam over the geographic region.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of spot beams use the shaped reflector.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the satellite further comprises a reflector for the plurality of spot beams that is separate from the shaped reflector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the satellite further comprises receiving equipment for receiving a return uplink from a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT), wherein the return uplink comprises data for interacting with the broadcast service.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spot beams for the broadband service and the broadcast beam for the broadcast service use disjoint frequency bands.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spot beams for the broadband service and the broadcast beam for the broadcast service are separated on a continuous frequency band.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the broadcast beam has a differently shaped geographic coverage area than each of the plurality of spot beams.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the satellite further comprises a second plurality of spot beams for a second broadband service in a different second geographic region and a single second broadcast beam for a second broadcast service in the second geographic region, wherein the second broadcast beam is a different beam than a union of second the plurality of spot beams, wherein each of the spot beams of the second plurality of spot beams includes a second forward downlink and a second return uplink and provides the second broadband service to respective separate coverage areas in the second geographic region, and the second broadcast beam includes a second broadcast downlink that is provided in a second different portion of the frequency band than the second forward downlink of each one of the second plurality of spot beams and provides the second broadcast service to all of the respective separate coverage areas in the second geographic region.

8. A triple use satellite system comprising:

a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) population comprising a plurality of VSATs; and

a satellite comprising a single broadcast beam for a broadcast service in a geographic region and a plurality of spot beams for a broadband service in the geographic region,

wherein the broadcast beam is a different beam than the plurality of spot beams,

wherein each of the spot beams of the plurality of spot beams includes a forward downlink and a return uplink and provides the broadband service to VSATs in respective separate coverage areas in the geographic region,

wherein the broadcast beam includes a broadcast downlink that is provided in a different portion of a frequency band than the forward downlink of each one of the plurality of spot beams and provides the broadcast service to the VSAT population in all of the respective separate coverage areas in the geographic region, and

wherein the different portion of the frequency band is in between a lower portion of the frequency band carrying forward downlinks of first spot beams in the plurality of spot beams and a higher portion of the frequency band carrying forward downlinks of different second spot beams in the plurality of spot beams.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive the lower portion of the frequency band and the other half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive the upper portion of the frequency band.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the lower portion and the upper portion of the frequency band overlap in the different portion at a middle portion of the frequency band.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the VSAT population uses a return uplink for the broadband service to interact with the broadcast service.

12. A method for providing a triple use satellite system comprising:

providing a single broadcast beam for a broadcast service to a geographic region in a broadcast coverage area from a satellite;

providing a plurality of spot beams for a broadband service to the geographic region over a plurality of coverage areas within the broadcast coverage area from the satellite, wherein the broadcast beam is a different beam than the plurality of spot beams, wherein each of the spot beams of the plurality of spot beams includes a forward downlink and a return uplink and provides the broadband service to respective separate coverage areas in the geographic region, and the broadcast beam includes a broadcast downlink that is provided in a different portion of a frequency band than the forward downlink of each one of the plurality of spot beams and provides the broadcast service to all of the respective separate coverage areas in the geographic region, wherein the different portion of the frequency band is in between a lower portion of the frequency band carrying forward downlinks of first spot beams in the plurality of spot beams and a higher portion of the frequency band carrying forward downlinks of different second spot beams in the plurality of spot beams; and

receiving at the satellite a return uplink comprising data for interacting with the broadcast service.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

configuring a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) in the broadcast coverage area to receive the broadcast beam.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

configuring a hub to process the data for interacting with the broadcast service.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a second broadcast beam for a second broadcast coverage area, wherein the broadcast coverage area and second broadcast coverage area overlap minimally.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the broadcast beam and the spot beams use disjoint frequency bands.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the broadcast beam and the spot beams are separated on a continuous frequency band.