Managing satellite fixed beam uplink using virtual channel assignments
First Claim
1. A method of coordinating communications between ground stations and fixed beam satellites, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) assigning a color to each beam of an antenna on a satellite to create a color pattern, wherein the color pattern matches a frequency reuse pattern for the antenna;
(b) dividing a number of user channels allocated to the satellite into equal groups that equal the number of beam colors within the color pattern;
(c) requesting a virtual channel from a resource manager;
(d) searching for available channels and sending a virtual channel number to the ground station, wherein the virtual channel number is assigned to the ground station when the same virtual channel number is not used by another ground station within a beam diameter of the requesting ground station;
(e) receiving the virtual channel number and satellite parameters; and
(f) determining an uplink frequency and polarization based on the virtual channel number and satellite parameters by the ground station, wherein identical frequencies are reused in a different beam with the same color and the ground station moves between beam colors over time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of coordinating communications between ground stations and fixed beam satellites is provided, wherein each beam of a satellite antenna is assigned a color to create a color pattern that matches a frequency reuse pattern for the antenna, thereby using the same frequencies in a different beam with the same color. In operation, a ground station requests a virtual channel number from a resource manager, which sends a virtual channel number that is not used by another ground station within a beam diameter of the requesting ground station. The ground station then determines the position of the satellite, the beam and beam color, and further computes the frequency, polarization, and time slot, among other information, to communicate with the satellite. A method is also provided for managing virtual channels that comprises a network manager that groups ground stations and limits the number of virtual channels per group.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of coordinating communications between ground stations and fixed beam satellites, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) assigning a color to each beam of an antenna on a satellite to create a color pattern, wherein the color pattern matches a frequency reuse pattern for the antenna;
(b) dividing a number of user channels allocated to the satellite into equal groups that equal the number of beam colors within the color pattern;
(c) requesting a virtual channel from a resource manager;
(d) searching for available channels and sending a virtual channel number to the ground station, wherein the virtual channel number is assigned to the ground station when the same virtual channel number is not used by another ground station within a beam diameter of the requesting ground station;
(e) receiving the virtual channel number and satellite parameters; and
(f) determining an uplink frequency and polarization based on the virtual channel number and satellite parameters by the ground station, wherein identical frequencies are reused in a different beam with the same color and the ground station moves between beam colors over time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of coordinating communications between ground stations and fixed beam satellites, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) assigning a color to each beam of an antenna on a satellite to create a color pattern, wherein the color pattern matches a frequency reuse pattern for the antenna;
(b) dividing a number of user channels allocated to the satellite into equal groups that equal the number of beam colors within the color pattern;
(c) allocating virtual channel numbers to ground stations, wherein the virtual channel number is assigned to the ground station when the same virtual channel number is not used by another ground station within a beam diameter of the requesting ground station; and
(d) computing uplink frequency and polarization based on the virtual channel number and satellite parameters by the ground station, wherein identical frequencies are reused in a different beam with the same color and the ground station moves between beam colors over time. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of coordinating communications between ground stations and fixed beam satellites, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) assigning a color to each beam of an antenna on a satellite to create a color pattern, wherein the color pattern matches a frequency reuse pattern for the antenna;
(b) allocating virtual channel numbers to ground stations, wherein the virtual channel number is assigned to the ground station when the same virtual channel number is not used by another ground station within a beam diameter of the requesting ground station; and
(c) computing uplink frequency and polarization based on the virtual channel number and satellite parameters by the ground station, wherein identical frequencies are reused in a different beam with the same color and the ground station moves between beam colors over time.
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24. A method of managing virtual channels, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) registering ground stations with at least one network manager; and
(b) assigning virtual channel numbers to classes of ground stations by the network manager, wherein the number of virtual channel numbers is limited by the network manager. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A method of coordinating communications between ground stations and fixed beam satellites, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) assigning an indicia to each beam of an antenna on a satellite to create an indicia pattern, wherein the indicia pattern matches a frequency reuse pattern for the antenna;
(b) dividing a number of user channels allocated to the satellite into equal groups that equal the number of beam indicia within the indicia pattern;
(c) requesting a virtual channel from a resource manager;
(d) searching for available channels and sending a virtual channel number to the ground station, wherein the virtual channel number is assigned to the ground station when the same virtual channel number is not used by another ground station within a beam diameter of the requesting ground station;
(e) receiving the virtual channel number and satellite parameters; and
(f) determining an uplink frequency and polarization based on the virtual channel number and satellite parameters by the ground station, wherein identical frequencies are reused in a different beam with the same indicia and the ground station moves between beam indicia over time. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A satellite communications system comprising:
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a plurality of ground stations;
at least one satellite having satellite parameters and at least one antenna for communicating with at least one of the ground stations, wherein the at least one antenna emits a plurality of beams for communicating with at least one of said ground stations, each of the plurality of beams being associated with indicia selected to form a beam pattern which matches a frequency reuse pattern for the antenna;
a resource management system that provides unique channel numbers for selectively assigning a unique one of the channel number to at least one ground station receiving at least one of the beams of the at least one antenna of the at least one satellite; and
a transmitter for transmitting at a frequency and polarization based on the channel number and the satellite parameters.
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Specification