Combined fixed satellite service and mobile platform satellite service communication system

• US 20040219879A1
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Stephenson, Gary V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,302,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/12.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18591 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00

Abstract

A communication system for a mobile platform satellite service (MPSS) system includes a receiver subsystem (RS) and a transmitter subsystem (TS). A satellite transponder is in communication with the RS and the TS of the mobile platform. A satellite service ground station includes a transmitter subsystem (TS) and a receiver subsystem (RS). A communication link is established between the MPSS system and the ground station, via the satellite transponder. The communications link includes fixed satellite service (FSS) data superimposed on MPSS data in the same frequency band to thereby maximize both satellite transponder utilization and interference budget usage.

Claims

1. A communication system for a mobile platform, said system comprising:

a mobile platform satellite service (MPSS) system including a transmitter subsystem (TS);

a target satellite transponder in communication with the TS;

a satellite service ground station including a receiver subsystem (RS),

wherein the RS of the ground station receives a return link from the satellite and the MPSS system that includes fixed satellite service (FSS) data superimposed with MPSS data utilizing different multiple access codes, the return link being within a return frequency band shared by the FSS and MPSS data, to thereby maximize an allowed interference budget of the target satellite transponder with respect to at least one neighboring satellite while maximizing utilization of the target satellite transponder.

2. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising:

a mobile platform network connected to the TS; and

at least one user communication device (UCD) connected to the mobile platform network.

3. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the return frequency band is in the Ku frequency band between 10.7 and 15.0 GHz.

4. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the return frequency band is in the Ku frequency band between 11.7 and 12.2 GHz.

5. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the return frequency band is in the Ka frequency band between 18.0 and 31.0 GHz.

6. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the return frequency band is in the Ka frequency band between 18.3 and 21.2 GHz.

7. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the TS of the MPSS system employs bulk compression on the FSS and MPSS data.

8. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the TS of the MPSS system employs bulk encryption and padding on the FSS and MPSS data.

9. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the multiple access coding is selected from CDMA and CRMA.

10. A method for providing broadband communication for a mobile platform, said method comprising:

providing a first communications link between a mobile platform satellite service (MPSS) system transmitter subsystem (TS) and a satellite service ground station receiver subsystem (RS), via a target satellite transponder, the first communications link having a predetermined angular space and frequency space;

providing a second communications link between a MPSS system receiver subsystem (RS) and a fixed satellite service (FSS) station TS, via the target satellite transponder; and

utilizing at least a portion of an allowed interference budget for the target satellite transponder that is unused by FSS station TS to provide additional interference budget for the MPSS system TS, thereby maximizing the use of the allowed interference budget of the target satellite transponder with respect to at least one neighboring satellite while maximizing utilization of the target satellite transponder.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein utilizing a portion of the interference budget unused by the FSS station TS comprises transmitting MPSS data superimposed with FSS data, via the first communications link, between the MPSS system TS and the ground station RS within the predetermined angular space and frequency space.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein transmitting MPSS data superimposed with FSS data comprises utilizing multiple access coding to combine the MPSS data with the FSS data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein utilizing multiple access coding comprises utilizing at least one of CDMA and CRMA.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein utilizing multiple access coding comprises:

assigning the FSS station at least one first multiple access code; and

assigning the MPSS system at least one second multiple access code, wherein the first multiple access code is different than the second multiple access code.

15. The communication system of claim 10, wherein providing the first communications link comprises providing the first communication link within the Ku frequency band between 10.7 and 15.0 GHz.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the first communications link comprises providing the first communication link within the Ka frequency band between 18.0 and 31.0 GHz.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the first communications link comprises employing bulk compression on the FSS data and MPSS data using the FSS station TS and the MPSS system TS.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein providing a communications link comprises employing bulk encryption and padding on the FSS data and MPSS data utilizing the FSS station TS and the MPSS system TS.

19. A method for maximizing use of an allowed interference budget of a communications system target satellite transponder with respect to at least one neighboring satellite, said method comprising:

utilizing a fixed satellite service (FSS) station in combination with a mobile platform satellite service (MPSS) system to communicate data between a mobile platform and a satellite service ground station;

determining an aggregate power spectral density (PSD) for communicating data from the target satellite transponder to the ground station;

superimposing MPSS data with FSS data communicated between the target satellite transponder and the ground station such that use of interference limits at the neighboring satellite is maximized and a use of a bandwidth and dynamic range of the target satellite transponder is maximized.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein utilizing the FSS station in combination with the MPSS system comprises assigning the FSS station at least one IP address on a forward link between the FSS station and the satellite transponder.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein utilizing the FSS station in combination with the MPSS system comprises assigning the FSS station at least one multiple access code on a return link between the target satellite transponder and the FSS station, wherein the multiple access code assigned to the FSS station is different than an access code assigned the MPSS system.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein assigning the FSS station at least one multiple access code comprises assigning the FSS station one of a CDMA and a CRMA code assignment.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the aggregate PSD comprises determining a FSS signal PSD based on an antenna connected to the FSS station.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein determining the aggregate PSD further comprises determining a MPSS signal PSD based on a mobile platform antenna.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein determining the aggregate PSD further comprises summing the FSS signal PSD and the MPSS signal PSD.

26. A method for providing broadband communications for a mobile platform, said method comprising:

assigning a fixed satellite service (FSS) station at least one IP address on a forward link between the FSS station and a target satellite transponder;

assigning a mobile platform satellite service (MPSS) system at least one first multiple access code on a return link between the MPSS system and the target satellite transponder;

assigning the FSS station at least one second multiple access code on the return link between the FSS station and the target satellite transponder, wherein the second multiple access code is different than the first multiple access code;

determining a FSS signal power spectral density (PSD) based on an antenna connected to the FSS station;

determining a MPSS signal PSD based on a mobile platform antenna;

summing the FSS signal PSD and the MPSS signal PSD; and

superimposing MPSS data and FSS data communicated between the target satellite transponder and a satellite service ground station, such that use of interference limits at the neighboring satellite is maximized and a use of a bandwidth and dynamic range of the target satellite transponder is maximized.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein assigning the FSS station the second multiple access code comprises assigning the FSS station one of a CDMA and a CRMA.