ADAPTIVE SPOTBEAM BROADCASTING, SYSTEMS, METHODS AND DEVICES FOR HIGH BANDWIDTH CONTENT DISTRIBUTION OVER SATELLITE

• US 20070192805A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D., Dutta, Santanu
• Granted Patent: US 8,705,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2041 Spot beam multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/22 Arrangements for broadcast of identical information via plural broadcast systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving

Abstract

Satellite broadcasting methods include providing a cellular satellite communications system configured to transmit information separately to a plurality of different geographic locations defined by a respective plurality of cellular satellite spotbeams, and concurrently transmitting a program signal on a plurality of different spotbeams. The plurality of different spotbeams may include less than a total number of spotbeams of the cellular satellite communications system. The plurality of different spotbeams may be selected adaptively from an available pool of spotbeams based on locations of users requesting the broadcast program signal. Corresponding satellite gateways, broadcast controllers and wireless user terminals are also provided.

Claims

1. A satellite broadcasting method, comprising:

providing information to a plurality of user terminals in at least one satellite spotbeam in response to receiving a request for the information from at least a threshold number of user terminals within the at least one satellite spotbeam.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that one of the plurality of user terminals in the at least one spotbeam has terminated receiving the information;

determining if at least the threshold number of user terminals in the at least one satellite spotbeam are receiving the information; and

in response to a determination that fewer than the threshold number of user terminals are receiving the information in the at least one spotbeam, terminating transmission of the information in the at least one spotbeam.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the threshold number of user terminals is one.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the information comprises broadcasting a program signal on a broadcast frequency that is different from frequencies used for two-way communication with user terminals in the satellite spotbeam.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting intelligence regarding the information in the at least one satellite spotbeam.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the intelligence identifies a start time, end time, time slot, frequency, spreading code and/or subchannel(s) associated with the information.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the intelligence is transmitted over a broadcast control channel.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the intelligence identifies a channel, time slot, spreading code and/or frequency on which the information is broadcast in the spot beam.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the satellite spotbeam comprises a first satellite spotbeam, the method further comprising transmitting intelligence regarding a broadcast of the information in a second satellite spotbeam that is adjacent to the first spotbeam, wherein the intelligence identifies a channel, time slot, spreading code and/or frequency on which the information is broadcast in the second satellite spot beam.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting intelligence regarding broadcasting the information in an ancillary terrestrial component, wherein the intelligence identifies a channel, time slot, spreading code and/or frequency on which the information is broadcast by the ancillary terrestrial component.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the intelligence identifies a channel, time slot, spreading code and/or frequency on which the program is broadcast by an ancillary terrestrial component in the at least one spotbeam.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating a user terminal in response to the request for the information.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting a decryption key to the user terminal in response to authenticating the user terminal, wherein the decryption key is configured to decrypt the information.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising encrypting the decryption key prior to transmitting the decryption key to the user terminal.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if information is not being broadcast in the at least one spotbeam at a time a request for information is received from a user terminal, receiving an indication from the user terminal of an ability of the user terminal to receive information from an ancillary terrestrial component and/or from an adjacent spotbeam.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the indication from the user terminal comprises receiving an indication of signal quality from the user terminal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the indication of signal quality comprises an indication of signal strength, signal to noise ratio, signal to interference ratio and/or bit error rate.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing information comprises transmitting the information in the at least one spotbeam in response to the indication of signal quality being less than a threshold signal quality level.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein providing information comprises transmitting the information on a dedicated channel/code/time slot different from a channel/code/time slot used for two-way cellular satellite communications in the at least one spotbeam.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing an indication of a program subscription by a user terminal, and, responsive to an indication that a user terminal has entered a spotbeam in which the subscribed program is being transmitted, transmitting a notification to the user terminal of the availability of the subscribed program.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

adjusting a property of the information in response to the indication of quality received by the gateway from the user terminal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein adjusting a property of the information comprises adjusting a signal level, data rate, bandwidth, and/or channel of the information.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising adjusting a property of the information if a threshold number/percent of a plurality of user terminals report a low signal quality.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving an indication that the user terminal has entered the spotbeam in which the subscribed program is being broadcast comprises receiving a location update from the user terminal.

25. A method of receiving information broadcast in a satellite spotbeam at a user terminal, comprising:

registering the user terminal in the satellite spotbeam;

receiving from a satellite associated with the satellite spotbeam intelligence about the information, wherein the intelligence identifies a start time, end time, time slot, frequency, spreading code and/or subchannel(s) associated with the information; and

tuning a receiver in the user terminal to the time slot, frequency, spreading code and/or subchannel(s) identified in the intelligence.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein receiving the intelligence comprises receiving intelligence regarding a channel/time slot/spreading code and/or subchannel(s) on which the information is broadcast in the spot beam.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein receiving the intelligence comprises receiving the intelligence regarding a channel/time slot/spreading code and/or subchannel(s) on which the information is broadcast in an adjacent spot beam and/or by an ancillary terrestrial component.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving components of the information from adjacent spotbeams and/or ancillary terrestrial components and combining the components of the information at the user terminal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein combining comprises combining at least one signal from an adjacent spotbeam with a signal from an ancillary terrestrial component.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein combining comprises frequency translating the components, performing carrier, frame and/or symbol synchronization on the components, and combining the components.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising determining a signal to noise power ratio of at least one of the components, wherein combining is performed in response to the at least one signal to noise power ratio.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

determining an indication of quality of the information received at the user terminal; and

providing the indication of quality of the information received at the user terminal to a satellite gateway.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the indication of quality comprises an indication of signal strength, signal to noise ratio, signal to interference ratio and/or bit error rate.

34. A satellite broadcasting method, comprising:

providing a cellular satellite communications system configured to transmit information separately to a plurality of different geographic locations defined by a respective plurality of cellular satellite spotbeams; and

concurrently transmitting a program signal on a plurality of different spotbeams.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the plurality of different spotbeams includes less than a total number of spotbeams of the cellular satellite communications system.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the plurality of different spotbeams are selected adaptively from an available pool of spotbeams based on locations of users requesting the broadcast program signal.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the locations of users is determined using mobility management features of a cellular satellite mobile communications system employing the cellular satellite spotbeams.

38. A satellite broadcasting method comprising:

providing information to a user terminal over a satellite spotbeam of a satellite system responsive to the user terminal being within the satellite spotbeam and responsive to a profile associated with the user terminal.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the profile associated with the user terminal relates to at least one preference associated with a user of the user terminal.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein providing information to a user terminal comprises transmitting information from a satellite gateway to the user terminal substantially as the information becomes available to the satellite gateway.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising providing the information from a broadcast controller to the satellite gateway.

43. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

providing an indication from a satellite gateway to a broadcast controller that the user terminal has entered the satellite spotbeam;

retrieving the profile associated with the user terminal at the broadcast controller;

determining in response to the profile that the user should receive the information; and

providing an indication from the broadcast controller to the satellite gateway that the user terminal should receive the information.

44. A satellite gateway, comprising:

an antenna configured to communicate with a satellite; and

a gateway controller configured to provide information to a plurality of user terminals in at least one satellite spotbeam in response to receiving a request for the information from at least a threshold number of user terminals within the at least one satellite spotbeam.

45. The satellite gateway of claim 44, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to:

receive an indication that one of the plurality of user terminals in the at least one spotbeam has terminated receiving the information;

determine if the threshold number of user terminals in the at least one satellite spotbeam are receiving the information; and

in response to a determination that fewer than the threshold number of user terminals are receiving the information in the at least one spotbeam, terminate transmission of the information in the at least one spotbeam.

46. The satellite gateway of claim 45, wherein the threshold number of user terminals is one.

47. The satellite gateway of claim 44, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to transmit intelligence regarding the information in the at least one satellite spotbeam.

48. The satellite gateway of claim 47, wherein the intelligence identifies a start time, end time, time slot, frequency, spreading code and/or subchannel(s) associated with the information.

49. The satellite gateway of claim 47, wherein the satellite gateway is further configured to transmit the intelligence over a broadcast control channel.

50. The satellite gateway of claim 49, wherein the intelligence identifies a channel, time slot, spreading code and/or frequency on which the information is broadcast in the spot beam.

51. The satellite gateway of claim 44, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to transmit intelligence regarding broadcasting the information in an adjacent spotbeam, wherein the intelligence identifies a channel, time slot, spreading code and/or frequency on which the information is broadcast in the adjacent spot beam.

52. The satellite gateway of claim 44, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to transmit intelligence regarding broadcasting the information in an ancillary terrestrial component, wherein the intelligence identifies a channel, time slot, spreading code and/or frequency on which the information is broadcast by the ancillary terrestrial component.

53. The satellite gateway of claim 52, wherein the intelligence identifies a channel, time slot, spreading code and/or frequency on which the program is broadcast by an ancillary terrestrial component in the at least one spotbeam.

54. The satellite gateway of claim 44, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to authenticate a user terminal in response to the request for the information.

55. The satellite gateway of claim 54, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to transmit a decryption key to the user terminal in response to authenticating the user terminal, wherein the decryption key is configured to decrypt the information.

56. The satellite gateway of claim 54, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to encrypt the decryption key prior to transmitting the decryption key to the user terminal.

57. The satellite gateway of claim 44, wherein the gateway controller is further configured, if information is not being broadcast in the at least one spotbeam at a time a request for information is received from a user terminal, to receive an indication from the user terminal of an ability of the user terminal to receive information from an ancillary terrestrial component and/or from an adjacent spotbeam.

58. The satellite gateway of claim 57, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to receive an indication of signal quality from the user terminal.

59. The satellite gateway of claim 58, wherein the indication of signal quality comprises an indication of signal strength, signal to noise ratio, signal to interference ratio and/or bit error rate.

60. The satellite gateway of claim 59, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to transmit the information in the at least one spotbeam in response to the indication of signal quality being less than a threshold signal quality level.

61. The satellite gateway of claim 44, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to transmit the information on a dedicated channel/code/time slot different from a channel/code/time slot used for two-way cellular satellite communications in the at least one spotbeam.

62. The satellite gateway of claim 44, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to:

store an indication of a program subscription by a user terminal, and, responsive to an indication that a user terminal has entered a spotbeam in which the subscribed program is being transmitted, to transmit a notification to the user terminal of the availability of the subscribed program.

63. The satellite gateway of claim 62, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to adjust a property of the information in response to the indication of quality received by the gateway from the user terminal.

64. The satellite gateway of claim 63, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to adjust a signal level, data rate, bandwidth, and/or channel of the information.

65. The satellite gateway of claim 63, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to adjust a property of the information if a threshold number/percent of a plurality of user terminals report a low signal quality.

66. The satellite gateway of claim 62, wherein the gateway controller is further configured to receive a location update from the user terminal.

67. A wireless user terminal for use in a cellular satellite communications system, the wireless user terminal comprising:

an antenna;

a transceiver coupled to the antenna and configured to communicate with the cellular satellite communications system via a satellite air interface over satellite communication frequencies, including satellite service link forward and reverse frequencies; and

a control circuit configured to;

register the user terminal in the satellite spotbeam;

receive from a satellite associated with the satellite spotbeam intelligence about the information, wherein the intelligence identifies a start time, end time, time slot, frequency, spreading code and/or subchannel(s) associated with the information; and

tune the transceiver in the user terminal to the time slot, frequency, spreading code and/or subchannel(s) identified in the intelligence.

68. The wireless user terminal of claim 67, wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive intelligence regarding a channel/time slot/spreading code and/or subchannel(s) on which the information is broadcast in the spot beam.

69. The wireless user terminal of claim 67, wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive intelligence regarding a channel/time slot/spreading code and/or subchannel(s) on which the information is broadcast in an adjacent spot beam and/or by an ancillary terrestrial component.

70. The wireless user terminal of claim 67, wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive components of the information from adjacent spotbeams and/or ancillary terrestrial components and to combine the components of the information at the user terminal.

71. The wireless user terminal of claim 70, wherein the control circuit is further configured to combine at least one signal from an adjacent spotbeam with a signal from an ancillary terrestrial component.

72. The wireless user terminal of claim 70, wherein the control circuit is further configured to frequency translate the components, to perform carrier, frame and/or symbol synchronization on the components, and to combine the components.

73. The wireless user terminal of claim 72, wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine a signal to noise power ratio of at least one of the components, wherein the control circuit is further configured to combine the components in response to the at least one signal to noise power ratio.

74. The wireless user terminal of claim 70, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

determine an indication of quality of the information received at the user terminal; and

provide the indication of quality of the information received at the user terminal to a satellite gateway.

75. The wireless user terminal of claim 74, wherein the indication of quality comprises an indication of signal strength, signal to noise ratio, signal to interference ratio and/or bit error rate.

76. A broadcast controller in a satellite communication system including a satellite configured to communicate at least one wireless user terminals in a satellite spotbeam, comprising:

a control circuit configured to cause the satellite to provide information to a plurality of user terminals in at least one satellite spotbeam in response to receiving a request for the information from at least a threshold number of user terminals within the at least one satellite spotbeam.

77. The broadcast controller of claim 76, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

receive an indication that one of the plurality of user terminals in the at least one spotbeam has terminated receiving the information;

determine if the threshold number of user terminals in the at least one satellite spotbeam are receiving the information; and

in response to a determination that fewer than the threshold number of user terminals are receiving the information in the at least one spotbeam, terminate transmission of the information in the at least one spotbeam.

78. The broadcast controller of claim 77, wherein the threshold number of user terminals is one.

79. The broadcast controller of claim 76, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the satellite to transmit intelligence regarding the information in the at least one satellite spotbeam.

80. The broadcast controller of claim 79, wherein the intelligence identifies a start time, end time, time slot, frequency, spreading code and/or subchannel(s) associated with the information.

81. The broadcast controller of claim 76, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the satellite to transmit intelligence regarding broadcasting the information in an adjacent spotbeam, wherein the intelligence identifies a channel, time slot, spreading code and/or frequency on which the information is broadcast in the adjacent spot beam.

82. The broadcast controller of claim 76, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the satellite to transmit intelligence regarding broadcasting the information in an ancillary terrestrial component, wherein the intelligence identifies a channel, time slot, spreading code and/or frequency on which the information is broadcast by the ancillary terrestrial component.

83. The broadcast controller of claim 82, wherein the intelligence identifies a channel, time slot, spreading code and/or frequency on which the program is broadcast by an ancillary terrestrial component in the at least one spotbeam.

84. The broadcast controller of claim 76, wherein the control circuit is further configured to authenticate a user terminal in response to the request for the information.

85. The broadcast controller of claim 84, wherein the control circuit is further configured to transmit a decryption key to the user terminal in response to authenticating the user terminal, wherein the decryption key is configured to decrypt the information.

86. The broadcast controller of claim 84, wherein the control circuit is further configured to encrypt the decryption key prior to transmitting the decryption key to the user terminal.

87. The broadcast controller of claim 76, wherein the control circuit is further configured, if information is not being broadcast in the at least one spotbeam at a time a request for information is received from a user terminal, to receive an indication from the user terminal of an ability of the user terminal to receive information from an ancillary terrestrial component and/or from an adjacent spotbeam.

88. The broadcast controller of claim 87, wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive an indication of signal quality from the user terminal.

89. The broadcast controller of claim 88, wherein the indication of signal quality comprises an indication of signal strength, signal to noise ratio, signal to interference ratio and/or bit error rate.

90. The broadcast controller of claim 89, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the satellite to transmit the information in the at least one spotbeam in response to the indication of signal quality being less than a threshold signal quality level.

91. The broadcast controller of claim 76, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the satellite to transmit the information via the satellite on a dedicated channel/code/time slot different from a channel/code/time slot used for two-way cellular satellite communications in the at least one spotbeam.

92. The broadcast controller of claim 76, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

store an indication of a program subscription by a user terminal, and, responsive to an indication that a user terminal has entered a spotbeam in which the subscribed program is being transmitted, to transmit a notification to the user terminal of the availability of the subscribed program.

93. The broadcast controller of claim 92, wherein the control circuit is further configured to adjust a property of the information in response to the indication of quality received by the gateway from the user terminal.

94. The broadcast controller of claim 93, wherein in the control circuit is further configured to adjust a signal level, data rate, bandwidth, and/or channel of the information.

95. The broadcast controller of claim 93, wherein the control circuit is further configured to adjust a property of the information if a threshold number/percent of a plurality of user terminals report a low signal quality.

96. A satellite communication system, comprising:

a satellite configured to transmit/receive information to/from user terminals in a plurality of spotbeams over a geographic footprint;

a satellite gateway configured to;

transmit information separately to a plurality of different geographic locations defined by a respective plurality of cellular satellite spotbeams; and

concurrently transmit a program signal on a plurality of different spotbeams.

97. The satellite communication system of claim 96, wherein the plurality of different spotbeams includes less than a total number of spotbeams of the cellular satellite communications system.

98. The satellite communication system of claim 96, wherein the satellite gateway is further configured to select a plurality of different spotbeams adaptively from an available pool of spotbeams based on locations of users requesting the broadcast program signal.

99. The satellite communication system of claim 98, wherein the location of users is determined using mobility management features of a cellular satellite mobile communications system employing the cellular satellite spotbeams.

100. A satellite communication system, comprising:

a satellite configured to transmit/receive information to/from user terminals in a plurality of spotbeams over a geographic footprint;

a satellite gateway configured to;

provide information to a user terminal over a satellite spotbeam of a satellite system responsive to the user terminal being within the satellite spotbeam and responsive to a profile associated with the user terminal.

101. The satellite communication system of claim 100, wherein the profile associated with the user terminal relates to at least one preference associated with a user of the user terminal.

102. The satellite communication system of claim 100, wherein the satellite gateway is further configured to transmit information to the user terminal substantially as the information becomes available to the satellite gateway.

103. The satellite communication system of claim 102, wherein the satellite gateway is further configured to provide the information from a broadcast controller to the satellite gateway.

104. The satellite communication system of claim 100, further comprising a broadcast controller coupled to the satellite gateway, wherein the satellite gateway is further configured to provide an indication to the broadcast controller that the user terminal has entered the satellite spotbeam;

and

wherein the broadcast controller is configured to retrieve the profile associated with the user terminal at the broadcast controller, to determine in response to the profile that the user should receive the information, and to provide an indication to the satellite gateway that the user terminal should receive the information.