PAYLOAD SYSTEM FOR SATELLITES

• US 20080076350A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eutelsat, SA (Eutelsat Communications SA)
• Original Assignee: Eutelsat, SA (Eutelsat Communications SA)
• Inventors: Fenech, Hector, Lance, Emmanuel
• Granted Patent: US 8,340,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/12.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18515 Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays

Abstract

A payload system for satellites comprising transponder devices with an input section including an uplink antenna, a low noise amplifier, and a converter, and an output section including an input filter, a high power amplifier, an output filter, and a downlink antenna. At least some of the transponders share their high power amplifiers and the high power amplifiers shared have a maximum power smaller than the total power which can be transmitted by the payload.

Claims

1. A payload system for satellites comprising:

a plurality of transponder devices, each transponder device comprising

an input section including uplink antenna means, low noise amplifier means, and converter means, and

an output section including input filter means, high power amplifier means, output filter means, and downlink antenna means, wherein at least some of the transponders share high power amplifier means and the high power amplifier means of said transponders sharing high power amplifier means have a maximum power output smaller than total power which can be transmitted by the payload system.

2. The payload system according to claim 1, wherein said transponders sharing high power amplifier means comprise a multiport amplifier including an input matrix with an input for each of said transponders, a bank of high power amplifiers for said transponders, and an output matrix having an output port for each of said transponders.

3. The payload system according to claim 1, wherein

the input section comprising the antenna means, the low noise amplifier means, and the converter means is common to all transponders,

the output section comprising the input filter means, the high power amplifier means, and the output filter means are different for each transponder, and

the high power amplifier means is shared by via a multiport amplifier.

4. The payload system according to claim 1 wherein

the input section and the output section differ for different transponders, and

the high power amplifier means of the transponders are shared via a multiport amplifier.