Methods of Reducing Interference Including Calculation of Weights Based on Errors and Related Systems

• US 20090170429A1
• Filed: 03/09/2009
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/12.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1851 Systems using a satellite or space-based relay H04B7/18508, H04B7/18521 take precedence; providing specific services H04B7/18523 - H04B7/18576
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system

Abstract

Methods of reducing interference in a satellite communications system may include receiving a plurality of feeder link signals and time aligning the plurality of feeder link signals to provide time aligned feeder link signals. At least two of the time aligned feeder link signals may be combined to provide reduced interference of at least one of the feeder link signals. Related systems are also discussed.

Claims

1. A method of reducing interference in a satellite communications system, the method comprising:

providing an error of a received feeder link signal;

providing first and second feeder link signals;

calculating a weight based on the error;

applying the weight to the second feeder link signal to provide an error correction signal; and

combining the error correction signal with a component of the first feeder link signal to provide an interference reduced feeder link signal.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the received feeder link signal is received at a Space-Based Component (SBC) or at a Ground-Based Equipment (GBE).

3. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

calculating a second weight;

applying the second weight to the first feeder link signal to provide a second error correction signal; and

combining the second error correction signal with a component of the second feeder link signal to provide a second interference reduced feeder link signal.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the first and second feeder link signals are provided by a Space-Based component (SBC) and/or by a Ground-Based equipment (GBE).

5. A method according to claim 3 wherein the interference reduced feeder link signal and/or the second interference reduced signal is/are transmitted to/by a Space-Based Component (SBC) or a Ground-Based Equipment (GBE).

6. A method according to claim 3 wherein the combining takes place at a Space-Based Component (SBC) and/or at a Ground-Based Equipment (GBE).

7. A method according to claim 2 wherein the received feeder link signal includes an information component, and wherein providing an error of a received feeder link signal comprises comparing the information component with at least one value of the received feeder link signal.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the comparing is performed at a Space-Based Component (SBC) and/or at a Ground-Based equipment (GBE).

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein a result of the comparing is transmitted to a Space-Based Component (SBC) and/or to a Ground-Based equipment (GBE).

10. A method according to claim 7 wherein the information component comprises a-priori known information.

11. A satellite communications system comprising:

a processor configured to process an error of a feeder link signal, to process first and second feeder link signals, to calculate a weight to be applied to the second feeder link signal based on the error, to apply the weight to the second feeder link signal to provide an error correction signal, and to combine the error correction signal with a component of the first feeder link signal to provide a first interference reduced signal.

12. A satellite communications system according to claim 11 wherein the processor is at a Space-Based Component (SBC) and/or at a Ground-Based equipment (GBE).

13. A satellite communications system according to claim 12 wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a second weight to be applied to the first feeder link signal to provide a second error correction signal, and to combine the second error correction signal with a component of the second feeder link signal to provide a second interference reduced signal.

14. A satellite communications system according to claim 13 wherein the first and second feeder link signals are provided to the processor via spatially diverse paths and/or different antenna patterns.

15. A satellite communications system according to claim 13 wherein the first and second interference reduced signals are provided by the processor over spatially diverse paths and/or different antenna patterns.

16. A satellite communications system according to claim 13 wherein the first and/or second interference reduced signals are provided by the processor to a Space-Based Component (SBC) and/or to a Ground-Based equipment (GBE).

17. A satellite communications system according to claim 12 wherein the feeder link signal includes an information component that is used to derive the error by comparing the information component with at least one value of the feeder link signal.

18. A satellite communications system according to claim 17 wherein the comparing is performed at a Space-Based Component (SBC) and/or at a Ground-Based Equipment (GBE).

19. A satellite communications system according to claim 18 wherein a result of the comparing is transmitted to a Space-Based Component (SBC) and/or to a Ground-Based Equipment (GBE).

20. A satellite communications system according to claim 17 wherein the information component comprises a-priori known information.