Satellite Hub Based Adaptive Allocation Of Frequency Bands

• US 20090213780A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Dankberg, Mark D.
• Application Number:
  US11/963,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20090213780A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18582 Arrangements for data linking, i.e. for data framing, for error recovery, for multiple access

Abstract

A method and system for adaptive allocation of transmission bandwidth in a broadband satellite communication system having user terminals within a coverage area and outside a coverage area, such as an LDMS area. In a specific embodiment, the bandwidth is allocated at a central terminal (hub) to be used by both types of user terminals to communicate back to the hub terminal, wherein the spectrum and geographic coverage area of a primary user is excluded from use by user terminals located within the coverage area.

Claims

1. In a broadband satellite communication system having a hub and having user terminals within a coverage area and outside a coverage area, the coverage area having at least a portion of spectrum potentially used by a primary user, a method for adaptive allocation of transmission bandwidth, comprising:

a) determining terminal location of each terminal;

b) reporting terminal location of each terminal to the hub;

c) causing the hub to allocate frequency spectrum for user terminal uplink back to the hub, wherein the spectrum and geographic coverage area of the primary user is excluded from use by first user terminals located within the coverage area; and

d) causing the hub to communicate information on frequency spectrum allocation for each said first user terminal to each said first user terminal and for each said second user terminal to each said second user terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1 further including:

e) determining if said first and second user terminals are mobile and for each determination, and repeating steps a) through d).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step c) further includes:

c1) determining whether spectrum requirements of said first user terminals within the primary user geographic area can be allocated equally with said second user terminals outside said primary user geographic area; and

c2) assigning frequency spectrum of said primary user to said second user terminal.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said step c) further includes

c3) assigning frequency spectrum to said first user terminal outside said frequency spectrum of said primary user.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said frequency spectrum assigning step c3) includes:

assigning spectrum to all user terminals individually according to system considerations.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein step c) further includes

allocating transmit time, power level, modulation and coding to said first user terminal.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said coverage area is a Local Multipoint Distribution System (LDMS) area.

8. A broadband satellite communication system having a hub and having user terminals within a coverage area and outside a coverage area, the coverage area having at least a portion of spectrum potentially used by a primary user, a subsystem for adaptive allocation of transmission bandwidth, comprising:

a) a terminal locator for determining terminal location of each terminal;

b) a communicator for reporting terminal location of each terminal to the hub;

c) a characteristics allocator for causing the hub to allocate frequency spectrum for user terminal uplink back to the hub, wherein the spectrum and geographic coverage area of the primary user is excluded from use by first user terminals located within the coverage area; and

d) a terminal command controller for causing the hub to communicate information on frequency spectrum allocation for each said first user terminal to each said first user terminal and for each said second user terminal to each said second user terminal.

9. The system according to claim 8 further including:

e) a motion detector for determining if said first and second user terminals are mobile. d).

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein said characteristics allocator c) further includes:

c1) a software element for determining whether spectrum requirements of said first user terminals within the primary user geographic area can be allocated equally with said second user terminals outside said primary user geographic area; and

c2) a software element for assigning frequency spectrum of said primary user to said second user terminal.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein said characteristics allocator c) further includes c3) a software element for assigning frequency spectrum to said first user terminal outside said frequency spectrum of said primary user.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein said frequency spectrum assigning element c3) includes:

a software element for assigning spectrum to all user terminals individually according to system considerations.

13. The system according to claim 11 wherein characteristics allocator c) further includes

software elements for allocating transmit time, power level, modulation and coding to said first user terminal.

14. The system according to claim 8 wherein said coverage area is a Local Multipoint Distribution System (LDMS) area.