Multiple MAC Domains

• US 20090285152A1
• Filed: 03/26/2009
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Jaska, Kristi Ann, Dankberg, Mark D., Eidenschink, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,189,501 B2
• 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 satellite system for broadband communication with a plurality of remote locations is described. The system includes a satellite and a plurality of service spot beams from the satellite. A plurality of forward channels are transported on carriers in the service spot beams. A plurality of sub-channels pass on the plurality of forward channels. The system further includes a plurality of independently managed domains, wherein the plurality of sub-channels are divided among the plurality of domains. The system may further include a plurality of satellite modems addressed by a plurality of service identifiers. Each of the plurality of service identifiers may be exclusively addressable within one of the plurality of domains.

Claims

1. A satellite system comprising:

a satellite configured to transmit a plurality of service spot beams from the satellite; and

a gateway configured to produce and send a plurality of forward channels to the satellite;

each of the plurality of forward channels being transported on a corresponding carrier in one of the plurality of service spot beams, a plurality of forward sub-channels contained in the plurality of forward channels; and

the gateway further configured to independently manage a plurality of domains, the plurality of sub-channels being divided among the plurality of domains.

2. The satellite system according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is a sole carrier in one of the plurality of spot beams.

3. The satellite system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of forward channels use adaptive coding and modulation.

4. The satellite system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of forward channels has a data rate greater than one gigabits per second.

5. The satellite system according to claim 1, wherein the service spot beams have a coding and a modulation that varies over time.

6. The satellite system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of satellite modems, wherein each of the plurality of satellite modems is managed by one of the plurality of domains.

7. The satellite system according to claim 1, wherein the independent management of each domain includes use of a management protocol.

8. The satellite system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of satellite modems, wherein each of the plurality of satellite modems is addressed by one or more service identifiers.

9. A satellite system comprising:

a satellite configured to transmit a plurality of service spot beams;

a gateway configured to produce and send a plurality of forward channels to the satellite;

each of the plurality of forward channels being transported on a corresponding carrier in one of the plurality of service spot beams, a plurality of forward sub-channels contained in the plurality of forward channels;

a gateway further configured to independently manage a plurality of domains, the plurality of sub-channels being divided among the plurality of domains; and

a plurality of satellite modems configured to communicate with the satellite and that are addressed by a plurality of service identifiers in the sub-channels, each of the service identifiers being unique within one of the plurality of domains.

10. The satellite system according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of domains are managed by a plurality of entities.

11. The satellite system according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of domains controls a management protocol for its domain irrespective of the other domains.

12. The satellite system according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of satellite modems is assigned one or more service identifiers selected from the plurality of service identifiers.

13. (canceled)

16. A satellite system comprising:

a satellite comprising emitting means for emitting a plurality of service spot beams;

generating means, communicatively coupled to the emitting means, for generating and transmitting a plurality of forward channels on corresponding carriers in the service spot beams, the generating means including means for generating a plurality of forward sub-channels as portions of the plurality of forward channels; and

managing means, communicatively coupled to the generating means, for independently managing a plurality of domains, each domain associated with a corresponding subset of the plurality of forward sub-channels.

17. The satellite system according to claim 16, wherein the generating means are configured to generate and transmit the plurality of forward channels using adaptive coding and modulation.

18. The satellite system according to claim 16, wherein the emitting means are configured to emit the service spot beams with coding and modulation that varies over time.

19. The satellite system according to claim 16, further comprising a plurality of satellite modems, with each of the plurality of satellite modems being managed by one of the plurality of domains.

20. A satellite gateway comprising:

a transmitter configured to produce and transmit a plurality of forward channels from the satellite gateway, at least one of the plurality of forward channels having an associated plurality of forward sub-channels, to a satellite; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the transmitter and configured to independently manage a plurality of domains, each domain associated with a corresponding subset of the plurality of forward sub-channels.

21. The satellite gateway according to claim 20, wherein the transmitter is configured to produce and transmit the plurality of forward channels using adaptive coding and modulation.

22. A method performed at a gateway in a satellite system, the method comprising:

maintaining a plurality of forward sub-channels that share a common carrier;

assigning the plurality of forward sub-channels to a plurality of domains;

determining which of a plurality of satellite modems belong to each of the plurality of domains; and

controlling the plurality of domains independently of each other.

14. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the controlling includes:

controlling a first subset of the plurality of satellite modems within a first domain of the plurality of domains; and

controlling a second subset of the plurality of satellite modems within a second domain of the plurality of domains, wherein the first subset are all unique from the second subset.

15. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising provisioning the plurality of satellite modems independently controlled by domain.