DYNAMIC BANDWIDTH RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR SATELLITE DOWNLINKS
First Claim
1. A method for allocating downlink resources in a multi-beam satellite communications network having a plurality of terminals in each of a plurality of beams, the downlink resources defined in resource units, the method comprising:
- identifying an estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of beams for a future defined time duration responsive to downlink traffic data for each of the plurality of beams monitored before the future defined time duration;
identifying an amount of allocatable resource units for the future defined time duration for the multi-beam satellite communications network;
dynamically allocating, responsive to the estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of beams, a subset of the amount of allocatable resource units to each of the plurality of beams to generate a per-beam downlink resource unit allocation for the future defined time duration;
identifying, in each of the plurality of beams, an estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of a plurality of modulation and coding groups; and
dynamically allocating, responsive to the estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of modulation and coding groups in each respective beam, the allocated resource units for each beam among the plurality of modulation and coding groups for the future defined time duration.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Satellite communications systems, methods, and related devices are described. In one embodiment, a satellite communications system is configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth among different downlink beams. The satellite may receive and compile traffic measurements and terminal parameters. The satellite may be configured with different downlink beam coverage areas, and may dynamically allocate downlink bandwidth and particular frequency channels to different beam coverage areas based on the measurements and parameters. The satellite may also assign frequency channels and time slots based on such measurements and parameters.
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Citations
98 Claims
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1. A method for allocating downlink resources in a multi-beam satellite communications network having a plurality of terminals in each of a plurality of beams, the downlink resources defined in resource units, the method comprising:
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identifying an estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of beams for a future defined time duration responsive to downlink traffic data for each of the plurality of beams monitored before the future defined time duration; identifying an amount of allocatable resource units for the future defined time duration for the multi-beam satellite communications network; dynamically allocating, responsive to the estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of beams, a subset of the amount of allocatable resource units to each of the plurality of beams to generate a per-beam downlink resource unit allocation for the future defined time duration; identifying, in each of the plurality of beams, an estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of a plurality of modulation and coding groups; and dynamically allocating, responsive to the estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of modulation and coding groups in each respective beam, the allocated resource units for each beam among the plurality of modulation and coding groups for the future defined time duration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for allocating downlink resources in a multi-beam satellite communications network having a plurality of terminals in each of a plurality of beams, the downlink resources defined in resource units, the system comprising:
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a beam estimation module configured to identify an estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of beams for a future defined time duration responsive to downlink traffic data for each of the plurality of beams monitored before the future defined time duration; a modulation and coding group estimation module, in communication with the beam estimation module, and configured to identify an estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of a plurality of modulation and coding groups; and a resource allocation module, in communication with the beam estimation module and the modulation and coding group estimation module, and configured to; identify an amount of allocatable resource units for the future defined time duration for the multi-beam satellite communications network; dynamically allocate, responsive to the estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of beams, a subset of the amount of allocatable resource units to each of the plurality of beams to generate a changed per-beam downlink resource unit allocation for the future defined time duration; and dynamically allocate, responsive to the estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of modulation and coding groups in each respective beam, the allocated resource units for each beam among the plurality of modulation and coding groups for the future defined time duration. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A device for allocating downlink resources in a multi-beam satellite communications network having a plurality of terminals in each of a plurality of beams, the downlink resources defined in resource units, the device comprising:
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means for identifying an estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of beams for a future defined time duration responsive to downlink traffic data for each of the plurality of beams monitored before the future defined time duration; means for identifying an amount of allocatable resource units for the future defined time duration for the multi-beam satellite communications network; means for allocating, responsive to the estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of beams, a subset of the amount of allocatable resource units to each of the plurality of beams to generate a per-beam downlink resource unit allocation for the future defined time duration; means for identifying, in each of the plurality of beams, an estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of a plurality of modulation and coding groups; and means for allocating, responsive to the estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of modulation and coding groups in each respective beam, the allocated resource units for each beam among the plurality of modulation and coding groups for the future defined time duration. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A satellite communications system for allocating downlink resources in a multi-beam satellite communications network, the downlink resources defined in resource units, the system comprising:
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a plurality of terminals in each of a plurality of beams; and a resource allocator system in communication via satellite with each of the plurality of terminals in each of the plurality of beams, the resource allocator system configured to; identify an estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of beams for a future defined time duration responsive to downlink traffic data for each of the plurality of beams monitored before the future defined time duration; identify an amount of allocatable resource units for the future defined time duration for the multi-beam satellite communications network; and dynamically allocate, responsive to the estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of beams, a subset of the amount of allocatable resource units to each of the plurality of beams to generate a changed per-beam downlink resource unit allocation for the future defined time duration.
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25. A method for allocating downlink resources in a multi-beam satellite communications network having a plurality of terminals in each of a plurality of beams, the downlink resources defined in resource units, the method comprising:
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aggregating terminal parameter information to identify a cumulative guaranteed downlink rate for each of the plurality of beams; identifying a measured rate of downlink resource units for each of the plurality of beams for a past time duration; identifying, for each beam, an amount by which the measured rate exceeds the cumulative guaranteed downlink rate, the amount comprising an excess measured rate; identifying an amount of allocatable downlink resource units for a future defined time duration for the multi-beam satellite communications network; allocating a first portion of allocatable downlink resource units among each of the plurality of beams for the future defined time duration, the allocation of the first portion proportionally corresponding to the cumulative guaranteed downlink information rate for each beam; and allocating, after the first portion is allocated, a remaining second portion of the allocatable downlink resource units among each of the plurality of beams for the future defined time duration, the allocation of the second portion proportionally corresponding to the respective excess measured rate for each beam. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A system for allocating downlink resources in a multi-beam satellite communications network having a plurality of terminals in each of a plurality of beams, the downlink resources defined in resource units, the system comprising:
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a terminal parameter module configured to aggregate terminal parameter information to identify a cumulative guaranteed downlink rate for each of the plurality of beams; a downlink beam measurement module, in communication with the terminal parameter module, and configured to; identify a measured rate of downlink resource units for each of the plurality of beams for a past time duration; identify, for each beam, an amount by which the measured rate exceeds the cumulative guaranteed downlink rate, the amount comprising an excess measured rate; a resource allocation module, in communication with the terminal parameter module and the beam measurement module, and configured to; identify an amount of allocatable downlink resource units for a future defined time duration for the multi-beam satellite communications network; allocate a first portion amount of allocatable downlink resource units among each of the plurality of beams for the future defined time duration, the allocation of the first portion proportionally corresponding to the cumulative guaranteed downlink information rate for each beam; and allocate, after the first portion is allocated, a remaining second portion of the allocatable downlink resource units among each of the plurality of beams for the future defined time duration, the allocation of the second portion proportionally corresponding to the respective excess measured rate for each beam. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A device for allocating downlink resources in a multi-beam satellite communications network having a plurality of terminals in each of a plurality of beams, the downlink resources defined in resource units, the device comprising:
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means for aggregating terminal parameter information to identify a cumulative guaranteed downlink rate for each of the plurality of beams; means for identifying a measured rate of downlink resource units for each of the plurality of beams for a past time duration; means for identifying, for each beam, an amount by which the measured rate exceeds the guaranteed downlink rate, the amount comprising an excess measured rate; means for identifying an amount of allocatable downlink resource units for a future defined time duration for the multi-beam satellite communications network; means for allocating a first portion amount of allocatable downlink resource units among each of the plurality of beams for the future defined time duration, the allocation of the first portion proportionally corresponding to the cumulative guaranteed downlink information rate for each beam; and means for allocating, after the first portion is allocated, a remaining second portion of the allocatable downlink resource units among each of the plurality of beams for the future defined time duration, the allocation of the second portion proportionally corresponding to the respective excess measured rate for each beam. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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50. A satellite communications system for allocating downlink resources in a multi-beam satellite communications network, the downlink resources defined in resource units, the system comprising:
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a plurality of terminals in each of a plurality of beams; and a resource allocator system in communication via satellite with each of the plurality of terminals in each of the plurality of beams, the resource allocator system configured to; aggregate terminal parameter information to identify a cumulative guaranteed downlink rate for each of the plurality of beams; identify a measured rate of downlink resource units for each of the plurality of beams for a past time duration; identify, for each beam, an amount by which the measured rate exceeds the guaranteed downlink rate, the amount comprising an excess measured rate; identify an amount of allocatable downlink resource units for a future defined time duration for the multi-beam satellite communications network; allocate a first portion amount of allocatable downlink resource units among each of the plurality of beams for the future defined time duration, the allocation of the first portion proportionally corresponding to the cumulative guaranteed downlink information rate for each beam; and allocate, after the first portion is allocated, a remaining second portion of the allocatable downlink resource units among each of the plurality of beams for the future defined time duration, the allocation of the second portion proportionally corresponding to the respective excess measured rate for each beam.
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51. A method for modulator balancing in a multi-beam satellite communications network, the method comprising:
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monitoring a traffic load on a first modulator of a plurality of modulators on a satellite, the modulator serving a plurality of the beams; determining that the traffic load exceeds a load threshold for the first modulator; and identifying, responsive to the determination that the traffic load exceeds the load threshold, one or more of the plurality of beams serving the first modulator that may be moved to a second modulator of the plurality of modulators while maintaining a traffic load on the second modulator below a load threshold for the second modulator. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A system for modulator balancing in a multi-beam satellite communications network, the system comprises:
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a monitoring module configured to; monitor a traffic load on a first modulator of a plurality of modulators on a satellite, the modulator serving a plurality of the beams; and determine that the traffic load exceeds a load threshold for the first modulator; a rebalancing evaluation module, in communication with the monitoring module, and configured to determine whether one or more of the plurality of beams serving the first modulator may be moved to a second modulator of the plurality of modulators while maintaining a traffic load on the second modulator below a load threshold for the second modulator; and a selection module, in communication with the rebalancing evaluation module, and configured to select a beam of the one or more of the plurality of beams to be assigned to the second modulator. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A method for modulator balancing in a multi-beam satellite communications network, the method comprising:
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monitoring a traffic load on a first modulator of a plurality of modulators on the satellite, the modulator serving a plurality of the beams; determining that the traffic load exceeds a load threshold for the first modulator; determining, responsive to the determination that the traffic load exceeds the load threshold, whether one or more of the plurality of beams serving the first modulator may be moved to a second modulator of the plurality of modulators while maintaining a traffic load on the second modulator below a load threshold for the second modulator; and rebalancing beam assignments for at least a subset of the plurality of modulators. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. A device for modulator balancing in a multi-beam satellite communications network, the method comprising:
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means for monitoring a traffic load on a first modulator of a plurality of modulators on the satellite, the modulator serving a plurality of beams; means for determining that the traffic load exceeds a load threshold for the first modulator; and means for identifying, responsive to the determination that the traffic load exceeds the load threshold, one or more of the plurality of beams serving the first modulator that may be moved to a second modulator of the plurality of modulators while maintaining a traffic load on the second modulator below a load threshold for the second modulator.
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75. A system for assigning downlink frequency channels in a multi-beam satellite communications system, the system comprising:
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a frequency channel eligibility module configured to identify a number of eligible downlink frequency channels for each of a plurality of modulation and coding groups; a resource estimation module configured to estimate downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of modulation and coding groups; and a frequency channel assignment module, in communication with the frequency channel eligibility module and the resource estimation module, and configured to select a modulation and coding group for frequency channel assignment in an order corresponding to the number of eligible downlink frequency channels and the estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of modulation and coding groups. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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84. A method for assigning downlink frequency channels in a multi-beam satellite communications system, the method comprising:
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identifying a number of eligible downlink frequency channels for each of a plurality of modulation and coding groups; estimating downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of modulation and coding groups; and selecting modulation and coding groups for frequency channel assignment in an order corresponding to the number of eligible downlink frequency channels and the estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of modulation and coding groups. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93)
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94. A device for assigning downlink frequency channels in a multi-beam satellite communications system, the device comprising:
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means for identifying a number of eligible downlink frequency channels for each of a plurality of modulation and coding groups; means for estimating downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of modulation and coding groups; and means for selecting modulation and coding groups for frequency channel assignment in an order corresponding to the number of eligible downlink frequency channels and the estimated downlink resource unit demand for each of the plurality of modulation and coding groups. - View Dependent Claims (95, 96, 97, 98)
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Specification