FLEXIBLE COVERAGE AREAS FOR RETURN LINK SIGNALS IN A SPOT BEAM SATELLITE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110189947A1
• Filed: 02/02/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,401,467 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2041 Spot beam multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Conventional spot beam satellites receive return uplink beam signals that each correspond to a separate and unique return downlink beam. An embodiment of the invention allows flexible coverage areas by selectively attenuating and combining multiple return uplink beam signals and transmitting them on a single beam to a gateway terminal. This allows uplink capacity to be dynamically allocated amongst different uplink signals. Offered load in different beams can be predicted and used to set the attenuation values appropriately and the attenuation values may also be controlled remotely.

Claims

1. A method for providing flexible coverage areas for return link signals in a spot beam satellite communication system, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of return link signals, each from a spot beam corresponding to a spot beam coverage area;

selectively attenuating at least one of the plurality of return link signals;

after the step of selectively attenuating, combining the plurality of return link signals, to generate a combined signal;

amplifying the combined signal to generate an amplified signal; and

transmitting the amplified signal to a gateway.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selectively attenuating is achieved by remotely controlling attenuation values from a location away from the spot beam satellite, after the spot beam satellite has been deployed in space.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the attenuation values are adjusted in response to predicted offered load.

4. A spot beam satellite for providing flexible coverage areas for return link signals, comprising:

one or more antennas configured to receive a plurality of return link signals, each from a spot beam corresponding to a spot beam coverage area;

one or more programmable attenuators configured to attenuate at least one of the plurality of return link signals;

a summing device configured to combine the plurality of return link signals to generate a combined signal;

an amplifier configured to amplify the combined signal to generate an amplified signal; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the amplified signal to a gateway.

5. The spot beam satellite of claim 4 further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive attenuation values from a location away from the spot beam satellite; and

a processor configured to set an attenuation of the one or more programmable attenuators based on the attenuation values.

6. The spot beam satellite of claim 4 wherein the one or more attenuators are controlled to respond to predicted offered load.