METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BEAM SELECTION FOR A MULTIBEAM, MULTI-SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• US 20150229385A1
• Filed: 01/16/2015
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: ROOS, DAVID ALAN
• Granted Patent: US 9,716,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18528 Satellite systems for providing two-way communications service to a network of fixed stations, i.e. fixed satellite service or very small aperture terminal [VSAT] system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2041 Spot beam multiple access

Abstract

An apparatus for satellite selection within a multi-satellite communication system, comprising an antenna, receiver, and transmitter, and a processing module configured to calculate a normalized distance metric for the plurality of user spot beams of a first and second satellite, select the user spot beam with the lowest normalized distance metric, and determine which of the at least first or second satellite is transmitting the selected user spot beam. Further, a method for increasing the aggregate capacity of a satellite communications network, comprising identifying high traffic regions within a coverage area of a first satellite, determining which user spot beams of the first satellite are available to each of the identified regions, determining a normalized distance metric for each user spot beam identified, and plotting a second beam pattern of a second satellite to produce at least one user spot beam with a lower normalized distance metric.

Claims

1. An apparatus for satellite selection within a multi-satellite communication system, comprising:

a receiver;

a transmitter;

an antenna coupled to the receiver and the transmitter and configured to send and receive RF signals; and

a processing module configured to execute instructions stored on a non-transitory storage medium, the instructions causing the processing module to perform the operations, comprising;

determine a plurality of user spot beams available to the apparatus from at least a first satellite and a second satellite of the multi-satellite communication system;

calculate a normalized distance metric for the plurality of user spot beams;

select the user spot beam with the lowest normalized distance metric; and

determine which of the at least first or second satellite is transmitting the selected user spot beam, and select an outroute on the selected user spot beam using the antenna.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a polarizer, wherein the processing module is further configured to select the user spot beam with the lowest normalized distance metric and with a polarization that is the same as a polarization of the polarizer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the polarizer is switchable and the processing module is further configured to switch the polarizer to match the polarization of the selected user spot beam.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the normalized distance metric is calculated according to the equation:

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the radius R_i is calculated according to the equation:

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the radius R_i is calculated according to the equation:

R_i=F_i(x₀₁,y₀₁)

where F_i is a function particular to the user spot beam and known to the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna is repositionable and the processing module is further configured to reposition the antenna to communicate over the satellite of the at least two satellites transmitting the selected user spot beam.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna is repositionable and the processing module is further configured to alert that the antenna must be repositioned to allow communication over the satellite of the at least two satellites transmitting the selected user spot beam.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the weighting factor is determined based on at least one of:

loading attributes of a given satellite;

relative loading of multiple satellites;

quality of service available for a given user spot beam;

quality of service available for a given satellite;

availability of security mechanisms;

reliability of the connection.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the weighting factor is applied only if the difference between the normalized distance metrics of two user spot beams is less than a threshold amount.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory storage medium further comprises locations of centers, radii, and beam shapes of a plurality of user spot beams for a plurality of satellites.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna is a scanning antenna and is configured to periodically scan an area to detect user spot beams available to service the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further configured to determine the current location of the apparatus based on at least one of the following:

a position determination system;

deduced reckoning;

manual position entry;

transmitted position information from an external device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further configured to execute the instructions on a periodic basis.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further configured to execute the instructions when at least one of the following occurs:

quality of service falls below a threshold value;

changes in beam patterns;

changes in beam shapes;

changes in weighting factors;

detection of new user spot beams;

detection of new satellite.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is a mobile terminal and the instructions comprise:

determine a plurality of user spot beams available to the apparatus during a predetermined route based on the locations of centers, radii, and beam shapes information stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium;

calculate a normalized distance metric for the plurality of user spot beams available during the route;

identify each user spot beam with the lowest normalized distance metric for a plurality of points along the route;

determine which satellite of the plurality of satellites is transmitting the selected user spot beam; and

store in a beam table the identified user spot beam for the plurality of points and the satellite transmitting the selected user spot beam in the non-transitory storage medium.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processing module is further configured to execute the instruction to select the user spot beam with the lowest normalized distance metric by querying the stored beam table and selecting the user spot beam previously identified for that point of the route.

18. A method for satellite selection in a multi-satellite communication system, comprising:

identifying a plurality of user spot beams available to a user terminal from at least a first satellite and a second satellite of the multi-satellite communication system, wherein the user terminal comprises an antenna configured to send and receive RF signals;

calculating a normalized distance metric for the plurality of user spot beams; and

selecting the user spot beam with the lowest normalized distance metric;

determining which of the at least first or second satellite is transmitting the selected user spot beam, and negotiating an outroute on the selected user spot beam for the user terminal over the antenna.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the user terminal further comprises a polarizer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of selecting the user spot beam further comprises selecting the user spot beam with the lowest normalized distance metric and the same polarization as the polarizer.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the polarizer is switchable and the method further comprises switching the polarization of the polarizer to match the polarization of the selected user spot beam.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the normalized distance metric is calculated according to the equation:

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the radius R_i is calculated according to the equation:

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the radius R_i is calculated according to the equation:

R_i=F_i(x₀₁,y₀₁)

where F_i is a function particular to the user spot beam and known to the user terminal.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the antenna is repositionable and the method further comprises positioning the antenna to communicate over the satellite of the satellite determined to be transmitting the selected user spot beam.

26. A method of designing beam patterns to increase aggregate capacity within a satellite communications system, comprising:

determining a first beam pattern of a plurality of user spot beams of a first satellite serving a first geographic area;

identifying a plurality of high traffic regions within the first geographic area covered by the first beam pattern;

determining the user spot beams of the first beam pattern covering each of the plurality of high traffic regions;

determining a normalized distance metric for each of the user spot beams of the first beam pattern covering each of the plurality of high traffic regions; and

plotting a second beam pattern of a second satellite such that at least one of a plurality of user spot beams of the second beam pattern has a lower normalized distance metric for at least one of the plurality of high traffic regions relative to the normalized distance metrics of the user spot beams of the first beam pattern covering each of the plurality of high traffic region.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the normalized distance metric is calculated according to the equation:

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the radius R_i is calculated according to the equation:

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the method is performed prior to deployment of either satellite.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the first satellite is already deployed and the step of determining the first beam pattern comprises identifying the location of a plurality of user spot beams of the first satellite.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of identifying a plurality of high traffic regions comprises identifying geographic regions where there is a high number of edge of beams situations, wherein an edge of beam situation is when the normalized distance metric of a user spot beam relative to a user terminal exceeds a threshold value

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the high traffic regions comprise densely populated areas.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the high traffic regions comprise areas underserved by satellite broadband systems.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the high traffic regions comprise areas where there are a plurality of user terminals already connecting to the system over the first satellite.