Pilot signal strength control for a low earth orbiting satellite communications system
First Claim
1. Apparatus for controlling the strength of a shared resource signal relayed by a satellite in a satellite communications system having a gateway transmitting the shared resource signal, a satellite transponder and at least one subscriber unit, comprising:
- receiving means for receiving the shared resource signal, at each subscriber unit, via the satellite;
at least one signal strength detector at each subscriber unit for measuring a signal strength for the received shared resource signal, by measuring a signal-to-noise ratio for the received shared resource signal;
a transmitter at each subscriber unit for sending said signal strength measurement to the gateway; and
a power adjustor for adjusting the power of the shared resource signal transmitted by the satellite transponder based on said signal strength measurements, comprising;
discarding means for discarding any of said signal-to-noise ratio measurements having a magnitude less than a predetermined threshold magnitude;
calculating means for calculating, for each subscriber unit, based on said signal-to-noise ratio, an average magnitude for the flux density of the shared resource signal;
selecting means for selecting at least one subscriber unit associated with a largest average magnitude; and
means for adjusting the power of the shared resource signal relayed by the satellite transponder to radiate the antenna of said at least one selected subscriber unit with a predetermined shared resource signal flux density.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for controlling the strength of a shared resource signal transmitted by the satellite transponder in a satellite communications system. The satellite communications system includes a gateway for transmitting communications signals including a shared resource signal, a satellite transponder for relaying the signals to at least one subscriber unit (for example, a phone), and at least one subscriber unit for receiving the signals. The method includes the steps of receiving the shared resource signal, at each subscriber unit, via the satellite transponder; measuring, at each subscriber unit, a signal strength for the received shared resource signal; sending the signal strengths to the gateway; and adjusting the power of the shared resource signal transmitted by the satellite transponder based on the signal strengths.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. Apparatus for controlling the strength of a shared resource signal relayed by a satellite in a satellite communications system having a gateway transmitting the shared resource signal, a satellite transponder and at least one subscriber unit, comprising:
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receiving means for receiving the shared resource signal, at each subscriber unit, via the satellite; at least one signal strength detector at each subscriber unit for measuring a signal strength for the received shared resource signal, by measuring a signal-to-noise ratio for the received shared resource signal; a transmitter at each subscriber unit for sending said signal strength measurement to the gateway; and a power adjustor for adjusting the power of the shared resource signal transmitted by the satellite transponder based on said signal strength measurements, comprising; discarding means for discarding any of said signal-to-noise ratio measurements having a magnitude less than a predetermined threshold magnitude; calculating means for calculating, for each subscriber unit, based on said signal-to-noise ratio, an average magnitude for the flux density of the shared resource signal; selecting means for selecting at least one subscriber unit associated with a largest average magnitude; and means for adjusting the power of the shared resource signal relayed by the satellite transponder to radiate the antenna of said at least one selected subscriber unit with a predetermined shared resource signal flux density. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. In a satellite communications system having a gateway transmitting a shared resource signal, a satellite transponder for relaying the shared resource signal, and at least one subscriber unit, a method for controlling the strength of the shared resource signal relayed by the satellite transponder, comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving the shared resource signal, at each subscriber unit, via the satellite transponder; (b) measuring, at each subscriber unit, a signal strength for the received shared resource signal based on measuring a signal-to-noise ratio for the received shared resource signal, comprising the steps of (i) discarding any of said signal-to-noise ratio measurements having a magnitude less than a predetermined threshold magnitude; (ii) calculating, for each subscriber unit, based on said signal-to-noise ratio, an average magnitude for the flux density of the shared resource signal; (iii) selecting at least one subscriber unit associated with a largest average magnitude; (c) sending said signal strength measurements to the gateway; and (d) adjusting the power of the shared resource signal transmitted by the satellite transponder to radiate the antenna of said at least one selected subscriber unit with a predetermined shared resource signal flux density. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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Specification