System and method for enhanced satellite payload power utilization
First Claim
1. A system for improving utilization of satellite payload power in a communication system having at least one uplink signal representing a variable number of user carriers, the uplink signal being transmitted from at least one feeder earth station to at least one end user station via a satellite having at least one repeater, the system comprising:
- a splitter to divide the uplink signal into at least one group corresponding to each repeater;
at least one filter set corresponding to each group, the filter set being in communication with the splitter to separate the variable number of carriers by frequency bands corresponding to each group;
at least one combiner in communication with a corresponding filter set for combining carriers associated with each repeater to produce an aggregate signal; and
at least one amplifier in communication with a corresponding combiner, the amplifier having a controllable gain based on the aggregate signal such that the gain is increased when the aggregate signal level is below an associated threshold to improve power utilization in the corresponding repeater.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for improved use of idle power of each satellite repeater/transponder during low-traffic periods improve the overall link performance in multi-carrier, demand-assigned satellite communication systems through dynamic control and allocation of additional power to all signal carriers passing through each repeater when the total traffic load in the repeater is below a threshold. For satellite systems already in operation, the invention can be implemented and integrated into the existing feeder earth stations. For new systems, the invention can be implemented and integrated into the transmit section of individual satellite repeaters/transponders. The invention can be applied to new satellite systems to directly reduce the required satellite payload power for a given mission, thus substantially lowering the cost of the space segment. For existing systems, the benefits may be applied toward increasing the total number of carriers supported by the system, increasing the average quality and availability for the downlinks, increasing the system coverage and service area, or any combination thereof.
51 Citations
11 Claims
-
1. A system for improving utilization of satellite payload power in a communication system having at least one uplink signal representing a variable number of user carriers, the uplink signal being transmitted from at least one feeder earth station to at least one end user station via a satellite having at least one repeater, the system comprising:
-
a splitter to divide the uplink signal into at least one group corresponding to each repeater; at least one filter set corresponding to each group, the filter set being in communication with the splitter to separate the variable number of carriers by frequency bands corresponding to each group; at least one combiner in communication with a corresponding filter set for combining carriers associated with each repeater to produce an aggregate signal; and at least one amplifier in communication with a corresponding combiner, the amplifier having a controllable gain based on the aggregate signal such that the gain is increased when the aggregate signal level is below an associated threshold to improve power utilization in the corresponding repeater. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for improving utilization of satellite payload power in a communication system using at least one uplink signal representing a variable number of user carriers, the uplink signal being transmitted from at least one feeder earth station to at least one end user station via a satellite having at least one repeater, the method comprising:
-
grouping the variable number of user carriers into at least one group of signals corresponding to each repeater, each group forming a first combined signal having an associated aggregate signal level; amplifying each first combined signal having an aggregate signal level below a threshold level; and combining the at least one group of signals to form a second combined signal for transmission via the satellite. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
-
Specification