Dynamic repeater configuration for multilink satellite systems with robust subchannel interconnect capability
First Claim
1. A dynamic repeater apparatus for interconnecting communication channels and subchannels between an uplink signal and a downlink signal, comprising:
- an input multiplexer for receiving the uplink signal and for producing at least a first channel signal therefrom;
a subchannel routing switch matrix for receiving the uplink signal, for separating at least one channel signal into at least one subchannel, for routing the subchannel from a selected uplink subchannel into a selected downlink subchannel, and for recombining the selected downlink subchannels into a second channel signal; and
a channel routing switch matrix, coupled to the input multiplexer through a first input and coupled to the subchannel routing switch matrix through a second input, for routing the first channel signal into a first downlink channel signal and the second channel signal into a second downlink channel signal; and
an output multiplexer for collecting the first and second downlink channels and combining them into the downlink signal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dynamic repeater configuration for satellite systems is disclosed that allows for multiple broadcast of channel information and multiple subchannel allocations on uplink and downlink beam signals. The apparatus comprises an input multiplexer, a subchannel routing switch matrix, a channel routing switch matrix, and an output multiplexer. The input multiplexer receives the uplink signal and produces at least a first channel signal therefrom. The subchannel routing switch matrix receives the uplink signal, separates at least one channel signal into at least one subchannel, routes the subchannel from a selected uplink subchannel into a selected downlink subchannel, and recombines the selected downlink subchannels into a second channel signal. The channel routing switch matrix routes the first channel signal into a first downlink channel signal and the second channel signal into a second downlink channel signal. The output multiplexer combines the first and second downlink channels into the downlink signal.
39 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A dynamic repeater apparatus for interconnecting communication channels and subchannels between an uplink signal and a downlink signal, comprising:
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an input multiplexer for receiving the uplink signal and for producing at least a first channel signal therefrom;
a subchannel routing switch matrix for receiving the uplink signal, for separating at least one channel signal into at least one subchannel, for routing the subchannel from a selected uplink subchannel into a selected downlink subchannel, and for recombining the selected downlink subchannels into a second channel signal; and
a channel routing switch matrix, coupled to the input multiplexer through a first input and coupled to the subchannel routing switch matrix through a second input, for routing the first channel signal into a first downlink channel signal and the second channel signal into a second downlink channel signal; and
an output multiplexer for collecting the first and second downlink channels and combining them into the downlink signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A dynamic repeater apparatus for interconnecting communication channels and subchannels between a uplink receive signal and a downlink signal, comprising:
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a power divider, for receiving the uplink receive signal and for dividing the uplink receive signal into at least two uplink signals;
a common intermediate frequency (IF) unit, comprising;
(1) a downconverting mixer, for frequency shifting the uplink signal from a frequency of the uplink receive signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal having an IF frequency;
(2) a filter, for separating the IF signal into at least a first channel signal at the IF frequency; and
(3) an upconverting mixer, for frequency shifting the first channel signal at the IF frequency to a channel signal at a second frequency;
a subchannel routing switch matrix for receiving the uplink receive signal, for separating the uplink receive signal into at least one subchannel signal, for routing the subchannel signal from a selected uplink subchannel into at least one selected downlink subchannel, and for recombining the selected downlink subchannels into a second channel signal;
a channel routing switch matrix, coupled to the common IF unit through a first input of the channel routing switch matrix and coupled to the subchannel routing switch matrix through a second input of the channel routing switch matrix, for routing the first channel signal into a first downlink channel signal and for routing the second channel signal into a second downlink channel signal; and
an output multiplexer for collecting the first and second downlink channel signals and combining them into a downlink signal. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for interconnecting communication channels and subchannels between an uplink receive signal and a downlink signal, comprising the steps of:
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dividing the uplink receive signal into at least two uplink signals;
frequency shifting the uplink signal from a frequency of the uplink receive signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal having an IF frequency;
separating the IF signal into at least a first channel signal at the IF frequency;
frequency shifting the first channel signal at the IF frequency to a channel signal at a second frequency;
separating the uplink receive signal into at least one subchannel signal;
routing the subchannel from a selected uplink subchannel into at least one selected downlink subchannel;
recombining the selected downlink subchannels into a second channel signal;
routing the first channel signal into a first downlink channel signal and the second channel signal into a second downlink channel signal; and
combining the first and second downlink channel signals into a downlink signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification