Multiple satellite fade attenuation control system
First Claim
1. A method for operating a satellite communications system of a type that includes at least one ground station, at least one satellite, and a plurality of user terminals, comprising the steps of:
- generating in substantially real time a model of atmospheric-related, RF signal attenuation-inducing structures located within a coverage area of the ground station; and
allocating at least one of ground station, satellite, and user terminal resources in accordance with the generated model.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The teaching of this invention pertains particularly to satellite communications systems using GSO or NGSO satellites. This invention employs data derived from signals of various types to derive a mathematical model of propagation related attenuation-inducing events so as to plan system resource allocation to minimize an amount of power required to close communication links between user terminals and the satellites. Disclosed are methods for modelling gateway to satellite links, as well as methods for modeling the user terminal to satellite links. This invention overcomes the problems inherent in the prior art by providing a direct measurement of severe path attenuation potential. The use of the teaching of this invention enables preplanning of the allocation of satellites and satellite resources by calculating a potential for signal path interference based on an external measurement of where rain attenuation may be located, and the real-time or approximately real-time tracking of rain cell activity within storm cells. Optimization of a global system of satellites is made possible, particularly in the context of a system of LEO satellites.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for operating a satellite communications system of a type that includes at least one ground station, at least one satellite, and a plurality of user terminals, comprising the steps of:
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generating in substantially real time a model of atmospheric-related, RF signal attenuation-inducing structures located within a coverage area of the ground station; and
allocating at least one of ground station, satellite, and user terminal resources in accordance with the generated model. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for managing the power consumption in a satellite communications system of a type that includes at least one ground station, at least one satellite, and a plurality of user terminals, comprising the steps of:
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inputting atmospheric-related data from at least one of a radar system and a satellite observation system;
generating in substantially real-time, from the atmospheric-related data, a model of RF signal attenuation-inducing structures located within a coverage area of the ground station; and
assigning at least one of communication links and link powers in accordance with the generated model. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for operating a satellite communications system of a type that includes a plurality of ground stations, a plurality of satellites, and a plurality of user terminals, comprising the steps of:
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at a plurality of the gateways, generating a substantially real time model of atmospheric-related attenuation-inducing structures located within a coverage area of each of the gateways;
transmitting data indicative of the generated model from each of the plurality of gateways to a gateway controller; and
generating gateway commands at the gateway controller for preemptively allocating satellite communications system resources at least in accordance with the received data. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A satellite communications system having at least one ground station, at least one satellite, and a plurality of user terminals, said system further comprising a data processor in said ground station for generating a substantially real time model of atmospheric-related RF signal attenuation-inducing structures located within a coverage area of the ground station;
- said data processor being further operable for allocating at least one of ground station, satellite, and user terminal resources in accordance with the generated model.
- View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for operating a satellite communications system of a type that includes at least one ground station, at least one satellite, and a plurality of user terminals, comprising the steps of:
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generating a substantially real time model of atmospheric-related, RF signal attenuation-inducing structures located within a coverage area of the ground station;
determining from a user terminal attenuated RF signal received at the ground station, and in accordance with the generated model, a contribution to the attenuation due to at least two signal propagation effects; and
separately compensating for the at least two effects. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A method for operating a satellite communications system of a type that includes at least one ground station, a plurality of satellites, and a plurality of user terminals, comprising the steps of:
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generating in substantially real time a current model of atmospheric-related, RF signal impairments located within a coverage area of the ground station; and
allocating at least one of ground station, satellite, and user terminal resources in accordance with the generated model so as to close a communication link between the ground station and a given one of the user terminals with a minimum amount of power consumption. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method for operating a satellite communications system of a type that includes at least one terrestrial gateway, a plurality of non-geosynchronous orbit satellites that move with respect to a location of the gateway, and a plurality of user terminals located within a coverage area of the gateway, the gateway being bidirectionally coupled to one or more of the user terminals via RF links established through one or more of the satellites, comprising the steps of:
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generating data that is descriptive of the presence of a rain cell within the coverage area of the gateway;
deriving from the generated data a three dimensional, substantially real time model of RF signal impairments due to the rain cell; and
allocating system resources so as to compensate for the RF signal impairments as a function of at least a current location of RF signal impairments, a current location of at least one user terminal that is affected by the RF signal impairments, and a current location of one or more of the satellites relative to the current location of the RF signal impairments. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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Specification