Combined fixed satellite service and mobile platform satellite service communication system

• US 7,302,226 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Stephenson, Gary V
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Lana
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAGLAWI, AMAR A
• Application Number:
  US10/852,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20040219879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/427, 455/430, 370/477, 370/395, 370/344, 370/316, 370/320, 370/529, 370/342, 370/441, 370/395.21, 370/395.41, 370/468
• US Class Current: 455/12.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18591 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00

Abstract

A communication system for a mobile platform satellite service (MPSS) system includes a receiver subsystem (RS) and a transmitter subsystem (TS). A satellite transponder is in communication with the RS and the TS of the mobile platform. A satellite service ground station includes a transmitter subsystem (TS) and a receiver subsystem (RS). A communication link is established between the MPSS system and the ground station, via the satellite transponder. The communications link includes fixed satellite service (FSS) data superimposed on MPSS data in the same frequency band to thereby maximize both satellite transponder utilization and interference budget usage.

Claims

1. A method for providing broadband communication for a mobile platform, said method comprising:

providing a first communications link between a mobile platform satellite service (MPSS) system transmitter subsystem (TS) and a target satellite transponder, the first communications link including MPSS data and having a predetermined angular space and frequency space;

providing a second communications link between a fixed satellite service (FSS) station TS and the target satellite transponder the second communications link including FSS data and having the same angular space and frequency as the first communications link; and

superimposing the first and second communications links at the target satellite transponder and communicating the superimposed links to a satellite service ground station utilizing at least a portion of an allowed interference budget for the target satellite transponder that is unused by the FSS station TS to provide additional interference budget for the MPSS system TS, thereby maximizing the use of the allowed interference budget of the target satellite transponder with respect to at least one neighboring satellite while maximizing utilization of the target satellite transponder.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein superimposing the first and second communications links comprises utilizing multiple access coding to combine the MPSS data with the FSS data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein utilizing multiple access coding comprises utilizing at least one of CDMA and CRMA.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein utilizing multiple access coding comprises:

assigning the FSS station at least one first multiple access code; and

assigning the MPSS system at least one second multiple access code, wherein the first multiple access code is different than the second multiple access code.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein providing the first communications link comprises providing the first communication link within the Ku frequency band between 10.7 and 15.0 GHz.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first communications link comprises providing the first communication link within the Ka frequency band between 18.0 and 31.0 GHz.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises employing bulk compression on the FSS data and MPSS data using the FSS station TS and the MPSS system TS.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises employing bulk encryption and padding on the FSS data and MPSS data utilizing the FSS station TS and the MPSS system TS.

9. A method for maximizing use of an allowed interference budget of a communications system target satellite transponder with respect to at least one neighboring satellite, said method comprising:

communicating data signals over a forward link between a mobile platform satellite service (MPSS) system and a target satellite transponder;

communicating data signals over a forward link between a fixed satellite service (FSS) station and the target satellite transponder;

determining an aggregate power spectral density (PSD) from a PSD of the MPSS data signals and a PSD of the FSS data signals, the aggregate PSD for communicating data from the target satellite transponder to a ground station;

superimposing MPSS data with FSS data in a particular ratio then communicating the combined data from the target satellite transponder to the ground station, the ratio of MPSS data to FSS data based on the aggregate PSD such that use of interference limits at the neighboring satellite is maximized and a use of a bandwidth and dynamic range of the target satellite transponder is maximized.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises assigning the FSS station at least one IP address on the forward link between the FSS station and the satellite transponder.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises assigning the FSS station at least one multiple access code on a return link between the target satellite transponder and the FSS station, wherein the multiple access code assigned to the FSS station is different than an access code assigned the MPSS system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein assigning the FSS station at least one multiple access code comprises assigning the FSS station one of a CDMA and a CRMA code assignment.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the aggregate PSD comprises determining the FSS signal PSD based on an antenna connected to the FSS station.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the aggregate PSD further comprises determining the MPSS signal PSD based on a mobile platform antenna.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the aggregate PSD further comprises summing the FSS signal PSD and the MPSS signal PSD.

16. A method for providing broadband communications for a mobile platform, said method comprising:

assigning a fixed satellite service (FSS) station at least one IP address on a forward link between the FSS station and a target satellite transponder;

assigning a mobile platform satellite service (MPSS) system at least one first multiple access code on a return link between the MPSS system and the target satellite transponder;

assigning the FSS station at least one second multiple access code on the return link between the FSS station and the target satellite transponder, wherein the second multiple access code is different than the first multiple access code;

determining a FSS signal power spectral density (PSD) based on an antenna connected to the FSS station;

determining a MPSS signal PSD based on a mobile platform antenna;

summing the FSS signal PSD and the MPSS signal PSD; and

superimposing MPSS data and FSS data in a particular ratio then communicating the combined data from the target satellite transponder to a satellite service ground station, the ratio of MPSS data to FSS data based on the aggregate PSD such that use of interference limits at the neighboring satellite is maximized and a use of a bandwidth and dynamic range of the target satellite transponder is maximized,

superimposing MPSS data with FSS data in a particular ratio then communicating the combined data from the target satellite transponder to the ground station, the ratio of MPSS data to FSS data based on the aggregate PSD such that use of interference limits at the neighboring satellite is maximized and a use of a bandwidth and dynamic range of the target satellite transponder is maximized.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein assigning the FSS station the second multiple access code comprises assigning the FSS station one of a CDMA and a CRMA.