MF-TDMA frequency hopping
First Claim
1. A device for generation of wireless upstream signals for satellite communications, the device comprising:
- an analog frequency synthesizer configured to tune an output signal to a frequency within an upstream satellite communications frequency range;
a digitally controlled oscillator, communicatively coupled with the analog frequency synthesizer, and configured to vary the output signal among a set of carrier frequencies within a subset of the upstream satellite communications frequency range;
a receiver configured to receive data mapping the wireless upstream signals to different ones of the set of carrier frequencies in a series of time slots, the mapping limited to carrier frequencies within the subset of the frequency range; and
a processor, communicatively coupled with the digitally controlled oscillator and the receiver, and configured to control the digitally controlled oscillator to cause the output signal to hop between carrier frequencies according to the received data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods, and devices are described for scheduling and mapping upstream communications in a satellite communications system. The disclosure includes various channelization and frequency hopping techniques. A gateway is described to perform novel allocation of time slots on upstream frequency channels to allow frequency hopping. A subscriber terminal may perform frequency hopping according to the allocation, and the range may be limited to the transition range of a digitally controlled oscillator unit at the subscriber terminal. A gateway is described to allocate time slots on different upstream frequency channels in a prioritized manner. Subscriber terminals may receive the allocation, and then control the assignment of their upstream traffic to the time slots.
90 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A device for generation of wireless upstream signals for satellite communications, the device comprising:
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an analog frequency synthesizer configured to tune an output signal to a frequency within an upstream satellite communications frequency range; a digitally controlled oscillator, communicatively coupled with the analog frequency synthesizer, and configured to vary the output signal among a set of carrier frequencies within a subset of the upstream satellite communications frequency range; a receiver configured to receive data mapping the wireless upstream signals to different ones of the set of carrier frequencies in a series of time slots, the mapping limited to carrier frequencies within the subset of the frequency range; and a processor, communicatively coupled with the digitally controlled oscillator and the receiver, and configured to control the digitally controlled oscillator to cause the output signal to hop between carrier frequencies according to the received data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of generating wireless upstream signals for satellite communications, the method comprising:
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receiving data including a mapping of time slots to different ones of a set of carrier frequencies within a subset of an upstream satellite communications frequency range allocated for the wireless upstream signals; tuning an output signal to a frequency within the subset of the frequency range; and varying the output signal to hop among the different ones of the set of carrier frequencies according to the received mapping data, the variance limited to carrier frequencies within a digitally controlled oscillator range to which the output signal is capable of transitioning from the tuned frequency during transitional periods. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A device for allocating time slots on a plurality of frequency channels for upstream satellite communications to a plurality of respective user terminals, the device comprising:
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a monitor configured to; monitor a traffic load on the plurality of frequency channels; and determine that the traffic load on a first frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels exceeds a first threshold capacity; a scheduler, communicatively coupled with the monitor, and configured to; identify a first user terminal of the plurality of respective user terminals, the first user terminal transmitting upstream on the first frequency channel; select a second frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels, the second frequency channel selected at least in part because the first user terminal is configured with a digitally controlled oscillator capable of transitioning between the first frequency channel and the second frequency channel; allocate a first plurality of time slots in the first frequency channel to the first user terminal; and allocate a second plurality of time slots in the second frequency channel to the first user terminal, the second of plurality of time slots different from the first plurality of time slots and allocated so as to allow the first user terminal to hop between the first frequency channel and the second frequency channel for respective time slot allocations; and a transmitter, communicatively coupled with the scheduler, and configured to transmit data directed at the first user terminal, the data comprising the first plurality of time slots and the second plurality of time slots. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of allocating time slots on a plurality of frequency channels for upstream satellite communications, the method comprising:
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determining that a traffic load on a first frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels exceeds a first threshold capacity; identifying a user terminal transmitting upstream on the first frequency channel; selecting a second frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels, the second frequency channel selected at least in part because the user terminal is configured with a digitally controlled oscillator configured to transition between the first frequency channel and the second frequency channel; allocating a first plurality of time slots in the first frequency channel to the user terminal; and allocating a second plurality of time slots in the second frequency channel to the user terminal, the second plurality of time slots different from the first plurality of time slots, wherein the first and the second pluralities of time slots are allocated to allow the user terminal to hop between the first frequency channel and the second frequency channel for respective time slot allocations. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A system for allocating time slots in frequency channels for upstream satellite communications, the system comprising:
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a gateway configured to; monitor a traffic load on the plurality of frequency channels; determine that the traffic load on a first frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels exceeds a first threshold capacity; and select a second frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels, the second frequency channel selected at least in part because a user terminal using the first frequency channel is configured with a digitally controlled oscillator to transition between the first frequency channel and the second frequency channel; allocate a first plurality of time slots in the first frequency channel to the user terminal; allocate a second plurality of time slots in the second frequency channel to the user terminal, the second plurality of time slots different from the first plurality of time slots and allocated so as to allow the user terminal to hop between the first frequency channel and the second frequency channel for respective time slot allocations; and transmit mapping data including the first plurality of time slots and the second plurality of time slots directed at the user terminal via a satellite; the satellite, in wireless communication with the gateway device and the user terminal, and configured to receive the transmitted data and retransmit the received data to the user terminal; and the user terminal configured to; receive the retransmitted data; and hop between the first frequency channel and the second frequency channel according to the received mapping data. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A device for generation of wireless upstream signals for satellite communications, the device comprising:
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means for analog tuning an output signal to a frequency within an upstream satellite communications frequency range; means for varying, using a digitally controlled oscillator, the output signal among a set of carrier frequencies within a subset of the upstream satellite communications frequency range; means for receiving data mapping the wireless upstream signals to different ones of the set of carrier frequencies in a series of time slots, the mapping limited to carrier frequencies within the subset of the frequency range; and means for controlling the digitally controlled oscillator to cause the output signal to hop between carrier frequencies according to the received data.
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36. A device for allocating time slots on a plurality of frequency channels for upstream satellite communications, the device comprising:
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means for determining that a traffic load on a first frequency channel of a plurality of adjacent frequency channels exceeds a first threshold capacity; means for identifying a user terminal transmitting upstream on the first frequency channel; means for selecting a second frequency channel of the plurality of adjacent frequency channels, the second frequency channel selected because the user terminal is configured with a digitally controlled oscillator configured to transition between the first frequency channel and the second frequency channel; means for allocating a first plurality of time slots in the first frequency channel to the user terminal; and means for allocating a second plurality of time slots in the second frequency channel to the user terminal, the second plurality of time slots different from the first plurality of time slots, wherein the first and the second pluralities of time slots are allocated to allow the user terminal to hop between the first frequency channel and the second frequency channel for respective time slot allocations.
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Specification