Apportioned carrier group slot placement for a satellite communications system

• US 8,364,186 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2009
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Agarwal, Anil
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US12/615,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20100120359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 455/509, 455/511, 455/500, 455/517, 455/515, 455/508, 455/507, 455/450, 455/450.1, 455/452.1, 455/453, 455/454, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/427, 455/428, 455/550.1, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/13.3, 455/23, 370/310, 370/315, 370/316, 370/321, 370/322, 370/326, 370/328, 370/329, 370/343, 370/345
• US Class Current: 455/509
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18539 Arrangements for managing radio, resources, i.e. for establishing or releasing a connection

Abstract

Satellite communications systems, methods, and related devices are described. In one embodiment, a satellite communications system is configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth and frequencies among different beams. Bandwidth request data may be received and compiled from the terminals. The satellite may be configured with different beam coverage areas, and may dynamically allocate bandwidth and particular frequency channels to different beam coverage areas based on the requests. In each of a series of one or more epochs, and according to the bandwidth requests, there may be allocations among carrier groups, traffic classes, and particular terminals. The setup of slot structure and selection of modes for particular terminals is also addressed.

Claims

1. A method of assigning time slots within a frequency channel in a defined duration, the method comprising:

identifying the frequency channel substantially defined as a frequency range between a first frequency boundary and a second frequency boundary;

identifying carrier group allocations for the defined time duration for each of a plurality of carrier groups;

assigning a first carrier group allocation for a first carrier group of the plurality to a first subset of the time slots by spreading the first carrier group allocation within the defined time duration, wherein the first carrier group channel size is substantially equal to the frequency range;

assigning a second carrier group allocation for a second carrier group of the plurality to a second subset of the time slots by placing at least a subset of the second carrier group allocation along the first frequency boundary, the second carrier group channel size narrower than the first carrier group channel size; and

assigning one or more additional carrier group allocations for one or more additional carrier groups of the plurality to an additional subset of the time slots by placing the one or more additional carrier group allocations between the second frequency boundary and at least a portion of the second carrier group assignment, wherein channel size for each of the one or more additional carrier groups is narrower than the second carrier group channel size.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning one or more additional carrier group allocations comprises:

assigning a third carrier group allocation for a third carrier group of the plurality to a third subset of the time slots by placing at least a subset of the third carrier group allocation adjacent to at least a portion of the second carrier group assignment, wherein the third carrier group allocation comprises one of the one or more additional carrier group allocations.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the assigning one or more additional carrier group allocations further comprises:

assigning a fourth carrier group allocation for a fourth carrier group of the plurality to a fourth subset of the time slots by placing at least a subset of the fourth carrier group allocation on the second frequency boundary, wherein the fourth carrier group allocation comprises one of the one or more additional carrier group allocations.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the fourth carrier group channel size is narrower than the third carrier group channel size.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein,

the second carrier group channel size is substantially one-fourth of the first carrier group channel size;

the third carrier group channel size is substantially one-fourth of the second carrier group channel size; and

the fourth carrier group channel size is substantially one-third of the third carrier group channel size.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the assigning one or more additional carrier group allocations further comprises:

assigning a fourth carrier group allocation for a fourth carrier group of the plurality to a fourth subset of the time slots by placing at least a subset of the fourth carrier group allocation adjacent to at least a portion of the third carrier group assignment, wherein the fourth carrier group allocation comprises one of the one or more additional carrier group allocations.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the time slots is substantially equal in duration.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein spreading the first carrier group allocation comprises:

assigning the first subset of time slots to the first carrier group as a plurality of groupings of adjacent time slots with substantially equal numbers of time slots between each of the groupings.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein spreading the first carrier group allocation comprises:

assigning the first subset of time slots to the first carrier group, the assigned first subset of time slots substantially equidistant from each other.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the spreading the first carrier group allocation comprises:

placing a time slot assignment for the first carrier group allocation;

jumping m time slots to place a next time slot assignment for the first carrier group allocation; and

repeating the step of jumping the m time slots to place the next time slot assignment until all of the first carrier group allocation is placed,

wherein when the end of the defined time duration is reached during the jumping m time slots, a jump count is continued from the beginning of the defined time duration.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein m is equal to a closest prime integer to:

a number of time slots across the defined time duration divided by the number e.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second subset of the time slots is placed by:

placing a last time slot assignment for the first carrier group allocation;

jumping m time slots to place a time slot assignment for the second carrier group allocation along the first frequency boundary; and

repeating the step of jumping m time slots to place next time slot assignments for the second carrier group allocation,

wherein when the repeating the step of jumping m time slots to place a next time slot assignment for the second carrier group allocation lands on an assigned time slot for the first carrier group allocation, the placement of a next time slot assignment for the second carrier group allocation is skipped.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the spreading technique used for the first carrier group is also used for the one or more additional carrier groups.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the time slots within the frequency channel for the defined duration is assigned.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allocating each of the assigned time slots to respective terminals transmitting within an uplink beam of a satellite communications network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the allocating step is responsive to resource requests from the terminals for the defined time duration.

17. A system for assigning time slots within a frequency channel in a defined duration, the system comprising:

a frequency channel and time duration identification module configured to identify the frequency channel and the defined time duration, the frequency channel substantially defined as a frequency range between a first frequency boundary and a second frequency boundary;

a carrier group allocation module configured to identify carrier group allocations associated with the defined time duration for each of a plurality of carrier groups;

a slot assignment rules module configured to identify rules for assigning the time slots; and

an assignment module, communicatively coupled with the frequency channel and time duration identification module, the carrier group allocation module, and the slot assignment rules module, and configured to assign the carrier group allocations to time slots in the defined time duration for the identified frequency range according to the rules, the assignment comprising;

assigning a first carrier group allocation for a first carrier group of the plurality to a first subset of the time slots by spreading the first carrier group allocation within the defined time duration, the first carrier group channel size substantially equal to the frequency range;

assigning a second carrier group allocation for a second carrier group of the plurality to a second subset of the time slots by placing the second carrier group allocation along the first frequency boundary, the second carrier group channel size substantially narrower than the first carrier group channel size; and

assigning one or more additional carrier group allocations for one or more additional carrier groups of the plurality to a third subset of the time slots by placing the one or more additional carrier group allocations between the second frequency boundary and at least a portion of the second carrier group assignment, wherein channel size for each of the one or more additional carrier groups is narrower than the second carrier group channel size.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the slot assignment rules module includes rules for:

assigning a third carrier group allocation for a third carrier group of the plurality to a third subset of the time slots by placing at least a subset of the third carrier group allocation adjacent to the at least a portion of the second carrier group assignment, wherein the third carrier group allocation comprises one of the one or more additional carrier group allocations.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the slot assignment rules module includes rules for:

assigning a fourth carrier group allocation for a fourth carrier group of the plurality to a fourth subset of the time slots by placing a first subset of the fourth carrier group allocation adjacent to assigned time slots of the third carrier group allocation and a second subset of the fourth carrier group allocation at the second frequency boundary, wherein the fourth carrier group allocation comprises one of the one or more additional carrier group allocations.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein,

the system comprises a gateway of a satellite communications network, and

each of the time slots is substantially equal in duration.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the slot assignment rules module includes rules for spreading the first carrier group allocation by:

assigning the first subset of time slots to the first carrier group, the assigned first subset of time slots substantially equidistant from each other across the defined time duration.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the slot assignment rules module includes rules for spreading the first carrier group allocation by:

placing a time slot assignment for the first carrier group allocation;

jumping m time slots to place a next time slot assignment for the first carrier group allocation; and

repeating the step of jumping the m time slots to place the next time slot assignment until all of the first carrier group allocation is placed,

wherein when the end of the defined time duration is reached during the jumping m time slots, a jump count is continued from the beginning of the defined time duration.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein m is equal to a closest prime integer to:

a number of time slots across the defined time duration divided by the number e.

24. A device for assigning time slots within a frequency channel in a defined duration, the device comprising:

means for identifying the frequency channel substantially defined as a frequency range between a first frequency boundary and a second frequency boundary;

means for identifying carrier group allocations for a defined time duration for each of a plurality of carrier groups;

means for assigning a first carrier group allocation for a first carrier group of the plurality to a first subset of the time slots by spreading the first carrier group allocation within the defined time duration, the first carrier group channel size substantially equal in size with the frequency range;

means for assigning a second carrier group allocation for a second carrier group of the plurality to a second subset of the time slots by placing the second carrier group allocation along the first frequency boundary, the second carrier group channel size substantially narrower than the first carrier group channel size; and

means for assigning one or more additional carrier group allocations for one or more additional carrier groups of the plurality to a third subset of the time slots by placing the one or more additional carrier group allocations between the second frequency boundary and at least a portion of the second carrier group assignment, wherein channel size for each of the one or more additional carrier groups is narrower than the second carrier group channel size.