Interference resistant satellite link power control using downlink beacon

• US 8,385,223 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2010
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Mark J., Irvine, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zaidi, Iqbal
• Application Number:
  US12/831,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20110007646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 370316-327, 370401-427, 370334-338, 370252-253, 455/522, 455/69
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system

Abstract

A method for determining EIRP of user terminals in a satellite communication system comprises obtaining a frequency gain of a gateway at one or more frequencies, obtaining a path gain of the gateway for one or more signal paths, and obtaining a satellite beacon signal power at a receiver of the gateway. The method also comprises determining a target signal power at the gateway for one or more frequency channels, where the target signal power based at least in part on the frequency gain, the path gain, and the satellite beacon signal power. The method also comprises obtaining a message signal power at the gateway of a message from a user terminal, and determining the EIRP of the user terminal based at least in part on a difference between the target signal power and the message signal power.

Claims

1. A method for determining effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of user terminals in a satellite communication system, the method comprising:

obtaining a frequency gain measurement at each of a plurality of different frequencies at a gateway, the frequency gain measurement determined based on a difference between an input signal power and a measured signal power at the gateway for each of the plurality of different frequencies;

obtaining a path gain measurement for each of a plurality of different signal paths at the gateway, the path gain measurement determined based on a difference between an input signal power and a measured signal power at the gateway for each of the plurality of different signal paths;

obtaining a satellite beacon signal power measurement at a receiver of the gateway;

obtaining a clear sky satellite beacon signal power measurement at a receiver of the gateway;

determining a rain fade level on a return downlink between a satellite and the gateway based on a difference between the satellite beacon signal power measurement and the clear sky satellite beacon signal power measurement;

determining a target signal power at the gateway for one or more frequency channels, the target signal power based on the frequency gain measurement, the path gain measurement, and the rain fade level;

obtaining a message signal power at the gateway of a message from a user terminal; and

determining the EIRP of the user terminal based on a difference between the target signal power and the message signal power.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining an automatic gain control of one or more demodulators at the gateway.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the target signal power is based on the frequency gain measurement, the path gain measurement, the rain fade level, and an automatic gain control of a demodulator at the gateway.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining a target EIRP density of a return downlink;

obtaining an EIRP of a satellite beacon; and

obtaining an automatic gain control of a demodulator at the gateway, wherein the target signal power is based on the frequency gain measurement, the path gain measurement, the target EIRP density, the EIRP of the satellite beacon, the rain fade level, and the automatic gain control of the demodulator.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the message signal power is provided by a demodulator at the gateway.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of different signal paths extend between a plurality of low noise amplifiers and a plurality of demodulators at the gateway.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the message from the user terminal is one of a plurality of messages from the user terminal sent at a specified rate.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency gain measurement is based on an input power of a pilot tone at each of the plurality of different frequencies and a corresponding measured power of the pilot tone at each of the plurality of different frequencies.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the path gain measurement is based on an input power of a pilot tone, a measured power of the pilot tone at a demodulator, and a signal path of the pilot tone between an input of the pilot tone and the demodulator at the gateway.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of different frequencies for obtaining the frequency gain measurement are located in frequency between adjacent frequency channels.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining the frequency gain measurement includes determining, at each of the plurality of different frequencies, a difference between a gain at a specified frequency and a gain at a frequency associated with the satellite beacon signal power measurement.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the satellite beacon signal power measurement is normalized to account for automatic gain control attenuation of a beacon receiver at the gateway.

13. A process for controlling power of return link transmissions in a satellite communications system, the process comprising:

determining a first signal power of a first message from a user terminal;

determining a first target signal power for one or more frequency channels, the first target signal power determined based on;

a frequency gain measurement at each of a plurality of different frequencies at a gateway, the frequency gain measurement determined based on a difference between an input signal power and a measured signal power at the gateway for each of the plurality of different frequencies,

a path gain measurement for each of a plurality of different signal paths at the gateway, the path gain measurement determined based on a difference between an input signal power and a measured signal power at the gateway for each of the plurality of different signal paths, and

a rain fade level on a return downlink between a satellite and the gateway, the rain fade level determined based on a difference between a satellite beacon signal power measurement at a receiver of the gateway and a clear sky satellite beacon signal power measurement at a receiver of the gateway,

determining a first EIRP of the user terminal based on a difference between the first signal power of the first message and the first target signal power;

waiting a period of time; and

repeating the process by determining a second signal power of a second message from the user terminal, determining a second target signal power, and determining a second EIRP of the user terminal based on a difference between the second signal power of the second message and the second target signal power.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the first target signal power is based on the frequency gain measurement the path gain measurement a target EIRP density of a return downlink from a satellite to the gateway, an EIRP of the satellite beacon, the rain fade level of the return downlink, and an automatic gain control of a demodulator at the gateway.

15. The process of claim 13 wherein the satellite beacon signal power measurement is normalized to account for automatic gain control attenuation of a beacon receiver at the gateway.

16. An apparatus for determining effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of user terminals in a satellite communications system, comprising:

an obtaining module configured to;

obtain a frequency gain measurement at each of a plurality of different frequencies at a gateway, the frequency gain measurement determined based on a difference between an input signal power and a measured signal power at the gateway for each of the plurality of different frequencies;

obtain a path gain measurement for each of a plurality of different signal paths at the gateway, the path gain measurement determined based on a difference between an input signal power and a measured signal power at the gateway for each of the plurality of different signal paths;

obtain a satellite beacon signal power measurement at the gateway;

obtain a clear sky satellite beacon signal power measurement at the gateway; and

obtain a message signal power at the gateway of a message from a user terminal;

a determining module configured to;

determining a rain fade level on a return downlink between a satellite and the gateway based on a difference between the satellite beacon signal power measurement and the clear sky satellite beacon signal power measurement;

determine a target signal power at the gateway based on the frequency gain measurement, the path gain measurement, and the rain fade level; and

determine the EIRP of the user terminal based on a difference between the message signal power and the target signal power.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a sending module configured to send the EIRP to the user terminal.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the satellite beacon signal power measurement is normalized to account for automatic gain control attenuation of a beacon receiver at the gateway.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the obtaining module is further configured to:

obtain a target EIRP density of a return downlink;

obtain an EIRP of satellite beacon; and

obtain an automatic gain control of a demodulator at the gateway.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the target signal power is based on the frequency gain measurement, the path gain measurement, the target EIRP density, the EIRP of the satellite beacon, the rain fade level, and the automatic gain control of the demodulator.