Terminal mode assignment for a satellite communications system
First Claim
1. A method of selecting a mode for a terminal in a satellite communications network, the method comprising:
- identifying a set of modes that are supported by the terminal, each mode comprising a different combination of one of a plurality of modulation schemes supported at the terminal and one of a plurality of carrier groups supported at the terminal;
identifying a signal quality metric associated with a communications link between the terminal and the satellite;
calculating a baseline signal quality metric for the terminal comprising the identified signal quality metric less a margin;
identifying a minimum mode signal quality metric for each of at least a subset of the modes of the set;
eliminating modes of the at least the subset where the minimum mode signal quality metric is greater than the baseline signal quality metric; and
selecting the mode for the terminal from remaining modes of the at least a subset according to a selection criteria, wherein the selection criteria comprises selecting, when a plurality of modes with different modulation schemes comprises the remaining modes, the mode for the terminal comprising a mode with a highest order modulation scheme of the remaining modes.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of selecting a mode for a terminal in a satellite communications network, the method comprising:
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identifying a set of modes that are supported by the terminal, each mode comprising a different combination of one of a plurality of modulation schemes supported at the terminal and one of a plurality of carrier groups supported at the terminal; identifying a signal quality metric associated with a communications link between the terminal and the satellite; calculating a baseline signal quality metric for the terminal comprising the identified signal quality metric less a margin; identifying a minimum mode signal quality metric for each of at least a subset of the modes of the set; eliminating modes of the at least the subset where the minimum mode signal quality metric is greater than the baseline signal quality metric; and selecting the mode for the terminal from remaining modes of the at least a subset according to a selection criteria, wherein the selection criteria comprises selecting, when a plurality of modes with different modulation schemes comprises the remaining modes, the mode for the terminal comprising a mode with a highest order modulation scheme of the remaining modes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system of selecting a mode for a terminal in a satellite communications network, the system comprising:
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a mode identification module configured to; identify a set of modes that are supported by the terminal, each mode comprising a different combination of one of a plurality of modulation schemes supported at the terminal and one of a plurality of carrier groups supported at the terminal; and identify a minimum mode signal quality metric for each of at least a subset of the modes of the set; a terminal signal quality module configured to identify a terminal signal quality metric associated with a communications link between the terminal and the satellite; and a mode selection module, communicatively coupled with the mode identification module and the terminal signal quality module, and configured to; eliminate modes of the at least the subset where the minimum mode signal quality metric is greater than the terminal signal quality metric less a margin; and select the mode for the terminal from remaining modes of the at least a subset according to a selection criteria, wherein the selection criteria comprises selecting, when a plurality of modes with different modulation schemes comprises the remaining modes, the mode for the terminal comprising a mode with a highest order modulation scheme of the remaining modes. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system of selecting a mode for a terminal in a satellite communications network, the system comprising:
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a network control center configured to; identify a set of modes that are supported by the terminal, each mode comprising a different combination of one of a plurality of modulation schemes supported at the terminal and one of a plurality of carrier groups supported at the terminal; identify a minimum mode signal quality metric for each of at least a subset of the modes of the set; identify a terminal signal quality metric associated with a communications link between the terminal and the satellite; eliminate modes of the at least the subset where the minimum mode signal quality metric is greater than the terminal signal quality metric less a margin; select, for a defined time duration, the mode for the terminal from remaining modes of the at least a subset according to a selection criteria, wherein the selection criteria comprises selecting, when a plurality of modes with different modulation schemes comprises the remaining modes, the mode for the terminal comprising a mode with a highest order modulation scheme of the remaining modes; and transmit the selection; and the terminal, in communication with the network control center via the satellite, and configured to; receive the transmitted selection; and operate in the selected mode for the defined time duration. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A device for selecting a mode for a terminal in a satellite communications network, the device comprising:
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means for identifying a set of modes that are supported by the terminal, each mode comprising a different combination of one of a plurality of modulation schemes supported at the terminal and one of a plurality of carrier groups supported at the terminal; means for identifying a signal quality metric associated with a communications link between the terminal and the satellite; means for calculating a baseline signal quality metric for the terminal comprising the identified signal quality metric and a margin; means for identifying a minimum mode signal quality metric for each of at least a subset of the modes of the set; means for eliminating modes of the at least the subset where the minimum mode signal quality metric is greater than the baseline signal quality metric; and means for selecting the mode for the terminal from remaining modes of the at least a subset according to a selection criteria, wherein the selection criteria comprises selecting, when a plurality of modes with different modulation schemes comprises the remaining modes, the mode for the terminal comprising a mode with a highest order modulation scheme of the remaining modes.
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Specification