Satellite architecture
First Claim
1. A method for transmitting data in a satellite system having multiple spot beams, the method comprising:
- sending a broadband signal in a forward direction from a gateway terminal to a communications satellite for relay to at least one subscriber terminal;
receiving the broadband signal at the communications satellite, wherein the communications satellite comprises a bent pipe repeater having a plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers, each satellite-based transmission amplifier configured to perform amplification to generate one and only one service spot beam, wherein there is a one to one correspondence between satellite-based transmission amplifiers and service spot beams;
amplifying the broadband signal using one of the plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers to produce an amplified broadband signal, wherein the one of the plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers is employed to amplify only the broadband signal and no other broadband signal from the gateway terminal;
sending the amplified broadband signal to the at least one subscriber terminal, the amplified broadband signal being sent as one of a plurality of service spot beams, the one of the plurality of service spot beams having an earth surface coverage area including the at least one subscriber terminal, wherein the amplified broadband signal alone occupies the one of the plurality of service spot beams; and
receiving and retrieving data from the amplified broadband signal at the at least one subscriber terminal.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method is presented for transmitting data in a satellite system having multiple spot beams comprising (1) sending a broadband signal in a forward direction from a gateway terminal to a communications satellite for relay to at least one subscriber terminal, (2) receiving the broadband signal at the communications satellite, wherein the communications satellite comprises a bent pipe repeater having a plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers, (3) using one of the plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers to amplify the broadband signal and no other broadband signal from the gateway terminal, to produce an amplified broadband signal, (4) sending the amplified broadband signal as one of a plurality of service spot beams to the at least one subscriber terminal, and (5) receiving and retrieving data from the amplified broadband signal at the at least one subscriber terminal.
224 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for transmitting data in a satellite system having multiple spot beams, the method comprising:
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sending a broadband signal in a forward direction from a gateway terminal to a communications satellite for relay to at least one subscriber terminal; receiving the broadband signal at the communications satellite, wherein the communications satellite comprises a bent pipe repeater having a plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers, each satellite-based transmission amplifier configured to perform amplification to generate one and only one service spot beam, wherein there is a one to one correspondence between satellite-based transmission amplifiers and service spot beams; amplifying the broadband signal using one of the plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers to produce an amplified broadband signal, wherein the one of the plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers is employed to amplify only the broadband signal and no other broadband signal from the gateway terminal; sending the amplified broadband signal to the at least one subscriber terminal, the amplified broadband signal being sent as one of a plurality of service spot beams, the one of the plurality of service spot beams having an earth surface coverage area including the at least one subscriber terminal, wherein the amplified broadband signal alone occupies the one of the plurality of service spot beams; and receiving and retrieving data from the amplified broadband signal at the at least one subscriber terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for transmitting data in a satellite system having multiple spot beams comprising:
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at least one subscriber terminal; a gateway terminal configured to send a broadband signal in a forward direction to a communications satellite for relay to the at least one subscriber terminal; wherein the communications satellite is configured to receive the broadband signal, the communications satellite comprising a bent pipe repeater having a plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers, each satellite-based transmission amplifier configured to perform amplification to generate one and only one service spot beam, wherein there is a one to one correspondence between satellite-based transmission amplifiers and service spot beams; wherein one of the plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers is configured to amplify only the broadband signal and no other broadband signal from the gateway terminal, to produce an amplified broadband signal; wherein the amplified broadband signal is suited for transmission to the at least one subscriber terminal as one of a plurality of service spot beams, the one of the plurality of service spot beams having an earth surface coverage area including the at least one subscriber terminal, wherein the amplified broadband signal alone occupies the one of the plurality of service spot beams; and wherein the at least one subscriber terminal is configured to receive and retrieve data from the amplified broadband signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for transmitting data in a satellite system having multiple spot beams, the system comprising:
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means for sending a broadband signal in a forward direction from a gateway terminal to a communications satellite for relay to at least one subscriber terminal; means for receiving the broadband signal at the communications satellite, wherein the communications satellite comprises a bent pipe repeater having a plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers, each satellite-based transmission amplifier configured to perform amplification to generate one and only one service spot beam, wherein there is a one to one correspondence between satellite-based transmission amplifiers and service spot beams; means for amplifying the broadband signal using one of the plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers to produce an amplified broadband signal, wherein the one of the plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers is employed to amplify only the broadband signal and no other broadband signal from the gateway terminal; means for sending the amplified broadband signal to the at least one subscriber terminal, the amplified broadband signal being sent as one of a plurality of service spot beams, the one of the plurality of service spot beams having an earth surface coverage area including the at least one subscriber terminal, wherein the amplified broadband signal alone occupies the one of the plurality of service spot beams; and means for receiving and retrieving data from the amplified broadband signal at the at least one subscriber terminal. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification