Interference management in a hub-spoke spot beam satellite communication system
First Claim
1. A method for conducting communications via a satellite comprising:
- using an antenna subsystem of the satellite to provide a plurality of fixed location spot beams in a hub-spoke spot beam satellite communication system, the spot beams being assigned to beam groups according to an objective;
wherein a first beam group comprises;
(a) one of the spot beams illuminating a first gateway terminal, and (b) one of the spot beams illuminating a first user terminal;
wherein a second beam group comprises;
(a) one of the spot beams illuminating a second gateway terminal, and (b) one of the spot beams illuminating a second user terminal;
wherein the satellite comprises a first pathway associated with the first beam group and a second pathway associated with the second beam group;
sequentially switching at least one transmit-side switch associated with the first pathway to connect an output of the first pathway with different spot beams within the first beam group to establish traffic between a gateway and at least one user terminal, according to a first transmit beam switching pattern;
sequentially switching at least one transmit-side switch associated with the second pathway to connect an output of the second pathway with different spot beams within the second beam group to establish traffic between a gateway and at least one user terminal, according to a second transmit beam switching pattern;
coordinating the first transmit beam switching pattern and the second transmit beam switching pattern to avoid substantial interference between traffic transmitted to a spot beam of the first beam group on a same frequency as traffic transmitted to a spot beam of the second beam group.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Conducting communications via a satellite includes using an antenna subsystem to provide fixed location spot beams. The spot beams may be assigned to beam groups according to an objective. At least one transmit-side switch may be sequentially switched to connect an output of a first pathway with different spot beams within a first beam group to establish traffic according to a first transmit beam switching pattern. At least one transmit-side switch may be sequentially switched to connect an output of the second pathway with different spot beams within a second beam group to establish traffic according to a second transmit beam switching pattern. The first and second transmit beam switching patterns may be coordinated to avoid substantial interference between traffic transmitted to a spot beam of the first beam group on a same frequency as traffic transmitted to a spot beam of the second beam group.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for conducting communications via a satellite comprising:
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using an antenna subsystem of the satellite to provide a plurality of fixed location spot beams in a hub-spoke spot beam satellite communication system, the spot beams being assigned to beam groups according to an objective; wherein a first beam group comprises;
(a) one of the spot beams illuminating a first gateway terminal, and (b) one of the spot beams illuminating a first user terminal;wherein a second beam group comprises;
(a) one of the spot beams illuminating a second gateway terminal, and (b) one of the spot beams illuminating a second user terminal;wherein the satellite comprises a first pathway associated with the first beam group and a second pathway associated with the second beam group; sequentially switching at least one transmit-side switch associated with the first pathway to connect an output of the first pathway with different spot beams within the first beam group to establish traffic between a gateway and at least one user terminal, according to a first transmit beam switching pattern; sequentially switching at least one transmit-side switch associated with the second pathway to connect an output of the second pathway with different spot beams within the second beam group to establish traffic between a gateway and at least one user terminal, according to a second transmit beam switching pattern; coordinating the first transmit beam switching pattern and the second transmit beam switching pattern to avoid substantial interference between traffic transmitted to a spot beam of the first beam group on a same frequency as traffic transmitted to a spot beam of the second beam group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A satellite communication system comprising:
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a plurality of gateway terminals; a plurality of user terminals; a satellite in communication with the plurality of gateway terminals and the plurality of user terminals in a hub-spoke arrangement; wherein the satellite comprises; a directional antenna subsystem arranged to form a plurality of fixed location spot beams, wherein the spot beams are assigned to beam groups according to an objective; a plurality of pathways coupled to the directional antenna subsystem, wherein each pathway is associated with a beam group, and wherein each beam group comprises;
(a) a spot beam illuminating a gateway spot beam coverage area containing a gateway terminal, and (b) a spot beam illuminating a user spot beam coverage area containing a user terminal;a first transmit-side switch coupled to an output of a first pathway and configured to perform sequential switching to connect the output of the first pathway with different spot beams within a first beam group to establish traffic between a first gateway terminal and a first user terminal, according to a first transmit beam switching pattern; a second transmit-side switch coupled to an output of a second pathway and configured to perform sequential switching to connect the output of the second pathway with different spot beams within a second beam group to establish traffic between a second gateway terminal and a second user terminal, according to a second transmit beam switching pattern; and a beam switch controller coupled to the first transmit-side switch and the second transmit-side switch and configured to coordinate the first transmit beam switching pattern and the second transmit beam switching pattern to avoid substantial interference between traffic transmitted to a spot beam of the first beam group on a same frequency as traffic transmitted to a spot beam of the second beam group. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A communication satellite comprising:
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a directional antenna subsystem arranged to form a plurality of fixed location spot beams, wherein the spot beams are assigned to beam groups according to an objective; a plurality of pathways coupled to the directional antenna subsystem, wherein each pathway is associated with a beam group; a first transmit-side switch coupled to an output of a first pathway and configured to perform sequential switching to connect the output of the first pathway with different spot beams within a first beam group to establish traffic according to a first transmit beam switching pattern; a second transmit-side switch coupled to an output of a second pathway and configured to perform sequential switching to connect the output of the second pathway with different spot beams within a second beam group to establish traffic according to a second transmit beam switching pattern; and a beam switch controller coupled to the first transmit-side switch and the second transmit-side switch and configured to coordinate the first transmit beam switching pattern and the second transmit beam switching pattern to avoid substantial interference between traffic transmitted to a spot beam of the first beam group on a same frequency as traffic transmitted to a spot beam of the second beam group. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification