Method and apparatus for a triple use satellite system

• US 8,559,357 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Roos, David A., Morris, Adrian, Kay, Stanley, Kaul, Pradman
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Fan
• Application Number:
  US13/086,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20110255463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 370/121, 370/316, 370/464, 370/498, 370/534, 455/130, 455/313, 455/323, 455/325, 455/329, 455/3.02, 455/427, 455/12.1, 455/98
• US Class Current: 370/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18528 Satellite systems for providing two-way communications service to a network of fixed stations, i.e. fixed satellite service or very small aperture terminal [VSAT] system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18578 Satellite systems for providing broadband data service to individual earth stations for selecting H04W; provisions for broadband connection, H04Q11/0478
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2041 Spot beam multiple access

Abstract

A triple use satellite system includes a VSAT population including a VSAT, and a satellite including a broadcast beam for a broadcast service and spot beams for a broadband service, where each of the spot beams provides broadband service to VSATs in separate coverage areas in a geographic region and the broadcast beam provides a broadcast service to the VSAT population in the geographic region.

Claims

1. A triple use satellite apparatus comprising:

a satellite comprising at least one spot beam for a broadband service and at least one broadcast beam for a broadcast service, the satellite configured to provide service to a VSAT population comprising at least two VSATs,

wherein each of the at least one spot beams provides broadband service to VSATs in separate coverage areas in a geographic region,

wherein the at least one broadcast beam provides a broadcast service to the VSAT population in the geographic region, and

wherein half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive a lower portion of a frequency band and the other half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive an upper portion of the frequency band.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the satellite further comprises a shaped reflector for the broadcast beam, wherein the reflector is shaped to direct the broadcast beam over a geographic region.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one spot beam uses the shaped reflector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the satellite further comprises a reflector for the at least one spot beam that is separate from the shaped reflector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the broadcast beam carries a broadcast downlink.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the satellite further comprises receiving equipment for receiving a return uplink from a VSAT, wherein the return uplink comprises data for interacting with the broadcast service.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one spot beam for a broadband service and the at least one broadcast beam for a broadcast service use disjoint frequency bands.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one spot beam for a broadband service and the at least one broadcast beam for a broadcast service are separated on a continuous frequency band.

9. A triple use satellite system comprising:

a VSAT population comprising at least two VSATs; and

at least one satellite comprising at least one broadcast beam for a broadcast service and at least one spot beam for a broadband service,

wherein each of the at least one spot beams provides broadband service to VSATs in separate coverage areas in a geographic region,

wherein the at least one broadcast beam provides a broadcast service to the VSAT population in the geographic region, and

wherein half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive a lower portion of a frequency band and the other half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive an upper portion of the frequency band.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the lower portion and upper portion of the frequency band overlap in a middle portion, and

wherein the broadcast service uses the middle portion of the frequency band for the broadcast beam.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the VSAT population uses a return uplink for the broadband service to interact with the broadcast service.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the geographic region is divided into at least two broadcast coverage areas, and wherein broadcast service is provided to each broadcast coverage area by a separate broadcast beam.

13. A method for providing a triple use satellite system comprising:

providing a broadcast beam for a broadcast service to a broadcast coverage area, which includes a VSAT population comprising at least one two VSATs, from a satellite;

providing a plurality of spot beams for a broadband service to a plurality of coverage areas within the broadcast coverage area from a satellite; and

receiving at the satellite a return uplink comprising data for interacting with the broadcast service,

wherein half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive a lower portion of a frequency band and the other half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive an upper portion of the frequency band.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

configuring a VSAT in the broadcast coverage area to receive the broadcast beam.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

configuring a hub to process the data for interacting with the broadcast service.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a second broadcast beam for a second broadcast coverage area, wherein the broadcast coverage area and second broadcast coverage area overlap minimally and cover the plurality of coverage areas.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the broadcast beam and the spot beams use disjoint frequency bands.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the broadcast beam and the spot beams are separated on a continuous frequency band.

19. A triple use satellite system comprising:

a VSAT population comprising at least two VSATs;

at least one satellite comprising at least one broadcast beam for a broadcast service and at least one spot beam for a broadband service,

wherein each of the at least one spot beams provides broadband service to VSATs in separate coverage areas in a geographic region,

wherein the at least one broadcast beam provides a broadcast service to the VSAT population in the geographic region,

wherein the lower portion and upper portion of the frequency band overlap in a middle portion, and

wherein the broadcast service uses the middle portion of the frequency band for the broadcast beam.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the VSAT population uses a return uplink for the broadband service to interact with the broadcast service.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the geographic region is divided into at least two broadcast coverage areas, and

wherein broadcast service is provided to each broadcast coverage area by a separate broadcast beam.