Cyclical obstruction communication system

• US 8,976,727 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Wilcoxson, Donald, O'Neill, John, Chester, Daniel, Sleight, Brian, Li, Changping
• Primary Examiner(s): Qureshi, Afsar M
• Application Number:
  US13/540,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20120294384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 370252-324, 375/285, 375/343, 375/E7.267, 455301-504
• US Class Current: 370/321
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18586 Arrangements for data transporting, e.g. for an end to end data transport or check
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0034 where the transmitter decides based on inferences, e.g. use of implicit signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0051 Stopping criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/535 based on resource usage policies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

Techniques for improving data rates at mobile terminals that are subject to periodic channel interruptions in a beyond-line-of-sight communication system are disclosed, including improved encoding and decoding systems that identify blockages and modify receiver operation during blockages to reduce data errors. In certain embodiments, encoding, symbol mapping, interleaving, and use of unique periodic identifiers function to enable a series of packets that may be received in a blockage impaired channel with reduced errors.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data to remote terminals in a communication system, the method comprising:

encoding a series of transmission packets destined for a remote terminal;

mapping the series of transmission packets to I/Q symbols;

interleaving the series of transmission packets;

inserting periodic unique transmission identifiers within the series of transmission packets following the interleaving of the series of transmission packets, such that each unique transmission identifier of the periodic unique transmission identifiers is associated with a portion of the series of transmission packets;

modulating and transmitting the series of transmission packets including the periodic unique transmission identifiers over a wireless channel;

receiving a series of received packets including received periodic unique identifiers at the remote terminal, wherein the series of received packets are associated with the series of transmission packets, and wherein the received periodic unique identifiers are associated with the periodic unique transmission identifiers;

correlating the received periodic unique identifiers with a copy of the periodic unique transmission identifiers stored at the remote terminal;

determining that the correlation is below a predetermined threshold for at least a portion of the periodic unique transmission identifiers;

removing the received periodic unique identifiers from the received series of packets; and

modifying operation of remote terminal for a portion of the series of received packets associated with the portion of the periodic unique transmission identifiers.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying operation of the remote terminal comprises replacing the portion of the series of received packets associated with the portion of the periodic unique transmission identifiers with zero value packets.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising deinterleaving the received series of packets following the modifying the operation of the remote terminal.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising demapping the received series of packets following the deinterleaving.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising decoding the received series of packets following the deinterleaving.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein decoding the received series of packets comprising a first decoding of the series of packets following the deinterleaving using a first decoder, and a second decoding of the series of packets using a second decoder following the first decoding.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying operation of the remote terminal comprises freezing an automatic gain control loop, a carrier phase loop, and a time tracking loop.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying operation of the remote terminal comprises preventing a demodulator from entering an acquisition mode.

9. A remote terminal including a receiver, the receiver comprising:

a demodulator that receives a series of received packets including received periodic unique identifiers at the remote terminal from a blockage impaired channel, wherein the received periodic unique identifiers are spaced at predetermined positions within the series of received packets;

a correlation data removal module comprising a memory module, wherein the correlation data removal module correlates the received periodic unique identifiers with a copy of the periodic unique transmission identifiers stored in the memory module and creates a signal blockage indicator when the correlation is below a predetermined threshold for at least a portion of the periodic unique transmission identifiers;

a deinterleaver that implements a predetermined de-interleaving process on the series of received packets following removal of the correlation data; and

a first decoder that decodes the series of received packets following the de-interleaving process.

10. The terminal of claim 9 further comprising a second decoder that further decodes the series of received packets following the decoding by the first decoder.

11. The terminal of claim 10 wherein the first decoder and the second decoder function to implement forward error correction (FEC) techniques.

12. The terminal of claim 9 further comprising a symbol demapper that converts a series of chips within the series of received packets into a corresponding series of bits.

13. The terminal of claim 9 wherein a portion of the series of packets is replaced with zeros in response to creation of the signal blockage indicator.

14. The terminal of claim 9 wherein the signal blockage indicator is used by the terminal to freeze a carrier phase loop.

15. The terminal of claim 9 wherein the signal blockage indicator is used by the terminal to freeze a time tracking loop.

16. A method for receiving data at a remote terminals in a communication system, the method comprising:

receiving a series of received packets including received periodic unique identifiers at the remote terminal, wherein the received periodic unique identifiers are spaced at predetermined positions within the series of received packets;

correlating the received periodic unique identifiers with a copy of the periodic unique transmission identifiers stored at the remote terminal;

determining that the correlation is below a predetermined threshold for at least a portion of the periodic unique transmission identifiers;

removing the received periodic unique identifiers from the received series of packets; and

modifying operation of the remote terminal for a portion of the series of received packets associated with the portion of the periodic unique transmission identifiers.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein modifying operation of the remote terminal comprises replacing a portion of the series of packets with a predetermined data set.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein modifying operation of the remote terminal comprises freezing a carrier phase loop.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein modifying operation of the remote terminal comprises freezing a time tracking loop.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising deinterleaving the received series of packets following the modifying the operation of the remote terminal;

demapping the received series of packets following the deinterleaving; and

decoding the received series of packets following the deinterleaving;

wherein decoding the received series of packets comprising a first decoding of the series of packets following the deinterleaving using a first decoder, and a second decoding of the series of packets using a second decoder following the first decoding.