Switching VSAT transmitter with smart stand-by mode

• US 9,112,579 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2005
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gilat Satellite Networks Limited
• Original Assignee: Gilat Satellite Networks Limited
• Inventors: Meirzon, Tal, Nordenberg, Ido
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Paul P
• Application Number:
  US11/150,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20050272365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,718 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/13.4, 455/127, 455/321, 455/343, 455/412, 455/456, 455/427, 455/522, 455/517, 455/566, 455/572, 455/574, 455/3.02, 455/3.03, 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 455/343.2, 455/343.3, 455/343.4, 455/343.5, 455/414.3, 455/425, 455/435, 455/456.1, 455/411, 455/435.1, 455/436, 455/13.1, 455/13.2, 455/67.3, 455/98, 455/127.2, 455/127.3, 455/226, 4553431-3436, 455/463, 348/729, 235/492, 370/229, 370/252, 370/311, 370/331, 370/338, 370/389, 370/345, 370/312, 370/316, 370/318, 370/332, 370/352, 370/365, 340/3.1, 340/5.61, 340/426.3, 340/572.1, 341/23, 341/31, 270/229, 270/252, 270/311, 270/312, 270/331, 270/338, 270/345, 270/352
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18517 Transmission equipment in earth stations
• 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: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A VSAT terminal including an antenna, a microwave power amplifier, a microwave low noise amplifier, a transmitter coupled via the microwave power amplifier to the antenna, a receiver coupled via the microwave low noise amplifier to the antenna, a user VSAT interface, and a controller in communication with the user VSAT interface and in electrical connection with the microwave power amplifier and the microwave low noise amplifier for supplying power thereto, the controller being operative to provide a less-than-full electrical power supply to either of the amplifiers in the absence of a communication session and operative to provide a full electrical power supply to either of the amplifiers in the presence of a communication session. A smart stand by mode is employed in which the transmitter and receiver are turned off simultaneously to conserve power. The receiver turns on periodically to determine if it is to receive a call. After the VSAT turns on it will lock on the signal received from the hub and then wait for a special activation list message. The special activation list message is broadcast continuously and contains a list of all VSATs that are presently powered own but which should switch to active mode since they have an incoming call. After a VSAT receives the special activation list message, it checks whether its ID is in the list. If not, the VSAT returns to power down mode.

Claims

1. A very small aperture terminal (VSAT) for communicating to a hub, comprising:

a control unit having a receiver, the control unit configured to;

intermittently tune the receiver to and wait for a lock on a signal from the hub;

wait for an activation message when the receiver is locked on the signal from the hub, wherein the activation message is broadcasted continuously to all VSATs and includes a list of a plurality of VSAT IDs, wherein the list is configured to specify VSATs that are to switch to an active mode;

determine whether to power down at least the receiver based on whether a VSAT ID of the VSAT is included in the list; and

power down at least the receiver in response to determining that the VSAT ID is not included in the list.

2. The VSAT as recited in claim 1, further comprising a transmitter.

3. The VSAT as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of a first time the VSAT waits for the lock on the signal from the hub and a second time the VSAT waits for the activation message is an unfixed period of time.

4. The VSAT as recited in claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured to, in response to determining that the VSAT ID is included in the list:

power up the receiver or, if already powered up, keep the receiver powered up; and

power up the transmitter.

5. The VSAT as recited in claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured to keep the receiver and the transmitter powered down a majority of the time.

6. The VSAT as recited in claim 1, wherein the list identifies which VSATs have an incoming message.

7. The VSAT as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiver returns to a powered up mode upon determining that the activation message includes the VSAT ID of the VSAT.

8. The VSAT of claim 1, wherein determining whether to power down the VSAT is based solely on the list.

9. A method of controlling a power supply to a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) communicating with a hub, the VSAT including a transmitter and a receiver, the method comprising:

intermittently tuning to and waiting for a lock in the receiver on a signal from the hub;

waiting for an activation message when the receiver is locked on the signal from the hub, wherein the activation message is broadcast continuously to all VSATs and includes a list of a plurality of VSAT IDs, wherein the list is configured to specify VSATs that are to switch to an active mode;

determining whether to power down at least the receiver and the transmitter based on whether a VSAT ID of the VSAT is included in the list; and

in response to determining that the VSAT ID of the VSAT is not included in the list, powering down at least the receiver.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of a first time the VSAT waits for the lock on the signal from the hub and a second time the VSAT waits for the activation message is an unfixed period of time.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising, in response to determining that the VSAT ID is included in the list:

powering up the receiver or, if the receiver is already powered up, keep the receiver powered up; and

powering up the transmitter.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising keeping the receiver and the transmitter powered down a majority of the time.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the list identifies which VSATs have an incoming message.

14. A system for controlling a power supply to a very small aperture terminal (VSAT), comprising:

a VSAT; and

a hub,

wherein the VSAT and the hub communicate with one another;

wherein the hub transmits an activation message that is broadcasted continuously to all VSATs and includes a list specifying IDs of VSATs that have incoming communications,

wherein the VSAT comprises;

a transmitter; and

a receiver configured to intermittently tune to and wait for a lock on a signal from the hub, and configured to wait for the activation message when the receiver is locked on the signal from the hub, and

wherein the VSAT is configured to power down at least the receiver and the transmitter when the activation message does not contain an ID of the VSAT.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the activation message is transmitted periodically to one of the VSATs.

16. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the VSAT is further configured to, when the list includes the ID of the VSAT:

power up the receiver or, if the receiver is already powered up, keep the receiver powered up; and

power up the transmitter.