Tandem satellite frame synchronization
First Claim
1. A satellite communications system comprising:
- a first satellite configured to relay first satellite communications for first ground terminals, the first communications synchronized according to first satellite time slots;
a second satellite configured to relay second satellite communications for second ground terminals, the second satellite communications synchronized according to second satellite time slots,the first and second satellites configured to maintain relative positions in a single orbital slot such that there is a maximum path delay difference between first and second path delays, the first path delay being between the first ground terminals and the first satellite, and the second path delay being between the first ground terminals and the second satellite; and
a synchronization system configured to offset the first satellite time slots from the second satellite time slots as a function of the maximum path delay difference with respect to the first satellite time slots being lined up with the second satellite time slots.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are described synchronizing communications frames and their respective time slots for satellite communications architectures having multiple satellites in the same orbital slot in such a way that addresses inter-satellite inter-beam interference. In some embodiments, the first and second satellites communicate with a respective number of ground terminals (e.g., gateway and user terminals) according to first and second satellite time slots, respectively. The satellites maintain relative positions in their orbital slot to manifest a maximum path delay difference between first and second path delays, the first path delay being between the first ground terminals and the first satellite, and the second path delay being between the first ground terminals and the second satellite. A synchronization system can offset the first satellite time slots from the second satellite time slots as a function of the maximum path delay difference.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A satellite communications system comprising:
-
a first satellite configured to relay first satellite communications for first ground terminals, the first communications synchronized according to first satellite time slots; a second satellite configured to relay second satellite communications for second ground terminals, the second satellite communications synchronized according to second satellite time slots, the first and second satellites configured to maintain relative positions in a single orbital slot such that there is a maximum path delay difference between first and second path delays, the first path delay being between the first ground terminals and the first satellite, and the second path delay being between the first ground terminals and the second satellite; and a synchronization system configured to offset the first satellite time slots from the second satellite time slots as a function of the maximum path delay difference with respect to the first satellite time slots being lined up with the second satellite time slots. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for synchronizing communications via first and second satellites in an orbital slot, the method comprising:
- synchronizing first satellite communications by a first ground terminal via the first satellite in the orbital slot according to first satellite time slots;
synchronizing second satellite communications by a second ground terminal via the second satellite in the orbital slot according to second satellite time slots; maintaining relative positions of the satellites with station keeping such that there is the maximum path delay difference defined according to timing of the first and second satellite time slots; and synchronizing the first satellite time slots to be offset with respect to the second satellite time slots as a function of a maximum path delay difference between first and second path delays with respect to the first satellite time slots being lined up with the second satellite time slots, the first path delay being between the first ground terminal and the first satellite, and the second path delay being between the first ground terminal and the second satellite. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- synchronizing first satellite communications by a first ground terminal via the first satellite in the orbital slot according to first satellite time slots;
Specification