Systems and methods for reducing satellite feeder link bandwidth/carriers in cellular satellite systems

• US 20050221757A1
• Filed: 06/07/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mobile Satellite Venture LP
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,574,206 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/12.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18515 Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2121 Channels assignment to the different stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/216 Code division or spread-spectrum multiple access [CDMA, SSMA]

Abstract

Information content is nonidentically mapped between service link carriers and feeder link carriers at a cellular satellite. A reduced number of satellite feeder link carriers compared to the number of satellite service link carriers and/or a reduced total bandwidth of the satellite feeder link carriers compared to the satellite service link carriers thereby may be obtained.

Claims

1. A cellular satellite communications method comprising:

packing at a cellular satellite, information from a plurality of return service link carriers occupying a total aggregate return service link bandwidth into at least one return feeder link carrier occupying a total aggregate return feeder link bandwidth that is less than the total aggregate return service link bandwidth.

2. A cellular satellite communications method according to claim 1 further comprising:

unpacking at the cellular satellite, information from at least one forward feeder link carrier occupying a total aggregate forward feeder link bandwidth into a plurality of forward service link carriers occupying a total aggregate forward service link bandwidth that is greater than the total aggregate forward feeder link bandwidth.

3. A cellular satellite communications method according to claim 1:

wherein the packing comprises packing at the cellular satellite, information from the plurality of return service link carriers into a number of return feeder link carriers that is less than a number of carriers of the plurality of return service link carriers.

4. A cellular satellite communications method according to claim 2:

wherein the unpacking comprises unpacking at the cellular satellite, information from the at least one forward feeder link carrier into a number of forward service link carriers that is greater than a number of carriers of the at least one forward feeder link carrier.

5. A cellular satellite communications method according to claim 1:

wherein the packing comprises loading a frame of a return feeder link carrier with information of frames of a plurality of return service link carriers.

6. A cellular satellite communications method according to claim 2:

wherein the unpacking comprises routing information of a frame of a forward feeder link carrier to a plurality of frames of a plurality of forward service link carriers.

7. A cellular satellite communications method comprising:

unpacking at a cellular satellite, information from at least one forward feeder link carrier occupying a total aggregate forward feeder link bandwidth into a plurality of forward service link carriers occupying a total aggregate forward service link bandwidth that is greater than the total aggregate forward feeder link bandwidth.

8. A cellular satellite communications method according to claim 7:

wherein the unpacking comprises unpacking at the cellular satellite, information from the at least one forward feeder link carrier into a number of forward service link carriers that is greater than a number of carriers of the at least one forward feeder link carrier.

9. A cellular satellite communications method according to claim 7:

wherein the unpacking comprises routing information of a frame of a forward feeder link carrier to a plurality of frames of a plurality of forward service link carriers.

10. A cellular satellite communications method comprising:

packing at a cellular satellite, information from a plurality of return service link carriers into a return feeder link carrier by loading a frame of the return feeder link carrier with information of frames of the plurality of return service link carriers.

11. A cellular satellite communications method according to claim 10 further comprising

unpacking at the cellular satellite, information from a forward feeder link carrier into a plurality of forward service link carriers by replicating information of a frame of the forward feeder link carrier and distributing the replicated information to frames of the plurality of forward service link carriers.

12. A cellular satellite communications method comprising:

unpacking at a cellular satellite, information from a forward feeder link carrier into a plurality of forward service link carriers by replicating information of a frame of the forward feeder link carrier and distributing the replicated information to frames of the plurality of forward service link carriers.

13. A cellular satellite communications method comprising:

packing at a cellular satellite, information from a plurality of return service link carriers into a return feeder link carrier by combining the plurality of return service link carriers into one return feeder link carrier.

14. A cellular satellite communications method according to claim 13 further comprising

unpacking at the cellular satellite, information from a forward feeder link carrier into a plurality of forward service link carriers by replicating information of the forward feeder link carrier and distributing the replicated information to the plurality of forward service link carriers.

15. A cellular satellite communications method comprising:

unpacking at a cellular satellite, information from a forward feeder link carrier into a plurality of forward service link carriers by replicating information of the forward feeder link carrier and distributing the replicated information to the plurality of forward service link carriers.

16. A space segment for a cellular satellite communications system comprising:

a satellite that is configured to pack information from a plurality of return service link carriers occupying a total aggregate return service link bandwidth into at least one return feeder link carrier occupying a total aggregate return feeder link bandwidth that is less than the total aggregate return service link bandwidth.

17. A space segment according to claim 16 wherein the satellite is further configured to unpack information from at least one forward feeder link carrier occupying a total aggregate forward feeder link bandwidth into a plurality of forward service link carriers occupying a total aggregate forward service link bandwidth that is greater than the total aggregate forward feeder link bandwidth.

18. A space segment according to claim 16 wherein the satellite is further configured to pack information from the plurality of return service link carriers into a number of return feeder link carriers that is less than a number of carriers of the plurality of return service link carriers.

19. A space segment according to claim 17 wherein the satellite is further configured to unpack information from the at least one forward feeder link carrier into a number of forward service link carriers that is greater than a number of carriers of the at least one forward feeder link carrier.

20. A space segment according to claim 16 wherein the satellite is configured to pack information by loading a frame of a return feeder link carrier with information of frames of a plurality of return service link carriers.

21. A space segment according to claim 17 wherein the satellite is configured to unpack information by routing information of a frame of a forward feeder link carrier to a plurality of frames of a plurality of forward service link carriers.

22. A space segment for a cellular satellite communications system comprising:

a satellite that is configured to unpack information from at least one forward feeder link carrier occupying a total aggregate forward feeder link bandwidth into a plurality of forward service link carriers occupying a total aggregate forward service link bandwidth that is greater than the total aggregate forward feeder link bandwidth.

23. A space segment according to claim 22 wherein the satellite is further configured to unpack information from the at least one forward feeder link carrier into a number of forward service link carriers that is greater than a number of carriers of the at least one forward feeder link carrier.

24. A space segment according to claim 22 wherein the satellite is configured to unpack information by routing information of a frame of a forward feeder link carrier to a plurality of frames of a plurality of forward service link carriers.

25. A space segment for a cellular satellite communications system comprising:

a satellite that is configured to pack information from a plurality of return service link carriers into a return feeder link carrier by loading a frame of the return feeder link carrier with information of frames of the plurality of return service link carriers.

26. A space segment according to claim 25 wherein the satellite is further configured to unpack information from a forward feeder link carrier into a plurality of forward service link carriers by replicating information of a frame of the forward feeder link carrier and distributing the replicated information to frames of the plurality of forward service link carriers.

27. A space segment for a cellular satellite communications system comprising:

a satellite that is configured to unpack information from a forward feeder link carrier into a plurality of forward service link carriers by replicating information of a frame of the forward feeder link carrier and distributing the replicated information to frames of the plurality of forward service link carriers.

28. A space segment for a cellular satellite communications system comprising:

a satellite that is configured to pack information from a plurality of return service link carriers into a return feeder link carrier by combining the plurality of return service link carriers into one return feeder link carrier.

29. A space segment according to claim 28 wherein the satellite is further configured unpack information from a forward feeder link carrier into a plurality of forward service link carriers by replicating information of the forward feeder link carrier and distributing the replicated information to the plurality of forward service link carriers.

30. A space segment for a cellular satellite communications system comprising:

a satellite that is configured to unpack information from a forward feeder link carrier into a plurality of forward service link carriers by replicating information of the forward feeder link carrier and distributing the replicated information to the plurality of forward service link carriers.