FREQUENCY RE-USE FOR SERVICE AND GATEWAY BEAMS

• US 20120244798A1
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Dankberg, Mark D., Miller, Mark J., Jaska, Kristi, Wilson, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,548,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/12.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18543 for adaptation of transmission parameters, e.g. power control for detecting or preventing errors in the information received H04L1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18582 Arrangements for data linking, i.e. for data framing, for error recovery, for multiple access

Abstract

A method is presented for communicating data in a multibeam satellite system utilizing frequency re-use. The method comprises establishing uplink service beams and downlink service beams between a satellite and a plurality of subscriber terminals. A plurality of the uplink service beams are transmitted to the satellite by re-using at least one common uplink frequency channel. A plurality of the downlink service beams are transmitted from the satellite by re-using at least one common downlink frequency channel. The method further comprises establishing at least one uplink feeder beam and at least one downlink feeder beam between the satellite and a gateway terminal. The at least one uplink feeder beam is transmitted to the satellite by further re-using the at least one common uplink frequency channel. The at least one downlink feeder beam is transmitted from the satellite by further re-using the at least one common downlink frequency channel.

Claims

1. A method for communicating data in a geosynchronous satellite system, the method comprising:

receiving at a geosynchronous satellite a plurality of uplink service beams, each of the plurality of uplink service beams being associated with a different service beam coverage area which together form a combined service beam coverage area, at least one of the plurality of uplink service beams being received using a common uplink frequency and a common uplink polarization;

transmitting, by the geosynchronous satellite, a plurality of downlink service beams;

receiving, at the geosynchronous satellite, an uplink feeder beam using the common uplink frequency and the common uplink polarization from a gateway located within a feeder beam coverage area at least partially not overlapping the combined service beam coverage area and, in response to receiving the uplink feeder beam, forming the plurality of downlink service beams; and

forming a downlink feeder beam responsive to the plurality of uplink service beams and transmitting, by the geosynchronous satellite, the downlink feeder beam.