Scalable satellite deployment

• US 8,005,034 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Dankberg, Mark D., Das, Aniruddha
• Primary Examiner(s): LY, ANH VU H
• Application Number:
  US12/080,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20080247351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18534 for enhancing link reliablility, e.g. satellites diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1858 Arrangements for data transmission on the physical system, i.e. for data bit transmission between network components

Abstract

A scalable subscriber terminal for bi-directional communication with a gateway through one or more satellites is provided according to another embodiment of the invention. The scalable subscriber terminal may comprise a plurality of antennas and be configured to operate in at least a first communication mode prior to switching to a second communication mode. The first communication mode may comprise communicating with the gateway through a first satellite. The second communication mode may include communicating with the gateway through the first satellite and a second transceiver. The scalable subscriber terminal may download MIMO operational firmware from the gateway through the first satellite prior to switching to the second communication mode. The first communication mode may be a SISO or SIMO mode. The second communication mode may be a MISO or MIMO mode. The second transceiver may be a second satellite or a terrestrial repeater.

Claims

1. A scalable subscriber terminal for bi-directional communication with a gateway through one or more satellites, the scalable subscriber terminal comprising a plurality of antennas and configured to operate in at least a first communication mode, wherein the first communication mode is SIMO mode, prior to switching to a second communication mode, wherein the second communication mode is MIMO mode, wherein:

the first communication mode comprises communicating with the gateway through a first satellite;

the second communication mode includes communicating with the gateway through the first satellite and a second transceiver; and

wherein plurality of antennas of the scalable subscriber terminal receives MIMO operational firmware from the gateway through the first satellite prior to switching to the second communication mode.

2. The scalable subscriber terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first communication mode comprises a SISO mode.

3. The scalable subscriber terminal according to claim 1, wherein the second communication mode comprises a MISO mode.

4. The scalable subscriber terminal according to claim 1, wherein the second transceiver comprises a second satellite.

5. The scalable subscriber terminal according to claim 1, wherein the second transceiver comprises a terrestrial repeater.

6. A method for switching a communication link at a subscriber terminal from a SIMO satellite communication link to a MIMO satellite communication link, the method comprising:

communicating with a gateway through a first satellite using SIMO techniques;

receiving an indication of the presence of a second transceiver from the gateway through the first satellite;

downloading MIMO-compatible firmware to the subscriber terminal from the gateway through the first satellite;

loading the MIMO-compatible firmware at the subscriber terminal; and

communicating with the gateway through at least the first satellite and the second transceiver using MIMO techniques.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the second transceiver comprises a terrestrial repeater.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the second transceiver comprises a second satellite.

9. A satellite communication system for bi-directional communication, the satellite communication system comprising:

a gateway;

a first orbital transceiver configured to communicate with the gateway;

a plurality of subscriber terminals, wherein each of the plurality of subscriber terminals include a plurality of antennas and are configured to communicate with the gateway over the first orbital transceiver using SIMO techniques; and

a second orbital transceiver configured to communicate with the gateway, wherein the gateway is initially configured to communicate with the plurality of subscriber terminals over the first orbital transceiver; and

wherein the plurality of subscriber terminals download MIMO operational firmware from the gateway through the first orbital transceiver prior to switching to use MIMO techniques in response to a communication event; and

wherein the gateway is configured to communicate with the plurality of subscriber terminals over the first orbital transceiver and the second orbital transceiver using MIMO techniques in response to the communication event.

10. The satellite communication system according to claim 9, wherein the communication event comprises establishing a communication link between the gateway and the second orbital transceiver.

11. A method for scaling a satellite communication link from a SIMO link to a MIMO link, wherein the satellite communication link provides communication between a gateway and one or more subscriber terminals through one or more satellites, the method comprising:

communicating with the one or more subscriber terminals through a first communication mode, wherein the first communication mode includes communicating with the one or more subscriber terminals through a first satellite using SIMO techniques;

establishing communication between the gateway and a second satellite;

transmitting MIMO-compatible firmware to the one or more subscriber terminals through the first satellite;

loading the MIMO-compatible firmware at the one or more subscriber terminals; and

communicating with the one or more subscriber terminals through a second communication mode, wherein the second communication mode includes communicating with the one or more subscriber terminals through a first satellite and a second satellite using MIMO techniques.