Frequency re-use for service and gateway beams

• US 8,548,377 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US13/484,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20120244798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1
• 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;

transmitting, by the geosynchronous satellite, a plurality of downlink service beams to a plurality of user terminals, at least one of the plurality of downlink service beams being transmitted using a common downlink frequency and a common downlink polarization;

receiving, at the geosynchronous satellite, an uplink feeder beam 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 using the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting, by the geosynchronous satellite, an additional downlink feeder beam using the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the downlink feeder beam and the additional downlink feeder beam are transmitted by the geosynchronous satellite to two gateways that are separated from each other by a minimum distance of 400 kilometers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the downlink feeder beam comprises two frequency channels, each of the two frequency channels separated by right hand circular polarization (RHCP) and left hand circular polarization (LHCP), to form four unique combinations of frequency and polarization, and wherein one of the four unique combinations uses the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein at least one of the two frequency channels includes a 500 MHz frequency channel.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of downlink service beams are transmitted using downlink frequency channels comprising two frequency channels, each of the two frequency channels separated by right hand circular polarization (RHCP) and left hand circular polarization (LHCP), to form four unique combinations of frequency and polarization, wherein each downlink service beam is transmitted using one of the four unique combinations of frequency and polarization, and wherein at least one of the downlink service beams is transmitted using the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization.

7. A geosynchronous satellite for communicating data, the geosynchronous satellite comprising:

a first receiver for receiving 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;

a first transmitter for transmitting a plurality of downlink service beams to a plurality of user terminals, the first transmitter for transmitting at least one of the plurality of downlink service beams using a common downlink frequency and a common downlink polarization;

a second receiver for receiving an uplink feeder beam from a gateway located within a feeder beam coverage area at least partially not overlapping the combined service beam coverage area;

a processor coupled to the first and second receivers and the first transmitter and for forming the plurality of downlink service beams responsive to receiving the uplink feeder beam and for forming a downlink feeder beam responsive to receiving the plurality of uplink service beams; and

a second transmitter coupled to the processor and for transmitting the downlink feeder beam using the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization.

8. The geosynchronous satellite of claim 7 wherein the second transmitter is for further transmitting an additional downlink feeder beam using the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization.

9. The geosynchronous satellite of claim 8 wherein the downlink feeder beam and the additional downlink feeder beam are transmitted by the geosynchronous satellite to two gateways that are separated from each other by a minimum distance of 400 kilometers.

10. The geosynchronous satellite of claim 7 wherein the downlink feeder beam comprises two frequency channels, each of the two frequency channels separated by right hand circular polarization (RHCP) and left hand circular polarization (LHCP), to form four unique combinations of frequency and polarization, and wherein one of the four unique combinations uses the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization.

11. The geosynchronous satellite of claim 10 wherein at least one of the two frequency channels includes a 500 MHz frequency channel.

12. The geosynchronous satellite of claim 8 wherein the plurality of downlink service beams are transmitted using downlink frequency channels comprising two frequency channels, each of the two frequency channels separated by right hand circular polarization (RHCP) and left hand circular polarization (LHCP), to form four unique combinations of frequency and polarization, wherein each downlink service beam is transmitted using one of the four unique combinations of frequency and polarization, and wherein at least one of the downlink service beams is transmitted using the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization.

13. A system for communicating data in a multibeam satellite system utilizing frequency re-use comprising:

means for establishing service beams including uplink service beams and downlink service beams between a satellite and a plurality of subscriber terminals, each downlink service beam being associated with a different service beam coverage area which together form a combined service beam coverage area;

wherein a plurality of the uplink service beams are transmitted to the satellite, and a plurality of the downlink service beams are transmitted from the satellite, at least two of the plurality of the downlink service beams being transmitted using a common downlink frequency and a common downlink polarization;

means for 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 downlink feeder beam being associated with a feeder beam coverage area at least partially not overlapping the combined service beam coverage area, the at least one uplink feeder beam being received at the satellite to form a plurality of the downlink service beams, a plurality of the uplink service beams being received at the satellite to form the at least one downlink feeder beam; and

wherein the at least one uplink feeder beam is transmitted to the satellite, and the at least one downlink feeder beam is transmitted from the satellite by re-using the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization.

14. A geosynchronous satellite for communicating data, the geosynchronous satellite comprising:

first receiving means for receiving 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;

first transmitting means for transmitting a plurality of downlink service beams to a plurality of user terminals, the first transmitting means for transmitting at least one of the plurality of downlink service beams using a common downlink frequency and a common downlink polarization;

second receiving means, coupled to the first transmitting means, for receiving an uplink feeder beam 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

second transmitting means, coupled to the first receiving means, for forming a downlink feeder beam responsive to the plurality of uplink service beams and transmitting the downlink feeder beam using the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization.

15. A geosynchronous satellite system comprising:

a plurality of user terminals for establishing composite service beams including uplink service beams and downlink service beams between the user terminals and a geosynchronous satellite, each downlink service beam 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 user terminals for establishing a composite service beam including a downlink service beam using a common downlink frequency and a common downlink polarization; and

a gateway for establishing an uplink feeder beam corresponding to the downlink service beams, and for establishing a downlink feeder beam associated with the uplink service beams using the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization, between the gateway and the geosynchronous satellite, the downlink feeder beam being associated with a feeder beam coverage area at least partially not overlapping the combined service beam coverage area.

16. A geosynchronous satellite comprising:

a downstream translator for;

receiving an uplink feeder beam,

forming a plurality of downlink service beams between the geosynchronous satellite and a plurality of user terminals, the plurality of downlink service beams formed from the uplink feeder beam, each downlink service beam being associated with a different service beam coverage area which together form a combined service beam coverage area, and

transmitting the downlink service beams from the geosynchronous satellite, at least one of the downlink service beams transmitted using a common downlink frequency and a common downlink polarization; and

an upstream translator for;

receiving a plurality of uplink service beams,

forming a downlink feeder beam between the geosynchronous satellite and a gateway, the downlink feeder beam formed from the plurality of uplink service beams, the downlink feeder beam being associated with a feeder beam coverage area at least partially not overlapping the combined service beam coverage area, and

transmitting the downlink feeder beam from the geosynchronous satellite using the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization.

17. A geosynchronous satellite comprising:

means for establishing a plurality of composite service beams between the geosynchronous satellite and a plurality of user terminals, each composite service beam including an uplink service beam and a downlink service beam, each downlink service beam being associated with a different service beam coverage area which together form a combined service beam coverage area;

first transmitting means for transmitting the downlink service beams from the geosynchronous satellite, including transmitting at least one of the downlink service beams using a common downlink frequency and a common downlink polarization;

first receiving means for receiving the uplink service beams at the geosynchronous satellite;

means for establishing an uplink feeder beam and a downlink feeder beam between the geosynchronous satellite and a gateway, the downlink feeder beam being associated with a feeder beam coverage area at least partially not overlapping the combined service beam coverage area;

second receiving means for receiving the uplink feeder beam;

means, coupled to the first transmitting means, for forming the plurality of downlink service beams from the uplink feeder beam;

means for forming the downlink feeder beam from the plurality of uplink service beams; and

second transmitting means, coupled to the means for forming the downlink feeder beam, for transmitting the downlink feeder beam using the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization.

18. A geosynchronous satellite, comprising:

a first antenna for;

establishing a plurality of composite service beams between the geosynchronous satellite and a plurality of user terminals, each composite service beam including an uplink service beam and a downlink service beam, each downlink service beam being associated with a different service beam coverage area which together form a combined service beam coverage area,

transmitting the downlink service beams from the geosynchronous satellite, at least one of the downlink service beams transmitted using a common downlink frequency and a common downlink polarization, and

receiving the uplink service beams at the geosynchronous satellite,

a second antenna for;

establishing an uplink feeder beam and a downlink feeder beam between the geosynchronous satellite and a gateway, the downlink feeder beam being associated with a feeder beam coverage area at least partially not overlapping the combined service beam coverage area,

receiving the uplink feeder beam, and

transmitting the downlink feeder beam using the common downlink frequency and the common downlink polarization; and

a plurality of frequency translators coupled to the first and second antennas, for;

forming the plurality of downlink service beams from the uplink feeder beam,

forming the downlink feeder beam from the plurality of uplink service beams, and

frequency translating the uplink feeder beam and one or more of the plurality of uplink service beams.