Ground based subsystems, for inclusion in optical gateway, and that interface with optical networks external to optical gateway

A ground based subsystem for inclusion in an optical gateway of a satellite communication system and for use in receiving an optical feeder downlink beam from a satellite of the satellite communication system, the ground based subsystem comprising:

• receiver optics configured to receive a wavelength division multiplexed optical feeder downlink beam from a satellite of the satellite communication system;
• an optical amplifier configured to amplify the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal received by the amplifier from the receiver optics;
• a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) demultiplexer configured to receive an amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal from the amplifier and separate the amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of separate optical signals, each of which has a different peak wavelength;
• wherein the ground based subsystem is configured to cause one or more of the optical signals that are output by the WDM demultiplexer to be provided to one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway, within which the ground based subsystem is included, without the optical gateway performing any demodulation of, and without the optical gateway performing any modulation of, the one or more optical signals that are provided to the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway;
• and
• further comprising one or more frequency converters each of which is configured to one of up-convert or down-convert a frequency of at least one of the one or more optical signals, that is being provided to one of the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway, before the one of the one or more optical signals is provided to the one of the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway, without the one or more frequency converters performing any demodulation of, and without the one or more frequency converters performing any modulation of, the one or more optical signals that are provided to the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway.

A ground based subsystem for inclusion in an optical gateway of a satellite communication system and for use in receiving an optical feeder downlink beam from a satellite of the satellite communication system, the ground based subsystem comprising:

• receiver optics configured to receive a wavelength division multiplexed optical feeder downlink beam from a satellite of the satellite communication system;
• an optical amplifier configured to amplify the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal received by the amplifier from the receiver optics;
• a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) demultiplexer configured to receive an amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal from the amplifier and separate the amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of separate optical signals, each of which has a different peak wavelength;
• a plurality of photodetectors, each of which converts a different one of a subset of the optical signals that are output from the WDM demultiplexer, to a respective electrical signal;
• wherein the ground based subsystem is configured to cause one or more of the optical data signals that are output by the WDM demultiplexer to be provided to one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway, within which the ground based subsystem is included, without the optical gateway performing any demodulation of, and without the optical gateway performing any modulation of, the one or more optical signals that are provided to the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway;
• and
• wherein the subset of the optical signals that are converted to electrical signals by the plurality of photodetectors do not include the one or more of the optical signals that, after being output by the WDM demultiplexer, are provided to one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway.

A method for use by a ground based optical gateway of a satellite communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving a wavelength division multiplexed optical feeder downlink beam from a satellite of the satellite communication system;
• amplifying the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal;
• demultiplexing the amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal, using a WDM demultiplexer within the ground based optical gateway of the satellite communication system, to thereby separate the amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of optical signals, each of which has a different peak wavelength;
• providing one or more of the optical data signals that are output by the WDM demultiplexer, within the ground based optical gateway of the satellite communication system, to one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway without the optical gateway performing any modulation of, and without the optical gateway performing any demodulation of, the one or more optical data signals that are provided to the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway;
• and
• converting a peak optical wavelength of at least one of the one or more optical signals, that is being provided to one of the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway, to a different peak optical wavelength before the at least one of the one or more optical signals is provided to the one of the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway;
• wherein the converting the peak optical wavelength of the at least one of the one or more optical data signals is performed without performing any demodulation of, and without performing any modulation of, the one or more optical signals that are provided to the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway.

A method for use by a ground based optical gateway of a satellite communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving a wavelength division multiplexed optical feeder downlink beam from a satellite of the satellite communication system;
• amplifying the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal;
• demultiplexing the amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal, using a WDM demultiplexer within the ground based optical gateway of the satellite communication system, to thereby separate the amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of optical signals, each of which has a different peak wavelength;
• providing one or more of the optical data signals that are output by the WDM demultiplexer, within the ground based optical gateway of the satellite communication system, to one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway without the optical gateway performing any modulation of, and without the optical gateway performing any demodulation of, the one or more optical data signals that are provided to the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway;
• and
• up-converting or down-converting a frequency of at least one of the one or more optical signals, that is being provided to one of the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway, before the at least one of the one or more optical signals is provided to the one of the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway;
• wherein the up-converting or down-converting is performed without performing any demodulation of, and without performing any modulation of, the one or more optical signals that are provided to the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway.

A method for use by a ground based optical gateway of a satellite communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving a wavelength division multiplexed optical feeder downlink beam from a satellite of the satellite communication system;
• amplifying the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal;
• demultiplexing the amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal, using a WDM demultiplexer within the ground based optical gateway of the satellite communication system, to thereby separate the amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of optical signals, each of which has a different peak wavelength;
• providing one or more of the optical signals that are output by the WDM demultiplexer, within the ground based optical gateway of the satellite communication system, to one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway without the optical gateway performing any modulation of, and without the optical gateway performing any demodulation of, the one or more optical signals that are provided to the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway;
• and
• converting a subset of the optical signals that result from the demultiplexing to respective electrical signals within the ground based optical gateway;
• wherein the subset of the optical signals that are converted to electrical signals within the ground based optical gateway do not include the one or more of the optical signals that are provided to one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway without the optical gateway performing any modulation and without the optical gateway performing any demodulation thereof;
• and
• converting a peak optical wavelength of at least one of the one or more optical signals, that is being provided to one of the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway, to a different peak optical wavelength before the at least one of the one or more optical signals is provided to the one of the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway;
• wherein the converting the peak optical wavelength of the at least one of the one or more optical data signals is performed without performing any demodulation of, and without performing any modulation of, the one or more optical signals that are provided to the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway.

A method for use by a ground based optical gateway of a satellite communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving a wavelength division multiplexed optical feeder downlink beam from a satellite of the satellite communication system;
• amplifying the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal;
• demultiplexing the amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal, using a WDM demultiplexer within the ground based optical gateway of the satellite communication system, to thereby separate the amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of optical signals, each of which has a different peak wavelength;
• providing one or more of the optical signals that are output by the WDM demultiplexer, within the ground based optical gateway of the satellite communication system, to one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway without the optical gateway performing any modulation of, and without the optical gateway performing any demodulation of, the one or more optical signals that are provided to the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway;
• and
• converting a subset of the optical signals that result from the demultiplexing to respective electrical signals within the ground based optical gateway;
• wherein the subset of the optical signals that are converted to electrical signals within the ground based optical gateway do not include the one or more of the optical signals that are provided to one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway without the optical gateway performing any modulation and without the optical gateway performing any demodulation thereof;
• and
• up-converting or down-converting a frequency of at least one of the one or more optical signals, that is being provided to one of the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway, before the at least one of the one or more optical signals is provided to the one of the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway;
• wherein the up-converting or down-converting is performed without performing any demodulation of, and without performing any modulation of, the one or more optical signals that are provided to the one or more optical networks that are external to the ground based optical gateway.