# US 10,312,995 B2 · Digital payload with variable high power amplifiers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,312,995 B2 - Document ID: US10312995B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/965,620 - Filed: 2015-12-10 - Published: 2017-02-09 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-11 - Assignees: Space Systems/Loral, Inc. - Applicants: Space Systems/Loral, LLC - Inventors: Peter Edward Goettle, Jr.; Chris Hoeber; William Stiles; Douglas G. Burr; Kathy Shockey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312995B2 ## CPC - H04B 7/18513: {Transmission in a satellite or space-based system} - H03F 1/0261: {with control of the polarisation voltage or current, e.g. gliding Class A} - H03F 1/0277: {Selecting one or more amplifiers from a plurality of amplifiers} - H03F 3/195: in integrated circuits - H03F 3/211: {using a combination of several amplifiers (H03F3/60 takes precedence)} - H03F 3/245: {with semiconductor devices only} - H03F 3/68: Combinations of amplifiers, e.g. multi-channel amplifiers for stereophonics {(power amplifiers using a combination of several semiconductor amplifiers H03F3/211; combinations of amplifiers using coupling networks with distributed constants H03F3/602)} - H03F 3/72: Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal - H04B 1/0458: {Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages (matching circuits in general H03H)} - H04B 7/0617: {for beam forming} - H04B 7/18515: {Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays} - H04L 5/06: the signals being represented by different frequencies (combined with time-division multiplexing H04L5/26) - H03F 2200/429: Two or more amplifiers or one amplifier with filters for different frequency bands are coupled in parallel at the input or output - H03F 2203/7206: the gated amplifier being switched on or off by a switch in the bias circuit of the amplifier controlling a bias voltage in the amplifier - H03F 2203/7236: the gated amplifier being switched on or off by putting into parallel or not, by choosing between amplifiers by (a ) switch(es) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H03F: AMPLIFIERS - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A spacecraft includes a payload subsystem including a plurality of transmit antenna feeds, a digital channelizer, and a power amplification arrangement including a plurality of power amplifiers. The power amplification arrangement has at least one input communicatively coupled with an output of the digital channelizer and at least one output communicatively coupled with at least one of the plurality of transmit antenna feeds. A processor is configured to control the digital channelizer, and to adjust a saturated output power of at least one power amplifier of the plurality of power amplifiers in the power amplification arrangement. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A spacecraft, comprising a payload subsystem including a plurality of transmit antenna feeds, a digital channelizer, and a power amplification arrangement including a plurality of power amplifiers, the plurality of power amplifiers including at least one power amplifier having a commandably variable saturated power, the power amplification arrangement having at least one input communicatively coupled with an output of the digital channelizer and at least one output communicatively coupled with at least one of the plurality of transmit antenna feeds; and a processor configured to control the digital channelizer so as to allocate a commandable amount of bandwidth to each of a plurality of receive and/or transmit beams, and dynamically make an adjustment to the variable saturated power of the at least one power amplifier of the plurality of power amplifiers in the power amplification arrangement; wherein the adjustment is tailored to account for a change in operating power of the at least one amplifier resulting from a change in bandwidth allocated by the digital channelizer to an individual beam associated with the at least one power amplifier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein the at least one power amplifier includes a respective electronic power conditioner (EPC) and the processor is configured to adjust the variable saturated power of the at least one power amplifier by adjusting one or more voltage outputs of the EPC. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein the plurality of power amplifiers includes one or both of solid-state power amplifiers and traveling wave tube amplifiers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the variable saturated power of the at least one power amplifier by changing one or more bias voltages, the one or more bias voltages being applied to one or more stages in an amplifier chain of the at least one power amplifier. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the variable saturated power of the at least one power amplifier by tuning the RF load on an output stage of the power amplifier. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the variable saturated power of the at least one power amplifier by activating or de-activating one or more output stage amplifiers which are part of a power combining network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The spacecraft of claim 6, each of the one or more output stage amplifiers is configured to provide a different power level. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein the at least one power amplifier has a nominal saturated power and the processor is configured to dynamically make an adjustment to the variable saturated power, in steps substantially smaller than the nominal saturated power of the amplifier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein the power amplifier arrangement includes at least one input Butler matrix and at least one output Butler matrix. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The spacecraft of claim 9, wherein the input Butler matrix is implemented in the digital channelizer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The spacecraft of claim 9, wherein the output Butler matrix is incorporated into a beam forming network proximate to the transmit antenna feeds. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of power amplifiers are incorporated into a microwave multi-port amplifier (MPA). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein the digital channelizer is configured to allocate a commandable amount of bandwidth to one or more of the plurality of feeds. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein the digital channelizer is configured to tune a center frequency of one or more uplink beams on the spacecraft. ### Claim 15 An apparatus, comprising a payload subsystem of a spacecraft, the payload subsystem including a plurality of transmit antenna feeds, a digital channelizer, and a power amplification arrangement including a plurality of power amplifiers, the plurality of power amplifiers including at least one power amplifier having a commandably variable saturated power, the power amplification arrangement having at least one input communicatively coupled with an output of the digital channelizer and at least one output communicatively coupled with at least one of the plurality of transmit antenna feeds; wherein a processor is configured to control the digital channelizer so as to allocate a commandable amount of bandwidth to each of a plurality of receive and/or transmit beams, and dynamically make an adjustment to the variable saturated power of the at least one power amplifier of the plurality of power amplifiers in the power amplification arrangement; wherein the adjustment is tailored to account for a change in operating power of the at least one amplifier resulting from a change in bandwidth allocated by the digital channelizer to an individual beam associated with the at least one power amplifier. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is included in the spacecraft. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is ground-based. ### Claim 18 A spacecraft, comprising: a payload subsystem that includes a plurality of receive antennas and a plurality of transmit antennas; a plurality of low noise amplifiers; a plurality of frequency converters; a plurality of power amplifiers, including at least one power amplifier having a commandably variable saturated power; and a digital channelizer, wherein: the digital channelizer has inputs that are communicatively coupled with a respective receive antenna; each of the plurality of power amplifiers has a respective input communicatively coupled with a respective output of the digital channelizer and each power amplifier has a respective output communicatively coupled with at least one of the plurality of transmit antennas; and one or more processors are configured to simultaneously control the digital channelizer and the plurality of power amplifiers so as to: allocate a commandable amount of satellite uplink bandwidth to each of a plurality of receive beams; allocate a commandable amount of satellite downlink bandwidth to each of a plurality of transmit beams; and dynamically make an adjustment to the variable saturated power, the adjustment being tailored account for a change in operating power of the at least one amplifier resulting from a change in bandwidth allocated by the digital channelizer to an individual beam associated with the at least one power amplifier. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The spacecraft of claim 18, wherein the at least one power amplifier includes a respective electronic power conditioner (EPC) and the processor is configured to adjust the variable saturated power of the at least one power amplifier by adjusting one or more voltage outputs of the EPC.