Color assignment to limit conflict in multiple spot beam systems

A system comprising:

• a communication node configured to form multiple spot beams and communicate with devices that are located in multiple regions;
• and
• a controller comprising at least one processor, the controller arranged to:
• obtain a maximum interference constraint,
• determine respective conflicts lists for a plurality of individual regions of the multiple regions, wherein determining the respective conflicts lists comprises, for each individual region of the plurality of regions:
• (i) determining a pairwise interaction between the individual region and at least one other region and (ii) including the at least one other region in the conflicts list for the individual region based on the pairwise interaction violating a maximum interference constraint,
• assign spot beam colors to the multiple regions using the determined conflicts lists such that pairs of regions that violate the maximum interference constraint with respect to one another are assigned different spot beam colors, and
• cause the communication node to configure the multiple spot beams in accordance with the assigned spot beam colors,
• wherein, based on the determined pairwise interactions, a number of regions in a first conflicts list of a first individual region is different from a number of regions in a second conflicts list of a second individual region of the plurality of individual regions.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause at least one processor to perform functions comprising:

• obtaining a maximum interference constraint for a communication system, wherein the communication system comprises a communication node that is configured to form multiple spot beams and communicate with devices that are located in multiple regions;
• determining respective conflicts lists for a plurality of individual regions of the multiple regions, wherein determining the respective conflicts list comprises, for each individual region of the plurality of individual regions:
• determining a pairwise interaction between the individual region and at least one other region, and
• including the at least one other region in the conflicts list for the individual region based on the pairwise interaction violating a maximum interference constraint;
• assigning spot beam colors to the multiple regions using the determined conflicts lists such that pairs of regions that violate the maximum interference constraint with respect to one another are assigned different spot beam colors;
• and
• causing the communication node to configure the multiple spot beams in accordance with the assigned spot beam colors,
• wherein, based on the determined pairwise interactions, a number of regions in a first conflicts list of a first individual region of the plurality of individual regions is different from a number of regions in a second conflicts list of a second individual region of the plurality of individual regions.