# US 11,121,763 B1 · System and method for downlink scheduling that optimizes downlink (DL) capacity

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- Number: US 11,121,763 B1
- Document ID: US11121763B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/845,883
- Filed: 2020-04-10
- Granted: 2021-09-14
- Earliest claimed: 2020-04-10
- Assignees: Totum Labs, Inc.
- Applicants: Totum Labs, Inc.
- Inventors: Theodore Jon Myers; Matthew Zacchariah Hughes
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11121763B1

## CPC

- H04B 7/18513: {Transmission in a satellite or space-based system}
- H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
- H04W 72/52: based on load
- H04B 1/69: Spread spectrum techniques
- H04W 84/06: Airborne or Satellite Networks (space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

An illustrated embodiment disclosed herein is a method including maintaining, by a satellite, a plurality of physical data units (PDUs). Each PDU has a corresponding spreading factor (SF). The method includes selecting, by the satellite, a lowest SF, adding, by the satellite, all PDUs associated with the lowest SF to a slot, and determining, by the satellite and until the determination is affirmative, whether available capacity of the slot is less than a predetermined threshold. The method includes, responsive to determining that the available capacity of the slot is not less than the predetermined threshold, selecting, by the satellite, a greater SF and adding, by the satellite, one or more PDUs associated with the greater SF to the slot. The method includes responsive to determining that the available capacity of the slot is less than that the predetermined threshold, sending, by the satellite, the slot to an endpoint.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
maintaining, by a satellite, a plurality of physical data units (PDUs), each PDU having a corresponding spreading factor (SF);
selecting, by the satellite, a lowest SF;
adding, by the satellite, all PDUs associated with the lowest SF to a slot; and
determining, by the satellite and until the determination is affirmative, whether available capacity of the slot is less than a predetermined threshold;
responsive to determining that the available capacity of the slot is not less than the predetermined threshold;
selecting, by the satellite, a greater SF; and
adding, by the satellite, one or more PDUs associated with the greater SF to the slot; and
responsive to determining that the available capacity of the slot is less than that the predetermined threshold, sending, by the satellite, the slot to an endpoint.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of PDUs correspond to the endpoint.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising ranking the plurality of PDUs from the lowest SF to a highest SF.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether there are more PDUs having the selected SF to add to the slot.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is a number of bits sufficient to add all PDUs of the selected SF to the slot.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating the SFs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein calculating the SFs is based on a received power level.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the SFs.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether to add a PDU based on a range or location of the endpoint.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each SF corresponds to a different overhead of bits.

### Claim 11

A system comprising an endpoint and a satellite, wherein the satellite includes programmed instructions that when executed cause the satellite to:
maintain a plurality of physical data units (PDUs), each PDU having a corresponding spreading factor (SF);
select a lowest SF;
add all PDUs associated with the lowest SF to a slot;
determine, until the determination is affirmative, whether available capacity of the slot is less than a predetermined threshold;
responsive to determining that the available capacity of the slot is not less than the predetermined threshold;
select a greater SF; and
add one or more PDUs associated with the greater SF to the slot; and
responsive to determining that the available capacity of the slot is less than that the predetermined threshold, send the slot to an endpoint.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of PDUs correspond to the endpoint.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the satellite ranks the plurality of PDUs from the lowest SF to a highest SF.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, the satellite having further programmed instructions to determine whether there are more PDUs having the selected SF to add to the slot.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the predetermined threshold is a number of bits sufficient to add all PDUs of the selected SF to the slot.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the satellite calculates the SFs.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the satellite calculates the SFs is based on a received power level.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the satellite updates the SFs.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the satellite determines whether to add a PDU based on a range or location of the endpoint.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein each SF corresponds to a different overhead of bits.