US 12,745,103 B2Granted

Multibeam non-geosynchronous satellite communication without on-board waveform processing

AssigneeHughes Network Systems, LLC

InventorsStanley Kay, Lin-Nan Lee, Victor Liau, Liping Chen

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Abstract

Techniques are described herein for non-terrestrial network (NTN) communications via one or more transparent-mode non-geosynchronous (NGSO) satellites. Embodiments extend a terrestrial wireless network (TWN), such as 5G NR, for use with the satellites. Analog feeder uplink and downlink waveforms are formatted to carry forward and return direct-to-device (DtD) signals over respective subchannel channels, and the subchannels can be assigned with time and frequency dimensions that are compatible with resource block assignments of the TWN protocols. Use of the analog subchannels and time-division multiplexing with beam-hopping facilitates satellite communication of the DtD signals effectively as an extension of the TWN. Embodiments also support communication of satellite control signals as part of the analog feeder uplink waveform, and inter-satellite link (ISL) routing and communication on-board the satellite.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A non-processing non-geosynchronous orbit (NGSO) satellite comprising:

a feeder link (FL) system having:
a FL receiver to receive, from a currently active gateway radio unit (GW-RU) via a FL antenna, analog forward direct-to-device (DtD) signals and a control signal;
and
a FL transmitter to transmit analog return DtD signals to the currently active GW-RU via the FL antenna;
and
a user link (UL) system having:
a transmit digital beamformer coupled with the FL receiver to:
form a plurality of forward user beams based on a beam-hopping beamforming (BHBF) schema determined based on the control signal;
and
transmit at least a portion of the forward DtD signals to user terminals in cell coverage areas serviced by the plurality of forward user beams via a UL beamforming antenna;
and
a receive digital beamformer coupled with the FL transmitter to:
form a plurality of return user beams based on the BHBF schema;
and
receive at least a portion of the return DtD signals from user terminals in cell coverage areas serviced by the plurality of return user beams via the UL beamforming antenna;
and
a control system comprising a control processor coupled with a control receiver to receive the control signal from the FL receiver, a BHBF data store having the BHBF schema stored thereon, and a telemetry tracking and control (TT&C) block to generate TT&C information, wherein
the control receiver is at least to direct the transmit digital beamformer to form the plurality of forward user beams, and to direct the receive digital beamformer to form the plurality of return user beams based on the control signal, the BHBF schema, and the TT&C information.

15 more elements

A method for non-terrestrial network communications via a non-processing non-geosynchronous orbit (NGSO) satellite, the method comprising:

in a forward direction:
receiving, by the satellite from a GW-RU, forward direct-to-device (DtD) signals and a control signal via an analog feeder uplink waveform;
forming a plurality of forward user beams based on a beam-hopping beamforming (BHBF) schema determined based on the control signal;
and
transmitting at least a portion of the forward DtD signals from the satellite to user terminals in cell coverage areas serviced by the plurality of forward user beams;
in a return direction:
forming a plurality of return user beams based on the BHBF schema;
receiving return DtD signals from user terminals in cell coverage areas serviced by the plurality of return user beams;
and
transmitting the return DtD signals by the satellite to the GW-RU via an analog feeder downlink waveform;
receiving, by a control system of the satellite, the control signal, wherein the control system comprises a BHBF data store having the BHBF schema stored thereon, and a telemetry tracking and control (TT&C) block to generate TT&C information;
directing, by the control system, the transmit digital beamformer to form the plurality of forward user beams based on the control signal, the BHBF schema, and the TT&C information;
and
directing, by the control system, the receive digital beamformer to form the plurality of return user beams based on the control signal, the BHBF schema, and the TT&C information.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/408,183Filed 9 Jan 2024 · us provisional application
Priority: 28 Sep 2023
Published: US 2025/0113208 A13 Apr 2025
Granted: 22 Sep 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

H04W 16/28
Cell structures: using beam steering
H04B 7/0617
Of weighted versions of same signal: for beam forming
H04B 7/18513
Systems using a satellite or space-based relay: transmission in a satellite or space-based system
H04B 7/18515
Systems using a satellite or space-based relay: transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays