Flexible high throughput satellite system using optical gateways

A method for enabling a ground based subsystem to produce and transmit an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite that is configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and in dependence thereon produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams within a specified RF frequency range to service terminals, the method for use by the ground based sub system comprising:

• receiving a plurality of data modulated RF carrier signals each of which has an RF frequency within an intermediate frequency (IF) range;
• producing a plurality of bandwidth allocated data modulated RF signals in dependence on the plurality of data modulated RF carrier signals;
• emitting a plurality of optical signals each having a different peak wavelength that is within a specified optical wavelength range;
• electro-optically modulating each of the optical signals with one of a plurality of different bandwidth allocated data modulated RF carrier signals, each of which has been modulated to carry data for at least one of the plurality of RF service downlink beams, to thereby produce a plurality of optical data signals, each of which carries data for at least one of the plurality of RF service downlink beams;
• multiplexing the plurality of optical data signals to thereby produce a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal that includes data for the plurality of RF service downlink beams;
• producing an optical feeder uplink beam, in dependence on the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal;
• and
• transmitting the optical feeder uplink beam through free-space to the satellite;

A resource allocator for inclusion in a ground based subsystem for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite that is configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and in dependence thereon produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams, the recourse allocator including a plurality of channels each of which includes:

• an encoder and modulator configured to perform encoding and modulation of one of a plurality of data modulated RF carrier signals received by the resource allocator;
• a channel filter configured to shape a frequency spectrum of one of the data modulated RF carrier signals after the encoding and modulation thereof to thereby produce a bandwidth allocated data modulated RF signal;
• and
• a frequency up-converter configured to up-convert a frequency of the bandwidth allocated data modulated RF signal produced by the channel filter before the bandwidth allocated data modulated RF signal is provided to one of a plurality of electro-optical modulators (EOMs).

A method for use by a resource allocator within in a ground based subsystem for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite that is configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and in dependence thereon produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams, the method including:

• receiving a plurality of data modulated RF carrier signals;
• encoding and modulating each of the received data modulated RF carrier signals;
• shaping a frequency spectrum of each of the data modulated RF carrier signals after the encoding and modulating thereof to thereby produce bandwidth allocated data modulated RF signals;
• and
• frequency up-converting the bandwidth allocated data modulated RF signals before the bandwidth allocated data modulated RF signals are electro-optically modulated with optical signals that each have the different peak wavelength that is within the specified optical wavelength range.