US 2020/0007227 A1 · DYNAMIC SATELLITE BEAM ASSIGNMENT

Abstract

Embodiments provide techniques for dynamic spot beam assignment in a geostationary satellite communications network. For example, a ground processing node in the geostationary satellite network can monitor spot beam coverage area location and can detect a beam drift trigger indicating present drifting of one or more coverage areas. Ground terminals can be identified as serviced by spot beams associated with the drifting coverage area(s) and as experiencing a signal quality impact from the drifting. The ground terminal node can compute an update to a beam assignment map having a reassignment of the identified user terminals from their presently servicing spot beams to another of the spot beams in a manner that seeks to address at least some of the signal quality impact identified as associated with the drifting. Some embodiments further account for load balancing, and/or other factors, and/or can maintain stateful communications between the reassigned user terminals and the geostationary satellite.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A method for dynamic beam assignment in a geostationary satellite communications network, the method comprising:

receiving link measurement data that indicates signal quality at a plurality of locations within a plurality of coverage areas illuminated by a plurality of spot beams of a geostationary satellite;
detecting a beam drift trigger according to the link measurement data, the beam drift trigger indicating a present drifting of a coverage area of the plurality of coverage areas illuminated by a spot beam of the plurality of spot beams of the geostationary satellite;
identifying a set of ground terminals as experiencing a signal quality degradation from the present drifting;
and
computing, in a ground processing node in response to detecting the beam drift trigger, an update to a beam assignment map that at least partially counteracts the service degradation by reassigning each of the set of ground terminals from a respective presently assigned spot beam to a respective reassigned spot beam of the plurality of spot beams.

2 more elements

A system for dynamic beam assignment in a geostationary satellite communications network, the system comprising:

a data store having a beam assignment map stored thereon;
a beam tracking structure having:
a link measurement data input;
and
a trigger signal output that comprises a beam drift trigger when the link measurement data input indicates a present drifting of a coverage area illuminated by a spot beam of a plurality of spot beams of a geostationary satellite;
and
a terminal assignment structure having:
a trigger signal input coupled with the beam trigger output;
and
an assignment signal output that comprises a plurality of beam assignment change messages according to an update to the beam assignment map computed, in response to the trigger signal input, to at least partially counteract signal quality degradation of an identified a set of ground terminals resulting from the present drifting, the beam assignment change messages indicating a beam reassignment of each of the set of ground terminals from a respective presently assigned spot beam to a respective reassigned spot beam of the plurality of spot beams.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dynamic satellite beam assignment

Life of this patent

Dynamic satellite beam assignment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27