Dynamically Controlled Satellite Hub and Method of Operation
AssigneeGovernment of the United States as Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
InventorKhanh Dai Pham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system comprising an orbiting transponder in bilateral communication with a hub and a plurality of terminals. The hub automatically allocates power to the transponder based upon prequalification criteria, then dynamically adjusts an uplink carrier to noise ratio to prevent loss of weak signals. The system, and method of operation may further minimize variance in uplink adjustments according to a predictive algorithm.
Claims20
A method of allocating signal resources from a transponder to a plurality of terminals remote therefrom, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a system comprising a transponder in bilateral signal communication with each of a hub and a first plurality of terminals;
- downlinking a first plurality of links from the hub to the first plurality of terminals;
- determining whether or not the system meets prequalification criteria for the for the hub by assessing whether or not the system A) has an adequate link supportability, B) has an adequate downlink CNR to support a transponder loading feasibility and C) has a minimum DCNR total downlink supportability ratio;
- if yes, then then proceeding to a control algorithm with no step change in a CNR allocation from the transponder, if no, then proceeding to a control algorithm for adjusting a UCNR allocation, wherein the control algorithm allocates power from the transponder without reducing the number of links in the first plurality of links.
A method of allocating signal resources from a transponder to a plurality of terminals remote therefrom, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a system comprising a transponder in bilateral signal communication with each of a hub and a plurality of terminals;
- determining a plurality of transponder signal gains corresponding to a like plurality of terminals receiving signals from the transponder;
- selecting a largest transponder gain from the plurality of transponder gains;
- matching the largest transponder gain to a corresponding weakest transponded link;
- and
- autonomously increasing the UCNR of the weakest transponded link such that a maximum UCNR is not exceeded.
A method of allocating signal resources from a transponder to a plurality of terminals remote therefrom, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a system comprising a transponder in bilateral signal communication with each of a hub and a plurality of terminals;
- determining whether or not the system meets prequalification criteria for the for the hub by assessing whether or not the system A) has an adequate link supportability, B) has an adequate downlink CNR to support a transponder loading feasibility and C) has a minimum DCNR sufficient to prevent link closure with a total downlink supportability, and the noise power losses at the transponder to comprise three distinct performance parameters;
- if yes, then then proceeding to a control algorithm with no step change in an CNR allocation from the transponder, if no, then proceeding to a control algorithm for adjusting a UCNR allocation from the transponder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.