US 2024/0195556 A1 · VSAT DEMODULATOR ARCHITECTURE FOR BEAM HOPPING SATELLITE SYSTEMS

Abstract

Techniques are described for demodulating burst communications, such as for demodulating satellite beam-hopping communications in a demodulator of a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) satellite receiver. The demodulator includes a front-end and a sample/symbol domain processor. The front-end is configured to selectively operate in either of an adaptive mode or a freeze mode. During demodulation, the sample/symbol domain processor detects start of superframe (SOSF) and end of superframe (EOSF) locations to determine where each dwell time and non-dwell time begins and ends. During at least a portion or each dwell time, the front-end is set to operate in adaptive mode, in which the front-end uses feedback control from the sample/symbol domain processor to continuously adapt to timing and frequency of the received burst transmission. During at least the duration of each non-dwell time, the front-end is set to operate in freeze mode, in which adaptation of the front-end is frozen.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method for demodulating burst communications in a demodulator of a receiver, the method comprising:

first receiving a first radiofrequency (RF) burst transmission by the demodulator in a first dwell time;
recovering, during the first receiving, a data stream from the first RF burst transmission with a demodulator front-end of the demodulator set to a first mode in which the demodulator front-end uses feedback control to continuously adapt to timing and frequency of the first RF burst transmission;
determining, during the first receiving, an end of superframe (EOSF) location indicating a location of an end of the first dwell time;
first setting the demodulator front-end to a second mode according to the EOSF location, the second mode freezing the continuous adaptation of the demodulator front-end;
holding the demodulator front-end in the second mode over a non-dwell time following the end of the first dwell time;
detecting, during the holding, a start of superframe (SOSF) location indicating a location of a start of a second RF burst transmission;
and
second setting the demodulator front-end back to the first mode responsive to the detecting.

5 more elements

A receiver demodulator system for demodulating burst communications, the system comprising:

a demodulator front-end configured selectively to operate in either an adaptive mode or a freeze mode, such that:
in the adaptive mode, the demodulator front-end receives a radiofrequency (RF) burst transmission in a corresponding dwell time, and recovers a data stream from the first RF burst transmission by using feedback control to continuously adapts the demodulator front-end to timing and frequency of the first RF burst transmission;
and
in the freeze mode, the demodulator front-end freezes adaptation of the 9 demodulator front-end;
and
a sample/symbol domain processor, coupled in feedback with the demodulator front-end, and configured to:
when the demodulator front-end is in the adaptive mode, determine an end of superframe (EOSF) location indicating a location of an end of the dwell time and a start of a non-dwell time, and set the demodulator front-end to the freeze mode at a time determined based on the EOSF location;
and
when the demodulator front-end is in the freeze mode, detect a start of superframe (SOSF) location indicating a location of a start of a next RF burst transmission, and set the demodulator front-end to the adaptive mode at a time determined based on the SOSF location,
such that the demodulator front-end operates in the adaptive mode for at least a portion of a duration of each dwell time, and the demodulator front-end operates in the freeze 22 mode for at least a duration of each non-dwell time.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vsat demodulator architecture for beam hopping satellite systems

Life of this patent

Vsat demodulator architecture for beam hopping satellite systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23