US 8,547,897 B2Granted

Coherent power combining for signals through multiple satellite communications channels

AssigneeDonald C. D. Chang

InventorDonald C. D. Chang

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Abstract

A communication system and method that allows a transmitter segment (ground end of uplink segment) to dynamically combine power from a plurality of propagation channels (transponders) to improve power levels of signals being transmitted, without affecting the receiver segment (user end of downlink segment) and the propagation segment (space segment), and without modifying propagation apparatus configurations (satellite). Specifically, the transmitter segment generates mixtures of input signals by using Wavefront-Multiplexing and transmits wavefront-multiplexed (WFM) signals through propagation channels to a receiver segment that coherently separates the mixtures of received WFM signals by using adaptive equalization and Wavefront-De-Multiplexing. The WFM signal mixtures allow an operator, or automated system, at the transmitter segment to dynamically allocate equivalent channel (transponder) powers according to continuously changing market demands by dynamically including change of relative input powers into ratios of the WFM signal mixtures being transmitted.

Claims40

Dependent claims

A dynamic multi-satellite communications system for forward link traffic, comprising:

a satellite segment, a ground segment and a user segment, wherein
the satellite segment further comprising at least two satellites,
the ground segment further comprising at least a first hub terminal, and
the user segment further comprising at least a first multi-beam-antenna (MBA) user terminal;
wherein the first hub terminal further comprising:
a forward link preprocessor adapted to:
perform a Nf-to-Nf wavefront multiplexing (WF Muxing) process on forward link signals with inputs of Pf diagnostic channel inputs and Nf-Pf channels for forward link signals,
wherein Nf is an integer and Nf≧2,
wherein Pf is an integer and Pf≧1;
and
perform a Nf-to-Nf wavefront multiplexing (WF Muxing) process on forward link signals with outputs of Nf channels of WF mux (WFM) forward link signals;
and
a hub multi-beam-antenna (MBA) antenna adapted to continuously point to the at least two satellites to transmit the WFM forward link signals to the satellite segment;
and
wherein the first MBA user terminal further comprising:
a user MBA antenna adapted to receive the WFM forward link signals from the satellite segment and continuously track and point to the at least two satellites, and
a post-processor adapted to:
equalize amplitude and phase propagation differentials in among Nf receiving channels;
and
perform a Nf-to-Nf wavefront de-multiplexing process (WF demuxing) with inputs of Nf channels of the equalized WFM forward link signals;
and
perform a Nf-to-Nf wavefront de-multiplexing process (WF demuxing) with outputs of Pf channels of recovered diagnostic signals and Nf-Pf channels for the recovered forward link signals.

19 more elements

A dynamic multi-satellite communications system for return link traffic, comprising:

a satellite segment, a ground segment and a user segment, wherein
the user segment further comprising at least a first multi-beam-antenna (MBA) user terminal,
the ground segment further comprising at least a first hub terminal with a plurality of MBA antennas, and
the satellite segment further comprising at least two satellites,
wherein the first MBA user terminal further comprising:
a preprocessor adapted to:
perform a Nr-to-Nr wavefront multiplexing (WF muxing) process on return link signals with inputs of Pr diagnostic channel inputs and Nr-Pr channels for return link signals,
wherein Nr is an integer and Nr≧2,
wherein Pr is an integer and Pr≧1;
and
at least a first MBA user antenna adapted to continuously point to designated satellites to transmit Nr WFM transformed return link channels to said satellite segment,
wherein the first MBA hub terminal further comprising:
at least a first MBA hub antenna adapted to receive Nr WFM processed return link signal channels from said satellite segment,
a post processor adapted to:
equalize amplitude and phase differentials among Nr receiving channels,
perform a Nr-to-Nr wavefront de-multiplexing (WF demux) process on Nr equalized WFM processed return link signal channels, wherein Nr is an integer and Nr≧2.

13 more elements

A method of operating a dynamic multi-satellite communications system for forward link traffic, comprising:

a satellite segment, a ground segment and a user segment, wherein
the satellite segment further comprising at least two satellites,
the ground segment further comprising at least a first hub terminal, and
the user segment further comprising at least a first multi-beam-antenna (MBA) user terminal;
wherein the method for the first hub terminal further comprising the steps of:
wavefront multiplexing (WF Muxing) Pf channel inputs of diagnostic signals and Nf-Pf channels to forward link channels,
wherein Nf is an integer and Nf≧2,
wherein Pf is an integer and Pf≧2,
outputting Nf channels of WF mux (WFM) forward link signals, and
transmitting the WFM forward link signals to the satellite segment via at least a first MBA hub antenna;
and
wherein the method of the first MBA user terminal further comprising:
receiving the WFM forward link signals from the satellite segment via a user MBA antenna adapted to continuously track and point to the at least designated two satellites, and
post processing the received WFM forward link signals, wherein the post processing further comprising:
equalizing amplitude and phase propagation differentials among Nf received channels,
Nf-to-Nf wavefront de-multiplexing (WF demuxing) Nf channel inputs of the equalized WFM forward link signals, and
outputting Pf channels of recovered diagnostic signals and Nf-Pf channels of recovered forward link signals.

14 more elements

A method of operating a dynamic multi-satellite communications system for return link traffic, comprising:

a satellite segment, a ground segment and a user segment, wherein
the satellite segment further comprising at least two satellites,
the ground segment further comprising at least a first hub terminal with a plurality of multi-beam-antenna (MBA) antennas, and
the user segment further comprising at least a first MBA user terminal;
wherein the method for the first MBA user terminal further comprising the steps of:
wavefront multiplexing (WF Muxing) Pr channel inputs of diagnostic signals and Nr-Pr channels to forward link channels,
wherein Nr is an integer and Nr≧2,
wherein Pr is an integer and Pr≧2,
outputting Nr channels of WF mux (WFM) return link signals, and
transmitting the WFM return link signals to the satellite segment via at least a first MBA hub antenna;
and
wherein the method of the first MBA hub terminal further comprising:
receiving the N WFM return link signals from the satellite segment via a user MBA antenna adapted to continuously track and point to the at least designated two satellites, and
post processing the received WFM return link signals, wherein the post processing further comprising:
equalizing amplitude and phase propagation differentials among Nr received channels,
Nr-to-Nr wavefront de-multiplexing (WF demuxing) Nr channel inputs of the equalized WFM return link signals, and
outputting Pr channels of recovered diagnostic signals and Nr-Pr channels of recovered forward link signals.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/303,781Filed 23 Nov 2011 · division
Priority: 30 Jul 2009
Published: US 2012/0301136 A129 Nov 2012
Granted: 1 Oct 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

H04B 7/18515
Systems using a satellite or space-based relay: transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays
H04B 7/0413
Using two or more spaced independent antennas: mIMO systems
H04B 7/18517
Systems using a satellite or space-based relay: transmission equipment in earth stations
H04B 7/18523
Space-based or airborne stations; Stations for satellite systems: satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e.…