Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system and forwarding method

By integrating service signals and on-line telemetry and control signals in parallel design and combining technology, the problem of large size and heavy weight caused by the independent design of Starlink satellite communication payload and telemetry and control system has been solved, realizing efficient and low-cost communication payload forwarding and adapting to complex environments of multiple frequency bands.

CN119519822BActive Publication Date: 2026-02-10HUNAN SIBEITU TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411781759.8
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-12-05
Publication Date
2026-02-10
Estimated Expiration
2044-12-05

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In existing technologies, the independent design of the communication payload and telemetry and control system of Starlink satellites results in large size and heavy weight, which increases launch costs and makes it more difficult to launch multiple satellites.

Method used

Design a Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system that integrates a service signal forwarding module and an on-line telemetry and control forwarding module. Through parallel design and combining technology, simplify the signal processing path, reduce redundant components, and realize the integrated forwarding of communication payload and telemetry and control signals.

Benefits of technology

It improves the functional integration of the communication payload forwarding system, reduces the system size and weight, lowers costs, and at the same time improves communication efficiency and reliability, adapting to complex communication environments with multiple frequency bands.

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Abstract

The present application relates to a star chain satellite communication payload forwarding system and a forwarding method, the system comprising: a service signal forwarding module and a on-the-way TT&C forwarding module; the service signal forwarding module comprising parallel forward service signal forwarding units and reverse service signal forwarding units; the on-the-way TT&C forwarding module comprising parallel uplink on-the-way TT&C forwarding units and downlink on-the-way TT&C forwarding units; wherein the reverse service signal forwarding units and the downlink on-the-way TT&C forwarding units are combined through a multi-port network and share a fixed component; the forward service signal forwarding units and the uplink on-the-way TT&C forwarding units are combined through a combiner and share a signal processing component. The system designed by the present application integrates communication payload and satellite TT&C simultaneously, parallelizes the design of each unit in the system, and shares some components, thereby reducing the setting of redundant components on the basis of not reducing the signal transmission efficiency, so as to reduce the volume and weight of the system.
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Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of satellite communication, in particular to a satellite constellation satellite communication payload forwarding system and a forwarding method. BACKGROUND

[0002] Satellite communication payload is one of the most critical components of communication satellites, responsible for the core processing tasks of the entire satellite communication business. With the rapid growth of direct connection communication demand between mobile devices and communication satellites, the market demand for high-throughput communication satellites is also increasing.

[0003] In the satellite communication payload, the transponder is a key component, mainly divided into transparent transponder and regenerative transponder. The transparent transponder is widely used in satellite communication payload due to its simple logical structure, high reliability and low power consumption. It can efficiently receive and forward signals to meet large-scale communication needs. The regenerative transponder has more complex signal processing capability and can demodulate and modulate signals to improve signal quality and coverage.

[0004] At the same time, the satellite TT&C system is the most important communication system in the satellite control process, responsible for sending orbit control, attitude adjustment and other instructions from the ground station to the satellite. This system has very high requirements for reliability to ensure the stable operation of the satellite in orbit.

[0005] Currently, most satellite communication payloads and satellite TT&C systems are independent communication systems. Although this independence has flexibility in design, it also increases the volume and weight of the satellite, thereby increasing the launch cost. For satellite constellation satellites, this design architecture not only increases the difficulty of simultaneous launching of multiple satellites, but also increases the overall launch cost. SUMMARY

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a satellite constellation satellite communication payload forwarding system and a forwarding method that integrates communication payload and satellite TT&C with small volume and light weight to solve the above technical problems.

[0007] A satellite constellation satellite communication payload forwarding system, the system comprising: a business signal forwarding module and a TT&C forwarding module along with the road;

[0008] The business signal forwarding module comprises a parallel forward business signal forwarding unit and a reverse business signal forwarding unit; the TT&C forwarding module along with the road comprises a parallel uplink TT&C forwarding unit and a downlink TT&C forwarding unit; wherein the reverse business signal forwarding unit and the downlink TT&C forwarding unit are combined through a multi-port network and share a fixed component; the forward business signal forwarding unit and the uplink TT&C forwarding unit are combined through a combiner and share a signal processing component.

[0009] A star chain satellite communication payload forwarding method, the method comprises:

[0010] Step 201, a star chain satellite communication payload forwarding system is designed, comprising a service signal forwarding module and a road test control forwarding module; wherein the service signal forwarding module comprises a parallel forward service signal forwarding unit and a reverse service signal forwarding unit; the road test control forwarding module comprises a parallel uplink road test control forwarding unit and a downlink road test control forwarding unit;

[0011] Step 202, when forward service signal forwarding is needed, each transceiver antenna sends the received QV band multi-beam service signal to the forward service signal forwarding unit for combining and Ku band frequency conversion processing to obtain Ku band multi-beam service signal; the Ku band multi-beam service signal is separated by multi-beam, and the separated Ku band multi-beam service signal is forwarded to the ground user terminal;

[0012] Step 203, when uplink road test control signal forwarding is needed, each transceiver antenna sends the received QV band single-beam road test control signal to the uplink road test control forwarding unit for combining and Ku band frequency conversion processing to obtain Ku band single-beam road test control signal; the Ku band single-beam road test control signal is frequency converted again to obtain S band single-beam road test control signal; then the S band single-beam road test control signal is sent to the satellite system;

[0013] Step 204, when reverse service signal forwarding is needed, the Ku band multi-beam service signal is sent to the reverse service signal forwarding unit for QV band frequency conversion processing, combining, power division amplification processing, and then sent to the corresponding ground gateway station through each transceiver antenna;

[0014] Step 205, when downlink road test control signal forwarding is needed, the S band single-beam road test control signal is sent to the downlink road test control forwarding unit for QV band frequency conversion processing, combining, power division amplification processing, and then sent to the corresponding ground gateway station through each transceiver antenna.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the star chain satellite communication payload forwarding system and forwarding method provided by the application have the following effects:

[0016] 1. The system of the application can simultaneously forward communication payload service signals and road test control signals, improve the functional integration of the communication payload forwarding system, expand the application of the communication payload forwarder system, and the modular design has the advantages of clear function division, easy independent optimization and upgrading. When designing, parallelizing each unit can improve the processing capacity and response speed of the system and improve the overall communication efficiency.

[0017] 2. The reverse service signal forwarding unit and the downlink accompanying measurement and control forwarding unit are combined through a multi-port network and share the fixed amplifier component; the forward service signal forwarding unit and the uplink accompanying measurement and control forwarding unit are combined through a combiner and share the signal processing component. This simplifies the signal processing path, reduces system complexity, and reduces the setting of redundant components without reducing signal transmission efficiency, thereby reducing the size and weight of the system and lowering costs.

[0018] 3. By using the service signal forwarding module, the communication payload service signals are forwarded simultaneously using multiple beams, which improves the service capacity of the communication payload; by using the on-line measurement and control forwarding module to forward the on-line measurement and control signals, it can form a backup with the conventional measurement and control system, which improves the reliability of the entire communication payload.

[0019] 4. It can support multiple frequency bands and work effectively in highly dynamic and complex satellite communication environments, demonstrating good adaptability. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system framework in one embodiment;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the specific structure of the Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system in one embodiment.

[0023] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in this invention are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0026] It is understood that the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0027] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Example 1

[0029] This embodiment discloses a Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system that supports multiple frequency bands and can operate effectively in highly dynamic and complex satellite communication environments, exhibiting good adaptability. By simultaneously forwarding both the communication payload service signals and accompanying telemetry and control signals, it improves the functional integration of the communication payload forwarding system. Furthermore, its modular design offers advantages such as clear functional division, facilitating independent optimization and upgrades. Additionally, the parallel design of each unit enhances the system's processing power and response speed, thereby improving overall communication efficiency.

[0030] During the design process, the reverse service signal forwarding unit and the downlink accompanying measurement and control forwarding unit are combined through a multi-port network and share a fixed amplifier component; the forward service signal forwarding unit and the uplink accompanying measurement and control forwarding unit are combined through a combiner and share a signal processing component. This simplifies the signal processing path, reduces system complexity, and minimizes redundant components without reducing signal transmission efficiency, thereby reducing system size, weight, and cost.

[0031] In addition, by forwarding the on-path telemetry and control signals through the on-path telemetry and control forwarding module, a backup can be formed with the conventional telemetry and control system, thereby improving the reliability of the entire communication payload.

[0032] like Figure 1As shown, a schematic diagram of a Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system framework is provided. This system mainly includes: a service signal forwarding module and an accompanying telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) forwarding module; the service signal forwarding module includes a parallel forwarding service signal forwarding unit and a reverse service signal forwarding unit; the accompanying TT&C forwarding module includes a parallel uplink accompanying TT&C forwarding unit and a downlink accompanying TT&C forwarding unit; wherein, the reverse service signal forwarding unit and the downlink accompanying TT&C forwarding unit are combined through a multi-port network and share a fixed amplifier component; the forward service signal forwarding unit and the uplink accompanying TT&C forwarding unit are combined through a combiner and share a signal processing component.

[0033] It is understood that the units in this invention employ a transparent forwarding mode for data transmission. This makes the data packet forwarding process transparent to the user, requiring no additional configuration or changes. Furthermore, it allows for flexible adjustment of the network topology or the addition of new network devices. Additionally, the transparent forwarding mode enables traffic monitoring and filtering without altering existing traffic patterns, improving signal transmission security. Specifically, both the forward and reverse service signal forwarding units utilize multi-beam transparent forwarding, while the uplink-as-a-path telemetry and control forwarding unit and the downlink-as-a-path telemetry and control forwarding unit employ single-beam transparent forwarding.

[0034] Specifically, the forward service signal forwarding unit includes a combiner, a signal processing component, and a forward filter connected in sequence. Each transceiver antenna transmits the received QV-band multi-beam service signals to the combiner; the combiner performs combining processing on each QV-band multi-beam service signal and then sends it to the signal processing component for processing to obtain the Ku-band multi-beam service signal; the Ku-band multi-beam service signal is then separated into multiple beams by the forward filter and forwarded to the ground user terminal.

[0035] The uplink telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) relay unit comprises a combiner, a signal processing component, and an uplink frequency converter connected in sequence. Each transceiver antenna transmits the received QV-band single-beam TT&C signals to the combiner. The combiner performs combined processing on each QV-band single-beam TT&C signal and then sends it to the signal processing component for processing to obtain a Ku-band single-beam TT&C signal. The Ku-band single-beam TT&C signal is then converted by the uplink frequency converter to obtain an S-band single-beam TT&C signal, which is then transmitted to the satellite navigation system.

[0036] The reverse service signal forwarding unit includes a reverse processing component, a multi-port network, and a fixed amplifier component connected in sequence. The reverse processing component receives the Ku-band multi-beam service signal and processes it to obtain the QV-band multi-beam service signal. Then, the reverse processing component transmits the QV-band multi-beam service signal to the multi-port network, where it is combined with the signal transmitted by the downlink telemetry and control forwarding unit to obtain the combined QV-band multi-beam service signal. The combined QV-band multi-beam service signal is then power-divided to the fixed amplifier component for amplification and transmission before being transmitted to the corresponding ground gateway station through each transceiver antenna.

[0037] The downlink-as-a-band telemetry and control (TMC) relay unit includes a downlink frequency converter, a multi-port network, and a fixed amplifier assembly connected in sequence. The downlink frequency converter receives the S-band single-beam TMC signal and processes it to obtain a QV-band single-beam TMC signal. The QV-band single-beam TMC signal is then transmitted to the multi-port network and combined with the signal transmitted by the reverse service signal relay unit to obtain the combined QV-band single-beam TMC signal. The combined QV-band single-beam TMC signal is then amplified by the fixed amplifier assembly and transmitted to the corresponding ground gateway station through each transceiver antenna.

[0038] The signal processing components include a frequency converter and a power divider. The frequency converter receives the signal from the combiner and performs frequency conversion processing. The frequency-converted signal is then sent to the power divider for power division processing, and finally to the forward filter or uplink frequency converter for further processing. The reverse processing components include an inverse filter and an inverse frequency converter. The inverse filter receives the signal from the Ku-band phased array and performs filtering processing. The filtered signal is then sent to the inverse frequency converter for frequency conversion processing. The solid-state amplifier components include two solid-state power amplifiers, the number corresponding to the number of transceiver antennas. Each solid-state power amplifier amplifies the combined signal.

[0039] In addition, a low-noise amplifier is installed before the combiner; the low-noise amplifier filters the signals received by each transceiver antenna before sending them to the combiner for combining. The low-noise amplifier includes two or more low-noise amplifiers, the specific number corresponding to the number of transceiver antennas, and each low-noise amplifier filters the signals received by each antenna.

[0040] It is worth noting that the number of ports in a multi-port network is set according to actual needs. In this embodiment, a four-port network is used for signal combining.

[0041] Combination Figure 2As shown, this embodiment has two transceiver antennas, so the low-noise amplifier and solid-state power amplifier are set to two accordingly. The Ku-band phased array includes a Ku-band receiving phased array and a Ku-band transmitting phased array.

[0042] In the forward signal relay unit, the input of the first low-noise amplifier is connected to the output of the first transceiver antenna, and the input of the second low-noise amplifier is connected to the output of the second transceiver antenna, for filtering the signals received by the transceiver antennas respectively. The outputs of the first and second low-noise amplifiers are connected to the input of a combiner, the output of the combiner is connected to the input of a frequency converter, the output of the frequency converter is connected to the input of a power divider, and the output of the power divider is connected to the input of the forward filter.

[0043] In the uplink on-line telemetry and control relay unit, the input of the first low-noise amplifier is connected to the output of the first transceiver antenna, and the input of the second low-noise amplifier is connected to the output of the second transceiver antenna, used to perform noise filtering on the signals received by the transceiver antennas respectively. The outputs of the first and second low-noise amplifiers are connected to the input of a combiner, the output of the combiner is connected to the input of a frequency converter, the output of the frequency converter is connected to the input of a power divider, and the output of the power divider is connected to the input of the uplink frequency converter.

[0044] In the reverse service signal forwarding unit, the output of the reverse filter is connected to the input of the reverse inverter, the output of the reverse inverter is connected to the input of the multi-port network, and the output of the multi-port network is connected to the inputs of the first solid-state power amplifier and the second solid-state power amplifier, respectively.

[0045] In the downlink on-line measurement and control relay unit, the output terminal of the downlink frequency converter is connected to the input terminal of the multi-port network, and the output terminal of the multi-port network is connected to the input terminals of the first solid-state power amplifier and the second solid-state power amplifier, respectively.

[0046] During operation, when forward service signals need to be forwarded, transparent forwarding of the forward service signals is performed through the forward service signal forwarding unit. Specifically, the first and second transceiver antennas receive QV-band multi-beam service signals transmitted from the ground gateway station, and respectively send the received QV-band multi-beam service signals to the first and second low-noise amplifiers. The first and second low-noise amplifiers perform noise filtering on the received QV-band multi-beam service signals, and then send them to the combiner for combining. The combined QV-band multi-beam service signals are then processed by the frequency converter for Ku-band frequency conversion to obtain Ku-band multi-beam service signals. The Ku-band multi-beam service signals are then processed by the power divider and transmitted to the forward filter for multi-beam separation, and finally forwarded to the ground user terminal through the Ku-band phased array transmitter.

[0047] When uplink telemetry and control (TT&C) signals need to be forwarded, transparent forwarding of the uplink TT&C signals is performed through the uplink TT&C forwarding unit. Specifically, the first and second transceiver antennas receive QV-band single-beam TT&C signals transmitted from the ground gateway station, and respectively send the received QV-band single-beam TT&C signals to the first and second low-noise amplifiers. The first and second low-noise amplifiers perform noise filtering on the received QV-band single-beam TT&C signals, and then send them to the combiner for combining. The combined QV-band single-beam TT&C signals are then converted to Ku-band frequency by a frequency converter to obtain Ku-band single-beam TT&C signals. The Ku-band single-beam on-path telemetry and control signal is processed by a power divider and then transmitted to the uplink frequency converter. The uplink frequency converter performs S-band frequency conversion processing on the Ku-band single-beam on-path telemetry and control signal to obtain the S-band single-beam on-path telemetry and control signal, and then outputs the S-band single-beam on-path telemetry and control signal to the satellite service system.

[0048] When reverse service signal forwarding is required, transparent forwarding of the reverse service signal is performed through the reverse service signal forwarding unit. Specifically, the Ku-band receiving phased array receives the Ku-band multi-beam service signal transmitted from the ground user terminal, and then sends the Ku-band multi-beam service signal to the reverse filter for filtering. The filtered Ku-band multi-beam service signal is then subjected to QV-band frequency conversion processing by the reverse frequency converter to obtain the QV-band multi-beam service signal. The reverse frequency converter then sends the QV-band multi-beam service signal to the multi-port network, where it is combined with the signal transmitted by the downlink accompanying telemetry and control forwarding unit to obtain the combined QV-band multi-beam service signal. The combined QV-band multi-beam service signal is then power-divided and distributed to the first solid-state power amplifier and the second solid-state power amplifier. The first and second solid-state power amplifiers amplify the distributed signal and send it to the first and second transceiver antennas respectively; finally, the multi-beam signal is forwarded to the corresponding ground gateway station through the first and second transceiver antennas.

[0049] When downlink-associated telemetry and control (TT&C) signals need to be forwarded, transparent forwarding of the downlink-associated TT&C signals is performed through the downlink-associated TT&C forwarding unit. Specifically, the satellite system sends the S-band single-beam TT&C signal to the downlink inverter, which performs QV-band frequency conversion processing on the S-band single-beam TT&C signal to obtain the QV-band single-beam TT&C signal. Then, the downlink inverter sends the QV-band single-beam TT&C signal to the multi-port network, where it is combined with the signal transmitted by the reverse service signal forwarding unit to obtain the combined QV-band single-beam TT&C signal. The combined QV-band single-beam TT&C signal is then power-divided and distributed to the first solid-state power amplifier and the second solid-state power amplifier. The first and second solid-state power amplifiers amplify the distributed signals and send them to the first and second transceiver antennas, respectively. Finally, the single-beam TT&C signal is forwarded to the corresponding ground gateway station through the first and second transceiver antennas.

[0050] It can be seen that the forward service signal forwarding unit and the uplink accompanying telemetry and control forwarding unit share low-noise amplifier components, combiners, frequency converters, and power dividers; the reverse service signal forwarding unit and the downlink accompanying telemetry and control forwarding unit share multi-port networks and fixed amplifier components. By simultaneously forwarding communication payload service signals and accompanying telemetry and control signals, the signal processing path is simplified, system complexity is reduced, and redundant components are minimized, thus achieving the goals of reducing system size and weight, and lowering costs.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] Based on the Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system in Embodiment 1, this embodiment discloses a Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding method, which includes the following steps:

[0053] Step 201: Design a Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system, including a service signal forwarding module and an in-line telemetry and control forwarding module; wherein, the service signal forwarding module includes a parallel forward service signal forwarding unit and a reverse service signal forwarding unit; the in-line telemetry and control forwarding module includes a parallel uplink in-line telemetry and control forwarding unit and a downlink in-line telemetry and control forwarding unit.

[0054] Step 202: When forward service signal forwarding is required, each transceiver antenna sends the received QV-band multi-beam service signal to the forward service signal forwarding unit for combining and Ku-band frequency conversion processing to obtain the Ku-band multi-beam service signal; the Ku-band multi-beam service signal is then split into multiple beams, and the split Ku-band multi-beam service signal is forwarded to the ground user terminal through the Ku-band transmit phased array.

[0055] Step 203: When uplink telemetry and control signal forwarding is required, each transceiver antenna sends the received QV-band single-beam telemetry and control signal to the uplink telemetry and control forwarding unit for combining and Ku-band frequency conversion processing to obtain a Ku-band single-beam telemetry and control signal; the Ku-band single-beam telemetry and control signal is then frequency-converted again to obtain an S-band single-beam telemetry and control signal; and then the S-band single-beam telemetry and control signal is sent to the satellite service system.

[0056] Step 204: When reverse service signal forwarding is required, the Ku-band receiving phased array sends the received Ku-band multi-beam service signal to the reverse service signal forwarding unit for QV-band frequency conversion, combining, and power division amplification processing, and then transmits it to the corresponding ground gateway station through each transceiver antenna.

[0057] Step 205: When it is necessary to forward downlink telemetry and control signals, the satellite system sends the S-band single-beam telemetry and control signal to the downlink telemetry and control forwarding unit for QV-band frequency conversion, combining, and power-dividing amplification. Then, it is sent to the corresponding ground gateway station through each transceiver antenna.

[0058] In one embodiment, the service signal forwarding module and the accompanying measurement and control forwarding module perform transparent signal forwarding through a combination of frequency division multiple access, code division multiple access, and time division multiple access.

[0059] It is understandable that Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) can fully utilize the frequency bands applied for by Starlink satellites, thereby enabling the relay system to support multi-band, high-bandwidth communication services. For example, when the forward service signal relay unit is operating, FDMA allows the forward service signal relay unit and the uplink accompanying telemetry and control (TT&C) relay unit to operate simultaneously, and the uplink accompanying TT&C relay unit can also perform real-time switching between different frequency relays. When the reverse service signal relay unit is operating, FDMA allows the reverse service signal relay unit and the downlink accompanying TT&C relay unit to operate simultaneously, and the downlink accompanying TT&C relay unit can also perform real-time switching between different frequency relays.

[0060] Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) allows transponders to support the forwarding of signals with multiple modulation schemes within the same frequency band, including various higher-order modulation schemes such as 8PSK, 16QAM, 16APSK, and 32APSK. This broadens the applicability and versatility of the forwarding system. For example, in the forward traffic signal forwarding unit, CDMA enables simultaneous forwarding of multi-beam, multi-modulation signals, while the uplink accompanying telemetry and control forwarding unit utilizes CDMA to achieve anti-interference capabilities for signals at the same frequency. Similarly, in the reverse traffic signal forwarding unit, CDMA allows simultaneous forwarding of multi-beam, multi-modulation signals, while the downlink accompanying telemetry and control forwarding unit also utilizes CDMA to achieve anti-interference capabilities for signals at the same frequency.

[0061] Time-division multiple access (TDMA) allows transponders to switch between multi-beam service signals and single-beam telemetry and control (TM / C) signals in real time. This enables the transponder system to flexibly control the usage time of various signals and adapt to complex communication needs. For example, in the forward service signal transponder unit, TDMA allows switching between single-beam and multi-beam signal transponder modes, and the forward service signal transponder unit and the uplink accompanying TM / C transponder unit can switch on and off in real time. Similarly, in the reverse service signal transponder unit, TDMA allows switching between single-beam and multi-beam signal transponder modes, and the reverse service signal transponder unit and the downlink accompanying TM / C transponder unit can switch on and off in real time.

[0062] It can be seen that by combining frequency division multiple access, time division multiple access, and code division multiple access, the forward service signal forwarding unit and the reverse service signal forwarding unit can have working modes that allow for arbitrary switching between single beam, multiple beam, and multiple modulation methods for service signals; it can also enable the uplink accompanying telemetry and control forwarding unit and the downlink accompanying telemetry and control forwarding unit to have working modes that allow for on / off switching, switching between different frequencies, and anti-interference capabilities.

[0063] This multiple access approach effectively utilizes spectrum resources, reduces signal interference, and increases the service capacity of communication payloads. It also allows for flexible combinations based on signal type and transmission requirements, adapting to different communication scenarios and demands, thus broadening its application scope. Furthermore, the combination of multiple access technologies helps achieve balance among different signals, improving system integration and stability, and optimizing overall network performance and user experience.

[0064] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0065] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A Starlink satellite communication payload relay system, characterized in that, The system includes: a service signal forwarding module and an in-line measurement and control forwarding module; The service signal forwarding module includes a parallel forward service signal forwarding unit and a reverse service signal forwarding unit; the accompanying measurement and control forwarding module includes a parallel uplink accompanying measurement and control forwarding unit and a downlink accompanying measurement and control forwarding unit; wherein, the reverse service signal forwarding unit and the downlink accompanying measurement and control forwarding unit are combined through a multi-port network and share a fixed amplifier component; the forward service signal forwarding unit and the uplink accompanying measurement and control forwarding unit are combined through a combiner and share a signal processing component; The forward service signal forwarding unit receives QV-band multi-beam service signals and converts them to Ku-band multi-beam service signals; the uplink accompanying telemetry and control forwarding unit receives QV-band single-beam signals and converts them to Ku-band single-beam accompanying telemetry and control signals, and further converts them to S-band single-beam accompanying telemetry and control signals; the reverse service signal forwarding unit receives Ku-band multi-beam service signals and converts them to QV-band multi-beam service signals; the downlink accompanying telemetry and control forwarding unit receives S-band single-beam accompanying telemetry and control signals and converts them to QV-band single-beam accompanying telemetry and control signals.

2. The Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The forward service signal forwarding unit also includes a forward filter; Each transceiver antenna transmits the received QV-band multi-beam service signal to the combiner; The combiner performs combination processing on each QV band multi-beam service signal and then sends it to the signal processing component for processing to obtain the Ku band multi-beam service signal. The Ku-band multi-beam service signal is forwarded to the ground user terminal after being separated into multiple beams by the forward filter.

3. The Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The uplink on-line measurement and control relay unit also includes an uplink frequency converter; Each transceiver antenna transmits the received QV-band single-beam trail measurement and control signal to the combiner. The combiner performs combination processing on each QV band single-beam trailing control signal and sends it to the signal processing component for processing to obtain the Ku band single-beam trailing control signal. The Ku-band single-beam trailing telemetry and control signal is processed by the uplink frequency converter to obtain the S-band single-beam trailing telemetry and control signal, and then the S-band single-beam trailing telemetry and control signal is sent to the satellite service system.

4. The Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reverse service signal forwarding unit also includes a reverse processing component; The reverse processing component receives the Ku-band multi-beam service signal and processes the Ku-band multi-beam service signal to obtain the QV-band multi-beam service signal. The reverse processing component will transmit the QV-band multi-beam service signal to the multi-port network and combine it with the signal transmitted by the downlink telemetry and control relay unit to obtain the combined QV-band multi-beam service signal. The combined QV-band multi-beam service signal is power-divided to the fixed amplifier component for amplification and then transmitted to the corresponding ground gateway station through each transceiver antenna.

5. The Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The downlink on-line measurement and control relay unit also includes a downlink frequency converter; The downlink inverter receives the S-band single-beam trailing control signal and processes the S-band single-beam trailing control signal to obtain the QV-band single-beam trailing control signal. The QV-band single-beam trailing control signal is transmitted to a multi-port network and combined with the signal transmitted by the reverse service signal forwarding unit to obtain the combined QV-band single-beam trailing control signal. The combined QV-band single-beam trailing telemetry and control signal is power-divided to the fixed amplifier assembly for amplification and then transmitted to the corresponding ground gateway station through each transceiver antenna.

6. The Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The signal processing components include a frequency converter and a power divider; After the frequency converter performs frequency conversion processing on the received signal, it sends the frequency-converted signal to the power divider for power division processing.

7. The Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The reverse processing component includes a reverse filter and a reverse frequency converter; The reverse filter filters the received signal and then sends the filtered signal to the reverse inverter for frequency conversion.

8. The Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, A low-noise amplifier is also provided before the combiner; The low-noise amplifier performs noise filtering on the signals received by each transceiver antenna and then sends them to the combiner for combining.

9. A method for forwarding Starlink satellite communication payloads, characterized in that, The method includes: Step 201: Design a Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding system, including a service signal forwarding module and an in-line telemetry and control forwarding module; wherein, the service signal forwarding module includes a parallel forward service signal forwarding unit and a reverse service signal forwarding unit; the in-line telemetry and control forwarding module includes a parallel uplink in-line telemetry and control forwarding unit and a downlink in-line telemetry and control forwarding unit; Step 202: When forwarding of the service signal is required, each transceiver antenna sends the received QV-band multi-beam service signal to the forwarding service signal forwarding unit for combining and Ku-band frequency conversion processing to obtain the Ku-band multi-beam service signal; the Ku-band multi-beam service signal is then split into multiple beams and forwarded to the ground user terminal. Step 203: When uplink telemetry and control signal forwarding is required, each transceiver antenna sends the received QV-band single-beam telemetry and control signal to the uplink telemetry and control forwarding unit for combining and Ku-band frequency conversion processing to obtain a Ku-band single-beam telemetry and control signal; the Ku-band single-beam telemetry and control signal is then frequency-converted again to obtain an S-band single-beam telemetry and control signal; and then the S-band single-beam telemetry and control signal is sent to the satellite service system. Step 204: When reverse service signal forwarding is required, the Ku-band multi-beam service signal is sent to the reverse service signal forwarding unit for QV-band frequency conversion, combining, and power division amplification, and then transmitted to the corresponding ground gateway station through each transceiver antenna. Step 205: When it is necessary to forward downlink telemetry and control signals, the S-band single-beam telemetry and control signal is sent to the downlink telemetry and control forwarding unit for QV-band frequency conversion, combining, and power division amplification. Then, it is sent to the corresponding ground gateway station through each transceiver antenna.

10. The Starlink satellite communication payload forwarding method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The service signal forwarding module and the accompanying measurement and control forwarding module perform transparent signal forwarding through a combination of frequency division multiple access, code division multiple access, and time division multiple access.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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    CN116346193A