Satellite communication terminal shared by high-throughput satellite and low-orbit constellation

Abstract

The invention discloses a satellite communication terminal shared by a high-throughput satellite and a low-orbit constellation. The satellite communication terminal comprises a radio frequency cabin and a baseband cabin which are rotationally connected with each other, an active phased array transceiving antenna surface, a frequency converter, a power divider and a combiner are integrated in the radio frequency cabin; a high-throughput baseband, a low-orbit baseband, a carrier signal receiver, an upper computer, an inertial navigation unit and a Beidou antenna module are integrated in the baseband cabin; according to the invention, the base band of the high-throughput satellite and the base band of the low-orbit constellation are integrated and designed in the same terminal, the advantages of the two satellites are brought into full play, the coverage is wide, the delay is low, the burden of front business personnel is reduced, and network-free obstacles are eliminated; the problem that the use rate of a high-throughput satellite communication terminal is high is solved, and the communication cost is reduced by one order of magnitude in an area covered by a low-orbit satellite. The problems that low-orbit constellation networking construction is lagged and all areas cannot be covered are solved, and in the area without low-orbit constellation coverage, a user can be temporarily switched to a high-throughput satellite to keep in the network all the time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a satellite communication terminal, and in particular to a satellite communication terminal shared by a high-throughput satellite and a low-orbit constellation. Background Art

[0002] There are already high-throughput satellite communication terminals on the market, and satellite communication terminals for low-orbit constellations have also been launched.

[0003] China has made significant progress in high-throughput satellite technology and has become an important player in the global high-throughput satellite communications field, mainly in the following aspects:

[0004] 1) my country already has the ability to independently develop high-throughput satellites, including satellite platforms, payloads, and ground systems. ChinaSat-16, launched in 2017, is China's first high-throughput satellite. It uses the Ka band and provides a total capacity of up to 20Gbps. Asia-Pacific 6D, launched in 2019, uses the Ku band and provides a total capacity of 50Gbps. ChinaSat-26, launched in 2023, uses the Ka band and provides a total capacity of 100Gbps; 2) China has applied multi-beam antenna technology on high-throughput satellites, which can provide multiple narrow beams to cover specific areas, thereby improving spectrum efficiency and service quality; 3) Through frequency reuse technology, high-throughput satellites can reuse the same frequency resources in different beams, greatly increasing the total available bandwidth; 4) Use advanced modulation and demodulation technologies such as QPSK, 8PSK, 16APSK, etc. to achieve higher data rates and better link performance. Some terminals also support adaptive coding and modulation (ACM), which dynamically adjusts the coding rate and modulation mode according to channel conditions.

[0005] Existing high-throughput satellite terminals have the following disadvantages:

[0006] High latency: High-throughput satellites are usually located in geosynchronous orbits and use multi-beam coverage. Satellite signals need to perform multi-hop communications between satellite terminals, satellites, and gateways, which means that signals need to be transmitted back and forth between satellite terminals, satellites, and gateways, resulting in a communication delay of about 240 milliseconds to 600 milliseconds. This delay is not a good experience for real-time applications such as voice calls and video conferencing.

[0007] Bandwidth limitation: High-throughput satellite communication capacity is limited. Currently, there are only three high-throughput satellites in operation in China, namely ChinaSat 16, ChinaSat 26 and Asia-Pacific 6D, with a total capacity of 170G. When there are a large number of users or a peak in data demand, insufficient bandwidth will occur, leading to network congestion and affecting user experience.

[0008] High cost: High-throughput satellites are expensive to manufacture, launch, and maintain. The antennas and modems used in satellite terminals are also usually more expensive, resulting in higher purchase and use costs.

[0009] In terms of low-orbit satellites, many commercial companies such as SpaceX, OneWeb and Telesat have already started to build their own network constellations. In particular, since May 2019, SpaceX in the United States has frequently carried out intensive deployment in batches with 60 satellites per rocket, and is currently providing satellite Internet services to more than 4 million users in nearly 100 countries. Domestic low-orbit satellite communications are in the stage of technological catch-up. On August 6 and October 15, 2024, the first and second batches of networking satellites of my country's large low-orbit satellite Internet constellation "Qianfan Constellation" were successfully launched with 18 satellites per rocket, respectively. The goal is to launch 108 satellites in 2024, complete the launch of the first phase of 648 satellites by the end of 2025, and complete the full coverage of China and neighboring countries, and finally complete the networking of 15,000 satellites by the end of 2030.

[0010] Although the satellite communication terminals currently used by low-orbit constellations have lower latency and significantly improved total communication capacity compared to high-throughput satellites, and their terminal costs have also been greatly reduced, they still have some shortcomings: satellite launches are still in the early stages and networking has not yet been completed. Even if networking is successful, due to the limited coverage of the gateway stations, satellite communication terminals in low-orbit constellations can only be used in certain areas in the next few years. Summary of the invention

[0011] In order to solve the deficiencies of the above-mentioned technologies, the present invention provides a satellite communication terminal shared by high-throughput satellites and low-orbit constellations.

[0012] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a satellite communication terminal shared by a high-throughput satellite and a low-orbit constellation, comprising a radio frequency cabin and a baseband cabin that are rotatably connected to each other;

[0013] The RF cabin integrates active phased array transceiver antennas, frequency converters, power dividers, and combiners;

[0014] The baseband cabin integrates high-throughput baseband, low-orbit baseband, carrier signal receiver, host computer, inertial navigation unit and Beidou antenna module.

[0015] Furthermore, a power switch, a working status light, a voice prompt area, a power socket, and a network port are provided on the shell of the baseband module.

[0016] Furthermore, the active phased array transceiver antenna surface is in the shape of a circuit board, the front side of the active phased array transceiver antenna surface is a radiation unit, and a number of transceiver chips are welded on the back side of the active phased array transceiver antenna surface. The active phased array transceiver antenna surface also integrates a power division network, a control circuit, and a power supply circuit; the active phased array transceiver antenna surface quickly scans satellite signals by controlling the electronic beam to determine whether the low-orbit constellation is covered and selects the type of satellite to be accessed, and the active phased array transceiver antenna surface is implemented in a manner of receiving / transmitting high-frequency satellite signals with the satellite.

[0017] Furthermore, the active phased array transceiver antenna surface is connected to the frequency converter through a radio frequency line, and an uplink frequency conversion module and a downlink frequency conversion module are integrated inside the frequency converter; the frequency converter is configured in a manner of converting the high-frequency satellite signal received by the active phased array transceiver antenna surface into an intermediate frequency signal through the downlink frequency conversion module, and the frequency converter is configured in a manner of converting the intermediate frequency signal sent by the high-throughput baseband and the low-orbit baseband into a high-frequency satellite signal through the uplink frequency conversion module.

[0018] Furthermore, the power divider is connected to the high-throughput baseband, low-orbit baseband, and carrier signal receiver respectively through radio frequency lines, and the power divider transmits the intermediate frequency signal converted by the frequency converter to the high-throughput baseband, low-orbit baseband, and carrier signal receiver respectively.

[0019] Furthermore, the combiner is connected to the high-throughput baseband and the low-orbit baseband respectively through radio frequency lines, and the combiner sends the intermediate frequency signals of the high-throughput baseband and the low-orbit baseband to the frequency converter.

[0020] Furthermore, the high-throughput baseband is connected to both the host computer and the user through a switch in a communication and data exchange manner;

[0021] The low-orbit baseband is also connected to both the host computer and the user through a switch in the form of communication and data exchange;

[0022] The high-throughput baseband and low-orbit baseband are also responsible for modulating the user's data into intermediate frequency signals and sending the signals to the frequency converter through a combiner.

[0023] Furthermore, the carrier signal receiver sends the captured digital-to-analog converted carrier signal data transmitted by the satellite to the host computer through the serial port.

[0024] Furthermore, the host computer is also connected to the inertial navigation unit, Beidou antenna module, voice module and switch respectively.

[0025] Furthermore, the inertial navigation unit sends the angle and level data of the satellite communication terminal to the host computer;

[0026] The Beidou antenna module sends the received location data to the host computer through the radio frequency line;

[0027] The voice module broadcasts the host computer's instructions in voice form to remind users to operate.

[0028] A satellite communication terminal shared by a high-throughput satellite and a low-orbit constellation integrates the baseband of the high-throughput satellite and the baseband of the low-orbit constellation in the same terminal, giving full play to the advantages of the two satellites, namely, the high-throughput satellite has wide coverage, and the low-orbit constellation is low-cost and low-latency, which reduces the burden on front-line business personnel and removes the obstacle of no network; it solves the problem of high usage fees of high-throughput satellite communication terminals. In areas covered by low-orbit satellites, the communication cost is reduced by an order of magnitude; it solves the problem of lagging low-orbit constellation networking construction and failing to cover all areas. In areas not covered by low-orbit constellations, users can temporarily switch to high-throughput satellites to keep online at all times. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the working principle of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 3 It is a module schematic diagram of the active phased array transceiver antenna surface of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the workflow of the present invention.

[0033] In the picture: 1. RF compartment; 2. Baseband compartment; 3. Power switch; 4. Working status light; 5. Voice prompt area; 6. Power socket; 7. Network port. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0035] Explanation of terms in this application

[0036] Synchronous orbit satellite: a satellite in geostationary orbit, located at an altitude of about 35,786 kilometers above the Earth's equator. Its operating period is the same as the Earth's rotation period, that is, 24 hours. From the ground, these satellites are like being fixed in a certain position in the sky and are suitable for communications, meteorological observation and remote sensing tasks in actual use.

[0037] Low-orbit constellation: A low-orbit constellation refers to a satellite network consisting of hundreds to tens of thousands of tiny satellites that operate in low-Earth orbits between 300 kilometers and 2,000 kilometers above the Earth's surface. Compared with traditional geosynchronous orbit satellites, low-orbit constellations have the advantages of lower signal latency, higher bandwidth and wider coverage.

[0038] High-throughput satellite: A communications satellite that uses technologies such as multi-spot beams, frequency reuse, and high beam gain to provide data transmission capabilities several or even dozens of times higher than traditional communications satellites. These satellites use advanced technologies to improve spectrum efficiency, thereby supporting higher-speed data services, including Internet access, video streaming, and enterprise network connections.

[0039] Satellite communication terminal: a device used to establish a connection with a satellite and transmit data, acting as an interface between ground users and satellites, allowing users to send and receive information through satellite networks; satellite communication terminals are widely used in various scenarios, such as broadband Internet access, maritime communications, aviation communications, emergency communications, and military applications.

[0040] like Figure 1-4 As shown in common, by utilizing the rapid scanning capability of the electronic beam of the active phased array transceiver antenna surface, the baseband of the high-throughput satellite and the baseband of the low-orbit constellation are integrated and designed in the same terminal, i.e., the satellite communication terminal shared by the high-throughput satellite and the low-orbit constellation disclosed in this embodiment. The software algorithm of the active phased array transceiver antenna surface is further utilized to control the electronic beam to rapidly scan the satellite signal, determine whether the low-orbit constellation is covered, and select the type of satellite to be accessed. Therefore, this embodiment can give full play to the advantages of the two types of satellites, i.e., the wide coverage of the high-throughput satellite and the low-orbit constellation's low cost and low latency.

[0041] The satellites used in this embodiment are the Asia-Pacific 6D high-throughput satellite and the Qianfan constellation low-orbit satellite, and the user segments of the above two types of satellites are both Ku-band signals.

[0042] In hardware, such as Figure 1 As shown, it includes a radio frequency cabin 1 and a baseband cabin 2 which are rotatably connected to each other, that is, the radio frequency cabin 1 and the baseband cabin 2 can be opened and closed with each other; the radio frequency cabin 1 integrates an active phased array transceiver antenna surface, a frequency converter, a power divider, and a combiner; the baseband cabin 2 integrates a high-throughput baseband, a low-orbit baseband, a carrier signal receiver, a host computer, an inertial navigation unit and a Beidou antenna module, wherein a power switch 3, a working status light 4, a voice prompt area 5, a power socket 6, and a network port 7 are provided on the shell of the baseband cabin 2.

[0043] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows Figure 2 As shown, specifically:

[0044] The active phased array transceiver antenna surface is connected to the frequency converter through a radio frequency line. The frequency converter is responsible for converting the high-frequency satellite signals received by the antenna surface into intermediate frequency signals. It is also responsible for converting the intermediate frequency signals sent by the high-throughput baseband and low-orbit baseband into high-frequency satellite signals, which are then transmitted to the satellite by the active phased array transceiver antenna surface.

[0045] The power divider is connected to the high-throughput baseband, low-orbit baseband, and carrier signal receiver respectively through radio frequency lines. The power divider transmits the intermediate frequency signal converted by the frequency converter to the high-throughput baseband, low-orbit baseband, and carrier signal receiver respectively. It can be understood that the power divider divides one intermediate frequency signal into multiple outputs.

[0046] The combiner is connected to the high-throughput baseband and the low-orbit baseband through RF lines respectively. The combiner is responsible for sending the intermediate frequency signals of the high-throughput baseband and the low-orbit baseband to the frequency converter, and then converting the intermediate frequency signals into high-frequency satellite signals through the frequency converter. It can be understood that the combiner combines the two intermediate frequency signals into one output.

[0047] The high-throughput baseband is connected to the host computer and the user through a switch by means of communication and data exchange; the low-orbit baseband is also connected to the host computer and the user through a switch by means of communication and data exchange; the high-throughput baseband and the low-orbit baseband are also responsible for modulating the user's data into an intermediate frequency signal and sending the signal to the frequency converter through a combiner respectively.

[0048] The carrier signal receiver sends the captured digital-to-analog converted carrier signal data transmitted by the satellite to the host computer through the serial port, and then the host computer tracks the satellite according to the received signal strength.

[0049] The host computer is used to obtain sensor data, interact with users, obtain instructions, communicate with the baseband, obtain satellite data, issue beam control instructions, track and lock satellites, and report working status to users.

[0050] The inertial navigation unit is connected to the host computer through the serial port and is responsible for sending the angle and horizontal data of the terminal to the host computer.

[0051] The Beidou antenna module is responsible for sending the received location data to the host computer through the radio frequency line, and then the host computer calculates the angle data required to track the satellite based on the location data and satellite data.

[0052] The voice module is connected to the host computer through a serial port and is responsible for broadcasting the host computer's instructions in the form of voice to remind users to operate.

[0053] Regarding the active phased array transceiver antenna surface, the active phased array transceiver antenna surface is in the form of a circuit board; Figure 3As shown, the active phased array transceiver antenna surface also integrates a power division network, a control circuit, and a power supply circuit; the front of the active phased array transceiver antenna surface is a radiation unit, which is used to receive and transmit satellite signals; a number of transceiver chips are welded on the back of the active phased array transceiver antenna surface, which are responsible for amplifying and processing the satellite signals received by the active phased array transceiver antenna surface, and sending them to the frequency converter for frequency band conversion through the power division network. In addition, the transceiver chip is also responsible for amplifying the user signal after high-throughput baseband and low-orbit baseband modulation, and radiating it to the satellite through the active phased array transceiver antenna surface. In other words, the transceiver chip integrates the functions of a power amplifier and a low-noise amplifier, which are used to amplify the received satellite signal and amplify the signal to be transmitted; the active phased array transceiver antenna surface quickly scans the satellite signal by controlling the electronic beam to determine whether the low-orbit constellation is covered and select the type of satellite to be accessed. The active phased array transceiver antenna surface is implemented in a way that it receives / transmits high-frequency satellite signals with the satellite.

[0054] Preferably, Figure 3 As shown, a passive power combining network is provided in the power division network, and the transceiver chip is connected to the passive power combining network in the power division network through a radio frequency line, so as to combine the received multi-channel satellite signals into one channel and send it to the frequency converter. At the same time, it can convert the signal transmitted by the frequency converter into multi-channel signals and send them to different transceiver chips respectively, so as to send the signal to the satellite through the radiation unit of the active phased array transceiver antenna surface.

[0055] Furthermore, a logic control module is provided, which is connected to the power division network and the transceiver chip respectively through a bus, and realizes the functions of the active phased array transceiver antenna surface according to the built-in logic driver. The logic control module used in this embodiment takes the main control FPGA chip as the core, and realizes the active phased array transceiver antenna surface beam control, power allocation, signal locking, and data processing.

[0056] In addition, a power supply module is provided to supply power to the transceiver chip and the power division network respectively.

[0057] Preferably, the active phased array transceiver antenna surface is connected to the frequency converter via a radio frequency line, and an uplink frequency conversion module and a downlink frequency conversion module are integrated inside the frequency converter; the frequency converter is configured to convert the high-frequency satellite signal received by the active phased array transceiver antenna surface into an intermediate frequency signal via the downlink frequency conversion module, and the frequency converter is configured to convert the intermediate frequency signal sent by the high-throughput baseband and the low-orbit baseband into a high-frequency satellite signal via the uplink frequency conversion module.

[0058] Preferably, the high-throughput baseband, low-orbit baseband, and modem used by the satellite are used to modulate the business data into a wireless signal and send it to the satellite, and demodulate the business data from the received satellite signal.

[0059] The actual product functions of the satellite communication terminal of this embodiment are as follows:

[0060] When the terminal is turned on, it will automatically connect to the low-orbit constellation, and a voice prompt will be given to indicate that the network access is complete. Users can then access the Internet. In areas where the low-orbit constellation / gateway is not covered, a voice prompt will be given to roughly adjust the terminal direction. The terminal will then automatically connect to the high-throughput satellite, and a voice prompt will be given to indicate that the network access is complete. Users can then access the Internet.

[0061] The workflow of this embodiment is as follows:

[0062] After the user turns on the device, the satellite communication terminal of this embodiment performs a system self-check, and any problems will be displayed through the panel status lights;

[0063] After the system passes the self-test, it obtains its own position and horizontal pitch angle data through the inertial navigation unit and Beidou antenna module, reads the satellite ephemeris data in the low-orbit baseband, and performs satellite calculations; based on the calculation results, it controls the electronic beam of the satellite communication terminal to search for satellite signals;

[0064] After the carrier signal receiver captures the satellite signal, it locks onto the satellite and establishes a communication link. The low-orbit baseband establishes a connection with the gateway station through the satellite, and the network access is successful. Users can access the Internet.

[0065] During operation, since the low-orbit satellite is constantly moving, before it disappears above the terminal, the terminal quickly switches to the next satellite based on the ephemeris data to keep the communication link unobstructed.

[0066] If the terminal still cannot search for low-orbit satellite signals 3 minutes after being powered on, the system determines that there is no low-orbit satellite coverage in this area; based on the high-throughput satellite longitude data and its own position data, the system calculates the diagonal angle, controls the electronic beam to search for satellites, locks, and establishes a communication link; the high-throughput baseband establishes a connection with the signal gateway through the satellite, successfully joins the network, and the user can access the Internet.

[0067] The present application discloses a satellite communication terminal shared by a high-throughput satellite and a low-orbit constellation, which integrates the baseband of the high-throughput satellite and the baseband of the low-orbit constellation in the same terminal, giving full play to the advantages of the two satellites, namely, the high-throughput satellite has wide coverage, and the low-orbit constellation is low-cost and low-latency, which reduces the burden on front-line business personnel and eliminates the obstacle of no network; solves the problem of high usage fees for high-throughput satellite communication terminals. In areas covered by low-orbit satellites, the communication cost is reduced by an order of magnitude; solves the problem of lagging low-orbit constellation networking construction and failing to cover all areas. In areas not covered by low-orbit constellations, users can temporarily switch to high-throughput satellites to stay online at all times.

[0068] The above implementation modes are not limitations of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above examples. Changes, modifications, additions or substitutions made by technicians in this technical field within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention also belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A satellite communication terminal shared by high-throughput satellites and low-orbit constellations, characterized in that: It includes a radio frequency cabin and a baseband cabin which are rotatably connected to each other; The radio frequency cabin integrates an active phased array transceiver antenna surface, a frequency converter, a power divider, and a combiner; The baseband cabin integrates a high-throughput baseband, a low-orbit baseband, a carrier signal receiver, a host computer, an inertial navigation unit and a Beidou antenna module.

2. The satellite communication terminal shared by high-throughput satellites and low-orbit constellations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shell of the baseband module is provided with a power switch, a working status light, a voice prompt area, a power socket and a network port.

3. The satellite communication terminal shared by high-throughput satellites and low-orbit constellations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The active phased array transceiver antenna surface is in the shape of a circuit board, the front side of the active phased array transceiver antenna surface is a radiation unit, and a plurality of transceiver chips are welded on the back side of the active phased array transceiver antenna surface. The active phased array transceiver antenna surface also integrates a power division network, a control circuit, and a power supply circuit. The active phased array transceiver antenna surface quickly scans satellite signals by controlling an electronic beam to determine whether a low-orbit constellation is covered and select the type of satellite to be accessed. The active phased array transceiver antenna surface is implemented in a manner of transmitting and receiving high-frequency satellite signals with the satellite.

4. The satellite communication terminal shared by high-throughput satellites and low-orbit constellations according to claim 3, characterized in that: The active phased array transceiver antenna surface is connected to the frequency converter via a radio frequency line, and an uplink frequency conversion module and a downlink frequency conversion module are integrated inside the frequency converter; the frequency converter is configured to convert the high-frequency satellite signal received by the active phased array transceiver antenna surface into an intermediate frequency signal via the downlink frequency conversion module, and the frequency converter is configured to convert the intermediate frequency signal sent by the high-throughput baseband and the low-orbit baseband into a high-frequency satellite signal via the uplink frequency conversion module.

5. The satellite communication terminal shared by high-throughput satellites and low-orbit constellations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power divider is connected to the high-throughput baseband, low-orbit baseband, and carrier signal receiver respectively through radio frequency lines, and the power divider transmits the intermediate frequency signal converted by the frequency converter to the high-throughput baseband, low-orbit baseband, and carrier signal receiver respectively.

6. The satellite communication terminal shared by high-throughput satellites and low-orbit constellations according to claim 5, characterized in that: The combiner is connected to the high-throughput baseband and the low-orbit baseband respectively through radio frequency lines, and the combiner sends the intermediate frequency signals of the high-throughput baseband and the low-orbit baseband to the frequency converter.

7. The satellite communication terminal shared by high-throughput satellites and low-orbit constellations according to claim 6, characterized in that: The high-throughput baseband is connected to the host computer and the user through a switch in a communication and data exchange manner; The low-orbit baseband is also connected to the host computer and the user through a switch in a communication and data exchange manner; The high-throughput baseband and the low-orbit baseband are also responsible for modulating the user's data into an intermediate frequency signal and sending the signal to the frequency converter through a combiner respectively.

8. The satellite communication terminal shared by high-throughput satellites and low-orbit constellations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The carrier signal receiver sends the captured digital-to-analog converted carrier signal data transmitted by the satellite to the host computer through the serial port.

9. The satellite communication terminal shared by high-throughput satellites and low-orbit constellations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The host computer is also connected to the inertial navigation unit, Beidou antenna module, voice module and switch respectively.

10. The satellite communication terminal shared by high-throughput satellites and low-orbit constellations according to claim 9, characterized in that: The inertial navigation unit sends the angle and level data of the satellite communication terminal to the host computer; The Beidou antenna module sends the received position data to the host computer via a radio frequency line; The voice module broadcasts the host computer's instructions in voice form to remind the user to operate.

Images