Access Node Beamforming for Wide-Area Relay Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless relay communication systems, particularly satellite communication systems, face challenges in efficiently managing beamforming to maximize data transmission capacity while minimizing system complexity, weight, and power consumption, especially when covering large geographic areas.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of end-to-end beamforming systems that compute and apply beam weights within a ground network, using an array of access nodes to form beams that traverse an end-to-end relay, allowing for multipath-induced signal superpositions to create wide coverage areas with reduced satellite complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If narrow beams are used to focus transmitted energy to the wireless relay, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but the coverage area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the coverage area into multiple geographic regions, each served by a dedicated narrow beam. The wireless relay forms multiple narrow beams that collectively cover a large geographic area, allowing each beam to maintain high transmission efficiency while the aggregate coverage area is expanded through spatial segmentation.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple narrow beams are formed to cover large geographic areas, then coverage area is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless relay is designed with multi-functional capability to simultaneously form and manage multiple narrow beams across different geographic regions. This universal beamforming capability allows the single relay to perform multiple beam formation tasks, covering large areas without requiring multiple separate relay systems, thus managing complexity while expanding coverage.
3Productivity
If beamforming is implemented to increase data capacity, then data transmission capacity is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beamforming system concentrates transmitted energy locally into focused narrow beams directed at specific geographic regions and wireless relays. Rather than distributing power uniformly across the entire coverage area, the system applies high power density only where needed for each beam, improving data transmission capacity while minimizing overall power consumption through localized energy concentration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances data transmission capacity by enabling efficient beam formation over large areas with reduced satellite complexity, weight, and power consumption, while maintaining high signal integrity and capacity.
Implementation Method 1
a beam may be formed electronically by adjusting the gain and phase (or time delay) of signals that are transmitted, received, or both from several elements of a phased array antenna
Implementation Method 2
Such antennas typically have a paraboloid shaped reflector to focus the beam
Implementation Method 3
allowing for multipath-induced signal superpositions to create wide coverage areas
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.