Aggregate Batch Polling for Satellite Return Link PSD Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solutions for establishing communication links between mobile platforms and base stations are inefficient, particularly for platforms that are intermittently active, leading to excessive power spectral density (PSD) usage and inefficient allocation of return link capacity, especially with small aperture antennas.

Innovation Solution

A control center maintains a list of registered mobile platforms and uses a polling method to assign dedicated return communications channels, prioritizing the mobile platform with the highest power spectral density (PSD) signal to prevent PSD limit exceedance, thereby optimizing channel allocation and reducing collisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If batch round robin polling continues to cyclically offer dedicated return communications channels to all mobile platforms, then each mobile platform can potentially establish communication links, but ground receiver assets and return link power spectral density are consumed with little likelihood that mobile platforms will use the offered channels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication link establishmentVSAvoidpower spectral density consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining a registered list of mobile platforms and using forward link polling messages to identify which platforms actually need service before allocating return link resources. This preliminary identification prevents wasteful allocation of power spectral density to platforms that don't need communication channels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of resource allocation from cyclic time-based allocation to demand-based allocation. By monitoring which mobile platforms respond to polling messages and actually need service, the system dynamically adjusts resource allocation to match actual demand, reducing unnecessary power spectral density consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system allocates return link channels to all registered mobile platforms, then communication coverage is comprehensive, but the probability of exceeding power spectral density statistical limits increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemobile platform coverageVSAvoidpower spectral density limit exceedance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs feedback mechanisms where the control center monitors the power spectral density contributions of mobile platforms in each aggregate group. Based on this feedback, the control center selectively enables or disables return link channel allocation for specific platforms within groups, ensuring PSD limits are not exceeded while maintaining comprehensive coverage for active platforms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The invention segments mobile platforms into aggregate groups based on their power spectral density characteristics and communication needs. By dividing the platform population into manageable groups and applying different allocation strategies to each group, the system can comprehensively cover all platforms while controlling overall PSD consumption through selective activation within segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Speed

If the polling cycle time is reduced to quickly establish communication links, then link establishment speed improves, but ground receiver assets consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication link establishment speedVSAvoidground receiver asset consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses periodic forward link polling messages to efficiently identify active mobile platforms without requiring continuous monitoring. By implementing periodic polling at optimized intervals rather than continuous operation, the system achieves rapid link establishment for platforms that need it while minimizing ground receiver asset consumption during idle periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS8270900B2Aggregate batch polling method for return link communications between a platform and a base station

Publication Date: 2012.09.18 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

Implementations are described that use a control center to maintain a list of registered mobile platforms that are pre-authorized to make use of the satellite-based transponder to transmit and receive data content to and from the base transceiver. The control center may cause the base transceiver to transmit at least one polling message, the polling message carries information addressed to a specific aggregate group of the registered mobile platforms and includes a return channel which may be used by a mobile platform to communicate with the base transceiver. In one implementation, the control center protects the system from exceeding power spectral density (PSD) statistical limits by using the mobile platform in the group that has a greatest power spectral density signal as the PSD that the aggregate group will generate.