Beam Hopping Scheduling Across Multi-Timescale Satellite Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems lack effective techniques for dynamically scheduling beam hopping in non-terrestrial networks, which are necessary to maximize satellite communication capacity, frequency spectrum utilization, and service coverage across various regions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a base station that configures an allocation time, hopping pattern period, and beam scheduling interval, generates a hopping pattern based on scheduling information, and transmits this pattern to terminals, allowing for dynamic adjustment based on buffer statuses and inactive beams, with terminals receiving and adapting to changed patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multi-beam hopping technique is used to maximize satellite communication capacity and frequency spectrum utilization, then communication efficiency is improved, but dynamic scheduling capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic beam hopping scheduling by allowing the base station to flexibly adjust beam allocation, hopping patterns, and time resources based on real-time channel conditions and terminal requirements. The system transitions from static pre-configured beam hopping to dynamic scheduling where parameters such as beam width, hopping frequency, and time slot allocation can be adapted according to varying communication demands, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining high communication capacity and achieving dynamic scheduling capability.
2Ease of operation
If fixed beam hopping patterns are used to simplify system operation, then ease of operation is improved, but service coverage adaptability across various regions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the service region into multiple geographic zones, each with its own optimized beam hopping pattern. The base station can select and apply different hopping patterns for different regions based on their specific characteristics such as terrain, user density, and traffic patterns. This segmentation approach allows the system to maintain simple operation within each region while achieving high adaptability across diverse geographic areas through region-specific pattern selection.
3Loss of information
If beam hopping is scheduled with long period to reduce scheduling overhead, then signaling overhead is reduced, but responsiveness to channel changes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-timescale beam hopping scheduling mechanism where different parameters are updated at different periodicities. Critical parameters such as beam direction and timing are updated frequently to respond to rapid channel changes, while less dynamic parameters like power allocation and resource block assignment are updated at longer intervals. This periodic action with multiple time scales allows the system to maintain low signaling overhead while achieving high responsiveness to channel variations through selective frequent updates of critical parameters.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of a base station may comprise: configuring an allocation time, a hopping pattern period, and a beam hopping scheduling interval; generating a hopping pattern by allocating beams to N×M hopping slots according to scheduling information collected from a plurality of terminals based on a number M of simultaneously transmittable beams, a number N of hopping rounds within the hopping pattern period, a basic allocation power, and the allocation time; and transmitting information on the hopping pattern to a terminal, wherein the hopping pattern period is an integer multiple of the allocation time, the beam hopping scheduling interval is an integer multiple of the hopping pattern period, and M and N are positive integers.