Continuous Return Link Transmission for Satellite Bandwidth Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing multiple-frequency time-division multiple access (MF-TDMA) systems in interactive satellite communication face limitations in bandwidth efficiency due to the need for fine scheduling granularity, leading to short bursts and increased overhead for synchronization, which complicates spectral efficient coding and saturation monitoring.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for continuous transmission in wireless multiple access communication systems, where the return link signal is transmitted without bursts, allowing for phase continuous signal transmission across slots, reducing the need for synchronization overhead, and enabling longer codewords for improved spectral efficiency and easier saturation monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional MF-TDMA uses burst transmission with guard time between slots, then receiver synchronization is enabled, but bandwidth efficiency deteriorates due to overhead data and loss of transmission time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereceiver synchronizationVSAvoidbandwidth efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous transmission by eliminating guard intervals between transmission slots, allowing the signal to continue without interruption. This removes the need for repeated synchronization preambles in each burst, thereby improving bandwidth efficiency while maintaining receiver synchronization through a single initial acquisition process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Adaptability or versatility

If MF-TDMA uses fine scheduling granularity with short bursts, then transmission flexibility is improved, but spectral efficiency deteriorates due to increased synchronization overhead

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission flexibilityVSAvoidspectral efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

By maintaining continuous transmission across slots with varying bandwidths and symbol rates, the system achieves fine scheduling granularity without the need for repeated synchronization overhead. The receiver maintains lock on the continuous signal, allowing flexible slot configurations that improve spectral efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Ease of operation

If conventional systems transmit bursts with significant guard time, then receiver acquisition is simplified, but loss of time increases due to non-payload overhead data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereceiver acquisitionVSAvoidnon-payload overhead data
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs receiver synchronization once at the beginning of the transmission sequence. The receiver acquires and locks onto the continuous signal, maintaining this lock throughout the transmission without requiring repeated acquisition processes in each burst, thereby eliminating the need for significant guard times and synchronization preambles in every slot.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If MF-TDMA uses short bursts for fine scheduling, then time allocation flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases due to saturation monitoring difficulties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime allocation flexibilityVSAvoidsaturation monitoring
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Continuous transmission provides an unbroken signal stream that simplifies saturation monitoring at the receiver. The receiver can continuously track signal characteristics and detect saturation conditions without the interruptions caused by burst transmission and guard times, reducing device complexity while maintaining flexible time allocation through variable slot configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP2619924B1Multiple access transmission scheme for a wireless system
Publication Date: 2017.06.28 NEWTEC CY NV
  • EP2619924B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2619924B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2619924B1 patent drawingFigure 4A

AI summary

A wireless multiple access communication system (5) comprises a forward link (31) to a terminal (40) and a return link (32) from a terminal (40). The return link (32) uses a medium which is shared between terminals (40) on the basis of time and frequency. A terminal (40) transmits a return link signal (32) from the terminal comprising a sequence of transmission slots (51, 52, 53), each transmission slot being defined as a time slot and, carrier frequency, wherein carrier frequency and symbol rate can change between transmission slots. The return link signal (32) is transmitted continuously across the sequence of transmission slots (51, 52, 53). The terminal can transmit a return link signal (32) which is phase continuous across the transmission slots.