Ground-Based Optical Gateway Subsystem for Satellite Uplink
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a growing need for high bandwidth communication between ground-based gateways and space-based satellites, as well as between satellites, which existing technologies struggle to efficiently address due to limitations in frequency band utilization and satellite payload design.
Innovation Solution
The use of optical components to transmit and receive signals between ground-based gateways and satellites, enabling the production of optical feeder uplink and inter-satellite link beams, and RF service downlink beams without the need for onboard demodulation and remodulation, simplifying satellite payload design and reducing mass and power requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If optical components are used to transmit and receive signals between ground-based gateways and satellites, then bandwidth and communication throughput are improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for optical signal processing equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the demodulation and remodulation functions from the satellite payload, eliminating the need for complex optical signal processing equipment on the satellite. The ground-based gateway performs all signal processing operations, while the satellite only transmits and receives optical signals, significantly reducing on-satellite device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary approach where the ground-based gateway acts as the primary signal processing node. The optical communication system uses simple optical transmitters and receivers on the satellite, with all complex processing performed at the ground station, effectively mediating the complexity away from the satellite platform.
2Adaptability or versatility
If frequency conversion and demodulation are performed onboard the satellite, then signal processing capability is improved, but satellite mass and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the frequency conversion and demodulation operations from the satellite and relocates them to the ground-based gateway. The satellite payload only includes optical transmitters and receivers, eliminating heavy signal processing equipment and reducing satellite mass significantly.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground-based gateway provides the signal processing services that would otherwise require onboard satellite equipment. The satellite simply performs its native function of transmitting and receiving optical signals, while the gateway handles all adaptive signal processing requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If frequency conversion and demodulation are performed onboard the satellite, then signal processing capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts power-intensive demodulation and remodulation operations from the satellite and performs them at the ground-based gateway. This eliminates the need for high-power onboard signal processing equipment, significantly reducing satellite power consumption and extending mission lifetime.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground-based gateway provides all signal processing services, allowing the satellite to operate with minimal power consumption. The satellite only needs to power simple optical transmitters and receivers, while the gateway handles all complex, power-intensive processing operations.
4Productivity
If optical components are used for signal transmission, then bandwidth capacity is improved, but cost of the communication system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts complex optical signal processing equipment from the satellite and places it at the ground-based gateway. This allows the use of high-capacity optical components on the ground where they can be better managed and maintained, while the satellite uses simpler, lower-cost optical transmitters and receivers.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground-based gateway serves as an intermediary that handles all complex optical signal processing, allowing the satellite to use simpler, more cost-effective optical components. The gateway's infrastructure absorbs the cost of sophisticated equipment, making the overall system more economically viable.
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 significantly reduces the cost and complexity of satellite communication systems by eliminating the need for frequency conversion and demodulation, allowing for high-throughput communication with reduced satellite mass and power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
The use of optical components to transmit and receive signals between ground-based gateways and satellites
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a ground based subsystem for inclusion in an optical gateway and for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite. The subsystem can include a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) multiplexer configured to receive optical data signals from optical network(s) external to the ground based optical gateway, and configured to combine the optical data signals into a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal. The subsystem can also include an optical amplifier to amplify the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal, and transmitter optics to receive the amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal and transmit an optical feeder uplink beam to the satellite in dependence thereon. In certain embodiments, the ground based optical gateway does not perform any modulation or demodulation of the optical data signals received from the optical network(s) external to the ground based optical gateway before they are provided to the WDM multiplexer.