Relay Terminals for Satellite Uplink Signal Combining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radiocommunication networks, especially satellite networks, face challenges in maintaining communication quality due to unfavorable propagation conditions caused by obstacles, such as those found in urban environments, where direct visibility between satellite terminals and satellites is critical and transmission power is limited.
Innovation Solution
A data transmission method that determines the identifier of active neighbor relay communication terminals to relay signals, increasing the energy received at the communication station by combining signals from multiple relay terminals, thereby improving reception quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If direct links are used between satellite terminals and satellites, then transmission power can be limited, but communication quality deteriorates in urban environments with obstacles blocking direct visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces relay terminals as intermediary devices that receive signals from the source terminal and forward them to the communication station. This mediator approach allows communication to proceed indirectly through multiple hops when direct links are blocked by obstacles, thereby maintaining communication quality without requiring increased transmission power from the original terminal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the communication path from a single-dimensional direct link into a multi-dimensional relay path through multiple terminals. By adding spatial dimensions to the signal transmission route, the system can bypass obstacles that block direct line-of-sight connections, improving reliability while keeping transmission power constraints intact.
2Reliability
If relay terminals are introduced to improve communication quality in obstructed environments, then reception quality improves through signal combining, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication function across multiple independent relay terminals rather than requiring a single complex direct link. Each relay terminal performs a simplified function of receiving and forwarding signals, and the communication station combines signals from multiple sources. This segmentation distributes complexity across multiple simple nodes rather than concentrating it in one complex connection.
Data Source
AI summary
A radiocommunication network includes at least one communication station (GW) adapted to exchange data by radio with radiocommunication terminals (T1-T5). This network is adapted to use a data transmission method wherein, each time a source radiocommunication terminal (T1) wishes to transmit data to its communication station (GW), the identifier of at least one active neighbor relay communication terminal (T2, T3) is determined in the source terminal (T1) in order to transmit signals representing the data to be transmitted by radio to each relay terminal so determined so that it relays them to the communication station (GW).