Hybrid RF-FSO Ground Station for Satellite Link Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current RF communication methods between ground stations and artificial satellites face challenges in maintaining data transmission and reception as the amount of data increases, especially in poor weather conditions such as cloud or rain, where laser-based FSO communication performance degrades.
Innovation Solution
A ground station system employing both optical and radio frequency signals to establish and maintain satellite communication links, using a processor to estimate and combine data from multiple sources based on signal quality, ensuring continuous communication even in degraded conditions by selecting the best signal quality and applying weights to decode data effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If laser-based FSO communication is used to increase data transmission capacity, then data transmission speed is improved, but communication reliability deteriorates under poor weather conditions such as cloud or rain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines RF communication and FSO communication systems into a unified hybrid communication system. The ground station includes both an RF communication unit and an FSO communication unit, allowing the system to utilize both communication methods simultaneously or alternatively to maintain reliable data transmission under various weather conditions while achieving high data transmission speeds
2Reliability
If only RF communication is used to ensure communication under all weather conditions, then communication reliability is maintained, but data transmission capacity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges RF communication capabilities with FSO communication capabilities in a single ground station system. The processor is configured to selectively switch between or combine data from both RF and FSO links, thereby achieving both high data transmission capacity through FSO and reliable communication under all weather conditions through the complementary RF link
3Reliability
If multiple communication links are implemented to maintain communication under all conditions, then communication continuity is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ground station system is designed with multi-functionality, where a single system can perform both RF communication and FSO communication. The processor intelligently manages both communication links, selecting or combining data from either source based on signal quality and weather conditions, thereby maintaining communication continuity while managing system complexity through unified control architecture
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a ground station system for performing a radio frequency-free space optics (RF-FSO) linkage method, the ground station system including a first receiver including a first antenna configured to receive an optical signal including data from a satellite; a second receiver including a second antenna configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal including data from the satellite; and a processor configured to estimate data that is determined to have been transmitted from the satellite using the data received from the first receiver and thereby decoded and the data received from the second receiver and thereby decoded and transmit the estimated data to a data server, and thereby providing satellite communication through another satellite communication link regardless of a degradation in any one satellite communication link performance.