Satellite Network Access Beams for Bandwidth-Efficient Cell Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current satellite cellular systems face challenges in minimizing gateway bandwidth requirements for network broadcast/access channels, especially when not all 3GPP bands support the smallest channel bandwidth of 1.4 MHz, leading to increased design complexity and resource usage for cells with and without traffic within the satellite's field of view.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a flexible approach using wide beams with adjustable channel bandwidth to cover all cells, minimizing bandwidth usage by utilizing 1.4 MHz for inactive cells and up to 4×10 MHz for active cells, while ensuring complete coverage of the satellite's field of view, and dynamically adjusting beamwidth and channel allocation to optimize resource utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If 1.4 MHz channel bandwidth is used for network broadcast/access channels in beams covering cells without traffic, then gateway beam bandwidth is minimized, but not all 3GPP bands support this smallest channel bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts channel bandwidth based on cell traffic status and satellite beam type. Active cells with traffic receive full bandwidth channels (up to 4×10 MHz), while inactive cells without traffic receive minimal bandwidth channels (1.4 MHz). This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making bandwidth allocation flexible rather than static, allowing the system to use 1.4 MHz where compatible while supporting wider bands where needed for active cells.
Solution Approach 2:
Different channel bandwidth allocations are applied to different spatial regions (beams) based on their specific needs. Beams covering active cells receive appropriate bandwidth for traffic handling, while beams covering inactive cells use minimal 1.4 MHz bandwidth. This local differentiation allows the system to optimize gateway bandwidth usage in inactive regions without compromising service quality in active regions, even when 3GPP band compatibility varies.
2Reliability
If wider channel bandwidth is used for access in beams covering cells without traffic, then network broadcast/access capability is improved, but gateway beam bandwidth requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the network broadcast/access function from the traffic-carrying function. Beams covering inactive cells without traffic are allocated minimal 1.4 MHz bandwidth solely for broadcast/access purposes, while beams covering active cells receive full bandwidth allocation for both traffic and access. This separation allows the system to provide necessary access capability only where needed without wasting gateway bandwidth on beams that don't carry traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the channel bandwidth parameter based on cell activity status. For inactive cells, the bandwidth parameter is set to the minimum 1.4 MHz sufficient for broadcast/access only. For active cells, the bandwidth parameter is increased to support both access and traffic requirements. This parameter adaptation ensures reliable access capability is provided where necessary while minimizing gateway bandwidth consumption in inactive regions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional gateway beams or bands are added to support wider channel bandwidth, then 3GPP band compatibility is improved, but design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the gateway beam system multi-functional by enabling it to operate with different channel bandwidths (1.4 MHz, 3 MHz, 5 MHz, 10 MHz, 20 MHz, 40 MHz) depending on the specific 3GPP band and cell requirements. Rather than designing separate dedicated beams for each bandwidth requirement, a single flexible gateway beam infrastructure handles multiple bandwidth configurations, supporting various 3GPP bands without requiring additional specialized hardware or beam designs.
4Reliability
If dedicated beam is assigned to each cell, then network coverage is ensured, but total bandwidth resources for broadcast/access increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by providing full bandwidth dedicated beams only to cells that actually need them (active cells with traffic). For inactive cells without traffic, minimal 1.4 MHz bandwidth is allocated for basic broadcast/access functionality. This partial allocation ensures network coverage is maintained across all cells while avoiding the excessive bandwidth consumption that would result from assigning full bandwidth to every cell regardless of activity status.
Data Source
AI summary
Within a satellite communications system, a base station communicates with standard compliant user equipment (UE) via a satellite having a field of view. The base station has a processor that instructs the satellite to generate a wide beam signal covering a plurality of cells in the field of view, and detects an access request from a user equipment within the plurality of cells over the wide beam signal. The base station, comprising a processing device such as an eNodeB, then generates one or more network broadcast/access signals that is uplink to a satellite and broadcasted via one or more nominal beams generated by the satellite, covering all the inactive cells, one of the plurality of cells having the access request.