Satellite Network Access Using Wide Beams and On-Demand Cell Broadcast
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing satellite communication systems face inefficiencies in minimizing gateway bandwidth requirements for network broadcast/access channels, particularly when not all cells under the satellite's field of view have active traffic, leading to unnecessary resource allocation and design complexity.
Innovation Solution
A satellite communication system utilizing wide beams to cover multiple cells and forming inactive beams only when needed for user equipment access, with flexible bandwidth allocation to minimize gateway bandwidth usage while ensuring complete coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated beams with network broadcast/access channels are allocated to each cell under satellite FOV, then network access capability is ensured for all cells, but gateway bandwidth resource is wasted on cells without traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic beam management where the satellite system adjusts beam configuration based on traffic conditions. When a cell has no traffic, its dedicated beam is deactivated and bandwidth is released. The system dynamically switches between dedicated beams for active cells and wide beams for coverage, ensuring network access capability is maintained only where needed while optimizing gateway bandwidth utilization.
2Loss of energy
If 1.4 MHz channel bandwidth is used for beams without traffic, then gateway bandwidth is minimized, but not all 3GPP bands support this narrow bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different channel bandwidth configurations to different beams based on their specific requirements and supported bands. Instead of uniformly applying 1.4 MHz across all beams, the system allows each beam to operate at the minimum bandwidth supported by its specific 3GPP band, optimizing gateway bandwidth usage while maintaining compatibility with various band specifications.
3Reliability
If wider channel bandwidth is used for access channels, then network access performance is improved, but gateway beam bandwidth requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the satellite coverage area into multiple beams, each serving specific cells. By dividing the coverage into smaller beam segments, the system can allocate appropriate bandwidth to each segment based on local traffic demands and access requirements, rather than allocating wide bandwidth to all beams uniformly. This segmentation enables efficient gateway bandwidth utilization while maintaining adequate access performance where needed.
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.