Satellite ADS-B Beamforming to Reduce Message Collisions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing satellite-based ADS-B message reception systems face high collision probabilities and require numerous processing modules due to the large number of aircraft within the satellite's field of view, leading to increased satellite volume, mass, and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A satellite-based ADS-B message reception device with a beamforming module that dynamically adapts beam formation to aircraft density and distribution using combination coefficients, optimizing beam shape and activation duration to reduce collision probability and processing module requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the satellite uses a wide field of view to cover the entire service area, then the geographical coverage is improved, but the probability of collision between ADS-B messages increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The satellite divides the wide field of view into multiple narrower beams, each covering a specific spot on the ground. This segmentation allows the system to maintain comprehensive coverage while reducing the number of aircraft simultaneously visible to any single beam, thereby reducing message collision probability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts the number, position, and shape of beams based on real-time aircraft density distribution. When aircraft density is high in certain regions, the system increases beam concentration in those areas, optimizing coverage while maintaining low collision probabilities across the entire service area.
2Reliability
If the satellite forms multiple narrow beams to reduce collision probability, then the message collision probability is reduced, but the number of processing modules required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of beams and their characteristics based on aircraft density. In areas with low aircraft density, fewer beams are formed, reducing the number of processing modules needed. In high-density areas, beams are concentrated and optimized, maintaining low collision probabilities without requiring proportional increases in processing capacity across the entire satellite.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes beam parameters (number, width, position, shape) based on aircraft distribution patterns. By adapting these parameters dynamically, the system achieves low collision probabilities with an optimized number of processing modules, rather than using a fixed large number of beams that would be required if uniform coverage were maintained.
3Productivity
If the satellite increases the number of processing modules to handle multiple beams, then the ADS-B message reception capability is improved, but the satellite volume, mass, and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The satellite employs dynamic beam formation that adapts to aircraft density distribution. This allows the system to maintain high ADS-B message reception capability by concentrating processing resources on beams with high aircraft density, while reducing or eliminating beams in low-density areas, thereby minimizing the number of processing modules and associated mass.
Solution Approach 2:
The system optimizes beam parameters (number, shape, position) based on aircraft distribution to maximize reception capability with minimal processing modules. By changing these parameters dynamically, the satellite achieves high productivity without proportionally increasing mass, as fewer processing modules are required compared to static uniform beam coverage.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the satellite uses uniform beam coverage across the service area, then the coverage uniformity is improved, but the number of processing modules increases due to high aircraft density areas
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different beam characteristics to different regions based on local aircraft density. In high-density areas, beams are narrower and more concentrated; in low-density areas, beams are wider and fewer. This local adaptation maintains effective coverage uniformity in terms of message detection capability while significantly reducing the total number of processing modules required compared to uniform beam coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The beam configuration is dynamically adjusted based on real-time aircraft density measurements. This allows the system to maintain uniform coverage quality across the service area by adapting beam parameters locally, rather than using a fixed uniform beam pattern that would require excessive processing modules in high-density regions.
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 reduces the number of processing modules needed by optimizing beam formation based on aircraft density, minimizing satellite size, mass, and power consumption while maintaining effective ADS-B message collection.
Implementation Method 1
a beamforming module (42) adapted to form beams (B) within a field of vision of the array of sources (41), a footprint of a beam defining a spot within the service area, the beamforming module being configured to form each beam by combining signals supplied by the array of sources by applying combination coefficients
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5a~5c
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device (40) for the reception of ADS-B messages for a satellite (11), said reception device comprising an array (41) of sources and a beamforming module (42), a footprint of a field of view defining an area of service, different areas of service being associated with different positions of the satellite, a footprint of a beam defining a spot in the area of service, said beamforming module being configured so as to form each beam by applying combination coefficients, said reception device comprising a processing circuit (43) configured so as to obtain information representative of a position of the satellite and to modify a set of combination coefficients so as to adapt the surface area and/or the shape of the spots that are formed to a geographical distribution of the aircraft within the area of service associated with the position of the satellite.