Satellite Coverage Beam Boundary Generation Using Elliptical Contours

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional satellite communication systems face communication difficulties due to the circular shape and overlay of coverage beams, leading to suboptimal service in certain regions, potentially resulting in communication failures.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that select and assign beam points on a coordinate system to define coverage beams using ellipses, optimizing geometric information to enclose selected points while excluding others, resulting in a combined shape that improves communication efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If circular coverage beams are used to service the coverage area, then the coverage area can be divided into multiple beams, but certain sections may be assigned to adjacent beams resulting in communication difficulties

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of generating coverage beamsVSAvoidcommunication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The coverage area is segmented into multiple coverage beams, where each beam is further divided into multiple zones. This hierarchical segmentation allows for more precise control over which user terminals are served by which beam, preventing the assignment confusion that occurs with simple circular beam overlays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different zones within each coverage beam are assigned different quality characteristics or service parameters. This allows the system to optimize communication quality for specific geographic regions within each beam, ensuring that user terminals receive appropriate service quality based on their location, thereby improving overall communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Area of stationary object

If circular coverage beams with overlay are used, then the entire coverage area can be serviced, but suboptimal service occurs in certain regions due to incorrect beam assignment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidcommunication service quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The coverage area is segmented into multiple coverage beams, where each beam is further divided into multiple zones. This hierarchical segmentation allows for more precise control over which user terminals are served by which beam, preventing the assignment confusion that occurs with simple circular beam overlays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback mechanisms to determine the optimal coverage beam for user terminals based on their location and communication requirements. This feedback loop ensures that user terminals are correctly assigned to the most appropriate beam, improving service quality and preventing communication failures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If circular coverage beams are used, then beam generation is simple, but complete communication failure can occur under extreme conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam generation complexityVSAvoidcommunication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The coverage area is segmented into multiple coverage beams, where each beam is further divided into multiple zones. This hierarchical segmentation allows for more precise control over which user terminals are served by which beam, preventing the assignment confusion that occurs with simple circular beam overlays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system prepares multiple coverage beams with different zone configurations in advance, so that when communication conditions deteriorate or user terminals move, there are pre-configured alternative beams available to maintain communication. This cushioning approach prevents complete communication failure by having backup coverage configurations ready.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentEP3320360B1Apparatus and method for generating boundaries of satellite coverage beams

Publication Date: 2020.08.19 HUGHES NETWORK SYST

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AI summary

An apparatus for defining and generating boundaries of satellite coverage. The apparatus includes a processor that is configured to select a plurality of beam points, from a set of points on a coordinate system, to be included within a beam definition, and determine a number of ellipses capable of enclosing the selected beam points while excluding all remaining points of the set of points. The processor then assigns the selected beam points to a corresponding ellipse, and optimizes geometric information for each ellipse to enclose the beam points assigned thereto. A coverage beam is then defined based on a contour resulting from the combined shape of all the ellipses using the optimized geometric information.