Satellite Beamforming Resource Allocation Grid Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In satellite telecommunications systems implementing 5G NR NTN, uncoordinated beam management can lead to interference between beams formed in close directions, resulting in prohibitive degradation of reception throughput performance.

Innovation Solution

A method for allocating telecommunications time-frequency resources that involves obtaining the position of user equipment (UE) and distributing them on a regular grid with non-contiguous zones, ensuring that time-frequency resources are allocated only to UEs in distinct zones, and using beamforming techniques to dynamically focus beams on UEs, while considering geometric criteria and beam patterns to minimize interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If beam management is not coordinated and time-frequency resources are allocated without spatial separation, then resource utilization increases, but interference levels between beams increase resulting in prohibitive degradation of reception throughput performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidinterference levels
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The service area is segmented into multiple grids, each grid containing non-contiguous zones. UEs in different zones of the same grid can be allocated the same time-frequency resources without causing harmful interference, while UEs in the same zone must use different resources. This segmentation enables spatial reuse of resources while controlling interference levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different spatial regions (zones within grids) are assigned different resource allocation characteristics. The minimum distance threshold between zones ensures that local spatial separation is maintained for resource reuse, creating local quality variations in resource allocation that balance utilization and interference control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the minimum distance threshold between zones is increased to reduce interference, then reception throughput performance improves, but the number of available zones for resource allocation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereception throughput performanceVSAvoidnumber of available zones
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The problem is solved by adding a temporal dimension through multiple grids. Instead of simply increasing the distance threshold in a single grid (which would reduce zones), the system uses multiple grids where each grid can have its own set of zones. This allows the same time-frequency resources to be reused across different grids, effectively increasing the number of available zones while maintaining adequate spatial separation within each grid.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple time-frequency resources are allocated to UEs in close proximity, then resource allocation flexibility increases, but interference degradation becomes prohibitive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation flexibilityVSAvoidinterference degradation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-establishes grids with non-contiguous zones and minimum distance thresholds before resource allocation. This preliminary spatial organization allows the scheduler to quickly determine which UEs can share resources based on their zone assignments, providing flexibility in resource allocation while automatically preventing harmful interference through the pre-defined spatial separation rules.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4383591B1Method for allocating time-frequency resources in a satellite communication system with beamforming, associated device and computer program
Publication Date: 2025.06.25 THALES SA
  • EP4383591B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4383591B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4383591B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a method of allocating time-frequency telecommunications resources in a telecommunications system (10) comprising a satellite (11), user terminals (UE) (20_1, 20_2), the satellite simultaneously implementing several telecommunications beams (B_1, B_2) each associated with a distinct user terminal (UE) (20_1, 20_2) and dynamically recentering each beam on the associated UE;said process comprising: - given a set (80) of grids each representing at least a portion of the Earth's surface and each comprising a plurality of zones, the distance between any two zones of a grid being greater than a determined non-zero threshold associated with the grid, the allocation of time-frequency resources relative to a time T is carried out by applying at least the following rule: a time-frequency resource associated with the grid can be allocated to each of 2 UEs (20_1, 20_2) only if the positions of said 2 UEs are located in distinct zones of the grid.;