Satellite Transceiver FEC Relay for Lower Onboard Computing Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Satellite communication systems face limitations in reducing computing power while maintaining error correcting capabilities due to the aggregation of noise and interference in the up-link and down-link signals, which affects the signal-to-noise ratio and spectral efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A transceiver with a digital data stream processor that performs partial or full error correction of payload data, allowing a receiver to utilize remaining error correcting data for complete correction, or encodes data packets with error correction information for re-transmission, enabling efficient error correction without re-encoding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full error correction is performed at the satellite transceiver, then error correcting capabilities are maintained, but computing power requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The error correction process is segmented between the satellite transceiver and the ground receiver. The satellite performs partial error correction using a first error correcting code, while the ground receiver completes the correction using a second error correcting code. This segmentation reduces the computing burden on the satellite while maintaining end-to-end error correction capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The satellite transceiver performs partial error correction rather than full correction. It applies the first error correcting code to correct some errors in the received signal, then retransmits the partially corrected signal. The ground receiver applies the second error correcting code to complete the error correction process, achieving full error correction with distributed computational effort.
2Reliability
If noise and interference from up-link and down-link signals aggregate, then signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates, but spectral efficiency is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The error correction function is segmented between satellite and ground, allowing the satellite to transmit less redundant error correction data while maintaining overall error correction capability. This reduces the down-link data rate requirement and improves spectral efficiency without sacrificing signal quality or reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the error correction parameters by using different error correcting codes for up-link and down-link. The satellite uses a first error correcting code for receiving up-link signals and a second error correcting code for transmitting down-link signals, optimizing the balance between error correction capability and spectral efficiency for each direction.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments provide a transceiver for a satellite, the transceiver comprising a receiver, a digital data stream processor and at least one transmitter. The receiver is configured to receive an uplink data stream from a satellite gateway or another satellite, the data stream carrying a plurality of data packets. The digital data stream processor is configured to process the uplink data stream, to obtain the plurality of data packets, - wherein at least one of the data packets comprises payload data and error correcting data allowing a full error correction of the payload data, wherein the data stream processor is configured to perform no or only a partial error correction of the payload data of the at least one data packet, to obtain a downlink data stream; - or wherein the digital data stream processor is configured to demodulate the uplink data stream, to obtain the plurality of data packets, wherein the data stream processor is configured to decode and error correct at least one of the data packets using error correcting data contained in the data packet, to obtain as decoded and error corrected payload data a pre-encoded data packet comprising payload data and error correcting data for the payload data, and to modulate the pre-encoded data packet comprising the payload data and the error correcting data for the payload data, to obtain a downlink data stream; The at least one transmitter is configured to transmit the downlink data stream to user terminal or another satellite.