Flexible Satellite Optical Payload for Dynamic Capacity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face challenges in achieving high performance while being power and cost-effective, as increased capacity requirements lead to higher power consumption and larger, more expensive systems.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating optical components such as an optical switching network and tunable optical filters into communication platforms like satellites to manage and configure communication signals, allowing for flexible capacity use and efficient power management through programmable sub-bands and beam routing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If systems are designed with increased capacities to meet growing market demand for high data rate wireless communication services, then the data rate and communication capacity are improved, but power consumption increases, volume increases, and cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata rateVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The communication signal is divided into multiple sub-bands, and the payload capacity is segmented into multiple independently controllable units. Each sub-band can be independently configured and allocated to different beams, allowing the system to provide high data rates only where needed rather than uniformly across all beams, thus improving productivity while controlling power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The payload implements dynamic reconfiguration capability where the number of sub-bands, their bandwidth, center frequencies, and beam assignments can be programmatically adjusted in real-time. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize power consumption by activating only the necessary capacity levels and beams required to meet current market demand, rather than maintaining fixed high-capacity infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata rateVSAvoidsystem volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The payload is designed as a universal platform that can serve multiple functions and adapt to different service requirements. By implementing programmable sub-band selection and flexible beam assignment, a single payload can dynamically adjust its capacity to match varying market demands, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated high-capacity systems for different service levels, thus reducing overall system volume while maintaining high data rate capability when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If optical components such as optical switching network and tunable optical filters are incorporated into communication platforms, then flexible capacity allocation and efficient power management are achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexible capacity allocationVSAvoidcomplexity of optical components

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical or electronic signal routing mechanisms with optical switching and filtering components. The optical switching network and tunable optical filters enable flexible capacity allocation and beam routing through optical domain operations, which are more efficient and adaptable than conventional approaches. This substitution achieves high adaptability in capacity management while the optical components' inherent properties help manage the complexity through non-mechanical, field-based control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10219051B2Communication platform with flexible photonics payload

Publication Date: 2019.02.26 LANTERIS SPACE LLC

AI summary

A communication platform (e.g., a flexible satellite) includes electrical to optical converters configured to convert input electrical signals to input optical signals, an optical switching network connected to the electrical to optical converters that choose which input optical signals to route to which output beams, tunable optical filters (connected to the switching network) that are configured to select programmable sub-bands of the input optical signals to create output optical signals, and optical to electrical converters (connected to the tunable optical filters) that are configured to convert the output optical signals to output electrical signals for the output beams.