Satellite Payload Regenerative Processing for Gateway Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High throughput satellite (HTS) telecommunication systems face limitations in reducing the number of gateways needed while maintaining capacity, as existing methods either increase uplink bandwidth or are constrained by spectral efficiency in radiofrequency links.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a multispot satellite with a payload that processes analog radiofrequency signals through analog-to-digital conversion, demodulation, coding, and digital-to-analog conversion, creating independent point-to-point and point-to-multipoint communication channels with different spectral efficiencies, allowing for reduced gateway numbers without increasing bandwidth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the number of gateways is reduced to lower system cost, then system cost decreases, but the capacity to provide given throughput is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spectral efficiency parameter in the uplink direction by implementing analog-to-digital conversion at the satellite, enabling higher spectral efficiency (e.g., 10 bps/Hz) compared to conventional systems. This parameter change allows fewer gateways to provide the same total capacity, resolving the contradiction between reducing gateway数量 and maintaining system capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional bent-pipe transponder architecture with a regenerative architecture that includes analog-to-digital conversion, digital signal processing, and digital-to-analog conversion at the satellite. This substitution enables independent optimization of uplink and downlink spectral efficiencies, allowing cost reduction through fewer gateways while maintaining capacity
2Productivity
If uplink bandwidth is increased to maintain capacity with fewer gateways, then system capacity is maintained, but frequency spectrum usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spectral efficiency parameter in the uplink from conventional values (e.g., 2-3 bps/Hz) to higher values (e.g., 10 bps/Hz) through analog-to-digital conversion at the satellite. This allows maintaining system capacity with the same or reduced frequency spectrum usage, avoiding the need to increase bandwidth
3Ease of manufacture
If spectral efficiency is increased to reduce gateway numbers, then gateway数量 decreases, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication system into distinct functional blocks: uplink radiofrequency reception, analog-to-digital conversion, digital signal processing (demodulation, decoding, re-modulation, re-coding), and digital-to-analog conversion. This segmentation allows the complexity to be concentrated at the satellite, simplifying gateway design and enabling standardization of satellite modules
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces digital signal processing as an intermediary function at the satellite, acting as a bridge between the uplink and downlink. This intermediary performs analog-to-digital conversion, signal regeneration, and digital-to-analog conversion, enabling higher spectral efficiency while managing system complexity through standardized processing blocks
Data Source
AI summary
A method for establishing radiofrequency links via a satellite having several spots between a gateway and a service area comprising a plurality of elementary covering zones, designated cells, each cell being associated to a spot and including a plurality of terrestrial terminals, a forward link between the gateway towards the plurality of terrestrial terminals including a first step in which the gateway emits a first analog radiofrequency signal towards the satellite, with a first spectral efficiency; a second step in which a payload of the satellite receives the first analog radiofrequency signal; a third step in which the payload processes the first analog radiofrequency signal, and a fourth step in which the payload emits a plurality of second analog radiofrequency signals towards the cells with a second spectral efficiency, the first spectral efficiency being greater than the second spectral efficiency.