Satellite Payload Asymmetric Switching Matrix Beam Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional satellite telecommunications systems face challenges in increasing capacity, flexibility, and geographical coverage without significantly increasing complexity, mass, and volume, particularly in serving diverse geographical areas with varying needs over the satellite's lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A satellite payload with an asymmetrical switching matrix and a multibeam antenna forming static beams, combined with digital processing for signal de-multiplexing and distribution, allows for flexible beam management and efficient power amplification, enabling a large number of possible beams without excessive payload complexity or mass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of beams is increased to serve more geographical areas, then geographical coverage is improved, but payload complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The payload is divided into N independent beam forming units, each capable of generating one beam. The asymmetrical switching matrix selectively connects these N units to N·M antenna ports, enabling the system to serve N·M geographical areas using only N active beam units at any given time. This segmentation allows geographical coverage to be expanded through beam hopping without proportionally increasing the number of simultaneous beam processing units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different sets of N active beams out of N·M possible beams using the asymmetrical switching matrix. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the payload to adapt to varying traffic demands and serve different geographical areas at different times, effectively increasing geographical coverage without requiring N·M simultaneous beam processing units.
2Productivity
If the number of simultaneous beams is increased to serve more user terminals, then capacity is improved, but payload mass increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple beam forming units share common power amplifiers and antenna ports through the asymmetrical switching matrix. Instead of dedicating separate power amplifiers to each of N·M beams, the system uses N power amplifiers that are time-shared across N·M beam configurations. This merging of resources improves capacity to serve multiple user terminals while avoiding the mass penalty of duplicating power amplification hardware for each beam.
Solution Approach 2:
The N power amplifiers serve multiple functions by being dynamically allocated to different beam configurations. The same set of N power amplifiers supports N·M different beam patterns over time, allowing the payload to maintain high capacity for serving multiple user terminals while using a limited number of power amplification stages, thus controlling payload mass.
3Power
If more power amplifiers are added to support more beams, then power capacity is improved, but payload volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The N power amplifiers operate continuously to support N simultaneous beams, and through the asymmetrical switching matrix, the same power amplification resources are continuously reused across N·M different beam configurations over time. This continuous utilization of the same power hardware for multiple beam functions increases effective power capacity without requiring additional power amplifier volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards the notion of dedicating permanent power amplifiers to each beam configuration. Instead, power amplifiers are temporarily assigned to support specific beams and then recovered (reallocated) to support other beams in subsequent time slots. This dynamic allocation allows the system to achieve high power capacity for serving multiple beams while maintaining a compact payload volume through resource reuse.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a payload (50) of a satellite comprising a gateway reception module (51) and a user transmission module (53), said user transmission module (53) comprising: - an asymmetric switching matrix (54) comprising N input ports and N∙M output ports; - a multi-beam antenna (55) adapted to form N∙M static beams comprising N∙M input ports respectively connected to the N∙M output ports of the asymmetric switching matrix (54); - power amplifiers integrated in the multi-beam antenna (55) or arranged between said multi-beam antenna and the asymmetric switching matrix (54), the payload further comprising a digital processing circuit (52) configured to demultiplex received signals multiplexed by the gateway reception module (51), and to distribute said signals over various input ports of the asymmetric switching matrix (54).