Satellite Return Path Congestion Mitigation via Dynamic Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Satellite communication systems face congestion issues due to multiple users competing for limited resources, leading to communication channel blocking and potential regulatory violations, especially in geostationary satellite links where mobile devices cannot sense transmissions from other devices, resulting in increased noise floor and reduced signal-to-noise ratios.
Innovation Solution
A ground station server or distributed modules determine congestion levels on return communication paths and implement mitigation strategies, such as redirecting communication to uncongested paths or enforcing communication restrictions, to prevent channel overload and ensure regulatory compliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple users transmit simultaneously over a shared satellite channel, then communication capacity and user support are improved, but congestion occurs leading to increased noise floor and reduced signal-to-noise ratios
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the satellite or ground station monitors channel congestion levels and sends control signals back to mobile devices. When congestion is detected (noise floor exceeds threshold), the system feedbacks congestion information to users, prompting them to adjust transmission timing or power, thereby maintaining signal-to-noise ratio while preserving communication capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies periodic transmission slots or time-division approaches where users transmit in scheduled intervals rather than continuously. This periodic action allows the system to manage multiple users over time, reducing simultaneous interference and maintaining acceptable signal-to-noise ratios while supporting high communication capacity through efficient time utilization
2Device complexity
If mobile devices transmit without sensing other transmissions, then device complexity is reduced, but congestion mitigation capability is lost leading to channel blocking
Solution Approach 1:
The satellite or ground station acts as an intermediary that centralizes congestion detection and control functions. Mobile devices don't need to sense each other directly; instead, the intermediary monitors overall channel conditions and coordinates transmissions, maintaining communication reliability while keeping device complexity low
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables mobile devices to autonomously adjust their transmission behavior based on received congestion indicators. Devices self-regulate by modifying transmission timing or power levels in response to system feedback, achieving congestion mitigation without complex inter-device sensing or coordination mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a communicating device (e.g., either a ground station server or a particular distributed module of a satellite communication system) mitigates congestion on a particular return communication path via an intermediate satellite from the plurality of distributed modules to the ground station server. In particular, in response to determining that the level of congestion is above a threshold, then the communication device mitigates the congestion by, e.g., one or both of either a) determining an uncongested return communication path from a particular distributed module to the ground station server, ensuring that the uncongested return communication path would not interfere with any unintended receiver, and then causing the particular distributed module to use the uncongested return communication path, and b) enforcing one or more communication restrictions on a utilized return communication path to reduce the effect of a communication on the overall congestion of the utilized return communication path.