Satellite Spectrum Management via Grid Frequency Allocation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing satellite constellations for IoT connectivity face challenges in managing bandwidth for a large number of IoT devices due to overlapping satellite footprints, leading to communication collisions and insufficient capacity, despite efforts like expanding the constellation and using beamforming with directional antennas.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for managing communication frequencies through a database organized into a grid, allowing satellites to select unique frequencies based on their ground tracks, avoiding collisions by allocating different frequencies to neighboring cells and using buffer frequencies when necessary, enabling efficient spectrum sharing among constellations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If satellite constellation is expanded to support more IoT devices, then capacity increases, but communication collisions increase due to overlapping footprints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of IoT devices supportedVSAvoidcommunication collision frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the geographic coverage area into a grid of cells, with each cell assigned a unique communication frequency. This segmentation allows multiple satellites to operate simultaneously in different regions without interference, enabling constellation expansion while preventing communication collisions through spatial-frequency resource allocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If beamforming with directional antennas is used, then spectrum efficiency improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespectrum use efficiencyVSAvoidantenna system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using complex beamforming with directional antennas to achieve frequency reuse, the patent inverts the approach by assigning unique frequencies to different geographic cells. This eliminates the need for complex antenna systems while achieving the same goal of preventing interference and enabling efficient spectrum utilization across the constellation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If unique frequencies are allocated to each cell, then communication collisions are prevented, but spectrum waste increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication collision avoidanceVSAvoidspectrum resource utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by allowing frequency reuse at the local level - the same communication frequency can be reused in non-neighboring cells or cells separated by sufficient distance. This creates a hierarchical frequency allocation system where unique frequencies prevent collisions locally while systematic reuse maximizes spectrum utilization globally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12255728B2Spectrum management for satellite constellations

Publication Date: 2025.03.18 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A device and method for managing communication frequencies, including generating a geographical grid with a plurality of cells and allocating communication frequencies to the cells. Each of the communication frequencies is used for communication between a satellite and a ground device or ground IoT modem. A communication frequency allocated to one cell is different from the communication frequencies allocated to each of the immediately surrounding cells. A set of communication frequencies is selected for communication between the satellite and ground devices based on a ground track of the satellite. The selected set is transmitted to the satellite to communicate with the ground station located in a cell with the communication frequency allocated to that cell.