Satellite Transponder Power Allocation for Multicarrier Beams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current broadband satellite communication systems face inefficiencies in power utilization and bandwidth allocation due to uniform transmit power across all carriers in a beam, which fails to account for varying signal strengths at different terminal locations within the satellite spot beam, leading to suboptimal modulation and coding schemes and reduced data rates for terminals farther from the beam center.
Innovation Solution
Adjusting carrier power assignments across a satellite beam to maximize FDMA spot beam transponder capacity and data rates by allocating signal power levels based on the realizable gain of each terminal location, dividing the beam into regions with unequal power levels to optimize modulation and coding schemes for terminals across the entire beam.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If uniform transmit power is used across all carriers in a beam, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but power utilization efficiency deteriorates and bandwidth efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different power levels to different carriers based on their specific beam regions. Carriers serving terminals near the beam center are transmitted at lower power levels, while carriers serving terminals at the beam edge are transmitted at higher power levels. This localized power optimization resolves the contradiction by improving power utilization efficiency without significantly increasing system complexity, as the power level assignment is determined through pre-calculated lookup tables based on terminal locations and beam gain patterns.
2Device complexity
If uniform transmit power is used across all carriers in a beam, then device complexity is reduced, but bandwidth efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by optimizing power allocation for each carrier according to the specific requirements of its served beam region. This allows terminals at different locations within the beam to achieve optimal bandwidth efficiency appropriate to their position, thereby improving overall system bandwidth efficiency without requiring complex real-time adjustments, as power levels are predetermined based on beam gain patterns and terminal locations.
3Reliability
If higher transmit power is used for terminals at beam edge, then reliability is improved for those terminals, but overall power utilization efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the transmit power parameter for each carrier based on the specific requirements of its served beam region. Carriers serving beam-edge terminals use higher power parameters to ensure reliable communication, while carriers serving beam-center terminals use lower power parameters. This selective parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by improving reliability for beam-edge terminals without sacrificing overall power utilization efficiency, as each carrier's power parameter is optimized for its specific operational context.
Data Source
AI summary
An approach for optimizing power utilization of a satellite transponder, and thereby optimizing achievable modulation/coding schemes and data rates for terminals across the transponder beam, is provided. A signal power level is allocated to each of a plurality of carriers. The plurality of carriers are to be transmitted within a downlink beam via a transponder, each of the carriers is associated with a region of the beam, and the total power allocated to the carriers does not exceed a desired aggregate power level for the transponder. The signal power allocated to each carrier is determined relative to a gain realizable by satellite terminals within the respective beam region and assigned to receive the respective carrier, and the realizable gain of the terminals is based on locations within the beam. The signal power level allocated to each carrier is different from the power allocated to the other carriers.