SCPC Satellite Terminal Power Management via DAMA
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Solution Overview
Problem
Satellite communication systems using Single Channel per Carrier (SCPC) access schemes inefficiently utilize satellite resources as each terminal transmits continuously, leading to higher bandwidth and power requirements, which prevents dimensioning of the space segment and results in unnecessary resource usage.
Innovation Solution
A satellite communication terminal adjusts its transmission power and modulation/FEC coding based on data rate characteristics without interrupting the SCPC carrier signal, and a method to enforce total power usage at a satellite transponder to be lower than calculated, allowing for real-time power management and dimensioning of the space segment using Demand Assignment Multiple Access (DAMA) techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If terminals transmit continuous carriers in SCPC access schemes, then each terminal can maintain a dedicated channel without interruptions, but satellite bandwidth and transmission power are inefficiently utilized as resources are occupied at all times even when no data is transmitted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic channel allocation where terminals can switch between continuous carrier mode and silent mode based on data transmission needs. The system dynamically adjusts satellite resource allocation to match actual traffic demands, allowing channels to be activated or deactivated in real-time rather than maintaining static continuous carriers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the transmission parameter state by allowing terminals to transition between different transmission modes (continuous carrier vs. silent). This parameter change enables the system to adapt resource consumption to actual data transmission requirements, reducing power usage when terminals have no data to send while maintaining channel availability when needed.
2Reliability
If terminals transmit continuous carriers in SCPC access schemes, then dedicated channels are maintained for all terminals, but the space segment must be dimensioned to support as many channels as the number of terminals, preventing efficient resource sharing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic channel allocation where the number of active channels is adjusted based on the number of terminals with data to transmit. Instead of maintaining a fixed number of channels equal to the total terminal count, the system dynamically activates only the necessary channels, allowing efficient bandwidth utilization while maintaining channel continuity for active terminals.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables satellite channels to serve multiple functions by allowing the same channel to be shared among different terminals at different times. A single channel can be allocated to different terminals dynamically based on traffic demands, making the bandwidth resource universal rather than dedicated to specific terminals, thus reducing the total bandwidth required.
3Use of energy by moving object
If terminals transmit in bursts using TDMA or MF-TDMA access schemes, then multiple terminals can share return channels efficiently, but the access scheme complexity increases compared to continuous carrier transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic transmission bursts for terminals with data to send, similar to TDMA principles, but combines this with SCPC's dedicated channel characteristics. Terminals transmit in periodic bursts on their assigned channels rather than continuously, reducing power consumption while maintaining the simplicity of dedicated channel allocation. This hybrid approach captures the efficiency of periodic transmission without the full complexity of time-slicing multiple terminals on the same channel.
Data Source
AI summary
A satellite communication system includes a hub and one or more terminals, wherein the one or more terminals may be configured to communicate over a satellite with the hub using a segment of the satellite's resources and using a single channel per carrier (SCPC) access scheme. Methods are presented herein for facilitating the dimensioning of at least a power characteristic of said space segment using a Demand Assignment Multiple Access approach and for enforcing the dimensioned power characteristic in real-time, or substantially in real-time. Also presented are methods for allocating power to SCPC carriers, wherein a maximum power level for a carrier may be determined using a DAMA technique.