Abstract: A communication system, an apparatus and a method for communicating with a radio disposed in an outdoor unit are provided. The apparatus including: a de-multiplexor configured to separate a multiplexed signal received on an inter-facility link (IFL) into a first signal; a demodulator configured to demodulate the first signal based-on a first modulator control information to obtain data; a modulator configured to modulate a portion of the data based-on a second modulator control information to generate a second signal; and an amplifier configured to amplify a transmission signal prior to transmission of the transmission signal with an antenna, wherein the transmission signal is based on the second signal, the second modulator control information is received by the de-multiplexor and the second modulator control information controls the modulation scheme used by the modulator.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for increasing or decreasing the transmission speed of a VSAT used in a satellite network. A VSAT may include an ASIC and an FPGA in a transmission block of the VSAT. The ASIC includes an ASIC transmit modulator configured to modulate an input information signal, and circuitry for bypassing at least a portion of the ASIC transmit modulator. The FPGA includes circuitry for receiving a signal bypassing at least a portion of the ASIC transmit modulator, and an FPGA transmit modulator configured to modulate the bypassed signal. In implementations, the system uses the ASIC to burst format an input information signal with a payload burst segment; bypasses a transmit modulator of the ASIC after burst formatting the input information signal with the ASIC; and uses an FPGA to insert additional burst segments into the ASIC burst-formatted signal.

Abstract: A telecommunications system includes a network device that detects a communication failure associated with a first communication network and generates a failure command for a remote device to transmit a failure signal over a second communication network. The failure signal represents the communication failure. A method includes detecting a communication failure associated with a first communication network, generating a failure command for a remote device to transmit a failure signal over a second communication network, and transmitting the failure command to the remote device. The network device may take a corrective action in response to receiving a recovery signal from the remote device.

Abstract: A telecommunications system includes a network device that receives a data signal over a first communication network and in accordance with a first communication protocol. The network device generates an acknowledgement command for a remote device to transmit an acknowledgement signal over a second communication network and in accordance with a second communication protocol. The acknowledgement signal acknowledges receipt of the data signal at the network device.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide a receiver design capable of both wideband (high symbol rate) and narrowband (low symbol rate) operations requirements without compromising narrowband performance. Moreover, such a receiver design can be very low cost, and eschewing the need for any expensive and/or specialized elements. A receiver configured in accordance with various embodiments utilizes a fully integrated tuner in which narrowband filters are configured to be bypassable when in wideband (high symbol rate) mode in favor of fixed wideband filters. Additionally, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) can be implemented with digital gain for wideband operation, as well as digital data bit mapping to accommodate industry standard application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) interfaces, such as from a 12 bit ADC core to an 8 bit digital interface.

Abstract: A telecommunications system includes a satellite receiver programmed to estimate a Doppler frequency associated with a satellite signal. Estimating the Doppler frequency includes sampling the satellite signal, resampling the sampled satellite signal, and compensating for a frequency offset associated with the satellite signal. An example satellite receiver includes a sampling device programmed to sample the satellite signal, a resampling device programmed to sample the sampled satellite signal and output a resampled satellite signal, and an incremental phase modulator programmed to filter a frequency offset from the resampled satellite signal.

Abstract: It is determined, e.g., in a communications terminal, that a test triggering event has occurred. A test is initiated based on the determination that the test triggering event has occurred. One or more transmissions are transmitted at one or more respective specified power levels. Measurement data is received from a remote measurement unit indicating respective received power levels of the one or more transmissions by the remote measurement unit. Based on the measurement data, a maximum transmit power level is determined.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide load balancing on time division multiple access (TDMA) inroute channels of a satellite network. A bandwidth allocation manager or module can employ smart admission techniques to admit new terminals based upon the available bandwidth capacities of TDMA inroute channels including committed information rate (CIR) bandwidth requirements of already admitted terminals and current and CIR bandwidth requirements of the new terminals. Attempts are made to fully load a first TDMA inroute channel before providing admission to a second TDMA inroute channel. Additionally, an already admitted terminal requesting increased bandwidth or one or more other already admitted terminals may be reassigned to one or more alternative TDMA inroute channels to accommodate the requested increase in bandwidth.

Abstract: A mobile terminal for satellite communications receives communication, e.g., from a gateway via a satellite link. A frequency lock loop unit locks to the carrier frequency of the received communication. The mobile terminal includes a global positioning system for receiving global positioning data. The mobile terminal determines the Doppler frequency shift of the received communications based on the global positioning data. The mobile terminal generates a reference clock for return transmissions based on the frequency of the frequency lock loop, corrected for the Doppler shift. A correction factor of two times the determined Doppler frequency shift is used, to compensate for both a forward and return transmission link.

Abstract: Approaches for staged data compression are provided, where each stage reflects a progressive increase in granularity, resulting in a scalable approach that exhibits improved efficiency and compression performance. The first stage comprises a long-range block-level compressor that determines redundancies on a block-level basis (based on entire data blocks, as opposed to partial segments within data blocks). The second stage comprises a long-range byte-level compressor that compresses an uncompressed block based on byte segments within the block that match previously transmitted segments. The duplicate segments are replaced with pointers to matching segments within a decompressor cache. Nonmatching segments of the data block are left uncompressed and passed to a third stage short-range compressor (e.g., a grammar-based compressor). The staged progression in granularity provides advantages of maximizing the compression gain while minimizing processing and storage requirements of the compressor and decompressor.

Abstract: Terminal diagnosis self correction is disclosed. A service inquiry is received regarding a problem with a terminal from a user. Terminal statistics are obtained remotely from the terminal and stored in a site diagnosis log. An initial diagnosis is determined with a site diagnostic tool using the terminal statistics. The initial diagnosis is stored in the site diagnosis log. A technician is dispatched to repair the terminal. Terminal statistics are obtained locally at the terminal and stored in an onsite validation tool log. An onsite diagnosis is determined using an onsite validation tool and stored the onsite validation tool log. The initial and onsite diagnoses are compared. In response to a difference between the initial and onsite diagnoses, the remotely and locally obtained terminal statistics are compared. The site diagnostic tool is adjusted based on the initial diagnosis, the onsite diagnosis, and the remote and local terminal statistics.

Abstract: An integrated waveguide for use in high radio frequency communication is provided. The integrated waveguide including: a first substrate including a first plastic layer having on a first inward-facing surface, a first portion of a waveguide feature formed on the first inward-facing surface, and a metal layer disposed on the first inward-facing surface; and a second substrate including a second plastic layer having a second inward-facing surface, a second portion of a waveguide feature formed on the second inward-facing surface, and a metal layer disposed on the second inward-facing surface, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are assembled to define an integrated waveguide feature defined by an assembling of the first portion of the waveguide feature and the second portion of the waveguide feature.

Abstract: A method of assembling a satellite antenna including placing a first layer PCB including an alignment hole on an assembly fixture including an alignment pole, placing a solid foam spacer including an alignment hole on the assembly fixture, pressing the solid foam spacer onto the first layer PCB to adhere the solid foam spacer to the first layer PCB, removing an adhesive carrier film from a reflector patch of a reflector patch sheet including an alignment hole, placing the reflector patch sheet on the assembly feature, pressing the reflector patch sheet onto the solid foam spacer to adhere the reflector patch to the solid foam spacer, and removing a release liner from the top of the reflector patch sheet to remove excess material from the reflector patch sheet.

Abstract: A method and a satellite gateway for minimizing an impact of a noise floor variation in a spot beam satellite system. A demodulator processes digitized signals from multiple channels. Digitized signals are automatically gain controlled by respective automatic gain control components associated with respective channels. Automatic gain controlled digitized signals are downconverted and provided to a burst processor. The burst processor processes each downconverted signal and provides, with respect to each downconverted signal, an automatic gain control estimate, a code rate, and an inroute number to a processor component. The processor component determines an average automatic gain control value for each inroute, provides automatic gain control references to the respective automatic gain control components, and periodically sends noise map information to satellite terminals served by the satellite gateway. In some embodiments, the automatic gain control values are biased according to corresponding code rates.

Abstract: A linear technology radio for use in satellite communication is provided. The linear technology radio includes: a pre-amplifier to amplify a Local Oscillator (LO) reference signal; an intermediate frequency (IF) amplifier to amplify an IF signal; a frequency multiplier to multiply the LO reference signal; and a mixer to mix the amplified LO reference signal and the amplified IF signal to generate a Radio Frequency (RF) signal, wherein a frequency band of the IF signal is fixed, a frequency band of the LO reference signal is variable, and a highest frequency of the LO reference signal frequency band is less than a lowest frequency of the IF signal frequency band.

Abstract: An approach provides a satellite air interface to efficiently support communication with a terrestrial network. One or more packets associated with a data communication session are received from a terrestrial network configured to provide cellular communications. A frame representing the packet for transmission is generated over a satellite link to a user terminal. Signaling information for the transmission of the packet over the terrestrial network is modified or eliminated for transmission over the satellite link.

Abstract: Modulation and coding schemes are provided for improved performance of wireless communications systems to support services and applications for terminals with operational requirements at relatively low ES/N0 ratios. The provided modulation and coding schemes will support current and future communications services and applications for terminals with operational requirements at relatively low ES/N0 ratios, and will provide modulation and coding schemes that offer finer granularity within an intermediate operational range of ES/N0 ratios. The new modulation and coding schemes provide new BCH codes, and low density parity check (LDPC) codes.

Abstract: Systems and methods for problem signature terminal diagnosis are disclosed. In an example embodiment, measured operational statistics of a satellite terminal of a peer group of satellite terminals are received and converted into normalized operation statistics. Normalized deviations of the operational statistics are determined and compared to the threshold deviations. A diagnosis zone corresponding to a problem signature is determined based on the normalized deviations by determining that coordinates of the normalized deviations are within the diagnosis zone, comparing a ratio based on the normalized deviations to a threshold ratio, or comparing a differential of the normalized deviations to a threshold differential. A satellite terminal is diagnosed with a problem defined by the problem signature based on the determined diagnosis zone.

Abstract: A satellite terminal and a machine-implemented method are provided for encoding a burst header of a burst for transmission on an inroute. One component of a group of satellite terminal components consisting of an ASIC, a FPGA, and a DSP, generates a burst header having five information bits encoded therein. The five information bits may be encoded using a Reed-Muller code, a (32, 5) block code or a convolutional code having a code rate of either 1/5 or 1/10. The five information bits may represent one or more of a modulation type for a payload of the burst, a code rate for encoding the payload, a code type, and a spreading factor for spreading the payload during transmission. A satellite gateway and a machine-implemented method are also provided for decoding a burst header of a burst received on an inroute as described above.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide bandwidth management on the inroute of a satellite network. Inroute group managers (IGMs) monitor bandwidth usage in each terminal group (TG) under each of the IGMs, and report this bandwidth usage to a bandwidth manager. Upon receipt of the reported bandwidth usage from each of the IGMs, the bandwidth manager compares the bandwidth usage and minimum/maximum throughput rates associated with each TG. The bandwidth manager calculates scaling factors that it transmits to each of the IGMs to allow the IGMs to allocate bandwidth accordingly.