Abstract: A receive planar phased array antenna on a communications platform is used to estimate a pointing error of the antenna and to orient the antenna boresight towards the transmitter.

Abstract: A plastic debris collection system intended for marine use is disclosed. The system includes: a buoyant ring structure; various surface sheathings of plastic disposed on the buoyant ring structure and configured to be joined to a plastic debris; and a heating device disposed on the buoyant ring structure and configured to heat and join the plastic debris to one of the various surface sheathings of plastic.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for classifying traffic data in a communication network based on IP flow. Traffic data in a communication network is monitored in order to detect an IP flow. A preliminary classification is assigned to the IP flow based on protocol information contained in its first packet. Subsequent packets within the IP flow are further monitored, and the IP flow is reclassified based, in part, on the domain name of the responding server. Web pages can also be classified, and monitored to determine their response time.

Abstract: Systems and methods for ACM trajectory include receiving data at a communications receiver; decoding the received data based on a selected MODCOD; monitoring a number of iterations used to decode the data using the selected MODCOD; comparing the number of iterations used to decode the data using the first selected MODCOD to a reference number of iterations; and adjusting a SNR threshold value for the selected MODCOD where the number of iterations used to decode the data using the first selected MODCOD is greater than the reference number of iterations.

Abstract: Methods and systems utilizing receiving, at a first proxy node, a first TCP SYN segment from a first endpoint to establish a TCP connection with a second endpoint, the first TCP SYN segment including a first TCP option having a first option-kind value; transmitting a first spoofed connection request message corresponding to the first TCP SYN segment from the first proxy node to a second proxy node associated with the second endpoint; including, in response to the first TCP option having the first option-kind value, an indication in the first spoofed connection request message that a TCP option having the first option-kind value was included in the first TCP SYN segment; receiving, at the first proxy node, a second TCP SYN segment from a third endpoint to establish a TCP connection with a fourth endpoint, the second TCP SYN segment including a second TCP option having a second option-kind value different from the first option-kind value; transmitting a second spoofed connection request message corresponding to

Abstract: A Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) and cellular system to provide backhaul satellite communications for a cellular base station are disclosed. The VSAT including an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) Core Network (CN) device; and a satellite modem connected to the EPC CN device and to communicate over a satellite link, wherein the EPC CN device manages communication of user traffic from the cellular base station to the satellite modem.

Abstract: A cellular system and method to provide voice and data services to a user terminal are disclosed. The cellular system includes a cellular base station; a satellite backhaul including a first satellite link and a second satellite link; and a traffic classifier to classify traffic from the cellular base station as voice traffic for transportation via the first satellite link and as data traffic for transportation via the second satellite link.

Abstract: An approach for inter-gateway interference estimation and admission control is provided. A gateway receives return link signals, each being received via a satellite from a respective user terminal (UT) located within a satellite beam serviced by the gateway. A transmit power factor and an interference factor are determined for each UT based on the respective return link signal. A total interference factor is determined for the UTs based on the transmit power factors and the interference factors. A residual capacity level for the satellite beam is determined based on the total interference factor and a noise power factor. The gateway receives an admission request from a further UT requesting admission for transmission of a return link signal. The gateway determines whether to grant the admission request based on a required capacity level for the return link signal of the further UT relative to the residual capacity level.

Abstract: An approach for increasing transmission throughput of a non-linear wireless channel, and efficient decoding of the transmitted signal via a simplified receiver, is provided. A signal reflects a source signal, and includes linear inter-symbol interference based on a faster-than-Nyquist signaling rate and a tight frequency roll-off, and non-linear interference based on high-power amplification for transmission over the wireless channel. The signal is received over a non-linear wireless channel, and is processed via a plurality of decoding iterations. A set of soft information of a current decoding iteration is generated based on a current estimate of the source signal and a final set of soft information from a previous decoding iteration. The current estimate of the source signal is based on an estimate of the linear ISI and the non-linear interference, which is based on the final set of soft information from the previous decoding iteration.

Abstract: A method for application aware multihoming with multipath tunneling protocols is provided. A message client data packet is classified based an application from which the data packet originated. The header structure of the data packet is modified to generate a proxy data packet comprising the client data payload and a proxy header structure. The proxy header structure comprises source-client and destination-server parameters and an identifier of a client-proxy device, protocol parameters indicating a source protocol sequencing of the message client data packet, and protocol parameters including source parameters of the client-proxy device and destination parameters of a server-proxy device. A network communications link is selected for transmission of the proxy data packet to the server-proxy device, where the selection is based on the classification of the message client data packet. The proxy data packet is transmitted to the server-proxy device via the network communications link.

Abstract: An apparatus for satellite selection within a multi-satellite communication system, comprising an antenna, receiver, and transmitter, and a processing module configured to calculate a normalized distance metric for the plurality of user spot beams of a first and second satellite, select the user spot beam with the lowest normalized distance metric, and determine which of the at least first or second satellite is transmitting the selected user spot beam. Further, a method for increasing the aggregate capacity of a satellite communications network, comprising identifying high traffic regions within a coverage area of a first satellite, determining which user spot beams of the first satellite are available to each of the identified regions, determining a normalized distance metric for each user spot beam identified, and plotting a second beam pattern of a second satellite to produce at least one user spot beam with a lower normalized distance metric.

Abstract: A receive planar phased array antenna on a communications platform is used to estimate a pointing error of the antenna and to orient the antenna boresight towards the transmitter.

Abstract: Systems and methods for ACM trajectory include receiving data at a communications receiver; decoding the received data based on a selected MODCOD; monitoring a number of iterations used to decode the data using the selected MODCOD; comparing the number of iterations used to decode the data using the first selected MODCOD to a reference number of iterations; and adjusting a SNR threshold value for the selected MODCOD where the number of iterations used to decode the data using the first selected MODCOD is greater than the reference number of iterations.

Abstract: A radio frequency waveguide is disclosed. The radio frequency waveguide includes: a dielectric including an exterior input surface, an exterior output surface and other exterior surfaces; and a metal disposed on the other exterior surfaces of the dielectric, wherein the dielectric is voidless and adapted to propagate radio frequency radiation from the exterior input surface to the exterior output surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein provide techniques for reducing quantization errors and side lobe levels in phased array antennas. The states of a quantized phase shifter of a phased array antenna may be dithered to achieve a time-averaged value that reduces quantization errors. By rapidly switching between the different states of the quantized phase shifter, a time-average value close to a desired phase state may be achieved with a low resolution phase shifter.

Abstract: A system and method for filtering code blocks to maintain high throughput thru a Forward Error Correcting (FEC) decoder is disclosed. The method includes: monitoring a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) for an incoming link; selecting a rank table including a rank, Modulation and Coding Rate (MODCOD), and a minimum SNR; determining a threshold MODCOD range from the rank table based on the SNR; demodulating an incoming frame; identifying, in the incoming frame, the code blocks and an associated MODCOD for each of the code blocks; selecting a code block from the code blocks when the respective MODCOD for the code block is in the rank table and within the threshold MODCOD range; and decoding the selected code block with the associated MODCOD.

Abstract: Techniques are described for implementing adaptive coding and modulation (ACM) in regenerative satellite systems to adapt the modulation and/or FEC coding of transmitted waveforms to the conditions of the link. In a first implementation, ACM is implemented on an uplink from a terminal to a regenerative satellite. In this implementation, an uplink modulation and coding combination (ModCod) is estimated by the transmitting terminal based on the quality of signals received from the regenerative satellite on the downlink. In a second implementation, ACM may be implemented on a downlink from a regenerative satellite to a terminal. In this implementation, a transmit terminal may insert a field in a transmitted packet header that indicates a downlink ModCod to be used by the regenerative satellite when transmitting packets to a receiving terminal. The regenerative satellite may reencode and remodulate the packet using the ModCod indicated in the field of the packet header.

Abstract: A description of a high altitude platform with multibeam coverage for aero-based terminals is provided herein. An example apparatus includes a plurality of user link antennas each configured to provide communication coverage among a plurality of aero-based terminals within a specified volume (or area) of the sky, each antenna being configured to communicate with a specified cell within the specified volume. The apparatus also includes a gateway link antenna configured to provide communication coverage to a ground-based gateway terminal. The user link antennas are configured to have differently sized apertures to maintain a similar spectral density among the cells within the specified coverage area. Such a configuration of user link antennas provides consistent Quality of Service and bandwidth for aero-based terminals (such as private and commercial aircraft) operating within the specified coverage area.

Abstract: A system and method for bandwidth management for a Host Network Operator (HNO) is disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for defining and generating boundaries of satellite coverage. The apparatus includes a processor that is configured to select a plurality of beam points, from a set of points on a coordinate system, to be included within a beam definition, and determine a number of ellipses capable of enclosing the selected beam points while excluding all remaining points of the set of points. The processor then assigns the selected beam points to a corresponding ellipse, and optimizes geometric information for each ellipse to enclose the beam points assigned thereto. A coverage beam is then defined based on a contour resulting from the combined shape of all the ellipses using the optimized geometric information.