Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for increasing bandwidth efficiency in satellite communications. In some embodiments, a satellite communications method is provided that comprises receiving, at a gateway ground station and as part of a downlink transmission from a satellite, a combined source signal comprising a plurality of source signals with an overlapping bandwidth, and extracting, from the downlink transmission, information specifying at least one predetermined modulation method. The method also includes generating, based on the at least one predetermined modulation method and from the combined source signal, a plurality of estimated waveforms corresponding to the plurality of source signals, separating, by signal cancellation and using the plurality of estimated waveforms, the plurality of source signals from the combined source signal, and routing, with a terrestrial network, the plurality of source signals to one or more user ground terminals.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for increasing bandwidth efficiency in satellite communications. In some embodiments, a satellite communications method is provided that comprises receiving, at a satellite and from a plurality of user ground terminals, a plurality of source signals, wherein each of the source signals are modulated according to at least one source modulation method, and further receiving, at a satellite and from a plurality of user ground terminals, a plurality of information signals corresponding to the plurality of source signals. The method further includes combining, at the satellite, the plurality of source signals into a combined source signal with an overlapping bandwidth, wherein each of the source signals are further modulated according to at least one predetermined modulation method before they are combined, and transmitting, by a downlink transmission from the satellite to a gateway ground station, the combined source signal.

Abstract: A telecommunications satellite including a receiver that receives a first stream of data packets transmitted by a first transmission site and a second stream of data packets transmitted by a second transmission site, a stream analyzer that aligns the data packets in the first stream and the data packets in the second stream, analyzes corresponding data packets in the first stream and the second stream to identify missing or corrupted data packets, and selects data packets to place into forward transmission based upon the analysis, and a transmitter that transmits the selected data packets to at least one receive site.

Abstract: A method of delivering content, via a satellite, from a content server to one or more tower sites of a mobile operator network or locations with caching functions, the method including using satellite bandwidth of the satellite to transmit content to one or more tower sites of a mobile operator network, transmitting the content to the one or more tower sites or locations with caching functions using a combination of wide and spot beams based on locations of the one or more tower sites, and receiving distribution rules, with respect to the content, within computing resources on the downlink side of the transmission path in cloud-based architecture, and comprises transmitting the content to the one or more tower sites or caching locations based on the aggregated, received distribution rules and policies with further distribution to mobile devices.

Abstract: A method of transmitting bursty data and non-bursty data, the method including using terrestrial networks to transmit the non-bursty data and sharing satellite bandwidth to transmit the bursty data from multiple sites. The non-bursty data and the bursty data are transmitted concurrently via the terrestrial networks and the satellite bandwidth, respectively. The bursty data is non-voice data with bursty characteristics.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for minimizing co-channel interference on-board a satellite. An up-link signal received by the satellite is post-compensated, where the up-link signal includes a desired signal transmitted by a first transmitter and an interfering signal transmitted by a second transmitter. The post-compensating includes identifying the interfering signal based on post-compensation parameters. In addition, a down-link signal to be transmitted from the satellite to a receiver is pre-compensated.

Abstract: A spaced based local area network system for providing dynamically allocated downlink services for spacecraft in Geosynchronous Earth Orbit. The system includes at least two client satellites which host an inter-satellite communications payload; a hub satellite which hosts an inter-satellite communications payload, a downlink communications payload, and an aggregator payload; and a ground station which transmits data to and receives data from the hub satellite. The hub satellite, using the aggregator payload, aggregates at least two data flows received from the at least two client satellites over an inter-satellite link, by the inter-satellite communications payload, into a data stream that is downlinked to the ground station, using the downlink communications payload, over a space-to-ground link.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for minimizing co-channel interference on-board a satellite. An up-link signal received by the satellite is post-compensated, where the up-link signal includes a desired signal transmitted by a first transmitter and an interfering signal transmitted by a second transmitter. The post-compensating includes identifying the interfering signal based on post-compensation parameters. In addition, a down-link signal to be transmitted from the satellite to a receiver is pre-compensated.

Abstract: A spaced based local area network system for providing dynamically allocated downlink services for spacecraft in Geosynchronous Earth Orbit. The system includes at least two client satellites which host an inter-satellite communications payload; a hub satellite which hosts an inter-satellite communications payload, a downlink communications payload, and an aggregator payload; and a ground station which transmits data to and receives data from the hub satellite. The hub satellite, using the aggregator payload, aggregates at least two data flows received from the at least two client satellites over an inter-satellite link, by the inter-satellite communications payload, into a data stream that is downlinked to the ground station, using the downlink communications payload, over a space-to-ground link.

Abstract: The invention relates to piggyback secondary payloads, a device for and a method of attaching piggyback secondary payloads, including a primary satellite and at least one secondary payload, such as a deployable microsatellite, affixed instrument package or the like, wherein the secondary payload is mounted on the nadir end of the primary satellite, preferably employing a universal adapter between the primary satellite and the at least one secondary payload.

Abstract: The invention relates to a piggyback satellite, a device for and a method of attaching piggyback satellites with multiple payloads, including a primary satellite and at least one secondary payload, such as a deployable micro satellite, affixed instrument package or the like, wherein the secondary payload is mounted on the nadir end of the primary satellite, preferably employing a universal adapter between the primary satellite and the at least one secondary payload that releases at least one secondary payload or the like in a certain orbit in space for allowing the secondary payload to continue its journey independently in space for transmitting and receiving data.

Abstract: The invention relates to piggyback secondary payloads, a device for and a method of attaching piggyback secondary payloads, including a primary satellite and at least one secondary payload, such as a deployable microsatellite, affixed instrument package or the like, wherein the secondary payload is mounted on the nadir end of the primary satellite, preferably employing a universal adapter between the primary satellite and the at least one secondary payload.

Abstract: The invention relates to a piggyback satellite, a device for and a method of attaching piggyback satellites with multiple payloads, including a primary satellite and at least one secondary payload, such as a deployable micro satellite, affixed instrument package or the like, wherein the secondary payload is mounted on the nadir end of the primary satellite, preferably employing a universal adapter between the primary satellite and the at least one secondary payload that releases at least one secondary payload or the like in a certain orbit in space for allowing the secondary payload to continue its journey independently in space for transmitting and receiving data.

Abstract: A method and system of performing IP multicast includes a client at one of many downstream networks that sends a request signal to an upstream network via a return channel (e.g., the Internet), and the upstream network sends the request to a media server. The media server, and for live data, a media encoder, processes a media stream to generate a real-time IP multicast communication that is output to a unidirectional satellite that transmits the IP multicast communication to the client without delay via the downstream network, and can convert the IP multicast to unicast. The bidirectional return channel allows the source to calculate billing information based on client usage statistics, and transmits confirmation acknowledgement based on a confirmation request from the upstream network. Because the routing configuration is transparent to the rest of the network, the invention applies to multi-hop networks on both sides of the satellite link.

Abstract: A scalable edge node for servicing different video content simultaneously using two or more servers and for load balancing between the servers. Additional servers may be added or removed as the client demand serviced by the edge node changes. The node further includes a storage device that is shared between the servers, avoiding the need for multiple storage devices. The invention avoids prior architectures designed with a fixed number of servers and/or various other edge node elements, which are either too many or too few, and therefore become uneconomical or overwhelmed over a range of client demands.

Abstract: A method and system for storing data at edge nodes that receive content, such as video, from an uplink center, such as a network operation center (“NOC”), via a satellite for redelivery to a last mile service provider. Data is stored at the edge nodes in caches along with metadata, which determines how long data is to be kept. The NOC also sends messages to the edge nodes to require deletion of files and data.

Abstract: Techniques for redirecting a satellite antenna beam from a satellite antenna of a satellite in an inclined orbit to a preferred satellite antenna beam pointing position on the earth are provided. Satellite antenna maneuver data is computed based upon information associated with the satellite, such as telemetry, orbital, and antenna nominal pointing information. Command code sequences are then generated that correspond to the maneuver data. The command codes are executable at the inclined orbit satellite to modify the antenna position. The generated command codes are then transmitted to the inclined orbit satellite to redirect the satellite antenna beam center to the preferred position.

Abstract: A decoding method and apparatus, using the Viterbi algorithm for selecting survivor paths terminating on each trellis state, applied for realization of a shared channel decoder (SCD). The shared channel decoder include a branch metric calculator for calculating branch metrics Bt, a plurality of ACS units for computing and exchanging new path metrics &Ggr;t and survivor paths Et, a memory (RAM) for storing new path metrics &Ggr;t and survivor paths Et, and a memory (RAM) for storing previous path metrics &Ggr;t−1 and previous survivor paths Et−1. The branch metrics Bt is the set of branch metrics for decoding step t (e.g., for a code rate of ½, Bt={Bt,00, Bt,01, Bt,10, Bt,11}), the path metrics &Ggr;t is the set of S survivor metrics {&ggr;t,1, &ggr;t,2, . . . , &ggr;S} at decoding step t and the survivor paths Et is the set of S survivor metrics {Et,1,Et,2, . . . , Et,S} where S is the number of decoder states.

Abstract: A method and system of communication between an IP backbone Internet Service Provider (ISP) and remote Internet service providers via a shared channel on a satellite is provided. At a first router coupled to the IP backbone ISP, a static route for an IP packet of the IP backbone ISP is determined based on a media access control (MAC) address of a destination router of the IP packet. The IP packet is encapsulated and transported in a frame having the MAC address of the destination router based on the static route. Next, the frame/IP packet is received in a second router coupled to the remote ISP, which either drops the IP packet prior to reaching the remote ISP, or transports the IP packet to a final destination in the remote ISP, based on the MAC address of the IP packet destination and a MAC address of the second router.

Abstract: A burst tone range processing system for determining the distance between a ranging station and a signal re-transmitting target device, generates a burst tone signal of finite duration and transmits the signal along a delay transmission path from the ranging station to the target and along a reference transmission path within the ranging station. The transmitted signals are received from the reference and delay paths and assigned time tags. The signals are then correlated and the time tags assigned to correlated signals are compared.