Abstract: A method, carried out by a processing device(s), is used for assisting in placing beams to cover a plurality of locations on Earth. The method comprises: grouping the plurality of locations into cliques by applying a clique problem resolution technique to an undirected graph whose vertices correspond to the plurality of locations and wherein two vertices of the undirected graph are connected by an edge if they correspond to two locations that are regarded as coverable by a single beam; assigning a beam to each of at least some of the cliques; and outputting parameters usable to control at least one beam source to form the assigned beams. The invention also relates to a system, computer program products, and a method and system for simulating a beam placement.

Abstract: A terminal, allowing bidirectional communication with a gateway, receives information from the gateway through a forward satellite and sends information towards the gateway through a return satellite. The terminal comprises an antenna arrangement having a receive aperture for receiving signals from forward satellite and a transmit aperture for transmitting signals to return satellite. A controller computes a pointing direction from receive aperture towards the forward satellite based on the terminal's position and orientation, the antenna arrangement's geometry, and the forward satellite's orbital position; and computes a pointing direction from the transmit aperture towards the return satellite based on the computed pointing direction from the receive aperture towards the forward satellite and the return satellite's orbital position. The invention also relates to a system comprising a terminal and a gateway, and to a method for operating a terminal.

Abstract: A terminal, allowing bidirectional communication with a gateway, receives information from the gateway through a forward satellite and sends information towards the gateway through a return satellite. The terminal comprises an antenna arrangement having a receive aperture for receiving signals from forward satellite and a transmit aperture for transmitting signals to return satellite. A controller computes a pointing direction from receive aperture towards the forward satellite based on the terminal's position and orientation, the antenna arrangement's geometry, and the forward satellite's orbital position; and computes a pointing direction from the transmit aperture towards the return satellite based on the computed pointing direction from the receive aperture towards the forward satellite and the return satellite's orbital position. The invention also relates to a system comprising a terminal and a gateway, and to a method for operating a terminal.

Abstract: A method, carried out by a processing device(s), is used for assisting in placing beams to cover a plurality of locations on Earth. The method comprises: grouping the plurality of locations into cliques by applying a clique problem resolution technique to an undirected graph whose vertices correspond to the plurality of locations and wherein two vertices of the undirected graph are connected by an edge if they correspond to two locations that are regarded as coverable by a single beam; assigning a beam to each of at least some of the cliques; and outputting parameters usable to control at least one beam source to form the assigned beams. The invention also relates to a system, computer program products, and a method and system for simulating a beam placement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for communicating from a plurality of gateways (10) to a satellite (14) over a set of uplink channels (12) and then towards Earth (22) in a plurality of beams (20). In that context, inter-beam interference mitigation precoding (s40) of signals intended to non-space-based receiver locations (18) is performed. At each gateway (10), precoding weightings are generated (s30) and uplink signals are transmitted (s32) to the satellite (14) in each of the uplink channels (12). At the satellite (14), the uplink signals are received (s34) from the gateways (10) over the uplink channels (12), and, for each uplink signal, a downlink signal (s36) is derived before transmitting (s38) the downlink signals towards Earth (22). In addition, constraints are defined to allow an effective inter-beam mitigation precoding processing. In other words, the method aims at providing system-wide precoding when more than one gateway is used.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for communicating from a plurality of gateways (10) to a satellite (14) over a set of uplink channels (12) and then towards Earth (22) in a plurality of beams (20). In that context, inter-beam interference mitigation precoding (s40) of signals intended to non-space-based receiver locations (18) is performed. At each gateway (10), precoding weightings are generated (s30) and uplink signals are transmitted (s32) to the satellite (14) in each of the uplink channels (12). At the satellite (14), the uplink signals are received (s34) from the gateways (10) over the uplink channels (12), and, for each uplink signal, a downlink signal (s36) is derived before transmitting (s38) the downlink signals towards Earth (22). In addition, constraints are defined to allow an effective inter-beam mitigation precoding processing. In other words, the method aims at providing system-wide precoding when more than one gateway is used.

Abstract: An observation satellite is used for obtaining information about electromagnetic energy emitted from the earth. The observation satellite orbits the earth in an orbit having an inclination larger than 90° and smaller than 270°. Further, the observation satellite comprises at least one receiving antenna, the at least one receiving antenna having a receiving pattern directed towards the earth, and suitable for receiving electromagnetic energy in the radio frequency range as the observation satellite is orbiting relative to the surface of the earth. The observation satellite also comprises a transmitter configured for at least one of: (i) retransmitting, to a relay spacecraft, the received electromagnetic energy, (ii) transmitting, to the relay spacecraft, information representing the received electromagnetic energy, and (iii) transmitting, to the relay spacecraft, information derived from the received electromagnetic energy. The invention also relates to systems and methods therefor.

Abstract: An observation satellite is used for obtaining information about electromagnetic energy emitted from the earth. The observation satellite orbits the earth in an orbit having an inclination larger than 90° and smaller than 270°. Further, the observation satellite comprises at least one receiving antenna, the at least one receiving antenna having a receiving pattern directed towards the earth, and suitable for receiving electromagnetic energy in the radio frequency range as the observation satellite is orbiting relative to the surface of the earth. The observation satellite also comprises a transmitter configured for at least one of: (i) retransmitting, to a relay spacecraft, the received electromagnetic energy, (ii) transmitting, to the relay spacecraft, information representing the received electromagnetic energy, and (iii) transmitting, to the relay spacecraft, information derived from the received electromagnetic energy. The invention also relates to systems and methods therefor.

Abstract: A method, carried out by a gateway transmitter (400), aims at compensating the nonlinearities of a communication channel (500) comprising a repeater (510). A plurality of digital signals is modulated (s10) on a plurality of carriers, wherein symbols of the constellation diagram used for modulation of each carrier are distorted in accordance with a pre-distortion function. The modulated signals are then frequency division multiplexed (s20), and sent (s30) for transmission, through the communication channel (500), to at least one receiver (600). The pre-distortion function involves a plurality of polynomial functions, each of which taking as input the symbols from all the carriers. The polynomial functions' coefficients, called “pre-distortion coefficients”, are computed according to a direct learning approach, performed jointly for the plurality of carriers. The pre-distortion coefficients are iteratively updated based on received signals being fed back from a receiver (600).

Abstract: An observation satellite is used for obtaining information about electromagnetic energy emitted from the earth. The observation satellite orbits the earth in an orbit having an inclination larger than 90° and smaller than 270°. Further, the observation satellite comprises at least one receiving antenna, the at least one receiving antenna having a receiving pattern directed towards the earth, and suitable for receiving electromagnetic energy in the radio frequency range as the observation satellite is orbiting relative to the surface of the earth. The observation satellite also comprises a transmitter configured for at least one of: (i) retransmitting the received electromagnetic energy, (ii) transmitting information representing the received electromagnetic energy, and (iii) transmitting information derived from the received electromagnetic energy. The invention also relates to systems and methods therefor.

Abstract: A method, carried out by a gateway transmitter (400), aims at compensating the nonlinearities of a communication channel (500) comprising a repeater (510). A plurality of digital signals is modulated (s10) on a plurality of carriers, wherein symbols of the constellation diagram used for modulation of each carrier are distorted in accordance with a pre-distortion function. The modulated signals are then frequency division multiplexed (s20), and sent (s30) for transmission, through the communication channel (500), to at least one receiver (600). The pre-distortion function involves a plurality of polynomial functions, each of which taking as input the symbols from all the carriers. The polynomial functions' coefficients, called “pre-distortion coefficients”, are computed according to a direct learning approach, performed jointly for the plurality of carriers. The pre-distortion coefficients are iteratively updated based on received signals being fed back from a receiver (600).

Abstract: The invention notably relates to the linear distribution of video programs, or segment(s) thereof, to end user devices. Video programs, or segment(s) thereof, received from one or more content source, are encoded and encapsulated into IP video streams. The streams are transmitted to a satellite operator network operation center (NOC), which encrypts the streams. The encrypted streams are transmitted, as multicast video streams, through a satellite, to one or more cable television headend, and then, over an IP-based network, to cable modems located within subscriber premises. An IP-enabled end user device transmits, to a gateway associated with one of the cable modems, a command requesting that the IP-enabled end user device obtain a requested video stream as a unicast stream. Upon receiving the command, the gateway triggers the conversion, at the gateway, of the requested video stream from multicast to unicast for transmission over a home network provided within the subscriber premises.

Abstract: An observation satellite is used for obtaining information about electromagnetic energy emitted from the earth. The observation satellite orbits the earth in an orbit having an inclination larger than 90° and smaller than 270°. Further, the observation satellite comprises at least one receiving antenna, the at least one receiving antenna having a receiving pattern directed towards the earth, and suitable for receiving electromagnetic energy in the radio frequency range as the observation satellite is orbiting relative to the surface of the earth. The observation satellite also comprises a transmitter configured for at least one of: (i) retransmitting the received electromagnetic energy, (ii) transmitting information representing the received electromagnetic energy, and (iii) transmitting information derived from the received electromagnetic energy. The invention also relates to systems and methods therefor.

Abstract: An observation satellite is used for obtaining information about electromagnetic energy emitted from the earth. The observation satellite orbits the earth in an orbit having an inclination larger than 90° and smaller than 270°. Further, the observation satellite comprises at least one receiving antenna, the at least one receiving antenna having a receiving pattern directed towards the earth, and suitable for receiving electromagnetic energy in the radio frequency range as the observation satellite is orbiting relative to the surface of the earth. The observation satellite also comprises a transmitter configured for at least one of: (i) retransmitting the received electromagnetic energy, (ii) transmitting information representing the received electromagnetic energy, and (iii) transmitting information derived from the received electromagnetic energy. The invention also relates to systems and methods therefor.

Abstract: An observation satellite is used for obtaining information about electromagnetic energy emitted from the earth. The observation satellite orbits the earth in an orbit having an inclination larger than 90° and smaller than 270°. Further, the observation satellite comprises at least one receiving antenna, the at least one receiving antenna having a receiving pattern directed towards the earth, and suitable for receiving electromagnetic energy in the radio frequency range as the observation satellite is orbiting relative to the surface of the earth. The observation satellite also comprises a transmitter configured for at least one of: (i) retransmitting the received electromagnetic energy, (ii) transmitting information representing the received electromagnetic energy, and (iii) transmitting information derived from the received electromagnetic energy. The invention also relates to systems and methods therefor.