Abstract: A communication system for providing network access over a shared communication link is disclosed. The communication system includes a user access point, a network access point and a communications link. The user access point is coupled to one or more user terminals that access a remote network. The network access point is coupled to the remote network. The communications link couples the user access point and the network access point. The communications link is at least partially controlled by the network access point, which monitors information passed between the remote network and the user access point to create an estimate of future usage of the communications link by the user access point based on the information. The network access point allocates communications link resources for the user access point based on the estimate.

Abstract: Techniques for providing broadcast services on spot beam satellite are provided. These techniques enable the mission of a spot beam satellite system to be changed from providing spot beam transmission to broadcast transmissions, and vice versa, without requiring that the satellite be reconfigured. Broadcast data may be encoded and transmitted concurrently on a plurality of spot beams. According to some embodiments, the broadcast data may be encoded using a space-time code and/or forward error corrected (FEC) encoded to enable a receiver to correct errors in the signal received from the spot beam satellite.

Abstract: Disclosed is a satellite weather detection system that uses atmospheric precipitation density data. Subscribers detect the signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio of signals that are transmitted from the satellite. Upstream transmit power data is also collected, which is needed to achieve a given SNR at a gateway. The values of the downstream signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio data as well as the upstream transmit power data are normalized and compared with current atmospheric data. The data can be color coded and graphically displayed to show weather patterns. Location and velocity of high precipitation density cells can be tracked to predict movement of storms.

Abstract: A method is presented for transmitting data in a satellite system having multiple spot beams comprising (1) sending a broadband signal in a forward direction from a gateway terminal to a communications satellite for relay to at least one subscriber terminal, (2) receiving the broadband signal at the communications satellite, wherein the communications satellite comprises a bent pipe repeater having a plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers, (3) using one of the plurality of satellite-based transmission amplifiers to amplify the broadband signal and no other broadband signal from the gateway terminal, to produce an amplified broadband signal, (4) sending the amplified broadband signal as one of a plurality of service spot beams to the at least one subscriber terminal, and (5) receiving and retrieving data from the amplified broadband signal at the at least one subscriber terminal.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for managing satellite communications through the deployment of a fleet of multi-beam satellites serving overlapping and non-overlapping spot beams. In these methods, systems, and devices, a first communication service associated with a relatively wider spot beam of a first satellite is provided to a first coverage area having multiple terminals. A second communication service associated with a relatively narrower spot beam (e.g., high-gain spot beam) of a second satellite is provided to a second coverage area located within the first coverage area. A subset of terminals located within the second coverage area is identified, and the terminals of the identified subset are transitioned from the first communication service of the wide spot beam of the first satellite to the second communication service of the high-gain spot beam of the second satellite.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using opportunistically delayed delivery of content to address sub-optimal bandwidth resource usage in network infrastructures that allow subscribers to share forward link resources. According to some embodiments, content is identified as delayable and assigned to a delaycast queue and/or service flow. For example, a server system of a satellite communications system identifies content that can be delayed to exploit future excess link capacity through multicasting and to exploit subscriber-side storage resources. Some implementations attempt to exploit any excess link resources at any time, while others exploit unused bandwidth only during certain times or when a certain threshold of resources is available. Various embodiments also provide content scoring and/or other prioritization techniques for optimizing exploitation of the delaycast queue.

Abstract: Systems and methods for supporting more flexible coverage areas and spatial capacity assignments using satellite communications systems are disclosed. A hub-spoke, bent-pipe satellite communications system includes: terminals; gateways; a controller for specifying data for controlling satellite operations in accordance with a frame definition including timeslots for a frame and defining an allocation of capacity between forward and return traffic; and a satellite including: pathways; at least one LNA, an output of which is for coupling to a pathway and to amplify uplink beam signals in accordance with the allocation; and at least one HPA, an input of which is for coupling to the pathway and to amplify downlink beam signals in accordance with the allocation, and wherein the frame definition specifies at least one pathway as a forward pathway for at least one timeslot and as a return pathway for at least one other timeslot in the frame.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for improving utilization of a communications system (e.g., a satellite communications system) are provided through techniques referred to herein as “deltacasting.” Some embodiments use a server-side optimizer to intercept and create fingerprints of byte-level content data traversing links of the communications system. The content fingerprints are used to transparently identify communications patterns (e.g., repetitious downloads of the same content, correlations between users, etc.), which may then be used in exploiting multicasting and/or other opportunities for increased utilization of the communication links.

Abstract: A low cost antenna horn for outdoor use having an extended housing with a unibody construction to enclose a waveguide and polarizing septum, the assembly of which rigidly retains and orients the waveguide and polarizing septum without using traditional hardware or sealants.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for optimizing resource utilization in a communications network while also optimizing subscriber engagement with media content over the communications network. Requested content objects can be identified as delayable objects that can be queued for opportunistically delayed communication to both requesting and non-requesting subscribers. Queued delayed content objects are scored with an eye toward optimizing both subscriber engagement and utilization of opportunistically available communications link resources. For example, a storage manager calculates a likelihood that each subscriber will engage with the content if it is opportunistically delivered, and a scheduler calculates a priority order in which to queue each requested delayable content object.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an active vector generator may comprise a vector component switch and a first amplitude adjustment component in parallel with a second amplitude adjustment component. The first and second amplitude adjustment components may operate with different ranges of amplitude. For example, the first amplitude adjustment component may have a full range of amplitude and the second amplitude adjustment component may have a partial range of amplitude. The vector component switch may operate to receive two signals and route the signals to the various amplitude adjustment components based on the relative magnitudes of the two signals. A benefit of having two amplitude adjustment components with selectable signal pathways is that the all the phase states may be obtained but using less robust and expensive amplitude adjustment components.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are disclosed for a novel LDPC decoder. An architecture is described to implement a novel sequence of bit node processing (BNP) and check node processing (CNP) operations. More specifically, the BNP may be split into two parts: a BNP accumulator and a BNP extrinsic information calculator. This separation of processing modules may provide for fewer read and write operations to and from edge memory.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a phased array antenna comprises a bidirectional antenna polarizer and is configured for bidirectional operation. The bidirectional antenna polarizer may combine active implementations of power splitters, power combiners, and phase shifters. Furthermore, in another exemplary embodiment a bidirectional antenna polarizer has extensive system flexibility and field reconfigurability. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the bidirectional phased array antenna operates in “radar-like” applications where the transmit and receive functions operate in half-duplex fashion. Furthermore, in exemplary embodiments, the phased array antenna is configured to operate over multiple frequency bands and/or multiple polarizations.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for providing layer-2 extension services through a non-routed ground segment network, are described. The method includes providing a Layer-2 (L2) interface between a node of the non-routed ground segment network and a service provider, assigning a virtual tagging tuple to the service provider and receiving service provider traffic at a node of the non-routed ground segment network. The method further includes tagging the service provider traffic with the virtual tagging tuple, and switching the tagged service provider traffic through the non-routed ground segment network according to the virtual tagging tuple.

Abstract: A method for providing satellite communications coverage for a geographical area includes operating a plurality of gateways including a first gateway and a second gateway. The first gateway is configured to utilize at least one first spot beam associated with at least one first coverage area, and the second gateway is configured to utilize at least one second spot beam associated with at least one second coverage area. As part of a phased deployment, the at least one second coverage area is expanded to include at least one third coverage area, and the second gateway is configured to provide relayed satellite communications to the plurality of second subscriber terminals located in the at least one second coverage area and to a plurality of third subscriber terminals located in the at least one third coverage area.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for event-driven predictive scheduling of a return link of a communications system. Embodiments detect an event (e.g., a packet) on a forward link that may indicate future usage of the return link. The event is then associated with an event model that characterizes the event, and the event model is further associated with a predictive model. Scheduling of the return link is implemented and/or adjusted according to the predictive model. For example, return link allocations are adjusted by one or more amounts (e.g., one or more grants are allocated or bandwidth is adjusted by a certain amount) and at one or more designated timing offsets according to the predictive model. According to various embodiments, the predictive model is generated by tracking feedback from the return link and/or by scanning packets on the forward link.

Abstract: A method is presented for communicating data in a multibeam satellite system utilizing frequency re-use. The method comprises establishing uplink service beams and downlink service beams between a satellite and a plurality of subscriber terminals. A plurality of the uplink service beams are transmitted to the satellite by re-using at least one common uplink frequency channel. A plurality of the downlink service beams are transmitted from the satellite by re-using at least one common downlink frequency channel. The method further comprises establishing at least one uplink feeder beam and at least one downlink feeder beam between the satellite and a gateway terminal. The at least one uplink feeder beam is transmitted to the satellite by further re-using the at least one common uplink frequency channel. The at least one downlink feeder beam is transmitted from the satellite by further re-using the at least one common downlink frequency channel.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an active vector generator may comprise a vector component switch and a first amplitude adjustment component in parallel with a second amplitude adjustment component. The first and second amplitude adjustment components may operate with different ranges of amplitude. For example, the first amplitude adjustment component may have a full range of amplitude and the second amplitude adjustment component may have a partial range of amplitude. The vector component switch may operate to receive two signals and route the signals to the various amplitude adjustment components based on the relative magnitudes of the two signals. A benefit of having two amplitude adjustment components with selectable signal pathways is that the all the phase states may be obtained but using less robust and expensive amplitude adjustment components.

Abstract: A general purpose hybrid includes a first input port in communication with a first dual vector generator, a second input port in communication with a second dual vector generator, a first active combiner receives a first signal from the first dual vector generator and a third signal from the second dual vector generator, where the first and second dual vector generators independently apply phase shifting and amplitude control to the first and third signals; a second active combiner receives a second signal from the first dual vector generator and a fourth signal from the second dual vector generator, where the first and second dual vector generators independently apply phase shifting and amplitude control to the second and fourth signals; a first output port provides a first composite signal from the first active combiner; and a second output port provides a second composite signal from the second active combiner.