Abstract: An intermediate network for a radiocommunication system, the intermediate network includes one or more stations located on high-altitude platforms in order to connect a set of remote base stations to one or more ground stations. The high-altitude platforms are networked by way of communication links, for example high-speed free-space optical links. The invention also proposes to connect remote base stations positioned outside of the area of coverage of the stations located on high-altitude platforms via for example microwave-link relay stations or base stations at the edge of the area of coverage.

Abstract: A station placed on a high-altitude stationary platform includes two main emitter/receiver sets, each configured to establish a main communication link with a remote terminal station or with another station placed on a high-altitude stationary platform and two backup emitter/receiver sets, each configured to establish a backup communication link with a repeater placed on a relay station on the ground or at sea or with a remote terminal station, the station furthermore comprising a control facility configured to selectively activate a main communication link or a backup communication link as a function of an indicator of the operating state of the main communication link.

Abstract: An intermediate network for a radiocommunication system, the intermediate network includes one or more stations located on high-altitude platforms in order to connect a set of remote base stations to one or more ground stations. The high-altitude platforms are networked by way of communication links, for example high-speed free-space optical links. The invention also proposes to connect remote base stations positioned outside of the area of coverage of the stations located on high-altitude platforms via for example microwave-link relay stations or base stations at the edge of the area of coverage.

Abstract: A relay platform for communicating telemetry data from one or more moving observation satellite(s) to the ground is provided. The relay platform for communicating from a space observation system, installed on board an aircraft moving above the clouds, comprises a first reception interface for demodulating telemetry data from at least one moving observation satellite, a second transmission interface for modulating and transmitting the data received to at least one destination ground station. The relay platform comprises a first descending two-level decryption/encryption chain for the telemetry data returned from at least one moving observation satellite(s) to the destination ground station(s).

Abstract: A satellite-based very-high-throughput system is provided and a web-caching system based on a high-altitude platform station, an aerostat for example, having the advantage of decreasing the throughput required over the feeder link without however requiring a cache server to be installed on board the satellite.

Abstract: A method is provided for dynamically allocating the radio resources of a satellite and a very high throughput satellite system configured to implement this method. The method of allocation is executed by a piece of ground equipment called a Radio Resource Manager. The method of allocation according to the invention, allocates dynamically in time frequency resources to each spot of the multibeam coverage in accord with the conditions of propagation of the radio signals (in particular the attenuations due to bad weather) prevailing in the spots, with the current and future spot data traffic profile, with the level of interference generated in the neighbouring beams. The method preferentially applies in respect of downgoing forward links, that is to say from the satellite to the user terminals.

Abstract: A relay platform for communicating telemetry data from one or more moving observation satellite(s) to the ground is provided. The relay platform for communicating from a space observation system, installed on board an aircraft moving above the clouds, comprises a first reception interface for demodulating telemetry data from at least one moving observation satellite, a second transmission interface for modulating and transmitting the data received to at least one destination ground station. The relay platform comprises a first descending two-level decryption/encryption chain for the telemetry data returned from at least one moving observation satellite(s) to the destination ground station(s).

Abstract: A station placed on a high-altitude stationary platform includes two main emitter/receiver sets, each configured to establish a main communication link with a remote terminal station or with another station placed on a high-altitude stationary platform and two backup emitter/receiver sets, each configured to establish a backup communication link with a repeater placed on a relay station on the ground or at sea or with a remote terminal station, the station furthermore comprising a control facility configured to selectively activate a main communication link or a backup communication link as a function of an indicator of the operating state of the main communication link.

Abstract: A method is provided for dynamically allocating the radio resources of a satellite and a very high throughput satellite system configured to implement this method. The method of allocation is executed by a piece of ground equipment called a Radio Resource Manager. The method of allocation according to the invention, allocates dynamically in time frequency resources to each spot of the multibeam coverage in accord with the conditions of propagation of the radio signals (in particular the attenuations due to bad weather) prevailing in the spots, with the current and future spot data traffic profile, with the level of interference generated in the neighbouring beams. The method preferentially applies in respect of downgoing forward links, that is to say from the satellite to the user terminals.

Abstract: A telecommunications system comprises: at least one station placed on a stationary high-altitude platform comprising propulsion means for remaining stationary around a specified point, the station being suitable for establishing at least one direct bidirectional communication link with another stationary high-altitude platform station; at least one network gateway station on the ground, for setting up communications between a core network and at least one station placed on a stationary high-altitude platform; a plurality of stations placed in drifting balloons for establishing a direct bidirectional communication link with at least one station placed on a stationary high-altitude platform or/and at least one other station placed in a drifting balloon; and a plurality of user terminals for establishing a direct bidirectional communication link with a station placed on a stationary high-altitude platform or/and at least one station placed in a drifting balloon.

Abstract: A satellite-based very-high-throughput system is provided and a web-caching system based on a high-altitude platform station, an aerostat for example, having the advantage of decreasing the throughput required over the feeder link without however requiring a cache server to be installed on board the satellite.

Abstract: A telecommunications system comprises: at least one station placed on a stationary high-altitude platform comprising propulsion means for remaining stationary around a specified point, the station being suitable for establishing at least one direct bidirectional communication link with another stationary high-altitude platform station; at least one network gateway station on the ground, for setting up communications between a core network and at least one station placed on a stationary high-altitude platform; a plurality of stations placed in drifting balloons for establishing a direct bidirectional communication link with at least one station placed on a stationary high-altitude platform or/and at least one other station placed in a drifting balloon; and a plurality of user terminals for establishing a direct bidirectional communication link with a station placed on a stationary high-altitude platform or/and at least one station placed in a drifting balloon.

Abstract: A method for transparent on-board routing of data packets at high bit rate is implemented by a telecommunication system comprising an origin transmitting station, a first destination receiving station, a second destination receiving station, and a plurality of at least two satellites. The origin transmitting station segments high bit rate data streams into coded or uncoded packets each having the structure of a coded or uncoded DVB-S2 baseband frame BBFRAME; and the origin transmitting station inserts, for each segmented BBFRAME packet, coded or uncoded, an on-board routing label of a single piece respectively associated with the coded or uncoded BBFRAME packet. The on-board routing label contains an identifier of the destination receiving station associated with the coded BBFRAME packet, out of the first destination receiving station and the second destination receiving station.

Abstract: A method for transmission of a signal simultaneously including a first stream of binary data and one or more other streams of binary data, the method including, in the following order: dynamic distribution of bits of the data streams between coders, with one coder per data stream; coding the distributed bits using the coders; dynamic distribution of the coded bits between hierarchical levels of a modulator; and hierarchical modulation using the modulator.

Abstract: A method for transparent on-board routing of data packets at high bit rate is implemented by a telecommunication system comprising an origin transmitting station, a first destination receiving station, a second destination receiving station, and a plurality of at least two satellites. The origin transmitting station segments high bit rate data streams into coded or uncoded packets each having the structure of a coded or uncoded DVB-S2 baseband frame BBFRAME; and the origin transmitting station inserts, for each segmented BBFRAME packet, coded or uncoded, an on-board routing label of a single piece respectively associated with the coded or uncoded BBFRAME packet. The on-board routing label contains an identifier of the destination receiving station associated with the coded BBFRAME packet, out of the first destination receiving station and the second destination receiving station.

Abstract: A transmitter of a binary data stream comprises: a serial/parallel converter to split the binary data stream into m different parallel bit streams, each bit stream having a rate D/m which is m times lower than the initial rate D; m first encoding modules to error-correcting encode each bit stream individually; a time-interleaver to intermix the information bits originating from different encoded bit streams; an encoder to error-correcting encode the m interleaved bit streams into p bit streams; p electro-optical modulators to modulate each of the p bit streams delivered by the interleaver by means of p optical carriers of different wavelengths; and a wavelength-division multiplexer to combine the less p optical carriers into a single optical signal.

Abstract: A satellite telecommunications system has a global coverage area and a plurality of user terminals distributed in the global coverage area. The global coverage area is covered by a first set of spots which form a regular cellular mesh, and by at least a second set of local spots, irregularly distributed and superimposed geographically on spots of the first set. The spots of the first set of spots have allocated channels with the same frequency capacity, the same channel being re-used by a plurality of different spots, and the local spots of the second set of spots have a special allocated channel having an increased frequency capacity.

Abstract: A transmitter of a binary data stream comprises: a serial/parallel converter to split the binary data stream into m different parallel bit streams, each bit stream having a rate D/m which is m times lower than the initial rate D; m first encoding modules to error-correcting encode each bit stream individually; a time-interleaver to intermix the information bits originating from different encoded bit streams; an encoder to error-correcting encode the m interleaved bit streams into p bit streams; p electro-optical modulators to modulate each of the p bit streams delivered by the interleaver by means of p optical carriers of different wavelengths; and a wavelength-division multiplexer to combine the les p optical carriers into a single optical signal.

Abstract: A satellite telecommunications system has a global coverage area and a plurality of user terminals distributed in the global coverage area. The global coverage area is covered by a first set of spots which form a regular cellular mesh, and by at least a second set of local spots, irregularly distributed and superimposed geographically on spots of the first set. The spots of the first set of spots have allocated channels with the same frequency capacity, the same channel being re-used by a plurality of different spots, and the local spots of the second set of spots have a special allocated channel having an increased frequency capacity.

Abstract: A distance measurement system for locating a geostationary satellite equipped with a transponder includes: a central station emitting a distance measurement signal; and at least one measurement station receiving the emitted signal, including means for measuring the time of arrival of the emitted signal, and transmitted via the transponder of the satellite. The central and measurement stations, of known positions, include synchronization means with a common time base. The transponder is that of a satellite telecommunications system, and has a bandwidth B. The central station includes means for emitting a specific distance measurement signal, distinct from the telecommunications signals transmitted via the transponder, with periodic events and with spread spectrum, the bandwidth of which is included in B.