Abstract: An external first communication device is operated to transmit data to a second communication device over multiple communication links, each of the communication links associated with a respective communication medium by: receiving an input data stream from an existing network headend for transmission to the second communication device, the input data stream including packets; determining, at the first communication device, a throughput and latency of each of the communication links; based on the determined throughput and latency of each of the communication links: dividing the packets into multiple sets, each of the sets configured to be transmitted by the first communication device over a respective one of the communication links; formatting each of the sets of packets for a corresponding respective one of the communication links; and transmitting, from the first communication device to the second communication device, each of the sets of packets over the set's respective communication link.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer-storage media, for ground system techniques to support flexible reconfigurable satellite payload operation. In some implementations, a satellite communication network is managed to operate in a first configuration. The satellite communication network includes a satellite having a payload that enables dynamic reconfiguration of carriers within a beam. A reconfiguration event is detected, and in response, a second configuration is determined for the satellite communication network. The second configuration differs from the first configuration in at least one of a set of carriers used for the beams or an assignment of the carriers to gateways. The satellite network is managed to operate in the second configuration, including at least one of (i) changing to a second set of carriers for the beams of the satellite or (ii) changing to a second assignment of the carriers to the gateways.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for estimating the location of a satellite terminal. The terminal is selected from among a plurality of terminals, and one or more position estimates are generated for a satellite which provides service to the terminal. The position estimated can be generated, for example, by performing a first one or more iterative grid searches over a plurality of potential position estimates for the satellite. A location estimate is subsequently generated for the terminal by performing a second one or more iterative grid searches over a plurality of potential location estimates for the terminal.

Abstract: A terminal computer includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to determine an initial power back-off value for establishing a communication link to a satellite as a function of a distance of a location of a satellite terminal antenna within a satellite beam footprint from a specified reference point within the satellite beam footprint, and to initiate communication with the satellite based on the determined initial power back-off value.

Abstract: A method and system for determining inroute frame timing for a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) includes receiving an appointment to transmit, on an inroute, at a start of a slot X of a frame number M; establishing, at a VSAT, an arrival time of a super frame numbering packet (SFNP) including a satellite ephemeris vector and a frame number N; calculating, at the VSAT, a timing offset (TRO) to be applied to the arrival time to compensate for a time varying gateway-satellite-terminal propagation delay (THS+TSR); setting a transmit instant as an end of the TRO after the arrival time; adding to the transmit instant a duration of X slots and a duration of (M-N) frames; and transmitting a burst, on the inroute from the VSAT, at the transmit instant. In the method, the calculating is based on computing THS+TSR from the satellite ephemeris vector, a gateway transmits the SFNP and receives the burst in the slot X within the frame number M of the inroute, and N is greater than or equal to M.

Abstract: A user terminal and a method of using the user terminal disclosed. The method may comprise: storing, at a user terminal (UT), a dataset that comprises a plurality of elements, wherein each of the plurality of elements is associated with a unique predetermined terrestrial location; using the dataset, determining an element (Ek) from among the plurality of elements based on a proximity of the UT to the respective unique, predetermined terrestrial location of the element (Ek); and then determining one of the plurality of satellite beams with which to utilize satellite communication.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a transmit power of a terminal includes dividing a spectrum into frequency bins and an inroute layout including inroutes; mapping at least one of the frequency bins with each of the inroute; determining a respective normalized Transmit Power (TP) for each of the frequency bins; calculating a transmission TP based on the respective normalized TP of one or more of the frequency bins mapped to a selected inroute; and transmitting a radio signal with the transmission TP on the selected inroute. A first frequency bin is adjacent a second frequency bin, a respective normalized TP of the first frequency bin compared to a respective normalized TP of the second frequency bin varies no more than a threshold power delta, a count of frequency bins is greater than one and unequal to a count of the inroute layout.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for uplink power control of a terminal in a satellite communication system. Calibration data that includes output backoff values corresponding to input backoff values for each of a first set of calibration frequencies is initially stored in the terminal. A normalized transmit power for the terminal is determined for multiple transmit frequencies based on the calibration data. Upon receiving an assigned frequency for communicating, the terminal selects one of the normalized transmit power previously determined and begins transmitting.

Abstract: A method and system for determining inroute frame timing for a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) includes receiving an appointment to transmit, on an inroute, at a start of a slot X of a frame number M; establishing, at a VSAT, an arrival time of a super frame numbering packet (SFNP) including a satellite ephemeris vector and a frame number N; calculating, at the VSAT, a timing offset (TRO) to be applied to the arrival time to compensate for a time varying gateway-satellite-terminal propagation delay (THS+TSR); setting a transmit instant as an end of the TRO after the arrival time; adding to the transmit instant a duration of X slots and a duration of (M-N) frames; and transmitting a burst, on the inroute from the VSAT, at the transmit instant. In the method, the calculating is based on computing THS+TSR from the satellite ephemeris vector, a gateway transmits the SFNP and receives the burst in the slot X within the frame number M of the inroute, and N is greater than or equal to M.

Abstract: An apparatus method and system are disclosed for dynamically implementing spectrum configuration plans in a satellite communication system. A spectrum configuration plan is created, and validated to determine if it can be utilized within the predetermined coverage area. If any errors are generated while validating the spectrum configuration plan, it is rejected. Otherwise, system components are configured to provide communication within the predetermined coverage area using parameters specified in the spectrum configuration plan. The spectrum configuration plan is also transmitted to all terminals in the coverage area. The spectrum configuration plan is subsequently implemented for all communication within the predetermined coverage area.

Abstract: A system and method for Time Division Multiplexing a signal for a beam hopping relay including generating the signal by interleaving first multi-variable length SuperFrames (VLSFs) with second multi-VLSFs; and transmitting the signal to the beam hopping relay. In the method, the first multi-VLSFs includes at least one first VLSF, the second multi-VLSFs includes at least one second VLSF, each of the first multi-VLSFs has a duration of a first dwell period, each of the second multi-VLSFs has a duration of a second dwell period, each of the at least one first VLSF and each of the at least one second VLSFs includes at least one SuperFrame unit (SFU). Further, the first dwell period is an integral multiple of the first duration, the second dwell period is an integral multiple of the second duration, and the first duration is different than the second duration.

Abstract: A method and system for determining inroute frame timing for a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) includes receiving an appointment to transmit, on an inroute, at a start of a slot X of a frame number M; establishing, at a VSAT, an arrival time of a super frame numbering packet (SFNP) including a satellite ephemeris vector and a frame number N; calculating, at the VSAT, a timing offset (TRO) to be applied to the arrival time to compensate for a time varying gateway-satellite-terminal propagation delay (THS+TSR); setting a transmit instant as an end of the TRO after the arrival time; adding to the transmit instant a duration of X slots and a duration of (M?N) frames; and transmitting a burst, on the inroute from the VSAT, at the transmit instant. In the method, the calculating is based on computing THS+TSR from the satellite ephemeris vector, a gateway transmits the SFNP and receives the burst in the slot X within the frame number M of the inroute, and N is greater than or equal to M.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a terminal uplink power, and a terminal having uplink power managed by a gateway are provided. The method including: dividing, at a gateway, a beam coverage area into sub-beams and each of the sub-beams into one or more frequency bins; associating a sub-beam of the sub-beams with terminals located within the sub-beam; determining Transmit Power (TP) values including a transmit power or attenuation for each of the one or more frequency bins of the sub-beam; sending, from the gateway, the TP values of the sub-beam to the terminals via a forward link; and receiving, at the gateway, a burst transmitted using a terminal transmit power calculated from the TP values of the sub-beam. The TP values may change in response to an SNR measurement at the gateway and/or feedback from the terminal.

Abstract: A method and system for determining inroute frame timing for a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) includes receiving an appointment to transmit, on an inroute, at a start of a slot X of a frame number M; establishing, at a VSAT, an arrival time of a super frame numbering packet (SFNP) including a satellite ephemeris vector and a frame number N; calculating, at the VSAT, a timing offset (TRO) to be applied to the arrival time to compensate for a time varying gateway-satellite-terminal propagation delay (THS+TSR); setting a transmit instant as an end of the TRO after the arrival time; adding to the transmit instant a duration of X slots and a duration of (M?N) frames; and transmitting a burst, on the inroute from the VSAT, at the transmit instant. In the method, the calculating is based on computing THS+TSR from the satellite ephemeris vector, a gateway transmits the SFNP and receives the burst in the slot X within the frame number M of the inroute, and N is greater than or equal to M.

Abstract: Dynamic in-route reconfiguration in a satellite network includes receiving at least one of transmit power capability and demand requirements from one or more active satellite terminals of the satellite network, determining a resulting in-route configuration during operation of the satellite network based on the received at least one of transmit power capability and demand requirements, comparing the determined resulting in-route configuration to a current in-route configuration. When the determined resulting in-route configuration is different from the current in-route configuration, establishing the determined resulting in-route configuration as the current in-route configuration and storing the established current in-route configuration in a dynamic in-route reconfiguration manager, and transmitting the established current in-route configuration to the one or more active satellite terminals.

Abstract: A terminal computer includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to determine an initial power back-off value for establishing a communication link to a satellite as a function of a distance of a location of a satellite terminal antenna within a satellite beam footprint from a specified reference point within the satellite beam footprint, and to initiate communication with the satellite based on the determined initial power back-off value.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a transmit power of a terminal includes dividing a spectrum into frequency bins and an inroute layout including inroutes; mapping at least one of the frequency bins with each of the inroute; determining a respective normalized Transmit Power (TP) for each of the frequency bins; calculating a transmission TP based on the respective normalized TP of one or more of the frequency bins mapped to a selected inroute; and transmitting a radio signal with the transmission TP on the selected inroute. A first frequency bin is adjacent a second frequency bin, a respective normalized TP of the first frequency bin compared to a respective normalized TP of the second frequency bin varies no more than a threshold power delta, a count of frequency bins is greater than one and unequal to a count of the inroute layout.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described, and one method includes storing, in association with a backup gateway resource, a first and second primary to backup (P2B) pairing coefficient, and a first and second backup to primary (B2P) pairing coefficient. The first and second P2B pairing coefficients correspond to a first and second P2B pairing, respectively. The first and second B2P pairing coefficients are indicative of a metric of switching from the backup GWR to the first and second primary GWRs. A respective unavailability metric is received from the first primary GWR, second primary GWR, respectively, and backup GWR. A P2B pairing is selected selecting, based at least partially on the first and second P2B pairing coefficients, and first and the second B2P pairing coefficients. Traffic is switched to the backup GWR from the one of the first primary and second primary GWR corresponding to the selected P2B pairing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for dynamic inroute reconfiguration. A set of factors is selected for use in reconfiguring inroutes in a satellite communication system. A state is defined to represent inroute layouts based on the set of factors. A metric is determined and optimized to obtain a new state representative of a desired inroute layout. The inroute layouts of the satellite communication system are reconfigured to correspond with the inroute layouts represented by the new state.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a transmit power of a terminal includes dividing a spectrum into frequency bins and an inroute layout including inroutes; mapping at least one of the frequency bins with each of the inroute; determining a respective normalized Transmit Power (TP) for each of the frequency bins; calculating a transmission TP based on the respective normalized TP of one or more of the frequency bins mapped to a selected inroute; and transmitting a radio signal with the transmission TP on the selected inroute. A first frequency bin is adjacent a second frequency bin, a respective normalized TP of the first frequency bin compared to a respective normalized TP of the second frequency bin varies no more than a threshold power delta, a count of frequency bins is greater than one and unequal to a count of the inroute layout.