Dynamic link adaption and/or dynamic allocation of communication resources of a communication system based on external interference information received from external interference information sources

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9628168-B2
Application number	US-201514632482-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2015
Priority date	Feb 26, 2015
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

Interference information is obtained from one or more interference information sources external to a particular communication system, wherein the interference information is indicative of non-weather related interference that can adversely affect efficacy of the particular communication system. Configurable link parameters of the particular communication system are dynamically adapted and/or resources of the particular communication system are dynamically allocated based on the interference information obtained from the interference information source(s) that is/are external to the particular communication system. Such embodiments can advantageously be performed proactively to prevent or mitigate adverse effects of non-weather related interference on the efficacy of the particular communication system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for use with a communication system that includes a plurality of satellites and a plurality of satellite terminals, wherein each of the satellite terminals is configured to communicate with at least one of the other satellite terminals utilizing at least one of the satellites, and wherein the communication system is configured to provide wireless communication capabilities, the method comprising:
obtaining interference information from one or more interference information sources external to the communication system, wherein the interference information is indicative of non-weather related interference that can adversely affect efficacy of the communication system; and
dynamically adapting configurable link parameters of the communication system and/or dynamically allocating resources of the communication system based on the interference information obtained from the one or more interference information sources that is/are external to the communication system;
wherein the dynamically adapting configurable link parameters and/or the dynamically allocating resources of the communication system, based on the interference information obtained from one or more interference information sources external to the communication system, is performed proactively prior to an adverse effect of the non-weather related interference being detected by the communication system so as to prevent or mitigate adverse effects of non-weather related interference on the efficacy of the communication system in a prophylactic manner.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more instances of the interference information includes information about a geographic location and/or region associated with non-weather related interference.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more instances of the interference information includes information about one or more of spectral, temporal, spatial, power density, or code characteristics associated with non-weather related interference.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more instances of the interference information includes information indicative of changes in a geographic location and/or region associated with non-weather related interference.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring locations of one or more of the satellite terminals of the communication system; and
wherein the dynamically adapting configurable link parameters and/or the dynamically allocating resources of the communication system is also based on the monitored locations of one or more of the satellite terminals of the communication system.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the monitoring locations of one or more of the satellite terminals of the communication system includes monitoring changes in the locations of one or more of the satellite terminals of the communication system; and
wherein the dynamically adapting configurable link parameters and/or the dynamically allocating resources of the communication system is also based on the changes in the monitored locations of one or more of the satellite terminals of the communication system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dynamically adapting configurable link parameters and/or dynamically allocating resources of the communication system, based on the interference information obtained from one or more interference information sources external to the communication system, comprises dynamically adapting configurable link parameters associated with one or more of the following:
uplink modulation;
downlink modulation;
uplink forward error correction coding;
downlink forward error correction coding;
uplink burst rate;
downlink burst rate;
uplink channel and/or subchannel characteristics;
uplink bandwidth;
downlink bandwidth;
uplink power;
downlink power;
uplink polarization;
downlink polarization;
uplink transmission frequency bands;
downlink transmission frequency bands;
uplink channel and/or subchannel assignments;
downlink channel and/or subchannel assignments;
uplink beam assignments; or
downlink beam assignments.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dynamically adapting configurable link parameters and/or dynamically allocating resources of the communication system, based on the interference information obtained from one or more interference information sources external to the communication system, comprises dynamically allocating resources of the communication system associated with one or more of the following:
uplink spectrum spreading code and/or multiple access code;
downlink spectrum spreading code and/or multiple access code;
uplink transmission time slots;
downlink transmission time slots;
uplink bandwidth;
downlink bandwidth;
uplink power;
downlink power;
uplink polarization;
downlink polarization;
uplink transmission frequency bands;
downlink transmission frequency bands;
uplink channel and/or subchannel assignments;
downlink channel and/or subchannel assignments;
uplink beam assignments; or
downlink beam assignments.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-weather related interference comprises one or more types of electromagnetic interference (EMI).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interference information sources external to the communication system comprise one or more of the following:
a satellite subsystem of another communication system;
a ground-based subsystem of another communication system;
a radar system or a subsystem thereof;
a government agency;
a company that monitors at least a portion of a radio frequency (RF) spectrum;
an individual reporter; or
a military branch.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein instances of the interference information is/are indicative non-weather related interference caused by one or more of the following:
a satellite subsystem of another communication system;
a ground-based subsystem of another communication system;
an airborne-based subsystem of another communication system;
a marine-based subsystem of another communication system;
a navigation system;
a radar system; or an intentional interferer.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interference information is a type of situational awareness information, and further comprising:
obtaining one or more other types of situational awareness information from one or more sources external to the communication system;
wherein the dynamically adapting configurable link parameters of the communication system and/or dynamically allocating resources of the communication system is also based on at least one of the one or more other types of situational awareness information obtained from the one or more sources that is/are external to the communication system.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining interference information and one or more other types situational awareness information from one or more sub-systems of the communication system;
wherein the dynamically adapting configurable link parameters and/or dynamically allocating resources of the communication system is also based on the interference information and at least one of the one or more other types of situational awareness information obtained from the one or more subsystems of the communication system.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein a said interference information source external to the communication system, from which the communication system obtains an instance of said interference information, and based upon which the communication system dynamically adapts configurable link parameters and/or dynamically allocating resources, comprises a government age

Assignees

• Space Systems/Loral LLC

Inventors

• Wharton Anne E
• Hreha William

Classifications

• H04B7/18519

  Operations control, administration or maintenance · CPC title

• H04B7/18513 Primary

  Transmission in a satellite or space-based system · CPC title

• H04B1/10

  Means associated with receiver for limiting or suppressing noise or interference · CPC title

• H04W24/04

  Arrangements for maintaining operational condition · CPC title