Satellite system using cloud computing virtualized gateways, radio transport protocol and ground to space optical feeder links
A satellite system uses cloud computing virtualized gateways, radio transport protocol and space to ground optical communications to improve wireless communication. A digitized ground based subsystem for use with the satellite system can be employed in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a communications platform that includes a multiple element antenna array. The ground based subsystem is configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and, in dependence thereon, use the multiple element antenna feed array to produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams to a single or plurality of service terminals.
1 . A digitized ground based subsystem for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a communications platform, comprising:
a multiple element antenna array configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and to use the multiple element antenna feed array to produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams to a service terminal;
a cloud-computing data center (CDC);
a virtualized space link air interface system (VSLAIS) configured to accept a plurality of data streams, multiplex the data streams, and produce a plurality of user data signals;
a virtualized user data signal-spot beam controller (VUDSSBC) configured to accept the user data signals from the VSLAIS and combine subsets of the user data signals into a plurality of user spot beam signals;
a virtualized digital modulator and mapper configured to accept the user spot beam signals from the VUDSSBC and convert each to a digitized RF user spot beam signal;
a virtualized packet based radio transport (VPBRT) configured to accept the digitized RF user spot beam signals from the VUDSSBC and the virtual digital modulator and mapper, and packetizes in a plurality of information streams for multiplexing and transmission over a digital packet switched network;
a ground optical communications feeder link system (GOCFLS) configured to accept the digitized RF user spot beam signals in packetized form from the VPBRT and transmit the digitized RF user spot beam signals to the communications platform; and
a communications platform with on-board digital beamforming processor (OBDBP) configured to accept the digitized RF user spot beam signals from the VUDSSBC and virtualized digital modulator and mapper, obtain or otherwise produce phase and amplitude coefficients, and output a plurality of digitized RF transmit antenna element signals in dependance of the plurality of the digitized RF user spot beam signals and phase and amplitude beamforming coefficients.
2 . The subsystem of claim 1 further comprising:
a cloud computing gateway management and interface system (CCGMIS) configured to orchestrate (configure, coordinate, control, and/or monitor) a single or plurality of ground based subsystems located at a single or plurality of cloud-computing data centers (CDC).
3 . The subsystem of claim 1 , further comprising:
the CCGMIS configured to orchestrate (configure, coordinate, control, and/or monitor) a single or plurality of communications platforms.
4 . The subsystem of claim 2 , further comprising:
the cloud computing gateway management and interface system (CCGMIS) configured to monitor the GOCFLSs performance and dynamically orchestrate the ground base subsystem, and the switching operations of the ground base subsystem between different CDCs and GOCFLSs supporting the communications platforms.
5 . The subsystem of claim 3 , further comprising:
the CCGMIS configured to utilize information pertaining to the localized conditions of the GOCFLSs, comprising one or more components selected form the group consisting of;
localized atmospheric conditions, doppler radar, satellite weather information, predictive weather analytics and modelling.
6 . The subsystem of claim 2 , further comprising:
the CCGMIS configured to permit both static and/or dynamic operation of the end-to-end communication systems.
7 . The subsystem of claim 2 , further comprising:
the CCGMIS configured to permit support a single or plurality of operators.
8 . The subsystem of claim 2 , further comprising:
the CCGMIS configured to orchestrate a scheduled and/or dynamic operation of a plurality of VSLAIS between active, dormant and/or modified states.
9 . The subsystem of claim 2 , further comprising:
the CCGMIS configured to utilize inputs comprising one or more components selected form the group consisting of: pre-configured scheduling, autonomous control variables, rule based algorithms, resource analytics, artificial intelligence machine learning (AI/ML).
10 . The subsystem of claim 2 , further comprising:
the CCGMIS configured with a plurality of communications platforms' inter-coordination agreement parameters to monitor and control the user spot beam RF frequency and power coordination across the plurality of the communications platforms.
11 . The subsystem of claim 2 , further comprising:
the CCGMIS configured with a plurality of subsystems utilizing core cloud computing resources that are provided at a cloud-computing data center (CDC) comprising one or more components selected form the group consisting of: a computer, a server, a database, a network, an analytics based software application, a control system, intelligence capabilities, and on-demand web-based services.
12 . The subsystem of claim 2 , further comprising:
the CCGMIS configured to permit the integration and operation with external systems utilizing a mixture of private and/or public cloud and/or other on-premises based management systems.
13 . The subsystem of claim 2 , further comprising:
the CCGMIS configured to track, identify, and/or mitigate interference and/or jamming of the RF signals between the subscriber terminals (STs) and the communications platform.
14 . The subsystem of claim 2 , further comprising:
the CCGMIS configured to operate with the forward link associated with a corresponding return link.
15 . The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein said communications platform further comprising;
a space optical feeder link system (SOCFLS) configured to accept digitized RF user spot beam signals in packetized form from the ground optical communications feeder link system (GOCFLS);
an on-board digital network distribution system (OBDNDS) configured to accept the digitized RF user spot beam signals from the SOCFLS and perform packet based switched networking functions aboard the satellite;
an on-board packet based radio transport (OBPBRT) configured to accept the digitized RF user spot beam signals in packetized form from the OBDNDS that de-multiplexes and de-packetizes information streams and forwards to the OBDBP;
a plurality of on-board digital-to-analog converters (OBDAC) configured to accept digitized RF transmit antenna element signals from the OBDBP, and converting to a plurality of analog RF transmit antenna element signals;
a transmit RF distribution system (TRFDS) configured to accept the analog RF transmit antenna element signals from the OBDAC, and distribute through a plurality of analog RF chains; and
a plurality of transmit antenna elements configured to accept a single analog RF transmit antenna element signal from the TRFDS to produce and transmit the plurality of RF service downlink beams to service terminals.
16 . The subsystem of claim 15 , wherein said communications platform further comprising:
an OBDAC configured to support operation across multiple RF spectrum bands;
a TRFDS configured to support operation across multiple RF spectrum bands;
a plurality of transmit antenna elements configured to support operation across multiple RF spectrum bands; and
an antenna configured to support operation across multiple RF spectrum bands.
17 . The subsystem of claim 16 , further comprising:
a cloud computing gateway management and interface system (CCGMIS) configured to orchestrate a scheduled and/or dynamic operation of a plurality of VSLAISs of various RF spectrum bands between active, dormant and/or modified states.
18 . The subsystem of claim 15 , wherein said satellite further comprising:
an on-board analog-to-digital converters (OBPADC) configured to support operation across multiple RF spectrum bands;
a receive RF distribution system (RRFDS) configured to support operation across multiple RF spectrum bands;
a plurality of receive antenna elements configured to support operation across multiple RF spectrum bands; and
an antenna configured to support operation across multiple RF spectrum bands.
19 . The subsystem of claim 15 , further comprising:
the service terminals (STs) configured to support multiple RF spectrum bands.
20 . The subsystem of claim 17 , further comprising:
the communications platform and CCGMIS configured to support multi RF spectrum band and multi ST configurations operating within an intermittent switching or concurrent modes.