CAPACITY MAXIMIZATION FOR A UNICAST SPOT BEAM SATELLITE SYSTEM
Methods, systems, and apparatuses are presented for improved satellite communications. The satellite system may comprises at least one gateway, a satellite in orbit configured to communicate with the at least one gateway and provide a plurality of spot beams, and a plurality of subscriber terminals. The spot beams may include a first spot beam to illuminate a first region and a second spot beam to illuminate a second region adjacent to and overlapping with the first region. The first spot beam as sent to at least one subscriber terminal may be affected by (1) interference from other signal sources including the second spot beam at a signal-to-interference ratio C/I and (2) noise at a signal-to-noise ratio C/N. Reception of signals from the first spot beam by the at least one of the first plurality of subscriber terminals may be interference-dominated such that C/I is less than C/N.
1 . A satellite for illuminating a geographic area with signals, the satellite comprising:
a transmission subsystem operable to generate a plurality of service link signals;
a spot beam antenna system coupled to the transmission subsystem and operable to emit to create a plurality of service link spot beam signals each in a corresponding spot beam, wherein:
each of the plurality of spot beams is operable to illuminate a distinct geographic area when the satellite is placed into orbit, and
portions of a first one of the plurality of spot beams overlaps a second one of the plurality of spot beams so that a signal-to-interference ratio of a first one of said service link signals in the first one of said plurality of spot beams is interference-dominated by interference caused by a second one of the service link signals in the second one of the plurality of spot beams.