Approaches for improved frequency reuse efficiency and interference avoidance for a multi-beam satellite communications network
An RF communications transmitter system comprising a processor, a switch and a plurality of feedhorns. The switch is configured to receive a feed signal of a frequency bandwidth. The processor is configured to control the switch to provide the feed signal to each of at least two of the feedhorns for a respective time period. Each of the at least two feedhorns is configured to generate a beam during the respective time period that the feed signal is provided thereto, wherein the beam is formed based on the feed signal and is transmitted to cover a geographic area of the Earth. The formation and transmission of the beams by the feedhorns is controlled by the processor to provide a time-based allocation of bandwidth amongst the beams based on the time period that the feed signal is provided to each of the feedhorns and a respective frequency/polarization reuse scheme.
1. A radio frequency (RF) communications transmitter system comprising:
at least one control processor;
a plurality of switches; and
a plurality of feedhorns associated with each switch; and
wherein each switch is configured to receive a feed signal of a respective frequency bandwidth and to output a transmission signal of the respective frequency bandwidth for each of the plurality of feedhorns associated with the switch;
wherein the at least one control processor is configured to control each switch to output the transmission signals for the plurality of feedhorns associated with the switch during each of a number of respective time periods;
wherein each of the plurality of feedhorns associated with a respective switch is configured to form and transmit a communications beam during each respective time period that the switch is outputting the transmission signal for the feedhorn, wherein each beam is formed based on the respective feed signal and is transmitted to cover a respective geographic area on the surface of the Earth, and the beams of the plurality of feedhorns associated with each switch are configured to form a respective pattern of beams on the surface of the Earth, each beam of a given pattern being of the frequency bandwidth of the respective switch and at a respective polarization; and
wherein the at least one control processor is configured to control the number of time periods during which each of the plurality of switches outputs the respective transmission signals, for the formation and transmission of the respective beam pattern by the associated feedhorns, to switch between different combinations of beam pattern transmissions over time in accordance with a respective frequency/polarization reuse scheme.
2. A radio frequency (RF) communications transmission method comprising:
receiving, by each of a plurality of switches of an RF communications transmitter system, a feed signal of a respective frequency bandwidth and outputting, by each switch, a transmission signal of the respective frequency bandwidth for each of a plurality of feedhorns associated with the switch;
controlling each switch, by at least one processor, to output the transmission signals for a plurality of feedhorns associated with the switch during each of a number of respective time periods;
forming and transmitting, by each of the plurality of feedhorns associated with a respective switch, a communications beam during each respective time period that the switch is outputting the transmission signal for the feedhorn, wherein each beam is formed based on the respective feed signal and is transmitted to cover a respective geographic area on the surface of the Earth, and the beams of the plurality of feedhorns associated with each switch are configured to form a respective pattern of beams on the surface of the Earth, each beam of a given pattern being of the frequency bandwidth of the respective switch and at a respective polarization; and
controlling, by the at least one processor, the number of time periods during which each of the plurality of switches outputs the respective transmission signals, for the formation and transmission of the respective beam pattern by the associated feedhorns, to switch between different combinations of beam pattern transmissions over time in accordance with a respective frequency/polarization reuse scheme.