Allocation of Downlink Carrier Power in LEO Communication Satellites

1 . A method for simultaneously transmitting a plurality of signals from a LEO satellite towards a plurality of ground terminals located within a pre-defined range of distances from the LEO satellite, wherein:

a) said plurality of signals have a pre-defined overall capacity;

b) at least two of the plurality of signals have each a power level that is different from a power level of the other of the at least two signals; and

c) each signal transmitted to a respective ground terminal is selected so as to ensure that its power level is lowest from among the signals that are simultaneously transmitted from the LEO satellite to the ground terminals, yet the selected signal has a sufficient power to enable its proper reception at a distance which extends between said respective ground terminal and said LEO satellite.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the LEO satellite's antenna is steered to illuminate a pre-defined, fixed area on the ground for a certain period of time, so that as the LEO satellite moves, the distances to different ground terminals located within the pre-defined range of distances from the LEO satellite, change in a non-uniform way while maintaining an optimal signals' power level.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said optimal signal power is maintained by adopting a member of a group that consists of (i) modifying power of individual signals from among the plurality of signals; (ii) handing-over ground terminals by replacing a signal selected from among the plurality of ground terminals which is being transmitted to a specific ground terminal, with another signal selected from among that plurality of signals; (iii) any applicable combination of (i) and (ii).

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the LEO satellite's antenna is directed at a direction that is fixed relative to the nadir.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein a power of a signal being transmitted from a certain LEO satellite towards a specific ground terminal, is modified during transmission of communications from said certain LEO satellite to said specific ground terminal.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said modification of the signal power is made by taking into consideration a change in distance between the LEO satellite and said specific ground terminal and/or a change in antenna gain that occurred with respect to said ground terminal.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a LEO satellite's coverage area is divided into a plurality of cells and either: (i) each cell is covered by a separate beam used for transmission of a separate signal for communicating with ground terminals located within said respective cell; or (ii) each beam covers a number of cells by illuminating one cell at a time; or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii).

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising a step of allocating power to signals based on which beam is used for their transmission, while taking into consideration a distance that extends between the LEO satellite and a cell covered by each respective beam.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising using a beam-forming antenna array and combining the signals prior to their transmission by an array element.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising a step of allocating power to signals in accordance with their beam association while taking into consideration that when said beam-forming antenna array's boresight is directed at the center of the coverage area of the LEO satellite, beams that cover cells close to an edge of the LEO satellite coverage area will be received at a lower gain by respective ground terminals located within said cells that are close to an edge of the LEO satellite coverage area.