Use of polygons to specify beam service areas in a satellite communication system
A system and method for selecting a beam from satellite beams to communicate with a terminal at a location. The method includes dividing a satellite coverage area into beam service areas (BSAs) for a satellite network, where each of the BSAs is associated with a respective beam information; selecting, with a computer, a select BSA from the BSAs based on the location; and communicating between the terminal and a gateway using a beam. In the method, the location is located in the select BSA, the beam is identified by the respective beam information associated with the select BSA, and the BSAs define a boundary having a closed polygon shape.
1. A method for selecting a beam from satellite beams to communicate with a terminal at a location, the method comprising:
dividing a satellite coverage area into Beam Service Areas (BSAs) for a satellite network, wherein each of the BSAs is associated with a respective beam information;
selecting, with a computer, a select BSA from the BSAs based on the location; and
communicating between the terminal and a gateway using a beam,
wherein the location is located in the select BSA,
the beam is identified by the respective beam information associated with the select BSA, and
the BSAs define a boundary having a closed polygon shape, wherein the boundary is not an actual boundary of radio frequency signals defining the beam.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the select BSA coincides with a country boundary.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the BSAs are located within a country boundary.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the BSAs comprises a no-transmit region due to the respective beam information identifying an unavailable beam.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beam spans multiple BSAs of the BSAs with a Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) above some required minimum.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising denying communications with the beam to the terminal when the location is outside the select BSA.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first BSA of the BSAs is enclosed by a second BSA of the BSAs.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the terminal is one or more of an aeronautical, a maritime or a mobile terminal.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting comprises performing a point-in-polygon test on the location.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting is performed by the terminal.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting is performed at an external beam selector.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting is based on a characteristic of the terminal selected from one or more of a heading, a speed, a beam definition plan version, an antenna directivity, a radome, a skew angle, and a terminal identification.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising wherein the respective beam information comprises one or more of the location, a service agreement, a terminal capability, a beam modulation, a terminal provisioning and a beam identifier.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending the respective beam information to the terminal.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising predicating a beam switch when a future path of the terminal approaches a boundary of the select BSA.
16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deferring a beam switch, when a future path of the terminal approaches a boundary of the select BSA and the future path remains within a boundary area defined by the boundary and an inner boundary of the select BSA.
17. A system to select a beam from satellite beams to communicate with a terminal at a location, the system comprising:
a satellite coverage area divided into Beam Service Areas (BSAs) for a satellite network, wherein each of the BSAs is associated with a respective beam information;
a beam selector to select a select BSA from the BSAs based on the location; and
a transceiver to communicate between the terminal and a gateway using a beam,
wherein the location is located in the select BSA,
the beam is identified by the respective beam information associated with the select BSA, and
the BSAs define a boundary having a closed polygon shape, wherein the boundary is not an actual boundary of radio frequency signals defining the beam.
18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a gateway to deny communications with the beam to the terminal when the location is outside the select BSA.
19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the terminal includes the beam selector.
20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the beam selector defers a beam switch, when a future path of the terminal approaches a boundary of the select BSA and the future path remains within a boundary area defined by the boundary and an inner boundary of the select BSA y.