Systems and Methods for Adaptive Receive Path Loss Compensation in Broadband Satellite Terminals
Broadband satellite terminals are described that allow for automatic adjustment to a gain of an antenna control unit to ensure a power level of a signal received from an antenna is within the required input power level range of the modem. The gain can be adjusted dynamically as needed to account for changes to the modem utilized by the terminal, changes to the satellite, and other factors.
1 . A satellite broadband terminal installed within a vehicle, comprising:
a networking data unit comprising an antenna control unit (ACU), and configured to receive a signal from an antenna of the vehicle;
a radio frequency unit comprising an amplifier; and
a modem manager configured to receive a first modem having a first required input power level range;
wherein the modem manager, networking data unit and radio frequency unit are communicatively coupled;
wherein the modem manager is configured to analyze the signal received from the antenna and automatically calculates an adjustment to a gain of the ACU if the power level of the signal is outside of the first required input power level range; and
wherein the modem manager resets the gain of the ACU based on the calculated adjustment such that the power level of the signal is within the first required input power level range.
2 . The satellite broadband terminal of claim 1 , wherein the modem manager is further configured to receive a second modem having a second required input power level range.
3 . The satellite broadband terminal of claim 2 , wherein the modem manager is configured to switch from the first modem to the second modem, and wherein the modem manager is configured to analyze the signal received from the antenna and automatically calculates the adjustment to the gain of the ACU if the power level of the signal is outside of the second required input power level range of the second modem.
4 . The satellite broadband terminal of claim 3 , wherein the modem manager resets the gain of the ACU based on the calculated adjustment such that the power level of the signal is within the second required input power level range.
5 . The satellite broadband terminal of claim 2 , wherein the first and second modems are different types.
6 . The satellite broadband terminal of claim 1 , wherein the amplifier is externally controlled.
7 . The satellite broadband terminal of claim 1 , wherein the terminal receives the signal at a specific power level and wherein the ACU gain is defined by a receive chain.
8 . The satellite broadband terminal of claim 1 , wherein the modem manager calculates the adjustment to the gain of the ACU based on at least one of the following factors: a signal power of the satellite, an antenna gain, a radome loss, down converter gain, an elevation angle, and humidity on the antenna.
9 . The satellite broadband terminal of claim 1 , wherein the modem manager comprises at least one processor and a computer program stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer program executes the following operations for calculating an adjustment to the gain of the ACU when the computer program is executed by the at least one processor, the operations comprising:
an operation of receiving a signal;
an operation of analyzing a power level of the received signal; and
an operation of calculating an adjustment to the gain of the ACU if the power level of the signal is outside of the first required input power level range, wherein the adjustment to the gain of the ACU is calculated based on a link budget residing in the modem manager.
10 . A method for maintaining a power level of a received satellite signal in a broadband satellite terminal within a predefined power level range using a computing device including at least one processor, the method comprising:
receiving a signal from an antenna of a satellite via an antenna control unit (ACU) of the broadband satellite terminal;
analyzing a power level of the received signal by comparing the power level with a required input power level range of a modem disposed to receive the signal;
if the power level of the signal is partially or fully outside of the required input power level range, (i) calculating an adjustment to a gain of the ACU and (ii) automatically setting the gain of the ACU to a new value based on the calculated adjustment.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment to the gain of the ACU is calculated based on a link budget residing in a modem manager of the broadband satellite terminal.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment to the gain of the ACU is based on a signal power of the satellite, an antenna gain, a radome loss, down converter gain, an elevation angle, and humidity on the antenna.
13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
switching from the modem to a second modem;
analyzing the power level of the received signal by comparing the power level with a required input power level range of the second modem; and
if the power level of the signal is partially or fully outside of the required input power level range of the second modem, (i) calculating an adjustment to a gain of the ACU and (ii) automatically setting the gain of the ACU to the new value based on the calculated adjustment.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the required input power level range of the second modem is different from the required input power level range of the modem.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the modem and the second modem are different types.
16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the broadband terminal further comprises an amplifier, and wherein the modem manager, ACU, and amplifier are communicatively coupled.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the amplifier is externally controlled.
18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the signal is received at a specific power level and wherein the gain of the ACU is defined by a receive chain.