System and method for satellite link budget analysis (LBA) optimization

1. A method of optimizing a link budget analysis (LBA) for a communications link within a communications system having a plurality of communications links comprising:

performing, using a processor, a first LBA based on a target modulation and coding pair (MODCOD) that is selected based on one or more transmission or receiving link parameters, the MODCOD having at least one of a predetermined symbol energy to noise density ratio (Es/No), a target setting of a power amplifier, and a target antenna size;

determining, by the processor, an excess margin from the first LBA and increasing or decreasing a maximum available MODCOD based on whether the excess margin has a positive or a negative value;

performing, by the processor, a second LBA using the increased or decreased maximum MODCOD and iteratively repeating increasing or decreasing the maximum available MODCOD and performing a subsequent LBA using the increased or decreased maximum available MODCOD;

calculating, by the processor a ratio of allocated bandwidth to a power equivalent bandwidth (PEB) and adjusting at least one of the MODCOD, amplifier power, and antenna size based on the calculated ratio;

determining, by the processor, whether additional energy is present in the communications link by summing a contribution to a final ratio of allocated bandwidth to PEB of the communications system made by each of the plurality of communications links;

accessing a look up table (LUT) to determine an optimal MODCOD for the communications link wherein at least one of the following actions is performed by the processor:

if the sum is a positive value, selecting a MODCOD having a higher Es/No; or

if the sum is a negative value, selecting a MODCOD having a lower Es/No; or

adjusting the amplifier size or antenna size is based on the ratio of allocated bandwidth to PEB; and

altering one or more transmission or receiving parameters to apply the selected optimal MODCOD, amplifier size, or antenna size.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing the first LBA using at least one of an initial MODCOD, amplifier power setting, and antenna size setting.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing a first optimization using results of the first LBA using a maximum MODOCD as determined from the excess margin of the first LBA without adjusting the amplifier power or antenna size.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optimal MODCOD selected has an Es/No that is a highest value among possible MODCODS without exceeding a sum of the Es/No of the target MODCOD and the calculated ratio of allocated bandwidth to PEB.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optimal MODCOD selected has an Es/No that exceeds a sum of the Es/No of a target MODCOD and the calculated ratio of allocated bandwidth to PEB by an amount that is within a predetermined range of variance of the sum.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing a plurality of first LBAs based on a plurality of target MODCODs for a plurality of communications links; and

summing the calculated ratios of allocated bandwidth to PEB for all of the communications links to result in a total allocated bandwidth and a total PEB.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing a plurality of first LBAs based on a plurality of target MODCODs for a plurality of links sharing a common transmission or receiving hub;

calculating a ratio of allocated bandwidth to a power equivalent bandwidth (PEB) a maximum allocated bandwidth from among the plurality of links and a maximum PEB from among the plurality of links and converting the calculated ratio to Decibels; and

determining whether additional energy is present in the plurality of communications links by summing the Es/No for a most disadvantaged communications link at the target MODCOD and the calculated ratio of allocated bandwidth to PEB based on the maximum allocated bandwidth and PEB from among the plurality of links.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communications link is a forward link over which communications are transmitted from a local transmitter to a remote receiver.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communications link is a return link over which communications are transmitted from a local receiver to a remote transmitter.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed using both a forward link over which communications are transmitted from a local transmitter to a remote receiver and a return link over which communications are transmitted from a local receiver to a remote transmitter.

11. A system for optimizing a link budget analysis (LBA) for a communications link within a communications system having a plurality of communications links comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a communications signal;

a receiver configured to receive the communications signal and create a communications link between the transmitter and receiver, the receiver and transmitter located remotely from each other; and

a processor configured to:

perform a first LBA based on a target modulation and coding pair (MODCOD) that is selected based on one or more transmission or receiving link parameters, the MODCOD having at least one of a predetermined symbol energy to noise density ratio (Es/No), a target setting of a power amplifier, and a target antenna size;

determine an excess margin from the first LBA and increase or decrease a maximum available MODCOD based on whether the excess margin has a positive or a negative value;

perform a second LBA using the increased or decreased maximum MODCOD;

iteratively repeat increasing or decreasing the maximum available MODCOD and perform a subsequent LBA using the increased or decreased maximum available MODCOD;

calculate a ratio of allocated bandwidth to a power equivalent bandwidth (PEB) and adjust at least one of the MODCOD, amplifier power, and antenna size based on the calculated ratio;

determine whether additional energy is present in the communications link by summing a contribution to a final ratio of allocated bandwidth to PEB of the communications system made by each of the plurality of communications links;

access a look up table (LUT) to determine an optimal MODCOD for the communications link and perform at least one of the following actions:

if the sum is a positive value, a MODCOD having a higher Es/No is selected; or

if the sum is a negative value, a MODCOD having a lower Es/No is selected; or

the amplifier size or antenna size is adjusted based on the ratio of allocated bandwidth to PEB; and

alter one or more transmission or receiving parameters to apply the selected optimal MODCOD, amplifier size, or antenna size.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform the first LBA using at least one of an initial MODCOD, amplifier power setting, and antenna size setting.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform a first optimization using results of the first LBA using a maximum MODOCD as determined from the excess margin of the first LBA without adjusting the amplifier power or antenna size.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the optimal MODCOD selected has an Es/No that is a highest value among possible MODCODS without exceeding a sum of the Es/No of the target MODCOD and the calculated ratio of allocated bandwidth to PEB.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the optimal MODCOD selected has an Es/No that exceeds a sum of the Es/No of a target MODCOD and the calculated ratio of allocated bandwidth to PEB by an amount that is within a predetermined range of variance of the sum.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

perform a plurality of first LBAs based on a plurality of target MODCODs for a plurality of communications links; and

sum the calculated ratios of allocated bandwidth to PEB for all of the communications links to result in a total allocated bandwidth and a total PEB.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

perform a plurality of first LBAs based on a plurality of target MODCODs for a plurality of links sharing a common transmission or receiving hub;

calculate a ratio of allocated bandwidth to a power equivalent bandwidth (PEB) a maximum allocated bandwidth from among the plurality of links and a maximum PEB from among the plurality of links and converting the calculated ratio to Decibels; and

determine whether additional energy is present in the plurality of communications links by summing the Es/No for a most disadvantaged communications link at the target MODCOD and the calculated ratio of allocated bandwidth to PEB based on the maximum allocated bandwidth and PEB from among the plurality of links.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the communications link is a forward link over which communications are transmitted from a local transmitter to a remote receiver.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the communications link is a return link over which communications are transmitted from a local receiver to a remote transmitter.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to use both a forward link over which communications are transmitted from a local transmitter to a remote receiver and a return link over which communications are transmitted from a local receiver to a remote transmitter.