Differential Phase Compensation in Over-the-air Precoding Test-bed for a Multi-beam Satellite

Scientific Conference (2022, April 10)

This article presents a closed-loop differential phase compensation system for a precoding-enabled multibeam satellite forward link and its validation by live experiments on a GEO satellite scenario. The ... [more ▼]

This article presents a closed-loop differential phase compensation system for a precoding-enabled multibeam satellite forward link and its validation by live experiments on a GEO satellite scenario. The precoding operation avoids inter-beam interference and maximizes the spectrum efficiency by full frequency reuse as an alternative to the traditional two-color or four-color reuse methods proposed in the DVB-S2 standard. However, the satellite payload introduces differential phase and frequency impairments, which can degrade the precoding performance. This work describes the implementation of the differential phase and frequency tracking and compensation loop in an end-to-end testbed over a multibeam satellite system with independent local oscillators. The developed system performs end-to-end real-time communication over the satellite link, including channel measurements and precompensation. Results are validated by an over-the-air demonstration using two beams of the SES-14 multibeam satellite. Each beam is transmitted by independent transponders, which results in differential frequency and phase offsets due to the transponder undisciplined local oscillators. This phase offset makes it impossible to use precoding without the phase compensation loop. We prove that the implemented system can successfully track and compensate the differential phase and frequency to improve precoding performance. [less ▲]

Enablers for Matching Demand in GEO Multi-Beam Satellites: Dynamic Beamforming, Precoding, or Both?

Scientific Conference (2021, September 30)

In trending satellite communication applications, the traffic demand is not only rapidly increasing, it is also spatiotemporally evolving. This motivates the deployment of high throughput satellite ... [more ▼]

In trending satellite communication applications, the traffic demand is not only rapidly increasing, it is also spatiotemporally evolving. This motivates the deployment of high throughput satellite systems with flexible radio resource management and transmission techniques. In contrast to regular beam layout plans (RBLP) currently used in GEO payloads, future flexible payloads are capable of dynamic beamforming (DBF) in order to illuminate the coverage area using highly-directive and traffic-adaptive beampatterns. The beampatterns in an adaptive beam layout plan (ABLP) can have irregular shapes and mutual overlaps, potentially causing excessive inter-beam interferences (IBI) compared to the RBLP case. In this work, we evaluate the combination of DBF and precoding as the latter promises high throughputs in interference-limited conditions and is supported by the recent DVB-S2X norm. Under realistic non-uniform traffic patterns, we compare a typical RBLP against an ABLP in terms of their traffic matching performances with and without precoding. Through the comparisons, we show that DBF enables to significantly reduce the capacity mismatches using an ABLP that uniformly balances the demand distribution across beams. Noting that the ABLP is IBI agnostic, an unpredictable interference environment is built. In such conditions, precoding enables to reliably provide high throughputs through full frequency reuse. [less ▲]

5G-SpaceLab

Poster (2021, April 19)

The new phase of space exploration involves a growing number of human and robotic missions with varying communication and service requirements. Continuous, maximum coverage of areas where activities are ... [more ▼]

The new phase of space exploration involves a growing number of human and robotic missions with varying communication and service requirements. Continuous, maximum coverage of areas where activities are concentrated and orbiting missions (single spacecraft or constellations) around the Earth, Moon or Mars will be particularly challenging. The standardization of the 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) has already begun [1], and nothing prevents 5G from becoming a common communications standard supporting space resource missions [2]. The 5G Space Communications Lab (5G-SpaceLab) is an interdisciplinary experimental platform, funded by the Luxembourg Space Agency and is part of the Space Research Program of SnT. The lab allows users to design and emulate realistic space communications and control scenarios for the next-generation of space applications. The capabilities of the 5G-SpaceLab testbed combine the experience of different disciplines including space communications, space and satellite mission design, and space robotics. The most relevant include the demonstration of SDR 5G NTN terminals including NB-IoT, emulation of space communications channel scenarios (e.g. link budget, delay, Doppler…), small satellite platform and payload design and testing, satellite swarm flight formation, lunar rover and robotic arm control and AI-powered telerobotics. Earth-Moon communications is one of the scenarios demonstrated in the 5G-SpaceLab. Bidirectional communication for the teleoperation of lunar rovers for near real-time operations including data collection and sensors feedback will be tested. AI-based approaches for perception and control will be developed to overcome communication delays and to provide safer, trustworthy, and efficient remote control of the rovers. [1] 3GPP Release 17 Timeline. [Online]. Available: https://www.3gpp.org/release-17 [2] Nokia, Nokia selected by NASA to build first ever cellular network on the Moon. [Online]. Available: https://www.nokia.com/about-us/news/releases/2020/10/19/nokia-selected-by-nasa-to-build-first-ever-cellular-network-on-the-moon/ [less ▲]

System Modelling and Design Aspects of Next Generation High Throughput Satellites

in IEEE Communications Letters (2021), 69

As compared to terrestrial systems, the design of Satellite Communication (SatCom) systems require a different approach due to differences in terms of wave propagation, operating frequency, antenna ... [more ▼]

As compared to terrestrial systems, the design of Satellite Communication (SatCom) systems require a different approach due to differences in terms of wave propagation, operating frequency, antenna structures, interfering sources, limitations of onboard processing, power limitations and transceiver impairments. In this regard, this letter aims to identify and discuss important modeling and design aspects of the next generation High Throughput Satellite (HTS) systems. First, communication models of HTSs including the ones for multibeam and multicarrier satellites, multiple antenna techniques, and for SatCom payloads and antennas are highlighted and discussed. Subsequently, various design aspects of SatCom transceivers including impairments related to the transceiver, payload and channel, and traffic-based coverage adaptation are presented. Finally, some open topics for the design of next generation HTSs are identified and discussed. [less ▲]

Satellite Communications in the New Space Era: A Survey and Future Challenges

in IEEE Communications Surveys and Tutorials (2021), 23(1), 70-109

Satellite communications (SatComs) have recently entered a period of renewed interest motivated by technological advances and nurtured through private investment and ventures. The present survey aims at ... [more ▼]

Satellite communications (SatComs) have recently entered a period of renewed interest motivated by technological advances and nurtured through private investment and ventures. The present survey aims at capturing the state of the art in SatComs, while highlighting the most promising open research topics. Firstly, the main innovation drivers are motivated, such as new constellation types, on-board processing capabilities, nonterrestrial networks and space-based data collection/processing. Secondly, the most promising applications are described i.e. 5G integration, space communications, Earth observation, aeronautical and maritime tracking and communication. Subsequently, an in-depth literature review is provided across five axes: i) system aspects, ii) air interface, iii) medium access, iv) networking, v) testbeds & prototyping. Finally, a number of future challenges and the respective open research topics are described. [less ▲]

Scheduling Design and Performance Analysis of Carrier Aggregation in Satellite Communication Systems

in IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology (2021)

Carrier Aggregation is one of the vital approaches to achieve several orders of magnitude increase in peak data rates. While carrier aggregation benefits have been extensively studied in cellular networks ... [more ▼]

Carrier Aggregation is one of the vital approaches to achieve several orders of magnitude increase in peak data rates. While carrier aggregation benefits have been extensively studied in cellular networks, its application to satellite systems has not been thoroughly explored yet. Carrier aggregation can offer an enhanced and more consistent quality of service for users throughout the satellite coverage via combining multiple carriers, utilizing the unused capacity at other carriers, and enabling effective interference management. Furthermore, carrier aggregation can be a prominent solution to address the issue of the spatially heterogeneous satellite traffic demand. This paper investigates introducing carrier aggregation to satellite systems from a link layer perspective. Deployment of carrier aggregation in satellite systems with the combination of multiple carriers that have different characteristics requires effective scheduling schemes for reliable communications. To this end, a novel load balancing scheduling algorithm has been proposed to distribute data packets across the aggregated carriers based on channel capacities and to utilize spectrum efficiently. Moreover, in order to ensure that the received data packets are delivered without perturbing the original transmission order, a perceptive scheduling algorithm has been developed that takes into consideration channel properties along with the instantaneous available resources at the aggregated carriers. The proposed modifications have been carefully designed to make carrier aggregation transparent above the medium access control (MAC) layer. Additionally, the complexity analysis of the proposed algorithms has been conducted in terms of the computational loads. Simulation results are provided to validate our analysis, demonstrate the design tradeoffs, and to highlight the potentials of carrier aggregation applied to satellite communication systems. [less ▲]

Carrier Aggregation in Satellite Communications: Impact and Performance Study

in IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society (2020)

Dealing with Non-Uniform Demands in Flexible GEO Satellites: The Carrier Aggregation Perspective

in 10th Advanced Satellite Multimedia Systems Conference (ASMS) and 16th Signal Processing for Space Communications Workshop (SPSC), October 2020. (2020)

Carrier Aggregation in Multi-Beam High Throughput Satellite Systems

in Carrier Aggregation in Multi-Beam High Throughput Satellite Systems (2019, December 10)

Carrier Aggregation (CA) is an integral part of current terrestrial networks. Its ability to enhance the peak data rate, to efficiently utilize the limited available spectrum resources and to satisfy the ... [more ▼]

Carrier Aggregation (CA) is an integral part of current terrestrial networks. Its ability to enhance the peak data rate, to efficiently utilize the limited available spectrum resources and to satisfy the demand for data-hungry applications has drawn large attention from different wireless network communities. Given the benefits of CA in the terrestrial wireless environment, it is of great interest to analyze and evaluate the potential impact of CA in the satellite domain. In this paper, we study CA in multi-beam high throughput satellite systems. We consider both inter-transponder and intra-transponder CA at the satellite payload level of the communication stack, and we address the problem of carrier-user assignment assuming that multiple users can be multiplexed in each carrier. The transmission parameters of different carriers are generated considering the transmission characteristics of carriers in different transponders. In particular, we propose a flexible carrier allocation approach for a CA enabled multi-beam satellite system targeting a proportionally fair user demand satisfaction. Simulation results and analysis shed some light on this rather unexplored scenario and demonstrate the feasibility of the CA in satellite communication systems. [less ▲]

User Terminal Wideband Modem for Very High Throughput Satellites

in 37th International Communications Satellite Systems Conference (ICSSC), Japan, October 2019 (2019, November)