Patent Description:
Wireless communications systems, such as satellite communications systems, provide a means by which information, including audio, video, and various other sorts of data, may be communicated from one location to another using a communications satellite. Communications satellites typically include one or more antenna assemblies for communicating with various terrestrial target devices, which may include ground-based access node terminals or user terminals, any of which may be stationary (e.g., installed at a permanent installation site, moved from one fixed installation site to another, etc.) or mobile (e.g., installed at a vehicle, a boat, a plane, handheld etc.).

One or more antenna assemblies of a communications satellite may be configured for transmitting downlink signals (e.g., forward link signals to user terminals or return link signals to access nodes) and/or receiving uplink signals (e.g., forward link signals from access nodes or return link signals from user terminals). The antenna assembly or assemblies may be associated with a service coverage area within which devices may be provided communications services via the antenna assembly.

In some cases, a communications satellite may be a geostationary satellite, in which case the communications satellite's orbit may be synchronized with the rotation of the Earth to maintain the service coverage area to be essentially stationary with respect to the Earth. In other cases, the communications satellite may use a different orbit (e.g., about the Earth) that causes the service coverage area to move over the surface of the Earth as the communications satellite traverses its orbital path.

Some communications satellites may place spot beam coverage areas in fixed locations. However, these communications satellites may not have the ability to move the spot beams to accommodate changes to a service coverage area. Moreover, such satellite communications architectures essentially provide uniformly distributed capacity over the service coverage area. Capacity per spot beam, for example, is strongly related to the allocated bandwidth per spot beam, which may be predetermined for every spot beam and thus allow for little to no flexibility or configurability.

Although these satellite communications architectures may be valuable when a desired service coverage area is well-known and the demand for capacity is uniformly distributed over the service coverage area, the inflexibility of the aforementioned architectures may be limiting for certain applications. For example, a communications satellite may be re-tasked or deployment conditions (e.g., orbital slot, etc.) may change. Additionally, satellite communications services may see changes in user demands (e.g., fixed vs. mobile users, etc.).

Although signal processing techniques such as beamforming provide some ability to adapt the arrangement of spot beams or service coverage area, additional flexibility in adaptation of service coverage area and spot beam arrangement may be desired. For example, it may be desirable for a satellite communications system and, correspondingly, a communications satellite to flexibly and dynamically adjust locations and sizes of service coverage areas based on factors such as locations of user terminals and access node terminals, a spatial distribution of the communications service capacity, and a capacity allocation of the communications service. Additionally, it may be desirable for a satellite communications system and, correspondingly, a communications satellite to flexibly and dynamically allocate communications resources between different service coverage areas, for example, to shift higher throughput services to different coverage areas based on dynamically changing conditions.

<CIT>describes a ground network for end-to-end beamforming. <CIT> describes coverage area adjustment to adapt satellite communications.

Method and system are described for end-to-end beamforming with multiple areas of simultaneous user coverage.

Further scope of the applicability of the described methods and apparatuses will become apparent from the following detailed description, claims, and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the scope of the description will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure may be realized by reference to the following drawings.

A satellite communications system <NUM> ("system") as depicted in <FIG> provides service to pluralities of user terminals <NUM> in multiple non-overlapping user coverage areas <NUM>, e.g., first and second user coverage areas <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>, based on performing ground-based, end-to-end beamforming simultaneously with respect to the multiple user coverage areas <NUM>. Hereafter, unless otherwise noted or apparent from the context, the term "beamforming" refers to ground-based, end-to-end beamforming and suffixed reference numbers are discussed only where clarity requires the inclusion of suffixes.

<FIG> highlights details for beamforming in the forward direction-towards the user terminals <NUM>-and relies on several simplifications to ease discussion and maintain clarity. Chief among the simplifications is the depiction of a single user terminal <NUM>-<NUM> in the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> and a single user terminal <NUM>-<NUM> in the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>, with a corresponding forward beam <NUM>-<NUM> serving the first user terminal <NUM>-<NUM> and a corresponding forward beam <NUM>-<NUM> serving the second user terminal <NUM>-<NUM>. "Serving" connotes the fact that the forward user signal(s) <NUM>-<NUM> intended for the user terminal <NUM>-<NUM> are conveyed in the forward beam <NUM>-<NUM>. Similarly, the forward beam <NUM>-<NUM> conveys forward user signals <NUM>-<NUM> intended for the user terminal <NUM>-<NUM>.

Operation of the system <NUM> involves forming potentially many forward beams <NUM> in the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> and in the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>, simultaneously. Each forward beam <NUM> serves one or more user terminals <NUM>, e.g., each forward beam <NUM> serves multiple user terminals <NUM> that are "clustered" in the sense that they are all within the same beam coverage area <NUM>. <FIG> depicts example the beam coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> as the terrestrial "footprint" of the forward beam <NUM>-<NUM> and the beam coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> as the terrestrial footprint of the forward beam <NUM>-<NUM>. User terminals <NUM> within the footprint of the forward beam <NUM>-<NUM> may be served by that beam and, likewise, user terminals <NUM> within the footprint of the forward beam <NUM>-<NUM> may be served by that beam.

Consider an example approach where, from a system design perspective, each user coverage area <NUM> is logically divided into a plurality of beam coverage areas <NUM>-i.e., a predetermined pattern of beam coverage areas <NUM> that is based on known or expected sizes of beam footprints <NUM> and provides for forward coverage over the entire user coverage area <NUM>. Serving the user coverage area <NUM> does not require simultaneously forming as many forward beams <NUM> as there are predefined beam coverage areas <NUM>. Instead, a time-division multiplexing (TDM) pattern may be used, wherein a smaller number of forward beams <NUM> is used to illuminate different subsets of the predefined beam coverage areas <NUM> at different times.

Forming any given forward beam <NUM> to illuminate a particular geographic area-i.e., forming a forward beam <NUM> whose beam coverage area <NUM> is located where desired within the overall user coverage area <NUM>-requires having channel estimates describing the transmission channel from each access node <NUM> participating in the beamforming to a receiver that is located at or near the geographic center of the desired beam center. Beamforming requires use of a plurality of geographically distributed access nodes <NUM>, which form part of the ground segment <NUM> of the system <NUM>.

In practice, for each forward beam <NUM> formed, the system <NUM> obtains channel estimates with respect to a user terminal <NUM> that is served by that forward beam <NUM> and is at or reasonably near the geographic location designated as the beam center. Such a user terminal <NUM> may be referred to as a reference user terminal (RUT) or a designated user terminal (DUT). Thus, for a given cluster of user terminals <NUM> all being served by the same forward beam <NUM>, a centrally located one of them serves as the RUT for estimating the end-to-end channels used to form the forward beam <NUM>. Particularly, the satellite communications system <NUM> uses channel "sounding" with respect to the RUT associated with each forward beam <NUM>, to determine the end-to-end channel from each access node <NUM> to the RUT. "Sounding" refers to the transmission of known reference signals for use in estimating the channel between the RUT and each access node <NUM>. Sounding may be performed periodically, e.g., to adapt the beamforming weights responsive to changing atmospheric conditions.

Each channel between the RUT and a respective one of the access nodes <NUM> is a multi-path channel, wherein a satellite <NUM> of the system <NUM> acts as an end-to-end relay between the ground segment <NUM> and the user terminals <NUM>. Here, inducement of multi-path is intentional and arises based on there being multiple forward signal paths through the satellite <NUM> with respect to each access node <NUM>. To understand the induced multipath, consider that each access node <NUM> transmits a forward uplink signal <NUM> that is received by some or all the feeds <NUM> of a feeder link array <NUM> onboard the satellite <NUM>. The feeder link array <NUM> may be referred to as a feeder link antenna subsystem, with the individual feeds <NUM> being referred to as feeder-link constituent elements that are configured to illuminate the access node areas to receive a plurality of composite input forward signals.

Each feed <NUM> receives a superposition of the forward uplink signals <NUM>-i.e., a superposition signal <NUM> comprised of the individual forward uplink signals <NUM> from two or more of the access nodes <NUM>. The superposition signal <NUM> at each feed <NUM> is unique and depends on the channels between the feed <NUM> and individual ones of the access nodes <NUM>, which also may be referred to as "satellite access nodes" or SANs. The superposition signals <NUM> may also be referred to as composite input forward signals.

Each feed <NUM> thus receives a composite input forward signal <NUM> and provides it as a received composite input forward signal <NUM> that is applied to the input end of a transponder <NUM> onboard the satellite <NUM>. Each transponder <NUM> may be regarded as a signal pathway within the satellite <NUM> for conveying a respective one of the receive composite input forward signals <NUM>. The number of feeds <NUM> may be large, e.g., five-hundred or more, and the satellite <NUM> includes a transponder <NUM> for each feed <NUM>. There may be additional, spare transponders <NUM> onboard, too, as substitutes for malfunctioning transponders <NUM>.

Each transponder <NUM> provides a non-processed signal path, meaning that it does not perform signal demodulation and re-modulation with respect to the composite input forward signal <NUM>. However, the transponders <NUM> in one or more embodiments include filters, amplifiers, and frequency shifters, to shift from uplink frequencies to downlink frequencies. Such operations convert the received composite input forward signal <NUM> input into each transponder <NUM> into a corresponding forward composite downlink signal <NUM> that is transmitted from a corresponding feed <NUM> either in a first user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> or a second user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM>, as a transmitted forward composite downlink signal <NUM>. The first user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> serves the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> and the second user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> serves the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>.

Controlling the number of forward beams <NUM> allocated to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> and the number of forward beams <NUM> allocated to the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> is a function of controlling transponder connectivity within the satellite <NUM>-i.e., controlling how many of the transponders <NUM> are allocated to the first user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> and how many of the transponders <NUM> are allocated to the second user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM>. To appreciate this arrangement, consider simultaneously forming a total of K forward beams <NUM>, based on M access nodes <NUM> cooperating in the beamforming, with N feeds <NUM> in the feeder link array <NUM>, N transponders <NUM> onboard the satellite <NUM>, and up to N feeds <NUM> in each of the user link feed arrays <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>. As a non-limiting example, K equals <NUM>, and M equals N equals K. Assume that each user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> or <NUM>-<NUM> includes N feeds <NUM> and that switching circuitry <NUM> onboard the satellite <NUM> is operative to switch the output ends of every transponder <NUM> either to the first user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> or the second user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM>.

Switching the output ends of all N transponders <NUM> to respective ones of the N feeds <NUM> in the first user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> can be understood as allocating all K forward beams <NUM> to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>, switching the output ends of all N transponders <NUM> to respective ones of the N feeds <NUM> in the second user feed link array <NUM>-<NUM> allocates all K forward beams <NUM> to the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. Switching the output ends of R ones among the N transponders <NUM> to respective ones of the N feeds <NUM> in the first user feed link array <NUM>-<NUM> and the output allocates R forward beams <NUM> to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>, leaving (N - R) ones among the N transponders <NUM> allocable for forming (N - R) forward beams <NUM> for the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>.

In one or more embodiments, each of the first and second user link feed arrays <NUM>-<NUM> includes fewer feeds <NUM> than there are feeds <NUM> included in the feeder link array <NUM>. As a non-limiting example, there are <NUM> feeds <NUM> in the feeder link array <NUM>, and there are <NUM> feeds <NUM> in the first user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> and another <NUM> feeds <NUM> in the second user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM>. Such an arrangement allows up to seventy percent (<NUM>/<NUM>) of the forward capacity to be allocated either to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> or to the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>, at any one time. That is up to <NUM> of the feeds <NUM> and corresponding transponders <NUM> can be connected either to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> or the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> at any given time. Of course, the satellite <NUM> may alter the capacity allocation across time slots or other scheduling intervals, and the seventy-percent example is non-limiting.

Maximum allocation flexibility arises in embodiments where every transponder <NUM> can be allocated either to the first user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> or to the second user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM>. Flexibility comes at the expense of additional switching or splitting circuitry and the number of transponders <NUM> that are dynamically allocable may be fewer than all.

In at least one embodiment, each user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> includes more than N / <NUM> feeds <NUM>, allowing more than half of the N transponders <NUM> to be allocated to a respective one of the user coverage areas <NUM>-<NUM> or <NUM>-<NUM> at any given time. For example, each user link feed array <NUM> includes 2N/<NUM> feeds <NUM>, thus allowing up to two-thirds of the transponders <NUM> to be allocated to a selected one of the user link feed arrays <NUM>-<NUM> or <NUM>-<NUM>. In practice, the number of feeds <NUM> included in each user link feed array <NUM> need not be the same among all user link feed arrays <NUM>, but the number of feeds <NUM> included in each user link feed array <NUM> puts an upper limit on the number of forward beams <NUM> allocable to the user coverage area <NUM> served by that user link feed array <NUM>.

The switching circuitry <NUM> operates as a "selector subsystem" and determines which ones and how many of the transponders <NUM> are switchable between the first and second user link feed arrays <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>. For example, it controls connectivity (allocation) of the transponders <NUM> responsive to control signals output from the control circuitry <NUM>. In turn the control circuitry <NUM> includes or is associated with storage <NUM>, e.g., one or more types of memory circuits, which stores a schedule that is used to control the dynamic allocation of capacity between the user coverage areas <NUM>, e.g., between a first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> and a second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. The schedule may be dynamically decided or updated, e.g., based on uploaded control information determined by the ground segment <NUM> in dependence on prevailing conditions, such as differing capacity needs among the user coverage areas <NUM>.

"Capacity" allocation in the forward direction refers to how the total number of forward beams <NUM> are split-allocated-between the respective user coverage areas <NUM>. In one or more embodiments, respective subsets of the transponders <NUM> may be dedicated to corresponding ones of the user coverage areas <NUM> while other ones among the overall set of transponders <NUM> are dynamically switchable between the user coverage areas <NUM>, to account for changing capacity needs in the respective service areas.

To further understand beamforming according to the above details, consider user data streams <NUM> incoming to the ground segment <NUM> of the satellite communications system <NUM> from one or more external networks <NUM>. Example external networks include any one or more of the Internet or other Packet Data Network (PDN), Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs), the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), etc. Each user data stream <NUM> targets a respective user terminal <NUM> in one of the user coverage areas <NUM> served by the satellite <NUM>. One or more network devices <NUM> included in the ground segment <NUM> receive the user data streams <NUM> and, for each user data stream <NUM>, determine the targeted user terminal <NUM> and determine the forward beam <NUM> used to serve the targeted user terminal <NUM>. The user data streams <NUM> that are assigned to the same forward beam <NUM> are used to form a corresponding forward beam signal <NUM>.

The plurality of forward beam signals <NUM> are provided to a beamformer <NUM> included in the ground segment <NUM>. A beam weight generator <NUM> generates beamforming weights <NUM> and the beamformer <NUM> uses the beamforming weights <NUM> to generate corresponding forward access-node signals <NUM> for transmission by the respective access nodes <NUM> cooperating in the beamforming as forward uplink signals <NUM>. The forward access-node signals <NUM> are synchronized to support the end-to-end beamforming process.

The beamforming weights <NUM> are based on the end-to-end channels determined between each access node <NUM> and the RUT associated with each forward beam <NUM>. That is, the beamforming weights <NUM> account for the end-to-end channels from each access node <NUM> to each RUT, including, the uplink channels from each access node <NUM> to each of the feeds <NUM> in the feeder link array <NUM>, the multipath channels through the satellite <NUM>, and the downlink channels from each of the feeds <NUM> in the user link feed arrays <NUM> to the RUT.

As a detailed example based on there being M access nodes <NUM> and K forward beams <NUM>, the beamformer <NUM> duplicates each of the K forward beam signals <NUM> into M groups of K forward beam signals <NUM>. The beamformer <NUM> includes a forward weighting and summing module (not shown) for each of the M access nodes, and each such module receives one of the M groups of K forward beam signals <NUM>. The beam weight generator <NUM> generates an M × K forward beam weight matrix, based on a channel matrix that estimates the end-to-end forward gains for each of the K x M end-to-end forward multipath channels.

The first weighting and summing module within the beamformer <NUM> applies a weight equal to the value of the <NUM>,<NUM> element of the M x K forward beam weight matrix to the first of the K forward beam signals <NUM>. A weight equal to the value of the <NUM>,<NUM> element of the M x K forward beam weight matrix is applied to the second of the K forward beam signals <NUM>. The other weights of the matrix are applied in like fashion, on through the Kth forward beam signal <NUM>, which is weighted with the value equal to the <NUM>, K element of the M x K forward beam weight matrix. Each of the K weighted forward beam signals <NUM> are then summed and output from the first weighting and summing module as a corresponding one of the forward access-node signals <NUM> depicted in <FIG>. The forward access-node signal <NUM> output by the first weighting and summing module may be time adjusted for synchronization of transmission across the plurality of access nodes <NUM>. Similarly, each of the other weighting and summing modules in the beamformer <NUM> (not shown) receive their respective set of duplicated K forward beam signals <NUM>, and weight and sum that using the corresponding elements of the M x K forward beam weight matrix. The outputs from each of the M weighting and summing modules may be adjusted for timing, e.g., delay, and jitter, as part of forming/providing the forward access-node signals <NUM>.

As a consequence of the beam weights applied by the beamformer <NUM> at the ground segment <NUM>, the forward uplink signals <NUM> that are transmitted from the access nodes <NUM> to/through the satellite <NUM> form forward beams <NUM>. The satellite <NUM> functions as an end-to-end relay in this beamforming context. The size and location of the forward beams <NUM> that are formed may be a function of the number of access nodes <NUM> that are deployed, the number and antenna patterns of relay antenna elements-feeds <NUM> and <NUM>-that the signals pass through, the location of the satellite <NUM>, and/or the geographic spacing of the access nodes <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates beamforming in the return direction, i.e., from the user terminals <NUM> towards the access nodes <NUM>. The return user beams-not shown in the diagram-are formed digitally within the ground segment <NUM>, rather than in free space. The return beamforming provides isolation or interference reduction between the uplink signals transmitted by user terminals <NUM> located in adjacent beam coverage areas <NUM>.

Consider an example case where a user terminal <NUM>-<NUM> in a beam coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> of the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> transmits an uplink signal <NUM>-<NUM>, e.g., an uplink signal containing user data destined for the external network(s) <NUM>. At the same time, a user terminal <NUM>-<NUM> in an adjacent beam coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> within the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> transmits an uplink signal <NUM>-<NUM>. Similarly, a user terminal <NUM>-<NUM> in a beam coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> of the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> transmits an uplink signal <NUM>-<NUM>, e.g., an uplink signal containing user data destined for the external network(s) <NUM>. At the same time, a user terminal <NUM>-<NUM> in an adjacent beam coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> within the second overall user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> transmits an uplink signal <NUM>-<NUM>. Beamforming in the return direction reduces interference between such signals, which facilitates frequency reuse over the respective beam coverage areas <NUM>.

To understand return beamforming, consider that each feed <NUM> in a first user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> receives a superposition signal <NUM> that is a unique superposition of the uplink signals <NUM> being transmitted by user terminals <NUM> in the corresponding user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. Similarly, each feed <NUM> in a second user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> receives a superposition signal <NUM> that is a unique superposition of the uplink signals <NUM> being transmitted by user terminals <NUM> in the corresponding user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. The same holds true for respective additional user coverage areas <NUM>, to the extent that there are further user coverage areas <NUM>.

Each feed <NUM> outputs a return composite return uplink signal <NUM> that is switched into a respective one of the transponders <NUM> by switching circuitry <NUM>. As with beamforming in the forward direction, the number of transponders <NUM> allocated to the first user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> versus the number of transponders <NUM> allocated to the second user link feed array <NUM>-<NUM> determines how many of the return beams are allocated to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> versus the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. In one or more embodiments, the configuration and allocation of return beams (not shown) matches that of the forward beams <NUM>.

Each transponder <NUM> outputs a return composite return downlink signal <NUM> that is transmitted from a corresponding feed <NUM> in a feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM>. The transmitted version of each return composite return downlink signal <NUM> is shown in the diagram as a transmitted signal <NUM>. Correspondingly, each access node <NUM> receives a superposition signal <NUM> that is a unique superposition of the transmitted signals <NUM> and provides a corresponding return composite signal <NUM> to the beamformer <NUM>. The return composite signals <NUM> may be time synchronized for coherence, and the beamformer <NUM> applies beamforming weights <NUM> to form the return beams in the digital domain, represented by return beam signals <NUM>.

The beamforming weights <NUM> comprise a K x M return beam weight matrix that is based on information stored in a channel data store, which is populated by a channel estimator implemented in the beamformer <NUM> or in association with it. Derivation of the beamforming weights <NUM> in the beam weight generator <NUM> relies on channel estimates, e.g., end-to-end channel estimates based on return-link signals transmitted from the RUTs in the respective user coverage areas <NUM>. These return-link end-to-end-channel estimates account for the multipath return-link channels between each RUT and each access node <NUM>.

For return beamforming, the beamformer <NUM> has a beam weights input through which it receives the return beam weight matrix-the beamforming weights <NUM>-from the beam weight generator <NUM>. Each of the return composite signals <NUM> is coupled to an associated one of M splitter and weighting modules (not shown) within the beamformer <NUM>.

Each splitter and weighting module splits the time-aligned return composite signal <NUM> into K copies. Each splitter and weighting module weights each of the K copies using the k, m element of the K x M return beam weight matrix. Each set of K weighted composite return signals is then coupled to a combining module-not shown-that combines the kth weighted composite return signal output from each splitter and weighting module, to output the kth return beam signal <NUM>. Each of the K return beam signals <NUM> includes communication-signal samples from all user terminals <NUM> that are active in the corresponding beam coverage area.

With the above example details in mind, a satellite communications system <NUM> comprising a satellite <NUM> for providing communications between a plurality of access nodes <NUM> and a plurality of user terminals <NUM>. The plurality of access nodes <NUM> is geographically distributed within a corresponding access node area, and the plurality of user terminals <NUM> is geographically distributed within a first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> and a second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. In other words, some of the user terminals <NUM> are distributed within the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> and some of the user terminals <NUM> are distributed within the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>.

Onboard the satellite <NUM>, the feeder link array <NUM> may be referred to as a feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM>, with the feeds <NUM> referred to as a plurality of feeder link constituent elements <NUM> of the feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM>. Each feeder link constituent element <NUM> is configured to illuminate the access node area to receive a unique superposition of the plurality of forward uplink signals <NUM> from the plurality of access nodes <NUM> as a composite input forward signal <NUM>.

The transponders <NUM> may be referred to as forward signal paths <NUM> and the satellite <NUM> provides a plurality of forward signal paths <NUM>. Each of the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM> has a respective input coupled with a respective one of the plurality of feeder link constituent elements <NUM> to obtain a respective one of the plurality of composite input forward signals <NUM>, as a received composite input forward input signal <NUM>. Each forward signal path <NUM> correspondingly provides a respective one of a plurality of forward composite downlink signals <NUM> at a respective output.

The first user link array <NUM>-<NUM> of the satellite <NUM> may be referred to a first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, and the feeds <NUM> of the first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> may be referred to as first user link constituent elements <NUM> and they are configured to illuminate the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. Similarly, the second user link array <NUM>-<NUM> of the satellite <NUM> may be referred to as second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, and the feeds <NUM> of the second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> may be referred to as second user link constituent elements <NUM>, which are configured to illuminate the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. The second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> is non-overlapping with the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>.

The switching circuitry <NUM> may comprise a switch matrix with full cross-switching connectivity between any switch-matrix input and any switch-matrix output, and it may be referred to as a selector subsystem <NUM>. The selector subsystem <NUM> is reconfigurable in response to control signals to dynamically allocate the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM> among the first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> and the second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>. Particularly, in a first configuration of the selector subsystem <NUM>, the respective outputs of a first subset of the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM> are selectively coupled with respective ones of a first subset of the plurality of first user link constituent elements <NUM> and the respective outputs of a second subset of the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM> are selectively coupled with respective ones of a first subset of the plurality of second user link constituent elements <NUM>.

In a second configuration of the selector subsystem <NUM>, a third subset of the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM> has respective outputs coupled with respective ones of a second subset of the plurality of first user link constituent elements <NUM> and a fourth subset of the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM> has respective outputs coupled with respective ones of a second subset of the second user link constituent elements <NUM>. The first subset of the first user link constituent elements <NUM> is a first number of the first user link constituent elements <NUM>, the second subset of the first user link constituent elements <NUM> is a second number of the first user link constituent elements <NUM>, and the first number is different from the second number. The first subset of the second user link constituent elements <NUM> is a third number of the second user link constituent elements <NUM>, the second subset of the second user link constituent elements <NUM> is a fourth number of the second user link constituent elements <NUM>, and the third number is different from the fourth number. In at least one embodiment, a sum of the first number and the second number is equal to a sum of the third number and the fourth number.

The first configuration of the selector subsystem <NUM> defines a first allocation of capacity between the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> and the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. The second configuration of the selector subsystem <NUM> defines a second allocation of capacity between the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> and the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>, where the second allocation of capacity is different from the first allocation of capacity. The first configuration corresponds to a first beam weight matrix, and the second configuration corresponds to a second beam weight matrix different from the first beam weight matrix. Referring to the beamforming weights <NUM> depicted in <FIG>, there may be different sets of beamforming weights <NUM>-different beamforming matrices-corresponding to different capacity allocations between the first and second user coverage areas <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>.

The first subset of the plurality of first user link constituent elements <NUM> is configured to transmit a first subset of the plurality of forward composite downlink signals <NUM> generated by the first subset of the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM>, as transmitted forward composite downlink signals <NUM>. The transmitted first subset of the plurality of forward composite downlink signals <NUM> superpose to contribute to forming a first user beam-a first forward beam <NUM>-in the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. The second subset of the plurality of second user link constituent elements <NUM> is configured to transmit a second subset of the plurality of forward composite downlink signals <NUM> generated by the second subset of the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM>. The transmitted second subset of the plurality of forward composite downlink signals <NUM> superpose to contribute to forming a second user beam-a second forward beam <NUM>-in the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>.

Each of the plurality of forward uplink signals <NUM> contributes to forming both the first user beam and the second user beam. The first user beam corresponds to first user data streams <NUM> for a first subset of the plurality of user terminals <NUM> within the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. Likewise, the second user beam corresponds to second user data streams <NUM> for a second subset of the plurality of user terminals <NUM> within the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>.

The selector subsystem <NUM> in one or more embodiments comprises a plurality of forward-link switches coupled to the outputs of the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM>. Each of the plurality of forward-link switches is responsive to the control signals applied to the selector subsystem <NUM>, to selectively couple the respective output of one of the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM> either to a respective one of the plurality of first user link constituent elements <NUM> via a first switch state or a respective one of the plurality of second user link constituent elements <NUM> via a second switch state. Thus, in the first configuration of the selector subsystem <NUM>, a first subset of the plurality of forward-link switches coupled to the respective outputs of the first subset of the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM> is in the first switch state and a second subset of the plurality of forward-link switches coupled to the respective outputs of the second subset of the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM> is in the second switch state.

As shown in <FIG>, the satellite <NUM> also comprises a plurality of return signal paths, as represented by the transponders <NUM> shown in the figure. Each of the plurality of return signal paths <NUM> has a respective output coupled with a respective one of feeds <NUM> in a feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM>. Switching circuitry <NUM> is responsive to control signals from the control circuitry <NUM>, to control connectivity between feeds <NUM> in the first and second user link arrays <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> and feeds <NUM> in the feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM>. For example, in a first configuration of the selector subsystem <NUM>, the selector subsystem <NUM> controls connectivity between the inputs ends of the transponders <NUM> and feeds <NUM> in the first and second user link arrays <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>, such that a first subset of feeds <NUM> in the first user link array <NUM>-<NUM> are coupled to respective feeds <NUM> in the feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM>, to support return beamforming with respect to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. Further, a second subset of feeds <NUM> in the second user link array <NUM>-<NUM> are coupled to respective feeds <NUM> in the feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM>, to support return beamforming with respect to the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>.

The foregoing may be understood as allocating first and second subsets of transponders <NUM> respectively, to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> and the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>, to control the number of return beams used for each such user coverage area <NUM>. For a third user coverage area <NUM>, a third subset of the transponders <NUM> may be allocated.

Certain components onboard the satellite <NUM> may be shared between forward and return link communications, e.g., any reflectors included in the respective antenna subsystems may be shared. In one or more embodiments, antenna feeds may be shared. However, in at least one embodiment, the transponders <NUM> are partially or wholly distinct from the transponders <NUM>.

Items of interest in the ground segment <NUM> include a beamformer, which is depicted in <FIG> and <FIG> as the beamformer <NUM>. In fact, the beamformer <NUM> may comprise a forward beamformer and a return beamformer. For forward beamforming, the beamformer <NUM> has a forward beam signal input-see the forward beam signals <NUM> feeding into the beamformer <NUM> in <FIG>. Further, the beamformer <NUM> has a plurality of end-to-end beam-weighted forward uplink signal outputs in communication with the plurality of access nodes <NUM>-see the forward access-node signals <NUM> in <FIG>. The end-to-end beam-weighted forward uplink signal outputs correspond to respective weightings of the forward beam signal inputs according to a set of end-to-end forward beam weights provided by the beam weight generator <NUM>. In one or more embodiments, the plurality of access nodes <NUM> pre-correct the plurality of forward uplink signals <NUM> to compensate for respective path delays and phase shifts introduced between the plurality of access nodes <NUM> and the satellite <NUM>.

In at least one embodiment, the selector subsystem <NUM> dynamically allocates the plurality of forward signal paths <NUM> among the first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> and the second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, in order to dynamically allocate capacity between the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> and the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>.

<FIG> depicts an example implementation of the satellite <NUM>, where the satellite <NUM> includes transponders <NUM> configured as forward/return signal paths, some or all of which are dynamically allocable between first and second user coverage areas <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>, e.g., based on the capacity needs of user terminals <NUM> operating in the respective user coverage areas <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>. The satellite <NUM> includes a first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> that is operative to serve user terminals <NUM> in the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> in the forward and return directions, i.e., transmit and receive. Further, the satellite <NUM> includes a second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> that is operative to serve user terminals <NUM> in the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> in the forward and return directions. Still further, the satellite <NUM> includes a feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM> that is operative to communicate-transmit and receive-with a plurality of access nodes <NUM> in an access node area <NUM>. The respective areas <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM> are non-overlapping.

<FIG> illustrates example details regarding forward and return signal paths, in an example configuration where the satellite <NUM> supports simultaneous beamforming with respect to three user coverage areas <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM>. A first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> supports beamforming with respect to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>, a second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> supports beamforming with respect to the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>, and a third user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> supports beamforming with respect to the third user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>.

A point of terminology to note is that the connecting circuitry between the input ends of the forward signal paths or transponders <NUM> and respective feeds <NUM> in the feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM> may be referred to a forward receive paths <NUM>. Similarly, the connecting circuitry between the output ends of the forward signal paths or transponders <NUM> and respective feeds <NUM> in the first, second, and third user link antenna subsystems <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM> may be referred to as forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM>. Such circuitry may be part of or coupled with selector circuitry comprised in the selector subsystem <NUM>. That is, individual ones of the forward receive paths <NUM> and/or individual ones of the forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM> may be switched to control whether a certain transponder <NUM> couples to a feed <NUM> in the first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> or to a feed <NUM> in the second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> or to a feed <NUM> in the third user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>. Also note that the forward signal paths or transponders <NUM> may comprise groups of Radio Frequency Conversion Stacks (RFCS).

In at least one embodiment, a first subset of transponders <NUM> is dedicated to the first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, for beamforming with respect to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>, a second subset of transponders <NUM> is dedicated to the second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, for beamforming with respect to the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>, and a third subset of transponders <NUM> is dedicated to the third user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, for beamforming with respect to the third user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. Individual transponders <NUM> or groups thereof within a further subset of transponders <NUM> are allocable to any of the three user coverage areas <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM>, in dependence on respective capacity needs in the respective user coverage areas <NUM>.

In at least one embodiment, some or all of the transponders <NUM> are allocable to any one of the user coverage areas <NUM> or allocable in any desired ratios to the respective user coverage areas <NUM>. As previously noted, there is a tradeoff between allocability versus complexity and weight of the selector subsystem <NUM>, which comprises, for example, switches or splitters disposed in respective ones of the forward receive paths <NUM> and/or the forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM>, to control which transponder inputs are switched to which feeds <NUM> or which transponder outputs are switched to which feeds <NUM>. Thus, while the diagram depicts the selector subsystem <NUM> as a self-contained entity, it may comprise a distributed set of switches or a switch matrix, or a set of splitters, that control signal pathway connectivity within the satellite <NUM> responsive to control signals from the control circuitry <NUM>.

In at least one embodiment, the output ends of each transponder <NUM> among all or a defined subset of the transponders <NUM> are selectively connectable to a feed <NUM> in any of the user link antenna subsystems <NUM>. For feeds <NUM> that are dual polarization, the selector subsystem <NUM> may also control to which feed port the transponder output connects.

In an example, the satellite <NUM> has N transponders <NUM> (e.g., which may be equal to the quantity of forward receive paths <NUM>), and the selector subsystem <NUM> has N·<NUM> switched outputs, each selectively coupled with a forward transmit path among the forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM>. That is, the quantity of forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM> may equal N·<NUM>. For example, forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> may comprise P_1 transmit paths forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> may comprise P_2 transmit paths, and forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> may comprise P_3 transmit paths, where P_1+P_2+P_3=N·<NUM>.

In some embodiments, the quantities of forward transmit paths coupled with respective antenna subsystems may be the same. For example, the satellite <NUM> may have P_1 transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> coupled with feeds <NUM> of a first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> and P_2 transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> coupled with feeds <NUM> of a second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, and P_1 may equal P_2. However, the quantities of transmit paths coupled with respective antenna subsystems may be different. For example, a satellite <NUM> may have P_3 forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> coupled with feeds <NUM> of the third user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, and P_3 may not equal P_1 or P_2 (e.g., P_3 may be less than P_1 and P_2, in some cases). In at least one embodiment, the output ends of one or more of transponders <NUM> have switches for selectively switching the transponder output into a selected one of the forward transmit paths <NUM>. Such switches may be considered part of the selector subsystem <NUM> or may be considered part of the respective forward transmit paths and operating under control of the selector subsystem <NUM>.

In some examples, each of the forward transmit paths to an antenna subsystem may be coupled with feeds of the same polarization. For example, each of forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM> may be coupled with ports of feeds of a single polarization (e.g., RHCP or LHCP). Alternatively, for some antenna subsystems the forward transmit paths may be coupled with ports of feeds of more than a single polarization.

In an example considering only two user link antenna subsystems <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>, the forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> may be coupled with ports of feeds of multiple polarizations. For example, a first group (e.g., half or P_1/<NUM>) feeds of forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> may be coupled with feeds <NUM> of the first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> of a first polarization (e.g., LHCP), and a second group (e.g., half or P_1/<NUM>) feeds of forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> may be coupled with feeds <NUM> of the first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> of a second polarization (e.g., RHCP). Similarly, a first group (e.g., half or P_2/<NUM>) feeds <NUM> of forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> may be coupled with feeds <NUM> of the second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> of a first polarization (e.g., LHCP), and a second group (e.g., half or P_2/<NUM>) feeds of transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> may be coupled with feeds <NUM> of the second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> of a second polarization (e.g., RHCP).

Considering an example context of three user link antenna subsystems <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM> onboard the satellite <NUM>, individual switches of the selector subsystem <NUM> may be independently configurable (e.g., according to a configuration that may be sent to the satellite <NUM> via control signaling from the ground segment <NUM>). Thus, from among N transponders <NUM>, S ones of the N transponders <NUM> may be selectively switched into to S ones of forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>, L ones of the N transponders <NUM> may be selectively switched into L ones of the transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>, and T ones of the N transponders <NUM> may be selectively switched into T ones of transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>. Here, S is between zero (<NUM>) and P_1, L is between zero (<NUM>) and P_2, and T is between zero (<NUM>) and P_3.

In some examples, a quantity of transmit feeds for each of antennas that are selected using selector subsystem <NUM> may be determined based on a service capacity associated with each of the respective user coverage areas <NUM>. For example, where a relatively higher capacity is desired in the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> illuminated by the first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, more transmit paths among the forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> may be selected or activated while relatively fewer of ones of the forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> are selected or activated.

Additionally or alternatively, the selection of transmit paths within the groups or sets of forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM> that are selected may depend on a beamforming configuration for providing the communication service via the respective user coverage areas <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM>. For example, respective beamforming configurations may be determined for providing service to each of the user coverage areas <NUM>, and the combinations of the particular feeds <NUM> and corresponding transponders <NUM> that are selectively associated with the transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM> may be analyzed to determine arrangements of feeds <NUM> that enhance or optimize the beamforming configurations (e.g., provide higher signal gain for the desired beamforming configurations while reducing or minimizing the amount of parasitic or undesired signal power in areas outside of the desired beamforming configurations).

That is, rather than simply deciding what quantity of transponders <NUM> to allocate to respective user coverage areas <NUM>-<NUM>, the satellite <NUM> or system <NUM> at large decides which particular ones of the feeds <NUM> to associate with respective ones of the user link antenna subsystems <NUM>. There may be certain patterns of feeds allocations that improve beamforming performance. In some examples, capacity demand across a given illumination area for an antenna may be non-uniform, and thus the beamforming configuration and selection of transmit paths may depend on the demand for capacity in areas within the illumination area. For example, where more capacity is desired in one part of the illumination area, more feeds directed to that area may be selected to enhance capacity in that area as compared to other parts of the illumination area. As such, the feed pattern used for beamforming with respect to a particular user coverage area may be based on the distribution of user terminals <NUM> or needed capacity within the user coverage area.

In some examples, the satellite <NUM> may be operated according to multiple configurations of forward receive paths <NUM> and transponders <NUM> to forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM>. For example, in a first configuration, a first subset of transponders <NUM> may have outputs (e.g., via selector subsystem <NUM>) coupled with respective feeds <NUM> of the first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> and a second subset of transponders <NUM> may have outputs (e.g., via selector subsystem <NUM>) coupled with respective feeds <NUM> of the second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>. The ground segment <NUM> may apply one or more sets of end-to-end beam weights to forward uplink signals <NUM> while the satellite <NUM> is operated in the first configuration to provide one or more sets of forward beams <NUM> associated with the first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, the second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, and the third user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>.

In a second configuration, a third subset of transponders <NUM> may have outputs (e.g., via selector subsystem <NUM>) coupled with respective feeds <NUM> of the first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> and a fourth subset of transponders <NUM> may have outputs (e.g., via selector subsystem <NUM>) coupled with respective feeds <NUM> of the second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>. Similarly, the ground network <NUM> may apply one or more sets of end-to-end beam weights to forward uplink signals <NUM> while the satellite <NUM> is operated in the second configuration to provide one or more sets of forward link user beams associated with a first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, or a second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>, or a third user link antenna <NUM>-<NUM>. In some cases, a sum of the quantity of transponders <NUM> in the first and second subsets of transponders <NUM> may be equal to a sum of the quantity of transponders in the third and fourth subsets of transponders <NUM>.

In some cases, a configuration of transponders <NUM> may be associated with a single polarization for each antenna. For example, for the first configuration, a first subset of transponders <NUM> may be selected from transponders coupled (e.g., via selector subsystem <NUM>) with ports of feeds <NUM> of a first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> associated with a first polarization. Similarly, for the first configuration, a second subset of transponders <NUM> may be selected from transponders coupled (e.g., via selector subsystem <NUM>) with ports of feeds <NUM> of a second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> associated with the first polarization. Alternatively, for the first configuration, the second subset of transponders <NUM> may be selected from transponders coupled (e.g., via selector subsystem <NUM>) with respective feeds <NUM> of the second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> associated with a second polarization.

In some cases, a configuration of transponders <NUM> may be associated with more than one polarization for at least one antenna. For example, for the first configuration, the first subset of transponders <NUM> may include transponders coupled (e.g., via selector subsystem <NUM>) with respective feeds of a first antenna associated with both the first and second polarizations. Similarly, for the second configuration, a second subset of transponders <NUM> may include transponders coupled (e.g., via selector subsystem <NUM>) with respective feeds of a second antenna associated with both the first and second polarizations. In addition, although illustrated and described with selector subsystem <NUM>, selector subsystem <NUM> may include signal divider elements in place of a subset or all of the described switches. Thus, the output for at least a subset of the transponders <NUM> may be divided to be provided concurrently to more than one feed of more than one antenna.

<FIG> also illustrates example details for return signal pathways or transponders <NUM> in the satellite <NUM> that provide for signal flow in the return direction. Return receive pathways <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM> couple feeds <NUM> in the respective user link antenna subsystems <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM> to input ends of the transponders <NUM>. Output ends of the transponders <NUM> are coupled to respective feeds <NUM> in the feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM>. As noted, at least some of the antennal-related elements onboard the satellite <NUM> may be shared for forward and return communications, e.g., the antenna subsystems used in the forward and return link directions may use the same reflectors.

The switching circuitry <NUM> operates as a selector subsystem that controls connectivity between feeds <NUM> in the user link antenna subsystems <NUM> to feeds <NUM> in the feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM>, according to the currently configured capacity allocation, which may be updated on a scheduled or commanded basis. The switching may be individually controllable on a per feed/per path basis, as described above for the forward direction, and the same polarization-based connectivity described for the forward direction may be applied in the return direction. Thus, there may be N return transmit paths <NUM> coupling the return signal pathways or transponders <NUM> to respective feeds <NUM> in the feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM>, and there may be N or fewer than N pathways in each of the return receive pathways <NUM>-<NUM>, return receive pathways <NUM>-<NUM>, and return receive pathways <NUM>-<NUM>. The selector subsystem <NUM> includes or controls switches or splitters that control connectivity between the return signal pathways or transponders <NUM> and the return receive pathways <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM>, meaning that the number and/or pattern of feeds <NUM> used to serve each of the user coverage areas <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and <NUM>-<NUM> in the return direction is dynamically controllable, according to capacity needs or other considerations.

<FIG> illustrates an example forward signal path <NUM>, otherwise referred to as a forward-link transponder <NUM>. The satellite <NUM> carrying a plurality of such forward signal paths <NUM> supports end-to-end beamforming with multiple areas of simultaneous user coverage in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The forward signal path <NUM> is an example implementation of any one of the transponders <NUM> discussed above.

The example forward signal path <NUM> spans from a feed <NUM> to a selected one of feed <NUM> or a feed <NUM>. The feed <NUM> is one among a plurality of feeds <NUM>, which correspond to the feeds <NUM> in a feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM>. The feed <NUM> is one among a first plurality of feeds <NUM> and corresponds to a feed <NUM> in a first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>. The feed <NUM> is one among a plurality of second plurality of feeds <NUM> and corresponds to a feed <NUM> in a second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>.

Connectivity between the input end of the forward signal path <NUM> and the feed <NUM> may be regarded as one of the forward receive paths <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. Similarly, switched connectivity from the output end of the forward signal path <NUM> to the feed <NUM> may be regarded as one of the forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>, and switched connectivity from the output end of the forward signal path <NUM> to the feed <NUM> may be regarded as one of the forward transmit paths <NUM>-<NUM>.

The respective feeds <NUM> and <NUM> are used for transmitting forward downlink signals to user terminals <NUM> in user coverage areas <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>, and the feeds <NUM> are used for receiving forward uplink signals from the plurality of access nodes <NUM>. The forward signal path <NUM> is allocable therefore either to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> or the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> by controlling which one of the feeds <NUM> or <NUM> is coupled to the output end of the forward signal path <NUM>. That connectivity is controlled by the switch <NUM> comprised in a selector subsystem <NUM>. The feeds <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> may be polarized (one or both of LHCP or RHCP) and the selector subsystem <NUM> may include connectivity control to the selected polarization(s) from/to the feeds <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>.

The forward signal path <NUM> has a LNA <NUM> constituting the input end of the forward signal path <NUM>. The forward signal path <NUM> further includes frequency converters and associated filters <NUM>, channel amplifiers <NUM>, phase shifters <NUM>, power amplifiers <NUM> (e.g., traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs), solid state power amplifiers (SSPAs), etc.) and harmonic filters <NUM>. Some implementations can have more or fewer components. For example, the frequency converters and associated filters <NUM> can be useful in cases where the uplink and downlink frequencies are different. As one example, each forward signal path <NUM> can accept an input at a first frequency range and can output at a second frequency range.

In one or more embodiments, the forward signal path <NUM> may be coupled with any combination of polarizations, and different groups of forward signal paths <NUM> onboard the satellite <NUM> may be coupled to different polarizations. For example, a first group of forward signal paths <NUM> may have inputs coupled to ports of feeds <NUM> of a first polarization (e.g., RHCP) and outputs selectively coupled (e.g., via switch <NUM>) to ports of feeds <NUM>, <NUM> of the same polarization. A second group of forward signal paths <NUM> may have inputs coupled to ports of feeds <NUM> associated with the first polarization (e.g., RHCP) and outputs (e.g., via switch <NUM>) coupled to ports of feeds <NUM>, <NUM> associated with a different polarization (e.g., LHCP).

In some cases, there may be more than two groups of forward signal paths <NUM> onboard the satellite <NUM>. For example, a plurality of forward signal paths <NUM> may have their inputs coupled to ports of a first polarization (e.g., RHCP), while different groups may have different polarization assignments for ports of feeds <NUM> and <NUM>. For example, various configurations for groups include two groups, three groups, or four groups, with each group having a different set of polarizations (e.g., {RHCP, RHCP}, {RHCP, LHCP}, {LHCP, RHCP}, or {LHCP, LHCP}). In addition, where switch <NUM> has more than two outputs, additional configurations for the groups may be possible, including any combination of polarizations for each group of forward signal paths <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates an example return signal path <NUM>, also referred to as a return-link transponder <NUM>. The return signal path <NUM> may be understood as an example implementation for the respective transponders <NUM> depicted in <FIG>. The satellite <NUM> carrying a plurality of such return signal paths <NUM> supports end-to-end beamforming in the return direction with respect to multiple areas of simultaneous user coverage in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

The example return signal path <NUM> couples a selected one of feed <NUM> or feed <NUM> to a feed <NUM>. The feed <NUM> is one among a plurality of feeds <NUM> and corresponds to a given feed <NUM> among the feeds <NUM> comprised in a first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>. The feed <NUM> is one among a plurality of feeds <NUM> and corresponds to a given feed <NUM> among the feeds <NUM> comprised in a second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM>. The feed <NUM> is one among a plurality of feeds <NUM> and corresponds to a given feed <NUM> among the feeds <NUM> comprised in a feeder link antenna subsystem <NUM>. In other words, the return signal path <NUM> is allocable either to the first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> for serving a first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> or the second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> for serving a second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>.

In the context of <FIG>, then, the respective feeds <NUM> and <NUM> are used for receiving return uplink signals from user terminals <NUM> in user coverage areas <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>, and the feeds <NUM> are used for transmitting return downlink signals to the plurality of access nodes <NUM>. The return signal path <NUM> is allocable either to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> or the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> by controlling which one of the feeds <NUM> or <NUM> is coupled to the input end of the illustrated return link transponder <NUM>. That connectivity is controlled by a switch <NUM>. Although shown as part of the return signal path <NUM>, the switch <NUM> may be considered to be part of a selector subsystem <NUM>, e.g., as part of the switching circuitry <NUM> introduced in <FIG>.

The feeds <NUM> and <NUM> may be polarized and may provide one or both of LHCP or RHCP, and the selector subsystem <NUM> may include connectivity control to the selected polarization(s) from the feeds <NUM> and <NUM>, e.g., along the lines described above for the forward signal path <NUM>. The return-link transponder <NUM> includes frequency conversion and filtering circuitry <NUM>, channel amplifiers <NUM>, phase shifters <NUM>, power amplifiers <NUM> (e.g., traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs), solid state power amplifiers (SSPAs), etc.) and harmonic filters <NUM>. Some implementations can have more or fewer components. For example, the frequency converters and associated filters <NUM> can be useful in cases where the uplink and downlink frequencies are different. As one example, each return-link transponder <NUM> can accept an input at a first frequency range and can output at a second frequency range.

Referring back to <FIG>, connectivity between the input end of the return-link transponder <NUM> and the feeds <NUM> and <NUM> may be understood as respective ones among the return receive paths <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>. Similarly, connectivity between the output end of the return-link transponder <NUM> and the feed <NUM> may be understood as one among the return transmit paths <NUM>.

<FIG> is a block diagram of an end-to-end communications processor <NUM> that supports end-to-end beamforming with multiple areas of simultaneous user coverage in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. End-to-end communications processor <NUM> may include beam signal interface <NUM>, end-to-end beamforming processor <NUM>, end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM>, and end-to-end beamforming matrix generator <NUM>. Each of these modules may communicate, directly or indirectly, with one another (e.g., via one or more buses). End-to-end communications processor <NUM> may illustrate aspects of network devices <NUM> depicted in <FIG>.

The end-to-end communications processor <NUM> may be configured to provide communications between an access node cluster and multiple user terminals <NUM> via a satellite <NUM> acting as an end-to-end relay comprising multiple receive/transmit signal paths. The access node cluster may include multiple access nodes <NUM> geographically distributed within an access node area <NUM>. The multiple user terminals <NUM> may be geographically distributed over a first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> that is illuminated by a first user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> of the satellite <NUM> and a second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> that is illuminated by a second user link antenna subsystem <NUM>-<NUM> of the satellite <NUM>. The satellite <NUM> has multiple forward signal paths, e.g., forward signal paths <NUM>, where at least some of the forward signal paths <NUM> are dynamically allocable either to the first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> or the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>, e.g., to control how many of K forward beams <NUM> are allocated to first user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM> and how many of the K forward beams <NUM> are allocated to the second user coverage area <NUM>-<NUM>. Of course, there may be three or more user coverage areas <NUM>, and the beam allocation control may be performed across the three or more user coverage areas <NUM>.

For forward-link communications, beam signal interface <NUM> may receive forward-link beam signals <NUM> (shown as beam signals <NUM> in <FIG>) comprising forward link user data streams <NUM> for communication to user terminals <NUM>. Beam signal interface <NUM> may pass the forward-link beam signals to the end-to-end beamforming processor <NUM> in beam signaling <NUM>.

The end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may manage configurations of a satellite <NUM> for end-to-end relaying. For example, the end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may configure a satellite <NUM> having multiple antennas and multiple receive/transmit signal paths that may be individually selectively coupled to one of multiple antennas for providing a communications service concurrently to multiple geographic regions. The end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may configure the end-to-end relay according to one of multiple configurations. For example, for a first configuration of a forward-link, a first subset of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay may be selectively coupled between a first subset of feeds of a first antenna and respective feeds of a first subset of feeds of a second antenna and a second subset of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay may be selectively coupled between a second subset of the feeds of the first antenna and respective feeds of a first subset of feeds of the third antenna. For a second configuration of the forward-link, a third subset of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay may be selectively coupled between a third subset of feeds of the first antenna and respective feeds of a second subset of feeds of the second antenna and a fourth subset of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay may be selectively coupled between a fourth subset of feeds of the first antenna and respective feeds of a second subset of feeds of the third antenna.

The end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may configure the end-to-end relay by sending control signaling <NUM> to the end-to-end relay that configures a selector subsystem. The end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may, for example, determine a distribution of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay selectively coupled with the first antenna and the second antenna for the first configuration based at least in part on a relative throughput demand for the first user coverage area and the second user coverage area. Additionally or alternatively, the end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may determine the distribution of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay selectively coupled with the first antenna and the second antenna for the first configuration based at least in part on a throughput capability of the access node cluster. The end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may configure the selector subsystem to switch between multiple configurations. For example, end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may configure the end-to-end relay in a second configuration where a third subset of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay are selectively coupled between ports of a third subset of feeds of the third antenna and ports of a second subset of feeds of the first antenna and a fourth subset of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay are selectively coupled between ports of a fourth subset of feeds of the third antenna and ports of a second subset of feeds of the second antenna.

In the first configuration, the first subset of feeds of the first antenna may have a first quantity of feeds, and the first subset of feeds of the second antenna may have a second quantity of feeds. In the second configuration, the second subset of feeds of the first antenna may have a third quantity of feeds, and the second subset of feeds of the second antenna may have a fourth quantity of feeds. In some examples, a sum of the first quantity of feeds and the second quantity of feeds is equal to a sum of the third quantity of feeds and the fourth quantity of feeds. A variety of polarization configurations may be selected using the selector subsystem. For example, in the first configuration, each of the first antenna and the second antenna may be used to transmit forward-link signals having the same polarization as the signals received via the third antenna. That is, the ports of the first subset of feeds of the third antenna and the ports of the first subset of feeds of the second antenna may be associated with a first polarization and the ports of the second subset of feeds of the third antenna and the ports of the first subset of feeds of the second antenna may be associated with the first polarization.

Alternatively, in the first configuration, one or more of the first antenna or the second antenna may be used to transmit forward-link signals having a different polarization as the signals received via the third antenna. For example, the ports of the first subset of feeds of the third antenna and the ports of the first subset of feeds of the first antenna may be associated with a first polarization, and the ports of the second subset of feeds of the third antenna may be associated with the first polarization while the ports of the first subset of feeds of the second antenna may be associated with a second polarization.

Similarly, for the second configuration, each of the first antenna and the second antenna may be used to transmit forward-link signals having the same polarization as the signals received via the third antenna, or one or more of the first antenna or the second antenna may be used to transmit forward-link signals having a different polarization as the signals received via the third antenna. Additionally or alternatively, for either of the first or second configurations, either or both of the first antenna or the second antenna may be used to transmit forward-link signals having multiple polarizations. For example, for the first configuration or the second configuration, the subset of receive/transmit signal paths that are coupled with the first antenna or the second antenna may be coupled with ports of feeds of the antenna of multiple polarizations. Thus, the communications service may be provided using a single polarization on the forward uplink with one or more polarizations for each of the antennas concurrently illuminating multiple coverage areas for the forward downlink.

End-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may also configure the selector subsystem to switch between multiple return-link configurations. For example, for a first return-link configuration, a third subset of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay may be selectively coupled between ports of a second subset of feeds of the first antenna and ports of a third subset of feeds of the third antenna and a fourth subset of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay may be selectively coupled between ports of a second subset of feeds of the second antenna and ports of a fourth subset of feeds of the third antenna. One or more additional return-link configurations may include inputs of different subsets of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay selectively coupled between different arrangements of feeds of the first antenna, second antenna, and third antenna.

In some examples, the end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may determine a distribution of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay selectively coupled with the first antenna and the second antenna for the first configuration (e.g., for forward-link or return-link) based at least in part on a relative throughput demand for the first user coverage area and the second user coverage area. In some examples, the end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may determine a distribution of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay selectively coupled with the first antenna and the second antenna for the first configuration based at least in part on a throughput capability of the access node cluster. In some examples, capacity demand across a given illumination area for an antenna may be non-uniform, and thus the beamforming configuration and selection of transmit paths may depend on the demand for capacity in areas within the illumination area. For example, where more capacity is desired in one part of the illumination area, more feeds directed to that area may be selected to enhance capacity in that area as compared to other parts of the illumination area. The end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may provide the configuration of receive/transmit signal paths <NUM> to the end-to-end beamforming matrix generator <NUM>. The configuration of receive/transmit signal paths <NUM> may include, for example, a first forward link beam weight matrix for the first configuration and a second forward link beam weight matrix for the second configuration.

The end-to-end beamforming matrix generator <NUM> generates beamforming matrices <NUM> for forward-link and return-link communications via an end-to-end relay having multiple antennas concurrently illuminating multiple coverage areas. For example, end-to-end beamforming matrix generator <NUM> may identify, for the first configuration, a first forward link beam weight matrix for end-to-end beamforming of transmissions from the plurality of access nodes to the plurality of user terminals via the end-to-end relay. The end-to-end beamforming matrix generator <NUM> may identify additional forward link beam weight matrices for the first configuration. For example, the end-to-end beamforming matrix generator <NUM> may identify a first set of forward link beam weight matrices for the first configuration, and the end-to-end beamforming processor <NUM> may apply one or more of the first set of forward link beam weight matrices (e.g., cycling through at least a subset of the first set of forward link beam weight matrices, or selecting one or more of the first set of forward link beam weight matrices based on factors such as demand within the various beams). In addition, the end-to-end beamforming matrix generator <NUM> may identify, for the second configuration, a second forward link beam weight matrix for end-to-end beamforming of transmissions from the plurality of access nodes to the plurality of user terminals via the end-to-end relay. The forward-link and return-link beamforming matrices may be generated based on the configuration of receive/transmit signal paths <NUM> (e.g., forward-link or return-link) determined by the end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM>. The end-to-end beamforming matrix generator <NUM> may identify additional forward-link or return-link beam weight matrices for the second configuration. For example, the end-to-end beamforming matrix generator <NUM> may identify a second set of forward-link beam weight matrices for the second configuration, and the end-to-end beamforming processor <NUM> may apply one or more of the second set of forward-link beam weight matrices (e.g., cycling through at least a subset of the second set of forward-link beam weight matrices, or selecting one or more of the second set of forward-link beam weight matrices based on factors such as demand within the various beams). The end-to-end relay configuration manager <NUM> may determine additional configurations of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay, and the end-to-end beamforming matrix generator <NUM> may identify additional sets of forward-link or return-link beam weight matrices for the additional configurations.

The end-to-end beamforming processor <NUM> may receive the beamforming matrices <NUM> and apply the beamforming matrices <NUM> for forward-link and return-link signals to obtain or process access node-specific signals <NUM>. For example, end-to-end beamforming processor <NUM> may generate a first set of respective access node-specific forward link signals for transmission by the plurality of access nodes, each of the respective access node-specific forward link signals comprising a composite of respective forward link beam signals of at least a subset of the first set of forward link beam signals weighted by respective forward beamforming weights according to the first forward link beam weight matrix for the first configuration. The end-to-end beamforming processor <NUM> may apply the beamforming matrices for forward-link and return-link signals for additional time periods using the same or different beamforming matrices for the first configuration. In addition, the end-to-end beamforming processor <NUM> may generate a second set of respective access node-specific forward link beam signals for transmission by the plurality of access nodes, each of the second set of respective access node-specific forward link signals comprising a composite of respective forward link beam signals of the second set of forward link beam signals weighted by respective forward link beamforming weights according to the second forward link beam weight matrix for the second configuration.

In addition, the end-to-end beamforming processor <NUM> may apply the return link beam weight matrix to respective return link signals received at the plurality of access nodes to obtain respective return link data streams associated with the first and second subsets of the plurality of user terminals. The end-to-end beamforming processor <NUM> may apply the beamforming matrices for forward-link and return-link signals for additional time periods using the same or different beamforming matrices for the second configuration. Each of the respective return link signals may comprise a composite of signals relayed by at least one of the third subset of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay and at least one of the fourth subset of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay.

<FIG> is a block diagram of a controller <NUM> according to an example embodiment. The controller <NUM> supports end-to-end beamforming with multiple areas of simultaneous user coverage in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The controller <NUM> may include an end-to-end communications processor <NUM>, a processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and a communications interface <NUM>. Each of these components may be in communication with each other, directly or indirectly, over one or more buses <NUM>. The controller <NUM> may be implemented in one of the network devices <NUM> of the ground segment <NUM> or may be implemented in the satellite <NUM> or may be distributed between the ground segment <NUM> and the satellite <NUM>.

The memory <NUM> may include random access memory (RAM) and/or read-only memory (ROM). The memory <NUM> may store an operating system (OS) <NUM> (e.g., built on a Linux or Windows kernel). The memory <NUM> may also store computer-readable, computer-executable code <NUM> including instructions that are configured to, when executed, cause the processor <NUM> to perform various functions described herein related to providing communications services according to different native antenna patterns. Alternatively, the code <NUM> may not be directly executable by the processor <NUM> but be configured to cause the controller <NUM> (e.g., when compiled and executed) to perform one or more of the functions described herein.

The controller <NUM> may include end-to-end communications processor <NUM>, which may manage one or more aspects of a communications satellite for supporting end-to-end beamforming with multiple areas of simultaneous user coverage, as described herein. Communications services may, for example, be provided via the communications interface <NUM>.

The controller <NUM>, including the end-to-end communications processor <NUM> operating as communications service manager, the processor <NUM>, the memory <NUM>, and/or the communications interface <NUM> may be implemented or performed with a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The controller <NUM> may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, integrated memory, discrete memory, or any other such configuration.

<FIG> is flowchart of an example method <NUM> that supports end-to-end beamforming with multiple areas of simultaneous user coverage in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of the method <NUM> may be implemented by a controller for a communications satellite including multiple antennas or its components as described herein. In some examples, a controller may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the controller to perform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, a controller may perform aspects of the functions described below using special-purpose hardware.

The method <NUM> may provide communications between an access node cluster and a plurality of user terminals via an end-to-end relay comprising multiple receive/transmit signal paths, where the access node cluster comprises a plurality of access nodes geographically distributed within an access node area, the plurality of user terminals are geographically distributed over a first user coverage area illuminated by a first antenna and a second user coverage area illuminated by a second antenna, and the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay have inputs coupled with feeds of a third antenna illuminating the access node area and outputs that are individually selectable between the first antenna and the second antenna.

At <NUM>, the controller may obtain a first set of forward link beam signals comprising forward link user data streams for transmission to the plurality of user terminals.

At <NUM>, the controller may configure, for a first configuration, a first subset of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay to be selectively coupled between ports of a first subset of feeds of the third antenna and ports of a first subset of feeds of the first antenna and a second subset of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay to be selectively coupled between ports of a second subset of the feeds of the third antenna and ports of a first subset of feeds of the second antenna. The ports of the first subset of feeds of the third antenna and the ports of the first subset of feeds of the second antenna may be associated with a first polarization, and the ports of the second subset of feeds of the third antenna and the ports of the first subset of feeds of the second antenna may be associated with the first polarization. Alternatively, the ports of the first subset of feeds of the third antenna and the ports of the first subset of feeds of the first antenna may be associated with a first polarization, and the ports of the second subset of feeds of the third antenna may be associated with the first polarization and the ports of the first subset of feeds of the second antenna may be associated with a second polarization.

A distribution of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay selectively coupled with the first antenna and the second antenna for the first configuration may be determined based at least in part on a relative throughput demand for the first user coverage area and the second user coverage area. A distribution of the multiple receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay selectively coupled with the first antenna and the second antenna for the first configuration may be determined based at least in part on a throughput capability of the access node cluster.

At <NUM>, the controller may identify, for the first configuration, a first forward link beam weight matrix for end-to-end beamforming of transmissions from the plurality of access nodes to the plurality of user terminals via the end-to-end relay. The controller may identify additional forward link beam weight matrices for the first configuration.

At <NUM>, the controller may generate a first set of respective access node-specific forward link signals for transmission by the plurality of access nodes, each of the respective access node-specific forward link signals comprising a composite of respective forward link beam signals of at least a subset of the first set of forward link beam signals weighted by respective forward beamforming weights according to the first forward link beam weight matrix for the first configuration. The controller may generate additional sets of respective access node-specific forward link signals for additional time periods, using the first forward link beam weight matrix or additional forward link beam weight matrices.

At <NUM>, the plurality of access nodes may transmit the first set of respective access node-specific forward link signals to the end-to-end relay. The receive/transmit signal paths of the end-to-end relay may relay the first set of respective access node-specific forward link signals to form beams within the first user coverage area and the second user coverage area concurrently.

Thus, method <NUM> may support end-to-end beamforming with multiple areas of simultaneous user coverage. It should be noted that method <NUM> discusses exemplary implementations and that the operations of method <NUM> may be rearranged or otherwise modified such that other implementations are possible. For example, certain described operations may be optional (e.g., those enclosed by boxes having dashed lines, those described as optional, etc.), where optional operations may be performed when certain criteria are met, performed based on a configuration, omitted intermittently, omitted entirely, etc..

The various illustrative blocks and components described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented or performed with a general-purpose processor, a DSP, an ASIC, an FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

The detailed description set forth above in connection with the appended drawings describes exemplary embodiments and does not represent the only embodiments that may be implemented or that are within the scope of the claims. The term "example" used throughout this description means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration," and not "preferred" or "advantageous over other embodiments. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the described embodiments.

The functions described herein may be implemented in various ways, with different materials, features, shapes, sizes, or the like. Also, as used herein, including in the claims, "or" as used in a list of items (for example, a list of items prefaced by a phrase such as "at least one of" or "one or more of") indicates a disjunctive list such that, for example, a list of "at least one of A, B, or C" means A or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C).

As used herein, the term "coupled," when referring to electrical signal paths or nodes, refers to electrically connected, whether directly or indirectly. Additionally, the term "selectively coupled," when referring to electrical signal paths or nodes, refers to nodes that are connected, directly or indirectly, via one or more selectable elements such as switches, which couple the "selectively coupled" signal paths or nodes, and may isolate one or more of the nodes from alternative nodes or signal paths.

By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer, or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor.

Claim 1:
A method of operation by a satellite communications system (<NUM>) that includes a plurality of geographically distributed access nodes (<NUM>) and includes a satellite (<NUM>) having a plurality of forward signal paths (<NUM>, <NUM>), the method comprising:
transmitting to the satellite from the plurality of access nodes during each of two or more scheduling intervals, each access node transmitting a respective one among a plurality of forward uplink signals (<NUM>, <NUM>), with each forward signal path relaying a respective superposition of the plurality of forward uplink signals as a corresponding forward downlink signal, and wherein superpositions of the plurality of forward downlink signals form a plurality of simultaneous forward beams (<NUM>) in dependence on a beam weight matrix used to form the plurality of forward uplink signals, the beam weight matrix comprising end-to-end forward beam weights; and
for each scheduling interval:
determining forward signal path allocations with respect to non-overlapping first (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>) and second user coverage areas (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>), the forward signal path allocations allocating a non-zero first subset of the forward signal paths to the first user coverage area, and allocating a non-zero second subset of the forward signal paths to the second user coverage area;
controlling connectivity for the plurality of forward signal paths according to the forward signal path allocations, with output ends of the first subset of the forward signal paths switched into connection with respective feeds (<NUM>) of a first user link array (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>) that is configured for illuminating the first user coverage area, and with output ends of the second subset of the forward signal paths switched into connection with respective feeds of a second user link array (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>) that is configured for illuminating the second user coverage area; and
computing the beam weight matrix for use during the scheduling interval based on end-to-end forward channels corresponding to the forward signal path allocations.