国外卫星移动通信新进展与发展趋势

在地面移动通信迅猛发展的新形势下,提供相似业务的卫星移动通信的发展动态和趋势值得关注.首先介绍了国外卫星移动通信市场发展动态,然后分别介绍了静止轨道、中轨道和低轨道三类卫星移动通信系统的最新进展,其中静止轨道卫星移动通信发展最好,中低轨道卫星移动通信系统发展相对不景气;最后探讨了卫星移动通信的发展趋势,指出通过星地集成...     

非再生式星上处理和程控交换及其支持IP业务的可能性

星上处理技术对提高卫星通信的传输质量和频谱利用率起着关键性的作用,已经成为卫星通信领域研究的热点。再生式星上处理虽然优点显著,但其技术难度大、设备复杂度高及应用灵活性小,系统容量也受到设备复杂度的限制。针对再生式星上处理的一些不足,本文通过将连续波时分复用技术和程控电路交换相结合,提出一种非再生式星上处理和交换技术,并论证了其支持IP业务的可能性。得出结论:基于连续波时分复用和程控电路交换相结合的中继设备能够实现强实时性IP业务的一跳传输,在一定程度上提高了卫星通信系统的通信容量,降低了卫星设备复杂度。      

Satellite communications systems move into the twenty‐first century

This paper discusses the evolution of communication satellite systems and communications satellite technology from the 1960's to the 1990's. The paper identifies the key attributes of satellite communications that has driven this evolution and now drives the future directions such systems will take. The paper then discusses the future direction of communication satellite systems including DBS, MSS, FSS and hybrid satellite/terrestrial systems. The paper points to the continued evolution of the satellite payload to use of spot beams, onboard processing and switching, and intersatellite links, with capability for higher EIRPs. The paper also identifies the earth station trends to more compact, lower cost stations, produced in higher volumes, with the handheld phone for MSS operation being the prime example of this trend. The paper then points to some revolutionary trends in satellite communication networks being proposed for MSS and FSS applications involving fleets of NGSO satellites combined with more extensive ground networks involving new networking concepts, new services (such as multimedia) and new hybrid configurations working with terrestrial networks, involving a host of new network issues and operations. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

VSAT networking concepts and new applications development

The authors present some innovative very small aperture terminal (VSAT) technology that can be used to support new applications. The first of these applications explores the possibility of realizing a VSAT-based satellite wide area network (SWAN) to provide flexible interconnection between local area networks (LANs) and metropolitan area networks (MANs) as well as gateway access to centralized information databases and computing services. A second application deals with the potential provision of ISDN-compatible services via VSATs in conjunction with existing satellites as well as future advanced satellites (ADSATs) having onboard switching and processing capabilities. The use of VSATs to solve backhaul interconnection/internetworking problems associated with evolving mobile satellite (MSAT) communication networks is discussed     

High-speed satellite mobile communications: technologies and challenges

Central features of future 4G mobile communication systems are high-speed data transmission (up to 1 Gb/s) and interactive multimedia services. For effective delivery of these services, the network must satisfy some stringent QoS metrics, defined typically in terms of maximum delay and/or minimum throughput. Mobile satellite systems will be fully integrated with the terrestrial cellular systems to provide ubiquitous global coverage to diverse users. The challenges for future broadband satellite systems, therefore, lie in the proper deployment of state-of-the-art satellite technologies to ensure seamless integration of the satellite networks into the cellular systems and its QoS frameworks, while achieving, as far as possible, efficient use of satellite link resources. The paper presents an overview of future high-speed satellite mobile communication systems, the technologies deployed or planned for deployment, and the challenges. Focusing in particular on nonlinear downlink channel behavior, shadowing and multipath fading, various physical channel models for characterizing the mobile satellite systems are presented. The most prominent technologies used in the physical layer, such as coding and modulation schemes, multiple-access techniques, diversity combining, etc., are then discussed in the context of satellite systems. High-speed and QoS-specific technologies, such as onboard processing and switching, mobility and resource management, IP routing and cross-layer designs, employed in the satellite systems are also discussed.     

QoS provisioning in GEO satellite with onboard processing using predictor algorithms

Recently, IP satellite networks have attracted considerable interest as a technology to deliver high-bandwidth IP-based multimedia services to nationwide areas. In particular, IP satellite networks seem to be one of the most promising technologies for connecting users in rural areas, where a wired high-speed network (e.g., xDSL) is not foreseen to be used. However, one of the main problems arising here is to guarantee specific quality of service constraints in order to have good performance for each traffic class. Among various QoS approaches used in the Internet, recently the DiffServ technique has become the most promising solution, mainly for its scalability with respect to the IntServ approach. Moreover, in satellite communication systems, DiffServ computational capabilities are placed at the edge points, reducing the implementation complexity of the satellite onboard equipment. This article deals with the problem of QoS provisioning for packet traffic by considering some resource allocation schemes, including bandwidth allocation techniques and priority-driven onboard switching algorithms. As to the first aim, the proposed technique takes advantage of proper statistical traffic modeling to predict future bandwidth requests. This approach takes into consideration DiffServ-based traffic management to guarantee QoS priority among different users. Moreover, the satellite onboard switching problem has been addressed by considering a suitable implementation of the DiffServ policy based on a cellular neural network.     

Advanced Communications Satellite Systems

Demand for in-orbit capacity through the use of satellite systems will continue throughout the next two decades. The potential of the 30/20 GHz frequency band for fixed satellite services will be exploited. However, many technology questions must be answered if the band is to be used commercially because of the high rain fades that can occur at these high frequencies. NASA has conducted a technology development program in high gain antenna and on-board switching and processing systems which can be combined such that cost competitive services are possible at acceptable rain outage percentages. Other supporting technologies have also been pursued including transmitters, both tube type and solid state, and low noise receivers. The critical technologies have been combined into an experimental satellite payload; an experimental flight is planned to verify these technologies and enable development of operational systems. Implementation of such systems would be by commercial carriers and could occur in the early 1990's, depending on the demand for additional or bit capacity. The high capacity systems that can be made possible through the use of the 30/20 GHz band and the employment of frequency reuse technology will contribute to the continued downward trend in circuit costs and may allow new and innovative satellite services.     

Onboard switching for ATM via satellite

This article presents an architecture for onboard ATM switching. The constraints of the space environment and the associated delays (especially with geostationary satellites) create often conflicting requirements for the implementation of ATM via satellite. These requirements must be considered when designing onboard equipment. The article suggests that the use of MF-TDMA framing and of physical-layer scheduling as a preswitching stage allows for the use of standard switch fabrics onboard with additional fault tolerance and buffer mechanisms. The details of the scheduler and of the RF front end, including demodulation and demultiplexing, are presented as well as suitable switch fabrics and their performance/implementation impact. ATM is now widely considered the delivery medium for the broadband services of the future. This fact has also attracted the attention of the satellite community. Current satellite ATM trials have concentrated on trunking applications using available broadcast satellites. However, the US FCC filings for Ka band satellites, as well as Canadian W and European initiatives, have focused on a new generation of digital regenerative multibeam onboard processing satellites     

An IP transport and routing architecture for next-generationsatellite networks

Over the past several years, a number of new satellite systems have been proposed to provide high-speed Internet and multimedia services to businesses and home users. These proposals have been driven by the desire of network operators to reach end users that do not have cost effective access to other alternatives such as fiber, DSL, and cable, and by the availability of new spectrum (Ka-band) for use by new satellite services. The proposed systems generally employ multiple high-power spot beams, an onboard fast packet switch, and a demand-assigned multiple access scheme to provision IP-based services. In this article we concentrate on a geosynchronous satellite system where packet transport and switching within the satellite system are based on ATM. We describe an IP/ATM interworking and IP routing architecture that is driven by three main requirements: (1) the ability to support ATM SVCs between hundreds of thousands of satellite terminals by a single ATM switch located onboard; (2) a scalable IP routing architecture that does not result in large volumes of routing traffic to be transported over the satellite; and (3) the ability to segment the satellite terminals for routing and administrative control by ISPs and enterprise networks     

Satellite land mobile communication systems

The emergence of satellite land mobile services over the last 10 to 15 years is described together with future trends. The difficulties of providing a commercially viable voice service are discussed and alternatives, such as inclined orbit systems and satellites with very large antennas, are suggested as ways in which the initial disadvantages might be overcome. Data services for satellite land mobile traffic and the possibilities of including radio determination of vehicle location as part of these data services are also considered. Future systems, which could have their architecture strongly influenced by the use of onboard processing, are discussed     

一种基于复指数调制精确重构滤波的宽带星载数字信道化器

信道化技术是下一代宽带卫星通信系统中星载交换的关键技术之一。运用该技术,提取宽带卫星上行信号中的各窄带信号,然后经过变频、基带信号处理、交换等处理,最后综合成宽带下行信号,进入卫星下行链路。该文针对宽带卫星通信系统,提出一种基于复指数调制精确重构滤波器组的新型宽带星载数字信道化器。该信道化器既适合均匀带宽交换、又适合非均匀带宽交换的星载信道化器。数值实验表明,该新型信道化器具有较强的灵活性和可扩展性,克服了已有信道化技术只适合均匀带宽星载交换的局限,同时对信噪比和数据存储量有较大的改进和提高。     

The development of performance and availability standards forsatellite ATM networks

ATM services can be transported successfully over satellites provided adequate consideration is given to the specific characteristics of satellite communication systems and their interoperability with the terrestrial network. To establish end-to-end performance and availability standards, the ITU has developed recommendations for ATM intended to provide the quality of service and availability required by the end user. This article discusses the work of ITU-R Working Party 4B in developing recommendations that deal with the performance of ATM over satellites and with the availability objectives for ATM transport over satellites. Several issues are also identified for future work, in particular those pertaining to the characteristics of the new proposed satellites (LEOs, MEOs, GEOs) that will operate at frequencies higher than 15 GHz and those that plan to deploy ATM onboard processing or switching and intersatellite links     

Hybrid satellite and terrestrial networks

The role of satellite communications in networks that provide new services, such as frame relay and multimedia, is investigated. Both passive and active (on-board switching/processing) satellite systems are considered. Novel techniques are developed for each system to demonstrate, via detailed analysis and simulation, how the communications bandwidth agility of multipoint/broadcast satellite channels, and the on-board switching/processing, makes it feasible to provide these new services via hybrid satellite and terrestrial networks in a resource-efficient manner.     

A satellite switched CDMA system for fixed service communications

Satellite-switched code-division multiple access is a system proposed for geostationary fixed satellite service. SS/CDMA provides both multiple access and switching to a multibeam satellite. In this article we present the system architecture and performance. The SS/CDMA consist of the common air interface (CAI) and the onboard code switching mechanism. The CAI provides signaling control and traffic channels. Traffic channel access and modulation is based on a spectrally efficient CDMA scheme. The satellite code-division switch (CDS) routes calls from an uplink to a downlink beam without onboard demodulation and channel decoding. This system operates with demand assignment control; that is, channel bandwidth and switch connections are only assigned per user request. The system can offer a wide variety of bit rates with wireline quality of service. The services provided are circuit-switched calls for voice data and video, and packet-switched for data. As shown, the proposed SE-CDMA can achieve high capacity and very low bit error rates at low signal-to-noise ratio. Also, the innovative switching technique can provide low complexity and achieve high throughput for all services     

Key payload technologies for future satellite personal communications: A European perspective

This paper deals with satellite payload architectures adequate for the provision of universal mobile telecommunication services (UMTS) by medium altitude earth and geostationary orbit (MEO and GEO) satellites. The payload concept introduced is based on a transparent transponder with onboard digital signal processing (DSP) operations and digital beamforming at the traffic carrier level (narrowband beamforming). The emphasis of the paper is on key design aspects and technology considerations of the payload processor unit (PPU), which includes multiplexing/demultiplexing and digital beamforming operations, and on the antenna and RF signal handling subsystems. For completeness, a review on the European digital technology is also presented. The development of such a payload architecture is in line with present and planned activities of the European Space Agency (ESA) for MEO and GEO orbit systems, which are also implicitly discussed in the paper.     

Critical issues of onboard switching in DVB-S/RCS broadband satellite networks

The next generation of broadband satellite networks is challenged to accommodate multimedia services while concurrently integrating with terrestrial IP networks. With IP applications dominating the Internet, carrying IP traffic over the satellite has been under intensive study. Originally developed to bring digital television home through satellites, the DVB-S and DVB-RCS standards empower interactive satellite communications with economical standardized satellite terminals. Furthermore, onboard switching technology is increasingly gaining attention, due to optimized bandwidth usage, fully meshed network topology through one satellite hop, and quality of service guarantee. This article investigates the onboard switching technologies in DVB-S/DVB-RCS broadband satellite networks. Aside from the network system infrastructure and switch hardware architecture, the QoS mechanisms supported by the switch onboard the satellite are discussed in depth.     

Estimation and Prediction‐Based Connection Admission Control in Broadband Satellite Systems

We apply a “sliding‐window” Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimator to estimate traffic parameters of On‐Off source and develop a method for estimating stochastic predicted individual cell arrival rates. Based on these results, we propose a simple Connection Admission Control (CAC) scheme for delay sensitive services in broadband onboard packet switching satellite systems. The algorithms are motivated by the limited onboard satellite buffer, the large propagation delay, and low computational capabilities inherent in satellite communication systems. We develop an algorithm using the predicted individual cell loss ratio instead of using steady state cell loss ratios. We demonstrate the CAC benefits of this approach over using steady state cell loss ratios as well as predicted total cell loss ratios. We also derive the predictive saturation probability and the predictive cell loss ratio and use them to control the total number of connections. Predictive congestion control mechanisms allow a satellite network to operate in the optimum region of low delay and high throughput. This is different from the traditional reactive congestion control mechanism that allows the network to recover from the congested state. Numerical and simulation results obtained suggest that the proposed predictive scheme is a promising approach for real time CAC.     

Time-transfer performance in burst-mode communication systems

This paper studies the performance of the clock transfer scheme for burst-mode communication systems for which data are received during short, equally spaced intervals. Its main focus is on satellite-based time-division multiple-access (TDMA) communication systems with data regeneration and switching onboard the satellite, although the results apply to other TDMA systems as well. The system reference clock is generated onboard from an incoming, very stable ground source, based on a burst-mode demodulator that extracts the clock from a discontinuous modulated carrier due to the bursty nature of TDMA signals. If good enough, this onboard regenerated clock avoids the use of bulky and expensive clocks in the satellite payload and can act as the master clock of the TDMA system     

Satellite Scenarios and Technology for the 1990's

Commercial satellite communications continues to undergo changes arising not only from advancing technology but also from new service offerings and regulatory activities. As the communications industry grows more competitive, future directions in satellite communications will become more economically than technologically motivated. This paper addresses the future of satellite communications, emphasizing fixed satellite services but also covering maritime mobile and broadcast satellite services. Following a brief recapping of the past, current services are discussed and future services are projected for the above service categories. A projection is made of the economics of satellite communications systems using gateway and varying degrees of distribution of earth stations, for both INTELSAT VI and future multibeam satellites and the TAT-8 fiber-optic undersea cable. After a brief allusion to systems design considerations, the anticipated technology projections towards the year 2000 for satellite communication services (including satellite antennas, transmitters and receivers, and on-board interconnection subsystems) are presented in some detail. Finally, it is concluded that satellite communications will have a major role in this epoch, and widespread use of low-cost customer premise earth station may justify more sophisticated and more expensive spacecraft.     

A concurrent object-oriented switching program in Chill

A switching program structure that is expandable to allow inclusion of new service features and functions with minimum effort during run time, adaptable to handle enhanced services, allows new services to be added quickly, and is highly reliable, is proposed. It is based on the use of object-oriented programs, hierarchically structured programs, and building-block switching systems based on distributed processing. The discussion covers the logical switching system model, object-oriented switching program systems, concurrent object-oriented programming in Chill (CCITT high level languages), the software architecture, the building-block switching systems, and call processing. Early evaluation results are included