Method and apparatus for compensation for weather-based attenuation in a satellite link

Abstract

A controlled satellite link, comprising a reference unit for measuring signal attenuation over said link, and a control unit, associated with said reference unit, configured for controlling at least one link transmission parameter to dynamically adapt to changes in said measured signal attenuation.

1 . A controlled satellite link for transmission of data traffic to a receiver station, said satellite link transmitting according to dynamically-controllable transmission parameters, comprising:
 a reference unit, configured for obtaining at least signal attenuation over said satellite link;   a control unit associated with said reference unit, configured for dynamically selecting at least one transmission parameter in accordance with said obtained signal attenuation, a transmission parameter comprising one of a transmission power, a coding parameter and a modulation parameter; and   a traffic shaper associated with said control unit, configured for shaping incoming data traffic in accordance with said selected at least one transmission parameter, so as to dynamically adapt said incoming data traffic for transmission at an available transmission rate.   
     
     
         2 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 1 , wherein said available transmission rate is determined in accordance with said transmission parameters. 
     
     
         3 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 1 , wherein said reference unit is located at said receiver station. 
     
     
         4 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 1 , wherein said satellite link comprises a first link and a second link, and said controller is further configured for discriminating between first link attenuation and second link attenuation, and accordingly selecting said at least one transmission parameter to dynamically adapt to changes in said obtained signal attenuations. 
     
     
         5 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 4 , wherein said first link is an uplink from a ground-based transmitting station to a satellite, and said second link is a downlink from said satellite to a ground-based receiving station. 
     
     
         6 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 1 , wherein said satellite link has a first end and a second end and said attenuation is obtained through measurements both at said first end and at said second end. 
     
     
         7 . A controlled satellite link, said satellite link comprising a first link and a plurality of second links to respective receiver stations, said satellite link transmitting according to dynamically-controllable transmission parameters, comprising:
 at least one reference unit, each reference unit being located at a respective receiver station, and configured for obtaining at least signal attenuation over said first link and said respective second link; and   a control unit associated with said at least one reference unit, configured for selecting at least one respective transmission parameter associated with each of said second links in accordance with said obtained signal attenuations; and   a traffic shaper associated with said control unit, configured for shaping incoming data traffic in accordance with said selected transmission parameters, so as to dynamically adapt said incoming data traffic for transmission at an available transmission rate.   
     
     
         8 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 7 , wherein a transmission parameter comprises one of a transmission power, a coding parameter and a modulation parameter. 
     
     
         9 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 7 , wherein said available transmission rate is determined in accordance with said transmission parameters. 
     
     
         10 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 7 , wherein transmission over said satellite channel is in time division multiplexing (TDM), each frame being directed to a specified receiving station, and wherein said control unit is operable to select said respective transmission parameters per frame in accordance with the capabilities of said specified receiving station. 
     
     
         11 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 7 , wherein said control unit is configured for discriminating between said first link attenuation and said respective second link attenuations, and accordingly selecting said respective at least one transmission parameters. 
     
     
         12 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 11 , wherein said satellite link further comprises a derivation unit for deducting common attenuation and assigning said common attenuation at least in part to said first link and assigning differential attenuation to respective second links, thereby to adapt independently to changes in said measured attenuation at each respective second link. 
     
     
         13 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 7 , wherein said reference units are distributed on a geographical basis to allow independent control of said plurality of second links on said geographical basis. 
     
     
         14 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 7 , wherein said control unit is further configured to balance between consumption of satellite resources. 
     
     
         15 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 14 , wherein said balancing between consumption of satellite resources comprises optimizing between bandwidth and power output. 
     
     
         16 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 7 , wherein said transmission rate comprises an aggregate transmission rate. 
     
     
         17 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 7 , wherein a respective selected transmission parameter comprises transmission power. 
     
     
         18 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 7 , wherein a respective selected transmission parameter comprises a coding parameter. 
     
     
         19 . A controlled satellite link according to  claim 7 , wherein respective selected transmission parameters comprises a modulation parameter. 
     
     
         20 . A method of controlling a satellite link, said satellite link transmitting according to dynamically-controllable transmission parameters, the method comprising:
 measuring signal attenuation over said satellite link;   dynamically selecting at least one transmission parameter to adapt for changes in said measured attenuation, a transmission parameter comprising one of a transmission power, a coding parameter and a modulation parameter; and   shaping incoming data traffic in accordance with at least one of said selected transmission parameter, so as to dynamically adapt said incoming data traffic for transmission at an available transmission rate.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said available transmission rate is determined in accordance with said transmission parameters. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , said satellite link comprising a first link and a plurality of second links to respective receiver stations wherein transmission over said satellite channel is in time division multiplexing (TDM), each frame being directed to a specified receiving station, and further comprising performing said selecting per frame in accordance with the capabilities of said specified receiving station. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said available transmission rate comprises an aggregate transmission rate. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , said satellite link having at least two links, a first link to a satellite and a second link to respective ones of a plurality of ground based receiver stations, wherein said control unit is configured for discriminating between first link attenuation and respective second link attenuations and accordingly controlling said respective transmission parameters. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein common attenuation is assigned to said first link and differential attenuation is assigned to respective second links. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said available transmission rate comprises an aggregate transmission rate. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said selected at least one transmission parameter comprises transmission power. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said selected at least one transmission parameter comprises a coding parameter. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said selected at least one transmission parameter comprises a modulation parameter.