Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.

Systems and methods for supporting more flexible coverage areas and spatial capacity assignments using satellite communications systems are disclosed. A hub-spoke, bent-pipe satellite communications system includes: terminals; gateways; a controller for specifying data for controlling satellite operations in accordance with a frame definition including timeslots for a frame and defining an allocation of capacity between forward and return traffic; and a satellite including: pathways; at least one LNA, an output of which is for coupling to a pathway and to amplify uplink beam signals in accordance with the allocation; and at least one HPA, an input of which is for coupling to the pathway and to amplify downlink beam signals in accordance with the allocation, and wherein the frame definition specifies at least one pathway as a forward pathway for at least one timeslot and as a return pathway for at least one other timeslot in the frame.

Systems and methods for supporting more flexible coverage areas and spatial capacity assignments using satellite communications systems are disclosed. A hub-spoke, bent-pipe satellite communications system includes: terminals; gateways; a controller for specifying data for controlling satellite operations in accordance with a frame definition including timeslots for a frame and defining an allocation of capacity between forward and return traffic. The satellite communications system may employ a satellite with a feed array assembly and may use on-board beamforming or ground-based beamforming. Beam hopping within timeslots of the frame may be used to provide coverage to different cells in different time periods. The flexible coverage areas may be provided using changes in satellite position, antenna patterns, or beam resource allocations.

An example of a channelizer includes a plurality of receiver circuits, an individual receiver circuit including a frequency demultiplexer that is configured to demultiplex a plurality of subchannels and a time-division demultiplexer coupled to the frequency demultiplexer, the time-division demultiplexer configured to time-division demultiplex the plurality of subchannels to provide a plurality of time-division outputs, an individual time-division output including portions of data from each of the plurality of subchannels; and a plurality of switch circuits, each configured to receive a different time-division output of the plurality of time-division outputs from the individual receiver.

The disclosure relates in some aspects to enabling a user terminal (UT) to obtain information about nearby cells and any beams generated by nearby cells. For example, a network can send a neighbor cell list to UTs, where the list identifies the cells in that neighborhood and provides information about any beams generated by those cells. Thus, a UT can learn the neighboring beams/cells that the UT can reselect to if the current beam/cell becomes weak. In some aspects, the UE can learn the attitude (e.g., pitch, roll, yaw, or any combination thereof) profile of neighboring satellites as well as the pointing angles and the ON-OFF schedules of their beams. In some aspects, the UT can learn a start angle and a span for a satellite and use this information to identify a satellite the UT can reselect to if the current beam/cell becomes weak.

The disclosure relates in some aspects to enabling a user terminal (UT) to obtain information about nearby cells and any beams generated by nearby cells. For example, a network can send a neighbor cell list to UTs, where the list identifies the cells in that neighborhood and provides information about any beams generated by those cells. Thus, a UT can learn the neighboring beams/cells that the UT can reselect to if the current beam/cell becomes weak. In some aspects, the UE can learn the attitude (e.g., pitch, roll, yaw, or any combination thereof) profile of neighboring satellites as well as the pointing angles and the ON-OFF schedules of their beams. In some aspects, the UT can learn a start angle and a span for a satellite and use this information to identify a satellite the UT can reselect to if the current beam/cell becomes weak.

A system and method for scheduling a variable stayout distance when beam hopping, the method including providing an illumination area of a satellite and candidate beam centers disposed in the illumination area; measuring a respective scan angle from an antenna boresight to a respective beam center of the candidate beam centers; and determining a reuse factor k for each of the candidate beam centers, based on a proportion of the respective scan angle to a maximum scan angle. Each candidate beam center may be processed sequentially. Prior to adding each candidate beam center to a current beam center set, checking whether a candidate beam center meets the stayout distance criteria from all beam centers already in the beam center set.

Apparatuses, methods, and systems of hub communication with a satellite network or a terrestrial network are disclosed. One method includes detecting presence of the satellite network, detecting, by the hub, presence of a terrestrial network, selecting to connect to one of the satellite network or the terrestrial network based on a priority ruleset, estimating a propagation delay between the hub and a base station of the satellite network when the satellite network is selected, adjusting a timing offset between transmit and receive radio frames at the hub based on whether the satellite network or the terrestrial network is selected, and based at least on the propagation delay and a frame offset between uplink and downlink frames at base station, and communicating with the base station of the satellite network or a base station of the terrestrial network.

Embodiments provide in-flight configuration of satellite pathways to flexibly service terra-link and cross-link traffic in a constellation of non-processed satellites, for example, to facilitate flexible forward-channel and return-channel capacity in a satellite communications system. For example, each satellite in the constellation can include one or more dynamically configurable pathway and switching and/or beamforming can be used to configure each pathway to be a forward-channel pathway or a return-channel pathway in each of a number of timeslots according to a pathway configuration schedule. At least some of the pathways can be further selectively configured, in each timeslot, to carry “terra-link” traffic to and/or from terrestrial terminals and “cross-link” traffic to and/or from one or more other satellites of the constellation.

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) and a satellite of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) may establish communications on a beam of the satellite. The UE may receive, on a first carrier of a first set of carriers associated with a first beam, a configuration for the first set of carriers associated with the first beam and a second set of carriers associated with a second beam. The first carrier may be used to send a first set of synchronization signals, and a second carrier of the second set of carriers may be used to send a second set of synchronization signals. The UE may identify some system information associated with the second set of carriers based on the configuration and reselect to the second beam based on the configuration.