A satellite communication method and a network device are disclosed. A first network device learns of traffics of a plurality of satellite communications link or air interface resources allocated to a plurality of satellite base stations. The first network device sends identification information to a second network device, where the identification information indicates that a traffic of a satellite communications link reaches a specified threshold, or that an air interface resource allocated by a ground station to a satellite base station reaches a specified threshold. The second network device receives an identifier message, determines a to-be-linked satellite base station that has an idle resource, and sends, to the to-be-linked satellite base station, a second message including information about a generated beam of the to-be-linked satellite base station.

A device for the reception of ADS-B messages for a satellite is disclosed including an array of sources and a beamforming module, a ground footprint of a field of view defining a service area, different service areas being associated with different positions of the satellite, a ground footprint of a beam defining a spot in the service area, the beamforming module being configured to form each beam by applying combination coefficients, the reception device having a processing circuit configured to obtain information representative of a position of the satellite and to modify a set of combination coefficients so as to adapt the surface area and/or or the shape of the formed spots to a geographical distribution of the aircrafts within the service area associated with the position of the satellite.

A method of operating a first non-terrestrial network part supporting a plurality of spot beams providing corresponding coverage areas in a wireless telecommunications network, the method comprising: communicating with a communications device in a first coverage area associated with a first spot beam of the first non-terrestrial network part: identifying a new coverage area for the communications device, the new coverage area corresponding to a coverage area of a second spot beam different from the first spot beam, and implementing a mobility procedure for the communications device; wherein, if the second spot beam is supported by the first non-terrestrial network part, the mobility procedure is a first mobility procedure and if the second spot beam is supported by a second non-terrestrial network part different from the first non-terrestrial network part the mobility procedure is a second mobility procedure different from the first mobility procedure.

Methods and techniques are described for supporting satellite wireless by a user equipment (UE) using satellite acquisition information. A UE may obtain (e.g., from an AMF or gNB) acquisition information for satellite cells supporting access to a PLMN. The UE may enter an inactive state with no radio access, may later leave the inactive state, find a preferred satellite cell based on the acquisition information and access the satellite cell (e.g., camp on the cell or connect to the PLMN using the cell). The acquisition information may indicate satellite cells available at one or more predefined times for a known location of the UE or may enable a satellite cell to be found for any UE location at any time. The acquisition information may also provide timing, frequency and other information to enable a UE to access a satellite cell with reduced latency and reduced power consumption.

A method and apparatus are provided for nulling a radio frequency (RF) beam for a high-altitude platform (HAP). A transmitter generates an RF signal. A primary antenna system generates an RF beam based on the RF signal. One or more processors determine a result indicating whether to modify the RF beam. When the result indicates to modify the RF beam, a detachable nulling subassembly generates nulling signals based on the RF signal to modify the RF beam generated by the primary antenna system.

An orbiting multiple access transceiver communicates with terrestrial mobile stations which are also capable of communicating with terrestrial base stations. The multiple access transceiver is configured to sample a signal when a terrestrial mobile station of interest is not transmitting to produce a sample signal. The sample signal may be processed to produce an out-of-phase signal that may be applied to a signal when the terrestrial mobile station of interest is transmitting to produce a clearer signal from the terrestrial mobile station of interest.

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.

A method performed by a first network entity associated with a first airborne or orbital communication node for enabling at least one wireless device in a wireless communications network to switch from being served by a first service link of the first airborne or orbital communication node to being served by a second service link of a second airborne or orbital communication node, is provided. The method comprises transmitting, to the at least one wireless device, information associated with a reference signal of a transmission beam transmitted over the second service link of the second airborne or orbital communication node, comprising information indicating the location over time of the second airborne or orbital communication node. A first network entity, a wireless device and method therein are also provided, as well as, computer programs and carriers.

A method for allocating resources in an active multi-beam antenna satellite telecommunications system operating in a given frequency band and for a given coverage area wherein a plurality of user terminals is located, the method includes the steps of: decomposing the frequency band into sub-bands such that, in each sub-band, the beams formed by the antenna are stable for all of the frequencies of the sub-band, determining, for each sub-band, a grid of orthogonal beams making it possible to cover some of the coverage area, defining several subsets of user terminals and allocating, to each subset, one of the grids of orthogonal beams and a pointing direction of this grid so that each beam in the grid points towards at least one of the user terminals in the subset.

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.