Modem-Satellite Transmission with Doppler Correction and E-SSA Demodulation

Abstract

A device in a population of devices arranged at a celestial body for transmitting data to a relay station orbiting the celestial body. The relay station and the population of devices are to travel with respect to one another such that the relay station is to receive signals that include the data in data packages from the population of devices. The device includes trajectory data of the relay station, a transmitter to use the trajectory data so as to transmit a signal that is part of the signals, a data processor, and a computer program which, when executing on the data processor, is to calculate a Doppler shift based upon the trajectory data, and modify the signal to thereby compensate for the Doppler shift of the signal that results from the travelling of the relay station and the population of devices with respect to one another.

Claims

1. A device in a population of devices arranged at a celestial body, and which are to transmit data to a relay station orbiting said celestial body, said relay station to receive first signals from said population of devices, said signals including data in data packages, the device comprising: trajectory data of said relay station; a transmitter configured to use said trajectory data to transmit a signal that is part of said signals; and a data processor and a computer program which, when executing on said data processor, is to calculate a Doppler shift based upon said trajectory data, and modify said signal to thereby compensate the Doppler shift of said signal that results from said relay station and said population of devices travelling with respect to one another.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said computer program is further configured to set said transmitter to modify a frequency of transmission of said signal to correct said Doppler shift, based upon at least one of a position of said relay station, a relative speed of said relay station at a reception of said signal by said relay station, and a combination thereof.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said computer program is further configured to use said trajectory data to set said transmitter to either transmit said signal when said relay station is moving towards said relay station, or is moving away from said relay station.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said transmitter comprises a modulator.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said modulator comprises an Enhanced Spread Spectrum Aloha (E-SSA) modulator.

6. A method for transmitting a part of data to a relay station orbiting a celestial body, the method comprising: transmitting, via a device arranged at the celestial body and which includes trajectory data of said relay station, a signal to said relay station, said device forming part of a population of devices, and said relay station and said population of devices are configured to travel with respect to one another, wherein said signal forms part of signals transmitted by said population of devices, and includes signal data in data packages that is at least part of said data; calculating, via said device, a Doppler shift based upon said trajectory data; and modifying, via said device, said signal to thereby compensate a Doppler shift of said signal that results from said relay station and said population of devices travelling with respect to one another.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said transmitter comprises a modulator.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said modulator comprises an Enhanced Spread Spectrum Aloha (E-SSA) modulator.

9. A computer program product for transmitting part of data from a device to a relay station orbiting a celestial body, said device that forms part of a population of devices arranged at the celestial body and includes trajectory data of said relay station, said population of devices and said relay station travelling with respect to one another, and said population of devices configured to transmit data to said relay station while said relay station is orbiting said celestial body, wherein said computer program product, when executing on a data processor on said device, is to: transmit a signal to said relay station, said signal forming part of signals transmitted by devices in said population of devices, said signal including signal data in data packages that is at least part of said part of data; calculate a Doppler shift based upon said trajectory data; and modify said signal to thereby compensate a Doppler shift of said signal that results from said relay station and said population of devices travelling with respect to one another.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0063] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings (which are not necessarily drawn to scale) in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, and in which:

[0064] FIGS. 1 and 1B schematically depict an embodiment of a modem in a population of modems transmitting data to a satellite.

[0065] FIG. 2 schematically depicts an embodiment of a system transferring data from a population of modems to a remote server.

[0066] FIGS. 3A to 3C schematically depict an embodiment of a signal-processing device correlating a signal to a data header.

DESCRIPTION

[0067] FIGS. 1A and 1B schematically depict an embodiment of a modem 1 in a first population of modems 2 that also includes other modems 1 and a second population of modems 2. The second population of modems 2 is to transmit signal(s) 10, and modem 1, having a data processor 7, is to transmit a signal(s) 11 while a satellite 5 is to orbit earth 3 along a trajectory 15.

[0068] As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the modem 1 and satellite 5 are moving away from each other which causes a negative Doppler shift in a transmission of the signal(s) 10, 11. Modem 1 is to calculate, via the execution of a computer program on a data processor 7, the negative Doppler shift and compensates for this shift by transmitting signal(s) 11 at a higher frequency. The modem 1 may even apply a varying frequency shifts that substantially or functionally compensates for the Doppler shift.

[0069] As illustrated in FIG. 1B the modem 1 and satellite 5 are moving towards each other which causes a positive Doppler shift in a transmission of the signals 10 and 11. Modem 1 calculates, via the execution of a computer program on a data processor 7, the positive Doppler shift and compensates for this shift by transmitting signal 11 at a lower frequency.

[0070] FIG. 2 schematically depicts an embodiment of a satellite 5 comprising a receiver 8, a transmitter 9, a signal-processing device 6 and a data storage 16. The satellite is to orbit earth 3 along a trajectory 15. The satellite 5 is to receive, from the modem 1 in a population of modems 1, signals 10 including a signal 11 comprising signal data in data packages. The satellite 5 is to also receive other signals 10 from a second device 4. After receiving the signal data, satellite 5 is to transmit a signal 12 comprising the received signal data to a server 13. In an embodiment, the transmitter and receiver may also be combined.

[0071] FIG. 3A to 3C schematically depict an embodiment of a signal-processing device 22 configured to correlate incoming signals with known headers or part of known headers. The signal processing device comprises a series of correlators 23 extending along parallel planes. Each correlator 23 represents a different, predefined frequency range shift. For finding a Doppler shift within a specific frequency range 24, a signal 21 that may comprise a header 25, is correlated to a known header 26, 27, or part thereof. The correlating can result in a match 30, 32 and 32, or can result in a no-match indication 31.

[0072] As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the signal-processing device 22 is to correlate a signal 21 through the series of correlators 23, and is to compare the deducted header 25 with (at least part of) the known header 26, resulting in a match 30.

[0073] As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the signal-processing device 22 is to correlate a signal 21 through the series of correlators 23, and is to compare the deducted header 25 with the different known header 27, resulting in a no-match 31.

[0074] As illustrated in FIG. 3C, the signal-processing device 22 is to correlate a signal 21 through a series of correlators 23, and is to first compare only a part of a deducted header 25 with a part of a known header 26, resulting in a match 32. Since there is a match 32, subsequently, the signal-processing device 22 correlates signal 21 again and now compares the full deducted header 25 with the full known header 26, resulting in a match 32. When there would be no match in result 32, subsequent correlating would not be needed since this would indicate a signal of no interest.

[0075] Correlating first a part of a known header (such as, for example, header 26 and header 27 in FIG. 3B) limits processing resources to be used on signals of no interest, such as signals 10 in FIG. 2.

[0076] In a further embodiment correlating a known header can be done in multiple steps by comparing subsequently larger parts of the known header.

[0077] It will also be clear that the above description and drawings are included to illustrate some embodiments of the invention, and not to limit the scope of protection. Starting from this disclosure, many more embodiments will be evident to a skilled person. These embodiments are within the scope of protection and the essence of this invention and are obvious combinations of prior art techniques and the disclosure of this patent. The terms coupled, attached, or connected may be used herein to refer to any type of relationship, direct or indirect, between the components in question, and may apply to electrical, mechanical, fluid, optical, electromagnetic, electromechanical or other connections. In addition, the terms first, second, etc. are used herein only to facilitate discussion, and carry no particular temporal or chronological significance unless otherwise indicated.

[0078] Those skilled in the art will appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad techniques of the embodiments can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while the embodiments have been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the embodiments should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification, and following claims.