Efficient utilization of satellite transponders via time-division multibeam scanning

The space segment of a satellite system is proposed wherein a fixed number of identical transponders are shared among a larger number of spot beam regions which completely span a large total service area. Time-division multiple-access techniques are employed, and each transponder is rapidly scanned over appropriately defined group pairs of spot beam regions, thereby establishing full coverage and full interconnectivity. The service is matched to the nonuniform traffic requirements exhibited among the various spot beam regions, reliability can be optimized since all transponders are identical, and each transponder is utilized with an efficiency of 100 percent. A mathematical proof is presented which shows that the traffic can always be assigned on a nonconflicting basis, and an efficient assignment technique is described.