Joint phased array antenna gain patterning and scheduling for satcom transmission

The economic viability of data satellite networks requires efficient utilization of precious resources. The phased array antenna can provide flexibility of beam size, shape and transmission rates. The optimum design of antenna gain pattern and scheduling is critical for supporting a broad spectrum of unscheduled bursty users with small receiver antennas at high data rates. In this paper, we describe the optimum joint solution for phased array antenna gain patterning and scheduling. We examine two limiting cases: (i) when active users are located far enough apart so that they can be served simultaneously with very small interference and (ii) when active users are closer than one beamwidth. In the first case, the optimum scheme is to provide the narrowest spotbeams for non-interfering users. In the second case when co-channel interference is significant between close-in users, the optimum pattern of each signal depends on the distances between users and their signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). and the optimum, solution can be one of three possibilities; (i) complete cancellation of interference. (ii) optimum suppression of interference, and (iii) sequential service of close-in users. Due to its flexibility for power allocation, the phased array antenna can provide better performance than the multiple beam antenna especially when there are a small number of very demanding users