WO2016079438A1

WO2016079438A1 - Method of transmitting a plurality of data streams from a plurality of sending stations to a plurality of receiving stations

Info

Publication number: WO2016079438A1
Application number: PCT/FR2015/053136
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kamal Lotfy
Original assignee: Eutelsat S A
Priority date: 2014-11-20
Filing date: 2015-11-19
Publication date: 2016-05-26
Also published as: FR3029040B1; FR3029040A1

Abstract

The present invention relates essentially to a method of transmitting a plurality of data streams in the IP format from a plurality of sending stations (E1, E2) to a plurality of receiving stations (R1, R2), each data stream in the IP format comprising a destination IP address, the method comprising the various steps consisting in: - sending (210) in the uplink the plurality of data streams in the IP format from the plurality of sending stations (E1, E2) to a first telecommunication satellite (S1) operating in a first frequency band; - resending (220) in the downlink the plurality of data streams in the IP format from the first telecommunication satellite S1 to at least one satellite based telecommunication terrestrial station connected by terrestrial link to a sending station, termed the teleport (T), said at least one satellite based telecommunication terrestrial station relaying the plurality of data streams in the IP format to the teleport (T); - regrouping (230) in a multiplexer (MUX1, MUX2) the data streams in the IP format whose IP destination addresses are associated with a second telecommunication satellite (S2) operating in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band; ‑ generating (240) a multiplexed signal comprising the data streams in the IP format whose destination IP addresses are associated with the second telecommunication satellite (S2); - sending (250) in the uplink the multiplexed signal from the teleport (T) to the second telecommunication satellite (S2); - resending (260) in the downlink the multiplexed signal from the second telecommunication satellite (S2) to the plurality of receiving stations (R1, R2) by means of a transponder operating in the saturation regime.

Description

METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING A PLURALITY OF STREAMS

DATA FROM A PLURALITY OF TRANSMITTING STATIONS TOWARDS A PLURALITY OF RECEIVING STATIONS TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The technical field of the invention is that of the transmission of data via telecommunication satellites. The invention thus relates to a method of transmitting a plurality of IP format data streams from a plurality of transmitting stations to a plurality of receiving stations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

HTS type telecommunication satellites, for "High Throughput Satellite" in English, provide a bitrate at least twice, but generally more than 20 times, higher than that of a conventional geostationary satellite. HTS telecommunication satellites operate mainly in Ka-band and are mainly used for satellite Internet, particularly in areas where terrestrial links are not strong enough or non-existent, respectively called gray zones and white zones.

Internet traffic seen on the user side is asymmetric traffic consuming more capacity on the forward path (satellite to user) than on the return path (user to satellite), in a ratio of approximately 4 to 1. On the other hand, an HTS telecommunication satellite is generally symmetrically designed, i.e., the return channel bandwidth is equivalent to the forward path bandwidth. The remaining capacity of the return channel is used for video applications, such as SNG video for "Satellite News Gathering" in English, or contributions from television channels. Video applications consume bandwidth and are therefore likely to fill the satellite return path.

The significant increase in throughput is possible thanks to the multibeam technology that allows frequencies to be reused through a multitude of juxtaposed beams. These beams are also very directive. Indeed, the order of magnitude of the radius of a beam is several hundred kilometers. By way of comparison, a conventional geostationary satellite generally operates with a single large beam, the order of magnitude of the ray is several thousand kilometers, the beam can cover a large region and even a continent.

When transmitting data on the return channel of an HTS telecommunications satellite, the data is received by a terrestrial telecommunication station located in the coverage area of one of the beams of the HTS telecommunications satellite. The data is then routed to their destination, potentially several, through terrestrial links such as optical fiber.

The HTS telecommunication satellites therefore do not make it possible to easily perform point-to-multipoint links without using terrestrial links to relay the transmitted data, which is particularly problematic for destinations located in the gray areas and in the white areas. This also limits the scope and development of possible applications. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The method according to the invention proposes a solution to the problem just described. In the invention, a solution is proposed for carrying out point-to-multipoint transmissions by considerably reducing the use of terrestrial links.

The invention thus relates to a method of transmitting a plurality of IP format data streams from a plurality of transmitting stations to a plurality of receiving stations, each IP format data stream having a destination IP address, the method comprising the different steps of:

- uplink the plurality of IP format data streams from the plurality of transmitting stations to a first telecommunication satellite operating in a first frequency band; retransmitting the plurality of IP format data streams from the first telecommunication satellite to at least one terrestrial telecommunication satellite station connected by terrestrial link to a transmitting station, said teleport, said at least one earth station; satellite telecommunication relaying the plurality of data streams in the IP format to the teleport; grouping in a multiplexer the IP format data streams whose destination IP addresses are associated with a second telecommunication satellite operating in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band;

generating a multiplexed signal comprising the data streams in IP format whose destination IP addresses are associated with the second telecommunications satellite;

- Transmit the multiplexed signal from the teleport to the second telecommunication satellite in an uplink;

retransmitting the multiplexed signal from the second telecommunication satellite to the plurality of receiver stations in a downlink using a transponder operating in saturation mode.

The method according to the invention may comprise, in addition to the main steps which have just been mentioned in the preceding paragraph, one or more of the following characteristics considered individually or according to the technically possible combinations:

the first frequency band is the frequency band Ka;

the second frequency band is the Ku frequency band;

the second frequency band is the frequency band C;

the second frequency band is the broad beam Ka frequency band, having a coverage radius of the order of several thousand kilometers;

the data streams in IP format are audio-video streams in IP format;

the multiplexer comprises a plurality of slots, each slot being dedicated to a single data stream in IP format and associated with a UDP port;

each data stream in IP format comprises the UDP port address of the multiplexer slot;

- The UDP port of the multiplexer slot is automatically changed at the end of a predetermined transmission time to end the transmission, in the case for example of occasional use;

the predetermined transmission duration is dynamically modifiable.

The invention also relates to a system for transmitting a plurality of data streams in IP format comprising:

a plurality of transmitting stations; a first telecommunication satellite operating in a first frequency band;

at least one terrestrial telecommunication satellite station connected by terrestrial link to a transmitting station, said teleport, the teleport comprising a multiplexer and an emission amplifier using a single carrier;

a second telecommunication satellite operating in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band, the second telecommunication satellite comprising a transponder operating in saturation mode;

a plurality of receiver stations;

the plurality of transmitting stations being configured to upstream transmit the plurality of IP format data streams to the first telecommunication satellite, the first telecommunication satellite being configured to re-transmit the plurality of IP-format data streams in a downlink manner; the teleport via said at least one terrestrial telecommunication satellite station, the teleport being configured to group in the multiplexer the IP format data streams whose destination IP addresses are associated with the second telecommunication satellite, the multiplexer being configured to generate a multiplexed signal comprising the IP format data streams whose destination IP addresses are associated with the second telecommunication satellite, the teleport being configured to transmit the multiplexed signal to the second telecommunication satellite in an uplink, the second sate The telecommunication unit is configured to re-transmit the multiplexed signal downstream to the plurality of receiving stations by means of the transponder operating in the saturation regime.

The invention and its various applications will be better understood by reading the following description and examining the figures that accompany it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

These are presented only as an indication and in no way limitative of the invention. The figures show:

- In Figure 1, a schematic representation of a system adapted to implement the method according to the invention;

in FIG. 2, a functional diagram of one embodiment of the method according to the invention; - In Figure 3, a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention illustrating the operation of the destination IP addressing.

For clarity, identical or similar elements are marked with identical reference characters in all the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is notably to propose a method for transmitting IP-format data streams from a plurality of transmitting stations to a plurality of receiving stations.

Figures 1 and 2 are described together.

Figure 1 schematically shows a system adapted to implement the method according to the invention. FIG. 1 shows transmitting stations E1, E2 configured to transmit IP format data streams uplink to a first telecommunications satellite S1 operating in a first frequency band. Advantageously, the first frequency band is the band Ka.

The data streams in IP format are advantageously audio-video streams in IP format from IP encoders equipped in the transmitting stations E1, E2. The transmitting stations E1, E2 are for example a vehicle intended for SNG video reporting applications, a studio of a television channel or a company wishing to transmit an audio-video signal for television screens, training, meetings or video surveillance. This list of applications is of course not limiting.

The first telecommunication satellite S1 is configured to retransmit downstream data streams in the IP format to a terrestrial network RT consisting of several terrestrial satellite communication stations interconnected by links made of optical fiber. These links make it possible to circulate the data flows in IP format between the different terrestrial satellite communication stations of the terrestrial network RT.

In order to pool resources and reduce costs, a single land-based terrestrial telecommunication station RT is equipped to implement the method according to the invention. This terrestrial satellite telecommunication station is called teleport T. All the data streams in IP format are redirected to this teleport T by means of the optical fiber. Teleport T is configured to transmit upstream to a second telecommunication satellite S2 operating in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band. Advantageously, the second frequency band is the Ku band or the C band. The Ku band and the C band make it possible to establish point-to-multipoint links. Ka-band wide beams may also be used, although the coverage area of each of these beams is smaller than the Ku-band coverage area or the C-band coverage area.

The second telecommunication satellite S2 is configured to retransmit downstream to receiving stations R1, R2, which are for example television studios, subsidiaries of a company or distributors of a commercial sign.

The various operations relating to an exemplary implementation of the method according to the invention are for example the following, illustrated in FIG.

The data streams in IP format are transmitted, during a step 210, in the uplink from the transmitting stations E1, E2 to the first telecommunications satellite S1, and then re-transmitted downstream, during a step 220, from the first telecommunications satellite S1 to teleport T. The implementation of these transmissions is well known to those skilled in the art.

The teleport T comprises a multiplexer in which, during a step 230, the data streams in the IP format whose destination IP addresses are associated with the second telecommunications satellite S2 are grouped together. The destination IP addresses have been previously programmed into the IP encoders of the sending stations E1, E2.

The multiplexer has several slots, each for receiving a single stream of data in IP format. Each slot of the multiplexer is associated with a UDP port. In order to achieve the correspondence between the slots and the data streams in IP format, these are transmitted with the UDP ports of the multiplexer slots on which they must be sent.

In an advantageous embodiment, it is possible to terminate a transmission after a predetermined time corresponding to the expected transmission time. To do this, the UDP port of the multiplexer slot used for transmission is modified. However, the predetermined transmission duration can be changed dynamically. Indeed, if we notice during the transmission that the reserved time is too short, for one reason or another, one can increase it without interruption of the transmission.

Then, the multiplexer generates, during a step 240, a multiplexed signal comprising the IP format data streams whose destination IP addresses are associated with the second telecommunications satellite S2.

The teleport T also comprises an amplifier and a transmitting antenna for transmitting, in a step 250, the signal multiplexed to the second telecommunications satellite S2 on a carrier in the MCPC mode, for "Multiple Channels". Per Carrier "in English. The MCPC mode using a single carrier, a transponder equipped in the second telecommunications satellite S2 can work in saturation mode.

The fact of working in saturation mode makes it possible to increase the transponder bit rate, by about 30%, compared to the SCPC mode, for "Single Channel Per Carrier" in English, used in the prior art for uplink links. Ku or C-band. It is possible to use the MCPC mode because all data streams in IP format are collected in a single location, before being multiplexed and retransmitted.

Finally, during a step 260, the second telecommunication satellite S2 retransmits, by means of the transponder, the signal multiplexed to the receiving stations R1, R2, the demodulation of the multiplexed signal taking place with standard reception equipment.

FIG. 3 represents a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention illustrating the operation of the destination IP addressing. Figure 3 shows the transmitting station E2, in this case a vehicle for SNG type audio-video reporting applications. The transmitter station E2 is equipped with an IP modem MOD and an IP encoder ENC whose audio-video input is connected to a CAM camera and in which the destination IP address IP-Ki, IP-Ci is programmed. corresponding to the second telecommunication satellite (not shown in Figure 3) that must be used to reach the desired coverage area, such as Europe or Africa.

In this preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the first telecommunications satellite S1 operates in Ka band. The teleport T comprises several multiplexers MUX1, MUX2, each multiplexer being associated with an antenna ANT1, ANT2 making it possible to establish an uplink, in Ku band or in band C, to a second telecommunication satellite selected from a fleet of telecommunication satellites covering different regions of the globe. The routing of the video streams in IP format, generated by the IP ENC encoder, to the different slots of the multiplexers MUX1, MUX2 is performed by routers.

Thus, the method according to the invention makes it possible to establish point-to-multipoint links using the HTS telecommunication satellites, while avoiding the terrestrial links between the receiving stations R1, R2 and the teleport T. The method according to the invention the invention also makes it possible to dispense with the cost of the equipment necessary to establish an uplink in Ku-band or in C-band since all the equipment is pooled at the teleport T. The cost of the equipment is borne by all users, which is all the more interesting when we know that the size of the antenna needed to establish an uplink with a telecommunication satellite operating in Ku-band or C-band varies depending on the satellite used. It may therefore be necessary to be equipped with several antennas to transmit in several regions of the globe.

The user is responsible for the cost of the equipment required to establish a Ka-band uplink, which is much lower, on the order of a ratio 10, than the cost of the equipment required to establish a Ku-band or C-band uplink. Considering also the bandwidth gain provided by the transponder operating in saturation mode, the cost of the transmitted megabit is greatly reduced, making the method according to the invention affordable. for more users, and therefore applications.

Claims

claims

1. A method of transmitting a plurality of IP format data streams from a plurality of transmitting stations (E1, E2) to a plurality of receiving stations (R1, R2), each IP format data stream having a destination IP address the process comprising the various steps of:

- transmitting (210) in the uplink the plurality of IP format data streams from the plurality of transmitting stations (E1, E2) to a first telecommunication satellite (S1) operating in a first frequency band;

retransmitting (220) in a downlink manner the plurality of data streams in IP format from the first telecommunication satellite S1 to at least one terrestrial telecommunication satellite station connected by terrestrial link to a transmitting station, said teleport (T) said at least one terrestrial satellite communication station relaying the plurality of IP format data streams to the teleport (T);

- grouping (230) in a multiplexer (MUX1, MUX2) the data streams in IP format whose destination IP addresses are associated with a second telecommunication satellite (S2) operating in a second frequency band different from the first band of frequency;

generating (240) a multiplexed signal comprising the data streams in IP format whose destination IP addresses are associated with the second telecommunications satellite (S2);

- transmitting (250) in the rising channel the multiplexed signal from the teleport (T) to the second telecommunications satellite (S2);

retransmitting (260) downstream the multiplexed signal from the second telecommunication satellite (S2) to the plurality of receiving stations (R1, R2) by means of a transponder operating in saturation mode.

2. Method according to the preceding claim characterized in that the first frequency band is the frequency band Ka.

3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second frequency band is the Ku frequency band.

4. Method according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that the second frequency band is the frequency band C.

5. Method according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that the second frequency band is the wide beam Ka frequency band.

6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data streams in IP format are audio-video streams in IP format.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the multiplexer comprises a plurality of slots, each slot being dedicated to a single data stream in the IP format and being associated with a UDP port.

8. Method according to the preceding claim characterized in that each IP format data stream comprises the UDP port address of the multiplexer slot.

9. The method of claim 7 or claim 8 characterized in that the UDP port of the multiplexer slot is automatically changed at the end of a predetermined transmission time to terminate the transmission.

10. Method according to the preceding claim characterized in that the predetermined transmission time is dynamically modifiable.

1 1. System for transmitting a plurality of data streams in IP format suitable for implementing the method according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, comprising:

a plurality of transmitting stations (E1, E2);

a first telecommunication satellite (S1) operating in a first frequency band;

at least one terrestrial telecommunication satellite station connected by terrestrial link to a transmitting station, said teleport (T), the teleport comprising a multiplexer (MUX1, MUX2) and a transmission amplifier using a single carrier;

a second telecommunication satellite (S2) operating in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band, the second telecommunication satellite comprising a transponder operating in saturation mode;

a plurality of receiver stations (R1, R2);

the plurality of transmitting stations (E1, E2) being configured to upstream transmit the plurality of IP format data streams to the first telecommunication satellite (S1), the first telecommunication satellite (S1) being configured to re-transmit on the path downstream the plurality of data streams in the IP format to the teleport (T) via said at least one terrestrial station of satellite telecommunication, the teleport (T) being configured to group in the multiplexer the IP format data streams whose destination IP addresses are associated with the second telecommunication satellite (S2), the multiplexer (MUX1, MUX2) being configured to generating a multiplexed signal comprising the IP format data streams whose destination IP addresses are associated with the second telecommunication satellite (S2), the teleport being configured to transmit the multiplexed signal to the second telecommunication satellite (S2) in the upstream channel the second telecommunication satellite (S2) being configured to re-transmit the multiplexed signal downstream to the plurality of receiving stations (R1, R2) by means of the transponder operating in saturation mode.