Resource management techniques applied to satellite communications networks

Efficient resource management is mandatory to achieve maximum system capacity for the next generation communications systems. Resource management deals with the available spectral band, time, power, and space for a transmission signal. It includes (i) the frequency planning and (ii) the assignment of transmission resources to users. The paper presents a generalized notation as well as graph algorithms for resource management problems. Impairment graphs can be used for frequency planning, whereas flow graphs are suitable for resource assignment problems. To evaluate the performance of the resource management, service criteria (such as blocking or the carrier to interference ratio C/I) or efficiency criteria (bandwidth requirements) can be derived from the graphs. The resource management techniques are applied to satellite networks with non-geostationary orbits yielding time-variant network topologies. Examples are provided for fixed and dynamic resource allocation schemes for a typical MEO satellite scenario. Satellite diversity can be also investigated.