Next Generation of Consumer Terminal Architectures for Broadband and Broadcasting Applications

Status

Completed
Status date

2014-05-08
Activity Code

1B.066

Objectives

The main aim of the activity is to investigate new commercial terminal architectures in order to significantly lower the cost of ownership in terms of cost of the terminal and cost of installation of the current devices. The new architectures aims at restructuring the traditional split between indoor units (IDU) and outdoor units (ODU) by merging these sub-elements in an integrated all outdoor terminal architecture. New architectures such as the integrated terminal as a single small form factor, all-outdoor unit can potentially improve the product marketability through cost reduction and the speed and simplicity of the setup

The objective of this activity is to provide a thorough assessment of satellite terminal architectures for the consumer market.

Starting from the baseline architecture of an all-outdoor unit, the relevant techniques and technologies will be analyzed to define new terminal architectures for the next 10 years for the mass market, minimizing the cost of the terminal and of installation while satisfying the foreseen user requirements.

Challenges

The implementation of integrated terminal architecture, posed however several technical challenges: the electronic components will need to operate reliably in outdoor environmental conditions; the form factor, housing and the weight of the all-outdoor unit will need to be compatible with small antennas.

A market survey has been carried out to focus the relevant user requirements to be expected in the next years.

The resulting architecture from this study is an all outdoor terminal including three receiving feeds, the LNB with beamforming, up to six DVB-S2/Sx demodulators, an optional low data rate modulator and RF transmitter using the E-SSA waveform for TV interactivity (pay per view, voting, etc.). This terminal is suitable to be used with a 40-45 cm antenna, in the areas where the EIRP is sufficient, the interferers being suppressed by the beamforming.

A assisted pointing procedure has been defined.

Benefits

New architectures such as the integrated terminal as a single small form factor all-outdoor unit can potentially improve the product marketability through the speed and simplicity of the setup, in term of installation and connection with the domestic LAN.

A market opportunities analysis has been carried out in the frame of this project showing that a potential market of millions units per year could be expected.

Features

The main technical features of the studied solutions are:

services in both Ka and Ku bands, on different bands and polarizations
the electronic components which need to operate reliably in outdoor environmental conditions;
exploitation of new components and techniques (RF and digital) to obtain large integration, lower weight and lower cost
the form factor, housing and the weight of the all-outdoor unit which has to be compatible with small antennas. To this purpose a multi-feeds architecture with beamforming has been considered for broadcast TV reception in Ku-band using 40 cm antennas
the data interface between ODU (satellite terminal) and IDU (domestic LAN)

Plan

The presented activities lasted 12 month divided in the following tasks:

Task 1:

System Scenario Definition and Consolidation
Technical and Market Requirement Analysis for the satellite terminals

Task 2:

Top Level Architecture design and Trade-offs
Survey of State-of-the art technologies and techniques applicable to the design of cost efficient and reliable Next generation satellite terminals (NGST)

Task 3: