Burst assignment for satellite-switched and Earth-station frequency-hopping TDMA networks

An optimal transmission-time burst assignment algorithm is described that is applicable to both satellite-switched and Earth-station frequency-hopping TDMA networks. In contrast to previous work, the paper allows for multiple carriers (or transponders) per spot beam and multiple Earth stations (in general, greater than the number of carriers) per spot beam. By dividing Earth stations into groups, it efficiently addresses the burst-assignment problem for networks with a large number of Earth stations relative to the number of TDMA carriers. Upper bounds are derived for the number of switching modes and traffic bursts to facilitate system planning. For Earth stations of limited uplink and downlink agility, scenarios are described that are amenable to the burst-assignment algorithm. In another context, the burst-assignment algorithm can be used to solve a switching problem for a three-tiered switching system for a terrestrial time-division digital network.<>