A System Simulator for Advanced DVB-S2/RCS Multibeam Systems

Abstract

Satellite communication systems play an increasing role for broadband communication in the customer, as well as in specialized segments. They can be used as gap-fillers for areas not covered and not likely to be covered by broadband DSL, they have their advantages for some kinds of applications (massive multicast) and can help closing the digital divide without having to invest into terrestrial infrastructure in challenging territories. The peculiarities of satellite systems – high initial costs, complexity or impossibility of updates – make it especially important to obtain a correct evaluation of the performance of the system before installing it. It is also a major necessity to be able to invent new algorithms and techniques, to tune system parameters, without having to use a real, expensive satellite system. This paper presents a simulator representing a complete satellite communication system based on DVB-S2 and advanced DVB-RCS techniques, including simulation of atmospheric effects, user behavior and all major protocols needed in transparent as well as regenerative systems. This simulator allows developing new algorithms and protocols, tuning satellite systems and analyzing system stability and performance. The paper also presents an advanced forward link scheduling algorithm as well as some results obtained with the simulator.