A control scheme for resource management in satellite systems

Resource management is a key issue in broadband networks. The problem is even more complex in a Geostationary (GEO) satellite framework where long propagation delays are present, payload complexity has to be kept limited and capacity is valuable. The paper shows that the problem can be modelled as a feedback closed loop system with two cascade controllers: the former on-board and the latter on-earth. A key parameter is introduced which can be simply computed by the on-board controller and is exploited by the on-earth controllers in order to adjust their emission rates. As validated by simulation, the closed-loop system succeeds in efficiently utilising the satellite capacity while limiting, as far as possible, the congestion probability.