In 2019, the digital video broadcasting (DVB) project published an updated specification of the DVB-S2X standard to improve the support of beam-hopping systems. This was on the one hand due to market needs for enhanced efficiency and flexibility compared to conventional systems but on the other hand also enabled by emerging satellite technologies such as active antenna and beam forming solutions that allow for practical implementation of the beam hopping systems. To this end, this chapter discusses system deployment and configuration scenarios as well as features of the DVB-S2X standard specification for beam-hopping. Furthermore, potential terminal features and synchronization schemes are described, which includes an essential algorithm for the start of illumination detection.

Chapter Contents:

• 23.1 Introduction
• 23.2 Beam-hopping system considerations
• 23.2.1 BH scenarios
• 23.2.2 Operation strategies
• 23.2.3 Beam hopping system deployment
• 23.2.4 Control channel and cell ID considerations
• 23.2.5 DVB-S2X waveforms
• 23.3 Terminal synchronization schemes
• 23.3.1 Bursty data reception
• 23.3.2 Start of super-frame detection
• 23.3.3 Enhanced super-frame detection for Format 5
• 23.3.4 Enhanced super-frame detection for Format 6
• 23.4 Conclusions
• References

Inspec keywords: synchronisation; digital video broadcasting

Other keywords: beamforming solutions; active antenna; digital video broadcasting project; satellite technologies; DVB-S2X standard specification; beam-hopping system configuration; terminal synchronization schemes

Subjects: Radio and television broadcasting