Riccardo De Gaudenzi

• PhD
• Freelance consultant at European Space Agency (retired)

This paper proposes a pragmatic approach to integrate communication (COM) and positioning navigation timing (PNT) services in (beyond) 5G ((B)5G) low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellite nonterrestrial networks (NTN). The goal is to optimize performance and minimize complementary PNT service costs. The current third generation partnership program (3GPP)...

Formation of arrays (FoA) distributed antenna technology has recently been proposed to provide 5G-like mobile satellites services in the context of the integration of non terrestrial with terrestrial networks – the overall system goal being a sufficiently high throughput in terms of bit rate per unit area on the ground. This large distributed array...

The low-Earth orbiting (LEO) satellite constellations in the 90s (such as Iridium and Globalstar), although representing a major technical breakthrough, were not able to achieve the initial goal of complementing the second-generation mobile terrestrial networks due to the rapid worldwide adoption of GSM and other standards. However, the decline of...

Effective integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial segments is one of the key research avenues in the design of current and future wireless communication networks. To this aim, modern communication-satellite constellations intend to attain sufficiently high throughput in terms of bit rate per unit area on the ground by rather aggressive patte...

Effective integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial segments is one of the key research avenues in the design of current and future wireless communication networks. To this aim, modern communication-satellite constellations intend to attain sufficiently high throughput in terms of bit rate per unit area on the ground by rather aggressive patte...

There is a growing interest for satellites complementing the terrestrial networks for broadband access service provision. One of the key challenges is represented by the need to match the non uniform on-ground traffic distribution. This calls for exploiting large frequency reuse among the satellite beams and the adoption of interference mitigation...

The growing need to interconnect sensors and devices anytime, anywhere is stimulating the design and development of innovative solutions for efficiently supporting a wide variety of applications: from simple low-duty cycle sensors for which energy efficiency and low-cost are of paramount importance, to more demanding platforms (e [...]

The 3rd Generation Partnership Program (3GPP) standardization has recognized the relevance of integrating a non-terrestrial (i.e., sat-ellite-based) segment into the ubiquitous 5G (terrestrial) cellular network. Butsuch integration has actually proven considerably slower than expected. This article starts with a review of the recent history of sate...

The advent of technologies allowing the implementation of flexible satellite payloads is opening up great opportunities to efficiently cope with non-uniform traffic conditions. The latter is one of the “crux” of modern satellite broadband access service economic provision. In this paper we derive affordable (linear) complexity radio resource manage...

Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) technologies are considered key technologies for terrestrial 5G massive machine-type communications (mMTC) applications. It is less known that NOMA techniques were pioneered about ten years ago in the satellite domain to match the growing demand for mMTC services. This paper presents the key features of the fir...

In this paper, we analyze the performance of Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (M-MIMO) techniques aiming at increasing the throughput of broadband satellites. In particular, we investigate a “pragmatic” approach to the design of the M-MIMO to ease its implementation both at system and satellite payload level. We compare the performance of opt...

5G is a technological revolution that will change our lives in the coming decade. Many of the use cases powered by 5G will require knowledge about location. It would be interesting to see what GNSS can contribute with to this new ecosystem.

Machine‐to‐machine (M2M) communications being pivotal for internet of things (IoT) networks are characterized by low‐cost, low complexity, and often energy constrained terminals with low traffic duty cycle. Satellite networks provide an attractive low‐cost solution for such application, in particular when the terminals (both fixed and mobile) are d...

In this paper, we investigate the possible satellite's role and technical solutions required for providing broadband services complementing the terrestrial fifth generation wireless standards. First, we review the satellite networks use cases, services, and system requirements. Then we investigate the satellite potential purpose for broadband servi...

In this paper, we investigate the possible satellite's role and technical solutions required for providing broadband services complementing the terrestrial Fifth Generation wireless standards. First, we review the satellite networks use cases, services and system requirements. Then, we investigate the satellite potential purpose for broadband servi...

Cost-effective Satellite Terminals (STs) that are designed for a large scale deployment in the Internet of Things (IoT) applications are constrained by consumer-grade Local Oscillators (LOs) to lower the costs, on the one hand, and by limited Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) due to limited peak transmit power and/or low antenna gain, on t...

The support of Internet of Things (IoT) calls for physical and media access control (MAC) solutions capable to support a very large number of wireless devices transmitting short packets with low duty cycle. This chapter provides a survey of random access (RA) schemes devised for terrestrial and satellite applications which are suited to support IoT...

The fifth generation of mobile radio communication systems, dubbed 5G, has the challenge of coping with tremendous increases in data traffic volume and peak data rates, reduced latencies, along with improved energy-efficient transmissions and new use cases. In fact, besides the traditional MBB services, future 5G networks will face the opportunity...

The fifth generation of mobile radio communication systems, dubbed 5G, has the challenge to cope with tremendous increases in data traffic volume and peak data rates, reduced latencies, along with improved energy efficient transmissions and new use cases. In fact, besides the traditional mobile broadband services, future 5G networks will face the o...

In this paper, we review the key figures of merit to assess the performance of advanced random access (RA) schemes exploiting physical layer coding, repetitions and collision resolution techniques. We then investigate RA modeling aspects and their impact on the figures of merit for the exemplary advanced RA schemes: Contention Resolution Diversity...

In this paper, we review the key figures of merit to assess the performance of advanced random access (RA) schemes exploiting physical layer coding, repetitions and collision resolution techniques. We then investigate RA modeling aspects and their impact on the figures of merit for the exemplary advanced RA schemes: Contention Resolution Diversity...

In recent years the need for increased satellite throughput has been tackled by extending the number of satellite beams thus allowing a higher spectrum reuse and peak throughput. However, the satellite antenna size and the number of simultaneous beams which can be generated on-board over a given coverage region can not grow beyond certain limits du...

There is an urgent need for substantially enhancing random access (RA) schemes to be able to support native massive machine-to-machine communications in next generation wireless systems. Lately, Contention Resolution Diversity Slotted ALOHA (CRDSA) and its variants have contributed to a drastic improvement in throughput compared to traditional slot...

In this survey paper we review the Random Access (RA) techniques with particular emphasis on the issues and the possible solutions applicable to satellite networks. RA dates back to the 1970's when the ALOHA protocol was developed to solve the problem of interconnecting university computers located in different Hawaiian islands. Since then, several...

In recent years the need for increased satellite throughput has been tackled by extending the number of satellite beams allowing a higher spectrum reuse and peak throughput. However, the satellite antenna size and the number of beams which can be generated on-board over a given coverage region can not grow beyond certain limits due to payload accom...

The chapter aims at reviewing the past decade’s R&D efforts toward making the MIMO technology for mobile satellite (broadcasting and interactive) communications a reality, focusing on (but not limited to) a number of ESA activities promoting MIMO. Particularly, the chapter is divided into three parts: (a) the first part presenting the potential con...

The last few years had witnessed a growing interest for aspects related to Random Access (RA) protocol enhancements for terrestrial and satellite applications. Emerging machine-to-machine applications require efficient RA-like communication protocols for supporting network composed by a large number of sensors generating a low duty cycle packet tra...

This paper describes the evolution of the ETSI S-band Mobile Interactive Multimedia (S-MIM) protocol to support Fixed Interactive Multimedia Services (F-SIM) exploiting existing Ku and Ka-band satellites. The key F-SIM protocol differences for both physical and upper layers are described and justified. The F-SIM protocol has been adopted by the rec...

Following the definition of commercial requirements in different satellite communication market segments, the satellite communications technical module of the Digital Video Broadcasting Project (DVB) took the mandate to develop the extension of the second generation DVB System for satellite broadcasting and unicasting (DVB‐S2) standard in order to...

Recently the extension of the digital video broadcasting second generation standard for transmission over satellite (DVB-S2) has been finalized in order to achieve a higher spectral efficiency without introducing fundamental changes to the complexity and structure of the common DVB-S2 standard [1]. Therefore, this extension is termed DVB-S2X. In th...

Cooperative and Cognitive Satellite Systems provides a solid overview of the current research in the field of cooperative and cognitive satellite systems, helping users understand how to incorporate state-of-the-art communication techniques in innovative satellite network architectures to enable the next generation of satellite systems. The book is...

This paper presents the detailed design and the key system performance results of a comprehensive laboratory demonstrator (test-bed) for a hybrid satellite/terrestrial S-band mobile digital broadcasting system. The physical layer is based on an enhanced version of the Digital Video Broadcasting Satellite to Hand-held (DVB-SH) standard exploiting du...

An article discussing S-MIM, a novel radio interface for mobile satellite multimedia services. This article should cover the interface’s operating principles; the advanced type of random access used for its transmission; its development, testing, and standardization (in Europe); and its modest transmitter power and high bandwidth efficiency, which...

SUMMARY This paper describes the simulated system performances of the enhanced spread spectrum ALOHA (E-SSA) random access scheme in a realistic mobile satellite multibeam scenario operating in S-band. The E-SSA random access scheme has been selected for supporting messaging services in the ETSI S-band Mobile Interactive Multimedia (S-MIM) standard...

This paper describes the key design and performance aspects of the Enhanced Spread Spectrum Aloha (E-SSA) physical layer, which represents an essential component of the S-band Mobile Interactive Multimedia European Telecommunication Institute standard. Thanks to advanced signal processing at the gateway side, the E-SSA random access protocol allows...

Recent work has been stimulated by the need to enhance the satellite networks' Random Access (RA) performance. Results have shown that large performance improvement is possible by exploiting Iterative Successive Interference Cancelation (I-SIC) at the demodulator side. Coded spread spectrum Aloha (SSA) is a particularly suitable access technique fo...

Following the introduction of contention resolution diversity slotted ALOHA (CRDSA), a number of variants of the scheme have been proposed in literature. A major drawback of these slotted random access (RA) schemes is related to the need to keep slot synchronization among all transmitters. The volume of signaling generated to maintain transmitters'...

Space is a vast and important territory that has been studied and explored by humans for centuries. Since the first man-made satellite was launched in 1957, thousands of projects involving space probes and their utilization have been implemented. Many kinds of satellites are currently used for communication, broadcasting, earth observation, navigat...

This paper summarizes the main results of an early investigation on desirable signal structures for the European Galileo civil satellite navigation system. Stemming from the requirements for increased accuracy, reduced time-to-first-fix and integrity information provision, the report describes the logical steps and the related numerical results lea...

This article presents a radio interface recently standardized by ETSI under the name of S-band Mobile Interactive Multimedia (S-MIM) and especially designed to provide ubiquitous messaging services over S-band GEO satellites using low-power terminals. Thanks to low terminal cost and high bandwidth efficiency, this standard allows the development of...

Although the commercial exploitation of Ka-band is finally taking place with an important delay as compared to the initial market forecasts, it is clear that there is a need to start developments in new frequency bands for supporting the future deployment of satellite broadband services able to satisfy the growing need for broadcast interactive app...

The work presented here describes the key design drivers and performance of a high efficiency satellite mobile messaging system well adapted to the machine-to-machine communication services targeting, in particular, the vehicular market. It is shown that the proposed return link multiple access solution is providing a random access channel (RACH) a...

The support of high capacity broadband multi-beam satellite networks requires the implementation of a large number of gateways to cope with the high feeder link throughput generated by the large number of satellite user beams. Although today the state-of-the-art satellite broadband systems exploit Ka-band for the feeder link, to further increase th...

In order to support the deployment of satellite broadband services able to satisfy the growing need for broadcast interactive applications, future broadband telecommunication satellites will have to exploit frequencies beyond Ka-band. This entails new key challenges and the use of critical techniques and technologies, which will be discussed.

Building upon a number of recent publications promoting the use of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) over dual polarization per beam mobile satellite broadcasting (MSB), the present paper sets MIMO well on its way for practical implementation in next-generation MSB by analyzing critical aspects of this novel architecture. Specifically, it carri...

The successful commercial deployment of DVB-S2 air interface in recent years has proven the significance of advanced digital modem techniques to reach a higher power and bandwidth efficiency over satellite communications channels. Furthermore, striking improvements in the link margin reduction have been achieved by using adaptive modulation and cod...

Scalable Video Coding (SVC) and DVB-S2 Variable Coding and Modulation (VCM) techniques form a good match for efficient TV broadcasting by satellite, in particular to avoid distributing the same content several times to different groups of users with different supported formats and quality of service (e.g. SDTV and HDTV) and for an efficient use of...

With a large number of profiles and options, the DVB-S2 standard offers several possibilities to move towards the Shannon capacity bound and more in general to reduce the delivery cost per bit in real system scenarios, compared to previous generations of air interface. The information bit delivery cost with high quality of service is a key factor o...

Signal processing in satellite applications is usually performed either on-ground or on-board, i.e. at the gateway station or in the payload. Within the framework of the European Space Agency (ESA) SatNEx III study, a hybrid approach has been considered by splitting the processing between the satellite and the gateway, aiming to strike a better bal...

This letter studies the potential capacity advantages of introducing a dual polarization per beam paradigm instead of the conventional single polarization per beam in mobile satellite broadcasting systems. This enables the application of MIMO techniques, not yet thoroughly investigated for mobile satellite systems. We engage in a fair system perfor...

The present article carries out a review of MIMO-based techniques that have been recently proposed for satellite communications. Due to the plethora of MIMO interpretations in terrestrial systems and the particularities of satellite communications, this review is built on two pillars, namely fixed satellite and mobile satellite. Special attention i...

Many of the wireless technologies used today are based on the efforts initiated by satellite communications researchers decades ago. Thus, the main technology behind the different applications is very similar in both terrestrial and space systems although today satellite is often benefiting from wireless techniques advancement. This is very support...

The paper carries out a preliminary assessment of how mobile satellite broadcasting (MSB) systems can increase their capacity potential with a high degree of flexibility and, at the same time, remain on par with wireless terrestrial counterparts. As argued in this work, a promising way forward in this regard is the migration from the conventional s...

The paper describes possible key challenges and critical techniques and technologies for broadband satellite communications which in the authors' opinion show enough potential to justify their development in the coming years.

This chapter has presented analysis and numerical results on the design of APSK signal constellation sets which are well suited for advanced satellite digital video broadcasting systems. The APSK constellation modes examined are the 16-, 32- and 64-ary whereas the design optimization criterion employed has been the maximization of the AWGN channel...

In this paper we review key properties of proposed high performance protocols for random access (RA) satellite channels for both time division and code division multiple access (TDMA/CDMA) techniques. The proposed protocols by far outperform traditional satellite random access techniques without the need for quick feedback from the gateway. This ma...

This paper presents a first-step validation of the satellite component of DVB-SH obtained by simulations and preliminary on-field measurements. It is hoped that the results presented will be useful to system designers. The methodology and results presented are expected to be further consolidated by additional on-field trials with recently launched...

The recently introduced Digital Video Broadcasting Satellite to Handheld standard (DVB-SH) allows for digital broadcasting service provision to small mobile terminals in satellite/terrestrial hybrid networks. In this paper, the key results from an in-depth DVB-SH performance assessment campaign lasting two years are reported. The performance result...

This paper presents the detailed design and the key system performance results of a comprehensive laboratory demonstrator for a broadband Ka-band multi-beam satellite system exploiting the new DVB-S2 standard with adaptive coding and modulation (ACM). This complete demonstrator allows in-depth verification and optimization of the ACM techniques app...

The manuscript describes the design drivers and performance of a high efficiency quasi-real time satellite mobile messaging system well adapted to the location-based and data acquisition services targeting in particular the automotive market. It is shown that the proposed solution is providing a random access channel throughput around 2 bit/s/Hz wi...

In this paper we intend to complement the information contained in the companion paper dealing with broadband fixed communications with possible scenarios of development for future mobile satcom networks, including the underlying key challenges as well as critical techniques and technologies to be developed in the coming years. (8 pages)

In this paper we describe possible application scenarios for future broadband satcom networks, together with the associated key challenges as well as critical techniques and technologies which in the authors' opinion show enough potential to justify their development in the coming years. This Part I paper is focusing on broadband fixed networks and...

This paper presents the results of in-depth validation of a DVB-S2 system with ACM, using a laboratory demonstrator developed under a European Space Agency Artes 5 contract "ACM Modem". The reference scenario used to define the test cases consists of a multi-beam Ka-band satellite system, representative of future systems to provide broadband access...

In this paper, an extended version of the CRDSA protocol proposed in and is presented. The enhanced CRDSA protocol, dubbed CRDSA++, extends the original CRDSA concept to more than two replicas (e.g. 4 or 5) and exploits power fluctuations in the received signal to further boost the performance of the CRDSA protocol. The paper provides a wide range...

The manuscript describes the design drivers and performance of a high efficiency quasi-real time satellite mobile messaging system well adapted to the location-based and data acquisition services targeting in particular the automotive market. It is shown that the proposed solution is providing a random access channel throughput around 2 bit/s/Hz wi...

Herein, the results of the ESA co-funded research project named "ORTIGIA" are summarized The scope of the project was to validate experimentally the techniques introduced by the DVB-SH working group to counteract fading in satellite and terrestrial environments. The experiments include measurements both on the field and in the laboratory.

The paper offers an analysis of recent trends in satellite communication payloads from a system perspective. A critical discussion of advanced payload architectures based on the exploitation of Software Defined Radio techniques and technologies is presented. Software Defined Payloads are envisioned as the next evolution step in the progress of sate...

There is an interest in exploring the possible use for GNSS applications of the frequency band 5000 – 5030 MHz. Considering the increasing number of GNSS systems sharing the Lband spectrum and the power flux density limitations affecting the GNSS reserved frequency bands, there is an interest to look at new frequency bands. C-band GNSS frequency ba...

This paper complements its companion paper by reporting the key experimental results obtained both in the laboratory and via satellite, using the Satellite Universal Mobile Telecommunication Systems (S-UMTS) Advanced TestBed (ATB) - a comprehensive facility developed under a European Space Agency contract whose intention was to demonstrate a set of...

The exploitation of adaptive coding and modulation techniques for broadband multi-beam satellite communication networks operating at Ka-band and above has been shown to theoretically provide large system capacity gains. In this paper, the problem of how to accurately estimate the time-variant channel and how to adapt the physical layer taking into...

Point-to-point multibeam satellite systems based on the DVB-S standard are currently designed for link closure in the worst-case propagation and location conditions. The DVB-S standard, conceived for broadcasting applications, considers a fixed coding rate and modulation format that are selected according to the assumed coverage and availability re...

In this paper a new multiple access scheme dubbed contention resolution diversity slotted ALOHA (CRDSA) is introduced and its performance and implementation are thoroughly analyzed. The scheme combines diversity transmission of data bursts with efficient interference cancellation techniques. It is shown that CRDSA largely outperforms the classical...

This paper presents some enhanced techniques that can be successfully applied to the return link of interactive satellite terminals with some estimated performance gains. In particular the following techniques are presented: i) an enhanced forward error correction (FEC) scheme with improved performance with respect to the current turbo code, ii) a...