Broadband Internet Communications via Satellite

Dr. Erich Lutz

Institute of Communications and Navigation
German Aerospace Research Center DLR
Munich/Oberpfaffenhofen

Monday, December 3rd, 2:00 PM, ETC 2.102

Abstract

New developments in satellite communications mainly go into the direction of broadband Internet and multimedia communications. For many applications in this area, especially for mobile applications or multicast applications, specific characteristics of satellite systems can be advantageously exploited.

In the seminar, after a short introduction of DLR, we discuss Web access via satellite multicasting and caching, as well as satellite communications with aircraft passengers. Suitable system architectures and services will be identified, and existing and planned satellite systems will be listed.

Internet communications via satellite is based on the TCP/IP and MPEG/DVB protocol suites. These protocols will be addressed and the influence of characteristics of the satellite channel (shared medium, delay, bit errors) will be shown. Suitable protocol options and modifications will be indicated.

The seminar will also address some activities of the DLR institute of communications and navigation in the area of mobile Internet communications via satellite.

Biography

Erich Lutz received the Dipl.-Ing. degree from the Technical University Munich in 1977 and the Dr.-Ing. degree from the University of the Armed Forces, Munich in 1983. Since then, he has been with the Institute of Communications and Navigation of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, and has participated in a number of international study and research projects. Since 1986, he has been head of the Digital Network section of this institute.

His current research interests include networking aspects in mobile satellite systems, as well as in broadband satellite communication systems, based on DVB and ATM. Dr Lutz has published numerous journal and conference papers, and is the principal author of a book on Satellite Systems for Personal and Broadband Communications, published by Springer in 2000. Also, he lectures on satellite communication networks at the Technical University Munich.

A list of Telecommunications and Signal Processing Seminars is available at from the ECE department Web pages under "Seminars". The Web address for the Telecommunications and Signal Processing Seminars is http://signal.ece.utexas.edu/seminars