‘Little LEOs’ serve an unmet demand: Leo One system architecture optimized to meet market requirements

Abstract

The efficient collection of data from remote devices representing distributed intelligence is becoming a fundamental requirement for competitiveness. The growth of embedded intelligence in devices, combined with the proliferation of the Internet, has expanded the market for short data messaging/monitoring from that of person-to-person, to the inclusion of person-to-machine, and machine-to-machine. The markets for short data messaging/monitoring services include Tracking and Fleet Management, Monitoring and Remote Control, Two-way Messaging, Emergency Services, and Transaction Processing. ‘Little LEO’ satellite systems are uniquely suited to address short data applications that have a requirement for wide area coverage and a sensitivity to cost. While satellite networks in general are optimum for serving applications with broad coverage requirements, Big LEO and K-band satellite systems have frequency and terminal characteristics that render them ill-suited to address many of the requirements of the short data messaging/monitoring markets. Market research suggests that while the value proposition for an economical, low data rate communications capability is generally applicable throughout the world, those economies with the highest productivity and highest concentration of machines are the markets best suited to adopt a thin-route low cost means for inter-linking devices. In addressing the full spectrum of person-to-person, person-to-machine, and machine-to-machine applications the Little LEO system ‘Leo One’ has been designed to provide worldwide coverage specifically optimized for applications in those economies with the highest productivity and the highest concentration of machines. Historically, the economics of terrestrial network infrastructure have focused deployment in areas of population concentration. For short data messaging, numerous urban networks exist in the U.S.A. and Europe. Similarly, the economics of satellite systems have supported the provision of service to lesser developed countries and rural areas, those markets considered to have the highest unmet demand due to a lack of traditional infrastructure. The unique performance capability resulting from the optimization of the Leo One architecture supports the provision of service in lesser developed regions as well as in the most developed markets. However, in general, the Leo One system will not compete with terrestrial data networks. It will pursue niche applications where characteristics of the service appeal to customers with particular attributes, such as multi-market coverage requirements when a single source solution is attractive or hybrid products enabling urban data networks to extend coverage nationally or even internationally. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.