Ephemeris-Assisted Doppler Frequency Compensation in Satellite Communication Systems

Satellite communication systems, particularly those using Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, have gained significant attention due to their low-latency, high-throughput capabilities, and potential to provide global coverage, especially in underserved areas. However, a key challenge in LEO satellite communication is the Doppler shift effect, caused by the relative motion between the satellite and the ground terminal. This phenomenon leads to frequency shifts, which can result in synchronization errors, signal degradation, and communication inefficiencies. While various Doppler shift compensation methods have been proposed, such as coarse compensation using satellite ephemeris data and fine compensation using pilot-assisted estimation, existing solutions still face limitations, particularly in dynamic and high-speed satellite communication environments. In this paper, we propose an innovative two-stage Doppler compensation scheme that combines both coarse compensation based on ephemeris data and fine compensation using pilot-assisted estimation, with a focus on LEO satellite constellations. The key innovation of our approach lies in the integration of adaptive compensation techniques that dynamically adjust based on the relative motion of the satellite constellation and the ground terminal. This enables real-time compensation that not only mitigates Doppler shifts but also improves the quality of service in satellite networks. By addressing the limitations of existing solutions and offering a more flexible, real-time, and adaptive compensation mechanism, simulation results show that our proposed method significantly improves the reliability and throughput of LEO satellite networks, paving the way for more efficient and robust global satellite communication systems.