نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسندگان
استادیار پژوهشی، گروه ارتباطات ماهوارهای، پژوهشکده فناوری ارتباطات، پژوهشگاه ارتباطات و فناوری اطلاعات، تهران، ایران.
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
Purpose: Direct satellite communications with devices on the ground, as a new technology in the field of satellite communications, have been of interest to the space industry in recent years with the approach of modifying their products to integrate with providing this type of service. It is expected that with the full launch of new generations of communication networks, the use of this type of service in combined networks based on land, air, and space will be given serious attention. It should be noted that the terrestrial elements of this type of communication service will include smartphones and IoT sensors. For this type of service to be used in new generations of communication networks such as, the fifth generation and beyond, it must provide a high capacity on the order of terabits per second. This requirement, however, represents a significant challenge in the early stages of providing this type of service. Therefore, in the early stages, a narrowband service with low rate and bandwidth has been considered. Of course, if broadband service can be operationalized and provided, comprehensive and integrated access in different locations and remotely can be guaranteed. This would go beyond the limitations of today's communication network infrastructure. Currently, the provision of direct-to-cell communication services in smartphones has not been standardized. As a result, satellite systems for providing such services are currently focused on the frequency spectrum of terrestrial operators. Of course, with the operationalization of 3GPP standards for 5G on NTN in version 18 onwards, it is possible to use the space-frequency band to provide direct-to-cell communication services by making appropriate software or hardware modifications. Therefore, considering the emergence of this type of technology, analyzing and examining this area using a scientometric approach is an appropriate technique for evaluating the various dimensions of this type of technology. The purpose of this research is to scientifically analyze and map the leading and active areas in this technology utilizing data from the Scopus citation database between 2011 and 2024.
Methodology: This research is an applied research that has been conducted using common techniques in scientometric studies, such as co-word network, co-authorship network and co-country analysis. The statistical population in the present study comprises all scientific documents in the field of "direct satellite-to-device connection technologies" that have been indexed in the Scopus citation database between 2011 and 2024. The number of retrieved results included 168 documents that, after retrieval and statistical analysis, were visualized, and relevant maps were visualized in this field with software such as VOSviewer and Gephi.
Findings: While most global studies employing a scientometric approach (e.g., in satellite system technology) highlight the United States and China as leaders, the findings of this study reveal that Germany, China, and France are at the forefront. The main reason for this can be attributed to the focus of these countries on publishing scientific products in this field. This is while countries such as China and the United States have so far focused more on the process of designing, manufacturing, and testing this type of technology. The extracted findings show that the trend of scientific production in this field has been upward and has grown significantly from 2021 to 2024. In this field, Germany is considered the top country with the publication of 42 research papers, and the Bundeswehr University Munich is considered the leading institution. Knopp Andreas is also a leader in this field with the publication of 14 research papers.
Conclusion: Today, considering the process of designing, building, and developing satellite systems such as low-Earth orbit systems in Iran, it is necessary to pay special attention to how to manage the operation and use of this type of direct satellite-to-device communication technology in government institutions such as the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the National Cyberspace Center, the Regulatory Organization, the Space Organization, etc. It should be noted that leading countries in the field of direct satellite-to-device communication are seeking to develop the infrastructure needed in this field to have an effective share of the global market. By participating in regional and international agreements and collaborations, Iran can ensure data security in this field. In general, Iran should consider the necessary plans for the introduction of this type of technology in the country, considering its governance policies. Finally, if this type of technology is used legally in Iran, it can be used as a complement to the mobile network and for communications in emergencies. Of course, this is subject to foreign operators complying with the Iranian national laws and regulations. Therefore, the findings of this research, derived from one of the world's most reputable databases, can provide a suitable strategy for Iran in this field.
کلیدواژهها [English]
)