System and method for remote satellite and ground station constellation management

• US 10,054,686 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2015
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spire Global Subsidiary, Inc. (Spire Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Spire Global, Inc.
• Inventors: Jobanputra, Roshan, Trutna, Jesse, Patterson, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Harry K
• Application Number:
  US14/986,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20170192095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 342357395, 342377, 342409
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/1085 Swarms and constellations
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 3/00 Observing or tracking cosmonautic vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/02 Details of the space or ground control segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/185 Space-based or airborne stations; Stations for satellite systemsH04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1851 Systems using a satellite or space-based relay H04B7/18508, H04B7/18521 take precedence; providing specific services H04B7/18523 - H04B7/18576
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18517 Transmission equipment in earth stations

Abstract

The disclosed technology relates to systems and methods for managing one or more ground stations that track satellites. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores information of a ground station at a first position at a first time. A processor receives from a sensor information of the ground station at a second position at a second time. The processor detects an anomaly of a positional characteristic of the ground station based on a difference between the first position and the second position. The processor outputs an instruction to calibrate the ground station based on the detected anomaly.

Claims

1. A system for managing a ground station that tracks a satellite, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store information of the ground station at a first position at a first time, the ground station defining a field of view within which to receive radio waves from a satellite, the ground station including a rotor to adjust the field of view; and

a processor in communication with the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the processor configured to;

receive, from a sensor, information of the ground station at a second position at a second time;

output an instruction to store the information of the ground station at the second position at the second time in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to develop a time based record of the ground station;

detect an anomaly of a positional characteristic of the ground station based on a difference between the first position and the second position;

determine a need to calibrate the ground station based on the detected anomaly; and

output a signal indicative of the need.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first position and the second position of the ground station each include an elevation dimension and an azimuth dimension.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to display a graphical illustration of the ground station at the first position and at the second position in an overlay manner.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor outputs the signal to calibrate the rotor based on the detected anomaly.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor outputs the signal to alert a user to calibrate the ground station.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the information of the ground station at the second position at the second time is visual information.

7. A method for managing a ground station that tracks a satellite, comprising:

storing, by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, information of the ground station at a first position at a first time, the ground station defining a field of view within which to receive radio waves from a satellite, the ground station including a rotor to adjust the field of view;

receiving, by a processor, the stored information of the ground station at the first position;

receiving, by the processor, from a sensor, information of the ground station at a second position at a second time;

outputting, by the processor, an instruction to store the information of the ground station at the second position at the second time in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to develop a time based record of the ground station;

detecting, by the processor, an anomaly of a positional characteristic of the ground station based on a difference between the first position and the second position;

determining, by the processor, a need to calibrate the ground station based on the detected anomaly; and

outputting, by the processor, a signal indicative of the need.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the processor outputs the signal to calibrate the ground station based on the detected anomaly.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the processor outputs the signal to alert a user to calibrate the ground station.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the information of the ground station at the second position at the second time is visual information.

11. A system for providing a graphical display of information related to a satellite reception device, the reception device changing from a first position at a first time to a second position at a second time, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store information of the reception device at the first position; and

a processor in communication with the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the processor configured to;

receive, from the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the stored information of the reception device at the first position;

receive, from a sensor, information of the reception device at the second position;

construct a visual representation of the reception device at the first position and the reception device at the second position in an overlay manner; and

output for display the visual representation,

determine a degree of miscalibration based on a difference between the first position and the second position, the first position being correctly calibrated position, and the second position being an incorrectly calibrated position.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first position and the second position of the reception device each include an elevation dimension and an azimuth dimension.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the stored information of the reception device at the first position includes visual information, wherein the visual information includes at least one of image and video formats.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor includes an image sensor, and wherein the image sensor includes a camera.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the visual representation distinguishes the reception device at the first position from the reception device at the second position.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor outputs an instruction to calibrate the reception device based on the determined degree of miscalibration.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor outputs for display an instruction to a user to calibrate the reception device.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the correctly calibrated position is associated with predetermined elevation and azimuth values.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the reception device is a ground station.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the reception device defines a field of view within which the reception device receives radio waves from a satellite, and the reception device includes a rotor to adjust the field of view.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor outputs an instruction to calibrate the rotor based on a difference between the first position and the second position.

22. The system of claim 11, wherein the information of the reception device at the second position is visual information.

23. A method for providing a graphical display of information related to a satellite reception device that changes from a first position at a first time to a second position at a second time, comprising:

storing, by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, information of the reception device at the first position;

receiving, by a processor, the stored information of the reception device at the first position;

receiving, by the processor, from a sensor, information of the reception device at the second position;

constructing, by the processor, a visual representation of the reception device at the first position and the reception device at the second position in an overlay manner;

outputting for display the visual representation; and

determining a degree of miscalibration based on a difference between the first position and the second position, the first position being correctly calibrated position, and the second position being an incorrectly calibrated position.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the information of the reception device at the second position is visual information.

25. A system for providing a graphical display to manage a satellite reception device that tracks a satellite, the reception device defining a field of view within which the reception device receives radio waves from the satellite, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a satellite'"'"'s position;

receive, from a sensor, information of the reception device including positional information of the reception device;

determine a field of view of the reception device based on the received information;

determine a predicted path of the satellite relative to the field of view of the reception device;

output for display a polar coordinates graph illustrating the satellite'"'"'s position and the predicted path of the satellite relative to the field of view of the reception device; and

output a signal to calibrate the reception device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the information of the reception device is visual information.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the positional information of the reception device includes an elevation dimension and an azimuth dimension.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the reception device includes a rotor to adjust the field of view.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is configured to determine elevation and azimuth information of the reception device based on the information of the reception device.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is configured to output a signal to alert a user to calibrate the reception device.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is configured to receive the satellite'"'"'s position and the information of the reception device at real time or quasi real time.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is configured to output for display an updated polar coordinates graph illustrating an updated satellite'"'"'s position and an updated predicted path of the satellite relative to an updated field of view of the reception device.

33. A method for providing a graphical display to manage a satellite reception device that tracks a satellite, the reception device defining a field of view within which the reception device receives radio waves from the satellite, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a satellite'"'"'s position;

receiving, by the processor, from a sensor, information of the reception device including positional information of the reception device;

determining, by the processor, a field of view of the reception device based on the received information;

determining, by the processor, a predicted path of the satellite relative to the field of view of the reception device;

outputting for display a polar coordinates graph illustrating the satellite'"'"'s position and the predicted path of the satellite relative to the field of view of the reception device; and

output a signal to calibrate the reception device.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the information of the reception device is visual information.

35. A system for providing a graphical display of information related to a plurality of ground stations, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store information of the plurality of ground stations, the stored information relating to information of a plurality of positions exhibited by each ground station throughout a time frame, each ground station defining a field of view within the ground station receives radio waves from a satellite, and the ground station including a rotor to adjust the field of view; and

a processor in communication with the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the processor configured to;

receive an input by a user selecting at least one ground station;

receive an input by the user selecting a point in the time frame associated with the selected ground station;

retrieve from the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium a position of the selected ground station corresponding to the selected point in the time frame; and

output for display a visual representation of the selected ground station exhibiting the retrieved position at the selected point in the time frame.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the stored information is visual information of the plurality of positions exhibited by each ground station throughout the time frame.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein each position of each ground station includes an elevation dimension and an azimuth dimension.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the stored information in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes visual information of each ground station at a correctly calibrated position.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the processor is configured to construct a visual representation of the selected ground station at the selected point in the time frame and at the correctly calibrated position in an overlay manner.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the processor is configured to output for display the constructed visual representation.

41. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is configured to:

retrieve from the non-transitory computer-readable store medium positions of the selected satellite subsequent to the selected point in the time frame; and

output for display, in a time sequence, a visual representation of the selected satellite exhibiting the retrieved positions sequent to the selected point in the time frame.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the positions of each ground station include positions of the rotor associated with the ground station.

43. A method for providing a graphical display of information related to a plurality of ground stations, comprising:

storing, by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, information of the plurality of ground stations, the stored information relating to information of a plurality of positions exhibited by each ground station throughout a time frame, each ground station defining a field of view within the ground station receives radio waves from a satellite, and the ground station including a rotor to adjust the field of view;

receiving, by a processor, an input by a user selecting at least one ground station;

receiving, by the processor, an input by the user selecting a point in the time frame associated with the selected ground station;

retrieving, by the processor, from the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium a position of the selected ground station corresponding to the selected point in the time frame; and

outputting, by the processor, for display a visual representation of the selected ground station exhibiting the retrieved position at the selected point in the time frame.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the stored information is visual information of the plurality of positions exhibited by each ground station throughout the time frame.

45. A system for providing a graphical display of information related to a plurality of ground stations, comprising:

a plurality of ground stations;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store information of the plurality of ground stations, the stored information including a location of each satellite reception device; and

a processor in communication with the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the processor configured to;

receive, from the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the location of each ground station; and

output for display a distribution of the ground stations in a geographical map based on the location of each ground station.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein each ground station defines a field of view within which the ground station receives radio waves from a satellite.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the processor is configured to output for display at least one satellite in the geographical map within a field of view of at least one of the ground stations.

48. The system of claim 45, wherein the processor is configured to receive information about at least one satellite, the received information including a location of the at least one satellite.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the processor is configured to output for display the at least one satellite in the geographical map based on the location of the at least one satellite.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein the processor is configured to predict a path of the at least one satellite.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the processor is configured to output for display the predicted path of the at least one satellite in the geographical map.

52. A method for providing a graphical display of information related to a plurality of ground stations, comprising:

storing, by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, information of the plurality of ground stations, the stored information including a location of each ground station, each ground station defining a field of view within which the ground station receives radio waves from a satellite;

receiving, by a processor, from the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the location of each ground station;

outputting, by the processor, for display a distribution of the ground stations in a geographical map based on the location of each ground station;

outputting, by the processor, for display at least one satellite in the geographical map within a field of view of at least one of the ground stations; and

receiving information about at least one satellite, the received information including a location of the at least one satellite.

53. A system for providing a graphical display of ground station information, comprising:

a plurality of ground stations;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store information related to the plurality of ground stations, each ground station providing at least one service in connection with satellite reception; and

a processor in communication with the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the processor configured to;

receive, from the plurality of ground stations, information related to availability of each service provided by each ground station;

output an instruction to store service availability of each ground station in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and

output for display status of the plurality of ground stations, the displayed status including the service availability of each ground station.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the displayed status includes an identification associated with each ground station, a hostname associated with each ground station, processor information associated with each ground station, and memory information associated with each ground station.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein the processor is configured to receive the information related to availability of each service provided by each ground station at real time or quasi real time.

56. A method for providing a graphical display of ground station information, comprising:

storing, by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, information related to a plurality of ground stations, each ground station providing at least one service in connection with satellite reception;

receiving, by a processor, from the plurality of ground stations, information related to availability of each service provided by each ground station;

outputting, by the processor, an instruction to store service availability of each ground station in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and

outputting for display status of the plurality of ground stations, the displayed status including the service availability of each ground station.