Satellite terminal system with wireless link

• US 10,594,388 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2019
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue DIGS LLC
• Original Assignee: Blue DIGS LLC
• Inventors: Garcia, Reed, Chang, Valerie, Gordon, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US16/363,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20190222304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18517 Transmission equipment in earth stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18584 Arrangements for data networking, i.e. for data packet routing, for congestion control data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/19 Earth-synchronous stations

Abstract

A satellite system may have a constellation of communications satellites. Satellite terminal equipment may be used to communicate with the satellite constellation. The satellite terminal equipment may have indoor and outdoor equipment that can communicate wirelessly. Power may be conveyed wirelessly between the indoor equipment and the outdoor equipment. The indoor equipment may include communications circuitry for supporting communications with electronic devices. The outdoor equipment may include satellite communications circuitry. The satellite communications circuitry may include antennas, satellite transceiver circuitry, and modems. Wireless communications between the indoor and outdoor equipment may be supported using radio-frequency wireless communications circuits or optical communications circuits.

Claims

1. A satellite terminal configured to communicate wirelessly with a satellite constellation, the satellite terminal comprising:

wireless power receiving circuitry configured to receive, through an intervening barrier, wireless power transmitted by wireless power transmitting circuitry;

a communications circuit configured to transmit, through the intervening barrier, communications signals corresponding to signals received by the satellite terminal from at least one satellite in the satellite constellation; and

a housing having a mounting structure configured to mount the housing to the intervening barrier, wherein the communications circuit and the wireless power receiving circuitry are located within the housing.

2. The satellite terminal defined in claim 1, wherein the mounting structure comprises an adhesive.

3. The satellite terminal defined in claim 1, wherein the mounting structure comprises a screw.

4. The satellite terminal defined in claim 1, wherein the mounting structure comprises a mounting bracket.

5. The satellite terminal defined in claim 1, wherein the mounting structure comprises a suction cup.

6. The satellite terminal defined in claim 5, wherein the intervening barrier comprises glass.

7. The satellite terminal defined in claim 6, wherein the communications circuit comprises a light source, an optical fiber coupled to the light source, and a lens coupled to the optical fiber, wherein the light source is configured to, via the optical fiber and the lens, transmit the communications signals at an optical wavelength through the glass.

8. The satellite terminal defined in claim 1, wherein the mounting structure comprises a clip.

9. The satellite terminal defined in claim 1, wherein the mounting structure comprises a magnet.

10. The satellite terminal defined in claim 1, wherein the intervening barrier comprises a barrier selected from the group consisting of:

a wall of a building and a window.

11. The satellite terminal defined in claim 1, wherein the communications circuit comprises an antenna configured to transmit the communications signals through the intervening barrier at a frequency between 40 GHz and 100 GHz.

12. A satellite terminal configured to communicate wirelessly with a satellite constellation, the satellite terminal comprising:

wireless power transmitting circuitry configured to transmit, through a window, wireless power to wireless power receiving circuitry;

a communications circuit configured to receive, through the window, optical signals corresponding to radio-frequency signals received by the satellite terminal from at least one satellite in the satellite constellation; and

a housing having a mounting structure configured to mount the housing to the window, wherein the communications circuit and the wireless power transmitting circuitry are at least partially located within the housing.

13. The satellite terminal defined in claim 12, wherein the communications circuit comprises a lens configured to receive the optical signals through the window, an optical fiber coupled to the lens, and a light detector coupled to the optical fiber, wherein the light detector is configured to receive the optical signals through the optical fiber.

14. The satellite terminal defined in claim 13, further comprising:

a light source coupled to the optical fiber.

15. The satellite terminal defined in claim 12, wherein the mounting structure comprises a mounting structure selected from the group consisting of:

a suction cup, an adhesive, and a magnet.

16. The satellite terminal defined in claim 12 further comprising:

an additional housing that is separate from the housing;

a power converter at least partially located in the additional housing; and

a cable that couples the power converter to the wireless power transmitting circuitry.

17. A satellite terminal configured to communicate wirelessly with a satellite constellation, the satellite terminal comprising:

a first housing configured to be mounted to a first side of a barrier;

a second housing configured to be mounted to a second side of the barrier;

a first communications circuit in the first housing and configured to transmit signals through the barrier while the first housing is mounted to the barrier, wherein the transmitted signals correspond to signals received from at least one satellite in the satellite constellation;

a second communications circuit in the second housing and configured to receive the transmitted signals through the barrier while the second housing is mounted to the barrier; and

an alignment sensor, wherein the alignment sensor is configured to detect an alignment quality between the first and second communications circuits, and wherein the alignment sensor is configured to produce a feedback signal indicative of the detected alignment quality.

18. The satellite terminal defined in claim 17, wherein the feedback signal comprises a feedback signal selected from the group consisting of:

an audible feedback signal, a visual feedback signal, and a haptic feedback signal.

19. The satellite terminal defined in claim 18, wherein the alignment sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a magnetic sensor and an optical sensor.

20. The satellite terminal defined in claim 18, wherein the alignment sensor is at least partially located in the second housing.