Method and system for providing satellite coverage using fixed spot beams and scanned spot beams
First Claim
1. A system for providing high frequency data communications in a satellite-based communications network, the system comprising:
- a plurality of communications satellites each having uplink and downlink antennas capable of receiving and transmitting a plurality of signals utilizing a plurality of beams having fixed spot beams and scanned spot beams to a plurality of spot coverage areas and a plurality of scanned spot areas respectively at a predetermined range of frequencies, the plurality of satellites each further having receiving and transmitting beam forming networks coupled to the uplink and downlink antennas respectively, said antenna having respective adjacent reconfigurable receiving and transmitting antenna elements; and
a controller located on said satellite coupled to each of said transmitting and receiving beam forming networks, said controller selecting either a spot coverage area or a scanned spot beams for each of the receiving and transmitting antenna elements.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A satellite-based communications system operating at high data rates includes a plurality of communications satellites each having an uplink and a downlink antenna for receiving and transmitting a plurality of spot beams which may be fixed or scanned. The fixed beams may be directed to areas of high satellite use. The scanned beams may be rapidly scanned between areas of use insufficient to support a dedicated beam. The scanned beam allows potentially nearly ubiquitous coverage by using high frequency beams. To rapidly scan, beam forming networks have a plurality of phase coefficients that may be changed so that the angle of the beam may change. A controller coupled to the beam forming network may be used to change the phase coefficients in response to beam inputs such as the desired beam and configurations of the other beams on the satellite.
36 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A system for providing high frequency data communications in a satellite-based communications network, the system comprising:
-
a plurality of communications satellites each having uplink and downlink antennas capable of receiving and transmitting a plurality of signals utilizing a plurality of beams having fixed spot beams and scanned spot beams to a plurality of spot coverage areas and a plurality of scanned spot areas respectively at a predetermined range of frequencies, the plurality of satellites each further having receiving and transmitting beam forming networks coupled to the uplink and downlink antennas respectively, said antenna having respective adjacent reconfigurable receiving and transmitting antenna elements; and
a controller located on said satellite coupled to each of said transmitting and receiving beam forming networks, said controller selecting either a spot coverage area or a scanned spot beams for each of the receiving and transmitting antenna elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A satellite comprising:
-
a plurality of beam inputs;
an uplink antenna having a plurality of antenna receiving elements;
a receive beam forming network coupled to said plurality of antenna receiving elements, said receiving beam forming network having a plurality of tunable receiving beam forming elements, each of said tunable receiving beam forming elements coupled to one of said antenna receiving elements and each of said tunable receiving beam forming elements having a receiving phase coefficient;
a downlink antenna having a plurality of antenna transmitting elements;
a transmitting beam forming network coupled to said plurality of antenna transmitting elements, said transmitting beam forming network having a plurality of tunable transmitting beam forming elements, each of said tunable transmitting beam forming elements coupled to one of said antenna transmitting elements and each of said tunable transmitting beam forming elements having a transmitting phase coefficient;
a controller coupled to said transmitting beam forming network, said receiving beam forming network and said beam forming inputs, said controller calculating and adjusting said transmitting and receiving phase coefficients in response to said beam forming inputs. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method of communicating between a ground station and a satellite comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining beam inputs;
calculating phase coefficients in response to the beam inputs;
directing the phase coefficients to a beam forming network; and
generating a beam corresponding to the phase coefficients. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification