Network-Access Satellite Communication System

• US 20080056189A1
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: WildBlue Communications, Inc. (ViaSat Incorporated), Wildlife Communications, Inc.
• Original Assignee: WildBlue Communications, Inc. (ViaSat Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hudson, Erwin C., Martin, Remberto L.
• Application Number:
  US11/847,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20080056189A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/330
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18515 Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method for distributing satellite communications capacity across non-contiguous geographic regions includes: using components on a satellite, splitting a first microwave signal carrying communications data into second and third microwave signals, such that the second and third microwave signals each carry the same communications data from the first microwave communications signal; transmitting the second microwave signal from the satellite to a first geographic region; and transmitting the third microwave signal from the satellite to a second geographic region; wherein the first geographic region is non-contiguous with the second geographic region.

Claims

1. A satellite communications system, comprising:

a splitter configured to split a first microwave signal carrying communications data into second and third microwave signals, such that the second and third microwave signals each carry the same communications data from the first microwave communications signal;

a first microwave radiator coupled to the splitter and configured to direct the second microwave signal to a first geographic region; and

a second microwave radiator coupled to the splitter and configured to direct the third microwave signal to a second geographic region;

wherein the first geographic region is non-contiguous with the second geographic region.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the splitter is a power divider.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second microwave radiators comprise a feed horn.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first transceiver coupled to the splitter and the first microwave radiator; and

a second transceiver coupled to the splitter and the second microwave radiator.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a combiner coupled to the first and second transceivers.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first and second transceivers comprise at least one of a transmit-receive filter and a diplexer.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first and second transceivers are configured to utilize at least one of time-division multiplexing, frequency-division multiplexing, and code-division multiplexing.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the splitter, the first microwave radiator, and the second microwave radiator are installed on a substantially geostationary satellite.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second microwave signal utilizes the same discrete frequency band as the third microwave signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second microwave signal utilizes the same one or more channels as the third microwave signal.

11. The satellite communications system of claim 1, further comprising a third microwave radiator configured to direct a fourth microwave signal to a third geographic region, wherein the third region is positioned at least partially, between the first and second geographic regions.

12. A satellite communications system, comprising:

a power divider configured to split a first microwave signal carrying communications data into second and third microwave signals, such that the second and third microwave signals each carry the same communications data from the first microwave communications signal;

a first feed horn coupled to the power divider and configured to direct the second microwave signal to a first geographic region;

a first transceiver coupled to the splitter and the first microwave radiator;

a second feed horn coupled to the power divider and configured to direct the third microwave signal to a second geographic region, wherein the first geographic region is non-contiguous with the second geographic region;

a second transceiver coupled to the splitter and the second microwave radiator; and

a combiner coupled to the first and second transceivers.

13. A method for distributing satellite communications capacity across non-contiguous geographic regions, comprising:

using components on a satellite, splitting a first microwave signal carrying communications data into second and third microwave signals, such that the second and third microwave signals each carry the same communications data from the first microwave communications signal;

transmitting the second microwave signal from the satellite to a first geographic region; and

transmitting the third microwave signal from the satellite to a second geographic region;

wherein the first geographic region is non-contiguous with the second geographic region.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving fourth microwave signals from the first geographic region;

receiving fifth microwave signals from the second geographic region; and

combining the fourth and fifth microwave signals into a sixth microwave signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the components on the satellite utilize at least one of one of time-division multiplexing, frequency-division multiplexing, and code-division multiplexing.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the satellite is a substantially geostationary satellite.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the second microwave signal and the third microwave signal are transmitted in the same discrete frequency band.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the second microwave signal and the third microwave signal are transmitted in the same one or more channels.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting a fourth microwave signal from the satellite to a third geographic region, the third geographic region being positioned at least partially between the first and second geographic regions.

20. A method for distributing satellite communications capacity across non-contiguous geographic regions, comprising:

using components on a substantially geostationary satellite, splitting a first microwave signal carrying communications data into second and third microwave signals, such that the second and third microwave signals each carry the same communications data from the first microwave communications signal;

transmitting the second microwave signal from the satellite to a first geographic region;

transmitting the third microwave signal from the satellite to a second geographic region;

receiving fourth microwave signals from the first geographic region;

receiving fifth microwave signals from the second geographic region; and

combining the fourth and fifth microwave signals into a sixth microwave signal;

wherein the first geographic region is non-contiguous with the second geographic region and wherein the second microwave signal and the third microwave signal are transmitted in the same discrete frequency band.