REDUNDANT COMMUNICATION PATH FOR SATELLITE COMMUNICATION DATA

• US 20100255776A1
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Hudson, Erwin C., Martin, Remberto L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,634,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/12.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18515 Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method for use in managing satellite communications includes: receiving, at a first earth-based gateway antenna system, one or more microwave communication signals from a substantially geostationary satellite; monitoring for a performance change in at least one signal from the satellite; and, in response to detecting a performance change in the at least one signal, transmitting instructions to the satellite to transmit at least a portion of the one or more microwave communication signals to a second earth-based gateway antenna system.

Claims

1. A method of providing a redundant communication path for communication signals that are transmitted between a satellite and a plurality of active gateways comprising:

transmitting said communication signals between said plurality of operational gateways at ground locations and a plurality of active transceivers on said satellite;

detecting a change in performance of transmission of said communication signals between said satellite and one operational gateway of said plurality of operational gateways;

directing said communication signals of said one operational gateway to an additional transceiver in said satellite in response to detecting said change in performance of said transmission of said communication signals of said one active operational gateway;

transmitting said communication signals of said one operational gateway between said additional transceiver and a utility gateway.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said change in performance of said communication signals between said satellite and said one operational gateway is due to at least a partial failure of said one of said active gateways.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said change in performance of said communication signals between said satellite and said one operational gateway is due to weather interference of said communication signals that are transmitted between said satellite and said one operational gateway.

4. A satellite communication system that provides a redundant communication path for communication signals that are transmitted between a satellite and a plurality of ground stations comprising:

a plurality of operational gateways located at said plurality of ground stations that transmit and receive said communication signals;

a plurality of transceivers on said satellite that transmit said communication signals to said plurality of operational gateways and receive said communication signals from said operational gateways;

at least one selector on said satellite that directs at least a portion of said communication signals between one operational gateway of said plurality of operational gateways and one transceiver of said plurality of transceivers to an additional transceiver that communicates with a utility gateway in response to detection of a change in signal strength of said communication signals transmitted between said one operational gateway and said one transceiver, to provide said redundant communication path for said communication signals transmitted between said one operational gateway and said one transceiver.

5. The satellite communication system of claim 4 wherein said selector is operative in response to commands from a ground station.

6. The satellite communication system of claim 4 wherein said selector directs at least a portion of said communication signals between said one operational gateway and said additional transceiver in response to detection of said change in signal strength resulting from a propagation loss due to weather.

7. The satellite communication system of claim 4 wherein said selector directs at least a portion of said communication signals between said one operational gateway and said additional transceiver in response to detection of said change in signal strength resulting from at least a partial failure of said one operational gateway.