Satellite Ground Terminal Incorporating a Smart Antenna that Rejects interference

• US 20120062420A1
• Filed: 02/16/2011
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spatial Digital Systems Inc
• Original Assignee: Spatial Digital Systems Inc
• Inventors: Chang, Donald C. D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,490,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/372
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/12 wherein the surfaces are concave H01Q19/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays

Abstract

This device combines multiple elements that function like a single smart antenna that performs both connectivity and spatial discrimination functions. The antenna functions in both receive and transmit modes. The apparatus utilizes commonly used components to distinguish and separate desired satellite signals from those signals of satellites in close directional proximity. Disclosed are six methods for optimizing simultaneously reception of multiple desired satellite signals performed either mechanically or electronically and also included is an optimization technique. The transmission apparatus uses many of the same components as the receiver antenna and additionally uses in-beam nulling to fine tune transmission.

Claims

1. A radio frequency signal transmission system for transmitting signals to multiple, or N, desired geo-stationary orbit satellites concurrently via orthogonal beams, with the transmission system comprising:

Multiple, or M, directional transmitter elements pointed in the direction of said desired satellites,

a controller module communicatively connected with said transmitter elements, wherein the controller module includes an optimization module configured to transmit multiple satellite signals to different geo-stationary orbit satellites concurrently through said transmitter elements, and based on various signal parameters of received satellite signals, creates radiation pattern estimates from said received signals,

wherein upon receiving user input criteria, readjusts signal parameters to meet said user input criteria, wherein improved transmissions to said satellites results,

wherein said user input criteria is set to form N orthogonal beams with said radiation patterns, where N>

M, transmitted from a reflector-element array comprising multiple, or M, reflectors,

wherein each orthogonal beam is pointed at a specified desired satellite, wherein the radiation pattern of each of said orthogonal beams featuring a high gain beam peak toward a target desired satellite direction, wherein various nulls at the peaks of all other orthogonal beams are formed toward all other desired satellite directions.

2. The transmission system for transmitting signals to geo-satellites as set forth in claim 1, including a set of beam weight vectors calculated for a receive array, or receive BWV, comprising:

a controller module communicatively connected with said directional transmitter elements, wherein the controller module includes an optimization module configured to transmit various (N) satellite signals to different (N) geo-satellites concurrently through the M transmitter elements, and based on a set of beam weight vectors of receive orthogonal beams, causing an adjustment of the transmit signal parameters and resulting in improved simultaneous transmissions to multiple (N) target satellites;

wherein each of the resulting Tx radiation patterns from the multiple (m) reflector-element array features a high gain beam peak toward a specified desired satellite direction, and various (N−

1) nulls toward all other desired satellite directions

3. An orthogonal beam receiver system for receiving signals from multiple (N) geo-satellites concurrently, with the receiver system comprising:

Multiple, or m, directional receiver elements for aiming in the general direction of multiple, or N, desired satellites,

a controller module communicatively connected said directional receiver elements, wherein the controller module includes an optimization module configured to receive multiple satellite signals from N geo-stationary orbit satellites concurrently through said receiver elements, and based on various signal parameters of said received satellite signals and user input criteria, readjusts said signal parameters to meet said user criteria, resulting in the formation of multiple, or N, orthogonal beams, wherein each orthogonal beam aids in improving reception of said desired satellite signal while reducing reception from all other satellites.

4. An orthogonal beam receiver system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the signal parameters for each of the N orthogonal beams include amplitude and phase, wherein said controller module adjusts the signal parameters utilizing an optimization technique selected from a group consisting of

radio-frequency element weighting,

baseband element analog weighting technique, and

digital beam-forming techniques,

wherein the element weighting is accomplished by radio frequency amplitude and phase adjustment of the signals,

resulting in weighted received signals, wherein target signals are coherently summed while other signals are destructively summed on an individual direction basis.

5. An orthogonal beam receiver system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said directional receiver elements have multiple, or N, sets of adjustable element parameters which, when adjusted, adjust the signal parameters, wherein each set of the adjustable element parameters is associated with one of the orthogonal beams.

6. An orthogonal beam receiver system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the adjustable element parameters are mechanically-adjustable receiver element positions, spacing and orientations.

7. An orthogonal beam receiver system as set forth in claim 6, wherein such directional receiver elements are configured in a manner selected from a group consisting of fixed locations, re-locatable positions, and mobile positions.

8. An orthogonal beam receiver system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the optimization module iteratively adjusts one of the multiple sets of the adjustable element parameters by an algorithm such as gradient search principles based on the user input criteria until the signal parameters meet the user input criteria.

9. An orthogonal beam receiver system as set forth in claim 8, wherein signal parameters include amplitude and phase, wherein said controller module adjusts at least one of the element parameters and the signal parameters utilizing an optimization technique selected from a group consisting of:

receiver element spacing perturbation,

radio-frequency element weighting,

baseband element analog weighting technique, and

digital beamforming techniques,

wherein said element weighting is accomplished by radio frequency amplitude and phase adjustment of the signals,

resulting in weighted received signals, wherein target signals are coherently summed while other signals are destructively summed on an individual direction basis.

10. An orthogonal beam receiver optimization apparatus to form multiple, or N, orthogonal beams concurrently for various receiving signals from multiple, or N, geo-stationary orbit satellites, with the apparatus comprising

a controller module for concurrently receiving multiple satellite signals, via multiple directional receiver elements, wherein the controller system includes an optimization module configured for each receive beam to receive signals from a specified satellite while rejecting signals from all other desired satellites,

wherein the optimization module, based on received signal parameters of said satellite signals and on user input criteria, adjusts signal parameters of each of the N orthogonal beams to meet said user input criteria, wherein each orthogonal beam aids in improving reception of said desired satellite signal while reducing reception from all other satellites.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said signal parameters for a receiving beam include amplitude and phase, wherein said controller module adjusts the signal parameters for each individual beam utilizing an optimization technique selected from a group consisting of

radio-frequency element weighting, wherein the element weighting is accomplished by radio frequency amplitude and phase adjustment of said signals, resulting in weighted received signals, wherein target signals are coherently summed while other signals (N−

1) are destructively summed on an individual direction basis,

baseband element analog weighting techniques, and

digital beamforming techniques.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein, based on the signal parameters for each of the N multiple orthogonal beams, the controller module is configured to provide adjustment information for adjusting element parameters of said directional receiver elements.

13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein the optimization module iteratively adjusts the adjustable element parameters by an algorithm such as gradient search principles based on the user input criteria until the signal parameters for all beams meet the user input criteria.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the signal parameters for individual beams include amplitude and phase, and where the controller module adjusts at least one of the element parameters and the signal parameters utilizing an optimization technique selected from a group consisting of:

receiver element spacing perturbation;

radio-frequency element weighting, wherein the element weighting is accomplished by radio frequency amplitude and phase adjustment of the signals, resulting in weighted received signals, wherein target signals are coherently summed while other signals (N−

1) are destructively summed on an individual direction basis,

baseband element analog weighting technique, and

digital beam forming techniques.

15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said directional receiver elements are configured in a manner selected from a group consisting of fixed locations, re-locatable positions, and mobile positions.

16. A method for optimizing signal reception via N orthogonal beams from geo-stationary satellites, wherein the method for generating said orthogonal beams comprising

upon receiving a satellite signal, creating signal parameters for one of the orthogonal beams based on input from multiple directional receiver elements,

wherein, based on signal parameters for said orthogonal beams of the received satellite signal and received user input criteria, adjusts the signal parameters to meet the user input criteria, resulting in improved target satellite signal reception while minimizing non-target satellite signal reception.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, further comprising provision of individual beam adjustment information concurrently based on said signal parameters for adjustment of said element parameters of said directional receiver elements.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, wherein adjustment of signal parameters of individual beams occurs, wherein the adjustable element parameters are adjusted by an algorithm such as gradient search principles, based on user input criteria, until said signal parameters meet specified user input criteria, until criteria for all beams are satisfied.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, wherein the signal parameters for individual beams include amplitude and phase, wherein adjustment of said signal parameters and at least one element parameter occurs utilizing an optimization technique selected from a group consisting of

receiver element spacing perturbation,

radio-frequency element weighting, wherein the element weighting is accomplished by radio frequency amplitude and phase adjustment of the signals, resulting in weighted received signals, wherein target signals are coherently summed while other signals (N−

1) are destructively summed on an individual direction basis,

baseband element analog weighting technique, and

digital beam forming techniques.

20. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein said signal parameters for individual beams include amplitude and phase, where in the act of adjusting the signal parameters, at least one of the element parameters and the signal parameters is adjusted utilizing an optimization technique selected from a group consisting of:

receiver element spacing perturbation;

radio-frequency element weighting, wherein said element weighting is accomplished by radio frequency amplitude and phase adjustment of the signals, resulting in weighted received signals, wherein target signals are coherently summed while other signals (N−

1) are destructively summed on an individual direction basis,

baseband element analog weighting techniques, and

digital beam forming techniques.

21. A computer program product for optimizing reception of signals from N geo-stationary orbit satellites concurrently, with the computer program product comprising

computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable media for causing a signal processing system to perform acts comprising

reception of a satellite signal, wherein said program defines signal parameters for said signal, from a set of m directional receiver elements,

wherein said signal parameters and received user input criteria adjust said signal parameters until user-specified criteria are met.

22. The computer program product as set forth in claim 21, further comprising computer-readable instructions on the computer-readable media for causing the data processing system to perform an act of providing adjustment information based on the signal parameters for adjusting element parameters beam by beam of said directional receiver elements.

23. The computer program product as set forth in claim 22, wherein signal parameter adjustment is via algorithm such as gradient search principles, wherein adjustment continues until specified user input criteria are met.

24. A computer program product as set forth in claim 23, wherein said signal parameters of individual beams include amplitude and phase, wherein adjustment of signal parameters and at least one of the element parameters is performed utilizing an optimization technique selected from a group comprising

receiver element spacing perturbation;

radio-frequency element weighting, wherein the element weighting is accomplished by radio frequency amplitude and phase adjustment of the signals, resulting in weighted received signals, wherein target signals are coherently summed while other signals (N−

1) are destructively summed on an individual direction basis,

baseband element analog weighting technique; and

digital beam forming techniques.

25. The computer program product as set forth in claim 21 wherein said signal parameters of individual beams include amplitude and phase, wherein adjustment of signal parameters and at least one of the element parameters is performed utilizing an optimization technique selected from a group comprising

radio-frequency element weighting, wherein the element weighting is accomplished by RF amplitude and phase adjustment of the signals, resulting in

weighted received signals, wherein target signals are coherently summed while other signals (N−

1) are destructively summed on an individual direction basis,

baseband element analog weighting technique, and

digital beam forming techniques.