Multi-feed, multi-channel communication system
First Claim
1. A multifeed, multichannel communications system, comprising:
- first, second and third signal sources, each generating a signal at the same carrier frequency, and each being adapted to be modulated with independent information, said first and third sources being at the same reference phase of said carrier, and said second signal source being in phase quadrature with said reference phase;
first, second, third and fourth radiating means, said first and second radiating means being physically contiguous, said second and third radiating means being physically contiguous, and said third and fourth radiating means being physically contiguous; and
coupling means coupled to said first, second and third signal sources and to said first, second, third and fourth radiating means, for dividing the signal power of each of said first, second and third signal sources into first and second equal portions, and for coupling said second portion of said signal power of said first signal source to said first radiating means, said first portion of said signal power of said second signal source together with said first portion of said signal power of said first signal source to said second radiating means, said first portion of said signal power of said third signal source together with said second portion of said signal power of said second signal source to said third radiating means, and said second portion of said signal power of said third signal source to said fourth radiating means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A satellite communication system includes first, second and third electromagnetic radiators, the first and second of which are a contiguous pair, and the second and third of which are also contiguous. Two channels of information are each modulated onto carriers at the same frequency by means of mutually independent modulations. The modulations may be by orthogonal pseudorandom codes. The first channel is applied to the first and second radiators, and the second channel is applied to the second and third radiators. The first and second radiators form a beam which if decoded for the first modulation is independent to that formed by the second and third radiators. Consequently, the feed apertures overlap in a manner which provides a more constant field intensity in each beam, and which saves size and weight by comparison with a single radiator of corresponding aperture for each channel. In order to avoid the need for linear amplifiers and to reduce power consumption needs attributable to the overlapping apertures, the carriers are phased in mutual quadrature.
154 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A multifeed, multichannel communications system, comprising:
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first, second and third signal sources, each generating a signal at the same carrier frequency, and each being adapted to be modulated with independent information, said first and third sources being at the same reference phase of said carrier, and said second signal source being in phase quadrature with said reference phase; first, second, third and fourth radiating means, said first and second radiating means being physically contiguous, said second and third radiating means being physically contiguous, and said third and fourth radiating means being physically contiguous; and coupling means coupled to said first, second and third signal sources and to said first, second, third and fourth radiating means, for dividing the signal power of each of said first, second and third signal sources into first and second equal portions, and for coupling said second portion of said signal power of said first signal source to said first radiating means, said first portion of said signal power of said second signal source together with said first portion of said signal power of said first signal source to said second radiating means, said first portion of said signal power of said third signal source together with said second portion of said signal power of said second signal source to said third radiating means, and said second portion of said signal power of said third signal source to said fourth radiating means.
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2. A multifeed, multichannel communications system, comprising:
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first, second and third signal sources, each generating a signal at the same carrier frequency, and each being adapted to be modulated with independent information, said first and third sources being at the same reference phase of said carrier, and said second signal source being in phase quadrature with said reference phase; first, second, third and fourth radiating means, said first and second radiating means being physically contiguous, said second and third radiating means being physically contiguous, and said third and fourth radiating means being physically contiguous; a first power divider including an input port which is coupled to said first signal source and also including first and second output ports; a second power divider including an input port which is coupled to said second signal source and also including first and second output ports; a third power divider including an input port which is coupled to said third signal source and also including first and second output ports; a first power combiner including an output port which is coupled to said second radiating means and further including a first input port which is coupled to said first output port of said first power divider and a second input port which is coupled to said first output port of said second power divider; and a second power combiner including an output port coupled to said third radiating means and further including a first input port coupled to said first output port of said third power divider and a second input port coupled to said second output port of said second power divider. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A satellite, comprising:
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a solar panel; power regulating means coupled to said solar panel for producing regulated direct voltage; first, second and third electromagnetic radiating means mounted on said satellite, said first and second radiating means being mutually contiguous and said second and third radiating means being mutually contiguous; a source of first signals, said first signals comprising a carrier at a reference frequency and phase, modulated with first information; a source of second signals, said second signals comprising a carrier at said frequency and at a phase in quadrature with said reference phase, modulated with second information in a manner which allows extraction of said second information independent of said first information; coupling means coupled to said source of first signals and said source of second signals, said coupling means including first, second and third output ports for dividing each of said first and second signals into first and second equal portions, and for coupling said first portion of said first signal to said first output port, for coupling said second portion of said first signals and said first portion of said second signals to said second output port, and for coupling said second portion of said second signals to said third output port; and first, second and third amplifying means coupled to said power regulating means for being energized thereby, said first amplifying means being coupled to said first output port of said coupling means and to said first radiating means for amplifying said first portion of said first signals and for applying amplified signal to said first radiating means, said second amplifying means being coupled to said second output port of said coupling means and to said second radiating means for amplifying the combination of said second portion of said first signals and said first portion of said second signals and for applying amplified signal to said second radiating means, said third amplifying means being coupled to said third radiating means and to said third output port of said coupling means for amplifying said second portion of said second signals and for applying amplified signal to said third radiating means. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification