Power management system for a worldwide multiple satellite communications system

• US 5,285,208 A
• Filed: 08/18/1992
• Issued: 02/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Peterson, Kenneth M., Leopold, Raymond J., Bertiger, Bary R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US07/915,393
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 342/352, 342/358, 342/354, 342/355, 342/356, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.3, 455/13.4, 455/98
• US Class Current: 342/352
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18532 Arrangements for managing transmission, i.e. for transporting data or a signalling message
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18543 for adaptation of transmission parameters, e.g. power control for detecting or preventing errors in the information received H04L1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18571 for satellites; for fixed or mobile stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/42 in systems with time, space, frequency or polarisation diversity

Abstract

A power management system for a worldwide multiple satellite system having satellites positioned latitudinally in a polar orbiting constellation, each satellite having a plurality of antenna beams, each beam having a given area of coverage or "cell," the total sum of the cells for each satellite forming a larger coverage for the entire satellite, the satellites each comprising solar cells and batteries wherein the energy within the batteries is generated by the solar cells and must be efficiently managed. The system comprises an earth based control station which programs each of the satellites within the constellation to supply power to the antenna beams of each satellite at predetermined times to avoid overlapping coverage. Each satellite comprises a voltage regulated linear power amplifier to supply only the power needed for the demand within each of the antenna'"'"'s cells.

Claims

1. A power management system for use in a worldwide low-earth orbit multiple satellite system wherein satellites comprising the satellite system form an overlapping orbiting constellation, each satellite adapted to project a plurality of antenna beams on the earth'"'"'s surface, each beam having a first area of coverage of the earth'"'"'s surface or "cell", the total sum of the cells for each satellite forming a second area of coverage of the earth'"'"'s surface larger than said first area, the satellites each comprising a power source, a plurality of antennas and an RF source providing the antenna beams and said RF source coupled to the antennas, the power management system comprising:

means for determining the quantity of power relayed from the power source to each of the plurality of antennas, said power source coupled to said plurality of antennas;

said means for determining transmitting a signal indicating the quantity of power to be transmitted by each of the satellites to the RF source for the antennas, said means for determining being RF coupled to each said satellite;

a plurality of means for controlling the power from the RF source to each of the plurality of antennas of the satellite, said means for controlling coupled to said means for determining, to said power source and to said RF source; and

each of said plurality of means for controlling the coupling of the power source of each of the satellites to the respective plurality of antennas and said means for controlling decoupling the power supplied to the antennas in order to turn off selected ones of the antenna beams which overlap with others of the antenna beams.

2. A power management system according to claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of means for controlling comprises a demand regulated linear power amplifier.

3. A power management system according to claim 1 wherein said means for determining comprises an earth-based control station.

4. A power management system according to claim 1 wherein said means for determining comprises a plurality of earth-based control stations distributed among multiple geographic locations.

5. A power management system according to claim 1 wherein said means for controlling comprises control switch means.

6. A power management system according to claim 1, wherein the means for controlling is further operated in response to said means for determining to turn on previously turned off antenna beams for a non-overlapping condition of the antenna beams.

7. A method for efficiently managing the power of a worldwide low substantially polar orbit satellite constellation system to avoid redundancy of coverage when more than one satellite within the system covers the same area, and to ensure sufficient stored energy within the satellite for all periods of the satellite'"'"'s operation time, each satellite having a plurality of antennas, the plurality of antennas adapted to project a plurality of cells constituting a first area of coverage on the earth'"'"'s surface the total sum of the cells for each satellite forming a second area of coverage of the earth'"'"'s surface larger than said first area, the satellites each comprising a power source, a plurality of antennas, a control switch and an RF source providing antenna beams wherein the energy within the power source must be efficiently managed, the control switch coupled to the RF source, to the power source, and to the plurality of antennas, the method comprising the steps of:

programming the control switch of the satellite from a control station to supply power via the RF source to the antennas of the satellite at predetermined times to avoid overlap of coverage between cells of different satellites; and

controlling via the control switch the power from the RF source to each of the antennas with a voltage regulated power amplifier to turn off selected ones of the antenna beams overlapping with others of the antenna beams.

8. A method for efficiently managing the power of a worldwide low substantially polar orbit satellite constellation system according to claim 7 wherein said step of programming from a control station comprises programming the control switch of each of the satellites from an earth based control station.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein there is further included the step of turning on the previously turned off antenna beams for a non-overlapping condition of the antenna beams.

10. A power management system for use in a worldwide multiple low-earth orbit satellite system wherein satellites comprising the satellite system form an overlapping orbiting constellation, each satellite having a plurality of antennas coupled to an RF source, said antennas projecting antenna beams, each beam having a first area of coverage or "cell", the total sum of the cells for each satellite forming a second area of coverage larger than the first area, the satellites each comprising solar cells and batteries wherein the power within the batteries is generated by the solar cells and stored in the batteries and the power must be efficiently managed, characterized in that the power management system includes an earth-based control station for programming each of the satellites to control the transfer of power from the batteries to the RF source at predetermined times, said earth-based control station communicating with each of the satellites, each said satellite including means for varying the power output from the battery of each of the satellites to the RF source depending upon a control signal transmitted by the earth-based control station for controlling an on/off status of each of the plurality of antennas, and one each of said means for varying coupled to said battery and to at least one each of said plurality of antennas.

11. The system of claim 10, characterized by a plurality of said earth-based control stations distributed among multiple geographic locations.

12. The system of claim 11, characterized in that each of said means for varying comprises a controllable linear power amplifier.