Transceiver having steerable antenna and associated method
First Claim
1. An earth station transceiver for communicating with at least one satellite in orbit and wherein the satellite has multiple beams, said earth station transceiver comprising:
- an antenna having an array of antenna elements for creating an antenna pattern;
a receiver operatively coupled to said antenna to receive data at least identifying one of the multiple beams; and
steering circuitry operatively coupled to said antenna and said receiver for steering the antenna pattern by fixing the antenna pattern to an orientation having optimum signal quality upon communication with a satellite in response to the data identifying one of the multiple beams when the data identifying one of the multiple beams indicates that the satellite is outside a predetermined elevation angle range.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An earth station transceiver (210) is provided for communicating with at least one satellite (110, 120) in orbit. The earth station transceiver (210) has an antenna with an array of antenna elements (220, 230) and steering circuitry (240) for steering an antenna pattern created by the array of antenna elements. A position of a beam (310-330) from a satellite can be represented by a beam number. The antenna pattern can be determined without taking signal quality measurements when the beam is at an extreme elevation angle as represented by the beam number. Signal quality measurements can alternatively be made during a time slot or frame to choose an antenna pattern instead of choosing an antenna pattern based on satellite beam number when the beam is not at an extreme elevation angle. Signal quality measurements using the same antenna pattern are made to perform an intra-site handoff. Signal quality measurements using all antenna patterns are made to perform an intersite handoff.
60 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An earth station transceiver for communicating with at least one satellite in orbit and wherein the satellite has multiple beams, said earth station transceiver comprising:
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an antenna having an array of antenna elements for creating an antenna pattern; a receiver operatively coupled to said antenna to receive data at least identifying one of the multiple beams; and steering circuitry operatively coupled to said antenna and said receiver for steering the antenna pattern by fixing the antenna pattern to an orientation having optimum signal quality upon communication with a satellite in response to the data identifying one of the multiple beams when the data identifying one of the multiple beams indicates that the satellite is outside a predetermined elevation angle range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A subscriber transceiver for handoff among at least two downlink cell sites, said transceiver comprising:
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an antenna having an array of antenna elements for creating an antenna pattern capable of communication with the downlink cell sites; and steering circuitry operatively coupled to said antenna for steering the antenna pattern to an orientation having optimum signal quality upon communication with one of the downlink cell sites at a position and, when determining whether to make an intra-site handoff, for fixing the antenna pattern by disabling the steering during intra-site handoff measurements and immediately after an intra-site handoff occurs. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of communicating between an earth station transceiver and at least one satellite in orbit and wherein the satellite has multiple beams, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) creating an antenna pattern from an antenna having an array of antenna elements; and (b) steering the antenna pattern by fixing the antenna pattern to an orientation having optimum signal quality upon communication with a satellite in response to data identifying one of the multiple beams when the data identifying one of the multiple beams indicates that the satellite is outside a predetermined elevation angle range. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method of handoff of a subscriber terminal among at least two downlink cell sites, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) creating an antenna pattern from an antenna of the subscriber terminal having an array of antenna elements; (b) steering the antenna pattern of the subscriber terminal to an orientation having optimum signal quality upon communication with one of the downlink cell sites at a position; and (c) when determining whether to make an intra-site handoff, fixing the antenna pattern by disabling the steering of said step (b) during intra-site handoff measurements. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification