Satellite beam pattern for non-uniform population distribution

• US 6,173,178 B1
• Filed: 12/16/1997
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Hammill, Chet W., Dishaw, Karl O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US08/991,080
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 455/427, 455/429, 455/444, 455/449, 455/446, 455/443, 455/13.3, 455/12.2, 455/13.2
• US Class Current: 455/429
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2041 Spot beam multiple access

Abstract

A method of generating a beam pattern (202) covering a region of interest (100) is disclosed. The method includes generating a first set of beams having a first size (204). Each beam occupies a portion of the frequency spectrum which need not be unique among the first set of beams. A second set of beams is also generated. Each of the second set of beams has a second size (206) and each of said second set of beams also occupies a portion of the frequency spectrum which need not be unique among the first or second set of beams. The first set of beams and said second set of beams are projected onto a region of interest to create a beam pattern (202). The projected beams need not fall on a regular grid or adhere to any other regular pattern. Each of the projected beams in the beam pattern is substantially non-interfering with any adjacent projected beam.

Claims

1. A method of generating a beam pattern covering a region of interest, said method comprising:

a) generating a first set of polarized beams having a first size, each beam in said first set of polarized beams occupying a portion of a frequency spectrum;

b) generating second set of polarized beams having a second size, each beam in said second set of polarized beams occupying a portion of the frequency spectrum;

c) projecting said first set of polarized beams and said second set of polarized beams in an irregular pattern onto a region of interest to create a beam pattern of projected beams having at least two overlapping projected beams, each of said projected beams being non-interfering with any adjacent projected beam; and

wherein said first size and said second size lie in the range of approximately 0.3 to 0.6 degree half angles.

2. A method of generating a beam pattern covering a region of interest, said method comprising the steps of:

a) generating a first set of beams having a first size in the range of approximately 0.3 to 0.6 degrees half angle, each beam in said first set of beams occupying a portion of a frequency spectrum;

b) generating a second set of beams having a second size in the range of approximately 0.3 to 0.6 degrees half angle, each beam in said second set of beams occupying a portion of the frequency spectrum; and

c) projecting said first set of beams and said second set of beams in an irregular pattern onto a region of interest to create a beam pattern of projected beams having at least two overlapping projected beams, each of said projected beams being substantially non-interfering with any adjacent projected beam.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said projecting step further comprises projecting at least one beam in said second set of beams onto an area of said region of interest having a bandwidth density below a predetermined threshold.

4.The method of claim 2 wherein said first size is smaller than said second size and said projecting step further comprises projecting at least one beam in said first set of beams onto an area of said region of interest having a bandwidth density approximately above a predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein each of said projected beams occupies a portion of the Ka frequency band.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of generating at least one additional set of beams having at least one additional size, each beam in said at least one additional set of beams occupying a portion of the frequency spectrum;

and wherein said projecting step further comprises projecting said at least one additional set of, polarized beams onto said region of interest.

6. The method of claim 6 wherein each of said first, second, and additional beams occupies a portion of the Ka frequency band.

7. The method of claim 7, wherein said projecting step uses an MBA antenna on said satellite.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said projecting step uses a phased array antenna on said satellite.

9. A beam pattern for providing communication bandwidth for a region of interest, the beam pattern comprising a projection onto the region of interest of a plurality of first sized beams overlapping a plurality of larger second sized beams and a plurality of third sized beams larger in size than the first sized beams and overlapping the first sized beams and the second sized beams, the first sized beams projected onto first areas of the region of interest, the second sized beams projected onto second areas of the region of interest, wherein the first areas have bandwidth densities greater than those of the second areas.

10. The beam pattern of claim 10, wherein the first areas have a population density greater than that of the second areas.

11. The beam pattern of claim 10, wherein the first sized beams and the second sized beams are polarized.

12. A beam pattern for providing communication bandwidth for a region of interest, the beam pattern comprising a projection onto the region of interest of a plurality of first sized beams overlapping a plurality of larger second sized beams, the first sized beams projected onto first areas of the region of interest, the second sized beams projected onto second areas of the region of interest, wherein the first areas have bandwidth densities greater than those of the second areas and wherein said first size beams and said second sized beams are between approximately 0.3 to 0.4 degree half angle in size.

13. The beam pattern of claim 13, wherein each of the first sized beams, each of the second sized beams, and each of the third sized beams occupy one of at least six different frequencies, and the region of interest is the continental United States.