Satellite system and method of deploying same

• US 6,336,612 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2001
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Donald C.D., Wang, Arthur W., Yung, Kar W., Mayfield, William W., Cheng, David C., Novak, John III, Taormina, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JAKEL, KEVIN W
• Application Number:
  US09/783,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20020003192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 244/158.R, 455/13.3, 455/13.1, 701/213, 701/226, 342/357.01, 342/357.06
• US Class Current: 244/158.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/195 Non-synchronous stations

Abstract

A satellite communication system has a first deployment of a plurality of satellites deployed in a medium earth orbit and two later deployments of a plurality of satellites deployed in the medium earth orbit. The first deployment is spaced so that the second deployment may be easily deployed and interleaved into the first deployment. A ground terminal is used for communicating with the satellites in the first and second deployments.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a first deployment of a plurality of satellites deployed in a medium earth orbit on an equatorial plane;

a second deployment of a plurality of satellites deployed in the medium earth orbit on the equatorial plane interleaved with said first deployment; and

a ground terminal for communicating with said first and second deployment.

2. A communications system as recited in claim 1 wherein an antenna in said ground terminal is scanned in a single dimension.

3. A communications system as recited in claim 1 wherein an antenna in said ground terminal is scanned in two dimensions.

4. A communications system as recited in claim 1 wherein said medium earth orbit is substantially about 15000 km above the earth.

5. A communications system as recited in claim 1 wherein said satellites reuse the same frequencies as geostationary satellites.

6. A communications system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a third deployment of satellites deployed on an orbit inclined with respect to the equatorial plane.