System and method for providing automatically processed, network-accessible telemetry data

• US 6,915,238 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SES AMERICOM, Inc. (SES SA)
• Original Assignee: SES AMERICOM, Inc. (SES SA)
• Inventors: Subramaniam, Ganesh, Watts, Jeffrey Thomas, Nowak, Thomas G., Schrumm, John Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bhat, Aditya S.
• Application Number:
  US10/023,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20020095270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 702/188, 700/28, 455430-431, 455/427, 455/13.1, 455/12.1, 455/3.2, 348/144, 128/899, 342/357.09
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18519 Operations control, administration or maintenance

Abstract

A method for monitoring the operation of a spacecraft make telemetry data directly accessible to customers of a satellite services provider over a network. The method may be completely automated at least from the perspective of the provider so that the need for human intervention during telemetry data retrieval and processing is eliminated. This, in turn, will substantially reduce the delays, costs, and inefficiencies associated with conventional telemetry data processing and customer service methods. In one application of the method, helix current data is automatically retrieved, processed, and made accessible at a service provider'"'"'s website for retrieval by customers. The website may be password-protected for security purposes. If desired, telemetry data may be provided on the website on a real-time or near real-time basis. The method may advantageously be integrated into a customer service management model for a satellite service provider in order to streamline efficiency and reduce costs.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring operation of a spacecraft, providing communications services comprising:

retrieving telemetry data indicative of a malfunction of the spacecraft from a storage device;

processing the telemetry data; and

making the processed telemetry data accessible on a network, wherein at least said processing and making steps are automatically performed in response to a request for the telemetry data received from a communications services customer or technician and wherein said request is received through the network, said method further comprising;

automatically creating an accounting record in response to said request for telemetry data, said accounting record indicating a cost of downloading the processed telemetry data indicative of the malfunction of the spacecraft to the customer or technician from said internet website.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said making step includes:

making the processed telemetry data accessible on an internet website.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said internet website is a secure website.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said website is secured by password-protection, and wherein said method further comprises downloading the processed telemetry data to said customer or technician only after said customer or technician enters a valid password.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said retrieving, processing, and making steps are automatically performed on a periodic basis.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

automatically sending the processed telemetry data to the customer or technician through said network.

7. A method for monitoring operation of a spacecraft, comprising:

automatically retrieving telemetry data based on a customer request;

processing the telemetry data; and

making the processed telemetry data accessible to the customer on a network, wherein said telemetry data includes helix current data for said spacecraft, wherein said processing step includes;

automatically generating a graph of said helix current data over a predetermined period of time in response to logon by the customer on a network site, said graph being generated to show an anomalous condition of the spacecraft as a sinusoidal waveform having peak-to-peak values which exceed a predetermined range.

8. A system for monitoring operation of a spacecraft, providing communications services comprising:

a storage device for storing telemetry data indicative of a malfunction of the spacecraft;

a processor for processing the telemetry data; and

a communications module which makes the processed telemetry data accessible on a network, wherein said processor controls the communications module to automatically send the processed telemetry data through communications services the network in response to an electronic request for the telemetry data, wherein the electronic request is formulated through customer activation of a hyperlink on a network website, and wherein said processor automatically creates an accounting record in response to the request for the telemetry data, said accounting record indicating a cost of sending the processed telemetry data indicative of the malfunction of the spacecraft through the network.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said processor automatically processes the telemetry data on a periodic basis.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said processor controls the communications module to automatically send the processed telemetry data through the network on said periodic basis.

11. A method for providing an interactive website which relates to spacecraft operation, providing communications services comprising:

displaying (a) a first selectable icon relating to formulation of a request for telemetry data (b) second selectable icon relating to access of customer account information, and (c) a third selectable icon relating to providing communications services customer service, and displaying a list of selectable parameters on said website when the first icon is selected which provides an indication of data relating to spacecraft operation;

receiving a request from a user indicating one or more parameters selected from the list;

retrieving data corresponding to the selected parameters from a storage device in response to said request; and

processing said data retrieved in said retrieving step.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said request is made by a user selecting said hyperlink.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the parameters on the list are displayed as selectable icons.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said request is made by a user selecting one or more of said icons.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying icons which designate how the processed data is presented to a customer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the icons which designate how data is presented to a customer designate presenting the processed data in graph form, presenting the processed data in text form, and presenting the processed data in spreadsheet form.

17. A system for monitoring operation of a spacecraft, providing communications services comprising:

a storage device for storing telemetry data;

a processor for automatically processing the telemetry data in response to detection of a customer logon onto a network site; and

a communications module which makes the processed telemetry data accessible on the network site, wherein the network site is password protected,

wherein the processor automatically creates an accounting record in response to a request for the telemetry data indicative of a malfunction of the spacecraft, said accounting record indicating a cost of downloading the processed telemetry data indicative of the malfunction of the spacecraft to the communications services customer or technician from said internet website.