Satellite beacon for faster sky-search and pointing error identification

• US 7,528,773 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Fall, Terrence L., Hules, Frank J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull; Fred H
• Application Number:
  US11/166,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20060292981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 342359-360, 342/354
• US Class Current: 342/359
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/42 the desired condition being maintained automatically
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/125 Means for positioning

Abstract

An apparatus for determining the identity of a first detected satellite and to determine a second scan position for a satellite of interest based in part on the identity of the first detected satellite is disclosed. In one example the identity of the first detected satellite may be determined based on a satellite beacon or identifier.

Claims

1. A method for locating a satellite of interest out of a plurality of satellites at a scan location of a plurality of scan locations, the method comprising the steps of:

scanning the sky with an antenna;

detecting a first satellite at a first scan location of the antenna, wherein the first satellite is identified based upon a spectral signature of the first satellite, and the spectral signature is a result of the first satellite broadcasting over a plurality of transponders, such that the spectral signature is a function of a strength of a signal across the plurality of transponders; and

determining a second scan location of the antenna based on an identification of the first satellite, where the second scan location corresponds to the location of the satellite of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a second scan location of the antenna based on an identification of the first satellite comprises the steps of:

storing location information and an associated unique identifier for each satellite of the plurality of satellites;

determining a detected identifier associated with the first satellite;

determining based on the stored location information a spatial relationship between the first satellite and the satellite of interest; and

providing the second scan location based on the spatial relationship between the first satellite and the satellite of interest.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of unique identifiers are stored in a memory associated with the antenna for comparison to the detected identifier associated with the first satellite.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining a spatial relationship between the first satellite and the satellite of interest comprises the steps of:

determining based on the location of the antenna an azimuth offset between the first satellite and the satellite of interest and an elevation offset between the first satellite and the satellite of interest; and

determining a revised azimuth angle of the antenna based on the azimuth offset and a revised elevation angle of the antenna based on the elevation offset, the revised azimuth angle and the revised elevation angle corresponding to the second scan location.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the unique identifier for the satellite of interest varies depending on the location of the antenna.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein variations in the unique identifier for the satellite of interest are learned by a controller associated with the antenna, the learning of variations in the unique identifier for the satellite of interest comprises the steps of;

storing a first spectral signature of the satellite of interest at a first location of the antenna;

moving the antenna to a second location spaced apart from the first location;

tracking the satellite of interest with the antenna as the antenna is moved from the first location to the second location; and

storing a second spectral signature of the satellite of interest at the second location of the antenna; and

associating the first spectral signature with the satellite of interest and the first location of the antenna and the second spectral signature with the satellite of interest and the second location of the antenna.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the respective unique satellite identifier for each of the plurality of satellites is generated by the respective satellite in an identifier signal which is distinct from a data signal of the respective satellite.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the respective unique satellite identifier for each of the plurality of satellites is generated by the respective satellite and is a component of a data signal of the respective satellite.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the component is a code in a header of the data signal.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the respective unique satellite identifier for each of the plurality of satellites is derived from a spectral signature of the respective satellite.

11. An apparatus for locating a satellite of interest from a plurality of satellites at a scan location of a plurality of scan locations, wherein each of the plurality of satellites is recognizable by a unique satellite identifier, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna configured to scan the sky and to detect a spectral signature of a first satellite of the plurality of satellites when the antenna is in a first scan position, wherein the spectral signature is a result of the first satellite broadcasting over a plurality of transponders, such that the spectral signature is a function of a strength of a signal across the plurality of transponders; and

a controller configured to determine an identity of the first satellite based on the detected spectral signature and to determine a second scan position for the antenna based on the identity of the first satellite, where the second scan location corresponds to the location of the satellite of interest.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a locator configured to provide location information about the apparatus and wherein the second scan position for the antenna is determined based on the location of the apparatus and a spatial relationship between the first satellite and the satellite of interest, the second scan position generally corresponding to an alignment of the antenna with the satellite of interest.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a memory operably coupled to the controller, the memory including a map having location information for the first satellite and the satellite of interest, the spatial relationship between the first satellite and the satellite of interest being based on the map.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the location information related to the first satellite includes a first longitudinal value and the location information related to the satellite of interest includes a second longitudinal value and the second scan position is based on an azimuth offset from the first scan position and an elevation offset from the first scan position, the azimuth offset being determined based on the location information of the apparatus and the first and second longitudinal values and the elevation offset being determined based on the location information of the apparatus and the first and second longitudinal values.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the spectral signature of the first satellite varies based on the location of the apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a tracker and wherein the controller is further configured to track the satellite of interest once the satellite of interest has been detected, the controller storing a first spectral signature of the satellite of interest when the apparatus is in a first position and a second spectral signature of the satellite of interest when the apparatus is in a second position.