Satellite communication system constituted with primary and back-up multi-beam satellites
First Claim
1. A satellite communication system comprising:
- m primary satellites, each equipped to project N/m beams onto an area, the N/m beams from each primary satellite projected across the area in a loosely-packed array wherein beam spots from any one of the m primary satellites are separated by one beam width, wherein N is a total number of beams projected over the area by the m primary satellites and m is an integer greater than 1; and
n back-up satellites, each equipped, disposed, and configured to project N/m beams onto the area such that beam spots from any one of the n back-up satellites are positioned within gaps between the beam spots from the m primary satellites, wherein respective ones of the n back-up satellites are configured to respond to failure of a failed primary satellite by angularly redirecting its beams, without moving from an orbital position occupied by the respective ones of the n back-up satellites prior to the failure of the failed primary satellite, to cover the area previously covered by the beams from the failed primary satellite.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A satellite communication system for providing communications between user terminals and gateways constituted with m primary satellites. In one embodiment, n back up satellites are also provided. Further, each satellite, primary or back-up, is equipped to project N/m beams onto and across an area in a loosely-packed array manner. M of the m primary and n back-up satellites collectively create N beam spots to cover the area. Moreover, each sub-area is covered by a beam spot separated from another sub-area covered by another beam spot by one beam width. Each satellite is also equipped to facilitate communication over 1 of m band of frequencies on one beam. AS a result, any of the m primary satellites may be efficiently replaced on demand by a selected one of the n back-up satellites. The gateways and user terminals are configured to communicate signals through or with both or either the primary and back-up satellites.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A satellite communication system comprising:
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m primary satellites, each equipped to project N/m beams onto an area, the N/m beams from each primary satellite projected across the area in a loosely-packed array wherein beam spots from any one of the m primary satellites are separated by one beam width, wherein N is a total number of beams projected over the area by the m primary satellites and m is an integer greater than 1; and n back-up satellites, each equipped, disposed, and configured to project N/m beams onto the area such that beam spots from any one of the n back-up satellites are positioned within gaps between the beam spots from the m primary satellites, wherein respective ones of the n back-up satellites are configured to respond to failure of a failed primary satellite by angularly redirecting its beams, without moving from an orbital position occupied by the respective ones of the n back-up satellites prior to the failure of the failed primary satellite, to cover the area previously covered by the beams from the failed primary satellite. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of satellite communication, the method comprising:
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projecting N/m beams from each of m primary satellites onto an area in a loosely-packed array, beam spots from each of the m primary satellites separated by one beam width, wherein N is a total number of beams projected over the area by the m primary satellites and m is an integer greater than 1; projecting, prior to a failure of one of the m primary satellites, N/m beams from each of n back-up satellites onto the area such that beam spots from any one of the n back-up satellites are positioned within gaps between the beam spots from the m primary satellites; detecting the failure of the one of the m primary satellites; and redirecting the N/m beams from one of the n back-up satellites, without moving the one of the n back-up satellites from an orbital position occupied by the one of the n back-up satellites prior to the failure of the one of the m primary satellites that failed, to cover the area previously covered by the beams from the one of the m primary satellites that failed, wherein the redirecting comprises adjusting a projection angle of an antenna on the one of the n back-up satellites. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor to:
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project N/m beams from each of m primary satellites onto an area in a loosely-packed array, beam spots from each of the m primary satellites separated by one beam width, wherein N is the a total number of beams projected over the area by the m primary satellites and m is an integer greater than 1; project, prior to a failure of one of the m primary satellites, N/m beams from each of n back-up satellites onto the area such that beam spots from any one of the n back-up satellites are positioned within gaps between the beam spots from the m primary satellites; detect the failure of the one of the m primary satellites; and redirect the N/m beams from one of the n back-up satellites, without moving the one of the n back-up satellites from an orbital position occupied by the one of the n back-up satellites prior to the failure of the one of the m primary satellites that failed, to cover the area previously covered by the beams from the one of the m primary satellites that failed by modifying a projection angle of an antenna on the one of the n back-up satellites.
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Specification