Array processing for satellite communications
First Claim
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1. A satellite communications system, comprising:
- a plurality of satellites that generate communications data over a plurality of channels;
a plurality of antennas that receive the communications data over the plurality of channels generated by the plurality of satellites, wherein each of the antennas receives a separate signal from each of the plurality of satellites over the channels;
a converter to digitize each of the separate signals from each of the plurality of satellites received at the plurality of antennas; and
a processor that forms separate digital beams from each of the separate signals digitized by the converter, wherein the processor determines a collective signal for a selected satellite by summing each of the separate digital beams associated with each of the plurality of satellites, and utilizes the separate digital beams from the non-selected satellites from the plurality of satellites to filter cross-channel interference from the collective signal.
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Abstract
A satellite communications system includes a plurality of satellites that generate communications data over a plurality of channels. A plurality of antennas receives the communications data over the plurality of channels generated by the plurality of satellites. Each of the antennas receives a separate signal from each of the plurality of satellites over the channels. A converter digitizes each of the separate signals from each of the plurality of satellites received at the plurality of antennas. A processor forms separate digital beams from each of the separate signals digitized by the converter.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A satellite communications system, comprising:
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a plurality of satellites that generate communications data over a plurality of channels; a plurality of antennas that receive the communications data over the plurality of channels generated by the plurality of satellites, wherein each of the antennas receives a separate signal from each of the plurality of satellites over the channels; a converter to digitize each of the separate signals from each of the plurality of satellites received at the plurality of antennas; and a processor that forms separate digital beams from each of the separate signals digitized by the converter, wherein the processor determines a collective signal for a selected satellite by summing each of the separate digital beams associated with each of the plurality of satellites, and utilizes the separate digital beams from the non-selected satellites from the plurality of satellites to filter cross-channel interference from the collective signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A satellite communications system, comprising:
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a plurality of satellites that exchange coordination data and mission data over cross-links between each of the plurality of satellites to generate communications data over a plurality of channels; a plurality of antennas that receive the communications data over the plurality of channels generated by the plurality of satellites, wherein each of the antennas receives a composite signal from each of the plurality of satellites over the channels; a converter to digitize each of the composite signals from the plurality of satellites received at the plurality of antennas; and a processor that forms composite beams from the composite signals digitized by the converter, wherein the processor analyzes the composite beams with respect to the coordination data to determine the mission data for a selected satellite from the plurality of satellites. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for satellite communications, comprising:
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receiving, by a processor, data from each member of a satellite swarm to each member of a ground-based antenna array; forming, by the processor, a separate beam for each channel created between the satellite swarm and the ground-based antenna array; determining, by the processor, a collective signal for a selected satellite by coherently summing each of the separate beams associated with each channel; and filtering, by the processor, cross-channel interference from the collective signal by subtracting an interference contribution associated with the separate beams of the non-selected satellites from the collective signal. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for satellite communications, comprising:
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receiving, by a processor, data from each member of a satellite swarm to each member of a ground-based antenna array, wherein the data includes coordination data and mission data that is shared between each member of the satellite swarm, wherein satellites of the satellite swarm exchange the coordination data and the mission data over cross-links between each other to generate communications data exchanged over a plurality of channels, wherein antennas of the ground-based antenna array receive the communications data generated by the satellites over the plurality of channels, wherein each of the antennas receives a composite signal from each of the satellites over the plurality of channels such that composite signals received at the antennas are digitized by a converter; forming, by the processor, a composite beam for each channel created between the satellite swarm and the ground-based antenna array, the composite beam being formed from the composite signals digitized by the converter; and analyzing, by the processor, the composite beams for each channel with respect to the coordination data to determine the mission data for a selected satellite from the plurality of satellites. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification