Method and apparatus for efficient acquisition and tracking of satellites
First Claim
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1. A method of tracking a location of a first satellite, said method comprising the steps of:
- transmitting ephemeris data from said first satellite to a second satellite, wherein said ephemeris data describes said location of said first satellite;
said second satellite transmitting said ephemeris data to a ground terminal, wherein said second satellite is in a geosynchronous orbit; and
responsive to said ephemeris data, said ground terminal orienting an antenna beam such that said first satellite may be tracked.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for efficiently tracking satellites includes a geosynchronous satellite (10) for transmitting the ephemeris of non-geosynchronous satellites (20, 30) to a ground terminal (50). The ephemeris is computed by the non-geosynchronous satellites (20, 30) or by other means such as a ground station (60). A ground terminal (50) can quickly acquire a non-geosynchronous satellite (20, 30) by receiving fresh ephemeris data from a geosynchronous satellite (10), determining a location of a non-geosynchronous satellite (20, 30), and orienting an antenna.
15 Citations
5 Claims
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1. A method of tracking a location of a first satellite, said method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting ephemeris data from said first satellite to a second satellite, wherein said ephemeris data describes said location of said first satellite; said second satellite transmitting said ephemeris data to a ground terminal, wherein said second satellite is in a geosynchronous orbit; and responsive to said ephemeris data, said ground terminal orienting an antenna beam such that said first satellite may be tracked. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of tracking a location of a first satellite, said method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting ephemeris data from a first satellite to a second satellite, wherein said ephemeris data describes said location of said first satellite; said second satellite transmitting said ephemeris data to a ground terminal, wherein said second satellite is in a geosynchronous orbit; and orienting an antenna beam of said ground station in response to said ephemeris data such that said first satellite may be tracked. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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Specification