Space vehicle field unit and ground station system

• US 9,478,855 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2015
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRIAD National Security, LLC
• Original Assignee: Los Alamos National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Judd, Stephen, Dallmann, Nicholas, Delapp, Jerry, Proicou, Michael, Seitz, Daniel, Michel, John, Enemark, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): PHU, PHUONG M
• Application Number:
  US14/745,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20150372380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219, 375/220, 375/221, 375/222, 375/295, 375/316
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/02 using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/185 Space-based or airborne stations; Stations for satellite systemsH04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1851 Systems using a satellite or space-based relay H04B7/18508, H04B7/18521 take precedence; providing specific services H04B7/18523 - H04B7/18576
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18517 Transmission equipment in earth stations

Abstract

A field unit and ground station may use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and share a common architecture, where differences in functionality are governed by software. The field units and ground stations may be easy to deploy, relatively inexpensive, and be relatively easy to operate. A novel file system may be used where datagrams of a file may be stored across multiple drives and/or devices. The datagrams may be received out of order and reassembled at the receiving device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one hardware board configured to enable operation of the apparatus as a field unit and a ground station, wherein

software controls whether the apparatus operates as a field unit or a ground station without physical modification to the at least one hardware board.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one hardware board comprises:

an analog radio board configured to send and receive radio signals via an antenna;

a digital radio board configured to interface with the analog radio board and provide digital radio functionality;

a microcontroller board configured to provide processing for the apparatus; and

a backplane that connects the analog radio board, digital radio board, and microcontroller board, facilitating communication between the boards.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein dimensions of the apparatus are approximately four inches by four inches by two inches (4×

4×

2).

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a universal serial bus (USB) port, an Ethernet port, a power port, an external antenna connector, or any combination thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a protective enclosure configured to provide protection from weather.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a twisted pair cable port, a universal serial bus (USB) port, a general purpose input/output (GPIO) port, and an N-connector port configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the software controlling whether the apparatus operates as a field unit or a ground station is stored on an external storage device that can be plugged into the apparatus, which then reads and executes the stored software.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

hardware configured to enable wired or wireless communication, wherein

the hardware downloads the software to enable operation of the apparatus as a field unit or a ground station.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein encryption keys enabling security privileges on a per-user basis are stored on the apparatus and used by the software.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to be controlled by a local or remote external computer.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to control orientation of an antenna via a rotor control box, and to send data to and receive data from a space vehicle via a transceiver box.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is attached to an antenna or integrated with a rotor of the antenna.

13. A field unit/ground station (FU/GS) box, comprising:

an analog radio board configured to send and receive radio signals via an antenna;

a digital radio board configured to interface with the analog radio board and provide digital radio functionality;

a microcontroller board configured to provide processing for the FU/GS box; and

a backplane that connects the analog radio board, digital radio board, and microcontroller board, facilitating communication between the boards, wherein

software controls whether the FU/GS box operates as a field unit or a ground station without physical modification to the boards.

14. The FU/GS box of claim 13, further comprising:

a protective enclosure configured to provide protection from weather.

15. The FU/GS box of claim 13, wherein the software controlling whether the FU/GS box operates as a field unit or a ground station is stored on an external storage device that can be plugged into the FU/GS box, which then reads and executes the stored software.

16. The FU/GS box of claim 13, further comprising:

hardware configured to enable wired or wireless communication, wherein

the hardware downloads the software to enable operation of the FU/GS box as a field unit or a ground station.

17. A system, comprising:

at least one field unit; and

at least one ground station, wherein

the at least one field unit and the at least one ground station have common hardware.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein software controls whether the at least one field unit and the at least one ground station operate as a field unit or a ground station.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the at least one field unit and the at least one ground station comprises:

an analog radio board configured to send and receive radio signals via an antenna;

a digital radio board configured to interface with the analog radio board and provide digital radio functionality;

a microcontroller board configured to provide processing for the field unit or ground station; and

a backplane that connects the analog radio board, digital radio board, and microcontroller board, facilitating communication between the boards.