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US 10,567,071 B1Granted
Ground-based antenna for concurrent communications with multiple spacecraft
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsRobert Bruce Friend, Kurt William Loheit
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system includes an antenna of a ground station. The antenna is configured to generate a plurality of signal beams. The plurality of signal beams defines a plurality of cells in the sky. The antenna is mechanically fixed to a particular orientation. The antenna includes a phased array antenna. The system also includes a processor coupled to the antenna. The processor is configured to initiate concurrent communications with a plurality of spacecraft via the plurality of signal beams. The plurality of spacecraft is located within the plurality of cells.
Claims17
A system comprising:
- an antenna of a ground station, the antenna configured to generate a plurality of signal beams, the plurality of signal beams defining a plurality of cells in the sky, wherein the antenna is mechanically fixed to a particular orientation, and wherein the antenna comprises a phased array antenna;
- and
- a processor coupled to the antenna, the processor configured to:
- initiate concurrent communications with a plurality of spacecraft via the plurality of signal beams, the plurality of spacecraft located within the plurality of cells;
- receive, via the antenna, a first communication signal from a first spacecraft of the plurality of spacecraft, the first communication signal received via a first signal beam of the plurality of signal beams;
- determine a first location of the first spacecraft with respect to the plurality of cells based on receipt of the first communication signal;
- receive, via the antenna, a second communication signal from the first spacecraft, the second communication signal received via a second signal beam of the plurality of signal beams;
- determine a second location of the first spacecraft with respect to the plurality of cells based on receipt of the second communication signal;
- and
- determine an estimated path of the first spacecraft based at least in part on the first location and the second location.
7 more elements
A method comprising:
- generating a plurality of signal beams at an antenna of a ground station, the plurality of signal beams defining a plurality of cells in the sky, wherein the antenna is mechanically fixed to a particular orientation, and wherein the antenna comprises a phased array antenna;
- and
- performing concurrent communications with a plurality of spacecraft via the plurality of signal beams, the plurality of spacecraft located within the plurality of cells,
- wherein performing the concurrent communications comprises:
- receiving, via the antenna, a first communication signal from a first spacecraft of the plurality of spacecraft, the first communication signal received via a first signal beam of the plurality of signal beams;
- determining a first location of the first spacecraft with respect to the plurality of cells based on receipt of the first communication signal;
- receiving, via the antenna, a second communication signal from the first spacecraft, the second communication signal received via a second signal beam of the plurality of signal beams;
- determining a second location of the first spacecraft with respect to the plurality of cells based on receipt of the second communication signal;
- and
- determining an estimated path of the first spacecraft based at least in part on the first location and the second location.
7 more elements
A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
- initiating generation of a plurality of signal beams at an antenna of a ground station, the plurality of signal beams defining a plurality of cells in the sky, wherein the antenna is mechanically fixed to a particular orientation, and wherein the antenna comprises a phased array antenna;
- initiating concurrent communications with a plurality of spacecraft via the plurality of signal beams, the plurality of spacecraft located within the plurality of cells;
- determining an estimated path of a first spacecraft of the plurality of spacecraft based on a subset of cells of the plurality of cells that are traversed by the first spacecraft;
- comparing the estimated path to spacecraft orbit data, the spacecraft orbit data indicating orbital paths of one or more spacecraft;
- and
- identifying the first spacecraft based on matching the estimated path to one of the orbital paths indicated by the spacecraft orbit data.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.