Radio system using nodes with high gain antennas

A ground station for use with a radio communications system comprising multiple satellites orbiting the earth for providing a radio route for data communications between transceivers at two ground stations, wherein each of a plurality of the satellites includes (a) a plurality of satellite antennas for receiving an initial information signal from at least one ground station and for transmitting further information signals, (b) antenna pairing circuitry for storing address information identifying a ground station from which the satellite received an initial information signal and the identity of the satellite antenna on which the satellite received the initial information signal, and (c) route creation circuitry for transmitting further information signals from a plurality of the satellite antennas, wherein the further information signals comprise (i) linking information including the address information identifying the ground station that sent the initial information signal, and (ii) a characteristic of the received initial information signal indicating a suitability of the satellite as a node in a radio route to the ground station identified by the stored address information, the ground station including:

• at least one directional antenna for transmitting initial information signals with the address information in a plurality of different directions and for receiving from at least one of said satellites linking information including address information identifying a different ground station that transmitted an initial information signal.

A radio communications system comprising multiple satellites orbiting the earth for providing a radio route for data communications between transceivers at two ground station locations, each satellite and ground station comprising a node of the system, wherein each of a plurality of the satellites includes:

• a plurality of satellite antennas for receiving an initial information signal from at least one ground station and for transmitting further information signals from multiple satellite antennas, wherein each of the satellite antennas comprises a reflector with a plurality of antenna feeds for transmitting radio signals in a plurality of directions different from each other and for receiving radio signals in the respective different directions;
• antenna pairing circuitry for storing (i) address information identifying a ground station from which the satellite received an initial information signal, (ii) the identity of the satellite antenna on which the satellite received the initial information signal, and (iii) the identity of an antenna feed on which the satellite received the initial information signal;
• and
• route creation circuitry for transmitting further information signals from a plurality of the satellite antennas, wherein the further information signals comprise (i) linking information including the address information identifying the ground station that sent the initial information signal, and (ii) a characteristic of the received initial information signal indicating a suitability of the satellite as a node in a radio route to the ground station identified by the stored address information.

A ground station for use with a radio communications system comprising multiple satellites orbiting the earth for providing a radio route for data communications between transceivers at two ground stations, wherein each of a plurality of the satellites includes (a) a plurality of satellite antennas for receiving an initial information signal from at least one ground station and for transmitting further information signals, each of the satellite antennas comprising a reflector with a plurality of antenna feeds for transmitting radio signals in a plurality of directions different from each other and receiving radio signals in the respective different directions;

• (b) antenna pairing circuitry for storing (i) address information identifying a ground station from which the satellite received an initial information signal;
• (ii) the identity of the satellite antenna on which the satellite received the initial information signal;
• and (iii) the identity of an antenna feed on which the satellite received the initial information signal, and (c) route creation circuitry for transmitting further information signals from a plurality of the satellite antennas, wherein the further information signals comprise (i) linking information including the address information identifying the ground station that sent the initial information signal, and (ii) a characteristic of the received initial information signal indicating a suitability of the satellite as a node in a radio route to the ground station identified by the stored address information, the ground station including:
• at least one directional antenna for transmitting initial information signals with the address information in a plurality of different directions and for receiving from at least one of said satellites linking information including address information identifying a different ground station that transmitted an initial information signal.