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US 11,231,505 B2Granted
Symmetrical multistatic radar constellation for earth observation
AssigneeGeoOptics, Inc.
InventorThomas Patrick Yunck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A constellation of satellites and associated methods for Earth Observation are disclosed. One method includes transmitting a set of at least four signals towards the Earth using a constellation of at least four satellites and receiving a set of at least four reflected signals from the Earth using the constellation. The method also includes analyzing, using a set of at least four signal analyzers, the set of at least four signals to generate a set of data. Each satellite in the constellation individually houses a signal analyzer in the set of at least four signal analyzers. The method also includes deriving the set of Earth observations using the set of data. Each satellite receives a signal in the set of at least four signals from every other satellite in the constellation.
Claims20
A system for providing Earth Observations comprising:
- a symmetrical multistatic constellation of at least four satellites;
- a terrestrial computer system;
- a data store accessible to the terrestrial computer system;
- and
- one or more computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the system to:
- transmit a set of at least four sounding signals from the constellation towards the Earth, wherein each satellite in the constellation individually generates at least one sounding signal in the set of at least four sounding signals;
- detect a set of at least four forward scatter signals from the Earth using the constellation, wherein:
- the signals in the set of at least four forward scatter signals uniquely correspond with the signals in the set of at least four sounding signals to form a set of sounding pairs;
- and
- the signals in each sounding pair in the set of sounding pairs are transmitted and received by different satellites in the constellation;
- analyze, using a set of at least four signal analyzers, the set of at least four forward scatter signals to obtain a set of data, wherein each satellite in the constellation individually houses a signal analyzer in the set of at least four signal analyzers;
- derive a set of Earth observations using the set of data;
- and
- store the set of Earth observations in the data store accessible to the terrestrial computer system.
11 more elements
A system for providing Earth observations comprising:
- a constellation of at least four satellites;
- a terrestrial computer system;
- a data store accessible to the terrestrial computer system;
- and
- one or more computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the system to:
- transmit a set of sounding signals from the constellation towards the Earth, wherein each satellite in the constellation individually generates at least one sounding signal in the set of sounding signals;
- detect a set of forward scatter signals from the Earth using the constellation, wherein:
- the signals in the set of forward scatter signals uniquely correspond with the signals in the set of sounding signals to form a set of sounding pairs;
- and
- the signals in each sounding pair in the set of sounding pairs are transmitted and received by different satellites in the constellation;
- analyze, using a set of signal analyzers, the set of forward scatter signals to obtain a set of data, wherein each satellite in the constellation individually houses a signal analyzer in the set of signal analyzers;
- derive a set of Earth observations using the set of data;
- and
- store the set of Earth observations in the data store accessible to the terrestrial computer system;
- wherein analyzing the set of forward scatter signals is conducted using a number of forward scatter signals equal to n(n−1) where n is the number of satellites in the constellation.
12 more elements
A system for providing Earth Observations comprising:
- a constellation of at least four satellites;
- a terrestrial computer system;
- a data store accessible to the terrestrial computer system;
- and
- one or more computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the system to:
- transmit a set of at least four signals towards the Earth using the constellation;
- receive, after transmitting the set of at least four signals, a set of at least four reflected signals from the Earth using the constellation, wherein the set of at least four reflected signals are the set of at least four signals after having been reflected from the Earth;
- analyze, after receiving the set of at least four signals, and using a set of at least four signal analyzers, the set of at least four signals to generate a set of data, wherein each satellite in the constellation individually houses a signal analyzer in the set of at least four signal analyzers;
- derive a set of Earth observations using the set of data;
- and
- store the set of Earth observations in the data store accessible to the terrestrial computer system;
- wherein each satellite receives a signal in the set of at least four signals from every other satellite in the constellation;
- wherein the set of data includes the phase, amplitude, delay, frequency and polarization of the set of at least four signals;
- and
- wherein deriving the set of Earth observations includes scatterometry derivations and altimetry derivations.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.