# US 11,451,291 B2 · Satellite networked high frequency terminal to terminal communications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,291 B2 - Document ID: US11451291B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/139,068 - Filed: 2020-12-31 - Published: 2022-06-30 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-31 - Assignees: Rockwell Collins, Inc. - Applicants: Rockwell Collins, Inc. - Inventors: John V. Thommana; Joseph Splean, II - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451291B2 ## CPC - H04B 7/02: Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas (RAKE receivers H04B1/7115) - H04B 7/18513: {Transmission in a satellite or space-based system} - H04B 7/18517: {Transmission equipment in earth stations} - H04B 7/18521: {Systems of inter linked satellites, i.e. inter satellite service (for optical links between satellites H04B10/118)} - H04W 84/18: Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A system may include an ad hoc satellite network including multiple satellites, a first terminal, and a second terminal. Each of the first satellite and a second satellite of the multiple satellites may include: a receive high frequency (HF) antenna configured to receive HF signals; a transmit HF antenna configured to transmit HF signals; an inter-satellite transmitter configured to transmit signals to another satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; an inter-satellite receiver configured to receive signals from another satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; and a processor. The first terminal may include an HF transmit antenna configured transmit an HF communication payload to the ad hoc satellite network. The second terminal may include an HF receive antenna configured receive the HF communication payload from the ad hoc satellite network. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: an ad hoc satellite network including multiple satellites, some or all of the multiple satellites communicatively coupled to other of the multiple satellites at any given time, the multiple satellites including a first satellite and a second satellite, each of the first satellite and the second satellite comprising: at least one receive high frequency (HF) antenna configured to receive HF signals, wherein the at least one receive HF antenna includes a receive-only HF antenna; at least one transmit HF antenna configured to transmit HF signals; at least one inter-satellite transmitter configured to transmit signals to at least one other satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; at least one inter-satellite receiver configured to receive signals from at least one other satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one receive HF antenna, the at least one transmit HF antenna, the at least one inter-satellite transmitter, and the at least one inter-satellite receiver; a first terminal including an HF transmit antenna configured transmit an HF communication payload to the ad hoc satellite network; and a second terminal including an HF receive antenna configured receive the HF communication payload from the ad hoc satellite network, wherein each of the first satellite and the second satellite is configured for coupler-less HF operation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ad hoc satellite network is a global ad hoc satellite network, wherein the multiple satellites are low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein some or all of the multiple satellites are communicatively coupled to other of the multiple satellites at any given time via at least one of radiofrequency (RF) inter-satellite cross links or optical inter-satellite cross links, wherein a first group of multiple geographically separated satellites of the global ad hoc satellite network is visible to the first terminal, wherein a second group of multiple geographically separated satellites of the global ad hoc satellite network is visible to the second terminal, wherein successful transmission of the HF communication payload to the ad hoc satellite network is improved by visibility of the first group of multiple geographically separated satellites by the first terminal as compared to visibility of a single satellite, wherein successful reception of the HF communication payload from the ad hoc satellite network is improved by visibility of the second group of multiple geographically separated satellites by the second terminal as compared to visibility of a single satellite. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transmit HF antenna includes a fractal transmit HF antenna. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the HF transmit antenna of the first terminal is configured to transmit the HF communication payload to the first satellite of the ad hoc satellite network, wherein the HF receive antenna of the second terminal is configured to receive the HF communication payload from the second satellite of the ad hoc satellite network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the HF transmit antenna of the first terminal is configured to transmit the HF communication payload to the first satellite of the ad hoc satellite network, wherein the HF receive antenna of the second terminal is configured to receive the HF communication payload from the first satellite of the ad hoc satellite network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the HF transmit antenna of the first terminal is configured to transmit the HF communication payload on a first frequency to the ad hoc satellite network, wherein the HF receive antenna of the second terminal is configured to receive the HF communication payload on a second frequency from the ad hoc satellite network, the first frequency different from the second frequency. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein second frequency is pseudo-randomly selected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the first frequency is higher than is possible using an ionosphere reflective HF transmission. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first terminal is one of a manpack terminal, a ground vehicular terminal, an airborne vehicular terminal, a maritime vehicular terminal, or a fixed site terminal; wherein the second terminal is one of a manpack terminal, a ground vehicular terminal, an airborne vehicular terminal, a maritime vehicular terminal, or a fixed site terminal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein communication of the HF communication payload from the first terminal to the second terminal via the ad hoc satellite network has a higher level of robustness than is possible using an ionosphere reflective HF transmission. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein covert communication of the HF communication payload from the first terminal to the second terminal via the ad hoc satellite network is supported by using at least one of frequency hopping or direct sequence spreading. ### Claim 13 A method, comprising: transmitting, by a high frequency (HF) transmit antenna of a first terminal, a HF communication payload to an ad hoc satellite network, the ad hoc satellite network including multiple satellites, some or all of the multiple satellites communicatively coupled to other of the multiple satellites at any given time, the multiple satellites including a first satellite and a second satellite, each of the first satellite and the second satellite comprising: at least one receive HF antenna configured to receive HF signals; at least one transmit HF antenna configured to transmit HF signals; at least one inter-satellite transmitter configured to transmit signals to at least one other satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; at least one inter-satellite receiver configured to receive signals from at least one other satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one receive HF antenna, the at least one transmit HF antenna, the at least one inter-satellite transmitter, and the at least one inter-satellite receiver; and receiving, by an HF receive antenna of a second terminal, the HF communication payload from the ad hoc satellite network, wherein the ad hoc satellite network is a global ad hoc satellite network, wherein the multiple satellites are low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, wherein some or all of the multiple satellites are communicatively coupled to other of the multiple satellites at any given time via at least one of radiofrequency (RF) inter-satellite cross links or optical inter-satellite cross links, wherein a first group of multiple geographically separated satellites of the global ad hoc satellite network is visible to the first terminal, wherein a second group of multiple geographically separated satellites of the global ad hoc satellite network is visible to the second terminal, wherein successful transmission of the HF communication payload to the ad hoc satellite network is improved by visibility of the first group of multiple geographically separated satellites by the first terminal as compared to visibility of a single satellite, wherein successful reception of the HF communication payload from the ad hoc satellite network is improved by visibility of the second group of multiple geographically separated satellites by the second terminal as compared to visibility of a single satellite. ### Claim 14 A system, comprising: a first terminal including a high frequency (HF) transmit antenna configured transmit an HF communication payload to an ad hoc satellite network; and a second terminal including an HF receive antenna configured receive the HF communication payload from the ad hoc satellite network, wherein the ad hoc satellite network includes multiple satellites, some or all of the multiple satellites communicatively coupled to other of the multiple satellites at any given time, the multiple satellites including a first satellite and a second satellite, each of the first satellite and the second satellite comprising: at least one receive HF antenna configured to receive HF signals; at least one transmit HF antenna configured to transmit HF signals; at least one inter-satellite transmitter configured to transmit signals to at least one other satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; at least one inter-satellite receiver configured to receive signals from at least one other satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one receive HF antenna, the at least one transmit HF antenna, the at least one inter-satellite transmitter, and the at least one inter-satellite receiver, wherein the at least one receive HF antenna includes a receive-only HF antenna, wherein each of the first satellite and a second satellite is configured for coupler-less HF operation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the ad hoc satellite network is a global ad hoc satellite network, wherein the multiple satellites are low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein some or all of the multiple satellites are communicatively coupled to other of the multiple satellites at any given time via at least one of radiofrequency (RF) inter-satellite cross links or optical inter-satellite cross links, wherein a first group of multiple geographically separated satellites of the global ad hoc satellite network is visible to the first terminal, wherein a second group of multiple geographically separated satellites of the global ad hoc satellite network is visible to the second terminal, wherein successful transmission of the HF communication payload to the ad hoc satellite network is improved by visibility of the first group of multiple geographically separated satellites by the first terminal as compared to visibility of a single satellite, wherein successful reception of the HF communication payload from the ad hoc satellite network is improved by visibility of the second group of multiple geographically separated satellites by the second terminal as compared to visibility of a single satellite. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the HF transmit antenna of the first terminal is configured to transmit the HF communication payload to a first satellite of the ad hoc satellite network, wherein the HF receive antenna of the second terminal is configured to receive the HF communication payload from the first satellite of the ad hoc satellite network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the HF transmit antenna of the first terminal is configured to transmit the HF communication payload on a first frequency to the ad hoc satellite network, wherein the HF receive antenna of the second terminal is configured to receive the HF communication payload on a second frequency from the ad hoc satellite network, the first frequency different from the second frequency. ### Claim 19 A system, comprising: an ad hoc satellite network including multiple satellites, wherein the ad hoc satellite network is a global ad hoc satellite network, wherein the multiple satellites are low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, some or all of the multiple satellites communicatively coupled to other of the multiple satellites at any given time, the multiple satellites including a first satellite and a second satellite, each of the first satellite and the second satellite comprising: at least one receive high frequency (HF) antenna configured to receive HF signals; at least one transmit HF antenna configured to transmit HF signals; at least one inter-satellite transmitter configured to transmit signals to at least one other satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; at least one inter-satellite receiver configured to receive signals from at least one other satellite of the ad hoc satellite network; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one receive HF antenna, the at least one transmit HF antenna, the at least one inter-satellite transmitter, and the at least one inter-satellite receiver; a first terminal including an HF transmit antenna configured transmit an HF communication payload to the ad hoc satellite network; and a second terminal including an HF receive antenna configured receive the HF communication payload from the ad hoc satellite network, wherein some or all of the multiple satellites are communicatively coupled to other of the multiple satellites at any given time via at least one of radiofrequency (RF) inter-satellite cross links or optical inter-satellite cross links, wherein a first group of multiple geographically separated satellites of the global ad hoc satellite network is visible to the first terminal, wherein a second group of multiple geographically separated satellites of the global ad hoc satellite network is visible to the second terminal, wherein successful transmission of the HF communication payload to the ad hoc satellite network is improved by visibility of the first group of multiple geographically separated satellites by the first terminal as compared to visibility of a single satellite, wherein successful reception of the HF communication payload from the ad hoc satellite network is improved by visibility of the second group of multiple geographically separated satellites by the second terminal as compared to visibility of a single satellite.