US 12,068,763 B2 · Software-defined communication system and device

Abstract

Systems, methods and devices to generate tailored antenna radiation patterns for particular purposes are provided. The software-defined communication devices and systems dynamically reconfigure an antenna in a controlled and reversible manner, transmit and receive signals to a plurality of endpoints simultaneously without requiring moving elements, and control radiation patterns, making them useful and more versatile for many applications, especially in implementations concerning satellite communications. Communication links may be established with multiple endpoints simultaneously, and the position of the endpoints may be learned without knowing it in advance. The configurations described in the embodiments provide great versatility due to the possibility of processing the signal at each antenna element of the antenna.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A software-defined communication device comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements;
a plurality of analog signal processing units (ASPUs) configured to connect via antenna channels to the plurality of antenna elements;
and
a plurality of digital signal processing units (DSPUs) configured to connect to at least one of the plurality of ASPUs and/or to one or more of remaining DSPUs of the plurality of DSPUs;
wherein the plurality of DSPUs is configured to operate in transmission mode and/or reception mode, wherein each of at least two DSPUs operating in the same mode is configured to connect to at least one of the plurality of ASPUs;
and
wherein the device is further configured to:
dynamically select, based at least in part on one or more signal parameters, the at least two DSPUs among the plurality of DSPUs for processing an electromagnetic signal or to dynamically select programming instructions to be executed by the at least two DSPUs among the plurality of DSPUs;
and
apply signal processing techniques to the electromagnetic signal, wherein the signal processing techniques are determined based at least in part on the one or more signal parameters, the one or more signal parameters being determined based at least in part on communications parameters.

7 more elements

A method for transmitting/receiving an electromagnetic signal from a first endpoint to one or more second endpoints, the method comprising:

determining, based at least in part on communication parameters, one or more signal parameters for data transmission/reception;
determining, based at least in part on the one or more signal parameters, one or more signal processing techniques to be applied to the electromagnetic signal by one or more processing units;
selecting, based at least in part on the one or more signal parameters, two or more processing units;
applying, before transmission and after reception, the signal processing techniques to the electromagnetic signal by the one or more processing units;
and
transmitting the processed electromagnetic signal through one or more antenna elements, by sending the processed electromagnetic signal from each of the two or more processing units to at least one analog signal processing unit (ASPU) connected to at least one of the one or more antenna elements, or receiving the electromagnetic signal through the one or more antenna elements by sending the electromagnetic signal from each of at least two analog signal processing units (ASPUs) each connected to at least one of the one or more antenna elements, to each of the two or more processing units.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Software-defined communication system and device

Life of this patent

Software-defined communication system and device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22