Satellite coverage using eye orbits
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMichael A. Whelan, Emily C. Widder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device includes an antenna controller configured to direct a beam to track a first satellite that follows an orbit having a transit arranged to intersect a transit of one or more other satellites to form a closed loop. The antenna controller is also configured to switch a tracking target of the beam from the first satellite to a second satellite of the one or more other satellites when the first satellite and the second satellite are at a first intersection of the transits that form the closed loop.
Claims20
A device comprising:
- an antenna controller configured to:
- direct a beam to track a first satellite that follows an orbit having a transit arranged to intersect a transit of one or more other satellites to form a closed loop;
- and
- switch a tracking target of the beam from the first satellite to a second satellite of the one or more other satellites when the first satellite and the second satellite are at a first intersection of the transits that form the closed loop.
A method of obtaining polar coverage comprising:
- directing, at an antenna controller, a beam to track a first satellite that follows an orbit having a transit arranged to intersect a transit of one or more other satellites to form a closed loop;
- and
- switching, at the antenna controller, a tracking target of the beam from the first satellite to a second satellite of the one or more other satellites when the first satellite and the second satellite are at a first intersection of the transits that form the closed loop.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
- direct a beam to track a first satellite that follows an orbit having a transit arranged to intersect a transit of one or more other satellites to form a closed loop;
- and
- switch a tracking target of the beam from the first satellite to a second satellite of the one or more other satellites when the first satellite and the second satellite are at a first intersection of the transits that form the closed loop.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.