# US 2014/0197987 A1 · Multi-beam active phased array architecture with independent polarization control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197987 A1 - Document ID: US20140197987A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/216,760 - Filed: 2014-03-17 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2009-04-13 - Assignees: ViaSat, Inc. - Applicants: ViaSat, Inc. - Inventors: David W. Corman; Rob Zienkewicz; David Saunders - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197987A1 ## CPC - H01Q 21/22: Antenna units of the array energised non-uniformly in amplitude or phase, e.g. tapered array or binomial array - H01Q 1/27: Adaptation for use in or on movable bodies (H01Q1/08, H01Q1/12, H01Q1/18 take precedence) - H01Q 1/288: {Satellite antennas} - H01Q 3/26: varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture ({H01Q3/12,} H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence) - H01Q 3/36: with variable phase-shifters - H01Q 15/242: {Polarisation converters} - H04B 7/0408: using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity - H04B 7/10: Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity - H04B 7/18515: {Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays} - H04B 7/1858: {Arrangements for data transmission on the physical system, i.e. for data bit transmission between network components} - H04B 7/18593: {Arrangements for preventing unauthorised access or for providing user protection (arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00)} - H04W 72/0453: Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA - H04W 72/21: in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - 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 In an exemplary embodiment, a phased array antenna comprises multiple subcircuits in communication with multiple radiating elements. The radio frequency signals are independently adjusted for both polarization control and beam steering. In a receive embodiment, multiple RF signals of various polarizations are received and combined into at least one receive beam output. In a transmit embodiment, at least one transmit beam input is divided and transmitted through multiple radiating elements, with the transmitted beams having various polarizations. In an exemplary embodiment, the phased array antenna provides multi-beam formation over multiple operating frequency bands. The wideband nature of the active components allows for operation over multiple frequency bands simultaneously. ## Claims ### Claim 1 (canceled) ### Claim 2 A satellite communication system comprising: a satellite communicating using a first spot beam and a second spot beam, wherein the first spot beam and the second spot beam each illuminate an overlapping region within a geographic area, and wherein at least one of a polarization and a frequency range of the first spot beam is different from a polarization and a frequency range of the second spot beam; and a user terminal antenna system within the overlapping region of the first spot beam and the second spot beam, wherein the user terminal antenna system includes a transceiver to electronically reconfigure communication with the satellite by switching between the polarization and the frequency range of the first spot beam and the polarization and the frequency range of the second spot beam in response to commands. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the frequency range of the first spot beam is different than the frequency range of the second spot beam. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the polarization of the first spot beam is different than the polarization of the second spot beam. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the transceiver comprises an active antenna polarizer to change polarization of the communication with the satellite in response to the commands. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the active antenna polarizer comprises a vector generator to adjust at least one of phase and amplitude of radio frequency signals communicated with the satellite. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the vector generator is responsive to the commands to change adjustment of the radio frequency signals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the commands include commands from a remote system controller. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the commands include commands to periodically reconfigure the communication with the satellite by switching the transceiver between the polarization and the frequency range of the first spot beam and the polarization and the frequency range of the second spot beam. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the commands include commands to reconfigure the transceiver to match the polarization and the frequency range of one of the first spot beam and the second spot beam based on one or more performance metrics associated with the first spot beam and the second spot beam. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more performance metrics are selected from a group consisting of data rate, signal strength and beam capacity. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the commands include commands to reconfigure the transceiver from the polarization and the frequency range of the first spot beam to the polarization and the frequency range of the second spot beam in response to movement of the user terminal antenna system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the transceiver comprises an active antenna polarizer, the active antenna polarizer including a vector generator to adjust at least one of phase and amplitude of radio frequency signals communicated with the satellite. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the satellite is responsive to commands to shift at least one of the first and second spot beams to change the overlapping region from a first region within the geographic area to a second region within the geographic area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the commands to shift at least one of the first and second spot beams are based on higher data traffic load of user terminal antenna systems within the second region than that within the first region. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising a first and a second plurality of user terminal antenna systems within the second region, the first plurality of user terminal antenna systems including transceivers electronically reconfigured to match the polarization and frequency range of the first spot beam to communicate with the satellite, and the second plurality of user terminal antenna systems including transceivers electronically reconfigured to match the polarization and frequency range of the second spot beam to communicate with the satellite. ### Claim 17 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the satellite further communicates using a third spot beam illuminating the overlapping region, and at least one of a polarization and a frequency range of the third spot beam is different from the polarization and the frequency range of the first spot beam and from the polarization and the frequency range of the second spot beam. ### Claim 18 A satellite communication system comprising: a satellite communicating using a spot beam, wherein the satellite reconfigures the spot beam in response to commands by changing at least one of a polarization and a frequency range of the spot beam; and a user terminal antenna system including a transceiver to communicate with the satellite via the spot beam, wherein the transceiver is electronically reconfigurable in response to commands to change operation to match the polarization and the frequency range of the reconfigured spot beam. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the satellite reconfigures the spot beam by changing the frequency range of the spot beam. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the satellite reconfigures the spot beam by changing the polarization of the spot beam. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the satellite changes the polarization of the spot beam at a predetermined rate. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the predetermined rate is associated with authorized use of the user terminal antenna system. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the satellite and the user terminal antenna system are responsive to commands from a remote system controller to remotely reconfigure the spot beam and the transceiver. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the user terminal antenna system maintains communication with the satellite during reconfiguration of the spot beam and the transceiver. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the spot beam is a first spot beam, and the satellite further communicates using a second spot beam adjacent the first spot beam. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The system of claim 25, wherein the satellite reconfigures the second spot beam when reconfiguring the first spot beam. ### Claim 27 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the transceiver comprises an active antenna polarizer to change polarization of the communication with the satellite in response to the commands. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the active antenna polarizer comprises a vector generator to adjust at least one of phase and amplitude of radio frequency signals communicated with the satellite. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the vector generator is responsive to the commands to change adjustment of the radio frequency signals.