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US 2018/0006711 A1Published application
Satellite system with steerable gateway beams
AssigneeSpace Systems/Loral, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Hreha, Anne Elizabeth Wharton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A satellite communication system includes a non-geostationary satellite configured to provide a first plurality of non-articulated spot beams that comprise a Field of Regard. The satellite further configured to provide a steerable spot beam that can be steered to establish communication with a gateway outside and in front of the Field of Regard and maintain communication while the satellite and the Field of Regard moves over and past the gateway including after the gateway is outside of and behind the Field of Regard.
Claims21
A satellite communication system, comprising:
- a non-geostationary satellite configured to provide a first plurality of spot beams that comprise a Field of Regard, the satellite further configured to provide a steerable spot beam that can be steered to establish communication with a gateway inside, outside and in front of the Field of Regard and maintain communication while the satellite and the Field of Regard moves over and past the gateway including after the gateway is outside of and behind the Field of Regard.
A method of operating a satellite communication system, comprising:
- a gateway communicating with terminals via a first satellite and outside of a Field of Regard of non-articulated beams of a second satellite, moving a steerable spot beam of the second satellite to point at and illuminate the gateway;
- the Field of Regard of the non-articulated beams of a second satellite traverses across a region supported by the gateway, terminals handover to the second satellite and establish communication with gateway via the second satellite;
- as the Field of Regard for the non-articulated beams of the second Satellite leaves the region supported by the gateway, subscriber terminals handover to a third Satellite for communication with the gateway via the third satellite;
- and
- breaking communication between gateway and the second satellite when the second satellite is at an orbital position in which the gateway is outside of and behind the Field of Regard of the non-articulated beams of the second satellite.
2 more elements
A satellite communication system, comprising:
- a first non-geostationary satellite configured provide a first plurality of spot beams that are fixed in position with respect to the first non-geostationary satellite and comprise a first Field of Regard, the first non-geostationary satellite configured to provide a first steerable spot beam;
- a second non-geostationary satellite configured provide a second plurality of spot beams that are fixed in position with respect to the second non-geostationary satellite and comprise a second Field of Regard, the second non-geostationary satellite configured to provide a second steerable spot beam;
- a third non-geostationary satellite configured provide a third plurality of spot beams that are fixed in position with respect to the third non-geostationary satellite and comprise a third Field of Regard, the third non-geostationary satellite configured to provide a third steerable spot beam;
- a plurality of terminals;
- and
- a gateway, while the gateway is communicating with the terminals via the first steerable spot beam of the first non-geostationary satellite and the gateway is outside of the second Field of Regard, the second non-geostationary satellite is configured to move the second steerable spot beam to point at the gateway, as the second Field of Regard of the second satellite traverses across a region supported by the gateway the terminals are configured to handover to the second satellite and establish communication with gateway via the second steerable spot beam, as the second Field of Regard leaves the region supported by the gateway the subscriber terminals handover to the third satellite for communication with the gateway via a third steerable spot beam, communication between gateway and the second satellite is stopped when the second satellite is an orbital position in which the gateway is outside of and behind the second Field of Regard.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.