# US 2019/0173570 A1 · Scheduling beams of a satellite antenna > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0173570 A1 - Document ID: US20190173570A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/173,144 - Filed: 2018-10-29 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-17 - Assignees: Aireon LLC - Applicants: Aireon LLC - Inventors: Michael A. GARCIA; Boris VEYTSMAN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190173570A1 ## CPC - H04B 7/18513: {Transmission in a satellite or space-based system} - H04B 7/18508: {with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service} - H04B 7/18582: {Arrangements for data linking, i.e. for data framing, for error recovery, for multiple access} - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract In one implementation, a method for scheduling beams of an antenna on a satellite during a defined time period includes calculating a beam score for each beam based on the expected gain of the beam and determining that the number of beams having non-zero beam scores during the defined time period is less than a threshold value. In addition, the method also includes accessing a set of beam weights for each of multiple different candidate beam patterns, and, for each set of weights, multiplying individual beam weights by corresponding beam scores, and generating a candidate beam pattern score by calculating a sum of the products of the beam weights and corresponding beam scores. The method further includes comparing the candidate beam pattern scores, selecting a particular one of the candidate beam patterns, and scheduling the selected beam pattern for the defined time period. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A computer-implemented method for scheduling beams of an antenna on board a satellite in low-Earth orbit for receiving Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) messages, wherein the antenna is configured to provide multiple different beams, the method comprising: identifying, for beams that the antenna is configured to provide, corresponding coverage areas during a defined period of time; identifying characteristics of the identified coverage areas; and scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the identified characteristics of their corresponding coverage areas. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein: identifying characteristics of the identified coverage areas includes identifying at least one particular coverage area as an area for which coverage is desired; and scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time includes scheduling the beam identified as corresponding to the particular coverage area to be on during the defined period of time as a consequence of having identified the particular coverage area as an area for which coverage is desired. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein scheduling the beam identified as corresponding to the particular coverage area to be on during the defined period of time includes scheduling the beam identified as corresponding to the coverage area to be on for a portion of the defined period of time that is less than all of the defined period of time. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein: identifying characteristics of the identified coverage areas includes identifying at least one particular coverage area as an area for which coverage is not desired; and scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time includes scheduling the beam identified as corresponding to the particular coverage area to be off during the defined period of time as a consequence of having identified the particular coverage area as an area for which coverage is not desired. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein: identifying characteristics of the identified coverage areas includes identifying desired update intervals for aircraft within the identified coverage areas; and scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the identified characteristics of their corresponding coverage areas includes scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be one or off during the defined period of time based on the desired update intervals for aircraft within the identified coverage areas. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein: identifying characteristics of the identified coverage areas includes identifying expected aircraft density within the identified coverage areas; and scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the identified characteristics of their corresponding coverage areas includes scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the expected aircraft density within the identified coverage areas. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein: identifying characteristics of the identified coverage areas includes identifying expected interference with ADS-B messages within the identified coverage areas; and scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the identified characteristics of their corresponding coverage areas includes scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the expected interference with ADS-B messages within the identified coverage areas. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising determining a power budget during the defined period of time, wherein: scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the identified characteristics of their corresponding coverage areas further comprises scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the identified characteristics of their corresponding coverage areas and the determined power budget. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The computer-implemented method of claim 28, wherein identifying a power budget during the defined period of time includes: determining that the satellite is in eclipse during the defined period of time; and determining a power budget during the defined period of time based on the satellite being in eclipse during the defined period of time. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The computer-implemented method of claim 28, wherein identifying a power budget during the defined period of time includes: determining that solar power is available to the satellite during the defined period of time; and determining a power budget during the defined period of time based on solar power being available to the satellite during the defined period of time. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising determining, for the beams that the antenna is configured to provide, expected gains during the defined period of time, wherein: scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the identified characteristics of their corresponding coverage areas includes scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the identified characteristics of their corresponding coverage areas and their corresponding expected gains. ### Claim 32 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the antenna corresponds to a secondary payload on the satellite. ### Claim 33 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein scheduling individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the identified characteristics of their corresponding coverage areas includes scheduling at least one beam to be on for at least one portion of the defined period of time and off for at least another portion of the defined period of time. ### Claim 34 A system for scheduling beams of an antenna on board a satellite in low-Earth orbit for receiving Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) messages, wherein the antenna is configured to provide multiple different beams, the system comprising: one or more processing elements; and non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the system to: identify, for beams that the antenna is configured to provide, corresponding coverage areas during a defined period of time; identify characteristics of the identified coverage areas; and schedule individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the identified characteristics of their corresponding coverage areas. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The system of claim 34, wherein: the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the system to identify characteristics of the identified coverage areas include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the system to identify at least one particular coverage area as an area for which coverage is desired; and the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the system to schedule individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the system to schedule the beam identified as corresponding to the particular coverage area to be on during the defined period of time as a consequence of having identified the particular coverage area as an area for which coverage is desired. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The system of claim 34, wherein: the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the system to identify characteristics of the identified coverage areas include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the system to identify at least one particular coverage area as an area for which coverage is not desired; and the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the system to schedule individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the system to schedule the beam identified as corresponding to the particular coverage area to be off during the defined period of time as a consequence of having identified the particular coverage area as an area for which coverage is not desired. ### Claim 37 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied thereon for scheduling beams of an antenna on board a satellite in low-Earth orbit for receiving Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) messages, wherein the antenna is configured to provide multiple different beams, the computer-readable program code comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processing elements, cause the processing elements to: identify, for beams that the antenna is configured to provide, corresponding coverage areas during a defined period of time; identify characteristics of the identified coverage areas; and schedule individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the identified characteristics of their corresponding coverage areas. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein: the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the processing elements to identify characteristics of the identified coverage areas include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the processing elements to identify at least one particular coverage area as an area for which coverage is desired; and the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the processing elements to schedule individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the processing elements to schedule the beam identified as corresponding to the particular coverage area to be on during the defined period of time as a consequence of having identified the particular coverage area as an area for which coverage is desired. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein: the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the one or more processing elements to identify characteristics of the identified coverage areas include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the one or more processing elements to identify at least one particular coverage area as an area for which coverage is not desired; and the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the processing elements to schedule individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the processing elements to schedule the beam identified as corresponding to the particular coverage area to be off during the defined period of time as a consequence of having identified the particular coverage area as an area for which coverage is not desired. ### Claim 40 (depends on 37) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein: the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the processing elements to identify characteristics of the identified coverage areas include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the processing elements to identify expected aircraft density within the identified coverage areas; and the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the processing elements to schedule individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the identified characteristics of their corresponding coverage areas include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing elements, cause the processing elements to schedule individual beams that the antenna is configured to provide to be on or off during the defined period of time based on the expected aircraft density within the identified coverage areas.