Hitless ultra small aperture terminal satellite communication network

An antenna for permitting communication to an earth orbiting satellite comprising:

• a substrate forming at least one in flat array antenna mounted relative to the ground plane, the flat array antenna having multiple spaced dipoles formed on the substrate to constitute the array,
• a transmission line formed on the substrate connecting the spaced dipoles, the transmission line being for connection with a link to a terminal with which communication is to be affected by signals through the antenna,
• means in the transmission line for interfacing with an unbalanced circuit whereby a flat antenna array representing a balanced circuit is effectively connected with the unbalanced circuit, and
• the dipoles collectively providing for a gain sufficient to permit communication with a geostationary positioned satellite.

A communication network for permitting communication to an earth orbiting satellite comprising:

• multiple mini-hub terminals for transmitting information,
• multiple remote terminals,
• at least some of the multiple mini-hub terminals, and at least some of the multiple remote terminals being capable of wireless communication respectively with each other through satellite communication means, and
• a co-located terminal hard wire connected with at least some of the multiple mini-hub terminals, the co-located terminal also being in communication with the satellite communication means for facilitating coordination of signals received from at least one of the remote terminals,
• at least some of the remote terminals including an antenna having a substrate forming at least one in flat array antenna mounted relative to the ground plane, the flat array antenna having multiple spaced dipoles formed on the substrate to constitute the array,
• a transmission line formed on the substrate connecting the spaced dipoles,
• the transmission line being for connection with a link to a terminal with which communication is to be affected by signals through the antenna, and
• the dipoles collectively providing for a gain sufficient to permit communication with a geostationary positioned satellite.

A communication network comprising:

• multiple mini-hub terminals for transmitting information,
• multiple remote terminals,
• at least some of the multiple mini-hub terminals, and at least some of the multiple remote terminals being capable of wireless communication respectively with each other through satellite communication means, and
• a co-located terminal hard wire connected with at least some of the multiple mini-hub terminals, the co-located terminal also being in communication with the satellite communication means for facilitating coordination of signals received from at least one of the remote terminals,
• at least some of the remote terminals including an antenna having a substrate forming at least one in flat array antenna mounted relative to the ground plane, the flat array antenna having multiple spaced dipoles formed on the substrate to constitute the array,
• a transmission line formed on the substrate connecting the spaced dipoles,
• the transmission line being for connection with a link to a terminal with which communication is to be affected by signals through the antenna, and
• means in the antenna means for communicating with GPS signals thereby to provide antenna orientation for peak directivity with a satellite.

A communication network for permitting communication to an earth orbiting satellite comprising:

• multiple mini-hub terminals transmitting information,
• multiple remote terminals, at least some of the multiple mini-hub terminals, and at least some of the multiple remote terminals being capable of wireless communication respectively with each other through satellite communication means,
• at least some of the terminals including an antenna having a ground plane,
• a substrate forming at least one in flat array antenna mounted relative to the ground plane, the flat array antenna having multiple spaced dipoles formed on the substrate to constitute the array, a transmission line formed on the substrate connecting the spaced dipoles, the transmission line being for connection with a link to a terminal with which communication is to be affected by signals through the antenna, and
• the dipoles collectively providing for a gain sufficient to permit communication with a geostationary positioned satellite.

A communication network comprising:

• multiple mini-hub terminals for transmitting information,
• multiple remote terminals, at least some of the multiple mini-hub terminals, and at least some of the multiple remote terminals being capable of wireless communication respectively with each other through satellite communication means,
• at least some of the terminals including an antenna having a ground plane,
• a substrate forming at least one in flat array antenna mounted relative to the ground plane, the flat array antenna having multiple spaced dipoles formed on the substrate to constitute the array, a transmission line formed on the substrate connecting the spaced dipoles, the transmission line being for connection with a link to a terminal with which communication is to be affected by signals through the antenna, and means in the antenna means for communicating with GPS signals thereby to provide antenna orientation for peak directivity with a satellite.

A method of communicating between multiple mini-hub terminals for transmitting information and multiple remote terminals comprising:

• having at least some of the multiple mini-hub terminals, and at least some of the multiple remote terminals being capable of wireless communication respectively with each other through satellite communicator;
• hard wire connecting a co-located terminal with at least some of the multiple mini-hub terminals, the co-located terminal also communicating with the satellite communicator for facilitating coordination of signals received from at least one of the remote terminals;
• hard wiring respective multiple co-located terminals with respective multiple mini-hub terminals, and each remote terminal communicating with a respective mini-hub terminal through the satellite communicator means whereby two-way communication between multiple remote terminals and multiple mini-hub terminals is affected;
• receiving packets of information from multiple mini-hub terminals, and the multiple mini-hub terminals in turn communicating with remote terminals, and the respective multiple mini-hub terminals communicating with other mini-hub terminals in the multiple mini-hubs through a co-located remote terminal hard wire connected with the respective mini-hub terminal;
• communicating from the mini-hub terminals by spread spectrum encoding thereby to reduce spectral density and permit reception of the signal by a small aperture antenna, the small aperture antenna being associated with respective remote terminals;
• communicating from the mini-hub terminals packets of information, the packets being transmitted sequentially within an allocated time slot thereby creating a time division multiple access communication system;
• receiving the respective remote terminals the packets of information communicated from the mini-hub terminal, the packets representing a non-continuous signal, each in part transmitted by different mini-hub terminals;
• and
• acquiring the spread spectrum code phase and signal frequency with minimum loss of transmission time, and the signals being transmitted by respective mini-hub terminals being relatively close to one another with regard to signal frequency and spread spectrum code phase.

A method of communicating comprising between multiple mini-hub terminals for transmitting information and multiple remote terminals comprising:

• having at least some of the multiple mini-hub terminals, and at least some of the multiple remote terminals being capable of wireless communication respectively with each other through satellite communicator;
• hard wire connecting a co-located terminal with at least some of the multiple mini-hub terminals, the co-located terminal also communicating with the satellite communicator for facilitating coordination of signals received from at least one of the remote terminals;
• receiving information packets from multiple mini-hub terminals, and the multiple mini-hub terminals in turn communicating between multiple remote terminals, and the multiple mini-hub terminals communicating respectively with each other through a respective co-located remote terminal associated with the respective mini-hub terminals;
• detecting packets of data, and wherein the detection of a missing packet of data from a remote terminal to a mini-hub terminal is indicative of a failure of a mini-hub terminal corresponding to the missing packet;
• and
• redesignating a mini-hub terminal to compensate for a failed mini-hub terminal.

A method of communicating through a communication network between multiple mini-hub terminals for transmitting information and multiple remote terminals comprising:

• having at least some of the multiple mini-hub terminals, and at least some of the multiple remote terminals of wireless communicate respectively with each other through satellite communicator;
• hard wire connecting a co-located terminal with at least some of the multiple mini-hub terminals, the co-located terminal also communicating with the satellite communicator for facilitating coordination of signals received from at least one of the remote terminals,
• sensing temperature at the remote terminal, the terminal including utilizing a local reference frequency for acquisition and tracking of a received carrier frequency from the satellite communicator;
• coupling the temperature sensing to the reference frequency, and controlling the voltage of the reference frequency to maintain a match to a carrier frequency received from the satellite communicator;
• determining and storing the controlled voltage versus temperature in a memory of the terminal;
• and
• relating the controlled voltage relative to the temperature thereby to develop a calibration for maintaining a match between the local reference frequency and the carrier frequency.

A method of communicating to an earth orbiting satellite comprising:

• sensing from a location in relatively close relationship with a power transmission line,
• communicating from the sensor;
• measuring, through the sensing, at least one electrical parameter associated with the power transmission line;
• locating an antenna on the sensor for communicating a sensed parameter through a wireless communication with a remote location, the antenna being an array located in a planar manner on a surface of the sensor, the array including multiple spaced dipoles formed substantially parallel with the surface, and
• the dipoles collectively providing a gain sufficient to permit communication with a geostationary positioned satellite.

A method of communicating to an earth orbiting satellite comprising:

• locating at least one sensor in relatively close relationship with a power transmission line,
• communicating from the sensor,
• measuring, through the sensor, at least one electrical parameter associated with the power transmission line,
• locating an antenna in association with the sensor for communicating a sensed parameter through a wireless communication with a remote location, the antenna being a flat array located on a surface of the sensor, the array including multiple spaced dipoles formed substantially parallel with the surface;
• synchronizing on the sensor, signals from the sensor with a GPS signal;
• tagging a traveling wave on a power transmission line in relation to time thereby to facilitate measuring the location of a fault on a power transmission line, and
• the dipoles collectively providing a gain sufficient to permit communication with a geostationary positioned satellite.

A method of sensing a parameter on a power transmission line and communicating to an earth orbiting satellite comprising:

• mounting a sensor on a power transmission line,
• sensing and measuring a parameter associated with the power transmission line;
• locating an antenna on the sensor for communicating with a remote location;
• forming the antenna with a substantially flat array to have multiple spaced dipoles on a substrate to constitute the array;
• relating the time of parameter measurement relative to a GPS timing signal, and
• the dipoles collectively providing a gain sufficient to permit communication with a geostationary positioned satellite.

A method of communicating comprising:

• sensing from a location in relatively close relationship with a power transmission line,
• communicating from the sensor;
• measuring, through the sensing, at least one electrical parameter associated with the power transmission line;
• locating an antenna On the sensor for communicating a sensed parameter through a wireless communication with a remote location, the antenna being an array located in a planar manner on a surface of the sensor, the array including multiple spaced dipoles formed substantially parallel with the surface, and
• synchronizing measurement signals with a GPS signal, and tagging a traveling wave on a power transmission line in relation to time thereby to facilitate measuring the location of a fault on a power transmission line.

A method of communicating on a network comprising:

• locating at least one sensor in relatively close relationship with a power transmission line,
• communicating with a sensor,
• measuring at least one electrical parameter associated with the power transmission line,
• communicating a sensed parameter through a wireless communication with a remote location, and wherein the sensor is a flat array located on a surface of the sensor, the array including multiple spaced dipoles formed substantially parallel with the surface;
• synchronizing signals from the sensor with a GPS signal;
• and
• tagging a traveling wave on a power transmission line in relation to time thereby to facilitate measuring the location of a fault on a power transmission line.