Method and intelligent digital beam forming system with improved signal quality communications
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsRandy Lee Turcotte, Stephen Chih-Hung Ma, Sergio Aguirre
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Abstract
An intelligent digital beam former (10) in conjunction with a satellite based array antenna (20) provides a plurality of dynamically controllable antenna beams (52) for communication with subscriber units on earth's surface. The location of a subscriber unit (90) requesting communication services is determined and an individual antenna beams is formed and assigned to the subscriber unit. The antenna beam tracks the subscriber units as the satellite and/or the subscriber unit moves. The digital beam forming coefficients are dynamically adjusted and controlled to help maximize the signal quality of communications with the subscriber units.
Claims20
A method of communicating data with a ground based communication station using an array antenna onboard a non-geostationary satellite and having a digital beam former (DBF), said array antenna having a plurality of radiating elements for providing steerable antenna beams within an antenna footprint region, said DBF providing for each radiating element, beam forming coefficients for controlling characteristics of said steerable antenna beams, said method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a signal from said communication station within a receive one of said steerable antenna beams;
- determining a location direction of said communication station using said signal;
- generating digital beam forming coefficients to provide a transmit one of said steerable antenna beams in said location direction of said communication station;
- transmitting data from said satellite to said communication station within said one transmit steerable antenna beam;
- tracking said location direction of said communication station as said satellite and said communication station move relative to each other;
- adjusting said beam forming coefficients associated with one transmit steerable antenna beam in response to the tracking step to maintain said one transmit steerable antenna beam in the location direction of said communication station;
- further adjusting said beam forming coefficients associated with one transmit steerable antenna beam to improve a signal quality of communication signal received at said communication station, said communication signals including said data.
A non-geostationary satellite communication node for communicating data with a ground based communication station, the satellite communication node comprising:
- an array antenna having a plurality of radiating elements for providing steerable antenna beams within an antenna footprint region;
- a digital beam former (DBF) coupled to said array antenna, said DBF providing for each radiating element, beam forming coefficients for controlling characteristics of said steerable antenna beams;
- a receiver for receiving a signal from said communication station within a receive one of said steerable antenna beams;
- a processor for determining a location direction of said communication station using said signal;
- and
- a transmitter for providing a transmit one of said steerable antenna beams in said location direction of said communication station, and transmitting data from said satellite communication node to said communication station within said one transmit steerable antenna beam,
- wherein the receiver provides signals to said DBF to track said location direction of said communication station as said satellite communication node and said communication station move relative to each other, and
- wherein the DBF adjusts said beam forming coefficients associated with one transmit steerable antenna beam in response to the tracking to maintain said one transmit steerable antenna beam in the location direction of said communication station, said DBF further adjusts said beam forming coefficients associated with one transmit steerable antenna beam to improve a signal quality of communication signal received at said communication station, wherein said communication signals include said data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.