System and method for multi-mode operation of satellite phased-array antenna

A satellite-based communications node which is adapted to communicate with at least two terrestrial communications nodes in a satellite communications system, the satellite-based communications node comprising:

• a phased-array antenna that communicates with a first one of the at least two terrestrial communications nodes in a first mode of operation and that communicates with a second one of the at least two terrestrial communications nodes in a second mode of operation, the phased-array antenna comprising a plurality of elements;
• the phased-array antenna operates in the first and second modes of operation concurrently;
• an element controller coupled to the phased-array antenna, the element controller controlling the phased-array antenna to cause it to operate in the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation through the selection by the element controller of a corresponding number of the plurality of elements;
• a memory that stores computer-executable instructions and data, including phased-array antenna data;
• wherein the element controller comprises a processor coupled to the memory, the processor executing computer-executable instructions stored in the memory and retrieving data from the memory, the processor controlling the phased-array antenna by selecting the corresponding number of the plurality of elements in response to the processor retrieving corresponding phased-array antenna data from the memory;
• wherein in the first mode of operation the phased-array antenna operates as a diffused-beam antenna;
• wherein in the first mode of operation the satellite-communications node is enabled to communicate with a first one of the at least two terrestrial communications nodes via a communications channel having a relatively low bandwidth;
• wherein in the second mode of operation the phased-array antenna operates to generate a plurality of focused-beam antenna patterns;
• and
• wherein in the second mode of operation the satellite-communications node is enabled to communicate with a second one of the at least two terrestrial communications nodes via a communications channel having a relatively high bandwidth using one of the plurality of focused-beam antenna patterns.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:

• a first block of data stored in a first region of memory addresses in the medium, the first block comprising a first plurality of antenna data that control a phased-array antenna operating in a first mode;
• a second block of data stored in a second region of memory addresses in the medium, the second block comprising a second plurality of antenna data that control a phased-array antenna operating in a second mode;
• and
• wherein the first and second pluralities of antenna data control the selection of antenna elements of the phased-array antenna and the application of phase-control information, or amplitude-control information, or both phase-control and amplitude-control information, to the selected antenna elements, the first plurality of antenna data selecting a subset of antenna elements and applying appropriate phase-control information, or amplitude-control information, or both phase-control and amplitude-control information, to the subset of antenna elements for operation of the phased-array antenna as a diffused-beam antenna, and the second plurality of antenna data selecting a relatively large number of antenna elements and applying appropriate phase-control information, or amplitude-control information, or both phase-control and amplitude-control information, to the number of antenna elements for operation of the phased-array antenna to generate a plurality of focused-beam antenna patterns.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure for use in controlling a satellite-based communications node having a phased-array antenna that operates in a plurality of modes, the computer-readable medium comprising:

• a first block of data stored in a first region of memory addresses in the medium, the first block comprising a first plurality of antenna data that control the phased-array antenna operating in a first mode;
• a second block of data stored in a second region of memory addresses in the medium, the second block comprising a second plurality of antenna data that control the phased-array antenna operating in a second mode;
• and
• wherein the first and second pluralities of antenna data control the selection of antenna elements of the phased-array antenna and the application of phase-control information, or amplitude-control information, or both phase-control and amplitude-control information, to the selected antenna elements, the first plurality of antenna data selecting a subset of antenna elements and applying appropriate phase-control information, or amplitude-control information, or both phase-control and amplitude-control information, to the subset of antenna elements for operation of the phased-array antenna as a diffused-beam antenna, enabling the satellite-based communications node to communicate with a terrestrial communications node via a communications channel having relatively low bandwidth, and the second plurality of antenna data selecting a relatively large number of antenna elements and applying appropriate phase-control information, or amplitude-control information, or both phase-control and amplitude-control information, to the number of antenna elements for operation of the phased-array antenna to generate a plurality of focused-beam antenna patterns, enabling the satellite-based communications node to communicate with a terrestrial communications node via a communications channel having relatively high bandwidth using one of the plurality of focused-beam antenna patterns.