US 7,068,975 B2 · Systems and methods for sharing uplink bandwidth among satellites in a common orbital slot

Abstract

A system for transmitting data to a plurality of satellites is provided. A first satellite in an orbital slot has an associated receive antenna, and is configured to receive signals in a first range of frequencies. A second satellite in the orbital slot has an associated receive antenna. The second satellite is separated from the first satellite by at least a first separation angle, and is configured to receive signals in the first range of frequencies. A first earth uplink antenna, located at a first earth location, is capable of transmitting a first uplink beam at the receive antenna of the first satellite. A second earth uplink antenna, collocated at the first earth location, is capable of transmitting a second uplink beam at the receive antenna of the second satellite. The first uplink beam includes first signals at the first range of frequencies, and the second uplink beam includes second signals at the first range of frequencies. Further, the first uplink beam is substantially attenuated beyond the first separation angle in the direction of the second satellite, and the second uplink beam is substantially attenuated beyond the first separation angle in the direction of the first satellite.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A satellite-based communication system, comprising:

a first satellite in an orbital slot, the first satellite having an associated receive antenna, wherein the first satellite is configured to receive signals in a first range of frequencies;
a second satellite in the orbital slot, the second satellite having an associated receive antenna, wherein the second satellite is separated from the first satellite by at least a first separation angle, wherein the second satellite is configured to receive signals in the first range of frequencies;
a first earth uplink antenna, located at a first earth location, capable of transmitting a first uplink beam at the receive antenna of the first satellite;
and
a second earth uplink antenna, collocated at the first earth location, capable of transmitting a second uplink beam at the receive antenna of the second satellite;
wherein the first uplink beam includes first signals at the first range of frequencies, and wherein the second uplink beam includes second signals at the first range of frequencies;
wherein the first uplink beam is substantially attenuated beyond the first separation angle in the direction of the second satellite, and wherein the second uplink beam is substantially attenuated beyond the first separation angle in the direction of the first satellite.

4 more elements

A system for transmitting data to a plurality of satellites, the system comprising:

a first earth uplink antenna, located at a first earth location, capable of transmitting a first uplink beam at a receive antenna of a first satellite, the first satellite in a first position in an orbital slot;
and
a second earth uplink antenna, collocated at the first earth location, capable of transmitting a second uplink beam at a receive antenna of a second satellite, the second satellite in a second position in the orbital slot, wherein the second satellite is separated from the first satellite by at least a separation angle;
wherein the first uplink beam includes first signals at a first range of frequencies, and wherein the second uplink beam includes second signals at the first range of frequencies;
wherein the first uplink beam is substantially attenuated beyond the separation angle in the direction of the second satellite, and wherein the second uplink beam is substantially attenuated beyond the separation angle in the direction of the first satellite.

2 more elements

In a satellite-based communications network including a plurality of satellites, each satellite having a receive antenna, a method for transmitting data to the satellites, the method comprising:

transmitting a first uplink beam at a receive antenna of a first satellite, wherein the first satellite is at a first position in an orbital slot, wherein a second satellite is at a second position in the orbital slot, wherein the second satellite is separated from the first satellite by at least a separation angle, wherein the first uplink beam is substantially attenuated beyond the separation angle in the direction of the second satellite, and wherein the first uplink beam includes first signals at a first range of frequencies;
transmitting a second uplink beam at a receive antenna of the second satellite, wherein the second uplink beam is substantially attenuated beyond the separation angle in the direction of the first satellite, and wherein the second uplink beam includes second signals at the first range of frequencies.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for sharing uplink bandwidth among satellites in a common orbital slot

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for sharing uplink bandwidth among satellites in a common orbital slot

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19