Satellite communication system with a plurality of limited scan spot beams
US4315262A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 26, 1979 |
| Grant date | Feb 9, 1982 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 26, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04B7/2041
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention relates to a satellite communication system comprising a plurality of limited scan spot beams which permits high transponder utilization efficiency by virtue of pooling the resources of each terrestrial footprint. In an embodiment of the invention, a satellite comprises a plurality of transponders, the signals from each transponder being directed via one or more associated scanning beams over a separate limited scanning beam region on the surface of a celestial body. In a preferred arrangement, each of the plurality of scanning spot beams is scanned linearly and parallel to the other scanning spot beams in a manner wherein each of the scanning beams covers a separate one of adjacent bands dividing the overall service region on the celestial body. By proper orientation of each of the scan regions or bands, nearly equal volumes of traffic can be served by each transponder.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.