Patent · US Expired

Antenna system for hybrid communications satellite

US4792813A · kind A · utility

28Cited by
8References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 14, 1986
Grant dateDec 20, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 14, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S343/02
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A satellite communications system employs separate subsystems for providing broadcast and point-to-point two-way communications using the same assigned frequency band. The broadcast and point-to-point subsystems employ an integrated satellite antenna system which uses a common reflector (12). The point-to-point subsystem achieves increased communication capacity through the reuse of the assigned frequency band over multiple, contiguous zones (32, 34, 36, 38) covering the area of the earth to be serviced. Small aperture terminals in the zones are serviced by a plurality of high gain downlink fan beams (29) steered in the east-west direction by frequency address. A special beam-forming network (98) provides in conjunction with an array antenna (20) the multiple zone frequency address function. The satellite (10) employs a filter interconnection matrix (90) for connecting earth terminals in different zones in a manner which permits multiple reuse of the entire band of assigned frequencies. A single pool of solid state transmitters allows rain disadvantaged users to be assigned higher than normal power at minimum cost. The intermodulation products of the transmitters are geographically…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.