Patent · US Expired

Method and intelligent digital beam forming system responsive to traffic demand

US5754139A · kind A · utility

86Cited by
6References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 30, 1996
Grant dateMay 19, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 30, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B7/18541
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

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 (90) in response to demand for communication services. Geographic portions within the satellite's footprint that have a higher-demand for communication services are dynamically provided additional antenna beams while geographic portions having a lower demand for communication services are provided less antenna beams. When used on a non-geostationary satellite, the digital beam forming coefficients are dynamically adjusted to steer the antenna beams to maintain their ground location. The antenna beams are also shaped to help optimized geographic coverage.

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