Elliptical satellite system which emulates the characteristics of geosynchronous satellites
US5845206A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 24, 1995 |
| Grant date | Dec 1, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 24, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/428
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An elliptical satellite system which carries out communication. The satellite orbits a height above the earth less than that necessary for geosynchronous orbits. When the satellite is near the apogee portion of its orbit, its velocity approximates the rotational velocity of the earth, and during that period it appears to hover over the earth. Each ground station on the earth always communicates with a satellite within a predetermined position of its apogee, and hence that satellite appears to the ground station to hover over the earth. The satellite hence does not communicate with any earth station when it is outside of that apogee portion. During the times when the satellite is outside the apogee portion, its communication is therefore shut off to prevent any possibility of interfering with geosynchronous satellites. During this time, the power supply on the satellite is also used to charge a battery on the satellite. This enables the power supply to be made smaller by an amount equivalent to the duty cycle of the satellite: during the time which it is on.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.