Patent · US Expired

Antenna configuration for low and medium earth orbit satellites

US6184838A · kind A · utility

2Cited by
3References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 20, 1998
Grant dateFeb 6, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 20, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01Q19/08
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An antenna configuration suitable for LEO/MEO satellites includes a plurality of lenses whereby each lens has a plurality of feed horns positioned with respect to the lens. The lens has a first surface and a second surface. The plurality of feed horns is disposed upon a curved surface. Each of the plurality of feed horns generates a beam that has a phase distribution. The phase distributions have a predetermined phase relationship with the first surface and preferably the second surface. This allows the lens to transmit and receive a signal with desired phase distribution across a cross-section of the beam. The beams from the plurality of lenses are inter-leaved on the ground to form a contiguous coverage with multiple overlapping spot-beams.

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