Automated ground system with telemetry initiated command assistance

US6597892B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• SES America, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Winfield A. Caldwell, III · Mount Airy, US
• Anthony William Massaro · Erwinna, US
• Kevin John Moscatiello · Port Jervis, US
• Thomas Nowak · Langhorne, US
• Michael Pritchard · Yardley, US
• John Philip Schramm · Doylestown, US
• Christopher Taylor · Byhalia, US
• Henry White · Manalapan, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 18, 2000
• Grant date: Jul 22, 2003
• Expiry date: Apr 18, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04B7/18519
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A ground-control system for a fleet of satellites provides a highly reliable means that automatically recognizes undesirable telemetry state changes and automatically transmits the required commands to the proper satellite to place the satellite operational parameters into the desired state. The ground-control system utilizes hardware, software and two redundant ground-control sites: a Control site and a Monitor site. There may also be a number of disabled sites to replace one of the redundant ground-control sites, at a moment's notice, if necessary. Both redundant sites constantly and independently monitor and verify validity of satellite telemetry. Upon occurrence of an undesired state change (event) upon a particular satellite, ground-control computers at both sites independently recognize the event and automatically begin a response. The control site computer verifies no critical satellite on-board commanding is scheduled to take place, discontinues interruptible activities, directs the monitor site computer to stop any transmission to the event satellite, switches the RF hardware to access the proper satellite and transmits the required commands. If the control site computer c…