In-orbit reconfigurable communications satellite
US6871045B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 18, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 22, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 13, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04B7/2041
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The footprint of a first satellite is reconfigurable in orbit by ground control to switch on and off different transponders. Each transponder is connected to a corresponding downlink antenna feed, each of which transmits a downlink beam independent of the others. The satellite can be moved into different orbits or otherwise changed to service new geographic areas by using different combinations of the transponders. In one embodiment, the satellite includes an antenna and components for an uplink beam corresponding to each downlink beam. Various subsets of the downlink antenna feeds are mechanically linked to move in unison using gimbals, each subset using a corresponding gimbal and mechanical driver. The first satellite is sufficiently reconfigurable that it may serve as a back up satellite to a plurality of other satellites in a constellation of satellites.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.