Patent · US Active

Satellite fleet deployment

US8712321B1 · kind B1 · utility

57Cited by
3References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 14, 2013
Grant dateApr 29, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 14, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B7/2041
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described for managing satellite communications through the deployment of a fleet of multi-beam satellites serving overlapping and non-overlapping spot beams. In these methods, systems, and devices, a first communication service associated with a relatively wider spot beam of a first satellite is provided to a first coverage area having multiple terminals. A second communication service associated with a relatively narrower spot beam (e.g., high-gain spot beam) of a second satellite is provided to a second coverage area located within the first coverage area. A subset of terminals located within the second coverage area is identified, and the terminals of the identified subset are transitioned from the first communication service of the wide spot beam of the first satellite to the second communication service of the high-gain spot beam of the second satellite.

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