Experimental smartphone ground station grid system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10355776-B2
Application number	US-201815968049-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2018
Priority date	Apr 21, 2016
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

This system and method provides for a plurality of satellite ground stations, distributed across some geographic region, and for these regions in turn to be scalable to cover large regions or even the globe using a combination of low-orbit satellites, terrestrial participant devices, and cloud-based communications. The invention in its simplest form is intended to solve the short temporal window problem inherent to the scenario where a single base or ground station is trying to track and communicate with a low-end LEOSAT or even a cube-satellite.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A terrestrially distributed digital network system for orchestrated and coordinated control of ground to satellite, satellite to ground, and ground to ground communications comprising:
(a) at least one Terrestrial Participant Devices (TPD);
(b) at least one Low Earth Orbiting Satellite (LEOSAT); and
(c) a Computational Cloud;

wherein the orchestration and coordination of communications between the TPD and LEOSAT is controlled by the Computational Cloud;
wherein the orchestration and coordination of communications between TPDs is controlled by the Computational Cloud; and
wherein the Computational Cloud controls communications on a time-slot-by-time-slot basis to each said TPD for the duration of the LEOSAT's orbital pass.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one TPD comprises:
(a) a radio; and
(b) a ground station;

wherein the radio is capable of being computationally commanded by the Computational Cloud;
wherein said TPD is connected to the Internet;
wherein said TPD is capable of performing wireless communications and wireless signal measurements and providing and storing its Global Positioning Coordinates.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one LEOSAT comprises:
(a) a satellite; and
(b) a radio antenna;

wherein said LEOSAT is capable of computing, performing wireless communications, and receiving, storing, and forwarding communications received from said TPDs.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the TPDs are geographically distributed on the Earth's surface.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEOSAT may be equipped with stabilization, attitude control, radio parameters, or other satellite parameters under direct control of the terrestrially distributed digital network system.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising programming providing temporal-spatial coordination and control of TPDs.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein said LEOSAT's radio antenna pattern spatial-temporal alignment with said TPDs is predicted in advance by the Computational Cloud, wherein said Computational Cloud further comprises programming to perform said prediction.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the Computational Cloud is comprised of Internet-based computing facilities.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the Computational Cloud comprises: (a) Module 1 , comprising an Ephemeris Software Module; (b) Module 2 , comprising a TPD Registry Module; (c) Module 3 , comprising a TPD Communications Profile Planning Software Module; (d) Module 4 , comprising an Internet Communications Software Module; (e) Module 5 , comprising a Multi-Satellite Radio Path Predictor Module; (f) Module 6 , comprising a Message/TPD Apportionment Module; (g) Module 7 , comprising a Composite Pre-Tuned Instrument Module; and (h) Module 8 , comprising a Mobile Control Module.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein Module 1 further comprises a database of each of the at least one LEOSAT's predicted orbital position with respect to time and geographic locations.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein Module 3 issues TPD Issued Temporal Control, Communications and Instrumentation Profile (ITCCIP) for each TPD on a time-slot-by-time-slot-basis;
wherein said ITCCIP is further comprised of Radio Communications Parameters (RCPs) and basic Instrumentation Parameters (IMPs).

12. The system of claim 9 ,
wherein at least one TPD is connected to the Computational Cloud via the Internet;
wherein Module 1 provides its current and predicted LEOSAT location data to Module 3 ;
wherein Module 2 provides registry data and TPD location data to Module 3 ;
wherein Module 4 serves as the Internet interface function between Module 2 and said TPD having Internet connectivity with Module 4 ;
wherein Module 5 's Satellite Radio Pattern Spatial Temporal Predictions (SRPSTPs) are described to Module 3 for Module 3 's coordination with said TPD; and
wherein Module 3 utilizes the data provided by Modules 1 , 5 , and 2 to coordinate and orchestrate communications between the TPDs and LEOSAT.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the Ephemeris Software Module is updated automatically from an automatic ground station locator source.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein Modules 6 , 3 , and 4 and the TPDs are functionally augmented to support Computationally Augmented Random Linear Network Coding.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the TPD further comprises a sensor.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the TPD is capable of implementing actuation commands.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the TPD further comprises a subcomponent that is capable of accepting and coordinating TPD Onboard Configurable Control Actuations.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the TPD further comprises functional augmentation to support the automatic formation of ad hoc mobile wireless computational grids.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the Computational Cloud's functional modules are implemented through the mobile agents running on each of the at least one TPD or LEOSATs.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the LEOSAT further comprises software and hardware configurations allowing said LEOSAT to be under partial or full control of the system.

21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the LESOAT further comprises functionality to perform message fragmentation and apportionment, wherein said LEOSAT may originate and fragment or apportion said message and forward said message or fragments.

22. The system of claim 9 , wherein Module 8 further comprises programming to effect mobility and motion control of the TPD or LEOSAT.

23. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system provides support for reinforced learning and storage of knowledge gained through said reinforced learning.

24. The system of claim 19 , wherein the system is capable of detecting adverse conditions and pinpointing those conditions using the reinforced learning techniques.

25. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one TPDs is capable of transmitting data to other TPDs in the system.

26. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
multiple TPDs can form TPD clusters;
multiple LEOSATs can form LEOSAT clusters;
a combination of TPDs and LEOSATs can form combination clusters; and
said combination clusters comprise the functionality to perform the functions of the Computational Cloud.

27. A method for improving communication between at least one Terrestrial Participation Device (TPD) and a Low Earth Orbiting Satellite (LEOSAT) comprising: (a) placing at least one TPD in or near the LEOSAT's orbital projection; wherein said TPD comprises a radio and a ground station; wherein the Computational Cloud commands the radio to communicate with the LEOSAT; and wherein said LEOSAT comprises a satellite and a radio antenna; (b) providing a Computational Cloud that is connected to at least one TPD via the Internet, comprising: i) a Module 1 , comprising an Ephemeris Software Module and a database of calculated and stored data regarding the LEOSAT's predicted orbital position with respect to time and geographic locations; ii) a Module 2 , comprising a TPD Registry Module; iii) a Module 3 , comprising a TPD Communications Profile Planning Software Module; wherein Module 3 is capable of issuing TPD Issued Temporal Control, Communications, and Instrumentation

Assignees

• Univ Louisiana At Lafayette

Inventors

• Darby Iii Paul J

Classifications

• H04B7/18515

  Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays · CPC title

• H04W24/08

  Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic · CPC title

• H04B7/18517 Primary

  Transmission equipment in earth stations · CPC title

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title