Satellite ground terminal incorporating a smart antenna that rejects interference

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10490892-B2
Application number	US-201113029015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2011
Priority date	Dec 6, 2007
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

This device combines multiple elements that function like a single smart antenna that performs both connectivity and spatial discrimination functions. The antenna functions in both receive and transmit modes. The apparatus utilizes commonly used components to distinguish and separate desired satellite signals from those signals of satellites in close directional proximity. Disclosed are six methods for optimizing simultaneously reception of multiple desired satellite signals performed either mechanically or electronically and also included is an optimization technique. The transmission apparatus uses many of the same components as the receiver antenna and additionally uses in-beam nulling to fine tune transmission.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for signal communication with a plurality of satellites with at least one signal source having known directional information via an antenna array, the antenna array having an angular resolution smaller than an angular separation of the satellites and comprising a set of directional antenna elements aligned in a predetermined direction and having a baseline selected according to the angular resolution and a controller module, the baseline being a distance between two outermost edges of apertures of the antenna elements, the method comprising the acts of:
(a) receiving a set of input signals having signal parameters from the plurality of satellites via the directional antenna elements;
(b) receiving user-defined performance criteria via the controller module;
(c) adjusting relative spacing of the directional antenna elements within the baseline;
(d) performing weighting and summing of the input signals via the controller module, the weighting having weighting functions that are updatable and are based on the signal parameters including at least amplitudes and phases or the known directional information of the at least one signal source;
(e) generating performance measurables from the act of (d) performing weighting and summing of the input signals, via the controller module;
(f) comparing the performance measurables to the user-defined performance criteria, via the controller module; and
(g) updating the weighting functions using a gradient search based on the act of comparing the performance measurables to the user-defined performance criteria, via the controller module.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one signal source is a first satellite, the method further comprising the act of creating a beam having a first beam peak in a direction of a first satellite, a first null in a direction of a second satellite and a second null in a direction of a third satellite, via the controller module.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one signal source is a first satellite and a second satellite, the method further comprising the act of creating simultaneously a first beam and a second beam via the controller module, the first beam having a first beam peak in a direction of the first satellite and a first null in a direction of the second satellite, the second beam having a second beam peak in the direction of the second satellite and a second null in the direction of the first satellite.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the act of repeating the acts of (d), (e), (f), and (g) until the performance measurables meet the performance criteria.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusted relative spacing of the directional antenna elements is aperiodic.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directional antenna elements of the antenna array are in re-locatable positions.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of (c) adjusting relative spacing of the directional antenna elements is based on a minimum redundancy array principle.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of (g) updating the weighting functions comprises the act of adjusting relative radio frequency amplitudes and phases of the input signals.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of (g) updating the weighting functions comprises the act of adjusting relative radio frequency phases of the input signals.

10. A method for signal communication with first and second satellites each having known directional information via an antenna array, the antenna array having an angular resolution smaller than an angular separation of the first and second satellites and comprising a set of directional antenna elements aligned in a predetermined direction and having a baseline selected according to the angular resolution and a controller module, the baseline being a distance between two outermost edges of apertures of the antenna elements, the method comprising the acts of:
(a) receiving a set of input signals having signal parameters from the first and second satellites via the directional antenna elements;
(b) receiving user-defined performance criteria via the controller module;
(c) adjusting relative spacing of the directional antenna elements within the baseline;
(d) performing weighting and summing of the input signals via the controller module, the weighting having weighting functions that are updatable and are based on the signal parameters including at least amplitudes and phases or the known directional information of the at least one signal source;
(e) generating performance measurables from the act of (d) performing weighting and summing of the input signals, via the controller module;
(f) comparing the performance measurables to the user-defined performance criteria, via the controller module;
(g) updating the weighting functions using a gradient search based on the act of comparing the performance measurables to the user-defined performance criteria, via the controller module; and
(h) creating simultaneously a first beam and a second beam via the controller module, the first beam having a first beam peak in a direction of the first satellite and a first null in a direction of the second satellite, the second beam having a second beam peak in the direction of the second satellite and a second null in the direction of the first satellite.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the act of (c) adjusting relative spacing of the directional antenna elements is based on a minimum redundancy array principle.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the adjusted relative spacing of the directional antenna elements is aperiodic.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the act of (h) creating simultaneously the first beam and the second beam comprises creating simultaneously the first beam having a third null in a direction of a third satellite and the second beam having a fourth null in the direction of the third satellite.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising the act of repeating the acts of (d), (e), (f), and (g) until the performance measurables meet the performance criteria.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the directional antenna elements of the antenna array are reflectors in mobile positions with respect to each other.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the directional antenna elements of the antenna array are in re-locatable positions.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the act of (g) updating the weighting functions comprises the act of adjusting relative radio frequency amplitudes and phases of the input signals.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the act of (g) updating the weighting functions comprises the act of adjusting relative radio frequency phases of the input signals.

19. A method for signal communication with N satellites each having known directional information via an antenna array, N being greater than 1, the antenna array having an angular resolution smaller than an angular separation of the N satellites and comprising a set of directional antenna elements aligned in a predetermined direction and having a baseline selected according to the angular resolution and a controller module, the baseline being a distance between two outermost edges of apertures of the antenna elements, the method comprising the acts of:
(a) receiving a set of input signals having signal parameters from the N satellites via the directional antenna elements;
(b) receiving user-defined performance criteria via the controller module;
(c) adjusting relative spacing of the directional antenna elements within t

Assignees

• Chang Donald C D
• Spatial Digital Systems Inc

Inventors

• Chang Donald C D

Classifications

• H01Q21/29

  Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic (H01Q25/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q3/2605 Primary

  Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays · CPC title

• H01Q19/12

  wherein the surfaces are concave (H01Q19/18 takes precedence) · CPC title