Experimental smartphone ground station grid system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10651925-B2
Application number	US-201916502598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2019
Priority date	Apr 21, 2016
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

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, including across the Earth or in orbit with planets or other celestial bodies 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 OSAT or even a cube-satellite.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A distributed digital network system for orchestrated and coordinated control of surface to satellite, satellite to surface, and surface to surface communications comprising:
(a) at least one Participant Devices (PD);
(b) at least one Orbiting Satellite (OSAT); and
(c) a Computational Cloud;
wherein the orchestration and coordination of communications between the PD and OSAT is controlled by the Computational Cloud;
wherein the orchestration and coordination of communications between PDs is controlled by the Computational Cloud; and
wherein the Computational Cloud controls communications on a time-slot-by-time-slot basis to each said PD for the duration of the OSAT's orbital pass.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one PD comprises:
(a) a radio; and
(b) a ground station;
wherein the radio is capable of being computationally commanded by the Computational Cloud;
wherein said PD is capable of performing wireless communications and wireless signal measurements and providing and storing its Planetary Positioning Coordinates.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one OSAT comprises:
(a) a satellite; and
(b) a radio antenna;
wherein said OSAT is capable of computing, performing wireless communications, and receiving, storing, and forwarding communications received from said PDs.

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

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

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

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the Computational Cloud comprises:
(a) Module 1 , comprising an Ephemeris Software Module;
(b) Module 2 , comprising a PD Registry Module;
(c) Module 3 , comprising a PD 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/PD Apportionment Module;
(g) Module 7 , comprising a Composite Pre-Tuned Instrument Module; and
(h) Module 8 , comprising a Mobile Control Module.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein Module 1 further comprises a database of each of the at least one OSAT's predicted orbital position with respect to time and geographic locations.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein Module 3 issues PD Issued Temporal Control, Communications and Instrumentation Profile (ITCCIP) for each PD on a time-slot-by-time-slot-basis;
wherein said ITCCIP is further comprised of Radio Communications Parameters (RCPs) and basic Instrumentation Parameters (IMPs).

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one PD is connected to the Computational Cloud via the Internet;
wherein Module 1 provides its current and predicted OSAT location data to Module 3 ;
wherein Module 2 provides registry data and PD location data to Module 3 ;
wherein Module 4 serves as the Internet interface function between Module 2 and said PD 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 PD; and
wherein Module 3 utilizes the data provided by Modules 1 , 5 , and 2 to coordinate and orchestrate communications between the PDs and OSAT.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the Ephemeris Software Module is updated automatically from an automatic ground station locator source.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein Modules 6 , 3 , and 4 and the PDs are functionally augmented to support Computationally Augmented Random Linear Network Coding.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the PD further comprises a sensor.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the PD is capable of implementing actuation commands.

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

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

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the Computational Cloud's functional modules are implemented through the mobile agents running on each of the at least one PD or OSATs.

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

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

20. The system of claim 7 , wherein Module 8 further comprises programming to effect mobility and motion control of the PD or OSAT.

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

22. The system of claim 17 , wherein the system is capable of detecting adverse conditions and pinpointing those conditions using the reinforced learning techniques.

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

24. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
multiple PDs can form PD clusters;
multiple OSATs can form OSAT clusters;
a combination of PDs and OSATs can form combination clusters; and
said combination clusters comprise the functionality to perform the functions of the Computational Cloud.

25. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is optimized to operate in an orbit of a celestial.

26. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is optimized to operate in an orbit of a sun.

27. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is optimized to operate outside of the Earth's atmosphere.

28. A method for improving communication between at least one Participant Device (PD) and at least one additional Participant Device (APD) comprising:
(a) placing at least one PD in or near the APD's orbital projection;
wherein said PD comprises a radio and a ground station;
wherein a Computational Cloud commands the radio to communicate with the APD; and
wherein said APD comprises a satellite transceiver and a radio antenna;

(b) providing said Computational Cloud that is connected to at least one PD comprising:
(i) a Module 1 , comprising an Ephemeris Software Module and a database of calculated and stored data regarding the at least one APD's predicted orbital position with respect to time and geographic locations;
(ii) a Module 2 , comprising a PD Registry Module;
(iii) a Module 3 , comprising a PD Communications Profile Planning Software Module;
wherein Module 3 is capable of issuing PD Issued Temporal Control, Communications, and Instrumentation Profile (ITCCIP) for each PD on a time-slot-by-time-slot-basis;
wherein said

Assignees

• Univ Louisiana At Lafayette

Inventors

• Darby Iii Paul J

Classifications

• H04B7/195

  Non-synchronous stations · CPC title

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• H04B7/18515 Primary

  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