Systems and methods for detecting satellite-based communication interference

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020204276-A1
Application number	US-202016804647-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 28, 2020
Priority date	Apr 12, 2018
Publication date	Jun 25, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for detecting and reducing signal interference affecting wireless communication with a mobile vehicle includes generating an interference signature based on a correlation multiple signal-quality characteristics of a desired target-signal that is received at an antenna assembly attached to the mobile vehicle, and adjusting the orientation of the antenna assembly based on a change or degradation in the interference signature to thereby improve wireless communication with the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of reducing degradation in wireless communication during normal operation of a communication system including a signal source and a mobile vehicle having a coupled antenna assembly, the method comprising:
receiving, via one or more processors coupled to the antenna assembly of the mobile device, a wireless target-signal from the signal source; attaining, via the one or more processors, a first type of signal-quality characteristic of the received wireless target-signal received at an initial orientation of the antenna assembly, the first type of signal-quality characteristic being indicative of a signal quality; attaining, via the one or more processors, a second type of signal-quality characteristic of the received wireless target-signal, the second type of signal-quality characteristic being indicative of the signal quality, wherein the first and second types of signal-quality characteristics are different types of signal-quality characteristics and each having a different functional dependence on a combination of signal and noise associated with the received wireless target-signal; generating, via the one or more processors, an interference signature including a correlation of the attained first signal-quality characteristic and the second signal-quality characteristic; and associating the generated interference signature with the signal source.

2 . The method of reducing degradation in wireless communication of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing, via the one or more processors, the interference signature in a memory accessible to the mobile device for using in positioning the antenna assembly to reduce and/or avoid degrading effects of interference on the wireless target-signal during subsequent travel of the mobile vehicle.

3 . The method of reducing degradation in wireless communication of claim 1 , further comprising:
inserting, via the one or more processors, the interference signature of the signal source into a satellite network map.

4 . The method of reducing degradation in wireless communication of claim 1 , further comprising:
analyzing, via the one or more processors, the generated interference signature to determine a change or degradation in the correlation of the interference signature associated with the signal source; and adjusting, via the one or more processors, the initial orientation of the antenna assembly to another orientation based on the analysis of the interference signature, thereby reducing degradation of the wireless target-signal received at the mobile vehicle.

5 . The method of reducing degradation in wireless communication of claim 1 , wherein the antenna assembly includes a receive (RX) aperture and a transmit (TX) aperture, the method further comprising:
initiating, via the one or more processors, a mode of operation of the antenna assembly based on the analysis of the interference signature, wherein the orientation of the receive (RX) aperture is controlled independently of the transmit (TX) aperture.

6 . The method of reducing degradation in wireless communication of claim 1 , wherein the first and second signal-quality characteristic types are, respectively, one of a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a received signal strength (RSS), a signal-plus-noise-to-noise ratio ((S+N)/N), or a signal-to-interference-noise ratio (SNIR).

7 . A system for reducing degradation in wireless communication during normal operation of a communication system including a signal source and a mobile vehicle, the system comprising:
one or more processors coupled to the mobile vehicle; a memory coupled to the one or more processors; an antenna assembly coupled to the one or more processors and attached to the mobile vehicle, the antenna assembly including a particular orientation, a receive (RX) aperture, and a transmit (TX) aperture; and a set of instructions stored on the memory, which when executed by the one or more processors; causes the system to: receive, via the antenna assembly of the mobile device, a wireless target-signal from the signal source; attain a first type of signal-quality characteristic of the received wireless target-signal received at an initial orientation of the antenna assembly, the first type of signal-quality characteristic being indicative of a signal quality; attain a second type of signal-quality characteristic of the received wireless target-signal, the second type of signal-quality characteristic being indicative of the signal quality, wherein the first and second types of signal-quality characteristics are different types of signal-quality characteristics and each having a different functional dependence on a combination of signal and noise associated with the received wireless target-signal; generate an interference signature including a correlation of the attained first signal-quality characteristic and the second signal-quality characteristic; and associate the generated interference signature with the signal source.

8 . The system for reducing degradation in wireless communication during normal operation of a communication system of claim 7 , wherein the set of instructions further comprising:
store the interference signature in a memory accessible to the mobile device for using in positioning the antenna assembly to reduce and/or avoid degrading effects on wireless communication with the signal source during subsequent travel of the mobile vehicle.

9 . The system for reducing degradation in wireless communication during normal operation of a communication system of claim 7 , wherein the set of instructions further comprising:
insert the interference signature of the signal environment into a satellite network map.

10 . The system for reducing degradation in wireless communication during normal operation of a communication system of claim 7 , wherein the set of instructions further comprising:
analyze the generated interference signature to determine a change or degradation in the correlation of the interference signature; and adjust the initial orientation of the antenna assembly to another orientation based on the analysis of the interference signature, thereby reducing degradation of the wireless target-signal received at the mobile vehicle.

11 . The system for reducing degradation in wireless communication during normal operation of a communication system of claim 7 , wherein the antenna assembly includes a receive (RX) aperture and a transmit (TX) aperture and the set of instructions further comprising:
initiate a mode of operation of the antenna assembly wherein the orientation of the receive (RX) aperture is controlled independently of the transmit (TX) aperture.

12 . The system for reducing degradation in wireless communication during normal operation of a communication system of claim 7 , wherein the first and second signal-quality characteristic types are one of, respectively, a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a received signal strength (RSS), a signal-plus-noise-to-noise ratio ((S+N)/N), or a signal-to-interference-noise ratio (SNIR).

13 . A method of reducing degradation in wireless communication during normal operation of a communication system including a signal source and a mobile vehicle having a coupled antenna assembly with an initial orientation, the method comprising:
scanning, via one or more processors coupled to the antenna assembly, the antenna assembly through a plurality of orientations directed toward a signal environment including the signal source; receiving, via the one or more processors coupled to the antenna assembly, a wireless target-signal at each of the plurality of orientations, the wire

Assignees

• Gogo Llc

Inventors

• Cordone Sean S

Classifications

• H04B17/318

  Received signal strength · CPC title

• H04B17/345 Primary

  Interference values ({signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR]} H04B17/336) · CPC title

• H04B17/336

  Signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] · CPC title

• H04B17/12

  of transmit antennas, e.g. of the amplitude or phase · CPC title

• H04B7/1853

  Satellite systems for providing telephony service to a mobile station, i.e. mobile satellite service (for selecting H04W) · CPC title