Viasat, Inc.

David E Sinyard

Charles Michael Luke

Christopher A Rose

Brian D Chandler

Rodney A Morris

Patrick E Tynan

A method performed by a ground station antenna system for tracking a non-Geo satellite. A signal is received from the satellite and a signal quality metric associated with the signal is estimated. A first tracking mode is selected and implemented when the estimated signal quality metric is below a threshold, in which the signal is demodulated to obtain demodulated signal quality metric (DSQM) estimates, and then a first tracking operation is performed to point an antenna beam at the satellite based on the DSQM estimates. A second tracking mode is selected and implemented when the estimated signal quality metric is above the threshold, in which signal strength estimates of the signal are obtained and then a second tracking operation is performed to point the antenna beam at the satellite based at least in part on the signal strength estimates.

Antenna systems and methods for tracking non-geosynchronous satellites

A system and method of the disclosure relates to satellite tracking. The system may comprise a tracking receiver that includes a first analog-to-digital (A/D) converter coupled between a sum input and a digital signal processor (DSP), a second A/D converter coupled between a difference input and the DSP, and a calibration output coupled to the sum input and coupled to the difference input. The first A/D converter may convert an signal received at the sum input into a sum digital signal, and provide the sum digital signal to the DSP. The second A/D converter may convert an signal received at the difference input into a difference digital signal, and provide the difference digital signal to the DSP. The tracking receiver may generate an calibration signal and provide the calibration signal through the calibration output.

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Sugar Hill, GA, United States of America

David E Sinyard