The Boeing Company

Hughes Electronics Corporation

The Directv Group, Inc.

David W Lloyd

Edward K Hoffman

Bret Michael Botzong

Alexander Mihich

William D Lemke

William R Procopio

Joseph Porzucki

Communication between a payload services unit (PSU) and a payload unit utilizes a single-wire interface used to power the PSU as well as to communicate telemetry and command signals. A telemetry and command (T&C) system includes a payload unit configured to respond to a plurality of commands and generate a plurality of telemetry data, an embedded service module (ESM) within the payload unit, and a payload service unit (PSU) configured to generate the plurality of commands and receive the plurality of telemetry data. A single-wire interface is coupled between the ESM and the PSU and configured to provide power to the ESM, wherein the payload unit and PSU are configured to communicate the plurality of commands and the plurality of the telemetry data over the single-wire interface.

Single-wire telemetry and command

An apparatus comprises a housing, a bearing member, and a transmission system. The housing has a channel in communication with an opening at a first end of the housing and a first surface at a second end of the housing. The first surface is substantially perpendicular to a rotation axis through the channel. The bearing member is capable of rotating in the channel around the rotation axis. The bearing member has a second surface substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis and substantially parallel to the first surface. The transmission system is coupled to the first surface and the second surface. The transmission system has a transmitter and a receiver. The transmission system is capable of emitting an electromagnetic radiation in a beam that is capable of being received by the receiver, while a rotation occurs between the transmitter and the receiver about the rotation axis.

Non-contacting signal transfer for rotating interface

The position of an RF switch, or switches, in a matrix switch drive system is monitored using AC rather than DC measurement techniques. Using the same wiring as the matrix switch drive system so as not to increase the size and weight of the switch installation, a low current AC signal is provided during non-actuation of the RF switch(es) to each of plural combinations of a capacitor and a microswitch serially connected across each switch coil. With the capacitor and switch coil exhibiting inverse impedance responses to increasing AC frequency, when the microswitch is open only the coil impedance is read and when the microswitch is closed only the capacitor impedance is read. Using a switch coil with an inductance of 1 henry and a capacitor with a capacitance of 0.1 farads, the difference in impedance between the microswitch ON and OFF states is an easily detectable two orders of magnitude.

RF switch telemetry system and method

A method and system for controlling a movable appendage on an aerospace vehicle independent from the position of the aerospace vehicle. First and second beacons containing actual position information for the movable appendage are tracked and acquired by first and second beacon tracking sites. The beacon tracking sites report the azimuth and elevation data relating to the position of the movable appendage to a processor where a correction command is determined based on an error calculated from the position data and a desired position. The correction command is communicated to the movable appendage so that appropriate correction to the desired position can be made.

High altitude platform control system

An improved spacecraft ordnance system includes a plurality of squibs each connected with a resistor having a squib unique resistance value and a driver unit including built-in test circuitry. Ordnance harness cables connect the squibs with the driver unit. The resistors enable squib identification. The built-in test circuitry enables unambiguous verification of correct connection of each squib with the driver unit. The built-in test circuitry includes a low-impedance multiplexer for selecting a driver line for monitoring, a precision current source for providing a relatively low current to a selected output of the driver unit producing a voltage proportional to the total resistance from signal to ground, and a analog/digital converter for digitizing the voltage and reporting the result to a computer for comparison to predicted values using a telemetry interface and therefore identifying the selected squib. An EMI-tight adapter housing the squib-specific resistor may be attached to the squib.

Spacecraft ordnance system and method for self-test

A spacecraft data acquisition system comprises a telemetry and command controller, a payload unit, and a bi-directional interface that couples the telemetry and command controller to the payload unit. The interface is a single bi-directional interface that is used to reduce the complexity of the spacecraft. The transmission of information over the interface has a predetermined protocol so that the telemetry and command controller and payload unit may effectively use the single interface.

Spacecraft data acquisition and distribution interface

A spacecraft control electronics system provides multi-functionality to a spacecraft in a single electronics box. The system is subdivided into a plurality of modular electronic subunits. Each of the modular subunits plugs into a backplane in the electronics box and is positioned side-by-side. A serial data bus in the backplane of the box interconnects the modular subunits to each other. The data bus provides fully redundant, standard interfacing for the modular subunits. The plurality of electronic subunits provides spacecraft attitude determination, control, telemetry and command and data processing functions to the spacecraft as one unit. The electronics box connects to the spacecraft harness via external connectors. The spacecraft has a minimum number of harness connections as a result of the integrated functions in the spacecraft control electronics system. The control system applies selective internal redundancy in its subunits. The CPU subunit has triple mode redundancy through three microprocessors that are voted together to detect and correct errors due to single event upsets. The T&C/GPS subunit has an embedded GPS receiver that performs attitude determination as well as orbital positioning. The modular subunits have a built in self-test that verifies minute circuitry interconnections and detects faults automatically. The subunits are tested as stand-alone subunits, as a part of the spacecraft control electronics system, and/or as part of the spacecraft level integration using this automated built-in self test capability. Faults in the subunits or the system are detected in seconds. The built in self-test feature also provides an end-to-end spacecraft harness verification automatically in minutes. Defective modular subunits are removed and replaced with substitute modular subunits during spacecraft level integration.

Integrated spacecraft control system and method

A wireless intrasatellite communication system is disclosed. Satellite telemetry signals are multiplexed, converted into a digital data stream, and processed by an ASIC to form a multiplexed telemetry data stream. An infrared transceiver transmits the multiplexed telemetry data stream along an optical path to a designated interface that is associated with a remote command and telemetry unit. Telemetry signals are aggregated within a plurality of remote command and telemetry units and transmitted to a central command and telemetry unit via a high-speed digital bus. Command data issued from the central command and telemetry unit is distributed to a designated remote command and telemetry unit, and is routed to the appropriate user unit via the optical path. The user unit processes the command data and generates a responsive command signal output.

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Manhattan Beach, CA, United States of America

David W Lloyd