Orbital Sciences Corporation

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Inc.

Orbital Atk, Inc.

Leonard Alan Atkinson

Ronald E Huebner

Nicholas J Pappageorge

Richard A Singer

Jonathan Howard

David A Anhalt

Systems and methods are described herein for communications bandwidth enhancement using Orthogonal Spatial Division Multiplexing (OSDM). For example, large sparse antenna arrays may be able to distinguish between signals emitted by multiple nearly collocated antennas, even if the signals have the same frequency, polarization, and coverage. Thus, the use of a large sparse antenna array may be able to resolve/isolate individual antennas on a single platform, allowing for OSDM, analogous to Orthogonal Frequency Divisional Multiplexing (OFDM). Using OSDM, multiple antennas on the same vehicle are able to reuse the same frequencies/polarizations without interference, thereby increasing spectrum availability while still providing the same transmitter power spectral density and total RF power emission.

Communications bandwidth enhancement using orthogonal spatial division multiplexing of a sparse antenna array

Methods and systems are provided for a protected communications architecture in which a pool of limited availability channels are shared through the transmission of encoded symbols with time-varying path diversity by a pool of users. The communications architecture can be managed by a network controller that stores availability data describing the availability of multiple-access satellite communications channels. The network controller allocates a first user to a first time-varying subset of the plurality of multiple-access satellite or terrestrial communications channels based on the availability data. The network controller updates the availability data based on the allocation of the first user. The network controller allocates a second user to a second time-varying subset of the plurality of multiple-access satellite or terrestrial communications channels based on the updated availability data. This process is repeated until all users are allocated bandwidth based on their priority, demand, and the overall bandwidth available within the pool.

Protection of commercial communications

Communications bandwidth enhancement using orthogonal spatial division multiplexing

A secondary payload interface for payload communications using a primary payload communications channel is provided. The secondary payload interface may include a plurality of input/output couplers which may connect the primary payload communications channel to a secondary payload. The plurality of input/output couplers may establish an isolated secondary payload communications channel within the primary payload communications channel. The secondary payload interface may be designed such that control and telemetry interactions with the operators of the communications satellite are limited.

Secondary payload interface

A carrier suppressed information signal modulation arrangement employs a plurality of serially coupled modulators. Each of the serially coupled modulators has a carrier input, a modulating signal input and a modulated carrier output. A carrier is applied to the carrier input of the first modulator and the suppressed modulated carrier output of each modulator is coupled to the carrier input of a succeeding modulator. An encoder responsive to the information signal generates modulating signals to be applied to the modulating signal inputs of the serially coupled modulators, such that a product of the modulating signals forms the information signal. The modulating signals applied to each of the serially coupled modulators modifies the modulated carrier output received at the carrier input of the respective modulator to produce a carrier suppressed information signal modulated output of the last of the serially coupled modulators.

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Oak Hill, VA, United States of America

Leonard Alan Atkinson