Hughes Electronics Corporation

The Boeing Company

Other

Hughes Aircraft Company

The Directv Group, Inc.

Parthasarathy Ramanujam

Harold A Rosen

Brian M Park

Philip H Law

Louis Rudolph Fermelia

Ying J Feria

Cynthia A Dixon

Sudhakar K Rao

Robert E Vaughan

Daniel F Mathews

Alan R Keith

William D Beightol

Mark T Austin

Albert E Lyerly

David Arthur Whelan

Mon N Wong

Cameron G Massey

Paul J Tatomir

James D Thompson

Victor S Reinhardt

Steven O Lane

Andrew L Strodtbeck

Jennifer L Vollbrecht

Robert T Clark

Stephen A Robinson

Joshua Maxwell Rutheiser

Paramjit S Bains

Guy Goyette

Stephen F Sichi

Thomas A Bockrath

Miguel A Estevez

David Ross Goldberg

David M Kershner

Gregory C Busche

Vincent E Cascia

Eng-Chong Ha

Thomas Makoto Hikido

Louis R Fermelia

John R Dunwoody

Debbie H Feuerborn

Donald L Davis

Sasha J Courtade

Michael E Pekar

Frank J Alessi

Andrew J Stambaugh

Louis R Fermelia, Jr

Charlie C Shin

Robert B Mathews

Hussain Haddad

Laurston C Wah

James C McCleary

Gary J Gawlas

Paul E Guillaume

Lomash J Shah

An antenna system includes an array of radiating elements forming a diamond shape. The diamond shape includes a first axis and a second axis. The diamond shape is oriented with the first axis aligned with a reference plane shared by a plurality of airborne communications relay platforms. The diamond shape is reoriented to maintain the first axis aligned with the reference plane in response to a change in position of the reference plane relative to the array.

System and method for wireless communications using an adaptable diamond phased array antenna system

Systems, methods, and apparatus for re-pointing at least one beam are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves receiving and/or transmitting, with at least one feed, electromagnetic (EM) energy towards a non-parabolic reflector. In at least one embodiment, reflected EM energy that is reflected from the non-parabolic reflector originates from and/or generates at least one beam. The method further involves rotating, at least one feed, from at least one first angular position to at least one second angular position, such that at least one beam shifts from at least one first coverage location to at least one second coverage location.

Feed re-pointing technique for multiple shaped beams reflector antennas

An antenna array system for directing and steering an antenna beam is described in accordance with the present invention. The antenna array system may include a feed waveguide having a feed waveguide length, at least two directional couplers in signal communication with the feed waveguide, at least two pairs of planar coupling slots along the feed waveguide length, and at least two horn antennas.

Antenna array system for producing dual circular polarization signals utilizing a meandering waveguide

A method and system are disclosed for wide angle multibeam antennas. The method and system involve a multibeam antenna system for generating high performance multiple spot beams. In one or more embodiments, the multibeam antenna system includes an oversized antenna reflector and a plurality of antenna feeds. The oversized antenna reflector has its surface shape optimized from a normal parabolic shape in order to broaden and shape the reflected spot beams to improve antenna performance. In addition, the diameter of the oversized antenna reflector is greater than ((100*&#x3bb;)/&#x3b4;), where &#x3bb; is the wavelength in inches and &#x3b4; is the beam to beam spacing in degrees. In some embodiments, the ratio of the focal length of the oversized antenna reflector to the diameter of the oversized antenna reflector (F/D) is greater than 0.7. In at least one embodiment, the system further includes an antenna sub-reflector.

Wide angle multibeams

A communication system has a high altitude communication device that has an antenna for directing beams to a fixed cell pattern with a polarity of cells. A specific pattern of cells having the same communication resource is provided. Cells having the same resource may be separated. The antenna is shaped to suppress interference with locations having the same resource. The areas not having the same resource are not suppressed to allow the system to have maximum capacity and allow a smaller antenna aperture.

Fixed cell communication system with reduced interference

A communication system has a high altitude communication device that has an antenna for directing beams to a fixed cell pattern with a polarity of cells. A specific pattern of cells having the same communication resource is provided. Preferably, cells having the same resource are separated. The antenna is shaped to suppress interference with locations having the same resource. The areas not having the same resource are not suppressed to allow the system to have maximum capacity and allow a smaller antenna aperture.

A method and system for shaped beam and multiple frequency use having a shaped main reflector, two feeds having separate and distinct frequency bands, a first shaped sub-reflector having a frequency selective surface and a second shaped sub-reflector. The first shaped sub-reflector has the electrical property of reflecting one frequency band and passing another. A second desired frequency band from the second feed passes through the tuned FSS surface of the first sub-reflector and reflects off the second sub-reflector towards the main reflector.

Gregorian antenna system for shaped beam and multiple frequency use

A communication system and method for reconfigurably transmitting and receiving signals via a multi-beam reflector antenna array are disclosed. The multi-beam antenna system comprises a plurality of rings of single beam reflectors, each reflector having its own feed, wherein the plurality of rings are substantially concentric or nested and disposed on separate planes such that the reflectors of adjacent rings are substantially interleaved. The method, in one embodiment, comprises generating beams from a first, second and third ring of single beam feeds, respectively reflecting each beam from the first, second and third ring of single beam feeds on a separate reflector to a substantially separate coverage area, wherein the first, second and third rings are substantially concentric and disposed on separate planes such that the reflectors of adjacent rings are substantially interleaved.

Multi-beam antenna communication system and method

An antenna includes a feed generating a communication signal. A sub-reflector is positioned to reflect the communication's signal to form a sub-reflective signal. A main reflector is positioned to reflect the sub-reflective signal. The sub-reflector has an elliptical rim.

Sub-reflector for dual-reflector antenna system

A method for broadcasting, a signal, and an antenna system are disclosed. The antenna system comprises a feed horn and a reflector. The feed horn provides a radio frequency (RF) signal. The reflector is aligned with the feed horn and is illuminated by the feed horn, and comprises a reflective grid. The reflective grid lines are substantially parallel as viewed from a geographic location of a desired output beam from the antenna system. A method in accordance with the present invention comprises illuminating a reflector with an RF signal emanating from a feed horn, the feed horn being substantially located at a focal point of the reflector, wherein the reflector comprises a reflective grid, and reflecting the RF signal with the reflective grid, wherein lines of the reflective grid are substantially parallel as viewed from a geographic location of a desired output beam from the antenna system.

Gridded reflector antenna

A reconfigurable payload for a satellite having a flexible antenna system, a variable downconverter technology and a filter technology that all work in combination to allow the payload of a satellite to be reconfigured in orbit.

Reconfigurable satellite and antenna coverage communications backup capabilities

In summary the present invention discloses a horn reflect array antenna system and a method for producing a signal using a horn reflect array antenna. The system comprises at least one reflective element illuminated by an incident radio frequency (RF) signal from a feed horn, the reflective element reflecting a portion of the incident RF signal as a portion of a reflected RF signal, and at least one phase shifting device, each phase shifting device coupled to a corresponding reflective element, wherein a beam pattern of the reflected RF signal is altered when the phase shifting element changes the phase of the portion of the reflected RF signal. A method in accordance with the present invention comprises illuminating a reflector with an RF signal emanating from a feed horn, wherein the reflector comprises at least one reflective element, reflecting at least a portion of the RF signal from the reflective element, wherein the reflective element comprises a phase shifting device, and changing a phase of the portion of the reflected RF signal with the phase shifting device, therein altering the radiation pattern of the reflected RF signal.

Horn reflect array

The present invention discloses a method for generating multiple antenna beams and a system for generating multiple antenna beams. The system comprises a first reflector surface that has a primary and at least a first auxiliary surface, and a second reflector surface, and also comprises first, second, and third feed horns. The first feed horn illuminates the primary surface with radio frequency (RF) energy, the second feed horn illuminates the auxiliary surface with RF energy, and the third feed horn illuminates the second reflector surface with RF energy. The first feed horn and third feed horn are removed from an axis of symmetry of the first auxiliary surface. The method comprises illuminating a primary portion of a first reflector surface with radio frequency (RF) energy from a first feed horn, illuminating an auxiliary portion of the first reflector surface with RF energy from a second feed horn, illuminating a second reflector surface with RF energy from a third feed horn, wherein the first feed horn and third feed horn are removed from an axis of symmetry of the auxiliary portion of the first reflector surface.

Integrated dual beam reflector antenna

An antenna system and method for generating a desired contiguous spot beam pattern, and a signal is disclosed. The contiguous spot beam generating antenna system comprises a reflector system configured in a side-fed Cassegrain (SFOC) configuration, an array of feed horns comprising at least a subset of feed horns for illuminating the reflector system, and a beamforming network, communicatively coupled to the array of feed horns, for controlling an excitation of the subset of the feed horns in the array of feed horns. The method comprises illuminating a side fed offset Cassegrain reflector system with an RF signal emanating from an array of feed horns, and controlling an excitation of the subset of the feed horns. The present invention provides a beamformer network that can produce uniform performance over wide scan angles, is easier to integrate and test, that can change the beam pattern on orbit, and that provides a more complete utilization of space assets without dramatically increasing the cost of manufacturing and operating a satellite. The use of a SFOC configuration or other wide scanning antenna permits the use of a simple beamforming network while maintaining excellent beam beam scanning characteristics.

Multi-beam reflector antenna system with a simple beamforming network

Growing community of inventors

Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

Parthasarathy Ramanujam