Viasat, Inc.

Ramanamurthy V Darapu

Kenneth V Buer

Ian A Cleary

David H Irvine

Clifford K Burdick

Philip A Lampe

Martin Gimersky

David E Pettit

Bill T Agar

Gaurav Menon

Michael R Lyons

Douglas J Mathews

Qiang Richard Chen

Dean Muellenberg

Brandon C Drake

Gary P English

Mark S Berkheimer

Shih Peng Sun

Described techniques and apparatuses relate to determining an attenuation environment surrounding a satellite terminal in a satellite communication system. The satellite terminal may receive signals from an auxiliary satellite system, and determine aspects of an attenuation environment that may affect communications with a communications satellite system. For example, transmissions from an auxiliary satellite system may be associated with a respective location of the transmitting satellite in order to define an attenuation profile for the satellite terminal antenna assembly. Subsequent signals from the auxiliary satellite system may be compared with the attenuation map, and the comparison may be used to identify a diagnostic condition for communications with a communications satellite system. In some examples the comparison of signals to the attenuation profile may indicate an obstruction between the satellite terminal antennas and a communications satellite, or a misalignment of a satellite terminal antenna assembly.

Determining an attenuation environment of a satellite communication terminal

The described features generally relate to determining dynamic signal quality criteria for an installation of satellite terminals for communications in a satellite communications system. In particular, the signal quality criteria for an installation may be based on an identified position of the satellite terminal to be installed, and in some examples based on the positions and signal characteristics of neighboring satellite terminals that have already been installed. In some examples, a signal quality map may be generated for a service beam coverage area, based on predetermined transmission characteristics and/or measured transmissions from a number of satellite terminals served by a communications satellite. The generated signal quality map may then be used to determine a signal quality threshold for the installation of a satellite terminal being installed for communications in a satellite communications system.

Dynamic signal quality criteria for satellite terminal installations

A packaged semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor sub strate having formed thereon: radio-frequency (RF) input and output contact pads, DC contact pads, and first and second amplifier stages. An input of the first amplifier stage is coupled with the RF input contact pad. An input and an output of the second amplifier stage are respectively coupled to an output of the first amplifier stage and the RF output contact pad. The DC contact pads and the input of the first amplifier stages are connected via an input bias coupling path. The outputs of the amplifier stages are connected via an output bias coupling path. The chip further includes a lead frame having RF input and output pins electrically coupled to the RF input and output contact pads, and input bias pins electrically coupled to the DC contact pad.

Modularized power amplifier devices and architectures

Methods and devices for radio frequency (RF) loopback for transceivers are described. A transceiver for communicating RF signals with a target device may transmit signals at a transmit frequency and receive signals at a (different) receive frequency. The transceiver may include a waveguide diplexer for separating and combining signals based on frequency. The transceiver may be configured to couple a loopback signal from a common port of the waveguide diplexer; the loopback signal may be based on a transmit signal. The transceiver may include a loopback translator to translate the loopback signal from the transmit frequency to the receive frequency and provide the translated loopback signal to a receiver used for receiving signals from the target device. The receiver may compare the translated loopback signal with a representation of the transmit signal to generate a compensation signal. A transmitter may use the compensation signal to adjust subsequent transmit signals.

Radio frequency loopback for transceivers

Systems, devices and methods are disclosed for suppressing the 2LO frequency spur, output from a mixer. In various exemplary embodiments, a DC bias circuit is electrically connected to provide DC bias to one or more non-linear elements of the mixer. The biasing voltage is used to cause the current-voltage characteristics and/or junction capacitances between non-linear elements to be more symmetric and/or to suppress 2LO leakage currents that form 2LO frequency spurs at the output of the mixer. The non-linear elements may comprise one of: BJT's, diodes, and FET's. The mixer may be one of: a subharmonic mixer; a fundamental resistive mixer; a fundamental subharmonic transconductance mixer; and a fundamental transconductance mixer comprising an anti-parallel diode pair. The system may further be configured to automatically determine an appropriate DC bias voltage level that will improve one of the LO-IF isolation and the LO-RF isolation.

Systems, devices, and methods for suppressing frequency spurs in mixers

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Gilbert, AZ, United States of America

Ramanamurthy V Darapu