Globalstar, Inc.

Space Systems/loral, LLC

Maxar Space LLC

Vijaya Korwar Gallagher

Paul A Monte

Ghislain Turgeon

Robert A Wiedeman

Leah Wang

William Hreha

John A Serri

Brinda T Shah

Zheng Tu

Jamal Izadian

Michael J Sites

Richard H Sherman

Subrahmanyam V Vaddiparty

Richard Hoffmeister

John J Huang

Anton Weaver-Madsen

Silvia M Delgado Cabello

Anthony Navarra

An amplifier system includes an input network having a plurality of input ports; an output network having a plurality of output ports; a plurality of amplification units coupled between the input network and the output network, the plurality of amplification units configured to amplify signals from the plurality of input ports; and a calibration unit coupled between the plurality of amplification units and the output network to calibrate amplified signals from the plurality of amplification units.

Method and apparatus for calibration and equalization of multiport amplifiers (MPAs)

A system described herein includes a ground based gateway subsystem configured to transmit an RF feeder uplink beam to a satellite, and a space based subsystem of the satellite configured to receive the RF feeder uplink beam and produce in dependence thereon an optical ISL beam that is transmitted to another satellite. The ground based gateway subsystem can include a ground based beamformer used to produce the RF feeder uplink beam. The optical ISL beam, produced by the space based subsystem and transmitted to the other satellite, can comprise a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal having RF frequencies within a same specified RF frequency range within which the other satellite is configured to transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams, thereby eliminating any need for the other satellite to perform any frequency conversions when producing the plurality of RF service downlink beams in dependence on the optical ISL beam.

Satellite system using an RF GBBF feeder uplink beam from a gateway to a satellite, and using an optical ISL from the satellite to another satellite

Described herein are ground based subsystems, and related methods, for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite that is configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and in dependence thereon produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams within a specified RF frequency range to service terminals. Certain embodiments are related to a resource allocator for inclusion in a ground based subsystem, and methods for use therewith. Beneficially, the resource allocator, and methods for use therewith, eliminate any need for a satellite to perform any bandwidth allocation for the plurality of service downlink beams produced and transmitted by the satellite, thereby eliminating any need for the satellite to include an on-board channelizer. Such a recourse allocator can include a plurality of channels each of which can include an encoder and modulator, a channel filter, and a frequency up-converter.

Flexible high throughput satellite system using optical gateways

A payload subsystem of a satellite includes a plurality of transmit antenna feeds, a plurality of frequency filters, and a power amplification arrangement including a plurality of power amplifiers. The power amplification arrangement has at least one multiport amplifier, the multiport amplifier including a plurality of output ports, each output port coupled with a respective one of the plurality of transmit antenna feeds by way of a respective one of the plurality of frequency filters.

Multiport amplifiers (MPAs) using output filtering to improve performance over life

A photonic switch device accepts a data modulated RF signal and outputs the data modulated RF signal or a frequency converted version thereof at one or more outputs of the switch device. Tunable laser(s) is/are controlled to cause peak wavelength(s) of the optical signal(s) emitted therefrom. An EOM receives the accepted data modulated RF signal and optical signal(s) produced using the tunable laser(s), and the EOM outputs an optical data signal modulated to include the data modulated RF signal. A WDM receives the optical data signal output by the EOM and the optical data signal received by the WDM demultiplexer is output at one or more outputs thereof based on peak wavelength(s) of the optical data signal. Photodetectors optically coupled to respective outputs of the WDM demultiplexer convert optical signals back to electrical signals. Related methods and system are also described herein.

Flexible signal distribution assisted by tunable optical carrier modulating a desired signal

Described herein are ground based subsystems, and related methods, for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite that includes a multiple element antenna feed array and that is configured to accept the optical feeder uplink beam and in dependence thereon use the multiple element antenna feed array to produce and transmit a plurality of radio frequency (RF) service downlink beams to service terminals. Certain embodiments are related to a ground based beamformer (GBBF) for inclusion in a ground based subsystem, and methods for use therewith. Beneficially, embodiments described herein allow for flexible antenna beam forming for large signal bandwidth without the limitation associated with the available gateway uplink and downlink spectrum at RF frequencies. Also described herein are space based subsystems for use with such ground based subsystems.

Satellite system using optical gateways and ground based beamforming

Described herein are ground based subsystems, and related methods, for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite that is configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and in dependence thereon produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams within a specified RF frequency range to service terminals. Also described herein are space based subsystems of a satellite, and related methods, for use in transmitting a plurality of RF service downlink beams within a specified RF frequency range to service terminals. Beneficially certain embodiments eliminate the need for any frequency down-converters or any other type of frequency conversion equipment in a space segment forward link equipment. Also described herein is space segment return link equipment, and related methods, for use in transmitting an optical feeder downlink beam to a ground based subsystem, as well as ground based return link equipment thereof.

High throughput satellite system with optical feeder uplink beams and RF service downlink beams

Described herein are ground based subsystems, and related methods, for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite that is configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and in dependence thereon produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams within a specified RF frequency range to service terminals. Also described herein are space based subsystems of a satellite, and related methods, for use in transmitting a plurality of RF service downlink beams within a specified RF frequency range to service terminals. Beneficially certain embodiments eliminate the satellite to perform any RF frequency conversions upstream of a channelizer of the space based forward link subsystem on the satellite. Also described herein is space segment return link equipment, and related methods, for use in transmitting an optical feeder downlink beam to a ground based subsystem, as well as ground based return link equipment thereof.

Satellite system using optical gateways and onboard processing

Described herein is a space based subsystem of a satellite, and methods for use therewith, for receiving an optical ISL beam from another satellite, and in dependence therein, producing a further optical ISL beam for transmission to a further satellite. Additionally, the subsystem can also produce RF service downlink beams for transmission to service terminals. The subsystem can include, inter alia, receiver optics, optical amplifiers, a WDM demultiplexer, beam splitters, a WDM multiplexer, and transmitter optics. In certain embodiments, because RF frequencies of a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal produced by the WDM multiplexer are within a same specified RF frequency range within which the satellite and the further satellite are configured to transmit RF service downlink beams, there is an elimination of any need for the satellite and further satellite to perform any frequency conversions when producing the RF service downlink beams in dependence on the optical ISL beams.

Satellite system that produces optical inter-satellite link (ISL) beam based on optical ISL received from another satellite

Described herein is a space based subsystem of a satellite, and methods for use therewith, for producing and transmitting an optical ISL beam to another satellite. The subsystem can include, inter alia, receiver optics, optical amplifiers, a WDM demultiplexer, beam splitters, a WDM multiplexer, and transmitter optics. The transmitter optics may be configured to receive an amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal and, in dependence thereon, transmit an optical ISL beam to another satellite. In certain embodiments, because RF frequencies of a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal produced by the WDM multiplexer are within a same specified RF frequency range within which the other satellite is configured to transmit RF service downlink beams, there is an elimination of any need for the other satellite to perform any frequency conversions when producing the RF service downlink beams in dependence on the optical ISL beam.

Satellite system that produces optical inter-satellite link (ISL) beam based on optical feeder uplink beam

Described herein is a space based subsystem of a satellite, and methods for use therewith, for receiving an RF uplink feeder beam and in dependence thereon producing one or more optical ISL beams for transmission to one or more other satellites. The subsystem can include an antenna to receive an RF feeder uplink beam and produce an RF signal therefrom. The subsystem can also include, inter alia, RF components, local oscillator(s), lasers, EOMs, a WDM multiplexer, an optical amplifier and transmitter optics. Such components can be used to convert the RF signal to one or more ISL beams for transmission to one or more other satellites. Where RF frequencies of optical data signals output by the EOMs are within the same RF frequency range within which the other satellite(s) transmit RF service downlink beams, there is an elimination of any need for the other satellite(s) to perform frequency conversions.

Satellite system that produces optical inter-satellite link (ISL) beam based on RF feeder uplink beam

Described herein are space based subsystems of a satellite, and related methods, for use in producing an optical feeder downlink beam in dependence on RF service uplink beams received from service terminals within a specified RF frequency range. Beneficially certain embodiments eliminate the need for any type of frequency conversion equipment in the spaced based subsystem that is used to produce the optical feeder downlink beam. Also described herein are ground based subsystems, and related methods, for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and in dependence thereon produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams within a specified RF frequency range to service terminals. Also described herein is are space based subsystems of a satellite, and related methods, for use in transmitting a plurality of RF service downlink beams to service terminals.

High throughput satellite system with RF service uplink beams and optical feeder downlink beams

An improved satellite communication system is provided comprising at least one satellite wherein each satellite provides multiple beams, a plurality of UTs, and at least one gateway connected to a PSTN and communicating with said at least one UT or with a constellation, wherein each of the UTs within a given frequency band is distinguished from another of the UTs employing a combination of TDM and NOPN codes and time slots.

Satellite communication system employing a combination of time division multiplexing and non-orthogonal pseudorandom noise codes and time slots

A communications system comprising a first transceiver and a second transceiver, which system employs a device that measures power over a frequency band from sources other than those monitoring downlink radiation received at a radio terminal from the satellite, and a controller that receives these power measurements to determine on which frequency channel within a band a transmitter is to transmit.

Method for frequency channel selection in a satellite communication system

A satellite communication system for communicating between a plurality of user terminals is disclosed having at least one satellite which provides multiple beams, a plurality of user terminals that communicate with each other via satellites of said constellation, at least one gateway connected to a public switched telephone network and communicating with at least one user terminal over the satellite communication system wherein each of said user terminals within a given frequency band is distinguished from another of the user terminals employing a combination of time slots and orthogonal codes implemented in a forward and return link. Each of the user terminals is equipped to initiate or receive or terminate packet data messages. Each of said user terminals is handed off from one beam of a satellite to another beam of said satellite. The hand off is predicated on signal strength determined at said plurality of user terminals.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Vijaya Korwar Gallagher