The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 19, 2023
Filed:
Jun. 24, 2021
Sri International, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Samson Phan, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Leon Tao, Millbrae, CA (US);
William Hoskins, Grover Beach, CA (US);
Scott Gulkin, Royal Oaks, CA (US);
Bryan Klofas, San Francisco, CA (US);
Todd Koumrian, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Michael Cousins, Ceres, CA (US);
SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Abstract
Small, low-cost satellite systems, like CubeSats or other microsatellites, can exhibit reduced reliability relative to higher-cost satellite systems. This can result in difficulty identifying, communicating with, and tracking such satellite systems when they fail. Provided herein are reliable, low-cost, low-energy, turn-key systems for identification and tracking of small satellites that can be readily added to a microsatellite with minimal integration costs and while occupying a minimal amount of volume, mass, and external area of the host satellite. These systems are electrically isolated from the satellite bus, being powered by internal batteries or other separate energy sources and providing reliable identification and tracking even when the other systems of the satellite have failed. These improved identification and tracking systems include space environment sensors to maintain the system in a very-low-power state while the system is in vehicle processing and transit on Earth, extending device lifetime and reducing cost and weight.