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:
May. 09, 1995
Filed:
Jan. 02, 1990
John S McCoskey, Derwood, MD (US);
GTE Spacenet Corporation, McLean, VA (US);
Abstract
A satellite communication system in which a satellite receives a signal on a uplink carrier frequency, frequency translates it, and transmits the signal at a downlink carrier frequency. The downlink carrier frequency differs from the uplink carrier frequency by a standard frequency offset and a frequency offset error. A terminal earth station transmits to the satellite an inbound signal on the uplink carrier frequency. A hub earth station continually transmits to the satellite an outbound signal on an uplink carrier frequency and receives from the satellite the outbound signal at the downlink carrier frequency. The hub strips the outbound signal from the downlink carrier frequency and compares the stripped downlink carrier frequency to the reference carrier. A frequency offset error signal corresponding to the frequency offset error is generated. The hub receives the inbound signal at the downlink carrier frequency, and adjusts the processing of the inbound signal in response to the offset frequency error signal to compensate for the offset frequency error. The invention allows the hub to have the characteristics of a Very Small Antenna Terminal characterized by low-cost, solid-state converters and amplifiers, with a small three meter or less diameter dish antenna at Ku-band.