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:
Feb. 24, 2004
Filed:
Dec. 10, 1999
Shawn Wesley Hogberg, Chandler, AZ (US);
Jonathon Henry Gross, Gilbert, AZ (US);
Gerald Joseph Davieau, Eldersburg, MD (US);
Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, IL (US);
Abstract
A satellite communications system ( ) provides for digital beamforming acquisition. The communications system ( ) has an antenna configuration ( ) for maintaining communications links with satellite networking equipment, and a signal processing system ( ) for processing signals resulting from the communications links. A beamforming subsystem ( ) dynamically forms traffic beams and overhead beams, wherein the overhead beams scan overhead areas of the satellite footprint. Overhead areas are defined by areas of the satellite footprint without active traffic channels. The beamforming subsystem ( ) includes a channel database configuration ( ) containing traffic channel input data and overhead channel input data. A beamforming processor ( ) converts the input data contained in the channel database configuration ( ) into traffic beams schedules and overhead beam schedules. An antenna management system ( ) dynamically forms traffic beams and overhead beams based on the beam schedules.