Multi-Feed Satellite Antennas for Random-Orbit Radio Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing satellite-based communication systems require complex and costly infrastructure for maintaining satellites in predetermined orbits and attitudes, limiting their practicality for widespread commercial use, especially in providing global cellular and internet coverage without the need for extensive ground-based infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
A satellite mesh system with multiple satellites in random orbits, equipped with omnidirectional antennas and onboard computers that can dynamically calculate and adjust radio routes without central control, ensuring continuous communication links between satellites and ground stations, even if satellites change position or become inoperative.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If satellites are maintained in predetermined orbits and attitudes using complex control systems, then communication reliability is improved, but system cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables satellites to automatically establish and maintain communication links without requiring complex attitude control systems. Each satellite independently determines its position and creates radio routes to other satellites and ground stations, eliminating the need for centralized orbit maintenance and attitude control infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic route creation where satellites can change their communication partners and routes in real-time based on their current positions and operational status. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain reliability even as satellites move in random orbits without requiring predetermined orbital maintenance.
2Area of stationary object
If a large number of satellites are deployed to ensure global coverage, then communication coverage is improved, but launch and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the operational parameters of satellites by allowing them to operate in random orbits rather than predetermined trajectories. This parameter change enables fewer satellites to achieve global coverage because each satellite can dynamically adapt its communication routes, maximizing the utilization of each satellite's coverage area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the communication function across multiple satellites in random orbits, where each satellite independently contributes to the overall coverage. The segmentation of routing decisions to individual satellites eliminates the need for dense satellite constellations, as each satellite can efficiently serve multiple regions through dynamic route creation.
3Power
If directional antennas with narrow beam widths are used to increase gain, then signal quality is improved, but the probability of creating radio links between moving satellites decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic route creation that continuously adapts to the changing positions of satellites. When satellites move, the system dynamically identifies new communication partners and establishes new radio routes, maintaining link establishment probability despite using high-gain directional antennas with narrow beams.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where satellites exchange information about their positions, antenna orientations, and link quality. This feedback enables the system to adjust routing decisions in real-time, ensuring that high-gain directional antennas are oriented toward appropriate targets and that alternative routes are established when links are lost.
Data Source
AI summary
A radio communication route enables communication from an originating ground station to a destination ground station via one of multiple randomly orbiting satellites with no active attitude control. The ground stations and satellites include multi-feed parabolic antennas for receiving radio signals from and transmitting radio signals in multiple directions. The satellites store an address of a destination ground station from which an initial information signal is transmitted and antenna information identifying the satellite antenna feed on which the initial information signal was received. Plural satellite antennas transmit linking information identifying the satellite to the originating ground station. Data transmissions received at the originating ground station that designate a particular destination are transmitted by the originating ground station using the antenna on which the linking information was received and the satellite retransmits the data transmission using the satellite antenna feed identified by the stored antenna information.