Satellite beam steering reference using terrestrial beam steering terminals (US5697050)


	Parent Case:			This is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 08/518,524 filed on Aug. 23, 1995.
	Designated Country:			AU BR MX RU SG UA DE FI FR GB IT
	Family:			Show 10 known family members
	First Claim: Show all 19 claims			What is claimed is: 1. In a satellite communication system comprising at least one satellite having an antenna that generates a moving beam pattern on the surface of the earth, the beam pattern being comprised of a plurality of sub-beams, a method for determining a correction signal for the satellite, comprising the steps of: providing at least one reference transmitter at a known location on the surface of the earth; transmitting at least one signal from the at least reference transmitter into at least one of the sub-beams; receiving the at least one signal with the satellite antenna and retransmitting the received at least one signal to a ground station; receiving the retransmitted at least one signal with the ground station; determining a gain of the received at least one signal; comparing the determined gain to a gain expected to be received based on a predetermined knowledge of a spatial variation in gain within the sub-beams; and determining a difference between the determined gain and the expected gain to derive at least one of an attitude correction signal, an antenna pointing correction signal, and a beam pattern correction signal for the satellite.
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	Forward References:			Show 21 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one

U.S. References:

Go to Result Set: All U.S. references | Forward references (21) | Backward references (29) | Citation Link

Patent	Pub.Date	Inventor	Assignee	Title
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Foreign References:

Publication	Date	IPC Code	Assignee	Title
EP0322349A2	1989-06	B64G 1/24	HUGHES AIRCRAFT COMPANY	Satellite attitude determination and control system with agile beam sensing
EP0421698A3	1991-10	H04B 7/185	MOTOROLA, INC.	Method of predicting cell-to-cell hand-offs for a satellite cellular communications system
JP59049613A2	1984-03	B64G 1/36	FUJITSU KK	ATTITUDE ESTIMATING METHOD OF SATELLITE BY ACQUIRED DATA OF SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR
WO8600863	1986-02	B64G 1/24	HUGHES AIRCRAFT COMPANY	SPIN-STABILIZED SATELLITE WITH NUTATION CONTROL SUBSYSTEM
WO9013186	1990-11	G01S 5/00	GEOSTAR CORPORATION	COMMUNICATION SYSTEM EMPLOYING MULTIPLE RELAY SATELLITES OPERATING ON COMMON DOWNLINK FREQUENCY
WO9109473	1991-06	H04B 7/185	MOTOROLA INC	SATELLITE BASED ACKNOWLEDGE-BACK PAGING SYSTEM