Patents Assigned to Viasat, Inc.
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Patent number: 11605875Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for two-way satellite communication and an asymmetric-aperture antenna for two-way satellite communication are disclosed. In one embodiment, a beam pattern for an asymmetric-aperture antenna is offset in a narrow beamwidth direction, and the offset beam pattern is directed by a mechanical gimbal, with the beam pattern offset made to reduce interference with an adjacent satellite. In additional embodiments, operational areas near the equator are identified for a given offset beam pattern, or a beam pattern offset may be adjusted over time to compensate for movement of the asymmetric-aperture antenna when attached to an airplane, boat, or other mobile vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2021Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Viasat, Inc.Inventor: David H. Irvine
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Patent number: 11601195Abstract: Systems and methods for supporting more flexible coverage areas and spatial capacity assignments using satellite communications systems are disclosed. A hub-spoke, bent-pipe satellite communications system includes: terminals; gateways; a controller for specifying data for controlling satellite operations in accordance with a frame definition including timeslots for a frame and defining an allocation of capacity between forward and return traffic. The satellite communications system may employ a satellite with a feed array assembly and may use on-board beamforming or ground-based beamforming. Beam hopping within timeslots of the frame may be used to provide coverage to different cells in different time periods. The flexible coverage areas may be provided using changes in satellite position, antenna patterns, or beam resource allocations.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2021Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: Viasat Inc.Inventors: Mark J. Miller, Charles N. Pateros, Aaron J. Mendelsohn, Donald L. Runyon
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Publication number: 20230066776Abstract: A method of managing media content on a vehicle comprises storing a media content library comprising a plurality of media content items in non-volatile data storage media disposed in the vehicle, storing access rule data in the non-volatile data storage media, establishing a connection with a remote computing device over a communication link, receiving, from the remote computing device over the communication link, an indication identifying a first subset of the media content library to be designated as active, updating the access rule data to indicate that the first subset of the media content library is designated as active, and presenting at least a portion of the first subset of the media content library on a media presentation device based at least in part on said updating.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2022Publication date: March 2, 2023Applicant: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Christopher J. DEMANGE, Andrew D. TIRELLA, Kevin B. RENNIE
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Publication number: 20230054917Abstract: Embodiments seek to improve prefetch hinting using time-dependent, machine-generated hints. Some embodiments operate in context of client machines in communication hinting machines that can develop information about whether and how resources are used in network transactions over time by collecting “resource samples.” Each resource sample can identify rendering status information of a resource at a sample time. The time-based samples can be used to compute time-based probabilities for the resources, indicating, for example, the likelihood of a resource being used to render a web page at some subsequent time. Time-dependent hints can be generated as a function of the time-based probabilities, and the time-dependent hints can be used to improve prefetching by optimizing the hinting information with respect to a particular request time (e.g., the prefetching hints for rendering a web page can be generated in a manner that accounts for when the web page is being rendered).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2022Publication date: February 23, 2023Applicant: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Peter J. Lepeska, Devin R. Troth
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Patent number: 11589370Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for providing network access services to mobile users via multi-user network access terminals over a multi-beam satellite system. Quality-of-service (QoS) is controlled for the mobile devices at a per-user level according to user-specific traffic policies. Mobile users may be provisioned on the satellite system according to a set of traffic policies based on their service level agreement (SLA). System resources of the satellite may be allocated to mobile users based on the demand of each mobile user and the set of traffic polices associated with each mobile user, regardless of which multi-user network access terminal is used to access the system. Dynamic multiplexing of traffic from fixed terminals and mobile users on the same satellite beam can take advantage of statistical multiplexing of large numbers of users and on different usage patterns between fixed terminals and mobile users.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Viasat, Inc.Inventors: Corey Ryan Johnson, Brian T. Sleight, Thomas Duncan Lookabaugh, James Esserman, William F. Sullivan, Meherwan Polad
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Publication number: 20230046785Abstract: Methods of antenna pointing and antenna assemblies implementing those methods are disclosed. An example method includes providing a user terminal antenna assembly including an antenna and an auto-peak device. The antenna includes a reflector, a subreflector, and a feed, the feed oriented relative to the reflector and the subreflector to produce a beam. The antenna further includes a tilt assembly to tilt the subreflector relative to the reflector and the feed. The method further includes providing a control signal to tilt the subreflector in a plurality of tilt positions to move the beam while measuring corresponding signal strength of a signal communicated via the antenna at each of the plurality of tilt positions. Additionally, the method includes selecting a tilt position from the plurality of tilt positions based on a measured signal strength, and providing the control signal to tilt the subreflector to the selected tilt position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2020Publication date: February 16, 2023Applicant: Viasat, Inc.Inventor: Luis Costa
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Patent number: 11582623Abstract: The described features generally relate to determining dynamic signal quality criteria for an installation of satellite terminals for communications in a satellite communications system. In particular, the signal quality criteria for an installation may be based on an identified position of the satellite terminal to be installed, and in some examples based on the positions and signal characteristics of neighboring satellite terminals that have already been installed. In some examples, a signal quality map may be generated for a service beam coverage area, based on predetermined transmission characteristics and/or measured transmissions from a number of satellite terminals served by a communications satellite. The generated signal quality map may then be used to determine a signal quality threshold for the installation of a satellite terminal being installed for communications in a satellite communications system.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Viasat, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth V. Buer, Clifford K. Burdick, Ian A. Cleary, Ramanamurthy V. Darapu, David H. Irvine, Philip A. Lampe
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Patent number: 11581655Abstract: An antenna includes a reflector and a waveguide assembly. The waveguide assembly includes a feed assembly and a support member that extends from behind the reflector to orient the feed assembly for direct illumination of the reflector. The waveguide assembly includes a first waveguide coupled to a first portion of a common waveguide, a second waveguide coupled to a second portion of the common waveguide, and a septum layer that includes a septum polarizer coupled between the common waveguide and the first and second waveguides.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Viasat, Inc.Inventors: Anders Jensen, Donald L. Runyon
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Patent number: 11576016Abstract: Systems and methods for mobile connectivity provisioning at an access network are described. The access network has a service connection to a service center that is external to the access network. The method includes receiving, from a mobile vehicle, an indication of a connection request for a device on the mobile vehicle. The connection request identifies the device using a media access control (MAC) address. The method includes generating a globally unique identifier (GUID) associated with the MAC address and transmitting a first message comprising the GUID to a network access terminal on the vehicle. The network access terminal redirects the connection request to the service center via a traffic connection. The redirected connection request includes the GUID. The access network receives an indication of a network service for the device from the service center; the indication identifies the device based on the GUID.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2018Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Viasat, Inc.Inventors: Roger Prenger, Joshua Righetti, Anton Hoffman, Sandeep Moorthy, William Moseley, Stephen O'Neal, James Esserman
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Patent number: 11575738Abstract: Systems and methods are described for avoiding redundant data transfers using delta coding techniques when reliably and opportunistically communicating data to multiple user systems. According to embodiments, user systems track received block sequences for locally stored content blocks. An intermediate server intercepts content requests between user systems and target hosts, and deterministically chucks and fingerprints content data received in response to those requests. A fingerprint of a received content block is communicated to the requesting user system, and the user system determines based on the fingerprint whether the corresponding content block matches a content block that is already locally stored. If so, the user system returns a set of fingerprints representing a sequence of next content blocks that were previously stored after the matching content block.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2022Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventor: David Lerner
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Patent number: 11570838Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for communicating data from multiple data terminals to an aggregator terminal over a communication link having changing link conditions. In some embodiments, source data is received at multiple data terminals, each in communication with an aggregator terminal over a communication link. For example, during a live newscast, one mobile camera may receive live video of an event from a first position while another mobile camera receives live video of the event from a second position. For various reasons (e.g., as the cameras move) each communication link may experience independently changing link conditions. Each data terminal encodes the source data (or store source data for later encoding) as a function of its respective link conditions and transmits encoded source data over its respective communication link to the aggregator terminal.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2021Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Kevin Kimmich, Fan Mo, Mark Vanderaar
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Patent number: 11570524Abstract: Approaches are described for providing quality of experience (QoE) driven in-transport communications services. For example, in-transit communications services are provided over a network to content consumption devices on one or more transport craft. During a measurement window, delivery of the in-transit communications services can be measured to obtain network-level delivery (NLD) measurements, and consumption of the in-transit communications services by one or more of the content consumption devices can be measured to obtain customer-level consumption (CLC) measurements. The NLD and CLC measurements can be used to compute a QoE score that indicates a delivered quality of service as perceived by one or more passengers of the one or more transport craft. The QoE score can be used to update stored service level data. The update can cause generation of one or more service level triggers, which can trigger automatic remedial action to address QoE-related conditions.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2022Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Andrew D. Tirella, Gina C. Tuazon-Ayache, Shreyas S. Vidyarthi, Nobuo Fukaya, Kevin B. Rennie
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Publication number: 20230019016Abstract: One example includes a phased-array antenna system (10). The system includes antenna elements (16) each including an element adjustment circuit (24) and a radiating element (114). A beamforming network (14) receives a carrier signal and generates element carrier signals. A baseband DSP (22) generates a plurality of composite beamforming data signals associated with a respective one of the antenna elements (16) and is generated based on combining individual beamforming data signals. Each of the individual beamforming data signals is associated with a respective beam and is based on combining a data signal associated with the respective beam with an antenna weight associated with the respective beam and the respective one of the antenna elements (16).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Applicant: Viasat, Inc.Inventors: Peter S. Wyckoff, Joseph J. Luna
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Patent number: 11557840Abstract: Antenna feed chains and methods are disclosed. An antenna feed chain, include a feed horn having a first cross-polarization performance over a solid angle of interest and a frequency band of interest and a polarizer having a second cross-polarization performance over the solid angle of interest and the frequency band of interest. The polarizer is coupled to the feed horn. The first cross-polarization performance of the feed horn compensates for the second cross-polarization performance of the polarizer over the solid angle of interest and the frequency band of interest.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2019Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventor: Martin Gimersky
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Patent number: 11540302Abstract: Techniques for improving data rates at mobile terminals that are subject to periodic channel interruptions in a beyond-line-of-sight communication system are disclosed, including improved encoding and decoding systems that identify blockages and modify receiver operation during blockages to reduce data errors. In certain embodiments, encoding, symbol mapping, interleaving, and use of unique periodic identifiers function to enable a series of packets that may be received in a blockage impaired channel with reduced errors.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2020Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Viasat, Inc.Inventors: Donald Wilcoxson, John O'Neill, Daniel Chester, Brian Sleight, Changping Li
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Publication number: 20220405342Abstract: The present invention relates to systems, apparatus, and methods of using usage data to determine the dependency structures of a web application, including dependency structures between follow-on objects of an initial object in a web transaction. In one embodiment, an input URL and associated dynamic response data are analyzed for such nested or dependent relationships. In further embodiments, analysis of these relationships are used to improve prefetching operations to lower overall page load times.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2022Publication date: December 22, 2022Applicant: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Peter Lepeska, William B. Sebastian
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Publication number: 20220407939Abstract: Embodiments seek to improve web page loading time using server-machine-driven hint generation for based on client-machine-driven feedback. For example, client computers having page renderers are in communication with content servers and hinting processors. The hinting processors can use hinting feedback from multiple page rendering instances to automatically generate hints for optimizing loading and/or rendering of those pages. In some implementations, in response to page requests from the page renderers, content servers can request hints from hinting processors and send those hints to the requesting page renderers for use in improving the page loading experience. In other implementations, in response to page requests from the page renderers, content servers can instruct the requesting page renderers to contact an appropriate hinting processor and to retrieve appropriate hints therefrom for use in improving the page loading experience.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2022Publication date: December 22, 2022Applicant: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: Peter Lepeska, David Lerner
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Patent number: 11533262Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for allocating network capacity over a communication channel of a network. The systems and methods determine a transmission profile for each of a plurality of service flow types. The systems and methods then iteratively perform the following steps for allocating network capacity: selecting, for each service flow type, the network capacity allocation parameters in each service flow type's transmission profile associated with a current network capacity allocation cycle; determining amounts of data to transmit for each of the plurality of service flow types based at least in part on the selected network capacity allocation parameters; and transmitting, over the communication channel, the determined amounts for each of the plurality of service flow types for the current network capacity allocation cycle.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2020Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: James Esserman, Kristi Jaska, Anil K Agarwal
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Publication number: 20220391533Abstract: Embodiments seek to protect privacy of potentially sensitive client resources in web transactions using crowd-disambiguation. Crowd-disambiguation machines can aggregate information about resources from multiple clients as resource fingerprints, and can use the fingerprints to provide crowd-sourced services in a privacy-protected manner. For example, embodiments can communicate a resource fingerprint as a fully ambiguated resource instance (FARI) and a partially disambiguated resource instance (PDRI). When one (or few) clients communicates the resource fingerprint, the identity of the resource remains obfuscated from the crowd-disambiguation machine. As more clients communicate fingerprints for the same resource (e.g., identified by the matching FARIs), respective, differently generated PDRIs of those fingerprints enable the crowd-disambiguation machine to resolve further portions of the resource, ultimately permitting the resource to be revealed and considered non-private (e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2021Publication date: December 8, 2022Applicant: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: David F LERNER, Peter J LEPESKA, Douglas C LARRICK, Devin R TOTH
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Publication number: 20220393334Abstract: A removeable satellite antenna pointing tool can include a mounting gear releasably engageable with a pole that supports a satellite antenna. The removeable satellite antenna pointing tool can also include an azimuth gear subsystem housed in a frame and engaged with the mounting gear and a motor that drives the azimuth gear subsystem, wherein actuation of the motor causes the frame to rotate about the pole. The removeable satellite antenna pointing tool can further include a linear drive that controls an elevation of a control shaft engageable with a fixture attached to the satellite antenna. Actuation of the motor can change an azimuth of the satellite antenna and actuation of the linear drive can change an elevation of the satellite antenna.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2019Publication date: December 8, 2022Applicant: Viasat, Inc.Inventors: James M. McNichols, Andrew Galaud