Patents by Inventor DOUGLAS J MERRELL

DOUGLAS J MERRELL has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240187045
    Abstract: A method for pointing an antenna can include positioning, by a positioner, a beam of an antenna mounted on a vehicle to an initial angular position towards a target satellite based on an initial pointing direction for the antenna, the initial pointing direction being defined in a fixed reference plane and communicating, from the antenna, a signal with the target satellite, wherein the positioner controls an orientation of a pedestal of the antenna. The method also includes, executing, by an antenna control unit (ACU), an offset compensation operation of the antenna. The offset correction operation can include adjusting a pointing direction of the antenna to a plurality of angular positions and selecting a scan offset angle based on measured signal metrics for the plurality of angular positions. The method can include calculating a yaw compensation of the antenna based on the initial pointing direction and on a yaw pointing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2023
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventor: Douglas J. Merrell
  • Patent number: 11909468
    Abstract: A method for pointing an antenna can include positioning, by a positioner, a beam of an antenna mounted on a vehicle to an initial angular position towards a target satellite based on an initial pointing direction for the antenna, the initial pointing direction being defined in a fixed reference plane and communicating, from the antenna, a signal with the target satellite, wherein the positioner controls an orientation of a pedestal of the antenna. The method also includes, executing, by an antenna control unit (ACU), an offset compensation operation of the antenna. The offset correction operation can include adjusting a pointing direction of the antenna to a plurality of angular positions and selecting a scan offset angle based on measured signal metrics for the plurality of angular positions. The method can include calculating a yaw compensation of the antenna based on the initial pointing direction and on a yaw pointing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Viasat, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas J. Merrell
  • Publication number: 20220416846
    Abstract: A method for pointing an antenna can include positioning, by a positioner, a beam of an antenna mounted on a vehicle to an initial angular position towards a target satellite based on an initial pointing direction for the antenna, the initial pointing direction being defined in a fixed reference plane and communicating, from the antenna, a signal with the target satellite, wherein the positioner controls an orientation of a pedestal of the antenna. The method also includes, executing, by an antenna control unit (ACU), an offset compensation operation of the antenna. The offset correction operation can include adjusting a pointing direction of the antenna to a plurality of angular positions and selecting a scan offset angle based on measured signal metrics for the plurality of angular positions. The method can include calculating a yaw compensation of the antenna based on the initial pointing direction and on a yaw pointing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventor: Douglas J. Merrell
  • Patent number: 10812179
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for performing mispointing correction operations that can provide accurate pointing of an antenna towards a satellite, while also satisfying interference requirements with other satellites. As a result, the mispointing correction operations described herein can improve resource efficiency of communication systems using such antennas and help ensure compliance with interference requirements of other satellites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Viasat, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Petranovich, Bradley H. Smith, Eric L. Cross, Douglas J. Merrell, Samuel C. Finney
  • Patent number: 10756413
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for supporting dynamic antenna platform offset calibration for an antenna system mounted to a mobile vehicle. In particular, dynamic antenna platform offset calibration can be performed while communicating user data associated with the mobile vehicle (e.g., based at least in part on alignment calibration procedures including measurements of user data signals), with an antenna platform offset being updated when alignment calibration procedures have been performed at suitably separated spatial conditions. Accordingly, antenna platform offset calibration may be performed throughout the operation of the mobile vehicle without requiring that the vehicle be proactively aligned in a particular orientation for a dedicated calibration routine prior to using the antenna for communicating user data during normal operation of the mobile vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Viasat, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas J. Merrell
  • Publication number: 20200052365
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for supporting dynamic antenna platform offset calibration for an antenna system mounted to a mobile vehicle. In particular, dynamic antenna platform offset calibration can be performed while communicating user data associated with the mobile vehicle (e.g., based at least in part on alignment calibration procedures including measurements of user data signals), with an antenna platform offset being updated when alignment calibration procedures have been performed at suitably separated spatial conditions. Accordingly, antenna platform offset calibration may be performed throughout the operation of the mobile vehicle without requiring that the vehicle be proactively aligned in a particular orientation for a dedicated calibration routine prior to using the antenna for communicating user data during normal operation of the mobile vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventor: Douglas J. Merrell
  • Publication number: 20190349074
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for performing mispointing correction operations that can provide accurate pointing of an antenna towards a satellite, while also satisfying interference requirements with other satellites. As a result, the mispointing correction operations described herein can improve resource efficiency of communication systems using such antennas and help ensure compliance with interference requirements of other satellites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: James E. Petranovich, Bradley H. Smith, Eric L. Cross, Douglas J. Merrell, Samuel C. Finney
  • Patent number: 10446906
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for supporting dynamic antenna platform offset calibration for an antenna system mounted to a mobile vehicle. In particular, dynamic antenna platform offset calibration can be performed while communicating user data associated with the mobile vehicle (e.g., based at least in part on alignment calibration procedures including measurements of user data signals), with an antenna platform offset being updated when alignment calibration procedures have been performed at suitably separated spatial conditions. Accordingly, antenna platform offset calibration may be performed throughout the operation of the mobile vehicle without requiring that the vehicle be proactively aligned in a particular orientation for a dedicated calibration routine prior to using the antenna for communicating user data during normal operation of the mobile vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Viasat, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas J. Merrell
  • Patent number: 10418702
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for performing mispointing correction operations that can provide very accurate pointing of an antenna towards a satellite. In particular, mispointing correction operations described herein can reduce or avoid pointing errors due to atmospheric scintillation effects. As a result, the mispointing correction operations described herein can improve resource efficiency of communication systems using such antennas and help ensure compliance with interference requirements of other satellites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Viasat, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas J Merrell
  • Patent number: 10305581
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for performing mispointing correction operations that can provide accurate pointing of an antenna towards a satellite, while also satisfying interference requirements with other satellites. As a result, the mispointing correction operations described herein can improve resource efficiency of communication systems using such antennas and help ensure compliance with interference requirements of other satellites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Viasat, Inc.
    Inventors: James E Petranovich, Bradley H Smith, Eric L Cross, Douglas J Merrell, Samuel C Finney
  • Publication number: 20190123420
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for supporting dynamic antenna platform offset calibration for an antenna system mounted to a mobile vehicle. In particular, dynamic antenna platform offset calibration can be performed while communicating user data associated with the mobile vehicle (e.g., based at least in part on alignment calibration procedures including measurements of user data signals), with an antenna platform offset being updated when alignment calibration procedures have been performed at suitably separated spatial conditions. Accordingly, antenna platform offset calibration may be performed throughout the operation of the mobile vehicle without requiring that the vehicle be proactively aligned in a particular orientation for a dedicated calibration routine prior to using the antenna for communicating user data during normal operation of the mobile vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventor: Douglas J. Merrell
  • Patent number: 10211508
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for supporting dynamic antenna platform offset calibration for an antenna system mounted to a mobile vehicle. In particular, dynamic antenna platform offset calibration can be performed while communicating user data associated with the mobile vehicle (e.g., based at least in part on alignment calibration procedures including measurements of user data signals), with an antenna platform offset being updated when alignment calibration procedures have been performed at suitably separated spatial conditions. Accordingly, antenna platform offset calibration may be performed throughout the operation of the mobile vehicle without requiring that the vehicle be proactively aligned in a particular orientation for a dedicated calibration routine prior to using the antenna for communicating user data during normal operation of the mobile vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Viasat, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas J. Merrell
  • Publication number: 20190013566
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for supporting dynamic antenna platform offset calibration for an antenna system mounted to a mobile vehicle. In particular, dynamic antenna platform offset calibration can be performed while communicating user data associated with the mobile vehicle (e.g., based at least in part on alignment calibration procedures including measurements of user data signals), with an antenna platform offset being updated when alignment calibration procedures have been performed at suitably separated spatial conditions. Accordingly, antenna platform offset calibration may be performed throughout the operation of the mobile vehicle without requiring that the vehicle be proactively aligned in a particular orientation for a dedicated calibration routine prior to using the antenna for communicating user data during normal operation of the mobile vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventor: Douglas J. Merrell
  • Publication number: 20180145744
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for performing mispointing correction operations that can provide accurate pointing of an antenna towards a satellite, while also satisfying interference requirements with other satellites. As a result, the mispointing correction operations described herein can improve resource efficiency of communication systems using such antennas and help ensure compliance with interference requirements of other satellites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: VIASAT, INC.
    Inventors: JAMES E PETRANOVICH, BRADLEY H SMITH, ERIC L CROSS, DOUGLAS J MERRELL, SAMUEL C FINNEY
  • Publication number: 20180076517
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for performing mispointing correction operations that can provide very accurate pointing of an antenna towards a satellite. In particular, mispointing correction operations described herein can reduce or avoid pointing errors due to atmospheric scintillation effects. As a result, the mispointing correction operations described herein can improve resource efficiency of communication systems using such antennas and help ensure compliance with interference requirements of other satellites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Applicant: VIASAT, INC.
    Inventor: DOUGLAS J MERRELL