Abstract: A satellite communication terminal for a field environment includes: a broadband interface that creates a broadband link with a device in the field environment and that manages communication over the broadband link; a satellite antenna that creates a satellite backhaul link with a satellite in orbit; a satellite interface that manages communication over the satellite backhaul link; and a processor that controls a beam direction of the satellite antenna, performs broadband services on data exchanged with the device over the broadband link and the satellite backhaul link, and provides access to the exchanged data to the device.

Abstract: A communication protocol overlay that governs wireless data communications between an access point and subscribers. The communication protocol overlay includes a repeating pattern of superframes, each superframe including frames. Each frame includes a beacon emitted by an access point in a downlink communication to the subscribers at a beginning of the frame. Each frame further includes communication slots following the beacon. Each of the communication slots is uniquely assigned to one of the subscribers, permitting the subscriber to perform an uplink communication to the access point, within the communication slot. The beacon is precisely timed, and each of the communication slots follows the beacon with a specified temporal offset. A single superframe of the repeating pattern of superframes serves all subscribers by providing at least one communication slot to each of the subscribers.

Abstract: A communication protocol overlay that governs wireless data communications between an access point and subscribers. The communication protocol overlay includes a repeating pattern of superframes, each superframe including frames. Each frame includes a beacon emitted by an access point in a downlink communication to the subscribers at a beginning of the frame. Each frame further includes communication slots following the beacon. Each of the communication slots is uniquely assigned to one of the subscribers, permitting the subscriber to perform an uplink communication to the access point, within the communication slot. The beacon is precisely timed, and each of the communication slots follows the beacon with a specified temporal offset. A single superframe of the repeating pattern of superframes serves all subscribers by providing at least one communication slot to each of the subscribers.

Abstract: An antenna system includes an array of antenna elements, each element including: one or more first terminals and second terminals that receive a vertically polarized wireless signal and a horizontally polarized wireless signal, respectively, at a radio frequency; a first signal combining circuit and a second signal combining circuit that combine the horizontally polarized wireless signal and the horizontally polarized wireless signal to obtain a combined vertically polarized signal and a combined horizontally polarized signal, respectively; a first frequency converting circuit and a second frequency converting circuit that convert the combined vertically polarized signal and the combined horizontally polarized signal to a baseband vertically polarized signal and a baseband horizontally polarized signal, respectively, at a frequency different from the radio frequency; a baseband processing circuit that combines the baseband vertically polarized signal and the baseband horizontally polarized signal after a 90°

Abstract: An antenna array system comprises a plurality of antenna elements arranged in an antenna array in a geometric shape. The antenna array system further includes a first sub-array that forms an interior of the antenna array and a second sub-array that forms an exterior of the antenna array. In addition, the first sub-array is a subset of the second sub-array. A number of antenna elements in the first sub-array is greater than a number of antenna elements in the second sub-array. The antenna array system determines an exact satellite location of a satellite within a solid angle of ambiguity using a first virtual pattern and a second virtual pattern.

Abstract: A satellite communication terminal for a field environment includes: a broadband interface that creates a broadband link with a device in the field environment and that manages communication over the broadband link; a satellite antenna that creates a satellite backhaul link with a satellite in orbit; a satellite interface that manages communication over the satellite backhaul link; and a processor that controls a beam direction of the satellite antenna, performs broadband services on data exchanged with the device over the broadband link and the satellite backhaul link, and provides access to the exchanged data to the device.

Abstract: An antenna array system comprises a plurality of antenna elements arranged in an antenna array in a geometric shape. The antenna array system further includes a first sub-array that forms an interior of the antenna array and a second sub-array that forms an exterior of the antenna array. In addition, the first sub-array is a subset of the second sub-array. A number of antenna elements in the first sub-array is greater than a number of antenna elements in the second sub-array. The antenna array system determines an exact satellite location of a satellite within a solid angle of ambiguity using a first virtual pattern and a second virtual pattern.

Abstract: An antenna system comprises a plurality of antenna elements arranged asymmetrically in an antenna array. Each antenna element in the antenna system includes one or more first terminals that receive a vertically polarized wireless signal and one or more second terminals that receive horizontally a polarized wireless signal. The antenna system further comprises a processing circuit that combines the vertically polarized signal and the horizontally polarized signal using a combiner after applying a 90-degree phase shift to the vertically polarized signal or the horizontally polarized signal to obtain a left-hand circularly polarized (LHCP) signal or a right-hand circularly polarized (RHCP) signal. The antenna system is configured to steer a beam of the antenna array to best antenna pattern. The plurality of antenna elements are asymmetrically positioned and asymmetrically oriented in the antenna array to provide tunability to each antenna element.

Abstract: A network-based sensing system for monitoring an object is disclosed. The system includes a sensor, attached to the object, that collects object information, a first wireless access point that operates in a first private network covering a first private region, and at least one cellular base station that operates in a public network outside of the first private region. The sensor includes functionality to detect a location of the sensor in a location detection period and to determine a type of network coverage of the sensor. The sensor establishes connection with the first wireless access point via a first private network for transmitting the object information, when the sensor is covered by the first private network, and with the at least one cellular base station via a public cellular network for transmitting the object information, when the sensor is covered by only the public cellular network.

Abstract: A sensor system is provided. The sensor system includes: a battery that powers the sensor system; a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that stores a unique identifier of the sensor system; a sensor that provides a sensing data for the sensor system; an internet of things (IoT) transceiver that communicates with an access point in an IoT system; and a processor that receives the sensing data from the sensor and controls an activation of the sensor and a frequency of communication of the IoT transceiver with the access point.

Abstract: A system for monitoring livestock in a ranching environment. The system includes tag sensors attached to animals, and configured to collect monitoring data from the animals, a first access point, configured to receive the collected monitoring data from the tag sensors and to process the collected monitoring data, an Internet of Things (IoT) link established between each of the tag sensors and the access point, and an IoT communication protocol overlay that enables synchronized uplinks from the tag sensors to the first access point via the IoT links. The IoT communication protocol overlay governs transmissions of monitoring data by the tag sensors to the access point. The system further includes a hub/cloud platform configured to receive the processed monitoring data from the first access point, perform data analytics on the processed monitoring data, and provide a user interface that enables a user to monitor the livestock.

Abstract: A method for installing a pivoting tower assembly is disclosed. The method involves mounting at least one electrical component onto a pivoting pole of the pivoting tower assembly, while the pivoting tower assembly is in an assembly position having the pivoting pole oriented horizontally and parallel to the ground, connecting an electrical wire from the at least one electrical component to a wire harness permitting the electrical wire to travel inside the pivoting pole, and pivoting the pivoting pole, about an axis parallel to the ground, from the assembly position into an erect, vertical position with the at least one mounted electrical component.

Abstract: A network-based sensing system for monitoring an object is disclosed. The system includes a sensor, attached to the object, that collects object information, a first wireless access point that operates in a first private network covering a first private region, and at least one cellular base station that operates in a public network outside of the first private region. The sensor includes functionality to detect a location of the sensor in a location detection period and to determine a type of network coverage of the sensor. The sensor establishes connection with the first wireless access point via a first private network for transmitting the object information, when the sensor is covered by the first private network, and with the at least one cellular base station via a public cellular network for transmitting the object information, when the sensor is covered by only the public cellular network.

Abstract: A system for accessing data in a field environment. The system including data access devices to access data items, at least one access point to receive a first data item from a first data access device and provide a second data item to a second data access device, an Internet of Things (IoT) narrowband link established between the at least one access point and the data access devices, an IoT communication protocol overlay that governs synchronized transmissions of the data items between the data access devices and the at least one access point, and a hub/cloud platform to receive the first data item from the access point, perform data services on the received first data item to generate the second data item, and provide a user interface that enables a user of the second data access device to access the second data item via the access point.

Abstract: A method for installing a pivoting tower assembly is disclosed. The method involves mounting at least one electrical component onto a pivoting pole of the pivoting tower assembly, while the pivoting tower assembly is in an assembly position having the pivoting pole oriented horizontally and parallel to the ground, connecting an electrical wire from the at least one electrical component to a wire harness permitting the electrical wire to travel inside the pivoting pole, and pivoting the pivoting pole, about an axis parallel to the ground, from the assembly position into an erect, vertical position with the at least one mounted electrical component.

Abstract: A communication protocol overlay that governs wireless data communications between an access point and subscribers. The communication protocol overlay includes a repeating pattern of superframes, each superframe including frames. Each frame includes a beacon emitted by an access point in a downlink communication to the subscribers at a beginning of the frame. Each frame further includes communication slots following the beacon. Each of the communication slots is uniquely assigned to one of the subscribers, permitting the subscriber to perform an uplink communication to the access point, within the communication slot. The beacon is precisely timed, and each of the communication slots follows the beacon with a specified temporal offset. A single superframe of the repeating pattern of superframes serves all subscribers by providing at least one communication slot to each of the subscribers.

Abstract: A sensor system is provided. The sensor system includes: a battery that powers the sensor system; a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that stores a unique identifier of the sensor system; a sensor that provides a sensing data for the sensor system; an internet of things (IoT) transceiver that communicates with an access point in an IoT system; and a processor that receives the sensing data from the sensor and controls an activation of the sensor and a frequency of communication of the IoT transceiver with the access point.

Abstract: A system for monitoring livestock in a ranching environment. The system includes tag sensors attached to animals, and configured to collect monitoring data from the animals, a first access point, configured to receive the collected monitoring data from the tag sensors and to process the collected monitoring data, an Internet of Things (IoT) link established between each of the tag sensors and the access point, and an IoT communication protocol overlay that enables synchronized uplinks from the tag sensors to the first access point via the IoT links. The IoT communication protocol overlay governs transmissions of monitoring data by the tag sensors to the access point. The system further includes a hub/cloud platform configured to receive the processed monitoring data from the first access point, perform data analytics on the processed monitoring data, and provide a user interface that enables a user to monitor the livestock.

Abstract: A system for accessing data in a field environment. The system including data access devices to access data items, at least one access point to receive a first data item from a first data access device and provide a second data item to a second data access device, an Internet of Things (IoT) narrowband link established between the at least one access point and the data access devices, an IoT communication protocol overlay that governs synchronized transmissions of the data items between the data access devices and the at least one access point, and a hub/cloud platform to receive the first data item from the access point, perform data services on the received first data item to generate the second data item, and provide a user interface that enables a user of the second data access device to access the second data item via the access point.