Abstract: A hybrid scanning antenna including: a reflector having a focal line; a first mechanical movement to move the reflector about a first axis; a second mechanical movement to move the reflector about a second axis; a linear array fixedly disposed along the focal line to electronically scan at a scan angle about a third axis; and a controller to control the first mechanical movement, the second mechanical movement and the scan angle of the linear array to orient the hybrid scanning antenna to a look angle of a remote transceiver.

Abstract: A system and method for providing terminals with permitted power spectral density (PSD) limits for regions of a coverage area including: dividing a coverage area into regions, each region having a boundary; assigning a PSD limit to each region; receiving a location of a transmitting entity; determining a transmitting entity region from the regions based on the location; and transmitting with a respective PSD limit of the transmitting entity region.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking non-geo synchronous orbit satellites on orbiting planes of regular motion patterns. The method includes providing a first satellites moving in a direction descending in latitude in first orbital planes and a second satellites moving in a direction ascending in latitude in second orbital planes; steering an antenna to an antenna tilt ? from normal with a single axis mechanism lined up with a first axis; scanning, electronically, with a linear array at a scan angle ? along a second axis; and locking to a signal from a handed-from satellite from the first satellites, where the first axis is angled from the second axis, the steering along the first axis and the scanning along the second axis jointly track the handed-from satellite, the first orbits seem parallel, the second orbits seem parallel, and the first orbits seem aligned with the antenna tilt ?. A handoff between the first satellites may use one of the second satellites as a steppingstone.

Abstract: A method and system to provide adaptive power control for a Wide Band Automatic Gain Control (WB-AGC) including: determining a signal is present when a power derivative of the signal ramps up; adapting a gain for an Automated Gain Control (AGC) when the signal is present; and disabling the adapting when the signal is not present.

Abstract: A system to reduce a count of satellite gateways is disclosed. The system includes: a feeder link capacity of a satellite; a spectrum ranging from 26.5 GHz to 75 GHz; a gateway feeder link capacity that is an aggregate of capacities of channels defined in the spectrum; and RF gateways communicating with the satellite via the channels, wherein the count of the satellite gateways is less than or equal to a rounded-up integer of the feeder link capacity divided by the gateway feeder link capacity, and the satellite is a geosynchronous orbit satellite.

Abstract: A receiver and method for compensating for linear impairments at a receiver including receiving an Rx signal including an asymmetric response of a satellite filter; pre-equalizing the Rx signal with a coefficient; and demodulating, after the pre-equalizing, the Rx signal.

Abstract: A system and method for providing multi-input multi-output (MIMO) feeder links for a multibeam satellite system. The method includes configuring a X×Y MIMO antenna system using X-antennae having dominant line-of-sight (LoS) of Y-antennae; transmitting, simultaneously, a Tx signal as X Tx signals on a MIMO channel with the X-antennae; receiving the X Tx signals on the MIMO channel with the Y-antennae as Y Rx signals, wherein each of the Y-antennae generate one of the Y Rx signals; and ground-interference processing the X Tx signals or the Y Rx signals to recover the Tx signal; satellite-interference processing the X Tx signals or the Y Rx signals to recover the Tx signal. In the method, the ground interference processing includes countermeasures as either pre-interference processing when the X-antennae are disposed on a ground or post-interference processing when the X-antennae are disposed in a Geosynchronous orbit satellite.

Abstract: A system to reduce a count of satellite gateways is disclosed. The system includes: a feeder link capacity of a satellite; a spectrum ranging from 26.5 GHz to 75 GHz; a gateway feeder link capacity that is an aggregate of capacities of channels defined in the spectrum; and RF gateways communicating with the satellite via the channels, wherein the count of the satellite gateways is less than or equal to a rounded-up integer of the feeder link capacity divided by the gateway feeder link capacity, and the satellite is a geosynchronous orbit satellite.

Abstract: A method and system to provide adaptive power control for a Wide Band Automatic Gain Control (WB-AGC) including: determining a signal is present when a power derivative of the signal ramps up; adapting a gain for an Automated Gain Control (AGC) when the signal is present; and disabling the adapting when the signal is not present.

Abstract: A method and system for determining inroute frame timing for a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) includes receiving an appointment to transmit, on an inroute, at a start of a slot X of a frame number M; establishing, at a VSAT, an arrival time of a super frame numbering packet (SFNP) including a satellite ephemeris vector and a frame number N; calculating, at the VSAT, a timing offset (TRO) to be applied to the arrival time to compensate for a time varying gateway-satellite-terminal propagation delay (THS+TSR); setting a transmit instant as an end of the TRO after the arrival time; adding to the transmit instant a duration of X slots and a duration of (M?N) frames; and transmitting a burst, on the inroute from the VSAT, at the transmit instant. In the method, the calculating is based on computing THS+TSR from the satellite ephemeris vector, a gateway transmits the SFNP and receives the burst in the slot X within the frame number M of the inroute, and N is greater than or equal to M.

Abstract: A hybrid scanning antenna including: a reflector having a focal line; a first mechanical movement to move the reflector about a first axis; a second mechanical movement to move the reflector about a second axis; a linear array fixedly disposed along the focal line to electronically scan at a scan angle about a third axis; and a controller to control the first mechanical movement, the second mechanical movement and the scan angle of the linear array to orient the hybrid scanning antenna to a look angle of a remote transceiver.

Abstract: A system and method for providing multi-input multi-output (MIMO) feeder links for a multibeam satellite system. The method includes configuring a X×Y MIMO antenna system using X-antennae having dominant line-of-sight (LoS) of Y-antennae; transmitting, simultaneously, a Tx signal as X Tx signals on a MIMO channel with the X-antennae; receiving the X Tx signals on the MIMO channel with the Y-antennae as Y Rx signals, wherein each of the Y-antennae generate one of the Y Rx signals; and ground-interference processing the X Tx signals or the Y Rx signals to recover the Tx signal; satellite-interference processing the X Tx signals or the Y Rx signals to recover the Tx signal. In the method, the ground interference processing includes countermeasures as either pre-interference processing when the X-antennae are disposed on a ground or post-interference processing when the X-antennae are disposed in a Geosynchronous orbit satellite.

Abstract: A system and method for providing terminals with permitted power spectral density (PSD) limits for regions of a coverage area including: dividing a coverage area into regions, each region having a boundary; assigning a PSD limit to each region; receiving a location of a transmitting entity; determining a transmitting entity region from the regions based on the location; and transmitting with a respective PSD limit of the transmitting entity region.

Abstract: A system and method for selecting a beam from satellite beams to communicate with a terminal at a location. The method includes dividing a satellite coverage area into beam service areas (BSAs) for a satellite network, where each of the BSAs is associated with a respective beam information; selecting, with a computer, a select BSA from the BSAs based on the location; and communicating between the terminal and a gateway using a beam. In the method, the location is located in the select BSA, the beam is identified by the respective beam information associated with the select BSA, and the BSAs define a boundary having a closed polygon shape.

Abstract: A geolocation is estimated by tessellating a coverage area into a camping cell and adjacent cells; subdividing the camping cell into grid points where each grid point of the grid points has an associated relative offset from a camping beam center; illuminating, with a platform, the camping cell with a camping beam and each of the adjacent cells with adjacent beams; receiving a camping beam signal strength and adjacent beams signal strengths for each grid point of the grid points; profiling, at each grid point, ratios of the camping beam signal strength to each one of the adjacent beams signal strengths; mapping the ratios and the associated relative offset of each grid point; and estimating a relative geolocation of a User Terminal (UT) from the camping beam center based on a UT camping beam signal strength and UT adjacent beams signal strengths.

Abstract: A method and system for determining inroute frame timing for a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) includes receiving an appointment to transmit, on an inroute, at a start of a slot X of a frame number M; establishing, at a VSAT, an arrival time of a super frame numbering packet (SFNP) including a satellite ephemeris vector and a frame number N; calculating, at the VSAT, a timing offset (TRO) to be applied to the arrival time to compensate for a time varying gateway-satellite-terminal propagation delay (THS+TSR); setting a transmit instant as an end of the TRO after the arrival time; adding to the transmit instant a duration of X slots and a duration of (M?N) frames; and transmitting a burst, on the inroute from the VSAT, at the transmit instant. In the method, the calculating is based on computing THS+TSR from the satellite ephemeris vector, a gateway transmits the SFNP and receives the burst in the slot X within the frame number M of the inroute, and N is greater than or equal to M.

Abstract: A system and method for compensating for attenuation of carrier power by a transmission path.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking non-geo synchronous orbit satellites on orbiting planes of regular motion patterns. The method includes providing a first satellites moving in a direction descending in latitude in first orbital planes and a second satellites moving in a direction ascending in latitude in second orbital planes; steering an antenna to an antenna tilt ? from normal with a single axis mechanism lined up with a first axis; scanning, electronically, with a linear array at a scan angle ? along a second axis; and locking to a signal from a handed-from satellite from the first satellites, where the first axis is angled from the second axis, the steering along the first axis and the scanning along the second axis jointly track the handed-from satellite, the first orbits seem parallel, the second orbits seem parallel, and the first orbits seem aligned with the antenna tilt ?. A handoff between the first satellites may use one of the second satellites as a steppingstone.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating a geolocation. The method includes tessellating a coverage area into a camping cell and adjacent cells; subdividing the camping cell into grid points where each grid point of the grid points has an associated relative offset from a camping beam center; illuminating, with a platform, the camping cell with a camping beam and each of the adjacent cells with adjacent beams; receiving a camping beam signal strength and adjacent beams signal strengths for each grid point of the grid points; profiling, at each grid point of the grid points, ratios of the camping beam signal strength to each one of the adjacent beams signal strengths; mapping the ratios and the associated relative offset of each grid point of the grid points; and estimating a relative geolocation of a User Terminal (UT) from the camping beam center based on a UT camping beam signal strength and UT adjacent beams signal strengths.

Abstract: A user terminal (UT) to transmit small amounts of data, the UT including: a packet including the data, where the packet is less than 128 bytes; a frequency synchronizer to synchronize a transmission frequency of an ASCMA return link connecting the UT with a satellite gateway; and an ASCMA transmitter to transmit, without acquiring timing synchronization with the satellite gateway from the UT, the packet modulated over the synchronized transmission frequency as an ASCMA waveform including a preamble to indicate a start of a transmission. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding computer systems, apparatus, and computer programs recorded on one or more computer storage devices, each configured to perform the actions of the methods.