Abstract: Disclosed is a shaped horn in conjunction with a dielectric tube for enhanced aperture directivity that can achieve a near optimum efficiency. The shaped horn provides additional mode control to provide an improved off-axis cross-polarization response. The horn shape can be individually optimized for isolated horns or for horns in a feed array. The feed array environment can produce results that lead to a different optimized shape than the isolated horn. Lower off axis cross-polarization can result in improved efficiency and susceptibility to interference.

Abstract: Determination of a set physical orientation of an electronically steerable satellite antenna using received signals at the satellite antenna is described. The set physical orientation of the satellite antenna may be static for the antenna. In turn, the antenna may scan a beam through a range of angles to measure signal strength of signals from transmitters (e.g., satellites) to determine a direction of incidence of the signals. The direction of incidence of the signals from corresponding known orbital locations of the satellites allow the satellite antenna to determine the set physical orientation to a high degree of precision. Specifically, the high degree of precision allows avoidance angles to non-target satellites to be minimized to allow more efficient antenna operation with fewer interference mitigation operations.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems, apparatus, and methods of accelerating web transactions. One embodiment includes observing, with a web browser plug-in operating on a computer, at least a portion of a first web page transaction in a web browser operating on the computer. A web browser module may be used to identify transaction information from the observing of the at least a portion of the first web page transaction. The browser may communicate transaction information to a prefetching system in a communication separate from the first web page transaction; and the transaction information may be used to perform a prefetch operation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for enabling flexible signal pathways within a satellite of a satellite communications system. For example, a pathway selection subsystem in a bent-pipe satellite enables a flexible arrangement of non-processed signal pathways that couple uplink antenna ports with downlink antenna ports via uplink and downlink pathway selectors. The pathway selectors can be dynamically reconfigured (e.g., on orbit), so that the configuration of the pathway selectors at one time can form one set of signal pathways between respective uplink and downlink antenna ports, and the configuration at another time can form a different set of signal pathways between respective uplink and downlink antenna ports. The pathway selection subsystem can have a simulcast mode which, when active, couples each of at least one of the uplink antenna ports with multiple of the user downlink antenna ports to form one or more simulcast signal pathways.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems manage use of shared network resources among subscribers to a data communication service. In some implementations, a first metric is computed representing a subscriber's use of the shared network resources. A second metric may also be computed that represents the amount of network congestion of the shared network resources. Data derived from the first metric and the second metric may then be presented to the subscriber. The data may be transmitted to the subscriber over a network and/or the data may be displayed to the subscriber on an electronic display.

Abstract: Embodiments provide high-throughput, hub-and-spoke satellite communications with geographically non-overlapping user beams and full frequency reuse. For example, a coverage area of a satellite is segmented into multiple candidate coverage zones, and an associated consumption demand is determined for each candidate coverage zone. Fixed spot beams are assigned to a subset of the candidate coverage zones according to highest associated consumption demands, such that each fixed spot beam corresponds to at least one candidate coverage zone to service an associated beam coverage area that is geographically non-overlapping with beam coverage areas of all other fixed spot beams, and each fixed spot beam is allocated full use of a same spectrum. One or more steerable beams selectively cover lower consumption demand zones.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.

Abstract: A packaged semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor sub strate having formed thereon: radio-frequency (RF) input and output contact pads, DC contact pads, and first and second amplifier stages. An input of the first amplifier stage is coupled with the RF input contact pad. An input and an output of the second amplifier stage are respectively coupled to an output of the first amplifier stage and the RF output contact pad. The DC contact pads and the input of the first amplifier stages are connected via an input bias coupling path. The outputs of the amplifier stages are connected via an output bias coupling path. The chip further includes a lead frame having RF input and output pins electrically coupled to the RF input and output contact pads, and input bias pins electrically coupled to the DC contact pad.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, devices, and methods that improve network communication on a high-latency network by using a low-latency network to manage return-link bandwidth. Embodiments of the systems described herein include a user terminal that is communicatively coupled to a high-latency network and a low-latency network. The user terminal is configured to communicate with a gateway routing device over the low-latency network. The user terminal requests return-link bandwidth and the gateway routing device provides a transmission schedule to the user terminal over the low-latency network. The user terminal can be configured to transmit a message over the high-latency network using the scheduled return-link bandwidth.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for providing network access services to mobile users via mobile terminals over a satellite system. In embodiments, 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. In embodiments, quality-of-service (QoS) is controlled for mobile devices at a per-user level. 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 mobile terminal is used to access the system.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for providing layer-2 connectivity through a non-routed ground segment network, are described. A system includes a non-autonomous gateway in communication with a satellite configured to relay data packets. The non-autonomous gateway is configured to receive the data packets from the satellite at layer-1 (L1) of the OSI-model, generate a plurality of virtual tagging tuples within the layer-2 packet headers of the plurality of data packets. The non-autonomous gateway is further configured to transmit, at layer-2 (L2) of the OSI-model, the virtually tagged data packets. Each of the packets may include a virtual tagging tuple and an entity destination. The system further includes a L2 switch in communication with the non-autonomous gateway. The L2 switch may be configured to receive the data packets and transmit the data packets to the entity based on the virtual tuples associated with each of the data packets.

Abstract: A system and method of the disclosure relates to satellite tracking. The system may comprise a tracking receiver that includes a first analog-to-digital (A/D) converter coupled between a sum input and a digital signal processor (DSP), a second A/D converter coupled between a difference input and the DSP, and a calibration output coupled to the sum input and coupled to the difference input. The first A/D converter may convert an signal received at the sum input into a sum digital signal, and provide the sum digital signal to the DSP. The second A/D converter may convert an signal received at the difference input into a difference digital signal, and provide the difference digital signal to the DSP. The tracking receiver may generate an calibration signal and provide the calibration signal through the calibration output.

Abstract: An antenna may have features to ameliorate ice accumulation thereon. For instance, the antenna may include a feed structure between a reflector and a radome. The radome may cover at least a portion of the antenna and/or components of the antenna. A heating element may be located at various locations on the feed structure of the antenna. The heating element may heat the radome or other aspects of the antenna. The heating element may heat the radome or other aspects by infrared radiation, and/or via circulating warmed air. A fan may be provided to promote circulation of warmed air. The heat ameliorates ice accumulation the antenna so that ice accumulation does not diminish the electromagnetic performance of the antenna.

Abstract: A reflector antenna heating system includes a dielectric radome that covers a first side of a reflector and a feed subsystem of an antenna. The system also includes a plurality of heater blower devices on a second side of the reflector, each of the plurality of heater blower devices having an inlet port and an outlet port. The system further includes a plurality of outlet duct assemblies, wherein each of the plurality of outlet duct assemblies is coupled to the outlet port of a respective heater blower device to direct heated air around a perimeter of the reflector and along an inside surface of the dielectric radome. One or more gaps proximal to a center of the reflector are included to recirculate cooled air toward a plurality of inlet ducts for the plurality of heater blower devices to feed the inlet port of each heater blower device.

Abstract: An antenna element can include a feed and a radiating element and a dielectric substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the dielectric substrate comprising the feed of the antenna element within the dielectric substrate. The antenna element module can also include an integrated circuit (IC) chip adhered to the first surface the dielectric substrate and coupled to the feed of the antenna element. The IC chip can include a circuit to adjust a signal communicated with the feed. The antenna element module can further include a plastic antenna carrier adhered to the second surface of the dielectric substrate. The plastic antenna carrier can include a body portion comprising a cavity for the radiating element of the antenna element, the radiating element positioned in the cavity of the body portion of the plastic antenna carrier.

Abstract: A system and method of the disclosure relates to structuring at least one resource of an application programming interface (API) for a server. In the method, a plurality of field-level elements may be defined. Each of the plurality of field-level elements may be associated with a respective property. Also, first and second message-level elements may be defined. The first message-level element may be based on a first field-level element of the plurality of field-level elements, and the second message-level element may be based on the first field-level element. The API may be associated with a first resource having properties resolved based on at least the first and second message-level elements.

Abstract: An artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) antenna apparatus includes a ground plane and a flexible antenna element layer above the ground plane. The ground plane includes a conductive base surface, a plurality of memory metal wires, and a frequency selective surface (FSS) layer above the base surface, where the FSS layer includes a plurality of conductive patches separated from one another. Each of the memory metal wires electrically connects one of the conductive patches to the base surface. Each of the memory metal wires is rigid in a memory-shaped state, causing the FSS layer to be fixedly spaced from the base surface during operation of the AMC antenna apparatus. The memory metal wires are each flexible in a non-memory-shaped state, enabling the FSS layer to be collapsed towards the base surface when the antenna apparatus is stowed.

Abstract: A geosynchronous equatorial orbit (GEO) ground station may concurrently receive at a tracking receiver both a first signal (downlink data) at a first frequency from a GEO satellite and an internally-generated calibration signal at a second frequency. Based on the calibration signal, the tracking receiver may determine a first phase value for the second frequency, then, from the first phase value, determine a second phase value associated with the first frequency based on a first phase offset between the first frequency and the second frequency according to a set of receiver calibration factors, then generate a phase correction value for signals received at the first frequency without interrupting the downlink data coming from the GEO satellite. Having accurate phasing allows the tracking receiver to report tracking errors correctly to the antenna controller and therefore allow for improved tracking performance.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems are provided for improving utilization of the satellite communications system through various “deltacasting” techniques for handling content sets (e.g., feeds or websites). Embodiments operate in a client-server context, including a server optimizer, a client optimizer, and, in some embodiments, a pre-positioning client. Within this client-server context, content sets are multicast (e.g., anticipatorily pre-positioned in a local dictionary) to end users of the communications system and are handled at the content set level, according to set-level metadata and/or user preferences. In some embodiments, when locally stored information from the content sets is requested by a user, deltacasting techniques are used to generate fingerprints for use in identifying and exploit multicasting and/or other opportunities for increased utilization of links of the communications system.