Abstract: Described herein are hybrid adaptive networks (HAN) that enable the use of multiple, independent communications networks as a unified communications system. The disclosed HAN includes multiple communications networks that user terminals can simultaneously access. The disclosed HAN enables a user terminal to seamlessly roam across multiple communications networks. The disclosed HAN can increase the capabilities and resilience of user terminals by providing simultaneous access to multiple communications networks. For example, these communications networks may span multiple orbital regions, operate over multiple frequency bands, provide independent terrestrial infrastructure, and/or feature different network management and cyber defense implementations thereby providing inherent diversity and removing single points of failure and/or targets for attack.

Abstract: The described features generally relate to receiving one or more positioning signals at a satellite terminal during installation of the satellite terminal at a customer premises, and providing position-based access to a satellite communications system based on a satellite terminal installation position determined from the received positioning signals. The determined installation position of the satellite terminal may then be employed for various network access techniques, such as providing access to the satellite communications system, providing position-based content, or restricting content via the satellite communications system based on the determined installation position.

Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying onboard service information for vessels are described. In some embodiments, a method comprises receiving a user request to add a particular vessel to a user watch list associated with a user; adding a particular vessel identifier of the particular vessel to a set of vessel identifiers of a set of vessels included in the user watch list; and obtaining status of a service type of an onboard service provided on each vessel of the set of vessels. In response to receiving a request to display the user watch list, first graphical interface data is generated. The first graphical interface data represents: the set of vessel identifiers that corresponds to the set of vessels; a service icon for each corresponding vessel of the set of vessels; and a watch list header comprising labels for the set of vessel identifiers and the service type.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, an end-to-end beamforming system include a relay satellite and a ground network to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground network includes geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system (CPS). Beamformers of the ground network generate forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the satellite, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form forward user beams.

Abstract: An antenna system of a satellite may consist of an antenna receiver that is coupled to a plurality of flexible couplings. The couplings may each be affixed to one or more antenna elements. The couplings may be deployed in space in an uncontrolled manner. Additionally, the spacing between the couplings, and in turn the antenna elements, may be spaced in an uncontrolled manner. The antenna elements may have no pointing requirements. The antenna system may receive training signals and associate an antenna element to a time of arrival based on the training signal. Upon receiving a data signal, the antenna system may apply coefficients determined from the association of the antenna element to the time of arrival to the data signal to discover wanted signal coherence among the antenna elements.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a phased array antenna comprises multiple subcircuits in communication with multiple radiating elements. The radio frequency signals are independently adjusted for both polarization control and beam steering. In a receive embodiment, multiple RF signals of various polarizations are received and combined into at least one receive beam output. In a transmit embodiment, at least one transmit beam input is divided and transmitted through multiple radiating elements, with the transmitted beams having various polarizations. In an exemplary embodiment, the phased array antenna provides multi-beam formation over multiple operating frequency bands. The wideband nature of the active components allows for operation over multiple frequency bands simultaneously.

Abstract: Schedulers that allocate resource grants on a slot-by-slot basis within a scheduling epoch or frame can create a front-loading effect where allocations occur more frequently in slots earlier in frames. To address these and other issues, systems and methods are disclosed for scheduling resource grants in a network to improve network transmit power profiles. For example, a scheduler is configured to randomize the order of slots in a scheduling epoch or frame, with different randomizations for different schedulers, to more evenly distribute slots with resource grant allocations to prevent or reduce a front-loading effect. As another example, the scheduler is configured to randomize start times of resource blocks within a slot to prevent or reduce the front-loading effect.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for isolating a crystal oscillator assembly from shock and/or vibration inputs. A system may include one or more vibration isolators coupled between the crystal oscillator assembly and the base structure, and each of the vibration isolators may include a spring material layer and a damping material layer. The spring material layer may provide a spring force between the crystal oscillator assembly and the base structure. The damping material layer may be adhered to at least one side of the spring material layer, and may provide a damping force between the crystal oscillator assembly and the base structure. Some vibration isolators may further include a constraint layer adhered to the damping material layer, such that the damping material layer is coupled between the constraint layer and the spring material layer.

Abstract: In one example, an antenna system is described. The antenna system includes a primary antenna on an aircraft. The primary antenna is mechanically steerable and has an asymmetric antenna beam pattern with a narrow beamwidth axis and a wide beamwidth axis at boresight. The antenna system also includes a secondary antenna on the aircraft, the secondary antenna including an array of antenna elements. The antenna system also includes an antenna selection system to control communication of a signal between the aircraft and a target satellite via the primary antenna and the secondary antenna. The antenna selection system switches communication of the signal from the primary antenna to the secondary antenna when a performance characteristic for communication with the target satellite satisfies a threshold due to a position of the aircraft relative to the target satellite.

Abstract: Techniques are described for adaptive control of media channel interfaces for delivery of media content over communications systems to transport craft passengers. Embodiments monitor viewership of various media channel offerings provided to transport craft passengers to compute aggregated viewership scores. Based on the scores, respective prominence parameters associated with the various media channel offerings can be automatically updated. Interface control signals can be communicated to cause media channel interfaces being displayed on passenger devices to dynamically and automatically update the graphical listings of the media channel offerings in accordance with the updates to their respective prominence parameters. Dynamically updating the graphical prominence of different media channel offerings can tend to make passengers more likely to view a smaller subset of the media channel offerings, thereby helping to maintain high passenger satisfaction with less network capacity demand.

Abstract: An antenna apparatus includes an antenna substrate having opposite first and second surfaces, and at least one antenna element disposed at the first surface. At least one radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) chip has a lower surface attached to the second surface of the antenna substrate and has an RF contact coupled to the at least one antenna element through the antenna substrate. The RFIC chip has an RF signal conductor at an upper surface thereof and beamforming circuitry coupled between the RF contact and the RF signal conductor. A transmission line section has a lower surface attached to the second surface of the antenna substrate, and has an upper surface at which a transmission line conductor is disposed and electrically connected to the RF signal conductor of the RFIC chip through an upper surface interconnect.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.