Patents by Inventor Donald W. Becker
Donald W. Becker 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).
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Publication number: 20220311509Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventors: John Hai O'Neill, Donald W. Becker, Mark J. Miller
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Patent number: 11271640Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2020Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: VIASAT, Inc.Inventors: John Hai O'Neill, Donald W. Becker, Mark J. Miller
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Publication number: 20210175965Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2020Publication date: June 10, 2021Applicant: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: John Hai O'Neill, Donald W. Becker, Mark J. Miller
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Patent number: 10819421Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2019Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: VIASAT, Inc.Inventors: John Hai O'Neill, Donald W. Becker, Mark J. Miller
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Publication number: 20200028582Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2019Publication date: January 23, 2020Applicant: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: John Hai O'Neill, Donald W. Becker, Mark J. Miller
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Patent number: 10320472Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2017Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: VIASAT, INC.Inventors: John Hai O'Neill, Donald W. Becker, Mark J. Miller
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Publication number: 20190052352Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2017Publication date: February 14, 2019Inventors: John Hai O'Neill, Donald W. Becker, Mark J. Miller
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Publication number: 20180013488Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2017Publication date: January 11, 2018Inventors: John Hai O'Neill, Donald W. Becker, Mark J. Miller
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Patent number: 9621257Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2014Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: John Hai O'Neill, Donald W. Becker, Mark J. Miller
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Patent number: 9386550Abstract: Systems and methods are described synchronizing communications frames and their respective time slots for satellite communications architectures having multiple satellites in the same orbital slot in such a way that addresses inter-satellite inter-beam interference. In some embodiments, the first and second satellites communicate with a respective number of ground terminals (e.g., gateway and user terminals) according to first and second satellite time slots, respectively. The satellites maintain relative positions in their orbital slot to manifest a maximum path delay difference between first and second path delays, the first path delay being between the first ground terminals and the first satellite, and the second path delay being between the first ground terminals and the second satellite. A synchronization system can offset the first satellite time slots from the second satellite time slots as a function of the maximum path delay difference.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: VIASAT INC.Inventor: Donald W. Becker
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Publication number: 20150295639Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2014Publication date: October 15, 2015Inventors: John Hai O'Neill, Donald W. Becker, Mark J. Miller
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Patent number: 9036661Abstract: Systems, devices, processors, and methods are described which may be used for the reception of a wireless broadband signal at a user terminal from a gateway via a satellite. A wireless signal may include a series of physical layer frames, each frame including a physical layer header and payload. The received signal is digitized and processed using various novel physical layer headers and related techniques to synchronize the physical layer frames and recover data from physical layer headers for purposes of demodulation and decoding.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2013Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Donald W. Becker, Matthew D. Nimon, William H. Thesling
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Patent number: 8897409Abstract: Symbol timing acquisition is described for a wireless broadband signal received at a user terminal from a gateway via a satellite. In-phase and quadrature channels of the wireless signal may each be sampled at a rate of one sample per symbol. The samples may be interpolated to generate an early interpolation and a late interpolation for each of the samples. A difference measurement is obtained between the early interpolation and the late interpolation for a set of the samples. A number of the difference measurements may be averaged, and symbol timing may be modified based on the average. This process may be continued on an iterative basis to acquire symbol timing.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2012Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Donald W. Becker, Matthew D. Nimon, William H. Thesling
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Patent number: 8805275Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2013Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Viasat Inc.Inventors: John Hai O'Neill, Donald W. Becker, Mark J. Miller
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Patent number: 8683283Abstract: Systems, devices, processors, and methods are described which may be used for the reception of a wireless broadband signal at a user terminal from a gateway via satellite. A physical layer header may be identified, the header including a number of subcode blocks. A phase may be estimated for each of the subcode blocks, and intra-header phase differences may be calculated. The intra-header phase differences may be used to calculate a frequency error, which may be corrected. Frequency errors may be monitored and, when such errors fall below a threshold level, an alternative inter-frame frequency error tracking method may be used.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2009Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Donald W. Becker, Matthew D. Nimon, William H. Thesling
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Publication number: 20130329630Abstract: Systems and methods are described synchronizing communications frames and their respective time slots for satellite communications architectures having multiple satellites in the same orbital slot in such a way that addresses inter-satellite inter-beam interference. In some embodiments, the first and second satellites communicate with a respective number of ground terminals (e.g., gateway and user terminals) according to first and second satellite time slots, respectively. The satellites maintain relative positions in their orbital slot to manifest a maximum path delay difference between first and second path delays, the first path delay being between the first ground terminals and the first satellite, and the second path delay being between the first ground terminals and the second satellite. A synchronization system can offset the first satellite time slots from the second satellite time slots as a function of the maximum path delay difference.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2013Publication date: December 12, 2013Applicant: VIASAT, INC.Inventor: Donald W. Becker
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Publication number: 20130331026Abstract: Systems and methods are described for robust scheduling of beam switching patterns in satellite communications systems. Embodiments operate in context of a hub-spoke satellite communications architecture having a number of gateway terminals servicing large numbers of user terminals over a number of spot beams. The satellite includes switching subsystems that distribute capacity to the user beams from multiple of the gateway terminals in a shared manner according to a beam group switching pattern. The beam group switching pattern is robustly formulated to continue distributing capacity during gateway outages (e.g., when one or two gateway terminals are temporarily non-operational due to rain fade, equipment failure, etc.). For example, the beam group switching pattern can be formulated to minimize worst-case degradation of capacity across user beams, to prioritize certain beams or beam groups, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2013Publication date: December 12, 2013Inventors: John Hai O'Neill, Donald W. Becker, Mark J. Miller
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Patent number: 8547863Abstract: A method for determining attenuation settings across carriers in a return link bandwidth of a user terminal comprises determining a first attenuation setting for a user terminal at a first transmission frequency, where the first attenuation setting is based on a first signal quality metric value of a first message sent from the user terminal at the first transmission frequency. The method also comprises determining a second attenuation setting for the user terminal at a second transmission frequency, where the second attenuation setting is based on a second signal quality metric value of a second message sent from the user terminal at the second transmission frequency. The method also comprises determining the attenuation settings across the carriers in the return link bandwidth of the user terminal based on the first attenuation setting and the second attenuation setting.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2010Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Mark J. Miller, Donald W. Becker
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Patent number: 8401038Abstract: Systems, devices, processors, and methods are described which may be used for the reception of a wireless broadband signal at a user terminal from a gateway via a satellite. A wireless signal may include a series of physical layer frames, each frame including a physical layer header and payload. The received signal is digitized and processed using various novel physical layer headers and related techniques to synchronize the physical layer frames and recover data from physical layer headers for purposes of demodulation and decoding.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2009Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Donald W. Becker, Matthew D. Nimon, William H. Thesling
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Patent number: 8300571Abstract: Systems, devices, processors, and methods are described which may be used for the reception of a wireless broadband signal at a user terminal from a gateway via a satellite. A wireless signal may include a series of physical layer frames, each frame including a physical layer header and payload. The received signal is digitized and processed using various novel physical layer headers and related techniques to synchronize the physical layer frames and recover data from physical layer headers for purposes of demodulation and decoding.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2009Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.Inventors: Donald W. Becker, Matthew D. Nimon, William H. Thesling