Patents by Inventor Kenneth F. Manning

Kenneth F. Manning 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).

  • Patent number: 6795687
    Abstract: An array of satellites which is virtually geosynchronous. Each satellite is in an elliptical orbit. The apogee portion of each elliptical orbit is over one of the regions of interest. Each satellite is virtually geosynchronous during its apogee portion, over the region of interest. When it leaves the apogee portion, the satellite goes to another of the regions of interest, and acts virtually geosynchronous over that region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Virtual Geosatellite LLC
    Inventors: David Castiel, John Draim, Kenneth F. Manning
  • Patent number: 6678519
    Abstract: An elliptical satellite communication system including a constellation of satellites which orbit the earth at a height less than that necessary for geosynchronous orbits but which simulate the characteristics of geosynchronous orbits. The satellites' velocity near the apogee portion of their orbit approximates the rotational velocity of the earth, and during that period appear to hover over the earth. The ground stations on the earth always communicate with a satellite at or near its apogee, and hence that satellite appears to the ground station to hover over the earth. During the times when the satellite is outside the apogee portion, its communication is shut off to prevent any possibility of interfering with geosynchronous satellites and its power supply is used to charge a battery on the satellite. Thus, the power supply of the system can be reduced by an amount equivalent to the percentage of time the satellite is not used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Virtual Geosatellite, LLC
    Inventors: David Castiel, John Draim, Kenneth F. Manning
  • Patent number: 6611683
    Abstract: An elliptical satellite system which carries out communication. The satellite orbits a height above the earth less than that necessary for geosynchronous orbits. When the satellite is near the apogee portion of its orbit, its velocity approximates the rotational velocity of the earth, and during that period it appears to hover over the earth. Each ground station on the earth always communicates a satellite within a predetermined position of its apogee, and hence that satellite appears to the ground station to hover over the earth. The satellite hence does not communicate with any earth station when it is outside of that apogee portion. During the times when the satellite is outside the apogee portion, its communication is therefore shut off to prevent.any possibility of interfering with geosynchronous satellites. During this time, the power supply on the satellite is also used to charge a battery on the satellite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Virtual Geosatellite Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: David Castiel, John Draim, Kenneth F. Manning
  • Patent number: 6577864
    Abstract: An elliptical satellite system which carries out communication. The satellite orbits a height above the earth less than that necessary for geosynchronous orbits. When the satellite is near the apogee portion of its orbit, its velocity approximates the rotational velocity of the earth, and during that period it appears to hover over the earth. Each ground station on the earth always communicates a satellite within a predetermined position of its apogee, and hence that satellite appears to the ground station to hover over the earth. The satellite hence does not communicate with any earth station when it is outside of that apogee portion. During the times when the satellite is outside the apogee portion, its communication is therefore shut off to prevent any possibility of interfering with geosynchronous satellites. During this time, the power supply on the satellite is also used to charge a battery on the satellite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Virtual Geosatellite, LLC
    Inventors: David Castiel, John Draim, Kenneth F. Manning
  • Patent number: 6333924
    Abstract: A satellite broadcast and communication system employing a constellation of satellites in highly elliptical and highly inclined orbits, where the satellites remain almost stationary relative to ground users, describing a small loop in the sky around the apogee of the orbit for long periods of time. A user on the ground with conventional directive antenna will be provided with continuous communication services without interruption, 24 hours per day. The small loop where the satellites are operational is located around the highest latitude of the orbit. Therefore, it will have a high angular separation from satellites operating in the equational geostationary satellite orbit (hereafter more simply referred to as the geostationary satellite orbit), thus enabling a full sharing of the frequency hands used by the geostationary satellite orbit systems, without causing any interference between the two types of satellite network systems, and without the need for any interference migrating factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: USCX
    Inventors: Giacomo Porcelli, Kenneth F. Manning
  • Publication number: 20010051521
    Abstract: An elliptical satellite communication system including a constellation of satellites which orbit the earth at a height less than that necessary for geosynchronous orbits but which simulate the characteristics of geosynchronous orbits. The satellites' velocity near the apogee portion of their orbit approximates the rotational velocity of the earth, and during that period appear to hover over the earth. The ground stations on the earth always communicate with a satellite at or near its apogee, and hence that satellite appears to the ground station to hover over the earth. During the times when the satellite is outside the apogee portion, its communication is shut off to prevent any possibility of interfering with geosynchronous satellites and its power supply is used to charge a battery on the satellite. Thus, the power supply of the system can be reduced by an amount equivalent to the percentage of time the satellite is not used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Publication date: December 13, 2001
    Applicant: Virtual Geosatellite, LLC, a Delaware corporation
    Inventors: David Castiel, John Draim, Kenneth F. Manning
  • Publication number: 20010012759
    Abstract: An elliptical satellite system which carries out communication. The satellite orbits a height above the earth less than that necessary for geosynchronous orbits. When the satellite is near the apogee portion of its orbit, its velocity approximates the rotational velocity of the earth, and during that period it appears to hover over the earth. Each ground station on the earth always communicates a satellite within a predetermined position of its apogee, and hence that satellite appears to the ground station to hover over the earth. The satellite hence does not communicate with any earth station when it is outside of that apogee portion. During the times when the satellite is outside the apogee portion, its communication is therefore shut off to prevent any possibility of interfering with geosynchronous satellites. During this time, the power supply on the satellite is also used to charge a battery on the satellite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Applicant: Virtual Geosatellite, LLC
    Inventors: David Castiel, John Draim, Kenneth F. Manning
  • Patent number: 6263188
    Abstract: An elliptical satellite system which carries out communication. The satellite orbits a height above the earth less than that necessary for geosynchronous orbits. When the satellite is near the apogee portion of its orbit, its velocity approximates the rotational velocity of the earth, and during that period it appears to hover over the earth. Each ground station on the earth always communicates a satellite within a predetermined position of its apogee, and hence that satellite appears to the ground station to hover over the earth. The satellite hence does not communicate with any earth station when it is outside of that apogee portion. During the times when the satellite is outside the apogee portion, its communication is therefore shut off to prevent any possibility of interfering with geosynchronous satellites. During this time, the power supply on the satellite is also used to charge a battery on the satellite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Virtual Geosatellite, LLC
    Inventors: David Castiel, John Draim, Kenneth F. Manning
  • Patent number: 5957409
    Abstract: An elliptical satellite system which carries out communication. The satellite orbits a height above the earth less than that necessary for geosynchronous orbits. When the satellite is near the apogee portion of its orbit, its velocity approximates the rotational velocity of the earth, and during that period it appears to hover over the earth. Each ground station on the earth always communicates a satellite within a predetermined position of its apogee, and hence that satellite appears to the ground station to hover over the earth. The satellite hence does not communicate with any earth station when it is outside of that apogee portion. During the times when the satellite is outside the apogee portion, its communication is therefore shut off to prevent any possibility of interfering with geosynchronous satellites. During this time, the power supply on the satellite is also used to charge a battery on the satellite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Virtual Geosatellite Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: David Castiel, John Draim, Kenneth F. Manning
  • Patent number: 5845206
    Abstract: An elliptical satellite system which carries out communication. The satellite orbits a height above the earth less than that necessary for geosynchronous orbits. When the satellite is near the apogee portion of its orbit, its velocity approximates the rotational velocity of the earth, and during that period it appears to hover over the earth. Each ground station on the earth always communicates with a satellite within a predetermined position of its apogee, and hence that satellite appears to the ground station to hover over the earth. The satellite hence does not communicate with any earth station when it is outside of that apogee portion. During the times when the satellite is outside the apogee portion, its communication is therefore shut off to prevent any possibility of interfering with geosynchronous satellites. During this time, the power supply on the satellite is also used to charge a battery on the satellite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Virtual Geosatellite Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: David Castiel, John Draim, Kenneth F. Manning