Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for performing mispointing correction operations that can provide accurate pointing of an antenna towards a satellite, while also satisfying interference requirements with other satellites. As a result, the mispointing correction operations described herein can improve resource efficiency of communication systems using such antennas and help ensure compliance with interference requirements of other satellites.

Abstract: A method for evaluating the quality of a radio frequency signal for a satellite navigation system, the method comprising: sampling the payload radio frequency signal of a satellite to obtain an intermediate frequency signal, and filtering the signal; downconverting the filtered intermediate signal to obtain the corresponding actual baseband signal; generating the signal components of the ideal baseband signal branches on the basis of the obtained actual baseband signal and the signal system thereof; reproducing the ideal baseband signal, which is used to evaluating the actual baseband signal; establishing a correlation function between the actual baseband signal to be evaluated and the ideal baseband signal, and obtaining through corresponding calculations a series of quality evaluation indexes such as spurious transmission in the band and related loss, thereby enabling the evaluation of the quality of the radio frequency signal.

Abstract: Methods and systems for cryptographically-secure autonomous detection of spoofed GNSS signals is provided. A method is provided that includes the steps of: generating a cryptographic code, controlling a motion of at least one antenna of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver system according to the cryptographic code, detecting a plurality of satellite signals during the controlled motion of the at least one antenna, and determining, based on carrier phase variations of the detected plurality of satellite signals, whether the plurality of satellite signals originated from a spoofer transmitter.

Abstract: A spacecraft includes a payload subsystem, the payload subsystem including a phased array of feed elements configured to illuminate an antenna reflector, a beam forming network (BFN) disposed proximate to the array of feed elements, and a plurality of power amplifiers disposed between the BFN and the array of feed elements. The BFN includes a plurality of variable amplitude and phase adjusting arrangements disposed between (i) m:1 power combiners that are communicatively coupled with the power amplifiers and (ii) at least one 1:n power splitter, where m is greater than 1, and n is greater than 2.

Abstract: A communication system allows communication between two users separated by a long distance includes a source ground station, a constellation, one or more linking-gateways, and a destination ground station. The constellation includes groups of communication devices orbiting or traveling around the earth. A first communication device of a first group of communication devices is in communication with the source ground station and receives a communication from the source ground station. The linking-gateway is in communication with at least the first and a second group of communication devices. The linking-gateway receives the communication from the first group of communication devices and sends the communication to a second communication device of the second group of communication devices.

Abstract: An example air vehicle includes a transponder to transmit a code indicative of a communications systems failure on the air vehicle. The example air vehicle includes a satellite receiver to receive, after the transponder code has been transmitted, a message from a satellite in communication with the air vehicle. The satellite receiver is to identify the message as including a command for the air vehicle and decode the message to determine the command. The example air vehicle includes a processor to execute the command.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting an Equivalent Isotropically Radiated Power (EIRP) degradation of a satellite radio frequency (RF) transmitter being in a repeating ground track orbit. Sets of signal-to-noise (C/N0) and satellite orbit data are obtained from first and second sources. Each data set is associated with the satellite and one of several receivers. Computing temporal information on an elevational and azimuthal satellite direction for each receiver location. A temporal information based time interval is determined for a single ground track. Determining, for each receiver, one of a first plurality of differences between a first time point data set value and a second time point data set value. The two time points differ by the time interval. A first average of the first plurality of differences is computed and compared with a predetermined threshold. A signal is triggered when the computed first average is larger than the threshold.

Abstract: An arrangement for detecting the position of a handset comprises a vehicle having a positioning signal receiver for receiving signals of the satellites of a positioning system and an electronic processor. The processor generates a local correction signal to improve the accuracy of a position determined by the signals of a positioning signal receiver. A portable handset is equipped with a positioning signal receiver for receiving signals of the satellites of the positioning system and an electronic processor which, in operation, receives position signals from the positioning signal receiver of the handset, derives from these signals raw position data of the handset and uses these raw position data for determining the position of the handset. The raw position data of the handset are corrected by the local correction signal provided by the processor of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for managing inter-satellite handovers are provided to allow a user terminal to reduce the frequency of handovers while maintaining a sufficiently high system capacity in a non-geosynchronous satellite communication system. The method and apparatus for managing inter-satellite handovers may be implemented in a gateway, in infrastructure connected to a gateway, in a user terminal, or in a satellite.

Abstract: Systems and methods for correcting frequency error in a received signal include: receiving a satellite signal, the satellite signal having a bandwidth and a center frequency; determining the profile of the satellite signal; computing the center frequency of the satellite signal based on the profile of the received signal; and generating a reference signal at the computed center frequency. The systems and methods may further include computing a center frequency of each of a plurality of satellite signals based on the computed center frequency. Determining the profile may include sweeping a tuner above and below a given reference frequency; measuring the received signal strength during the sweeping operation; and determining the profile based on the received signal strength.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for multi-path interference detection. The method includes receiving, by a positioning device, a satellite signal transmitted from a satellite. The satellite signal carries a ranging code. Further, the method includes locking an internal code generated by the positioning device to the ranging code, determining characteristics of correlations between the satellite signal and the internal code with different time shifts, and detecting satellite signal deterioration due to multi-path interference based on the characteristics of the correlations between the satellite signal and the internal code with different time shifts.

Abstract: A secure method and a secure provision unit provide a secured replica pseudo random noise signal for a receiver unit. A replica pseudo random noise code is modulated with a noise signal by a receiver-end provision unit. The replica pseudo random noise code has artificially produced noise superimposed thereon, so that the replica pseudo random noise code cannot be read from the noisy signal even at the receiver end, for example within a receiver or on a transmission path between provision unit and receiver.

Abstract: A timing signal generation device includes a GPS receiver that performs a positioning calculation based on a satellite signal; and a digital signal processor that generates position information regarding a reception point based on a value present within a range of A±?/4 wherein A is a most frequent value or a median value of a plurality of positioning calculation results of the GPS receiver and ? is a standard deviation of the plurality of positioning calculation results. A timing signal is generated based on the satellite signal from at least one position information satellite and the position information regarding the reception point.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a code carrier divergence (CCD) high-pass filter monitor are provided.

Abstract: A satellite reception assembly may comprise a housing configured to support receipt and handling of a plurality of satellite signals. The housing may comprise circuitry incorporating integrated stacking architecture for supporting and/or providing channel and/or band stacking whereby particular channels or bands, from multiple satellite signals that are received via the satellite reception assembly, may be combined onto a single output signal that may be communicated from the satellite reception assembly to a gateway device for concurrent distribution thereby to a plurality of client devices serviced by the gateway device.

Abstract: An encoded information reading (EIR) system can comprise a microprocessor, a memory, and at least one RFID reading device, all communicatively coupled to a system bus. The EIR system can further comprise two or more external antennas electrically coupled to a multiplexing circuit. The multiplexing circuit can be configured to electrically couple each antenna to the RFID reading device by using a time division method or a frequency division method. The external antennas can be disposed according to a spatial pattern configured to provide a spatially continuous RFID signal reception within a pre-defined area or volume. The antennas can be configured to receive RFID signals from a plurality of RFID tags attached to a plurality of items and disposed within a radio frequency range of the antennas. The EIR system can be configured to store in its memory a plurality of responses received from the plurality of RFID tags.

Abstract: Provided is a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) navigation solution generating apparatus and method, the apparatus including a determiner to determine that a spoofing signal exists in a received GNSS signal when a signal having a receiving intensity greater than a predetermined receiving intensity of a normal signal by a predetermined value range is included in the received GNSS signal, a detector to re-detect the normal signal from the GNSS signal when the spoofing signal is determined to exist, and a calculator to generate a GNSS navigation solution by tracking the re-detected normal signal, wherein the predetermined value range is 3 to 5 decibels (dB).

Abstract: Satellite acquisition, for enabling a user device to engage in satellite communications, may be implemented using augmented reality (AR). An AR display may be presented to a user, and the user may use the AR display to point the user device toward a desired satellite. The process may include offsetting the position of a satellite icon representing the desired satellite in the AR display if acquisition is unsuccessful and thus indicating that the user device should be pointed to the offset position. In the case of a non-geosynchronous earth-orbit (non-GEO) satellite, such as a low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite, the position of the satellite icon representing such a non-GEO satellite may be compensated for satellite movement during a satellite acquisition attempt.

Abstract: A communication system allows communication between two users separated by a long distance includes a source ground station, a constellation, one or more linking-gateways, and a destination ground station. The constellation includes groups of communication devices orbiting or traveling around the earth. A first communication device of a first group of communication devices is in communication with the source ground station and receives a communication from the source ground station. The linking-gateway is in communication with at least the first and a second group of communication devices. The linking-gateway receives the communication from the first group of communication devices and sends the communication to a second communication device of the second group of communication devices.

Abstract: A method for sending messages through the atmosphere. The method includes sending the messages to an intended recipient, such as an aircraft, on a data link over an operating frequency at or near an atmospheric absorption band, where the operating frequency is selected to be closer to or farther from the absorption band to control the attenuation of the messages in the atmosphere so that the intended recipient is able to receive the messages, but unintended recipients are unable to receive the messages or jamming signals are unable to jam the messages.

Abstract: A system for antenna alignment of a directional antenna used for wireless communication with respect to a target location. The system comprising the directional antenna and an unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, arranged to be deployed in relation to the target location. The system is configured for transmission of an alignment signal between the UAV and the directional antenna and also for measuring a level of antenna alignment of the directional antenna with respect to the target location, based on the alignment signal transmission.

Abstract: Implementations are directed to remote data aggregation, data management, and data visualization of field data from remote field site locations. Actions can include generating, by one or more sensors, the field data, each sensor of the one or more sensors being responsive to field site activity, transmitting, through a regional network, the field data to a back-end system, processing, by the back-end system, the field data to provide visualization data, transmitting the visualization data to one or more mobile computing devices, and providing a computer-executable application for execution on a mobile computing device, the computer-executable application processing the visualization data to provide data visualizations.

Abstract: Provided is a display device that enables easy adjustment of an antenna in the most appropriate direction. An antenna angle acquisition unit (12) acquires antenna angle information indicating an antenna angle which is a horizontal angle and a vertical angle of an antenna (20) for receiving a signal from a radio wave generation source. A reception quality acquisition unit (14) acquires reception quality information indicating a quality of a received signal received by the antenna (20) at the antenna angle acquired by the antenna angle acquisition unit (12). A display unit (16) displays an antenna adjustment image where the antenna angle information and the reception quality information are associated with each other based on the acquired antenna angle information and the acquired reception quality information.

Abstract: A method for satellite to satellite handover of a user terminal in a satellite communications network is provided. The UT receives an initial handover message, from a RAN node, including a target frequency for receiving downlink transmissions from the RAN node via a target satellite and a timing correction, and reconfigures its receiver for receipt of the downlink transmissions via the target frequency. The UT decodes the downlink transmissions to determine allocations for a PRACH of the target satellite provided by the downlink transmissions, and transmits a reply handover message to the RAN node, via the PRACH channel, using the timing correction. The UT receives a flow assignment message from the RAN. The UT reactivates hand-over data flows for the target satellite, and transmits a channel configuration complete message to the RAN node, via the PRACH channel, using the timing correction.

Abstract: A media device may be configured for receiving data from one or more satellites. The media device may include one or more processors and one or more storage devices. A first tuner of a media device may tune to a first data stream that came from a first satellite transponder. A second tuner of the media device may tune to a second data stream that came from a second satellite transponder. The first data stream and the second data stream may be derived from source data based at least in part on a data distribution scheme. The data distribution scheme may include distributing at least portions of the source data with the first data stream and the second data stream. The first data stream and/or the second data stream may be processed to store and/or output for presentation content.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for verifying the integrity of position vector information obtained by at least two satellite geolocation devices, each of the geolocation devices being able to receive a plurality of wireless signals from a plurality of separate satellites, and to use the received wireless signals to compute a position vector of said geolocation device, including position coordinates computed in a predetermined spatial reference at a given moment in time, each of the geolocation devices being independent of the other geolocation devices, the satellites used being able to be different from one geolocation device to the next.

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 method and system for detection and mitigation of attacks on a wireless network. The wireless network includes a plurality of antennas that are associated with different directions of coverage. The antennas can include an antenna array or an antenna having beamforming capabilities. An intrusion prevention processor or device analyzes incoming signals and determines individual device or aggregate device behavior patterns. The behavior patterns are compared with known attack patterns or triggers to determine if an anomaly has occurred. Attacking signals are blocked, or antennas in the direction of the anomaly are disabled while the system stabilizes. If the system stabilizes and the anomaly clears, the antennas are enabled and monitoring continues.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for managing maintenance activities of an aircraft using a wearable device. In one embodiment, a method comprises: receiving, at the wearable device, part data from at least one of a video recording device and an audio recording device of the wearable device; communicating by the wearable device with at least one of an onboard avionics system, an airline operations system, and an inventory management system based on the part data; and presenting maintenance information to a user via at least one of a display system, and an audio system of the wearable device based on the communicating.

Abstract: A system is provided for reducing latency data collection from space-based sensor satellites. A mobile vehicle platform, configured to travel around the Earth, includes a sensor module and a relay satellite terminal. The sensor module monitors certain conditions, circumstances, environments and/or situations occurring on or around, or associated with, the Earth, and generates sensor data resulting from the monitoring. The relay satellite terminal executes data communications with a first of a plurality of satellites while the mobile vehicle platform is in a first area within a communications range of the first satellite, and, upon moving to a second area within a communications range of a second of the plurality of satellites, the relay satellite terminal switches the data communications to the second satellite. The data communications relay the sensor data, via the satellites, to a central processing facility for aggregation, processing, analysis and/or dissemination of the data.

Abstract: A multi-band satellite navigation receiver for carrier and code tracking using a fixed point sigma rho filter with improved stability is described. The receiver simplifies and speeds up the data processing in the filter to adaptively accommodate common information from aggregate bands and obtain the accurate position of the receiver in real time. The filter may utilize a standard deviation function and a cross correlation function while determining adaptive scale factors to ensure that the filter is stable and reliable.

Abstract: A satellite communications network, methods of sending, receiving and repetition, and the associated items of equipment wherein the transmission of a signal between a sending station and a receiving station is relayed by a plurality of satellites visible in common to both these stations are provided. The position of the sending station, the receiving station and the satellites relaying the signal is known by at least one of these items of equipment, which is further configured to separate the signals relayed by the satellites, and to compute, for each of the signals, at least one shift introduced by the propagation of the signal, on the basis of the position of the sending station, of the receiving station, and of the satellite by which it is transmitted, and then to apply the inverse shifts to the signal.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for producing an orbital movement in a plane (20) is disclosed. The apparatus (10) comprises a lower shaft (40) and an upper shaft (30), being parallelly and eccentrically attached to one another, and a platform (50) mounted on the upper shaft (30). A ring gear (60) is attached to the platform (50) and coaxially rotatable about the upper shaft (30). A gear wheel (80) is coaxially rotatably mounted on the lower shaft (40) and engages with the ring gear (60).

Abstract: Satellite communications systems, methods, and related devices are described. In one embodiment, a satellite communications system is configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth among different downlink beams. The satellite may receive and compile traffic measurements and terminal parameters. The satellite may be configured with different downlink beam coverage areas, and may dynamically allocate downlink bandwidth and particular frequency channels to different beam coverage areas based on the measurements and parameters. The satellite may also assign frequency channels and time slots based on such measurements and parameters.

Abstract: A method and system for the distributed transmission of the communication flow, in which the communication flow takes place at least unidirectionally from a first to a second communication unit and wherein the first and second communication units are capable of transmitting the communication flow by means of at least two different communication paths, the communication flow comprises at least one vehicle-to-X message. The communication flow is divided into at least two communication flow elements by the first communication unit prior to sending, wherein the at least two communication flow elements are transmitted from the first to the second communication unit in a manner distributed over the at least two different communication paths, and wherein the at least two communication flow elements are assembled again by the second communication unit following reception.

Abstract: A system for operating an integrated architecture for near real-time satellite communications, comprising a plurality of collector satellites augment by aerial and terrestrial sensing systems that capture a plurality of EO, SAR and/or Signals sensor data of a portion of a region of the surface of the Earth, and a plurality of connector satellites that communicate with at least a collector satellite using a communication interface, and a method for using advanced environmental monitoring to adaptively task a collector satellite.

Abstract: A method for stationing a satellite comprises a transfer phase, during which the satellite moves on an elliptical geosynchronous orbit, the orbit being deformed progressively by application of a thrust by electrical or hybrid electrical-chemical propulsion to bring it closer to a geostationary orbit. The transfer step comprises a substep during which, during a plurality of revolutions of the satellite, the thrust is stopped for a fraction of orbital period and tests of a telecommunications payload of the satellite are performed in the absence of thrust.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying communication networks in clusters of satellite devices. In one example, a first subset of satellite devices is configured to orbit in a first orbital layer, and a second subset of satellite devices is configured to orbit in a second orbital layer. A communication network is formed among the satellite devices and is configured to selectively exchange communications among the first orbital layer and the second orbital layer based at least in part on an operational status of the communication network.

Abstract: A plurality of spacecraft may be dispersed into a ring constellation or structure. Data may be wirelessly relayed between spacecraft similar to data flowing in a ring network. The ring structure minimizes inter-spacecraft velocities and tracking angle motion to allow use of fixed high-gain radio frequency (RF) antennas or medium-divergence lasers for crosslinks. Data may flow between spacecraft to be downloaded by the next spacecraft that will be passing over a ground station. This reduces data latency when a single ground station is used, and significantly reduces data latency when more than one ground station is used.

Abstract: A description of a high altitude platform with multibeam coverage for aero-based terminals is provided herein. An example apparatus includes a plurality of user link antennas each configured to provide communication coverage among a plurality of aero-based terminals within a specified volume (or area) of the sky, each antenna being configured to communicate with a specified cell within the specified volume. The apparatus also includes a gateway link antenna configured to provide communication coverage to a ground-based gateway terminal. The user link antennas are configured to have differently sized apertures to maintain a similar spectral density among the cells within the specified coverage area. Such a configuration of user link antennas provides consistent Quality of Service and bandwidth for aero-based terminals (such as private and commercial aircraft) operating within the specified coverage area.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring carrier phase anomalies in a range finding system. A relative carrier phase between first and second antennas is predicted as a function of a relative position between the two antennas. A relative carrier phase between the first and second receivers is measured based upon at least one transmitted signal received at each of the first and second antennas. An anomaly detection metric is calculated as a difference between the measured relative carrier phase and the predicted relative carrier phase. It is then determined if an anomaly is present according to the anomaly detection metric.

Abstract: A communication system includes a constellation of communication devices orbiting the earth. Each communication device has a corresponding orbital path or trajectory with an inclination angle of less than 90 degrees and greater than zero degrees with respect to the equator of the earth. The constellation includes a first group of communication devices orbiting at a first altitude from the earth and at a first inclination angle. The constellation also includes a second group of communication devices orbiting at a second altitude from the earth lower than the first altitude and at a second inclination angle different from the first inclination angle.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for stationkeeping in a satellite. The satellite includes a north electric thruster and a south electric installed on a zenith side, an east chemical thruster installed on an east side, and a west chemical thruster installed on a west side. An orbit controller detects a failure of one of the electric thrusters. In response to the failure, the orbit controller controls a burn of the remaining electric thruster proximate to an orbital node. The orbit controller controls a burn of one of the chemical thrusters at 90°±5° from the burn of the remaining electric thruster, and controls a burn of the other one of the chemical thrusters at 270°±5° from the burn of the remaining electric thruster.

Abstract: Methods and systems that can detect GNSS spoofing attacks and that do not require explicit or implicit knowledge of exact position or attitude and that provide hypothesis test statistics, threshold values, and probabilities of false alarm and missed detection.

Abstract: A combined electro-mechanical adaptive antenna tracking system for wireless communication between transmitters and receivers moving relative to each other is described. This system enables one or more antenna transceivers on a moving object, such as a high altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (HALE UAV), to simultaneously track one or more separate antenna transceivers on the ground, such as multiple customer premises equipment. The antennas on the moving object are constructed with multiple-subsection phased arrays or may have multiple horns on one rotation axis. Adaptive tracking control logic is applied to synchronize electrical switch and/or mechanical rotation and electrical beamforming for the moving transceivers to track multiple ground transceivers. In one advantageous aspect, an off-the-shelf horn antenna can be used and rotated around only one axis, thereby eliminating the need for expensive two dimensional movement actuators such as gimbals and the need for tracking multiple ground based receivers.

Abstract: A method to identify morbid animals housed in a feedyard having a feed bunk, where the method includes providing a plurality of animal beacons and at least one beacon reader, placing the beacon reader adjacent the feed bunk, transmitting by a first animal beacon a first signal comprising a first unique identifier for a first animal wearing the first animal beacon, wherein the first animal is housed in the feedyard, receiving by the beacon reader the first signal, and based upon the first signal, determining a proximity of the first animal to the feed bunk.

Abstract: Method and apparatuses involving satellite position signals are disclosed. Based on data indicating a usage environment, parameters, for example acquisition parameters or calculation parameters, are adapted.

Abstract: A method for Real Time Kinematic satellite positioning includes receiving navigation satellite carrier signals, receiving phase correction signals from a reference station, calculating a set of integer phase ambiguities from double-differenced measurements of pseudo-range and phase, and calculating a relative position of the mobile receiver from the set of integer phase ambiguities and the double-differenced measurements of pseudo-range and phase.

Abstract: A method for calculating a position of a receiver. The method includes determining a first position of the receiver at a first time using data from satellites and determining a second position of the receiver at a second time using the first position and data from a non-satellite sensor. The method also includes calculating the positions of the satellites at the second time and comparing, for each satellite, the calculated position with a known position at the second time.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement includes an antenna port, a first receiving port, a second receiving port, a first transmission port, and a second transmission port. A number of 90 degree hybrids are configured to transfer an input signal into two output signals that are phase shifted relative to each other. Two quadplexers each include a first duplexer and a second duplexer. The quadplexers and the 90 degree hybrids are interconnected such that a leakage signal travelling from one of the transmission ports to one of the receiving ports destructively interferes at the receiving port.