US 11,671,169 B2
Radio frequency data downlink for a high revisit rate, near earth orbit satellite system
Dan Nobbe, San Diego, CA (US); and Ronald E. Reedy, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to Skeyeon, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by Skeyeon, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 9, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/925,081.
Application 16/925,081 is a continuation of application No. 15/868,812, filed on Jan. 11, 2018, granted, now 10,715,245.
Application 15/868,812 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/439,533, filed on Feb. 22, 2017, granted, now 10,351,267.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/430,727, filed on Dec. 6, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0343966 A1, Oct. 29, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04B 7/185 (2006.01); H04W 84/06 (2009.01); G01S 19/25 (2010.01); G01S 13/88 (2006.01)
CPC H04B 7/18513 (2013.01) [G01S 19/254 (2013.01); H04B 7/18534 (2013.01); H04W 84/06 (2013.01); G01S 13/88 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for communications between an orbiting satellite and a network of ground stations, the method comprising;
operating a satellite at an altitude at least between 200 km and 350 km; and
steering a beam of an electrically steerable antenna toward a first ground station based on a predetermined first location of the first ground station;
controlling a satellite mounted transmitter to transmit data via a first signal associated with a data transmission from the satellite to the first ground station;
receiving the first signal at the first ground station;
steering the beam of the electrically steerable antenna toward a second ground station based on a predetermined second location of the second ground station; and
controlling the satellite mounted transmitters to facilitate a hand-off of data from the first ground station to the second ground station.