US 12,244,399 B2
Tilted earth-based antenna systems and methods of tilting for communication with a satellite system
Duncan E. Adams, Redmond, WA (US); David Milroy, Kirkland, WA (US); Jonathan François Cornelis Herman, Los Angeles, CA (US); and Jessica D. Johnson, Redmond, WA (US)
Assigned to Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, CA (US)
Filed by Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/437,044.
Application 18/437,044 is a continuation of application No. 18/123,879, filed on Mar. 20, 2023, granted, now 11,909,506.
Application 18/123,879 is a continuation of application No. 16/892,223, filed on Jun. 3, 2020, granted, now 11,611,392, issued on Mar. 21, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/943,206, filed on Dec. 3, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/856,730, filed on Jun. 3, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0187089 A1, Jun. 6, 2024
Int. Cl. H04B 7/185 (2006.01)
CPC H04B 7/18519 (2013.01) [H04B 7/18517 (2013.01); H04B 7/18536 (2013.01); H04B 7/18547 (2013.01); H04B 7/18571 (2013.01); H04B 7/18573 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of communicating with a non-GEO satellite constellation, the method comprising:
positioning a satellite of the non-GEO satellite constellation to travel along a first orbital path at a first, non-zero-degree inclination, wherein the first orbital path defines an upper and a lower limiting latitude, and wherein the upper or lower limiting latitude have a reduced overlap with the GEO-belt interference zone as compared to a satellite traveling along a second orbital path at a zero-degree inclination;
selecting an orientation for an endpoint terminal configured for communicating with the satellite, wherein the endpoint terminal includes an electronically steered phased array antenna system defining a field of regard for a single steerable beam for communication with the non-GEO satellite constellation including the satellite, wherein the field of regard is a limited field of regard having a first end and a second end, and wherein the orientation directs the field of regard towards the upper or lower limiting latitude;
positioning the endpoint terminal to the selected orientation such that the endpoint terminal can communicate with the satellite while the satellite is at the upper or lower limiting latitude.