US 12,032,068 B2
Satellite constellation system for transmitting a navigation signal
Tyler Gerald René Reid, Vancouver (CA); and Brian Manning, San Mateo, CA (US)
Assigned to Xona Space Systems Inc., San Mateo, CA (US)
Filed by Xona Space Systems Inc., San Mateo, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/302,099.
Application 18/302,099 is a continuation of application No. 17/235,479, filed on Apr. 20, 2021, granted, now 11,668,834.
Application 17/235,479 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/804,961, filed on Feb. 28, 2020, granted, now 11,513,232, issued on Nov. 29, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/853,398, filed on May 28, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0134055 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01S 19/02 (2010.01)
CPC G01S 19/02 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A satellite constellation system comprising:
a plurality of satellites, wherein each satellite of the plurality of satellites includes at least one processor configured to:
generate satellite state data; and
generate a navigation signal based on the satellite state data; and
at least one transmitter configured to transmit the navigation signal for receipt by at least one client device on earth;
wherein each satellite is configured to orbit in one of a plurality of orbital planes of the satellite constellation system at an altitude range corresponding to low earth orbit (LEO), wherein each of the plurality of orbital planes includes a corresponding one of a plurality of satellite subsets of a plurality of satellites, wherein each of the plurality of orbital planes is within the altitude range, and wherein the plurality of orbital planes includes a set of inclined orbital planes at a non-polar inclination;
wherein a first orbital plane subset of the plurality of orbital planes corresponds to a first coverage level facilitated by a plurality of navigation signals transmitted by ones of the plurality of satellites in the first orbital plane subset, wherein the first orbital plane subset is a subset of the set of inclined orbital planes, wherein each orbital plane in the first orbital plane subset is within the altitude range, and wherein each corresponding one of the plurality of satellite subsets of each orbital plane in the first orbital plane subset includes a first same number of satellites; and
wherein a second orbital plane subset of the plurality of orbital planes corresponds to a second coverage level facilitated by a plurality of navigation signals transmitted by ones of the plurality of satellites in the second orbital plane subset, wherein the second coverage level is more favorable than the first coverage level, wherein each orbital plane in the second orbital plane subset is within the altitude range, wherein a first proper subset of the second orbital plane subset is included in the set of inclined orbital planes at the non-polar inclination, wherein a second proper subset of the second orbital plane subset is in accordance with a polar inclination, wherein the first proper subset and the second proper subset are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive with respect to the second orbital plane subset, wherein each corresponding one of the plurality of satellite subsets of each orbital plane in the first proper subset includes a second same number of satellites, and wherein each corresponding one of the plurality of satellite subsets of each orbital plane in the second proper subset includes a third same number of satellites.