US 12,392,856 B2
Antenna systems and methods for tracking non-geosynchronous satellites
Rodney A. Morris, Lawrenceville, GA (US); Patrick E. Tynan, Atlanta, GA (US); and David E. Sinyard, Sugar Hill, GA (US)
Assigned to VIASAT, INC., Carlsbad, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/998,450
Filed by VIASAT, INC., Carlsbad, CA (US)
PCT Filed May 13, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/032307
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 10, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/231769, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 18, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/024,504, filed on May 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0179296 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. G01S 3/38 (2006.01); G01S 3/22 (2006.01); G01S 3/32 (2006.01); G01S 3/56 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 3/38 (2013.01) [G01S 3/22 (2013.01); G01S 3/32 (2013.01); G01S 3/56 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method performed by a ground station antenna system, for tracking a non-geosynchronous earth orbit (non-Geo) satellite, comprising:
receiving a signal from the non-Geo satellite;
estimating a signal quality metric associated with the signal;
selecting and implementing a first tracking mode when the estimated signal quality metric is below a threshold;
in the first tracking mode, demodulating the signal and obtaining demodulated signal quality metric (DSQM) estimates, then performing a first tracking operation to point an antenna beam at the satellite based on the DSQM estimates;
selecting and implementing a second tracking mode when the estimated signal quality metric is above the threshold; and
in the second tracking mode, obtaining signal strength estimates of the signal via measurement circuitry, then performing a second tracking operation to point the antenna beam at the satellite based at least in part on the signal strength estimates.