US 12,413,286 B2
Beam management using sparse antenna arrays
Brian G. Greinke, Carlsbad, CA (US); John Bacigalupi, Carlsbad, CA (US); and Parker Robinson, Ocala, FL (US)
Assigned to Viasat, Inc., Carlsbad, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/024,718
Filed by Viasat Inc., Carlsbad, CA (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 2, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/048913
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 3, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/051535, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 10, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/075,026, filed on Sep. 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0379045 A1, Nov. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. H04B 7/185 (2006.01); H01Q 1/28 (2006.01); H04B 7/06 (2006.01)
CPC H04B 7/18513 (2013.01) [H01Q 1/288 (2013.01); H04B 7/0617 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of communication, comprising:
identifying a terminal within a geographic region;
determining positions of antennas of an antenna array implemented on one or more satellites based at least in part on a first signal received from a first transmitter, a second signal received from a second transmitter, a position of the first transmitter, and a position of the second transmitter, wherein the antennas of the antenna array are deployed in a space orbit, and wherein a distance between adjacent antennas of the antenna array is different across the antenna array;
determining, for the antenna array, first beam coefficients to form a first beam for the terminal, a coverage area of the first beam encompassing the geographic region;
communicating with the terminal using the first beam;
determining a utilization of the first beam has exceeded a threshold;
determining, for the antenna array and based at least in part on the utilization of the first beam exceeding the threshold, second beam coefficients of a second beam based at least in part on a position of the terminal and the positions of the antennas relative to the terminal, a coverage area of the second beam being different than the coverage area of the first beam; and
communicating with the terminal using the second beam.