Communications: radio wave antennas – Antennas – With support for antenna – reflector or director
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-08
2001-05-29
Ho, Tan (Department: 2821)
Communications: radio wave antennas
Antennas
With support for antenna, reflector or director
C343SDIG002, C244S158700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06239767
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates in general to a secondary communication and navigation system, which provides positional information, communication between space vehicles, and communication between space vehicles and ground stations. More specifically, the invention relates to a communications system integral to a payload module for a space vehicle which provides dedicated and independent communications for its payload elements and offers satellite tracking capability for antenna pointing.
BACKGROUND
There has been a movement in recent years to privatize access to space and to develop commercial space systems. In this regard, various privately owned commercial systems have been proposed for implementation with space vehicles, for example the National Space Transportation System (NSTS) Orbiter, the Mir Space Station, and the planned International Space Station (ISS). Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has relinquished control of NSTS operations to a coalition of private companies called the United Space Alliance. In addition, the ISS is being deployed and constructed by an international consortium of government and private entities.
One such successful implementation of a commercial space venture was the successful development of the SPACEHAB module by SPACEHAB Inc. The SPACEHAB module, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,395, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, includes flat end caps and a flat top panel that permit useful payload items to be attached to the outside of the module in addition to being carried within the module. The SPACEHAB module can be readily co-manifested with other payloads and has been successfully flown on several NSTS Orbiter missions. In order to increase the pressurized volume of the basic SPACEHAB module, a plurality of the basic modules can be coupled together to form a variable length mission-configurable module, which was successfully flown on resupply missions to the Mir Space Station.
One drawback to offering commercial access to space via privately owned and operated payload modules, is the inability of payload customers to maintain constant direct communication with payloads due to the inherent limitations of communicating through the primary communications system of a space vehicle. Payload users need to communicate with payload elements and their own mission specialists working within the module continuously, without waiting in a cue for air time from the main communication system. Another drawback is the inability of commercial customers to obtain continuous positional information to accurately track satellites during each orbit for antenna pointing purposes without reliance on externally provided navigation information. Many existing space vehicles utilize antiquated main communication systems which were developed to interface with the existing communication system of a national space agency. For example, the main communication of the NSTS Orbiter was developed to communicate with NASA's existing system during the 1970's. These primitive communication systems have limited bandwidths and capabilities, and they were not designed for compatibility with the Internet and modem microcomputer hardware and software.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a universal communication system which permits continuous communication with a payload element and with mission specialists, and permits payload users to communicate directly with their payloads, without using the main communication system of a space vehicle. It is another object of the invention to provide a universal communication system that will provide satellite tracking capability for antenna pointing. It is another object of the present invention to utilize standard hardware and software interfaces to provide reliable bi-directional Internet compatible data communications that are responsive to payload user requirements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, the SPACEHAB Universal Communication System (SHUCS), provides a secondary universal communications system that enables dedicated and independent communications capability between payload elements located in a space vehicle and ground based communications networks. SHUCS operates without utilization of the infrastructure from the main communication system of a space vehicle. Because SHUCS does not rely on the main communication system of the space vehicle, payload users are not subjected to the air time priorities of the space vehicle's main communication system. The system may either utilize existing communications satellites as an intermediate network to communicate with a ground station or may communicate directly with a ground station via down link capability. In addition, the universal communications system can provide supplemental and independent communications and navigation capacity to a space vehicle's primary communication system.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a Versatile On-orbit Integrated Communication Equipment (VOICE), the basic communication capabilities of SHUCS are supplemented by a satellite tracking navigation system. The VOICE navigation system provides antenna pointing and tracking capability to actively track communications satellites. Using standard hardware and software interfaces, SHUCS provides reliable and platform independent, bi-directional, Internet compatible, data communications that are responsive to payload user requirements.
The secondary universal communication system includes an external antenna unit, at least one payload element located with the space vehicle, an internal antenna unit coupled to the external antenna unit and to the payload element. A transmitter/receiver unit within the internal antenna unit provides direct communication of data between the payload element and at least one of a ground station, another orbiting space vehicle, and an orbiting station via the external antenna unit without utilizing the main communication system of the space vehicle. The data communicated by the transmitter/receiver unit includes voice, image, and video data. The system may fixer include an antenna directional controlling device and a navigation system. The navigation system actively tracks a system of satellites, the CPU selects an optimal satellite signal, and the CPU directs the antenna directional controlling means to point the antenna towards the optimal satellite signal. The external antenna may also include a radiator assembly to dissipate the heat generated by the CPU, high powered amplifier, remote transmitting unit, and other devices mounted on the external unit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4738304 (1988-04-01), Chalmers et al.
patent: 5422647 (1995-06-01), Hirshfield et al.
patent: 5644322 (1997-07-01), Hayes et al.
patent: 5806799 (1998-09-01), Lounge
patent: 5828347 (1998-10-01), Rossi et al.
patent: 5848766 (1998-12-01), Thompton
patent: 5982341 (1999-11-01), Rossi et al.
Lounge John M.
Rossi David A.
Thompson Clark
Ho Tan
Rossi & Associates
Spacehab Inc.
LandOfFree
Universal communications system for space applications does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Universal communications system for space applications, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Universal communications system for space applications will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2496499