Mobile communication satellite payload

Claim 2

A satellite payload for use with a communication system, the payload comprising: a phased array receiving antenna having n receive elements for receiving RF signals within a first band of frequencies; first beam forming means having an input coupled to each of said n receive elements for forming m uplink beams from RF signals received by said phased array receiving antenna, wherein n is greater than one, and wherein m is less than n; ground station communication means, having an input coupled an output of said first beam forming means, for converting said m uplink beams into RF signals within a second band of frequencies and for transmitting RF signals to and for receiving RF signals from a ground station, the transmitted and received RF signals being within said second band of frequencies; second beam forming means having an input coupled to an output of said ground station communication means for forming m downlink beams from the RF signals received from said ground station, said m downlink beams being formed within a third band of frequencies; and a phased array transmitting antenna having n transmit elements for transmitting said m downlink beams as RF signals within said third band of frequencies, each of said transmit elements having a power amplifier means associated therewith, each of said power amplifier means having an input coupled to an output of said second beam forming means and an output coupled to one of said transmit elements, wherein each of said n transmit elements transmits RF energy for each of said m downlink beams, wherein each of said m uplink beams has a corresponding downlink beam that illuminates a same region from which said uplink beam originates, and wherein a power level of said corresponding one of said downlink beams is a function of a power level of said uplink beam.

Claim 3

A satellite payload as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first band of frequencies is within an L-band, wherein said second band of frequencies is within a C-band, and wherein said third band of frequencies is within an S-band.

Claim 4

A satellite payload as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said n receive elements has a plurality of receive amplifiers coupled thereto.

Claim 5

A satellite payload as set forth in claim 3, wherein an input of each of said receive amplifiers is coupled into free space at one of said receive elements.

Claim 6

A satellite payload as set forth in claim 1, wherein an output of each of said power amplifiers is coupled into free space at one of said transmit elements.

Claim 7

A satellite communication system, comprising: a plurality of terrestrial-based user terminals for transceiving in first and second frequency bands at least voice communications using a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technique; at least one terrestrial-based ground station for transceiving in a third frequency band at least voice communications using the CDMA technique; and at least one satellite repeater for relaying at least voice communications between said plurality of user terminals and said at least one ground station, said at least one satellite repeater having a communications payload comprised of: a phased array receiving antenna having n receive elements for receiving RF signals from user terminals within the first band of frequencies; first beam forming means having an input coupled to each of said n receive elements for forming m uplink beams from RF signals received by said phased array receiving antenna, wherein n is greater than one, and wherein m is less than n; ground station communication means, having an input coupled an output of said first beam forming means, for converting said m uplink beams into RF signals within said third band of frequencies and for transmitting RF signals to and for receiving RF signals from said at least one ground station, the transmitted and received RF signals being within said third band of frequencies; second beam forming means having an input coupled to an output of said ground station communication means for forming m downlink beams from the RF signals received from said ground station, said m downlink beams being formed within said second band of frequencies; and a phased array transmitting antenna having n transmit elements for transmitting said m downlink beams to user terminals as RF signals within said second band of frequencies, each of said transmit elements having a power amplifier means associated therewith, each of said power amplifier means having an input coupled to an output of said second beam forming means and an output coupled into free space via one of said transmit elements, wherein each of said n transmit elements transmits RF energy for each of said m downlink beams, wherein each of said m uplink beams has a corresponding downlink beam that illuminates a same terrestrial region from which said uplink beam originates, and wherein a power level of said corresponding one of said downlink beams is a function of user demand for said uplink beam.

Claim 8

A satellite communication system, comprising: a plurality of terrestrial-based user terminals for transceiving in first and second frequency bands at least voice communications using a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technique; at least one terrestrial-based ground station for transceiving in a third frequency band at least voice communications using the CDMA technique; and at least one satellite repeater for relaying at least voice communications between said plurality of user terminals and said at least one ground station, said at least one satellite repeater having a communications payload comprised of: a phased array receiving antenna having n receive elements for receiving RF signals from user terminals within the first band of frequencies; first beam forming means having an input coupled to each of said n receive elements for forming m uplink beams from RF signals received by said phased array receiving antenna, wherein n is greater than one, and wherein m is less than n; ground station communication means, having an input coupled an output of said first beam forming means, for converting said m uplink beams into RF signals within said third band of frequencies and for transmitting RF signals to and for receiving RF signals from said at least one ground station, the transmitted and received RF signals being within said third band of frequencies; second beam forming means having an input coupled to an output of said ground station communication means for forming m downlink beams from the RF signals received from said ground station, said m downlink beams being formed within said second band of frequencies; and a phased array transmitting antenna having n transmit elements for transmitting said m downlink beams to user terminals as RF signals within said second band of frequencies, each of said transmit elements having a power amplifier means associated therewith, each of said power amplifier means having an input coupled to an output of said second beam forming means and an output coupled into free space via one of said transmit elements, wherein each of said n transmit elements transmits RF energy for each of said m downlink beams, wherein each of said m uplink beams has a corresponding downlink beam that illuminates a same terrestrial region from which said uplink beam originates, and wherein a power level of said corresponding one of said downlink beams is a function of user demand for said uplink beam.

Claim 9

A satellite payload for use with a communication system, the payload comprising: a phased array receiving antenna having n receive elements for receiving m uplink beams comprised of RF signals within a first band of frequencies, wherein n is greater than one, and wherein m is less than n; n power dividers each having an input coupled to an output of one of said n receive elements and m outputs; m uplink beam forming means each having m inputs and one output, individual ones of said m inputs being coupled to one of said m outputs of each of said n power dividers; m first frequency conversion means each of which has an input coupled to said output of one of said m beam forming means, each of said m first frequency conversion means having an output for providing an RF signal within a second band of frequencies; means for combining said outputs of said m frequency conversion means and for transmitting an m-channel RF signal to a ground station, the transmitted RF signal being within said second band of frequencies; means for receiving an m-channel RF signal from the ground station, the received RF signal being within said second band of frequencies; m second frequency conversion means each of which has an input coupled to an output of said ground station receiving means, each of said m second frequency conversion means being responsive to one channel of the received m-channel RF signal and having an output for providing an RF signal within a third band of frequencies; m downlink beam forming means each having an input coupled to an output of one of said m second frequency conversion means; n power combiners each having m inputs for coupling to an output of said m downlink beam forming means and an output; and a phased array transmitting antenna having n transmitter elements for transmitting m beams comprised of RF signals within said third band of frequencies, each of said n transmitter elements being coupled to an output of one of said n power combiners, wherein each of said n transmitter elements transmits RF energy for each of said m downlink beams, wherein each of said n uplink beams has a corresponding downlink beam that illuminates a same region from which said uplink beam originates, and wherein a power level of said corresponding one of said downlink beams is a function of a power level of said uplink beam.

Claim 10

A satellite payload for use with a communication system, the payload comprising: a phased array receiving antenna having n receive elements for receiving m uplink beams comprised of RF signals within a first band of frequencies, wherein n is greater than one, and wherein m is less than n; n power dividers each having an input coupled to an output of one of said n receive elements and m outputs; m uplink beam forming means each having m inputs and one output, individual ones of said m inputs being coupled to one of said m outputs of each of said n power dividers; m first frequency conversion means each of which has an input coupled to said output of one of said m beam forming means, each of said m first frequency conversion means having an output for providing an RF signal within a second band of frequencies; means for combining said outputs of said m frequency conversion means and for transmitting an m-channel RF signal to a ground station, the transmitted RF signal being within said second band of frequencies; means for receiving an m-channel RF signal from the ground station, the received RF signal being within said second band of frequencies; m second frequency conversion means each of which has an input coupled to an output of said ground station receiving means, each of said m second frequency conversion means being responsive to one channel of the received m-channel RF signal and having an output for providing an RF signal within a third band of frequencies; m downlink beam forming means each having an input coupled to an output of one of said m second frequency conversion means; n power combiners each having m inputs for coupling to an output of said m downlink beam forming means and an output; and a phased array transmitting antenna having n transmitter elements for transmitting m beams comprised of RF signals within said third band of frequencies, each of said n transmitter elements being coupled to an output of one of said n power combiners, wherein each of said n transmitter elements transmits RF energy for each of said m downlink beams, wherein each of said n uplink beams has a corresponding downlink beam that illuminates a same region from which said uplink beam originates, and wherein a power level of said corresponding one of said downlink beams is a function of a power level of said uplink beam.

Claim 11

A satellite payload as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first band of frequencies is within an L-band, wherein said second band of frequencies is within a C-band, and wherein said third band of frequencies is within an S-band.

Claim 12

A satellite payload as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of said n receive elements has at least one receive amplifier coupled thereto, and wherein an input of each of said receive amplifiers is coupled into free space at one of said receive elements.

Claim 13

A satellite payload as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of said n transmitter elements has at least one transmit amplifier coupled thereto, and wherein an output of each of said transmit amplifiers is coupled into free space at one of said transmitter elements.