公开(公告)号：US11996618B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-28

申请号：US17708594

申请日：2022-03-30

Applicant: Viasat Inc.

Inventor： Donald L. Runyon ,  Anders Jensen

IPC: H01Q19/13 ,  G06F30/00 ,  H01Q13/02 ,  H01Q15/24 ,  H01Q21/06 ,  H01Q21/30

CPC classification number: H01Q19/132 ,  G06F30/00 ,  H01Q13/02 ,  H01Q13/0241 ,  H01Q15/242 ,  H01Q21/064 ,  H01Q21/30

Abstract: Disclosed is a shaped horn in conjunction with a dielectric tube for enhanced aperture directivity that can achieve a near optimum efficiency. The shaped horn provides additional mode control to provide an improved off-axis cross-polarization response. The horn shape can be individually optimized for isolated horns or for horns in a feed array. The feed array environment can produce results that lead to a different optimized shape than the isolated horn. Lower off axis cross-polarization can result in improved efficiency and susceptibility to interference.

公开(公告)号：US20220200697A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-23

申请号：US17555225

申请日：2021-12-17

Applicant: Viasat, Inc.

Inventor： Mark J. Miller ,  Charles N. Pateros ,  Aaron J. Mendelsohn ,  Donald L. Runyon

IPC: H04B7/212 ,  H04B7/185 ,  H04B7/204

Abstract: Systems and methods for supporting more flexible coverage areas and spatial capacity assignments using satellite communications systems are disclosed. A hub-spoke, bent-pipe satellite communications system includes: terminals; gateways; a controller for specifying data for controlling satellite operations in accordance with a frame definition including timeslots for a frame and defining an allocation of capacity between forward and return traffic. The satellite communications system may employ a satellite with a feed array assembly and may use on-board beamforming or ground-based beamforming. Beam hopping within timeslots of the frame may be used to provide coverage to different cells in different time periods. The flexible coverage areas may be provided using changes in satellite position, antenna patterns, or beam resource allocations.

公开(公告)号：US20220115776A1

公开(公告)日：2022-04-14

申请号：US17512369

申请日：2021-10-27

Applicant: Viasat, Inc.

Inventor： Lance B. Diamond ,  Donald L. Runyon ,  Eric L. Cross

IPC: H01Q1/28 ,  H04B7/06 ,  H01Q21/28 ,  H04B7/185 ,  H01Q1/42 ,  H01Q3/08 ,  H01Q3/24 ,  H01Q21/06 ,  H01Q3/02 ,  H04B7/195 ,  H04B7/08

Abstract: In one example, an antenna system is described. The antenna system includes a primary antenna on an aircraft. The primary antenna is mechanically steerable and has an asymmetric antenna beam pattern with a narrow beamwidth axis and a wide beamwidth axis at boresight. The antenna system also includes a secondary antenna on the aircraft, the secondary antenna including an array of antenna elements. The antenna system also includes an antenna selection system to control communication of a signal between the aircraft and a target satellite via the primary antenna and the secondary antenna. The antenna selection system switches communication of the signal from the primary antenna to the secondary antenna when a performance characteristic for communication with the target satellite satisfies a threshold due to a position of the aircraft relative to the target satellite.

公开(公告)号：US11245196B2

公开(公告)日：2022-02-08

申请号：US17132427

申请日：2020-12-23

Applicant: VIASAT, INC

Inventor： Anders Jensen ,  Donald L. Runyon

IPC: H01Q15/16 ,  H01Q5/55 ,  H01P5/12 ,  H01Q13/02 ,  H01P5/16 ,  H01P1/17 ,  H01Q19/17 ,  H01Q5/35 ,  H01Q19/08 ,  H01Q3/08

Abstract: An antenna includes a reflector and a waveguide assembly. The waveguide assembly includes a feed assembly and a support member that extends from behind the reflector to orient the feed assembly for direct illumination of the reflector. The waveguide assembly includes a first waveguide coupled to a first portion of a common waveguide, a second waveguide coupled to a second portion of the common waveguide, and a septum layer that includes a septum polarizer coupled between the common waveguide and the first and second waveguides.

公开(公告)号：US11088441B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-10

申请号：US16846780

申请日：2020-04-13

Applicant: Viasat Inc.

Inventor： Lance B. Diamond ,  Donald L. Runyon

IPC: H01Q1/28 ,  H01Q3/24 ,  H01Q3/08 ,  H01Q21/06 ,  H04B7/06 ,  H01Q1/42 ,  H01Q3/02 ,  H01Q21/28 ,  H04B7/08 ,  H04B7/185 ,  H04B7/195

Abstract: In one embodiment, an antenna system is described. The antenna system includes a primary antenna on an aircraft. The primary antenna is mechanically steerable and has an asymmetric antenna beam pattern with a narrow beamwidth axis and a wide beamwidth axis at boresight. The antenna system also includes a secondary antenna on the aircraft, the secondary antenna including an array of antenna elements. The antenna system also includes an antenna selection system to control communication of a signal between the aircraft and a target satellite via the primary antenna and the secondary antenna. The antenna selection system switches communication of the signal from the primary antenna to the secondary antenna when an amount of interference with an adjacent satellite reaches a threshold due to the wide beamwidth axis of the asymmetric antenna beam pattern.

公开(公告)号：US10998964B2

公开(公告)日：2021-05-04

申请号：US16568837

申请日：2019-09-12

Applicant: ViaSat, Inc.

Inventor： Kenneth V. Buer ,  Mark J. Miller ,  Christopher J. Cronin ,  Mark D. Dankberg ,  Donald L. Runyon

IPC: H04B7/185 ,  H04B7/06 ,  H04W84/06 ,  H01Q19/13 ,  H01Q21/24 ,  H01Q25/00 ,  H04B7/024 ,  H04B7/0413 ,  H04W4/00 ,  H04B7/204 ,  H01Q3/40 ,  H04W76/10 ,  H01Q5/50 ,  H01Q1/06 ,  H01Q1/28 ,  H01Q3/24 ,  H01Q21/00 ,  H04W16/28 ,  H04W40/20 ,  H04B10/118 ,  H01Q1/24 ,  H04W16/26

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.

公开(公告)号：US20200343647A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-29

申请号：US16924930

申请日：2020-07-09

Applicant: VIASAT, INC.

Inventor： Donald L. Runyon ,  Anders Jensen

IPC: H01Q19/13 ,  H01Q13/02 ,  H01Q21/30 ,  H01Q15/24 ,  H01Q21/06 ,  G06F30/00

Abstract: Disclosed is a shaped horn in conjunction with a dielectric tube for enhanced aperture directivity that can achieve a near optimum efficiency. The shaped horn provides additional mode control to provide an improved off-axis cross-polarization response. The horn shape can be individually optimized for isolated horns or for horns in a feed array. The feed array environment can produce results that lead to a different optimized shape than the isolated horn. Lower off axis cross-polarization can result in improved efficiency and susceptibility to interference.

公开(公告)号：US20200243954A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-30

申请号：US16846780

申请日：2020-04-13

Applicant: Viasat Inc.

Inventor： Lance B. Diamond ,  Donald L. Runyon

IPC: H01Q1/28 ,  H04B7/185 ,  H04B7/195 ,  H04B7/08 ,  H01Q21/28 ,  H01Q3/02 ,  H01Q1/42 ,  H04B7/06 ,  H01Q21/06 ,  H01Q3/08 ,  H01Q3/24

Abstract: In one embodiment, an antenna system is described. The antenna system includes a primary antenna on an aircraft. The primary antenna is mechanically steerable and has an asymmetric antenna beam pattern with a narrow beamwidth axis and a wide beamwidth axis at boresight. The antenna system also includes a secondary antenna on the aircraft, the secondary antenna including an array of antenna elements. The antenna system also includes an antenna selection system to control communication of a signal between the aircraft and a target satellite via the primary antenna and the secondary antenna. The antenna selection system switches communication of the signal from the primary antenna to the secondary antenna when an amount of interference with an adjacent satellite reaches a threshold due to the wide beamwidth axis of the asymmetric antenna beam pattern.

公开(公告)号：US20180351636A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-06

申请号：US16055703

申请日：2018-08-06

Applicant: ViaSat, Inc.

Inventor： Kenneth V. Buer ,  Mark J. Miller ,  Christopher J. Cronin ,  Mark D Dankberg ,  Donald L. Runyon

IPC: H04B7/185 ,  H01Q21/00 ,  H04B7/06 ,  H04W84/06 ,  H01Q25/00 ,  H01Q21/24 ,  H01Q19/13

CPC classification number: H04B7/18513 ,  H01Q1/06 ,  H01Q1/247 ,  H01Q1/288 ,  H01Q3/247 ,  H01Q3/40 ,  H01Q5/50 ,  H01Q19/132 ,  H01Q21/0025 ,  H01Q21/24 ,  H01Q25/001 ,  H04B7/024 ,  H04B7/0413 ,  H04B7/0617 ,  H04B7/18508 ,  H04B7/18515 ,  H04B7/18517 ,  H04B7/18534 ,  H04B7/1858 ,  H04B7/18586 ,  H04B7/18589 ,  H04B7/204 ,  H04B7/2041 ,  H04B10/118 ,  H04W16/26 ,  H04W16/28 ,  H04W40/20 ,  H04W76/02 ,  H04W76/10 ,  H04W84/06 ,  H05K999/99

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing end-to-end beamforming. For example, end-to-end beamforming systems include end-to-end relays and ground networks to provide communications to user terminals located in user beam coverage areas. The ground segment can include geographically distributed access nodes and a central processing system. Return uplink signals, transmitted from the user terminals, have multipath induced by a plurality of receive/transmit signal paths in the end to end relay and are relayed to the ground network. The ground network, using beamformers, recovers user data streams transmitted by the user terminals from return downlink signals. The ground network, using beamformers generates forward uplink signals from appropriately weighted combinations of user data streams that, after relay by the end-end-end relay, produce forward downlink signals that combine to form user beams.

公开(公告)号：US20180069320A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-08

申请号：US15806181

申请日：2017-11-07

Applicant: VIASAT, INC.

Inventor： Donald L. Runyon ,  Anders Jensen

IPC: H01Q19/13 ,  G06F17/50 ,  H01Q21/06 ,  H01Q15/24 ,  H01Q21/30 ,  H01Q13/02

CPC classification number: H01Q19/132 ,  G06F17/50 ,  H01Q13/02 ,  H01Q13/0241 ,  H01Q15/242 ,  H01Q21/064 ,  H01Q21/30

Abstract: Disclosed is a shaped horn in conjunction with a dielectric tube for enhanced aperture directivity that can achieve a near optimum efficiency. The shaped horn provides additional mode control to provide an improved off-axis cross-polarization response. The horn shape can be individually optimized for isolated horns or for horns in a feed array. The feed array environment can produce results that lead to a different optimized shape than the isolated horn. Lower off axis cross-polarization can result in improved efficiency and susceptibility to interference.