Patent ID: 9590722
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: H04B

Claim:
1. A method, comprising: providing at least one satellite having a plurality of beamformers configured to provide a plurality of respective beams having a plurality of different respective fixed pitch angles about an axis of the satellite, wherein each said beamformer is an individual antenna feed; causing the at least one satellite to move around the earth along a non-geostationary orbit; establishing a data communication path between a first of the beamformers on the satellite and a communication target, the data communication path having a satellite end at the first beamformer and an target end at the communication target; shifting the satellite end of the data communication path through a succession of the beamformers as the satellite moves along its orbit; and directing substantially all RF wave energy for said data communication path to/from said satellite through just one said beamformer at a time.