Patent ID: 6011512
Filing Date: 2000-01-04
Classification: H01Q,H04B

Abstract:
A satellite communication system, said satellite communication system comprising a ground station and at least one satellite, said at least one satellite comprising:a control bus for conveying commands received from said ground station;a storage unit which receives said commands from said control bus, wherein said commands comprise phase and gain control commands;a phase and gain controller having an input coupled to said storage unit for receiving said phase and gain control commands;a plurality of antenna elements for transmitting beams, each of said antenna elements having an input, wherein m antenna elements are selected for transmitting a beam, where m is less than the total number of antenna elements;a plurality of beam forming networks, each of said beam forming networks comprises a power divider and a power distributor, each of said power dividers having an input and n outputs, wherein each of said power dividers for receiving one of m beams and for outputting n divided portions of said one of m beams; anda plurality of feeding circuits, each feeding circuit having n signal inputs for receiving one of said n outputs of each of said power dividers, a control input for receiving said phase and gain control commands from said phase and gain controller, and an output coupled to said input of an associated antenna element, wherein said feeding circuits amplify and phase shift said n divided portions of said m beams in response to said phase and gain control commands for producing a beam for radiation from said m selected antenna elements.