Stratospheric-based communication system for mobile users using additional phased array elements for interference rejection
View Patent ↗A communication system has a stratospheric platform with a payload controller and a phased array antenna having a plurality of main array elements for generating a plurality of communication beams and a plurality of auxiliary elements for canceling interference between the communication beam. A gateway station communicates with the stratospheric platform. The gateway station scales the plurality of elements to form a reconfigurable plurality of beams. The gateway station communicates an embedded control signal to the stratospheric platform to communicate a scaling of elements to form the communication beams and the auxiliary element output. The auxiliary element output is used to provide interference canceling.
1. A communications system, comprising:
a ground station having;
a beam generator for generating a plurality of beam control signals,
a digital beam former circuit receiving the beam control signals and generating a plurality of first element control signals for generating communication beams and a plurality of auxiliary element control signals for canceling interference from the side lobes of the communication beams,
a multiplexer multiplexing the first element control signals, and
an RF subsystem for communicating an RF signal corresponding to the first element control signals and the auxiliary element control signals;
a stratospheric platform having;
a payload receiver for receiving the RF signals,
a demultiplexer demultiplexing the RF signals into a second plurality of element control signals corresponding to the first element control signals and a second plurality of auxiliary element control signals and generating a plurality of communication beams in response to the second plurality of element control signals and a plurality of auxiliary element outputs in response to the second plurality of auxiliary element control signals.
2. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said ground station comprises a gateway station.
3. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said ground station is coupled to a terrestrial network.
4. A system as recited in claim 3 , wherein said terrestrial network comprises the internet.
5. A system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the terrestrial network comprises the public service telephone network.
6. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the gateway station comprises a plurality of multiplication gates each having a respective weight, said auxiliary element output being a function of said weight.