IP Library Granted Patent US 12,323,223
Granted Patent B2
US 12,323,223 · App. 18/435,490 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

System and method for configuring a communications device for space-terrestrial communications

Inventor: Sean McDaniel (Traverse City, MI)
Assignee: ATLAS Space Operations, Inc.
H04B7/18513H04B7/18515H04B7/18526H04B7/18582H04B7/18584H04B17/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,323,223
App. No.
18/435,490
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present teachings is generally directed to facilitating satellite and terrestrial internet communications. In some embodiments, configuration information for configuring a communications device may be retrieved. The configuration information may be provided to the communications device, and the communications device may be caused to be configured based on the configuration information. Responsive to receiving a first data signal from a first satellite, the communications device may be configured to generate and output a second data signal based on the first data signal, the first data signal including first data encoded using one or more space-based communication protocols, and the second data including second data encoded using one or more terrestrial-based communication protocols.

Claims (40)

1. A computer system for facilitating satellite and terrestrial internet communications, the system comprising one or more processors configured to:

obtain satellite location information indicating an orbital path of each of a plurality of satellites;

determine, based on satellite location information, that a first satellite of the plurality of satellites is within communication range of a satellite ground station during a first time period;

responsive to determining that the first satellite is within communication range of the satellite ground station during the first time period, receive a first request to configure a communications device associated with the satellite ground station, wherein the first request is received prior to the beginning of the first time period; and

configure the communication device to transform a first data signal received by the communication device from the first satellite into a second data signal encoded using one or more terrestrial-based communication protocols associated with a terrestrial-based communications network.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the first data signal comprises first data encoded using one or more space-based communication protocols associated with a space-based communications network that includes the first satellite.

3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

retrieve, from a configuration database, and in response to the first request, configuration information to be used to configure the communications device.

4. The computer system of claim 3 , wherein the configuration information comprises information to be used to configure the communications device to receive the first data signal from the first satellite.

5. The computer system of claim 3 , wherein the configuration information comprises information to be used to configure the communications device to transform the first data signal into the second data signal.

6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to configure the communications device to output the second data signal to one or more client devices associated with the terrestrial-based communications network.

7. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine, based on satellite location information, that a second satellite of the plurality of satellites is within communication range of a satellite ground station during a first time period;

responsive to determining that the second satellite is within communication range of the satellite ground station during the first time period, receive a second request to configure the communications device associated with the satellite ground station; and

configure the communications device to transform a third data signal received by the communications device from the second satellite into a fourth data signal encoded using the one or more terrestrial-based communication protocols associated with the terrestrial-based communications network.

8. The computer system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

configure the communications device to aggregate the second data signal and the fourth data signal to obtain a fifth data signal.

9. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

configure the communications device to output the fifth data signal to one or more client devices associated with the terrestrial-based communications network.

10. The computer system of claim 7 , wherein the first satellite is associated with a first space-based communications network and the second satellite is associated with a second space-based communications network.

11. A method for facilitating satellite and terrestrial internet communications, the method comprising:

obtaining satellite location information indicating an orbital path of each of a plurality of satellites;

determining, based on satellite location information, that a first satellite of the plurality of satellites is within communication range of a satellite ground station during a first time period;

responsive to determining that the first satellite is within communication range of the satellite ground station during the first time period, receiving a first request to configure a communications device associated with the satellite ground station, wherein the first request is received prior to the beginning of the first time period; and

configuring the communication device to transform a first data signal received by the communication device from the first satellite into a second data signal encoded using one or more terrestrial-based communication protocols associated with a terrestrial-based communications network.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first data signal comprises first data encoded using one or more space-based communication protocols associated with a space-based communications network that includes the first satellite.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

retrieving, from a configuration database, and in response to the first request, configuration information to be used to configure the communications device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the configuration information comprises information to be used to configure the communications device to receive the first data signal from the first satellite.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the configuration information comprises information to be used to configure the communications device to transform the first data signal into the second data signal.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring the communications device to output the second data signal to one or more client devices associated with the terrestrial-based communications network.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining, based on satellite location information, that a second satellite of the plurality of satellites is within communication range of a satellite ground station during a first time period;

responsive to determining that the second satellite is within communication range of the satellite ground station during the first time period, receiving a second request to configure the communications device associated with the satellite ground station; and

configuring the communications device to transform a third data signal received by the communications device from the second satellite into a fourth data signal encoded using the one or more terrestrial-based communication protocols associated with the terrestrial-based communications network.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

configuring the communications device to aggregate the second data signal and the fourth data signal to obtain a fifth data signal.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

configuring the communications device to output the fifth data signal to one or more client devices associated with the terrestrial-based communications network.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first satellite is associated with a first space-based communications network and the second satellite is associated with a second space-based communications network.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 72586/0606 Recorded Dec 29, 2025
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
To: ATLAS SPACE OPERATIONS
Reel/Frame 074108/0415 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2025
From: ATLAS SPACE OPERATIONS, LLC; YORK SPACE SYSTEMS LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072911/0519 →
CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION Recorded Nov 4, 2025
From: ATLAS SPACE OPERATIONS, INC.
To: ATLAS SPACE OPERATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 073463/0459 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 15, 2025
From: ATLAS SPACE OPERATIONS, LLC
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 072586/0606 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 22, 2024
From: MCDANIEL, SEAN
To: ATLAS SPACE OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 066878/0287 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17578046 · Jan 18, 2022
Continuation 16663990 · Oct 25, 2019
Related Publication 20240348325A1 · Oct 17, 2024
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