Granted Patent B2

US 12,272,884 · App. 18/648,991 · Granted Apr 8, 2025

Inventors: Michael Thomas Pace (Albuquerque, NM); David Gregory Baur (Sandia Park, NM); Theodore Lyman Schuler-Sandy (Albuquerque, NM); William Kennedy (Quincy, MA); Jeffrey Gerard Micono (Albuquerque, NM); William Louis Walker (Albuquerque, NM); Garrett James Newell (Albuquerque, NM)

Assignee: BlueHalo, LLC

H01Q5/48G01S3/043G01S3/046G01S3/38G01S3/40G01S3/42H01Q1/02H01Q3/08H01Q3/20H01Q3/22H01Q3/2605H01Q3/2658H01Q3/2682H01Q3/34H01Q3/38H01Q5/28H01Q15/16H01Q19/108H01Q19/13H01Q21/0068H01Q21/062H04B7/0408H04B7/0617H04B7/0639H04B7/0695H04B7/086H04B7/0865H04B17/23

Abstract

Claims (61)

1. A digital software system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory operatively connected to the one or more processors, wherein the memory includes processor executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors perform steps of:

(a) generating a graphical display during a first time period by the steps of:

i. receiving, via a pedestal controller operatively connected to a first parabolic reflector, first angular direction information comprising a first azimuth axis component and a first elevation axis component associated with the first parabolic reflector;

ii. receiving, via a data transport bus, a first set of respective first digital data streams associated with a first plurality of partial beams,

wherein each respective partial beam of the first plurality of partial beams is associated with a respective first digital data stream and data in the respective first digital data stream is associated with a first plurality of respective modulated radio frequency signals received by a plurality of antenna array elements;

iii. processing the first set of respective first digital data streams associated with the first plurality of partial beams to generate a second set of respective second digital data streams associated with the first plurality of partial beams, wherein each beam of the first plurality of beams is based on at least two respective first digital data streams;

iv. processing the second set of respective second digital data streams associated with the first plurality of beams to determine respective location information for each object of a first set of objects associated with the first plurality of beams including at least a first object;

v. generating the graphical display which displays:

(1) the first plurality of beams;

(2) the first set of objects including at least the first object;

(3) a first azimuth axis based on the first azimuth axis component; and

(4) a first elevation axis based on the first elevation axis component; and

vi. displaying at least a portion of the graphical display on a display operably connected to the digital software system;

vii. selecting the first object displayed by the graphical display;

(b) providing respective direction information associated with a first beam and the first parabolic reflector by the steps of:

i. generating second angular direction information comprising a second azimuth axis component and a second elevation axis component associated with the first parabolic reflector based on:

(1) the first beam;

(2) the respective location information associated with the first object;

(3) the first azimuth axis; and

(4) the first elevation axis;

ii. transmitting, via the pedestal controller to the first parabolic reflector, the second angular direction information;

(c) updating the graphical display during a second time period by the steps of:

i. receiving, via the pedestal controller, third angular direction information comprising a third azimuth axis component and a third elevation axis component associated with the first parabolic reflector;

ii. receiving, via the data transport bus, a third set of respective third digital data streams associated with the first plurality of partial beams,

wherein each respective partial beam of the first plurality of partial beams is associated with a respective third digital data stream and data in the respective third digital data stream is associated with a second plurality of respective modulated radio frequency signals received by the plurality of antenna array elements;

iii. processing the third set of respective third digital data streams associated with the first plurality of partial beams to generate a fourth set of respective fourth digital data streams associated with the first plurality of beams, wherein each beam of the first plurality of beams is based on at least two respective fourth digital data streams;

iv. processing the fourth set of respective fourth digital data streams associated with the first plurality of beams to generate first object movement information associated with the first object,

wherein the first object movement information comprises a first object angular velocity and a first object angular direction, and wherein the first object angular direction comprises a first object elevation angle component and a first object azimuth angle component;

v. updating the graphical display to display:

(1) the first plurality of beams;

(2) the first set of objects including at least the first object based at least on the first object movement information;

(3) a second azimuth axis based on the third azimuth axis component; and

(4) a second elevation axis based on the third elevation axis component; and

(d) providing respective updated direction information associated with the first beam and the first parabolic reflector by the steps of:

i. generating fourth angular direction information comprising a fourth azimuth axis component and a fourth elevation axis component associated with the first parabolic reflector by the steps of:

a. determining a first angular direction trajectory associated with the respective angular direction of the first parabolic reflector based on:

 1. the respective location information associated with the first object;

 2. the first object movement information;

 3. the third angular direction information;

 4. the second azimuth axis; and

 5. the second elevation axis;

b. determining whether the first parabolic reflector is projected to exceed a maximum elevation angle based on the first angular direction trajectory;

c. in the case where the first parabolic reflector is not projected to exceed the maximum elevation angle, generating the fourth angular direction information based on:

 1. the first beam; and

 2. the first angular direction trajectory;

d. in the case where the first parabolic reflector is projected to exceed the maximum elevation angle, determining whether the second elevation axis has exceeded a first threshold elevation angle;

e. in the case where the second elevation axis has not exceeded the first threshold elevation angle, generating the fourth angular direction information based on:

 1. the first beam; and

 2. the first angular direction trajectory;

f. in the case where the second elevation axis has exceeded the first threshold elevation angle, calculating a first tangent trajectory associated with the respective angular direction of the first parabolic reflector based on the first angular direction trajectory, wherein the first tangent trajectory comprises a first azimuth trajectory component and a first elevation trajectory component; and

g. generating the fourth angular direction information based on:

 1. the first beam; and

 2. the first tangent trajectory;

ii. transmitting, via the pedestal controller to the first parabolic reflector, the fourth angular direction information,

wherein the pedestal controller adjusts the respective angular direction associated with the first parabolic reflector based on the fourth angular direction information.

2. The digital software system of claim 1 , wherein each partial beam is formed by a respective digital beamformer of a plurality of digital beamformers.

3. The digital software system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first plurality of beams comprises 2 partial beams.

4. The digital software system of claim 1 , wherein the selecting step (a)(vii) is performed manually by a user using one or more input elements operably connected to the digital software system.

5. The digital software system of claim 1 , wherein the selecting step (a)(vii) is performed automatically based on characteristics of the first object.

Assignments (5)

Continuity (7)

References Cited (400)

Cited By (3)

US 12,609,449 US 12,627,050 US 12,627,051