Low data rate mobile platform communication system and method

1. A method for providing communication and surveillance services to a mobile platform, said method comprising:

substantially simultaneously communicating between a plurality of ground based antennas and a plurality of satellites, each ground based antenna communicating with a related one of the satellites;

substantially simultaneously transmitting each of a plurality of return link signals from at least one multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna including a plurality of facets that each include a plurality of signal transmitting patch elements to a different one of the satellites, the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna included in a mobile platform communication system onboard a mobile platform; and

steering the return link signals toward the satellites utilizing a beam steering controller of the mobile platform communication system, the controller operable to scan the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna and continuously determine which facet is active during a specific period of time;

wherein substantially simultaneously transmitting the return signals from the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna to the satellites comprises transmitting at least one of messaging data packets and geolocation data via the return link signals;

the method further comprising substantially simultaneously communicating between the ground based antennas and a ground based substation;

wherein substantially simultaneously communicating between the ground based antennas and a ground based substation comprises:

receiving the return link signals at the ground based antennas;

transmitting the messaging data packets from the ground based antennas to a plurality of receivers, each ground based antenna transmitting the messaging data packets to a related one of the receivers;

discarding duplicate messaging data packets utilizing a duplicate packet processor communicatively connected to each of the receivers;

discarding corrupted messaging data packets utilizing the duplicate packet processor; and

compiling the messaging data packets utilizing the duplicate packet processor.

2. A method for providing communication and surveillance services to a mobile platform, said method comprising:

substantially simultaneously communicating between a plurality of ground based antennas and a plurality of satellites, each ground based antenna communicating with a related one of the satellites;

substantially simultaneously transmitting each of a plurality of return link signals from at least one multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna including a plurality of facets that each include a plurality of signal transmitting patch elements to a different one of the satellites, the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna included in a mobile platform communication system onboard a mobile platform; and

steering the return link signals toward the satellites utilizing a beam steering controller of the mobile platform communication system, the controller operable to scan the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna and continuously determine which facet is active during a specific period of time;

wherein the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a multi-faceted electronically scanned phased array (MESPA) antenna and the controller is operable to dynamically scan each facet of the MESPA antenna over a scan range from a boresight of the respective facet;

wherein steering the return link signals toward the satellites utilizing the beam steering controller comprises:

generating a transmit/receive beam from the MESPA antenna; and

steering the transmit/receive beam within the scan range of at least one of the facets to selectively point to a location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites such that the transmit/receive beam encompasses at least two of the satellites.

3. A method for providing communication and surveillance services to a mobile platform, said method comprising:

substantially simultaneously communicating between a plurality of ground based antennas and a plurality of satellites, each ground based antenna communicating with a related one of the satellites;

substantially simultaneously transmitting each of a plurality of return link signals from at least one multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna including a plurality of facets that each include a plurality of signal transmitting patch elements to a different one of the satellites, the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna included in a mobile platform communication system onboard a mobile platform; and

steering the return link signals toward the satellites utilizing a beam steering controller of the mobile platform communication system, the controller operable to scan the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna and continuously determine which facet is active during a specific period of time;

wherein the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a multi-faceted electronically switched scanned (MESS) antenna and the controller is operable to sequentially scan each facet in a fixed direction of a boresight of the respective facet;

wherein steering the return link signals toward the satellites utilizing the beam steering controller comprises generating a transmit/receive beam fixed in the direction of the boresight from the facet having the respective boresight pointing to a location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites such that the transmit/receive beam encompasses at least two of the satellites.

4. A method for providing communication and surveillance services to a mobile platform, said method comprising:

substantially simultaneously communicating between a plurality of ground based antennas and a plurality of satellites, each ground based antenna communicating with a related one of the satellites;

substantially simultaneously transmitting each of a plurality of return link signals from at least one multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna including a plurality of facets that each include a plurality of signal transmitting patch elements to a different one of the satellites, the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna included in a mobile platform communication system onboard a mobile platform; and

steering the return link signals toward the satellites utilizing a beam steering controller of the mobile platform communication system, the controller operable to scan the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna and continuously determine which facet is active during a specific period of time;

the method further comprising: substantially simultaneously transmitting a plurality of forward link signals from a plurality of transmitters, each transmitter transmitting an independent one of the forward link signals from a related one of the ground based antennas; and

receiving the forward link signals from the satellites at the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna;

wherein receiving the forward link signals from the satellites comprises:

providing the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna to be a MESPA antenna;

dynamically scanning each facet of the MESPA antenna over a scan range from a boresight of the respective facet;

generating a transmit/receive beam from the MESPA antenna; and

steering the transmit/receive beam within the scan range of a selected one of the facets to selectively point to a location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites such that the transmit/receive beam encompasses at least two of the satellites.

5. A method for providing communication and surveillance services to a mobile platform, said method comprising:

substantially simultaneously communicating between a plurality of ground based antennas and a plurality of satellites, each ground based antenna communicating with a related one of the satellites;

substantially simultaneously transmitting each of a plurality of return link signals from at least one multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna including a plurality of facets that each include a plurality of signal transmitting patch elements to a different one of the satellites, the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna included in a mobile platform communication system onboard a mobile platform; and

steering the return link signals toward the satellites utilizing a beam steering controller of the mobile platform communication system, the controller operable to scan the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna and continuously determine which facet is active during a specific period of time;

the method further comprising: substantially simultaneously transmitting a plurality of forward link signals from a plurality of transmitters, each transmitter transmitting an independent one of the forward link signals from a related one of the ground based antennas; and

receiving the forward link signals from the satellites at the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna;

wherein receiving the forward link signals from the satellites comprises:

providing the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna to be a multi-faceted electronically switched scanned (MESS) antenna;

sequentially scanning each facet in a fixed direction of a boresight of the respective facet; and

generating a transmit/receive beam fixed in the direction of the boresight from the facet having the respective boresight pointing to a location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites such that the transmit/receive beam encompasses at least two of the satellites.

6. A system for providing communication and surveillance services to a mobile platform, said system comprising:

at least one ground based substation adapted to substantially simultaneously communicate with a plurality of ground based antennas;

a plurality of satellites having substantially overlapping forward link frequencies so that return link signals can be substantially simultaneously transponded through each of the satellites;

a mobile platform communication subsystem onboard a mobile platform, the mobile platform communication subsystem comprising at least one multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna including a transmit multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna adapted to substantially simultaneously transmit each of a plurality of return link signals to a different one of the satellites, each return link signal including substantially identical data that includes at least one of messaging data packets and geolocation data, and

a plurality of receivers adapted to receive the message data packets from a related one of the ground based antennas and transmit the message data packets to a duplicate packet processor that discards duplicate message packets, discards corrupted message packets and compiles the remaining data packets.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of receivers adapted to receive the geolocation data from a related one of the ground based antennas and transmit the geolocation data to a geolocation processor that utilizes the geolocation data to triangulate a position of the mobile platform.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the transmit multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a multi-faceted electronically scanned phased array (MESPA) antenna.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the mobile platform communication subsystem includes a beam steering controller adapted to:

continuously dynamically scan each facet of the transmit MESPA antenna over a range of deviation from a boresight of the respective facet; and

steer a transmit/receive beam within the range of deviation of at least one of the facets to selectively point to a location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites such that the transmit/receive beam encompasses at least two of the satellites.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the mobile platform communication subsystem includes a beam steering controller adapted to:

sequentially scan each facet of transmit MESS antenna in a fixed direction of a boresight of the respective facet; and

generate a transmit/receive beam fixed in the direction of the boresight from the facet having the respective boresight pointing to a location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites such that the transmit/receive beam encompasses at least two of the satellites.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the transmit multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a multi-faceted electronically switched scanned (MESS) antenna.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the transmit multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna includes a global positioning satellite (GPS) antenna for reporting mobile platform positional data to the ground based substation.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a receive multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna adapted to receive from the satellites a plurality of forward link signals substantially simultaneously transmitted from a plurality of ground based transmitters.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the receive multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a multi-faceted electronically scanned phased array (MESPA) antenna, and the mobile platform communication subsystem includes a beam steering controller adapted to:

continuously dynamically scan each facet of the receive MESPA antenna over a range of deviation from a boresight of the respective facet; and

steer a transmit/receive beam within the range of deviation of at least one of the facets to selectively point to a location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites such that the transmit/receive beam encompasses at least two of the satellites.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the receive multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a multi-faceted electronically switched scanned (MESS) antenna and the mobile platform communication subsystem includes a beam steering controller adapted to:

sequentially scan each facet of the receive MESS antenna in a fixed direction of a boresight of the respective facet; and

generate a transmit/receive beam fixed in the direction of the boresight from the facet having the respective boresight pointing to a location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites such that the transmit/receive beam encompasses at least two of the satellites.

16. The system of claim 6 , wherein the mobile platform communication subsystem includes a transmit and receive multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna adapted to:

substantially simultaneously transmit a plurality of return link signals to the satellites, each return link signal being substantially simultaneously transmitted to a different one of the satellites; and

receive from the satellites a plurality of forward link signals substantially simultaneously transmitted from a plurality of ground based transmitters.

17. A mobile platform communication system comprising:

at least one multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna including a plurality of facets and a plurality of patch elements on each of the facets, the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna adapted to substantially simultaneously communicate with a plurality of satellites; and

a beam steering controller adapted to scan the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna to a location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites such that a transmit/receive beam generated by the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna encompasses at least two of the satellites, whereby the transmit/receive beam substantially simultaneously communicates redundant data signals between the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna and the satellites.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a transmit multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna adapted to substantially simultaneously transmit a plurality of redundant return link signals to the satellites, each return link signal being substantially simultaneously transmitted to a different one of the satellites.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the transmit multifaceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a multi-faceted electronically scanned phased array (MESPA) antenna and the beam steering controller is further adapted to:

continuously dynamically scan each facet of the transmit MESPA antenna over a range of deviation from a boresight of the respective facet; and

steer the transmit/receive beam within the range of deviation of at least one of the facets to selectively point to the location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the transmit multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a multi-faceted electronically switched scanned (MESS) antenna and the beam steering controller is further adapted to:

sequentially scan each facet of transmit MESS antenna in a fixed direction of a boresight of the respective facet; and

steer the transmit/receive beam in a fixed direction of the boresight from the facet having the respective boresight pointing to the location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites.

21. The system of claim 17 , wherein the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a receive multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna adapted to substantially simultaneously receive from the satellites a plurality of redundant forward link signals.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the receive multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a multi-faceted electronically scanned phased array (MESPA) antenna, and the beam steering controller is further adapted to:

continuously dynamically scan each facet of the receive MESPA antenna over a range of deviation from a boresight of the respective facet; and

steer a transmit/receive beam within the range of deviation of at least one of the facets to selectively point to the location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites.

23. The system of claim 21 , wherein the receive multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a multi-faceted electronically switched scanned (MESS) antenna and the beam steering controller is further adapted to:

sequentially scan each facet of the receive MESS antenna in a fixed direction of a boresight of the respective facet; and

generate a transmit/receive beam fixed in the direction of the boresight from the facet having the respective boresight pointing to a location approximately mid-way between two of the satellites such that the transmit/receive beam encompasses at least two of the satellites.

24. The system of claim 17 , wherein the multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna comprises a transmit and receive multi-faceted electronically scanned antenna adapted to:

substantially simultaneously transmit a plurality of redundant return link signals to the satellites, each return link signal being substantially simultaneously transmitted to a different one of the satellites; and

substantially simultaneously receive from the satellites a plurality of redundant forward link signals.