Method for maintaining signal-to-noise ratio at a user terminal in a satellite system

1. A method for maintaining a signal-to-noise ratio at a user terminal when the user terminal switches communications between a first beam and a second beam, wherein the first and second beam are transmitted from a non-geostationary satellite, the method comprising:

defining a mathematical relationship between at least one of pitch, roll, and yaw offsets of the satellite and a timing discrepancy that arises therefrom, wherein the timing discrepancy is a difference between a reference time for switching communications between the first and second beams and a time for switching communications between the first and second beams such that the signal-to-noise ratio remains constant; and

adjusting a time at which the user terminal switches communications between the first and second beam based on the mathematical relationship.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising determining at least one of the pitch, roll, and yaw offsets by measuring, at the user terminal, power received at least one of the first beam and the second beam, as a function of time.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining at least one of the pitch, roll, and yaw offsets further comprises generating a curve fit of the measurements of power received as a function of time obtained by the user terminal.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining at least one of the pitch, roll, and yaw offsets further comprises:

comparing the curve fit to a reference profile of expect power received at the user terminal as a function of time; and

determining an offset between a peak value of the curve fit and a peak value of the reference profile.

5. The method of claim 2 and further wherein, for measuring pitch and yaw offsets together, at least two user terminals measure power received as a function of time.

6. The method of claim 2 and further wherein, for measuring roll offset, at least six user terminals measure power received as a function of time.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein pitch, roll, and yaw offsets are determined simultaneously, the method further comprising:

measuring, at a plurality of user terminals, power received from all beams transmitted from the satellite as a function of time, including the first and second beam;

generating a prediction of power received at the user terminals as a function of time;

computing a total power error as the sum, over all user terminals, of the square of the difference between measured power received and predicted power received.

8. A method for maintaining a signal-to-noise ratio at a user terminal when the user terminal switches communications between a first beam and a second beam, wherein the first and second beam are transmitted from a non-geostationary satellite, the method comprising:

determining a pointing error of the first beam and of the second beam by defining a mathematical relationship between at least one of pitch, roll, and yaw offsets of the satellite and a timing discrepancy that arises therefrom, wherein the timing discrepancy is a difference between a reference time for switching communications between the first and second beams and a time for switching communications between the first and second beams such that the signal-to-noise ratio remains constant; and

transmitting information pertaining to the pointing error of the first beam and the second beam to the satellite;

adjusting an attitude of the satellite to correct the pointing error of the first beam and the second beam.

9. The method of claim 8 and further comprising determining at least one of the pitch, roll, and yaw offsets by measuring, at the user terminal, power received at least one of the first beam and the second beam, as a function of time.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein determining at least one of the pitch, roll, and yaw offsets further comprises generating a curve fit of the measurements of power received as a function of time obtained by the user terminal.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein determining at least one of the pitch, roll, and yaw offsets further comprises:

comparing the curve fit to a reference profile of expect power received at the user terminal as a function of time; and

determining an offset between a peak value of the curve fit and a peak value of the reference profile.

12. The method of claim 9 and further wherein, for measuring pitch and yaw offsets together, at least two user terminals measure power received as a function of time.

13. The method of claim 9 and further wherein, for measuring roll offset, at least six user terminals measure power received as a function of time.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein pitch, roll, and yaw offsets are determined simultaneously, the method further comprising:

measuring, at a plurality of user terminals, power received from all beams transmitted from the satellite as a function of time, including the first and second beam;

generating a prediction of power received at the user terminals as a function of time;

computing a total power error as the sum, over all user terminals, of the square of the difference between measured power received and predicted power received.

15. A method for maintaining a signal-to-noise ratio at a user terminal when the user terminal switches communications between a first beam and a second beam, wherein the first and second beam are transmitted from a non-geostationary satellite, the method comprising:

measuring, at the user terminal, power received from at least the first beam;

transmitting, from the user terminal, the measurements of power received and a location of the user terminal, to a data processing system;

transmitting, from the satellite to the data processing system, one or more locations of the satellite obtained while the measurements of power were measured by the user terminal;

generating, at the data processing system, predicted received power levels at the user terminal for all possible combinations of pointing error of the satellite;

selecting, at the data processing system, a best estimate of satellite pointing error from all possible combinations thereof; and

transmitting, from the data processing system, the best estimate of satellite pointing error to one of: (a) the satellite and (b) the user terminal, wherein:

(i) if the best estimate is transmitted to the satellite, the method further comprises: correcting, at the satellite, the pointing error thereof based on the best estimate thereof;

(ii) if the best estimate is transmitted to the user terminal, the method further comprises adjusting, at the user terminal, a beam-switching schedule.