Commanding autonomous vehicles using multi-link satellite networks

Abstract

A multi-link satellite processor is described that provides command or control information to a vehicle via multi-link satellite downlink signals. Embodiments of the invention provide an Earth-based multi-link satellite processor that process information to generate the command information and to transmit the command information to commercial satellite or low-Earth orbit and satellites. The command information is provided to a vehicle via the multi-link satellite downlink signal in which one or more commercial satellites and at least one low-Earth orbiting satellite are used to generate the multi-link satellite downlink signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for generating vehicle command signals from a multi-link satellite processor, the method comprising:
 transmitting a first signal from a vehicle to a first low-Earth orbiting satellite, the first signal comprising a code that uniquely identifies the vehicle and the vehicle location, timing and speed;   receiving a second signal from a second low-Earth orbiting satellite, the second signal being generated from a third signal received at the second low-Earth orbiting satellite from a commercial satellite; and   wherein the second signal comprises command information for the vehicle based on an analysis of a geofenced area surrounding the vehicle, the geofenced area being identified after transmission of the first signal to the first low-Earth orbiting satellite.