The "Flish" - Flat Satellite Dish for Truly Worldwide Portable Satellite Broadband
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch of Electronics, Elec Eng & Comp Sci
Abstract
Our project aims to provide a simple, flat satellite dish (The Flish), which "knows" where the satellite is and does not need to be accurately pointed. It is capable of finding the satellite by itself within milliseconds, is simple, lightweight and low cost. We have identified that there is a significant requirement in the market for truly worldwide satellite internet broadband coverage. Cloud computing is one example, 50Bn mobile devices are projected to be connected to the cloud by 2025. How do you get the worldwide wireless infrastructure to support this? It may not be economical to provide terrestrial wireless broadband over large continents such as Africa, although satellite broadband can provide a solution to this. The satellite infrastructure is already there to provide global broadband coverage (eg Inmarsat BGAN). The problem is that the user terminals, particularly the antenna, are difficult to use by unskilled personnel, and require accurate pointing at the satellite. They are also prohibitively expensive, mainly due to their complexity and the low volume of users, similar to the early days of the mobile phone market, where phones were the sizes of bricks and calls cost a fortune. At QUB with the support of three EPSRC projects from 1998 to 2010, we have developed highly novel self steered antennas, which have the capability of "pointing" to a satellite within milliseconds. These antennas use simple analogue circuits, unlike current tracking antennas which either rely on complicated digital circuits, which consume a lot of power, or require heavy motorised steering mechanisms. That is why there has never been a simple, lightweight, low powered satellite broadband antenna on the market. The Follow on fund will allow us to produce a prototype self steered antenna, that will operate with the Inmarsat BGAN system. It will allow a user to "switch on and surf" with a simple, lightweight user terminal, that will find and track the satellite, even in on moving vehicle. The resultant prototype will be simple enough to enter the market at reasonable cost, opening up many markets for truly worldwide satellite broadband. During the project our in house commercialisation team will run a targeted marketing campaign to highlight this massive opportunity to potential licensees of the technology, and work closely with the companies and service providers, who are already partnering with us in the project, to ensure the resulting solution fits market needs
Planned Impact
Our product will have a significant contribution on quality of life. We expect some of the specialised satellite broadband market areas to be those that are the most beneficial to society in the shorter term (1yr). This is because these applications are concerned with obtaining instant satellite broadband anywhere in the world. The areas without terrestrial broadband coverage can also be some of the most deprived, either being in third world countries, or in areas stricken by natural disaster or war where the normal infrastructure has been wiped out. In these scenarios the aid worker, military or news reporter may only have seconds to sort out their broadband connection, something which our advanced antenna will be able to do, with a simple and lightweight structure, not available before. The vital minutes saved could literally be life and death for some of these operators. In the longer term (>3yrs) it is our vision that our antenna will enter the mass consumer market, potentially replacing the "sky" dish with a flat, easy to install variant, that "knows" where the satellite is, and does not need to be pointed in the right direction.
We will develop a focused promotion strategy. We will run target-marketing campaigns with key target accounts, building up a database of people within these organisations and producing regular newsletters and company / product information. We will aim to get editorial coverage in several international magazines and the trade press, as the technology will be novel and will get coverage without advertising spend. Publicity material will be produced by engaging PR consultants and a website produced, showcasing the potential of our new technology. We will also participate in the following three trade shows; NAB April - Las Vegas, Communicasia - Singapore, IBC - Amsterdam.
We see the engagement of the younger generation in research to be of vital importance. To this end we aim to use the public engagement experience of our investigators to carry out at least 5 motivational talks to schools and colleges, In addition we are keen to accept work placement students of which we would have about 5 per year for a one week period, engaged in research activities.
Within the project we intend to collaborate with at least four companies who represent the satellite broadband service providers, equipment manufacturers and end users, and will identify new partners within our focused promotion strategy.
We will develop a focused promotion strategy. We will run target-marketing campaigns with key target accounts, building up a database of people within these organisations and producing regular newsletters and company / product information. We will aim to get editorial coverage in several international magazines and the trade press, as the technology will be novel and will get coverage without advertising spend. Publicity material will be produced by engaging PR consultants and a website produced, showcasing the potential of our new technology. We will also participate in the following three trade shows; NAB April - Las Vegas, Communicasia - Singapore, IBC - Amsterdam.
We see the engagement of the younger generation in research to be of vital importance. To this end we aim to use the public engagement experience of our investigators to carry out at least 5 motivational talks to schools and colleges, In addition we are keen to accept work placement students of which we would have about 5 per year for a one week period, engaged in research activities.
Within the project we intend to collaborate with at least four companies who represent the satellite broadband service providers, equipment manufacturers and end users, and will identify new partners within our focused promotion strategy.
Organisations
- Queen's University Belfast (Lead Research Organisation)
- Banbatech (Collaboration)
- Addvalue Communications (Collaboration)
- Inmarsat (Collaboration)
- Flish Ltd (Collaboration)
- Barnard Microsystems Ltd (Project Partner)
- Taconic International Ltd. (Project Partner)
- Cobham (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Inmarsat Ltd (Project Partner)
Publications
Zhang Y
(2012)
Reconfigurable beam forming using phase-aligned Rotman lens
in IET Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation
Vincent Fusco (Author)
(2012)
Fourier Transform using a Rotman Lens
Vincent Fusco (Author)
(2013)
'Retrodirective Terminal Antenna for Satellite and Terrestrial Mobile Communications?
Vincent Fusco (Author)
(2012)
Real time analogue self tracking antenna compatible with Inmarsat BGAN modulation schemes
Vincent Fusco (Author)
(2013)
CP Retrodirective Antenna Array Performance Degradation at Large Elevation Angles
Olkesandr Malyuskin (Author)
(2013)
CP Retrodirective Antenna Array Performance Degradation at Large Elevation Angles
Oleskandr Malyuskin (Author)
(2013)
Retrodirective Terminal Antenna for Satellite and Terrestrial Mobile Communications
Neil Buchanan (Author)
(2014)
Microwave and Optical Technology Letters
in Microwave and Optical Technology Letters
Neil Buchanan (Author)
(2012)
PLL with secondary loop control for self tracking antennas
Malyuskin O
(2017)
Experimental Study of Electrically Compact Retrodirective Monopole Antenna Arrays
in IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation
Title | Ka Band flat satellite dish |
Description | A prototype design for a Ku band receive flat panel (flat, hang on the wall, sky dish replacement) has been completed and fabrication is commencing with an outside company. |
Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
Description | New flat satellite dish technology that can auto track a satellite. The work was awarded a 2018 Mobile World Congress Gold Prize |
Exploitation Route | to create new types of satellite terminals |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Electronics,Security and Diplomacy,Transport |
URL | http://www.ecit.qub.ac.uk |
Description | Major potential to influence penetration of satellite user terminals into non specialised markets . Exiisting systems are based on reflector type antennas and the specifications for their set up by non-trained users is difficult to achieve. Flish a self steered phased array type antenna mitigates these difficulties. Deployment will allow more widespread use, and easier type approval of steerable satellite user terminals. A proof of concept has been constructed and demonstrated at the Hartwell Catapult Applications Centre. In 2018 the work was awarded a Mobile World Congress Gold Prize, Barcelona. Beneficiaries: Anyone requiring broadband data from difficult locations or when operating from a mobile environment. Contribution Method: Opens access for the first time for a simple satellite terminal which requires no user intervenation during its set up. |
First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Electronics |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | FLISH |
Amount | £102,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Invest Northern Ireland |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2013 |
End | 09/2014 |
Description | FLISH |
Amount | £102,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Invest Northern Ireland |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2013 |
End | 09/2014 |
Description | Proof of Concept |
Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Invest Northern Ireland |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2014 |
End | 06/2015 |
Description | Antenna Type Approval |
Organisation | Addvalue Communications |
Country | Singapore |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | AddValue Communications (Singapore) have agreed to commit time and resource with a view to type approving the prototype. Based on the success of the meeting with AddValue communications in June 2013 at Communicasia Singapore, they expressed an interest to visit us at QUB. We hosted AddValue on 21st October at the ECIT Institute, Belfast to discuss potential for a joint venture to produce a BGAN/L-Band terminal. AddValue would deliver the modem and we would deliver the antenna. AddValue would also work through the mission critical type approval and have agreed to commit the time and resource towards this goal. We have a planned approach to meet a specific technical milestone, gather market input and together engage with Inmarsat to assess market demand and eventual deployment/roll-out support. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Commerical Business Partner |
Organisation | Banbatech |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We are in discussion with Banbatech as a potential co-founder/commercial business partner. |
Collaborator Contribution | formation of new company to investigate exploitation of Flish technology |
Impact | none to report at present |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Commerical Business Partner |
Organisation | Flish Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We are in discussion with Banbatech as a potential co-founder/commercial business partner. |
Collaborator Contribution | formation of new company to investigate exploitation of Flish technology |
Impact | none to report at present |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Flish Collaboartion with Industry |
Organisation | Inmarsat |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Collaborating partner engagement ? Inmarsat SDM volume provided by Inmarsat: V2C5: modulation and general physical layer. V5C1: User terminal specification. These are the detailed specifications to allow Flish to be compatible with the Inmarsat BGAN system ? Workshop with Cobham in Belfast to discussion possibilities for BGAN and ?Sky? Flish ? January 2013 ? US Department of Homeland Security hosted us in Washington for a 2-day workshop on new venture creation, where Stanford Research Institute International delivered training on effective models of innovation. Flish technology and market potential was peer reviewed, with strong feedback received ? May 2013 Critical as it is the only way for us to get system specifications. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Title | RETRODIRECTIVE ANTENNA SYSTEMS |
Description | A retrodirective antenna system (1) for receiving an incoming signal (15) from an object (13) and directing an outgoing signal (11) back to the object (13), comprising two or more transceiver cells (3), each of which receives a part of the incoming signal, produces a phase conjugate output signal, which output signals from the cells combine to form an outgoing signal (11) directed back to the object (13), wherein each transceiver cell (3) comprises an antenna component (7) which detects the part of the incoming signal, a processor which receives the part of the incoming signal and produces first and second same-side, sideband (SB) signals of the part of the incoming signal, a phase shift system comprising a first phase element which receives the first SB signal and outputs a SB signal having a first phase, and a second phase element which receives the second SB signal and outputs a SB signal having a second phase which is in quadrature with the first phase, and an IQ modulator comprising an I input port, a Q input port and a phase adjuster, which receives the SB signal having the first phase on the I input port and the SB signal having the second phase on the Q input port, or receives the SB signal having the first phase on the Q input port and the SB signal having the second phase on the I input port, and phase adjusts the SB signals to produce an output signal which is the phase conjugate of the part of the incoming signal. |
IP Reference | US2012013507 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2012 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | lead to further work with ESA |
Title | advances in retrodirective technology |
Description | selftracking analog circuit |
IP Reference | |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2014 |
Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
Impact | first working selftracking SatCom terminal |
Title | BGAN Antenna |
Description | A new 4x4 array prototype for L band satellite broadband (eg Inmarsat BGAN) has been designed and functional in October 2013. It has been successfully demonstrated on receive to track Inmarsat spot beam signals to a coverage of +/- 40 degrees. Transmission back to the satellite will require type approval with a collaborating partner, although transmission measurements (for test purposes) are possible in the laboratory environment. The prototype is key to bringing the retrodirective antenna into an application such as Inmarsat BGAN. |
Type Of Technology | Physical Model/Kit |
Title | L Band BGAN self tracking antenna |
Description | One of the main technical challenges of this project was to produce a self tracking antenna prototype at L band (1.5/1.6 GHz) which is fully compatible with the modulation types, and low level signals used in the Inmarsat BGAN (Broadband Global area network) System. The self tracking antenna available at the beginning of the follow on fund could only track unmodulated CW signals in the laboratory and could not track signals from an actual satellite. During the year of the follow on fund a new method was produced (IP currently being protected) to allow an analogue phase locked loop to track very low level signals which are phase modulated with either QPSK or 16QAM. Prototypes were initially designed in a modular construction to allow different configurations to be tested experimentally. |
Type Of Technology | Physical Model/Kit |
Company Name | Flish Ltd |
Description | Stacom terminal manufacuturer |
Year Established | 2014 |
Impact | first SatCom terminal using selftracking technology |
Description | Engagement with Industry |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | discussion afterwards new contacts in industry |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | Pre-2006,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
Description | Flish Outreach |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | |
Results and Impact | • Flish, otherwise known as "Flat satellite dish" has been in ideal example to present at various school visits from our school of EEECS marketing team. The idea of replacing a dish with a low cost flat panel appeals to school pupils and is easily understood by them. • Two motivational talks on Flish given to 6th form students attending the School of EEECS open days on September 2012. A further two talks are scheduled for September 2013. • Generation Innovation Event Titanic Centre. Flish and other showcases used to encourage 6th form school pupils to consider a career in entrepreneurship - November 2012 • Flish Showcase Demonstration to Prince Andrew (along with 2 previous winners of the NISP £25K award) in the Visitors Centre at Titanic Dock and Pump House on the NISP site - Feb 2013 . |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | Video |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | |
Results and Impact | Video produced highlighting the work of Flish and activity since winning the £25k Awards. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5BM_aoncM8. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5BM_aoncM8 |
Description | Website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | |
Results and Impact | New website launched - www.flish.ie Targeted marketing campaign to drive traffic to the website - June 2013 . |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |