US Patent 10903885 Providing communications coverage using hybrid analog/digital beamforming

An apparatus includes feeds to form analog beams. The feeds are divided into panels. The apparatus includes processing circuitry that divides a target area for communications coverage into regions, including a first region and a second region neighboring each other. The processing circuitry generates, for the first region, a first plurality of analog beams, forming a first cluster. The processing circuitry generates, in the first cluster from the first plurality of analog beams, a first plurality of hybrid beams arranged in a first arrangement in the first cluster. The processing circuitry generates, for the second region, a second plurality of analog beams, forming a second cluster. The processing circuitry generates, in the second cluster from the second plurality of analog beams, a second plurality of hybrid beams arranged in a second arrangement that is adjacent to the first plurality of hybrid beams in the first arrangement.