Radio system using nodes
First Claim
1. A radio communications system comprising multiple satellites orbiting the earth in random orbits for providing a radio route for data communications between transceivers at two ground station locations, each satellite and ground station comprising a node of the system, wherein each of a plurality of the satellites includes:
- a plurality of satellite antennas for receiving radio signals from a plurality of other nodes and for transmitting radio signals;
antenna pairing circuitry for storing address information identifying another node from which the satellite received a routing signal and identifying the satellite antenna on which the satellite received the routing signal; and
route creation circuitry for transmitting routing signals from a plurality of the satellite antennas, wherein the routing signals include (i) linking information identifying the satellite, and (ii) a quality of the received routing signal indicating a suitability of the satellite and the other node as a radio link in the radio route between the two ground station locations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A radio communication route enables communication from an originating ground station to a destination ground station via one of multiple randomly orbiting, rotating satellites with no active attitude control. The ground stations and satellites include directional antennas for receiving radio signals from and transmitting radio signals in multiple directions. The satellites store an address of a destination ground station from which an initial information signal is transmitted and antenna information identifying the satellite antenna on which the initial information signal was received. Plural satellite antennas transmit linking information identifying the satellite to the originating ground station. Data transmissions received at the originating ground station that designate a particular destination are transmitted by the originating ground station using the antenna on which the linking information was received and the satellite retransmits the data transmission using the satellite antenna identified by the stored antenna information.
56 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A radio communications system comprising multiple satellites orbiting the earth in random orbits for providing a radio route for data communications between transceivers at two ground station locations, each satellite and ground station comprising a node of the system, wherein each of a plurality of the satellites includes:
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a plurality of satellite antennas for receiving radio signals from a plurality of other nodes and for transmitting radio signals; antenna pairing circuitry for storing address information identifying another node from which the satellite received a routing signal and identifying the satellite antenna on which the satellite received the routing signal; and route creation circuitry for transmitting routing signals from a plurality of the satellite antennas, wherein the routing signals include (i) linking information identifying the satellite, and (ii) a quality of the received routing signal indicating a suitability of the satellite and the other node as a radio link in the radio route between the two ground station locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for creating a radio communication route for data communications from a receiving ground station to a sending ground station, wherein the ground stations include a plurality of ground station directional antennas for transmitting and receiving radio signals, the method comprising:
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(a) providing multiple satellites orbiting the earth in random orbits, wherein each of a plurality of the satellites includes a plurality of satellite directional antennas for transmitting and receiving radio signals; (b) receiving at a satellite antenna of at least one satellite an initial information signal transmitted from an antenna at a sending ground station; (c) storing at any satellite receiving the initial information signal at least (i) address information identifying the ground station from which the initial information signal was received, and (ii) the satellite antenna on which the initial information signal was received; (d) transmitting linking information signals from a plurality of the antennas of at least one satellite receiving the initial information signal, wherein the linking information signals include (i) linking information identifying the satellite, and (ii) a quality of the received initial information signal indicating a suitability of the satellite and the sending ground station as a radio link in a radio route between the ground stations; (e) storing at a receiving ground station receiving at least one linking information signal (i) address information identifying the satellite transmitting the linking information signal, (ii) the receiving ground station antenna on which the linking information signal was received, and (iii) a quality of the initial information signal received at the satellite transmitting the linking information signal; and (f) determining a quality of a radio route for data communications from the receiving ground station to the sending ground station via a particular satellite based on (i) a quality of the received linking information signal indicating a suitability of the receiving ground station and the particular satellite as a radio link in a radio route between the ground stations, and (ii) the quality of the initial information signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A radio communication route for data communication from an originating ground station to a destination ground station, the route comprising at least one of multiple satellites orbiting the earth in random orbits that communicate with the ground stations, each including a plurality of directional antennas for receiving radio signals from multiple directions and transmitting radio signals in multiple directions, wherein the satellite includes:
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antenna pairing circuitry for storing address information identifying a destination ground station from which an initial information signal was transmitted and antenna information identifying the satellite antenna on which the initial information signal was received; and route creation circuitry for transmitting linking information signals from a plurality of the satellite antennas, the linking information signals including linking information identifying the satellite to an originating ground station receiving the linking information signal on one of the ground station antennas, whereby data transmissions received at the originating ground station and designating a particular destination ground station are transmitted by the originating ground station using the ground station antenna on which the linking information was received and the satellite transmits the data transmission using the satellite antenna identified by the stored antenna information. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A radio communications system comprising multiple satellites orbiting the earth for providing a radio route for data communications between transceivers at two ground station locations, each satellite and ground station comprising a node of the system, wherein each of a plurality of the satellites includes:
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a plurality of satellite antennas for receiving radio signals from a plurality of other nodes and for transmitting radio signals; antenna pairing circuitry for storing address information identifying another node from which the satellite received a routing signal and identifying the satellite antenna on which the satellite received the routing signal; and route creation circuitry for transmitting routing signals from a plurality of the satellite antennas, wherein the routing signals include (i) linking information identifying the satellite, and (ii) a quality of the received routing signal indicating a suitability of the satellite and the other node as a radio link in the radio route between the two ground station locations. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for creating a radio communication route for data communications from a receiving ground station to a sending ground station, wherein the ground stations include a plurality of ground station directional antennas for transmitting and receiving radio signals, the method comprising:
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(a) providing multiple satellites orbiting the earth, wherein each of a plurality of the satellites includes a plurality of satellite directional antennas for transmitting and receiving radio signals; (b) receiving at a satellite antenna of at least one satellite an initial information signal transmitted from an antenna at a sending ground station; (c) storing at any satellite receiving the initial information signal at least (i) address information identifying the ground station from which the initial information signal was received, and (ii) the satellite antenna on which the initial information signal was received; (d) transmitting linking information signals from a plurality of the antennas of at least one satellite receiving the initial information signal, wherein the linking information signals include (i) linking information identifying the satellite, and (ii) a quality of the received initial information signal indicating a suitability of the satellite and the sending ground station as a radio link in a radio route between the ground stations; and (e) storing at a receiving ground station receiving at least one linking information signal (i) address information identifying the satellite transmitting the linking information signal, (ii) the receiving ground station antenna on which the linking information signal was received, and (iii) a quality of the initial information signal received at the satellite transmitting the linking information signal; and (f) determining a quality of a radio route for data communications from the receiving ground station to the sending ground station via a particular satellite based on (i) a quality of the received linking information signal indicating a suitability of the receiving ground station and the particular satellite as a radio link in a radio route between the ground stations, and (ii) the quality of the initial information signal.
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36. A radio communication route for data communication from an originating ground station to a destination ground station, the route comprising at least one of multiple satellites orbiting the earth that communicate with the ground stations, each including a plurality of directional antennas for receiving radio signals from multiple directions and transmitting radio signals in multiple directions, wherein the satellite includes:
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antenna pairing circuitry for storing address information identifying a destination ground station from which an initial information signal was transmitted and antenna information identifying the satellite antenna on which the initial information signal was received; and route creation circuitry for transmitting linking information signals from a plurality of the satellite antennas, the linking information signals including linking information identifying the satellite to an originating ground station receiving the linking information signal on one of the ground station antennas, whereby data transmissions received at the originating ground station and designating a particular destination ground station are transmitted by the originating ground station using the ground station antenna on which the linking information was received and the satellite transmits the data transmission using the satellite antenna identified by the stored antenna information. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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Specification