Method and system for providing satellite communications
First Claim
1. A broad-band digital satellite communications system for providing data services , the system comprising:
- at least one first spacecraft;
at least one controller having broadband communications capability with the at least one first spacecraft;
at least one second spacecraft having a lower earth orbit than the at least one first spacecraft, the at least one second spacecraft comprising;
communications capability with the at least one first spacecraft;
low data rate communications capability with at least one first land based system; and
broadband communications capability with at least one second land based system.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A broad-band digital satellite communications system for providing broad-band data services. The system comprises a first spacecraft, generally a geo-stationary earth orbit communications device, and at least one controller having broadband communications capability with the first spacecraft. The system also includes at least one second spacecraft, generally a low earth orbit (LEO) communications device. The second spacecraft comprises ; communications capability with the at least one first spacecraft; low data rate communications capability with a land based system, generally a mobile communications service provider; and broadband communications capability with a mobile user subscriber to the mobile communications service provider.
37 Citations
44 Claims
-
1. A broad-band digital satellite communications system for providing data services , the system comprising:
-
at least one first spacecraft;
at least one controller having broadband communications capability with the at least one first spacecraft;
at least one second spacecraft having a lower earth orbit than the at least one first spacecraft, the at least one second spacecraft comprising;
communications capability with the at least one first spacecraft;
low data rate communications capability with at least one first land based system; and
broadband communications capability with at least one second land based system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
12. A method for providing asymmetric broadband data services to a mobile user, the method comprising the steps of:
transmitting data from at least one geo-stationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite, the step of transmitting data from the GEO satellite comprises the steps of;
transmitting data from the GEO satellite to at least one low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, the LEO satellite constellation comprising a plurality of LEO satellites;
determining the geographical position of the mobile user; and
transmitting the data to the mobile user.
-
23. A broad-band digital satellite communications system for providing asymmetric broad-band data services to a mobile user, the system comprising:
-
at least one geo-synchronous earth orbit (GEO) satellite;
at least one data traffic gateway (DTG) having broad-band communications capability with the at least one GEO satellite;
at least one controller connectable to the at least one DTG;
at least one low earth orbit (LEO) satellite, the at least one LEO satellite comprising;
communications capability with the at least one DTG;
communications capability with the at least one GEO satellite;
low data rate communications capability with at least one land based system; and
broad-band communications capability the mobile user.
-
-
26. A method for maximizing spectral efficiency in a satellite communications system having at least one first satellite constellation disposed at a orbit higher than at least one second satellite constellation, and at least one network controller having communications capability with the at least one first satellite constellation, the method comprising the steps of:
-
allocating the total up-link resources available from the network controller to up-link data to the at least one first satellite constellation;
broadcasting substantially simultaneously the up-linked data from the at least one first satellite constellation to the at least one second satellite constellation; and
assigning spot communication beams associated with the at least one second satellite constellation to transmit a predetermined fraction of the up-linked data.
-
-
33. A communications system for providing internet data services between a user and an internet, the system comprising:
-
at least one satellite constellation;
at least one first ground station having communications capability with the at least one satellite constellation and the user; and
at least one second ground station having communications capability with the at least one satellite constellation and the internet. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
-
41. A method for providing internet data services between at least one first user and an internet, the method comprising the steps:
-
transmitting data from the at least one first user to a satellite constellation;
assigning the data to at least one communications channel within the satellite constellation;
steering at least one satellite spot communication beam associated with the at least one communications channel to illuminate the internet; and
parallel transmitting data to the internet. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
-
Specification