COMMUNICATION SYSTEM EMPLOYING REUSE OF SATELLITE SPECTRUM FOR TERRESTRIAL COMMUNICATION

• US 20030078040A1
• Filed: 06/26/1998
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: MAYFIELD, WILLIAM W., CHANG, DONALD C. D., NOVAK, JOHN I. III
• Granted Patent: US 6,735,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/427
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/16 for PBS [Private Base Station] arrangements

Abstract

A terrestrial communication system using satellite uplink and downlink frequencies is disclosed. A terrestrial cell site produces a signal at a satellite downlink frequency that is transmitted to a terrestrial user terminal. The terrestrial cell site receives a signal at a satellite uplink frequency that was transmitted by a terrestrial user terminal. The terrestrial cell site may include a signal nulling means in the direction of a satellite producing signals at the uplink and downlink frequencies.

Claims

1. A terrestrial communication system using satellite uplink and downlink frequencies comprising:

a terrestrial cell site producing a signal at a satellite uplink frequency that is transmitted to a terrestrial terminal unit, and

said terrestrial cell site receiving a signal at a satellite downlink frequency that was transmitted by said terrestrial terminal unit.

2. The terrestrial communication system of claim 1, wherein said terrestrial cell site includes a signal nulling means in the direction of a satellite that produces signals using said uplink and said downlink frequencies.

3. A terrestrial communication system using satellite uplink and downlink frequencies comprising:

a terrestrial terminal unit producing a signal at a satellite downlink frequency that is transmitted to a terrestrial cell site, and

said terrestrial terminal receiving a signal at a satellite uplink frequency that was transmitted by said terrestrial cell site.

4. The terrestrial communication system of claim 3, wherein a satellite ground user using said uplink and said downlink frequencies is geographically isolated from said terrestrial terminal unit.

5. A method of integrating a terrestrial communication system into a satellite communication frequency spectrum comprising the steps of:

producing a signal at a satellite uplink frequency that is transmitted from a terrestrial cell site to a terrestrial user terminal, and

receiving a signal at a satellite downlink frequency that was produced by said terrestrial user terminal and transmitted to said terrestrial cell site.