Systems and methods with different utilization of satellite frequency bands by a space-based network and an ancillary terrestrial network

• US 20050239403A1
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/12.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00

Abstract

A radioterminal communications system includes an ancillary terrestrial component configured to receive from at least some of a plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band (e.g., an L-band) and to transmit to at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band (e.g., an S-band). The system further includes a space-based component configured to communicate with the plurality of radioterminals using at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and/or at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band. In some embodiments the ancillary terrestrial component communicates with radioterminals using a Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode and the space-based component communicates with the same or other radioterminals using a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and/or a TDD mode.

Claims

1. A method of operating a radioterminal communications system including a space-based network comprising a space-based component and an ancillary terrestrial network comprising at least one ancillary terrestrial component, the method comprising:

communicating from at least some of a plurality of radioterminals to the ancillary terrestrial network using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band;

communicating from the ancillary terrestrial network to at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band; and

communicating between the space-based component and the plurality of radioterminals using at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and/or at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

2. A method according to claim 1:

wherein communicating between the space-based component and the plurality of radioterminals using at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and/or at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band comprises;

communicating between the space-based component and first radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band; and

communicating between the space-based component and second radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band;

wherein communicating from at least some of a plurality of radioterminals to the ancillary terrestrial network using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band comprises communicating from third radioterminals using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band; and

wherein communicating from the ancillary terrestrial network to at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band comprises communicating from the ancillary terrestrial network to the third radioterminals using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the third radioterminals comprise at least one of the first radioterminals and/or at least one of the second radioterminals.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein communicating between the space-based component and first radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band comprises:

communicating from the space-based component to first ones of the first radioterminals using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band; and

communicating from second ones of the first radioterminals to the space-based component using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein communicating between the space-based component and second radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band comprises:

communicating from the space-based component to first ones of the second radioterminals using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band; and

communicating from second ones of the second radioterminals to the space-based component using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

6. A method according to claim 2:

wherein communicating between the space-based component and first radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band comprises communicating between a first satellite and the first radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and return links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band; and

wherein communicating between the space-based component and second radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band comprises communicating between a second satellite and the second radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first one of an L-band of frequencies and an S-band of frequencies and wherein the second satellite frequency band comprises a second one of the L-band of frequencies and the S-band of frequencies.

8. A method according to claim 1:

wherein the ancillary terrestrial network comprises a first ancillary terrestrial component and a second ancillary terrestrial component;

wherein communicating from at least some of a plurality of radioterminals to the ancillary terrestrial network using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band comprises communicating from at least some of the radioterminals to the first ancillary terrestrial component using at least one of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band; and

wherein communicating from the ancillary terrestrial network to at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band comprises communicating from the second ancillary terrestrial component to at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

communicating from the first ancillary terrestrial component to at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band; and

communicating from at least some of the radioterminals to the second ancillary terrestrial component using at least one of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency bands.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising providing communications services to radioterminals using the first and second ancillary terrestrial components in a common geographic region or over respective different geographic regions and wherein the first and second ancillary terrestrial components are mechanically and/or electrically separate ancillary terrestrial components that are substantially co-located or spaced apart or are at least partially integrated mechanically and/or electrically into one ancillary terrestrial component and are substantially co-located.

11. A method according to claim 9, further comprising providing communications services to respective first and second classes and/or types of radioterminals using the first and second ancillary terrestrial components.

12. A method according to claim 8:

wherein the ancillary terrestrial network further comprises a third ancillary terrestrial component;

wherein communicating from at least some of a plurality of radioterminals to the ancillary terrestrial network using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band comprises communicating from at least some of the radioterminals to the third ancillary terrestrial component using at least one of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band; and

wherein communicating from the ancillary terrestrial network to at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band comprises communicating from the third ancillary terrestrial component to at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising providing communications services to radioterminals using the first, second and/or third ancillary terrestrial components in a common geographic region or over respective different geographic regions and wherein the first, second and/or third ancillary terrestrial components are mechanically and/or electrically separate ancillary terrestrial components that are substantially co-located or spaced apart or are at least partially integrated mechanically and/or electrically into one ancillary terrestrial component and are substantially co-located.

14. A method according to claim 12, further comprising providing communications services to respective first, second and/or third types and/or classes of radioterminals using the first, second and/or third ancillary terrestrial components.

15. A method of operating a radioterminal communications system including a space-based network comprising a space-based component and an ancillary terrestrial network comprising at least one ancillary terrestrial component, the method comprising:

communicating between the ancillary terrestrial network and/or at least one ancillary terrestrial component and at least some of a plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a first and/or second satellite frequency band in a Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode; and

communicating between the space-based network and/or space-based component and at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from the first and/or second satellite frequency band in a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) mode and/or TDD mode.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first one of an L-band of frequencies and an S-band of frequencies and wherein the second satellite frequency band comprises a second one of the L-band of frequencies and the S-band of frequencies.

17. A radioterminal communications system comprising:

an ancillary terrestrial network comprising at least one ancillary terrestrial component configured to receive from at least some of a plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band and to transmit to at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band; and

a space-based network comprising a space-based component configured to communicate with the plurality of radioterminals using at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and/or at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

18. A system according to claim 17:

wherein the space-based component is configured to communicate with first radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and to communicate with second radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band; and

wherein the at least one ancillary terrestrial component is configured to receive from third radioterminals using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and to transmit to the third radioterminals using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the third radioterminals comprise at least one of the first radioterminals and/or at least one of the second radioterminals.

20. A system according to claim 18, wherein the space-based component is further configured to transmit to first ones of the first radioterminals using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and to receive from second ones of the first radioterminals using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band.

21. A system according to claim 18, wherein the space-based component is further configured to transmit to first ones of the second radioterminals using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band and to receive from second ones of the second radioterminals using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

22. A system according to claim 18, wherein the space-based component is further configured to communicate between a first satellite and the first radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and to communicate between a second satellite and the second radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

23. A system according to claim 17, wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first one of an L-band of frequencies and an S-band of frequencies and wherein the second satellite frequency band comprises a second one of the L-band of frequencies and the S-band of frequencies.

24. A system according to claim 17, wherein the ancillary terrestrial network comprises:

a first ancillary terrestrial component configured to receive from at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band; and

a second ancillary terrestrial component configured to transmit to at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

25. A system according to claim 24:

wherein the first ancillary terrestrial component is further configured to transmit to at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band; and

wherein the second ancillary terrestrial component is further configured to receive from at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency bands.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein the first and second ancillary terrestrial components are configured to provide communications services to radioterminals in a common geographic region or over respective different geographic regions and wherein the first and second ancillary terrestrial components are mechanically and/or electrically separate ancillary terrestrial components that are substantially co-located or spaced apart or are at least partially integrated mechanically and/or electrically into one ancillary terrestrial component and are substantially co-located.

27. A system according to claim 25, wherein the first and second ancillary terrestrial components are configured to provide communications services to respective first and second classes and/or types of radioterminals.

28. A system according to claim 24, wherein the ancillary terrestrial network further comprises a third ancillary terrestrial component configured to receive from at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and to transmit to at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein the first, second and/or third ancillary terrestrial components are configured to provide communications services to radioterminals in a common geographic region or over respective different geographic regions and wherein the first, second and/or third ancillary terrestrial components are mechanically and/or electrically separate ancillary terrestrial components that are substantially co-located or spaced apart or are at least partially integrated mechanically and/or electrically into one ancillary terrestrial component and are substantially co-located.

30. A system according to claim 28, wherein the first, second and/or third ancillary terrestrial components are configured to provide communications services to respective first, second and/or third types and/or classes of radioterminals.

31. A radioterminal communications system comprising:

an ancillary terrestrial network comprising at least one ancillary terrestrial component configured to communicate with at least some of a plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a first and/or second satellite frequency band in a Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode; and

a space-based network comprising a space-based component configured to communicate with at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from the first and/or second satellite frequency band in a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and/or TDD mode.

32. A system according to claim 31, wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first one of an L-band of frequencies and an S-band of frequencies and wherein the second satellite frequency band comprises a second one of the L-band of frequencies and the S-band of frequencies.

33. A radioterminal communications system according to claim 31 wherein the at least one ancillary terrestrial component is further configured to preferentially communicate with at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a first and/or second satellite frequency band in a Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode over a first geographic area and/or wherein the space-based component is further configured to preferentially communicate with at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from the first and/or second satellite frequency band in a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and/or TDD mode over a second geographic area.

34. An ancillary terrestrial component configured to receive from at least some of a plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band and to transmit to at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band, wherein the ancillary terrestrial component is configured for use in conjunction with a space-based component that communicates with the plurality of radioterminals using at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and/or at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

35. An ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 34, wherein the space-based system is configured to communicate with first radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and to communicate with second radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band, and wherein the ancillary terrestrial component is configured to receive from third radioterminals using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and to transmit to the third radioterminals using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

36. An ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 35, wherein the third radioterminals comprise at least one of the first radioterminals and/or at least one of the second radioterminals.

37. An ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 34, wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first one of an L-band of frequencies and an S-band of frequencies and wherein the second satellite frequency band comprises a second one of the L-band of frequencies and the S-band of frequencies.

38. An ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 34, further comprising:

a first ancillary terrestrial component configured to receive from at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band; and

a second ancillary terrestrial component configured to transmit to at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

39. An ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 38:

wherein the first ancillary terrestrial component is further configured to transmit to at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band; and

wherein the second ancillary terrestrial component is further configured to receive from at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency bands.

40. An ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 39, wherein the first and second ancillary terrestrial components are configured to provide communications services to radioterminals in a common geographic region or over respective different geographic regions and wherein the first and second ancillary terrestrial components are mechanically and/or electrically separate ancillary terrestrial components that are substantially co-located or spaced apart or are at least partially integrated mechanically and/or electrically into one ancillary terrestrial component and are substantially-co-located.

41. An ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 39, wherein the first and second ancillary terrestrial components are configured to provide communications services to respective first and second classes and/or types of radioterminals.

42. An ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 38, further comprising a third ancillary terrestrial component configured to receive from at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and to transmit to at least some of the radioterminals using at least one of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

43. An ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 42, wherein the first, second and/or third ancillary terrestrial components are configured to provide communications services to radioterminals in a common geographic region or over respective different geographic regions and wherein the first, second and/or third ancillary terrestrial components are mechanically and/or electrically separate ancillary terrestrial components that are substantially co-located or spaced apart or are at least partially integrated mechanically and/or electrically into one ancillary terrestrial component and are substantially co-located.

44. An ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 42, wherein the first, second and/or third ancillary terrestrial components are configured to provide communications services to respective first, second and/or third types and/or classes of radioterminals.

45. A spaced based component configured for use in conjunction with an ancillary terrestrial component that receives from at least some of a plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band and transmits to at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band, the space-based component configured to communicate with the plurality of radioterminals using at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and/or at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

46. A space-based component according to claim 45, further configured to communicate with first radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and to communicate with second radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

47. A space-based component according to claim 46, further configured to transmit to first ones of the first radioterminals using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and to receive from second ones of the first radioterminals using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band.

48. A space-based component according to claim 46, further configured to transmit to first ones of the second radioterminals using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band and to receive from second ones of the second radioterminals using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

49. A space-based component according to claim 46, further configured to communicate between a first satellite and the first radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and return links using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and to communicate between a second satellite and the second radioterminals over forward links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band and over return links using frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

50. A space-based component according to claim 45, wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first one of an L-band of frequencies and an S-band of frequencies and wherein the second satellite frequency band comprises a second one of the L-band of frequencies and the S-band of frequencies.

55. An ancillary terrestrial network and/or an ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 50 wherein the ancillary terrestrial network and/or the ancillary terrestrial component communicate with radioterminals using two or more substantially orthogonally-polarized antennas and/or antenna elements, differently polarized antennas and/or antenna elements and/or spaced-apart antennas and/or antenna elements.

51. An ancillary terrestrial network and/or an ancillary terrestrial component configured to communicate with at least some of a plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a first and/or second satellite frequency band in a Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode in conjunction with a space-based network and/or a space-based component configured to communicate with at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from the first and/or second satellite frequency band(s) in a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and/or TDD mode.

52. An ancillary terrestrial network and/or an ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 51, wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first one of an L-band of frequencies and an S-band of frequencies and wherein the second satellite frequency band comprises a second one of the L-band of frequencies and the S-band of frequencies.

53. An ancillary terrestrial network and/or an ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 51, wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first set of frequencies of an L-band and/or an S-band and wherein the second satellite frequency band comprises a second set of frequencies of the L-band and/or the S-band.

54. An ancillary terrestrial network and/or an ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 51 wherein the ancillary terrestrial network and/or the ancillary terrestrial component communicates/communicate substantially co-frequency and/or co-channel with at least a first and second radioterminal over a geographic area using at least a first and second radiation and/or antenna pattern, respectively, that differ in a spatial and/or polarization orientation.

56. A radioterminal configured to communicate with an ancillary terrestrial network and/or an ancillary terrestrial component using frequencies from a first and/or second satellite frequency band in a Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode and to communicate with a space-based network and/or a space-based component using frequencies from the first and/or second satellite frequency band(s) in a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and/or TDD mode.

57. A radioterminal according to claim 56, wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first one of an L-band of frequencies and an S-band of frequencies and wherein the second satellite frequency band comprises a second one of the L-band of frequencies and the S-band of frequencies.

58. A radioterminal according to claim 56, wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first set of frequencies of an L-band and/or an S-band and wherein the second satellite frequency band comprises a second set of frequencies of the L-band and/or the S-band.

59. A radioterminal according to claim 56 wherein the radioterminal is further configured to preferentially communicate with the ancillary terrestrial network and/or the ancillary terrestrial component using frequencies from a first and/or second satellite frequency band in a Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode over a first geographic area and/or to preferentially communicate with the space-based network and/or the space-based component using frequencies from the first and/or second satellite frequency band in a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and/or TDD mode over a second geographic area.

60. A radioterminal according to claim 56 wherein the radioterminal is further configured to communicate with the ancillary terrestrial network and/or the ancillary terrestrial component and to radiate and/or receive electro-magnetic waveform(s) to/from the ancillary terrestrial network and/or the ancillary terrestrial component in a substantially linearly-polarized spatial orientation.