Satellite communications systems, components and methods for operating shared satellite gateways

• US 20060105707A1
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Sponsoring Entity: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• GRANTED PATENT: US 7,653,348 B2
• Time in USPTO: 0 Days
• US Class Current: 455/12.100
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/1007 : Communications satellites communications aspects H04B7/185
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18517 : Transmission equipment in earth stations

Abstract

A shared satellite gateway can be configured to process at least first and second communications signals associated with respective at least first and second space-based components. The at least first and second communications signals are provided to/from the shared satellite gateway by respective at least first and second service links and respective at least first and second feeder links of the respective at least first and second space-based components.

Claims

1. . A satellite communications system comprising:

a gateway configured to process at least first and second communications signals associated with respective at least first and second service links and respective at least first and second feeder links of respective at least first and second space-based components.

2. . A satellite communications system according to claim 1 wherein the respective at least first and second service links are in different frequency bands.

3. . A satellite communications system according to claim 1 wherein the respective at least first and second service links are in a common frequency band.

4. . A satellite communications system according to claim 1 further comprising:

respective at least first and second gateway antennas coupled to the gateway, wherein each of the respective at least first and second gateway antennas is configured to communicate with at least one of the respective at least first and second space-based components.

5. . A satellite communications system according to claim 4 wherein the respective at least first and second gateway antennas are configured to communicate with the respective at least first and second space-based components via the respective at least first and second feeder links in respective at least first and second frequency bands.

6. . A satellite communications system according to claim 4 wherein the respective at least first and second gateway antennas are configured to communicate with the respective at least first and second space-based components via the respective at least first and second feeder links using a substantially common frequency band.

7. . A satellite communications system according to claim 1 wherein the respective at least first and second service links are configured to provide service to wireless terminals via respective air-interfaces that are substantially the same.

8. . A satellite communications system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a single gateway antenna coupled to the gateway, wherein the single gateway antenna is configured to communicate with the respective at least first and second space-based components.

9. . A satellite communications system according to claim 8 wherein the single gateway antenna is configured to communicate with the respective at least first and second space-based components over separate feeder links in a common satellite frequency band.

10. . A satellite communications system according to claim 8 wherein the single gateway antenna is configured to communicate with the respective at least first and second space-based components over separate feeder links in different satellite frequency bands.

11. . A satellite communications system according to claim 9 wherein the gateway further comprises a circuit comprising:

a first filter coupled to the single gateway antenna;

a low-noise amplifier coupled to an output of the first filter;

a mixer coupled to an output of the low-noise amplifier; and

a second filter coupled to an output of the mixer.

12. . A satellite communications system according to claim 9 wherein the respective at least first and second space-based components are substantially co-located.

13. . A satellite communications system according to claim 1 wherein the respective at least first and second service links are configured to provide service via respective different air-interfaces to wireless terminals.

14. . A satellite communications system according to claim 1 wherein at least one element of the gateway is shared by the respective at least first and second space-based components to provide a processing of the at least first and second communications signals associated with the respective at least first and second space-based components.

15. . A satellite communications system according to claim 4 wherein the gateway further comprises at least two circuits, respectively comprising:

a first filter coupled to a gateway antenna;

a low-noise amplifier coupled to an output of the first filter;

a mixer coupled to an output of the low-noise amplifier; and

a second filter coupled to an output of the mixer.

16. . A satellite communications system according to claim 15 further comprising:

a gateway element responsive to at least one output of the second filters of the at least two circuits.

17. . A satellite communications system comprising:

a first space-based component that is configured to communicate with a plurality of first wireless terminals over a first service link(s) in a first satellite frequency band;

a second space-based component that is configured to communicate with a plurality of second wireless terminals over a second service link(s) in a second satellite frequency band; and

a satellite gateway that is configured to communicate with the first space-based component over a first feeder link(s) and to communicate with the second space-based component over a second feeder link(s) and wherein the communications with the first and second space-based component are provided by the satellite gateway using at least one common signal processing element that is used by the satellite gateway to communicate with the first space-based component and to communicate with the second space-based component.

18. . A satellite communications system according to claim 17 wherein the satellite gateway comprises:

a first gateway antenna that is configured to communicate with the first space-based component over the first feeder link(s);

a second gateway antenna that is configured to communicate with the second space-based component over the second feeder link(s); and

a common gateway electronics system that is responsive to the first gateway antenna and to the second gateway antenna.

19. . A satellite communications system according to claim 17 wherein the first satellite frequency band is substantially the same as the second satellite frequency band.

20. . A satellite communications system according to claim 18 wherein the first feeder link(s) and the second feeder link(s) use substantially the same feeder link frequency band.

21. . A satellite communications system according to claim 18 wherein a feeder link frequency band used by the first feeder link(s) is different than a feeder link frequency band used by the second feeder link(s).

22. . A satellite communications system according to claim 18 wherein the first service link(s) and the second service link(s) use substantially the same air interface.

23. . A satellite communications system according to claim 18 wherein the first service link(s) and the second service link(s) use different air interfaces.

24. . A satellite communications system according to claim 17 wherein the first and second space-based components are configured to communicate with the respective pluralities of first and second wireless terminals over the respective first and second service links in the respective first and second satellite frequency bands using substantially the same air interface.

25. . A satellite communications system according to claim 24 wherein the first feeder link(s) and the second feeder link(s) are in a common frequency band.

26. . A satellite communications system according to claim 25 wherein the first and second space-based components are substantially co-located.

27. . A satellite communications system according to claim 26 wherein the satellite gateway comprises:

a common gateway antenna that is configured to communicate with the first space-based component and the second space-based component over the first and second feeder links in the common frequency band; and

a common gateway electronics system that is responsive to the common gateway antenna.

28. . A satellite communications component comprising:

a satellite gateway configured to provide communications with a first space-based component over a first feeder link and to provide communications with a second space-based component over a second feeder link;

wherein the satellite gateway provides communications with the first and second space-based component using at least one element that is common to the provision of communications with the first and second space-based component.

29. . A satellite communications component according to claim 28 further comprising:

a single satellite gateway antenna coupled to the satellite gateway, wherein the single satellite gateway antenna is configured to communicate with the first and second space-based components.

30. . A satellite communications component according to claim 29 wherein the single satellite gateway antenna is configured to communicate with the first and second space-based components over the first and second feeder links in a common satellite frequency band.

31. . A satellite communications component according to claim 29 wherein the single satellite gateway antenna is configured to communicate with the first and second space-based components over the first and second feeder links in different satellite frequency bands.

32. . A satellite communications component according to claim 29 wherein the satellite gateway further comprises a feeder link processing circuit comprising:

a first filter coupled to the single satellite gateway antenna;

a low-noise amplifier coupled to an output of the first filter;

a mixer coupled to an output of the low-noise amplifier; and

a second filter coupled to an output of the mixer.

33. . A method of providing satellite communications comprising:

processing at a satellite gateway at least first and second communications signals associated with respective at least first and second space-based components;

wherein the at least first and second communications signals are provided to the satellite gateway by respective at least first and second feeder links and respective at least first and second service links of the respective at least first and second space-based components.

34. . A method according to claim 33 wherein the respective at least first and second feeder links are in different satellite frequency bands.

35. . A method according to claim 33 wherein the respective at least first and second feeder links are in a common satellite frequency band.

36. . A method according to claim 33 wherein the satellite communications are provided by the respective at least first and second space-based components via respective at least first and second air-interfaces that are different.

37. . A method according to claim 33 wherein processing comprises relaying information to/from a first space-based component and to/from a second space-based component via the satellite gateway.

38. . A method according to claim 37 wherein relaying information comprises relaying internet communications, video information, and/or audio information, via the satellite gateway.

39. . A satellite communications system comprising:

a shared satellite gateway configured to relay communications from a first subscriber of a first satellite communications service to a second subscriber of a second satellite communications service via respective separate feeder links provided to two separate space-based components by the shared satellite gateway.

40. . A method of providing communications comprising:

transmitting communications from a first satellite radiotelephone to a first space-based component;

relaying the communications from the first space-based component directly to a shared satellite gateway;

relaying the communications from the shared satellite gateway directly to a second space-based component; and

relaying the communications from the second space-based component to a second satellite radiotelephone.