TERRESTRIAL BASE STATIONS AND OPERATING METHODS FOR INCREASING CAPACITY AND/OR QUALITY OF SERVICE OF TERRESTRIAL CELLULAR AND SATELLITE SYSTEMS USING TERRESTRIAL RECEPTION OF SATELLITE BAND FREQUENCIES

• US 20060211452A1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• Application Number:
  US11/419,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20060211452A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00

Abstract

The capacity of a terrestrial wireless communications system that uses a terrestrial frequency band for communications with wireless terminals is expanded by utilizing a satellite frequency band for terrestrially receiving terrestrial communications from the wireless terminals. Since the wireless terminals are configured to transmit communications to a space-based component such as a satellite via a satellite frequency band, these transmissions also may be picked up (received) terrestrially. Thus, terrestrial base stations can be equipped with satellite frequency band receivers that can receive communications from the wireless terminals over a satellite frequency band. By using the satellite frequency band receiver in a terrestrial base station, additional capacity and/or quality of service may be provided for a terrestrial and/or satellite communications system.

Claims

1. A terrestrial base station for a wireless communications system comprising:

a transmitter that is configured to transmit communications to wireless terminals over a terrestrial frequency band; and

a receiver that is configured to receive communications from the wireless terminals over a satellite frequency band.

2. A terrestrial base station according to claim 1 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit communications to the wireless terminals over forward link and/or return link portions of the terrestrial frequency band.

3. A terrestrial base station according to claim 1 wherein the receiver is further configured to receive communications from the wireless terminals over a terrestrial frequency band.

4. A terrestrial base station according to claim 1 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit communications to the wireless terminals over the terrestrial frequency band and the receiver is configured to receive communications from the wireless terminals over the satellite frequency band in a first operational mode and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit communications to the wireless terminals over the terrestrial frequency band and the receiver is configured to receive communications from the wireless terminals over the terrestrial frequency band in a second operational mode.

5. A terrestrial base station according to claim 4 wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit communications to the wireless terminals over forward link and/or return link portions of the terrestrial frequency band in the first operational mode.

6. A terrestrial base station according to claim 4 wherein the receiver is further configured to receive communications from the wireless terminals over the terrestrial frequency band in the first operational mode.

7. A terrestrial base station according to claim 1 in combination with the wireless terminals.

8. A terrestrial base station according to claim 1 wherein the satellite frequency band is a cellular satellite frequency band and/or wherein the terrestrial frequency band is a terrestrial cellular frequency band.

9. A terrestrial base station according to claim 1 wherein the transmitter is further configured to refrain from transmitting communications to the wireless terminals over a satellite frequency band.

10. A terrestrial base station for a terrestrial wireless communications system comprising:

a receiver that is configured to receive communications from wireless terminals over a satellite frequency band, the base station being free of a transmitter that is configured to transmit communications to the wireless terminals over a satellite frequency band.

11. A terrestrial base station according to claim 10 wherein the receiver is further configured to receive communications from the wireless terminals over a terrestrial frequency band.

12. A terrestrial base station according to claim 10 in combination with the wireless terminals.

13. A terrestrial base station according to claim 10 wherein the satellite frequency band is a cellular satellite frequency band and/or wherein the terrestrial frequency band is a terrestrial cellular frequency band.

14. A method of operating a terrestrial base station of a wireless communications system comprising:

transmitting communications to wireless terminals over a terrestrial frequency band; and

receiving communications from the wireless terminals over a satellite frequency band.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting communications to the wireless terminals over forward link and/or return link portions of the terrestrial frequency band.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein the receiving comprises receiving communications from the wireless terminals over a terrestrial frequency band.

17. A method according to claim 14 wherein the transmitting and the receiving are performed in a first operational mode and wherein the method further comprises transmitting communications to the wireless terminals over the terrestrial frequency band and receiving communications from the wireless terminals over the terrestrial frequency band in a second operational mode.

18. A method according to claim 17 further comprising transmitting communications to the wireless terminals over forward link and/or return link portions of the terrestrial frequency band in the first operational mode.

19. A method according to claim 17 further comprising receiving communications from the wireless terminals over the terrestrial frequency band in the first operational mode.

20. A method according to claim 14 wherein the satellite frequency band is a cellular satellite frequency band and/or wherein the terrestrial frequency band is a terrestrial cellular frequency band.

21. A method according to claim 14 further comprising refraining from transmitting communications to the wireless terminals over a satellite frequency band.

22. A method of operating a terrestrial base station of a terrestrial wireless communications system comprising:

receiving communications from wireless terminals over a satellite frequency band; and

refraining from transmitting communications to the wireless terminals over a satellite frequency band.

23. A method according to claim 22 further comprising receiving communications from the wireless terminals over a terrestrial frequency band.

24. A method according to claim 22 wherein the satellite frequency band is a cellular satellite frequency band and/or wherein the terrestrial frequency band is a terrestrial cellular frequency band.