1xEVDO WIRELESS INTERFACE TO ENABLE COMMUNICATIONS VIA A SATELLITE RELAY

• US 20080025249A1
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jalali, Ahmad, Namgoong, June, Jayaraman, Srikant, Kuppuswamy, Kalyan
• Application Number:
  US11/829,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20080025249A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/325
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18567 Arrangements for providing additional services to the basic mobile satellite telephony service

Abstract

A communication system is provided that allows a mobile terminal with an EVDO interface to perform VoIP communications via a satellite. The 1xEVDO physical layer frames and vocoder frames are synchronized and aligned to a known periodic time boundary for efficient transmission. A reverse link transmission rate is adjusted to match a VoIP packet source rate and operate the reverse link transmission channel to a satellite continuously. The reverse link transmission channel from a mobile terminal to a satellite may operate continuously and at a lower channel transmission rate to reduce the peak power amplifier power requirement. The higher layer time-out periods are increased to account for propagation delay to/from a satellite relay. A physical layer retransmit mechanism is disabled to ignore ACKs/NACKs when sending VoIP packets via a satellite relay. A different channel code may be selective applied depending on the size/type of packets being transmitted.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a wireless communication interface configured to communicate via a satellite relay; and

a processor coupled with the wireless communication interface, the processor configured to

obtain a voice signal;

digitize the voice signal into voice-over-IP (VoIP) packets;

synchronize a physical layer frame and a VoIP packet frame and align them with a known periodic time boundary, wherein the physical layer and VoIP packet frames are of different sizes; and

transmit the VoIP packets over a reverse link channel to the satellite.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a vocoder that receives the voice signal and digitizes into the VoIP packets.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust a reverse link transmission rate to match a VoIP packet rate;

and

operate the reverse link transmission channel to the satellite continuously.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to disable physical layer retransmit requests on the reverse link channel.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to

selectively apply a different channel code depending on the size of packets being transmitted.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein a first code optimized for time sensitive payloads is used on payloads smaller than 128 bits and a different second code is used for payloads larger than or equal to 128 bits.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein wireless communication interface is a modified Evolution-Data Optimize wireless communication interface.

8. A method for communicating from a mobile terminal via a satellite relay, comprising:

obtaining a voice signal;

digitizing the voice signal into voice-over-IP (VoIP) packets;

synchronizing a physical layer frame and a VoIP packet frame and aligning them with a known periodic time boundary, wherein the physical layer and VoIP packet frames are of different sizes; and

transmitting the VoIP packets over a reverse link channel to the satellite.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

adjusting a reverse link transmission rate to match a VoIP packet rate; and

operating the reverse link transmission channel to the satellite continuously.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

disabling physical layer retransmit requests on the reverse link channel.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

selectively applying a different channel code depending on the size of packets being transmitted.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a first code optimized for time sensitive payloads is used on payloads smaller than 128 bits and a different second code is used for payloads larger than or equal to 128 bits.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

selectively applying a different channel code depending on the type of packets being transmitted.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a zero-overhead tailbiting convolutional code is used for the VoIP packets.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

adjusting one or more time out periods in a communication protocol to account for the longer propagation delay over the satellite relay.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing an indication to a recipient that VoIP packets are to be transmitted.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the VoIP packets are transmitted over a modified Evolution-Data Optimize wireless communication interface.

18. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing an audible indication to the user that assist a user of the mobile terminal in orienting the mobile terminal to improve forward link signal reception from the satellite.

19. The method of claim 8, the reverse link comprises a Spread Spectrum Access Channel.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein the reverse link comprises flexible assignment of frequency channels.

21. The method of claim 8, wherein the reverse link comprises a rate set optimized for voice and for data.

22. The method of claim 8, wherein the reverse link operates as a broadband reverse link waveform.

23. The method of claim 8, wherein the reverse link operates as a narrowband reverse link waveform.

24. The method of claim 8, wherein the reverse link carries Channel Quality Indicator symbols generated using a bi-orthogonal code.

25. The method of claim 8, wherein the reverse link uses a partial tailbiting convolutional code as the reverse link channel code for the VoIP packets.

26. A mobile terminal comprising:

means for obtaining a voice signal;

means for digitizing the voice signal into voice-over-IP (VoIP) packets;

means for synchronizing a physical layer frame and a VoIP packet frame;

means for aligning the physical layer frame and a VoIP packet frame with a known periodic time boundary, wherein the physical layer and VoIP packet frames are of different sizes; and

means for transmitting the VoIP packets over a reverse link channel.

27. The mobile terminal of claim 26, further comprising:

means for adjusting a reverse link transmission rate to match a VoIP packet rate; and

means for transmitting over the reverse link transmission channel continuously.

28. The mobile terminal of claim 26, further comprising:

means for disabling physical layer retransmit requests on the reverse link channel.

29. The mobile terminal of claim 26, further comprising:

means for selectively applying a different channel code depending on the type of packets being transmitted.

30. The mobile terminal of claim 26, further comprising:

means for adjusting one or more time out periods in a communication protocol to account for the longer propagation delay over a satellite relay.

31. A processor readable medium having one or more instructions for facilitating voice-over-IP communications, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

digitize a voice signal into voice-over-IP (VoIP) packets;

synchronize a physical layer frame and a VoIP packet frame and align them with a known periodic time boundary, wherein the physical layer and VoIP packet frames are of different sizes; and

transmit the VoIP packets over a reverse link channel.

32. The processor readable medium of claim 31, further having one or more instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

adjust a reverse link transmission rate to match a VoIP packet rate; and

transmit over the reverse link transmission channel continuously.

33. The processor readable medium of claim 31, further having one or more instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

disable physical layer retransmit requests on the reverse link channel.

34. The processor readable medium of claim 31, further having one or more instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

selectively apply a different channel code depending on the type of packets being transmitted.

35. The processor readable medium of claim 31, further having one or more instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

adjust one or more time out periods in a communication protocol to account for the longer propagation delay over a satellite relay.

36. A processor comprising:

a processing circuit configured to digitize a voice signal into voice-over-IP (VoIP) packets;

synchronize a physical layer frame and a VoIP packet frame and align them with a known periodic time boundary, wherein the physical layer and VoIP packet frames are of different sizes; and

transmit the VoIP packets over a reverse link channel.

37. The processor of claim 36, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

adjust a reverse link transmission rate to match a VoIP packet rate; and

transmit over the reverse link transmission channel continuously.

38. The processor of claim 36, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

disable physical layer retransmit requests on the reverse link channel.

39. The processor of claim 36, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

selectively apply a different channel code depending on the type of packets being transmitted.

40. The processor of claim 36, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

adjust one or more time out periods in a communication protocol to account for the longer propagation delay over a satellite relay.

41. A gateway for receiving voice-over-IP communications via a satellite relay, comprising:

a wireless communication interface configured to communicate via a satellite relay; and

a processor coupled with the wireless communication interface, the processor configured to

adjust a reverse link transmission rate to match a VoIP packet source rate and receive VoIP packets on the reverse link continuously; and

receive VoIP packet frames that are smaller than physical layer frames, wherein a starting VoIP packet frame and a starting physical layer frame are synchronized and aligned to a known periodic time boundary, and the physical layer and VoIP packet frames are of different sizes.

42. The gateway of claim 41, wherein the processor is further configured to

receive an indication that VoIP packets will be received from the reverse link via the satellite relay.

43. The gateway of claim 41, wherein the processor is further configured to

disable physical layer retransmit requests on the reverse link channel.

44. The gateway of claim 41, wherein the processor is further configured to

selectively use a different channel coding to receive on the reverse link channel depending on the type of packets being received.

45. The gateway of claim 44, wherein a first code optimized for time sensitive payloads is used on payloads smaller than 128 bits and a different second code is used for payloads larger than or equal to 128 bits.

46. The gateway of claim 41, wherein wireless communication interface is a modified Evolution-Data Optimize wireless communication interface.

47. A method for facilitating voice-over-IP communications from a gateway via a satellite relay, comprising:

adjusting a reverse link transmission rate to match a VoIP packet source rate and receive VoIP packets on the reverse link continuously; and

receiving VoIP packet frames that are smaller than physical layer frames, wherein a starting VoIP packet frame and a starting physical layer frame are synchronized and aligned to a known periodic time boundary, and the physical layer and VoIP packet frames are of different sizes.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

receiving an indication that VoIP packets will be received from the reverse link via a satellite.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

disabling physical layer retransmission requests.

50. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

selectively using a different channel coding to receive on the reverse link channel depending on the type of packets being received.

51. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

adjusting one or more time out periods in a communication protocol to account for the longer propagation delay over the satellite relay.

52. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

wherein the VoIP packets are received via a modified Evolution-Data Optimize (EVDO) wireless communication interface.

53. A gateway for receiving voice-over-IP communications via a satellite relay, comprising:

means for adjusting a reverse link transmission rate to match a VoIP packet source rate and receive VoIP packets on the reverse link continuously; and

means for receiving VoIP packet frames that are smaller than physical layer frames, wherein a starting VoIP packet frame and a starting physical layer frame are synchronized and aligned to a known periodic time boundary, and the physical layer and VoIP packet frames are of different sizes.

54. The gateway of claim 53, further comprising:

means for receiving an indication that VoIP packets will be received from the reverse link via a satellite.

55. The gateway of claim 53, further comprising:

means for disabling physical layer retransmission requests.

56. The gateway of claim 53, further comprising:

means for selectively using a different channel coding to receive on the reverse link channel depending on the type of packets being received.

57. The gateway of claim 53, further comprising:

means for adjusting one or more time out periods in a communication protocol to account for the longer propagation delay over the satellite relay.

58. A processor readable medium having one or more instructions for facilitating voice-over-IP communications, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

adjust a reverse link transmission rate to match a VoIP packet source rate and receive VoIP packets on the reverse link continuously; and

receive VoIP packet frames that are smaller than physical layer frames, wherein a starting VoIP packet frame and a starting physical layer frame are synchronized and aligned to a known periodic time boundary, and the physical layer and VoIP packet frames are of different sizes.

59. The processor readable medium of claim 58, further having one or more instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

receive an indication that VoIP packets will be received from the reverse link via a satellite.

60. The processor readable medium of claim 58, further having one or more instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

disable physical layer retransmission requests.

61. The processor readable medium of claim 58, further having one or more instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

selectively use a different channel coding to receive on the reverse link channel depending on the type of packets being received.

62. The processor readable medium of claim 58, further having one or more instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

adjust one or more time out periods in a communication protocol to account for the longer propagation delay over the satellite relay.

63. A processor comprising:

a processing circuit configured to

adjust a reverse link transmission rate to match a VoIP packet source rate and receive VoIP packets on the reverse link continuously; and

receive VoIP packet frames that are smaller than physical layer frames, wherein a starting VoIP packet frame and a starting physical layer frame are synchronized and aligned to a known periodic time boundary, and the physical layer and VoIP packet frames are of different sizes.

64. The processor of claim 63, wherein the processor is further configured to

disable physical layer retransmission requests.

65. The processor of claim 63, wherein the processor is further configured to

selectively use a different channel coding to receive on the reverse link channel depending on the type of packets being received.

66. The processor of claim 63, wherein the processor is further configured to

adjust one or more time out periods in a communication protocol to account for the longer propagation delay over the satellite relay.