Apparatus And Method For Satellite Communication Installed In Terrestrial Portable Phone And Similar Ground Terminal

• US 20080084838A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Asia Pacific Satellite-communications Inc.
• Original Assignee: Asia Pacific Satellite-communications Inc.
• Inventors: Cho, Young Haeng, Ryoo, Jang Soo, Kim, Jung Soo
• Application Number:
  US11/720,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20080084838A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18532 Arrangements for managing transmission, i.e. for transporting data or a signalling message
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18573 for operations control, administration or maintenance

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of performing satellite communication in a synchronous or asynchronous mobile terminal containing a satellite communication module (SCM) having a satellite antenna for performing direct communication with a satellite, thus allowing communication in areas where there exists no land communication network as well as allowing land radio communication. The method includes a first step of interfacing between the satellite communication apparatus and the land communication apparatus such that predetermined signals are transmitted/received between the satellite communication apparatus and the land communication apparatus; and a second step of performing the satellite communication according to the signals transmitted/received between the satellite communication apparatus and the land communication apparatus through the interfacing.

Claims

1. A method of performing a satellite communication in a mobile terminal of a synchronous or asynchronous system, the mobile terminal being equipped with a land communication apparatus for land communication, wherein the mobile terminal contains a satellite communication apparatus comprising a satellite antenna and a satellite communication module for performing direct communication with a satellite, the method comprising the steps of:

a first step of interfacing between the satellite communication apparatus and the land communication apparatus such that predetermined signals are transmitted/received between the satellite communication apparatus and the land communication apparatus; and

a second step of performing the satellite communication according to the signals transmitted/received between the satellite communication apparatus and the land communication apparatus through the interfacing.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in the first step, the satellite communication apparatus is contained in the mobile terminal using a board-to-board (B2B) connector having at least one pin.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in the first step, the interfacing is performed using at least one of GPIO, MCSI, UART and IWA.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second step comprises:

(a) a step of receiving a satellite signal transmitted from the satellite through the satellite antenna;

(b) a step of converting the received satellite signal into a signal by means of which the satellite communication apparatus interfaces with the land communication apparatus;

(c) a step of reproducing the signal transmitted from the satellite communication apparatus as voice through a speaker under control of a control unit in the land communication apparatus;

(d) a step of converting voice input through a microphone into a predetermined signal under control of the control unit in the land communication apparatus, and transmitting the predetermined signal to the satellite communication apparatus through the interfacing; and

(e) a step of converting the predetermined signal transmitted from the land communication apparatus into a satellite signal by means of which the satellite interfaces with the satellite communication apparatus, and transmitting the satellite signal to the satellite through the satellite antenna.

5. A satellite communication apparatus contained in a mobile terminal, comprising:

a satellite antenna for transmitting/receiving a high frequency satellite signal to/from a satellite;

a high frequency processing unit for receiving the high frequency satellite signal, converting the received high frequency satellite signal into an intermediate frequency signal, converting the intermediate frequency signal into a baseband signal, converting a baseband signal into an intermediate frequency signal, and converting the intermediate frequency signal into a high frequency satellite signal;

a signal processing integrated circuit unit for transmitting the baseband signal input from the high frequency processing unit, generating the baseband signal through modulation, outputting the generated baseband signal to the high frequency processing unit, and maintaining a communication channel frequency through a PLL logic unit;

a GPS unit for receiving a satellite signal from a GPS satellite and providing position and time information; and

a main processing unit for demodulating the baseband signal input from the signal processing integrated circuit unit, performing a channel decoding process and a message decoding process for the demodulated baseband signal, generating predetermined format data according to a protocol related to satellite communication, performing a channel coding process for the generated format data, outputting the format data to the signal processing integrated circuit unit, outputting a timing control signal based on the position and time information input from the GPS unit in order to transmit the format data according to time slots, and managing a call process related to the satellite communication.

6. The satellite communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a frequency band of the signal transmitted/received by the high frequency processing unit is an L band.

7. The satellite communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a frequency band of the signal transmitted/received by the high frequency processing unit is a S band.

8. The satellite communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the signal processing integrated circuit unit interfaces with a SIM card.

9. The satellite communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the high frequency processing unit is implemented by a monolithic microwave integrated circuit.

10. The satellite communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the signal processing integrated circuit unit is implemented by an application specific integrated circuit.

11. A satellite communicating method of a satellite communication apparatus having a satellite communication module comprising a satellite antenna for performing direct communication with a satellite, a high frequency processing unit for converting a satellite signal, a signal processing integrated circuit unit for maintaining a communication channel frequency, a GPS unit for receiving a satellite GPS signal, and a main processing unit for managing a call process related to satellite communication, the method comprising the steps of:

by the satellite antenna, directly receiving a high frequency satellite signal transmitted from the satellite;

by the high frequency processing unit, converting the received high frequency satellite signal into an intermediate frequency signal, converting the intermediate frequency signal into a baseband signal, converting a baseband signal into an intermediate frequency signal, and converting the intermediate frequency signal into a high frequency satellite signal;

by the signal processing integrated circuit unit, transmitting the baseband signal input from the high frequency processing unit to the main processing unit, generating the baseband signal through modulation, outputting the generated baseband signal to the high frequency processing unit, and maintaining the communication channel frequency through a PLL logic unit;

by the GPS unit, receiving a satellite signal from a GPS satellite and providing position and time information to the main processing unit; and

by the main processing unit, demodulating the baseband signal input from the signal processing integrated circuit unit, performing a channel decoding process and a message decoding process for the demodulated baseband signal, generating predetermined format data according to a protocol related to satellite communication, performing a channel coding process for the generated format data, outputting the format data to the signal processing integrated circuit unit, outputting a timing control signal based on the position and time information input from the GPS unit in order to transmit the format data according to time slots, and managing a call process related to the satellite communication.