Methods, Systems, and Computer Program Products For Providing Uplink Collision Identification

• US 20080130551A1
• Filed: 11/28/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TFCF Digital Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Fox Digital Enterprises, Inc (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Wetmore, Robert Evans
• Granted Patent: US 9,294,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1851 Systems using a satellite or space-based relay H04B7/18508, H04B7/18521 take precedence; providing specific services H04B7/18523 - H04B7/18576

Abstract

A method for providing uplink collision identification includes at a first satellite uplink, transmitting a first signal to a satellite; at the first satellite uplink, transmitting a first unique satellite uplink identification signal to the satellite; at a satellite downlink, receiving the first signal and the first unique satellite uplink identification signal; and at the satellite downlink, identifying the first satellite uplink in response to the first unique satellite uplink identification signal.

Claims

1. A method for providing uplink( collision identification, the method comprising:

at a first satellite uplink, transmitting a first signal to a satellite;

at the first satellite uplink, transmitting a first unique satellite uplink identification signal to the satellite;

at a satellite downlink, receiving the first signal and the first unique satellite uplink identification signal; and

at the satellite downlink, identifying the first satellite uplink in response to the first unique satellite uplink identification signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first signal is transmitted on a first frequency band having an upper frequency band edge, the first unique satellite uplink( identification signal being transmitted on a frequency spaced a predetermined frequency from the upper frequency band edge.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first signal is transmitted on a first frequency band having a lower frequency band edge, the first unique satellite uplink identification signal being transmitted on a frequency spaced a predetermined frequency from the lower frequency band edge.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the predetermined frequency is within a band having a predefined width.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the band has a predefined width is about 0.5 MHz.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first unique satellite uplink identification signal is a carrier wave modulated by an identification code.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first unique satellite uplink identification signal is transmitted at a level below the first signal.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

identifying the first satellite uplink in response to the first unique satellite uplink identification signal includes extracting an identification code from the identification signal and accessing a database of identification codes.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

at a second satellite uplink, transmitting a second signal to the satellite;

at the second satellite uplink, transmitting a second unique satellite uplink identification signal to the satellite;

at the satellite downlink, receiving the second signal and the second unique satellite uplink identification signal; and

at the satellite downlink, identifying the second satellite uplink in response to the second unique satellite uplink identification signal.

10. A system for providing uplink collision identification, the system comprising:

a first satellite uplink transmitting a first signal to a satellite;

the first satellite uplink transmitting a first unique satellite uplink identification signal to the satellite;

a satellite downlink receiving the first signal and the first unique satellite uplink identification signal; and

an identification system identifying the first satellite uplink in response to the first unique satellite uplink identification signal.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the first signal is transmitted on a first frequency band having an upper frequency band edge, the first unique satellite uplink identification signal being transmitted on a frequency spaced a predetermined frequency from the upper frequency band edge.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the first signal is transmitted on a first frequency band having a lower frequency band edge, the first unique satellite uplink identification signal being transmitted on a frequency spaced a predetermined frequency from the lower frequency band edge.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein:

the predetermined frequency is within a band having a predefined width.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein:

the band having a predefined width is about 0.5 MHz.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the first unique satellite uplink identification signal is a carrier wave modulated by an identification code.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the first unique satellite uplink identification signal is transmitted at a level below the first signal.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the identification system identifies the first satellite uplink in response to the first unique satellite uplink identification signal by extracting an identification code from the identification signal and accessing a database of identification codes.

18. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a second satellite uplink transmitting a second signal to the satellite;

the second satellite uplink transmitting a second unique satellite uplink identification signal to the satellite;

wherein the satellite downlink receives the second signal and the second unique satellite uplink identification signal; and

wherein the identification system identifies the second satellite uplink in response to the second unique satellite uplink identification signal.

19. A computer program product for providing uplink collision identification, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

at a first satellite uplink, transmitting a first signal to a satellite;

at the first satellite uplink, transmitting a first unique satellite uplink identification signal to the satellite;

at a satellite downlink, receiving the first signal and the first unique satellite uplink identification signal; and

at the satellite downlink, identifying the first satellite uplink in response to the first unique satellite uplink identification signal.