Communications Systems and Methods Including Emission Detection

• US 20110171986A1
• Filed: 03/03/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Levin, Lon C., Karabinis, Peter D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,655,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/509
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0837 using pre-detection combining H04B7/0868 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/42 in systems with time, space, frequency or polarisation diversity

Abstract

A system for communications on an extraterrestrial body may include a space-based component and an ancillary extraterrestrial component on the extraterrestrial body. The space-based component may be configured to provide wireless communications with a plurality of radioterminals located on the extraterrestrial body over a satellite frequency band wherein the space-based component includes at least one satellite orbiting the extraterrestrial body. The ancillary extraterrestrial component may be configured to provide wireless communications with the plurality of radioterminals located on the extraterrestrial body. Moreover, the ancillary extraterrestrial component may reuse at least one satellite frequency of the satellite frequency band, and the space-based component and the ancillary extraterrestrial component may be configured to relay communications therebetween. Related methods are also discussed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first base station that is configured to detect an emission of a second base station, to establish a first link between the first base station and the second base station responsive to the detected emission and to use the first link to coordinate a frequency reuse, a transmission power, a hand-off procedure and/or a second link.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first base station is configured to provide wireless communications for a mobile radioterminal.

3. A system according to claim 1,

wherein the first base station is configured to wirelessly detect the emission directly from the second base station,

wherein the first base station is configured to establish the first link as a first radio link directly between the first base station and the second base station responsive to the wirelessly detected emission,

wherein the first base station is configured to use the first radio link to coordinate between the first and second base stations a frequency reuse, a transmission power, a hand-off procedure, and/or a second link, and

wherein the first base station is configured to provide wireless communications for a mobile radioterminal.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the first base station is configured to provide the wireless communications for the mobile radioterminal using frequencies of a satellite frequency band.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein the first base station is configured to use the first radio link to coordinate a frequency reuse between the first and second base stations.

6. A system according to claim 3 wherein the first base station is configured to use the first link to coordinate a transmission power of the first base station with a transmission power of the second base station.

7. A system according to claim 3 wherein the first base station comprises a first ancillary terrestrial component and wherein the second base station comprises a second ancillary terrestrial component.

8. A system according to claim 3 wherein the mobile radioterminal comprises a first mobile radioterminal, and wherein the first base station is configured to provide communications between the first mobile radioterminal and a second radioterminal using the first radio link between the first and second base stations.

9. A method comprising:

detecting by a first base station an emission of a second base station;

establishing a first link between the first base station and the second base station responsive to the detecting; and

using the first link to coordinate a frequency reuse, a transmission power, a hand-off procedure and/or a second link.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

providing wireless communications for a mobile radioterminal through the first base station.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein providing the wireless communications for the mobile radioterminal comprises providing the wireless communications for the mobile radioterminal through the first base station using frequencies of a satellite frequency band.

12. A method according to claim 9,

wherein detecting the emission comprises wirelessly detecting by the first base station the emission directly from the second base station at the first base station,

wherein establishing the first link comprises establishing a first radio link directly between the first base station and the second base station responsive to the wirelessly detecting the emission of the second base station, and

wherein using the first link comprises using the first radio link to coordinate between the first and second base stations a frequency reuse, a transmission power, a hand-off procedure and/or a second link, the method further comprising,

providing wireless communications for a mobile radioterminal through the first base station.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein using the first radio link comprises using the first radio link to coordinate a frequency reuse between the first and second base stations.

14. A method according to claim 12 wherein using the first radio link comprises using the first radio link to coordinate a transmission power of the first base station with a transmission power of the second base station.

15. A method according to claim 12 wherein the first base station comprises a first ancillary terrestrial component and wherein the second base station comprises a second ancillary terrestrial component.

16. A method according to claim 12 wherein the mobile radioterminal comprises a first mobile radioterminal, the method further comprising:

providing communications between the first mobile radioterminal and a second radioterminal using the first radio link between the first and second base stations.