System and Method for Providing an Improved Terrestrial Subsystem for Use in Mobile Satellite Systems

• US 20140051434A1
• Filed: 10/23/2013
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalstar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Globalstar Incorporated
• Inventors: Monte, Paul A., Gallagher, Vijaya
• Granted Patent: US 8,923,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/427
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18519 Operations control, administration or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]

Abstract

A system or method is disclosed which employs filters on a satellite whose bandwidth is varied by ground command to restrict interference experienced by a satellite as an auxiliary terrestrial component (ATC) system is increased to a multiplicity of cities and markets. Thus there is provided a novel method and system which optimizes overall MSS and ATC traffic.

Claims

1. A method for maximizing auxiliary terrestrial component (ATC) and mobile satellite radio telephone system (MSS) capacity in a combination ATC/MSS system where the ATC coverage area overlaps the MSS coverage area, and the satellite radio telephone system comprises a communication satellite communicating on a series of frequency bands, where the method comprises

assigning a first frequency band from said series of frequency bands to the auxiliary terrestrial component;

at the communications satellite, suppressing the use of the first frequency band;

allocating selected frequency bands other than the first frequency band to the mobile satellite radio telephone system component.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the ATC and MSS capacity is provided by a LEO constellation comprising at least one satellite.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the ATC and MSS capacity is provided by a MEO constellation comprising at least one satellite.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the ATC and MSS capacity is provided by a GEO constellation comprising at least one satellite.

5. The satellite method as defined in claim 1 wherein the ATC and MSS capacity is provided by an HEO constellation comprising at least one satellite.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the ATC and MSS capacity is provided by a combination of LEO, MEO, GEO and HEO satellites.

7. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said first frequency band is suppressed at the satellite by switching in a filter.

8. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of selecting a first frequency band comprises a random assignment of one of said series of frequency bands to said first frequency band.

9. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of selecting a second frequency band from said plurality of frequency bands to the auxiliary terrestrial component.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said method of selecting said first and second frequency bands comprises selecting frequency bands from said series of frequency bands that minimizes reduces interference between the ATC and the MSS capacity.

11. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of allocating frequency bands comprises determining which frequency bands are is least occupied by desired users.

12. A system for maximizing auxiliary terrestrial component (ATC) and mobile satellite radio telephone system (MSS) capacity in a combination ATC/MSS system wherein the ATC coverage area overlaps the MSS coverage area comprising:

a communications satellite in communication with a gateway, said communication satellite having a series of communications return channels, each return channel comprising a separate frequency band, said satellite further having an filter having a series of settings, each filter setting suppressing satellite communication over a predetermined subset of said series of communication return channels, said system determining which of said filter settings is selected based on a command from a ground location or based on a predetermined time schedule.

13. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said system employs a LEO constellation.

14. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said system employs a MEO constellation.

15. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said system employs a GEO constellation.

16. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said system employs an HEO constellation.

17. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said system employs a constellation that is a combination of LEO, MEO, GEO and HEO satellites each comprising at least one satellite.