Satellite communications system for mobile users
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for communicating via a satellite comprising:
- a plurality of mobile terminals located within at least two geographical zones;
a satellite positioned in view of the geographical zones for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to the plurality of mobile terminals, the satellite including means for transmitting frequency addressable downlink signals to the mobile terminals, and means for receiving frequency addressable uplink signals from the mobile terminals, said transmitting means and said receiving means each including means for forming a plurality of signal carrying beams of electromagnetic radiation between said satellite and said zones, the positions of the respective beams within each of said zones being a function of the frequency of the beams such that the destination addresses of the respective signals within each zone are determined by the respective frequencies of said beams; and
a base station for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the satellite.
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Abstract
A satellite communication system is disclosed that would allow for communication between mobile and fixed terminals. The communications system includes a plurality of mobile users, a satellite in geosynchronous orbit for providing frequency addressable uplink and downlink signals to the mobile terminals, a base station for receiving siganls from and transmitting signals to the satellite and a plurality of fixed users coupled to the base station. The system provides the advantage of frequency reusability and frequency addressability in the uplink and downlink transmissions of the mobile users.
53 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for communicating via a satellite comprising:
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a plurality of mobile terminals located within at least two geographical zones; a satellite positioned in view of the geographical zones for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to the plurality of mobile terminals, the satellite including means for transmitting frequency addressable downlink signals to the mobile terminals, and means for receiving frequency addressable uplink signals from the mobile terminals, said transmitting means and said receiving means each including means for forming a plurality of signal carrying beams of electromagnetic radiation between said satellite and said zones, the positions of the respective beams within each of said zones being a function of the frequency of the beams such that the destination addresses of the respective signals within each zone are determined by the respective frequencies of said beams; and a base station for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the satellite. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A satellite communication system comprising:
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a satellite positioned in view of a geographic area defined by a plurality of zones, the satellite including means for converting between a first range of frequencies and a second range of frequencies, means for receiving high gain, frequency addressable uplink beams at the second range of frequencies from each of the zones, and means for transmitting downlink beams at the second range of frequencies to each of the zones; said receiving means and said transmitting means each including means for forming the beams in each of the zones in a manner such that location addresses of the beams for each of said zones are determined by the respective frequencies of the beams so as to maximize the gain of the said beams; a base station located within the geographic area for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the satellite at the first range of frequencies; a plurality of fixed terminals coupled to the base station; and a plurality of mobile terminals located within the geographic area for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to the satellite at the second range of frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A satellite communication system comprising:
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a forward link and a return link, the forward link being for relaying signals from a base station to mobile terminals and the return link being for relaying signals from the mobile terminals to the base station; the forward link in the communication system comprising a first antenna for receiving and transmitting signals at a first frequency range; first diplexing means coupled to the first antenna for separating its transmit and receive paths; a receive section coupled to the receive path, the receive section providing with first means for filtering the signals received from the transmitting and receiving means, and first means coupled to the first filtering means for converting the signals received therefrom to a second range of frequencies; first beam forming network coupled to the signals from the first converting means; first means coupled to the first beam forming network for amplifying the signals from the first network; second diplexing means coupled to the first means for amplifying; an array antenna coupled to the first means for amplifying via the second diplexing means for transmitting the signals a the second range of frequencies; and the return link in the communication system comprising a plurality of receivers coupled to the second diplexing means of the antenna array for receiving signals from the mobile terminals at the second range of frequencies; a second beam forming network, responsive to signals from the plurality of receivers for providing signals at the second range of frequencies; second means coupled to the second beam forming network for converting the signals received therefrom to the first range of frequencies; a second filtering means for receiving the signals from the second converting means; and means coupled to the second filtering means for providing signals to the first antenna at the first range of frequencies via the first diplexing means. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. In a satellite Communication system for receiving and transmitting signals within a geographic area and including a plurality of means for converting signals to be transmitted into the geographical area from a first range of frequencies to a second range of frequencies;
- and wherein each of the plurality of converting means having an output, a transmit beam forming network, the network comprising;
a plurality of lines, each of the lines connected to a respective output of the plurality of converting means, and each of the lines being for containing a signal which is to be sent to one of a plurality of zones within the geographic area, with at least one of the lines including an alternating series of couplers and time-delay units; and a plurality of summers, each of the summers being coupled to at least two of the lines for accepting signals therefrom and for providing an output signal that is representative of signals accepted thereby. - View Dependent Claims (23)
- and wherein each of the plurality of converting means having an output, a transmit beam forming network, the network comprising;
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24. In a satellite communication system for receiving and transmitting signals within a geographic area and including a plurality of means for receiving signals from the area, a receive beam forming network, the network comprising:
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a plurality of means for splitting signals received from the receiving means into a plurality of separate signals to be reconstructed as zone signals respectively associated with distinct zonal locations in the geographic area, each of the splitting means accepting a signal from a respective one of the receiving means; and a plurality of lines, each associated with a distinct zonal location for receiving the separate signals, each of the lines including an alternating series of couplers and time delay units, and wherein each of the signal splitting means delivers representative portions of the received signal provided thereto to one of the couplers of each of the lines of the network. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification