Networked satellite and terrestrial cellular radiotelephone systems

• US 5,394,561 A
• Filed: 07/22/1993
• Issued: 02/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Freeburg, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FAILE, ANDREW I
• Application Number:
  US08/095,811
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.2, 455/13.3, 455/13.4, 455/33.1, 455/33.2, 455/33.3, 455/33.4, 455/34.1, 455/34.2, 455/63, 455/69-70, 455/127, 455/232.1 , 455/234.1, 455/234.2, 455/54.1, 455/56.1, 342/356, 379/58-60, 379/63
• US Class Current: 455/428
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18521 Systems of inter linked satellites, i.e. inter satellite service for optical links between satellites H04B10/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00

Abstract

There is provided a mechanism for networking satellite and terrestrial networks. It comprises: maintaining subscriber-received power levels of terrestrial network transmissions about one order of magnitude above co-channel satellite transmissions to overcome interference and maintaining subscriber transmissions to terrestrial networks at power levels about one order of magnitude of the below co-channel transmissions to satellite networks to avoid causing interference at the satellite. Such power level maintenance is provided by the network in communication with such subscriber. Moreover, a non-orbiting ("grounded") satellite cooperates as a switching node of both the satellite network and a terrestrial network to relay information between a terrestrial subscriber and the satellite radiotelephone network over a terrestrial network. The terrestrial network and the satellite network may communicate via either the inter-satellite spectrum or the terrestrial-to-satellite spectrum.

Claims

1. A method of networking a satellite network and a terrestrial network comprising the steps of:

communicating information with a subscriber over a terrestrial network;

communicating a first portion of the information between a communications device of the terrestrial network and a first orbiting satellite of the satellite network over a first communication path; and

handing-off the information such that a second portion of the information is communicated between the communications device and a second orbiting satellite of the satellite network over a second communication path.

2. A method of networking a satellite network and a terrestrial network comprising the steps of:

communicating information with a subscriber over a terrestrial network;

communicating a first portion of the information between a communications device of the terrestrial network and a first satellite of an orbiting satellite cellular radiotelephone switching network over a first communication path;

handing-off the information such that a second portion of the information is communication between the communications device and a second satellite of the orbiting satellite cellular radiotelephone switching network over a second communication path.

3. A method of networking a satellite network and a terrestrial network comprising the steps of:

controlling a terrestrial network transmission within a frequency band with respect to a satellite network transmission also within said frequency band to overcome interference

and controlling a subscriber transmission to the terrestrial network with respect to the terrestrial network transmission to the satellite network to avoid causing interference at a satellite of the satellite network; and

relaying information between a terrestrial subscriber and a satellite network via the terrestrial network.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of relaying comprises the step of relaying the information via a non-orbiting satellite that is cooperating as a functional element of the satellite network.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of relaying comprises the step of relaying the information via a non-orbiting satellite that is cooperating as a switching node of both the satellite network and the terrestrial network.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein a communication link between the non-orbiting satellite and a first satellite of the satellite network is handed off to a second satellite in the satellite network.

7. An apparatus for networking a satellite network and a terrestrial network comprising:

first means for communicating information with a subscriber over a terrestrial networks;

second means, coupled to the first means, for communicating a first portion of the information between a communications device of the terrestrial network and a first satellite of an orbiting satellite cellular radiotelephone switching network over a first communication path and for handing-off the information such that a second portion of the information is communication between the communications device and a second satellite of the orbiting satellite cellular radiotelephone switching network over a second communication path.