Mobile satellite user information request system and methods

• US 5,812,932 A
• Filed: 11/17/1995
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Globalstar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Globalstar Incorporated
• Inventors: Wiedeman, Robert A., Monte, Paul A., Penwarden, Kent A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TO, DORIS HA
• Application Number:
  US08/559,081
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 455/13.1, 455/12.1, 455/11.1, 455/33.1, 455/54.1, 455/54.2, 455/25, 455/89, 455/56.1, 455/53.1, 455/422, 455/427, 455/430, 455/435, 455/436, 455/437, 455/507 , 455/514, 455/517, 455/524, 455/550, 455/575, 370/316, 370/310, 370/320, 342/357, 342/352, 342/353, 342/457
• US Class Current: 455/13.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18539 Arrangements for managing radio, resources, i.e. for establishing or releasing a connection

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for use in a satellite communications system (10) that enable a user to gain knowledge of a direction to one or more "best" satellites available to the user. This information enables the user to alter his or her position to take advantage of the one or more "best" satellites at any particular time in order to facilitate the ability to log-on, initiate and receive calls, and complete calls. The information can be supplied by the user terminal (13) itself, or by a gateway (14). The information can be employed by the user to select for a period of time, by example, a position on an east side of a building, to move to a south-east facing window, or to take some other action that enhances the user'"'"'s connectivity to one or more of the satellites.

Claims

1. A method for operating a satellite communications system having a plurality of earth orbiting satellites, at least one terrestrial user terminal, and at least one terrestrial gateway, comprising the steps of:

determining a location of the user terminal;

determining locations of one or more satellites with respect to the determined location of the user terminal;

determining, in accordance with the determined location of the user terminal and the determined locations of the one or more satellites, a second location of the user terminal that provides a best communications path between the user terminal and the one or more satellites; and

presenting an instruction to an operator of the user terminal, the instruction indicating the determined second location.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of the steps of determining is performed in the user terminal.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of steps of determining is performed in the gateway.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of the steps of determining is performed in at least one of the satellites.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of determining locations of one or more satellites uses a current time and date.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of determining locations of one or more satellites uses a future time and date.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6, and further comprising a step of:

prompting the operator to input a future time and date; and

determining the locations of the one or more satellites in accordance with the future time and date that is inputted by the operator.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of determining locations of one or more satellites employs satellite ephemeris data that is stored in at least one of the user terminal and the gateway.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8, and for the case where the satellite ephemeris data is stored in the user terminal, further comprising an initial step of transferring all or part of the satellite ephemeris data from the gateway to the user terminal through at least one satellite.

10. A method for operating a satellite communications system having a plurality of earth orbiting satellites, at least one terrestrial user terminal, and at least one terrestrial gateway, comprising the steps of:

determining a location of the user terminal;

determining locations of one or more satellites with respect to the determined location of the user terminal;

determining, in accordance with the determined location of the user terminal and the determined locations of the one or more satellites, a position of the user terminal that provides a best communications path between the user terminal and the one or more satellites; and

presenting an instruction to an operator of the user terminal, the instruction indicating the determined position, wherein the step of determining a position of the user terminal includes the steps of;

prompting the operator to input information descriptive of an environment of the user terminal; and

determining the position also in accordance with the information that is inputted by the operator.

11. A method for operating a satellite communications system having a plurality of earth orbiting satellites, at least one terrestrial user terminal, and at least one terrestrial gateway, comprising the steps of:

determining a location of the user terminal;

determining locations of one or more satellites with respect to the determined location of the user terminal;

determining, in accordance with the determined location of the user terminal and the determined locations of the one or more satellites, a position of the user terminal that provides a best communications path between the user terminal and the one or more satellites; and

presenting an instruction to an operator of the user terminal, the instruction indicating the determined position, and comprising the initial steps of;

generating a request for service in the user terminal; and

transmitting the request for service from the user terminal through at least one satellite to the gateway;

wherein the steps of determining are executed within the gateway;

and wherein the step of presenting includes an initial step of transmitting the instruction from the gateway to the user terminal through at least one satellite.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting employs a code division, multiple access transmission.

13. A satellite communications system having a plurality of earth orbiting satellites, at least one terrestrial user terminal, and at least one terrestrial gateway, comprising:

means in said system for determining a location of the user terminal;

means in said system for determining locations of one or more satellites with respect to the determined location of the user terminal;

means in said system for determining, in accordance with the determined location of the user terminal and the determined locations of the one or more satellites, a second location of the user terminal that provides a best communications path between the user terminal and the one or more satellites; and

means for presenting an instruction to an operator of the user terminal, the instruction indicating the determined second location.

14. A system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said user terminal is comprised of at least one of said means for determining.

15. A system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said gateway is comprised of at least one of said means for determining.

16. A system as described in claim 13, wherein at least one of said means for determining is located within at least one of said plurality of satellites.

17. A system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said means for determining locations of one or more satellites uses a current time and date.

18. A system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said means for determining locations of one or more satellites uses a future time and date.

19. A system as set forth in claim 18, and further comprising means for prompting the operator to input a future time and date.

20. A system as set forth in claim 13, and further comprising means in said system for storing satellite ephemeris data, and wherein said means for determining locations of one or more satellites employs the stored satellite ephemeris data.

21. A satellite communications system having a plurality of earth orbiting satellites, at least one terrestrial user terminal;

and at least one terrestrial gateway, comprising;

means in said system for determining a location of the user terminal;

means in said system for determining locations of one or more satellites with respect to the determined location of the user terminal;

means in said system for determining, in accordance with the determined location of the user terminal and the determined locations of the one or more satellites, a position of the user terminal that provides a best communications path between the user terminal and the one or more satellites; and

means for presenting an instruction to an operator of the user terminal, the instruction indicating the determined position, wherein

said means for determining a position of the user terminal is comprised of means for prompting the operator to input information descriptive of an environment of the user terminal; and

wherein said means for determining the position is responsive to information input by the operator.

22. A satellite communications system having a plurality of earth orbiting satellites, at least one terrestrial user terminal, and at least one terrestrial gateway, comprising:

means in said system for determining a location of the user terminal;

means in said system for determining locations of one or more satellites with respect to the determined location of the user terminal;

means in said system for determining, in accordance with the determined location of the user terminal and the determined locations of the one or more satellites, a position of the user terminal that provides a best communications path between the user terminal and the one or more satellites; and

means for presenting an instruction to an operator of the user terminal, the instruction indicating the determined position, wherein

said user terminal is comprised of means for generating a request for service and means for transmitting the request for service from said user terminal through at least one satellite to said gateway;

wherein all of said means for determining are located within said gateway; and

wherein said gateway further comprises means for transmitting the instruction from said gateway to said user terminal through at least one satellite.

23. A system as set forth in claim 22, wherein said means for transmitting both employ a code division, multiple access transmission.

24. A method for operating a satellite communications system having a plurality of earth orbiting satellites, at least one terrestrial user terminal, and at least one terrestrial gateway, comprising the steps of:

determining a location of the user terminal;

determining locations of one or more satellites with respect to the determined location of the user terminal;

determining, in accordance with the determined location of the user terminal and the determined locations of the one or more satellites, a second location of the user terminal that provides a best communications path between the user terminal and the one or more satellites; and

transmitting information to the user terminal, the transmitted information indicating the determined second location.

25. A method as set forth in claim 24, and further comprising a step of presenting the transmitted information to an operator of the user terminal in an operator-perceptible format.

26. A method as set forth in claim 24, and further comprising a step of using the transmitted information to vary at least one of a location of the user terminal, relative to the determined locations of the one or more satellites, and an orientation of an antenna of the user terminal, relative to the determined locations of the one or more satellites.

27. A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the step of transmitting includes a step of transmitting the information from the at least one terrestrial gateway through at least one satellite to the user terminal.

28. A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the step of determining locations of the one or more satellites determines the locations at some future time.

29. A method as set forth in claim 24, and further comprising the steps of:

presenting the transmitted information to an operator of the user terminal in an operator-perceptible format;

using the transmitted information to vary at least one of a position and an orientation of the user terminal, relative to the determined locations of the one or more satellites; and

establishing at least one of a voice and a data communication link between the user terminal and the at least one terrestrial gateway via at least one of the plurality of satellites.

30. A method for operating a satellite communications system having a plurality of earth orbiting satellites, at least one terrestrial user terminal, and at least one terrestrial gateway, comprising the steps of:

determining a location of the user terminal;

determining locations of one or more satellites with respect to the determined location of the user terminal;

determining, in accordance with the determined location of the user terminal and the determined locations of the one or more satellites, a position of the user terminal that provides a best communications path between the user terminal and the one or more satellites; and

transmitting information to the user terminal, the transmitted information indicating the determined position;

the method further comprising the steps of,

presenting the transmitted information to an operator of the user terminal in an operator-perceptible format;

using the transmitted information to vary at least one of a position and an orientation of the user terminal, relative to the determined locations of the one or more satellites; and

establishing at least one of a voice and a data communication link between the user terminal and the at least one terrestrial gateway via at least one of the plurality of satellites;

the method further comprising the steps of, during a time that the communication link is established,

determining updated locations of one or more satellites with respect to a location of the user terminal;

determining, in accordance with the location of the user terminal and the determined updated locations of the one or more satellites, an updated position of the user terminal that provides a best communications path between the user terminal and the one or more satellites;

transmitting information to the user terminal, the transmitted information indicating the determined updated position;

presenting the transmitted information to an operator of the user terminal in an operator-perceptible format;

using the transmitted information to vary at least one of a position and an orientation of the user terminal, relative to the determined updated locations of the one or more satellites; and

maintaining the established at least one of a voice and a data communication link between the user terminal and the at least one terrestrial gateway via at least one of the plurality of satellites.

31. A method for operating a satellite communications system having a plurality of earth orbiting satellites, at least one terrestrial user terminal, and at least one terrestrial gateway, comprising the steps of:

determining a location of the user terminal;

determining locations of at least two satellites with respect to the determined location of the user terminal;

determining, in accordance with the determined location of the user terminal and the determined locations of the at least two satellites, a position of the user terminal that provides a best communications path between the user terminal and the at least two satellites;

presenting an instruction to an operator of the user terminal, the instruction indicating the determined position; and

operating said user terminal in a diversity reception mode at the determined position for receiving and combining communications signals received from said at least two satellites.

32. A method for operating a satellite communications system having a space segment comprised of a plurality of earth orbiting satellites and a terrestrial segment comprised of at least one user terminal, having a substantially omnidirectional antenna, and at least one gateway coupled to a terrestrial communications system, comprising the steps of:

in response to input from a user, sending a first communication from the user terminal to the terrestrial segment via the antenna and at least one satellite, the first communication initiating a user terminal log-on and registration procedure;

determining a location of the user terminal and storing the determining location in a database;

in response to the user initiating a call, determining an updated location of the user terminal and calculating an azimuth angle and an elevation angle to at least one satellite that is in view of the determined updated location of the user terminal;

determining, in accordance with the determined updated location of the user terminal and the calculated angles, a preferred location for the user terminal to conduct the call;

sending a second communication to the user terminal via at least one satellite, the second communication including information for specifying the preferred location; and

converting the information into a user-perceptible format and presenting the formatted information to the user.

33. A method as in claim 32, wherein the step of determining a preferred location for the user terminal includes a step of also considering a strength or quality of a signal received from the user terminal.

34. A method as in claim 32, wherein the step of determining a preferred location for the user terminal includes a step of also considering user terminal environmental information that is received from the user terminal.

35. A method for operating a satellite communications system having a space segment comprised of a plurality of non-geosynchronously orbiting satellites and a terrestrial segment comprised of at least one user terminal, having a substantially omnidirectional antenna, and at least one gateway coupled to a terrestrial communications system, comprising the steps of:

in response to input from a user, determining a location of the user terminal and storing the determining location in a database;

in response to the user initiating a call, determining an updated location of the user terminal and calculating an optimal location for the user terminal relative to a track of at least one satellite that is expected to be in view of the user terminal;

sending a message to the user terminal via at least one satellite, the message including information for specifying the optimal location; and

converting the information into a user-perceptible format and presenting the formatted information to the user;

wherein

the step of calculating is accomplished during an iterative process that attempts to compensate for signal path impairments that may exist between the user terminal and the track of the at least one satellite.

36. A method as in claim 35, wherein the step of calculating considers a strength or quality of a signal received from the user terminal.

37. A method as in claim 35, wherein the step of calculating considers user terminal environmental information that is received from the user terminal.

38. A method as in claim 35, and further comprising a step of moving the user terminal laterally with respect to the surface of the earth in response to the formatted information that is presented to the user.

39. A method as in claim 35, and further comprising a step of moving the user terminal vertically with respect to the surface of the earth in response to the formatted information that is presented to the user.

40. A method for operating a satellite communications system having a space segment comprised of a plurality of non-geosynchronously orbiting satellites and a terrestrial segment comprised of at least one user terminal, having a substantially omnidirectional antenna, and at least one gateway coupled to a terrestrial communications system, comprising the steps of:

in response to the user initiating a call, determining a current location of the user terminal;

calculating an optimal location for the user terminal relative to a track of at least one satellite that is expected to be in view of the user terminal;

sending a message to the user terminal via at least one satellite, the message including information for specifying the optimal location;

converting the information into a user-perceptible format and presenting the formatted information to the user; and

moving the user terminal at least one of laterally with respect to the surface of the earth or vertically with respect to the surface of the earth in response to the formatted information that is presented to the user.