Medium-earth-altitute satellite-based cellular telecommunications
First Claim
1. A method for deploying a full service constellation of satellites in a satellite based telecommunications system, whereby the satellites provide one of single and double coverage of at least a predetermined portion of the earth depending upon a number of satellites deployed, wherein single coverage constitutes continuous, 24-hour satellite visibility by mobile users of one satellite and double coverage constitutes continuous, 24-hour satellite visibility by mobile users of two satellites, each satellite being adjustable within a corresponding orbital plane to accommodate gain and loss of satellites from the corresponding orbital plane, comprising the steps of:
- deploying a plurality of satellites in an original constellation of satellites providing single coverage;
distributing said original constellation of satellites along at least one orbital plane to provide single coverage of a desired portion of the earth;
providing rf communications links through said original constellation of satellites between mobile users and ground stations in an area of single coverage for the desired portion of the earth; and
deploying at least one additional satellite to said at least one orbital plane to provide a baseline constellation providing double coverage.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A satellite-based cellular telecommunications system employing a constellation of telecommunications satellites in medium earth orbit to provide multibeam radio frequency (rf) communications links for worldwide cellular telephone service with a minimum number of satellites. The telecommunications satellites are placed in a plurality of inclined orbits about the earth at an altitude of between approximately 5600 and 10,000 nautical miles. The characteristics of the orbits, such as the number of orbits, the inclination of each orbit, the number of satellites in each orbit and the altitude of the satellites, are tailored to maximize the coverage area of the satellites and their related line-of-sight elevation angles, while minimizing propagation time delays, the number of beam-to-beam and satellite-to-satellites handovers, and the total number of satellites. The present invention also includes several additional features which essentially eliminate beam-to-beam and satellite-to-satellite handovers, thus dramatically reducing the likelihood of dropouts.
106 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for deploying a full service constellation of satellites in a satellite based telecommunications system, whereby the satellites provide one of single and double coverage of at least a predetermined portion of the earth depending upon a number of satellites deployed, wherein single coverage constitutes continuous, 24-hour satellite visibility by mobile users of one satellite and double coverage constitutes continuous, 24-hour satellite visibility by mobile users of two satellites, each satellite being adjustable within a corresponding orbital plane to accommodate gain and loss of satellites from the corresponding orbital plane, comprising the steps of:
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deploying a plurality of satellites in an original constellation of satellites providing single coverage; distributing said original constellation of satellites along at least one orbital plane to provide single coverage of a desired portion of the earth; providing rf communications links through said original constellation of satellites between mobile users and ground stations in an area of single coverage for the desired portion of the earth; and deploying at least one additional satellite to said at least one orbital plane to provide a baseline constellation providing double coverage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of forming a constellation of telecommunications satellites, comprising the steps of:
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providing an original constellation of up to nine satellites which provide continuous, 24-hour satellite visibility by mobile users of one satellite in at least a predetermined latitude band; evenly distributing said up to nine satellites among at least two inclined orbital planes; operating said original constellation of satellites to provide telecommunications links between ground stations and mobile users in said predetermined latitude band; and adding additional satellites to provide a full baseline satellite constellation of no more than 12 satellites which provides continuous, 24-hour satellite visibility by mobile users of two satellites in said at least a predetermined latitude band. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification