Satellite communications system with dual mode bandwidth control

• US 5,914,942 A
• Filed: 10/25/1996
• Issued: 06/22/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Hassan, Amer A., Reinhold, Stanley L., Rydbeck, Nils Rutger
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harper, Kevin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/736,954
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 370/316, 370/343, 370/344, 370/319, 370/310, 455/552, 455/553, 455/68, 455/12.1, 455/427
• US Class Current: 370/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00

Abstract

A satellite-cellular communication system includes a satellite based transceiver for transceiving two-way communications originated at a user terminal. As a part of call set up, a controller determines whether the user terminal should transmit in the uplink in either a wide band mode of operation or in a narrow band mode of operation. The controller then specifies to the user terminal the mode of operation through the transceiver.

Whether the user terminal transmits in the uplink in a wide band or in a narrow band mode depends upon factors including the type of device, channel usage and efficiency in the channels to and from the satellite transceiver and the signal quality of the signals received at the transceiver.

Claims

1. A communication network system, comprising:

a satellite transceiver for receiving and transmitting communication signals;

a communication device for terminating a call transceived by said satellite transceiver;

a user terminal for originating a two way communication and for transmitting to said satellite transceiver communication signals, selectably in response to mode control signals, in one of a wide band mode or in a narrow band mode; and

a controller, remotely located from the user terminal, for transmitting mode control signals, to said user terminal, the mode control signals specifying whether said user terminal is to transmit the communication signals in a wide band or in a narrow band.

2. In a cellular communication network system having a satellite based transceiver, a user terminal for engaging in two-way communications and for transmitting an uplink signal formed of a selectable frequency bandwidth through a satellite based transceiver to a receiving station, and a controller for allocating a communication channel upon which to transmit the uplink signal, an improvement for the controller circuitry for providing the user terminal with the selected frequency bandwidth of which the uplink signal is to be formed, said circuitry comprising:

a communication indicia receiver for receiving indications of at least indicia of communications by the user terminal remotely located from the controller circuitry upon the communication channel allocated by the controller;

a selector operably responsive to the indications received by said communication indicia receiver, said selector for selecting the frequency bandwidth of the uplink signal to be transmitted by the user terminal; and

a transmitter for transmitting indications of the frequency bandwidth selected by the selector to the remotely located user terminal as a mode signal within control signals transmitted to the user terminal.

3. The cellular communication network system of claim 2 wherein the remotely located user terminal is operable to transmit in an uplink in one of a narrow band mode or a wide band mode in response to the mode signal.

4. The cellular communication network system of claim 3 wherein the controller is operable to transmit control signals to the user terminal specifying whether the user terminal transmits in one of a wide band or narrow band mode.

5. A communication network system, comprising:

a user terminal for originating a two-way communication, said user terminal for transmitting in an uplink in a wide band mode and in a narrow band mode;

a satellite transceiver; and

a controller remotely located from the user terminal for transmitting control signals to said user terminal, the control signals specifying within said user terminal is to transmit the communication signals in a wideband or in a narrowband via a mode control signal within the control signals.

6. A method for setting up a two-way communication link through a satellite transceiver, the communication originating at a user terminal and terminating at a communication device, the method including the steps of:

transmitting from the user terminal to a controller remotely located from the user terminal a request for a communication channel; and

receiving the request for a communication channel and transmitting, in response thereto, control signals from the controller to said user terminal, the control signals including a mode signal, the mode signal for specifying one of a wide band mode or a narrow band mode of operation for the uplink from the user terminal to the satellite transceiver.