Mobile satellite communication terminal

• US 5,991,599 A
• Filed: 11/26/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Uchikawa, Setomi
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Doris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US08/979,082
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/15, 455/20, 455/66, 455/74, 455/84, 455/93, 455/129, 455/550, 455/552, 455/553, 455/575, 455/426, 455/427, 455/21, 455/25, 455/562, 455/349
• US Class Current: 455/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18536 Shadowing compensation therefor, e.g. by using an additional terrestrial relay

Abstract

A mobile satellite communication terminal capable of performing satellite communication both indoors and outdoors. In an indoor mode, the mobile satellite communication terminal includes an indoor terminal for carrying out transmission or reception of a signal through a ground radio link and a repeater terminal installed in such a location that the repeater terminal can get an unobstructed view of a satellite for carrying out transmission or reception of a signal through a satellite communication link. In an outdoor mode, an antenna of the indoor unit is replaced by an antenna for the satellite communication link, whereby the indoor terminal can be used as an outdoor terminal.

Claims

1. An indoor/outdoor mobile satellite communication terminal to be located indoors or outdoors for carrying out signal transmission and reception via a satellite, comprising:

a repeater terminal installed indoors and having a first detachable antenna for a ground radio link and a second detachable antenna for a satellite communication link mounted thereto, said repeater terminal including a signal converter for converting a ground radio signal into a satellite communication signal and for converting a satellite communication signal into a ground radio signal; and

a mobile unit having

a first detachable antenna, wherein, when said first detachable antenna of said mobile unit is mounted to said mobile unit, said mobile unit forms an indoor terminal for carrying out transmission or reception of a satellite communication signal via said ground radio link with said repeater terminal, and

a second detachable antenna, wherein, when said second detachable antenna of said mobile unit is mounted to said mobile unit, said mobile unit forms an outdoor terminal for carrying out transmission and reception of a satellite communication signal via a direct satellite communication link,

wherein said first detachable antenna of said mobile unit and said second detachable antenna of said mobile unit are exchangeable with each other, such that said mobile satellite communication terminal can be used in either one of an outdoor mode and an indoor mode depending on which one of said first and second detachable mobile unit antennas is mounted to said mobile unit.

2. A mobile satellite communication terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said converter is connected with said first and second repeater terminal antennas for alternatively converting between said ground radio signal which has a first transmit/receive frequency and said satellite communication signal which has a second transmit/receive frequency.

3. A mobile satellite communication terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said repeater terminal is installed at a location where the repeater terminal can get an unobstructed view of said satellite.

4. A mobile satellite communication terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mobile unit has an automatic selector for automatically selecting a first transmit/receive and a first modulation/demodulation system when said first detachable mobile unit antenna is mounted thereto, and for automatically selecting a second transmit/receive frequency and a second modulation/demodulation system when said second detachable mobile unit antenna is mounted thereto.

5. A mobile satellite communication terminal as set forth in claim 4, wherein said mobile unit includes an interface connected to said first or second mobile unit antenna by means of a coaxial connector, a first high frequency circuit connected to said interface for generating the first transmit/receive frequency, a second high frequency circuit connected to the interface for generating the second transmit/receive frequency, and a common part connected to said first and second high frequency circuits for performing its modulating and demodulating operations to form an interface with an external subscriber terminal;

and wherein said interface has a high frequency switch for detecting which of said first or said second antenna is connected thereto and for selecting either the first or second high frequency circuit in accordance with a type of detected antenna and a control circuit for sending a detection signal to said common part and selecting a baseband switch in order to select either the first or second modulation/demodulation system in accordance with the type of detected antenna.

6. A mobile satellite communication terminal as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first transmit/receive frequency is set in a low frequency band below VHF band.

7. A mobile satellite communication terminal as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first modulation/demodulation system is set to be the same as said second modulation/demodulation system.