Method and system for providing wideband communications to mobile users in a satellite-based network
First Claim
1. A system for providing wideband communications to mobile users in a first satellite-based network, the system comprising:
- a plurality of satellites each having uplink and downlink antennas for transmitting and receiving a plurality of signals utilizing a plurality of spot beams to and from a plurality of coverage areas at a predetermined range of frequencies, each of the plurality of satellites transmitting and receiving the plurality of signals at one of a first plurality of data rates, each of the plurality of satellites include a hybrid switch coupled to a bent pipe repeater and a digital packet switch, each of the plurality of satellites comprise a programmable routing table coupled to the hybrid switch, the routing table includes user routing information so as to allow said hybrid switch to route the plurality of signals to said bent pipe repeater or said digital packet switch based on the signal transmitted by the user terminal and the user routing information in the routing table; and
a plurality of user terminals for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the plurality of communications satellites at the predetermined range of frequencies and at one of the first plurality of data rates, and each of the user terminals having a steerable antenna for tracking relative movement of each of the user terminals with respect to each of the plurality of communications satellites and for tracking movement of each of the plurality of communications satellites so as to maintain communications with the plurality of communications satellites.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A satellite-based communications system operating at high data rates includes a plurality of satellites each having uplink and downlink antennas for transmitting and receiving a plurality of signals utilizing a plurality of spot beams to and from a plurality of coverage areas at a predetermined range of frequencies. The system also includes a plurality of user terminals for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the plurality of communications satellites at the predetermined range of frequencies and at one of the first plurality of data rates. Each of the user terminals having a steerable antenna for tracking relative movement of each of the user terminals with respect to each of the plurality of communications satellites and for tracking movement of each of the plurality of communications satellites in order to maintain communications with the plurality of communications satellites.
123 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A system for providing wideband communications to mobile users in a first satellite-based network, the system comprising:
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a plurality of satellites each having uplink and downlink antennas for transmitting and receiving a plurality of signals utilizing a plurality of spot beams to and from a plurality of coverage areas at a predetermined range of frequencies, each of the plurality of satellites transmitting and receiving the plurality of signals at one of a first plurality of data rates, each of the plurality of satellites include a hybrid switch coupled to a bent pipe repeater and a digital packet switch, each of the plurality of satellites comprise a programmable routing table coupled to the hybrid switch, the routing table includes user routing information so as to allow said hybrid switch to route the plurality of signals to said bent pipe repeater or said digital packet switch based on the signal transmitted by the user terminal and the user routing information in the routing table; and a plurality of user terminals for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the plurality of communications satellites at the predetermined range of frequencies and at one of the first plurality of data rates, and each of the user terminals having a steerable antenna for tracking relative movement of each of the user terminals with respect to each of the plurality of communications satellites and for tracking movement of each of the plurality of communications satellites so as to maintain communications with the plurality of communications satellites. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. In a satellite-based communications network including a plurality of communications satellites each having uplink and downlink antennas for transmitting and receiving a plurality of signals utilizing a plurality of spot beams to and from a plurality of coverage areas at a predetermined range of frequencies, and the network further including a plurality of user terminals for transmitting and receiving the plurality of signals to and from the plurality of satellites, and each of the plurality of user terminals having a steerable antenna for tracking relative movement of each of the user terminals with respect to each of the plurality of communications satellites and for tracking movement of each of the plurality of communications satellites, a method for providing wideband communications to mobile users, the method comprising:
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transmitting a signal to one of the plurality of satellites at one of the plurality of data rates from one of the plurality of user terminals in a first one of the plurality of coverage areas; receiving the signal from the one of the plurality of user terminals; routing the signal through a hybrid switch; routing the signal to either a bent pipe repeater or a digital packet switch in response to the signal through the hybrid switch to form a processed signal; and transmitting the processed signal at the one of the plurality of data rises to a second one of the plurality of coverage areas. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification