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Transmit and receive payload pair and method for use in communication systems

  • US 6,064,859 A
  • Filed: 11/04/1996
  • Issued: 05/16/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In a satellite communication system which uses a plurality of transmit and receive payload pairs, which are coupled to each other via long crosslinks, to provide communication services to a plurality of communication units, a method of providing said communication services comprising the steps of:

  • configuring a first number of receive payload satellites having at least one antenna optimized to operate in a receive-only mode at first locations in orbits around the earth;

    configuring a second number of transmit payload satellites having at least one antenna optimized to operate in a transmit-only mode at second locations in orbits around the earth, wherein said first locations and said second locations being chosen to separate high power transmitter operations associated with said transmit payload satellites from sensitive receive operations associated with said receive payload satellites;

    positioning said first number of receive payload satellites at said first locations in orbits around the earth, wherein said first number of receive payload satellites are adapted to perform substantially only receiving functions and substantially none of the transmitting functions for uplink communication channels from said plurality of communication units, transmitting functions for short crosslink communication channels, receiving functions for long crosslink communication channels, and a first set of space-based processing functions;

    establishing at least one uplink communication channel between a first receive payload satellite and a first communication unit;

    positioning said second number of transmit payload satellites at said second locations in orbits around the earth, wherein said second number of transmit payload satellites are adapted to perform substantially only transmitting functions and substantially none of the receiving functions for downlink communication channels to said plurality of communication units, receiving functions for short crosslink communication channels, transmitting functions for long crosslink communication channels, and a second set of space-based processing functions;

    establishing a first short crosslink from said first receive payload satellite to a first transmit payload satellite, said first short crosslink providing at least one short crosslink communication channel for passing data between said first transmit payload satellite and said first receive payload satellite, thereby forming a first transmit and receive payload pair;

    establishing a second short crosslink from a second receive payload satellite to a second transmit payload satellite, said second short crosslink providing at least one short crosslink communication channel for passing data between said second transmit payload satellite and said second receive payload satellite, thereby forming a second transmit and receive payload pair;

    establishing at least one downlink communication channel between said second transmit payload satellite and a second communication unit; and

    establishing at least one long crosslink communication channel between said first transmit payload satellite and said second receive payload satellite, thereby coupling said first transmit and receive payload pair to said second transmit and receive payload pair so that communication service data sent from said first communication unit is received by said second communication unit, wherein said communication service data is sent over said at least one uplink communication channel, said first short crosslink, said at least one long crosslink communication channel, said second short crosslink, and said at least one downlink communication channel.

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