Global mobile video communications system

• US 6,175,717 B1
• Filed: 03/21/1994
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trans Video Electronics Limited
• Original Assignee: Trans Video Electronics Limited
• Inventors: Rebec, Mihailo V., Rebec, Mohammed S.
• Primary Examiner(s): FLYNN, NATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US08/215,770
• Time in Patent Office: 2,493 Days
• Field of Search: 343/711, 343/712, 343/713, 343/714, 343/717, 343/757, 343/758, 343/759, 342/352, 364/919.3, 455/3.2, 348/722, 296/24.1
• US Class Current: 725/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18517 Transmission equipment in earth stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A mobile can transmit and receive broadcast quality video signals while in motion. The system includes a power generator and a microwave subsystem coupled to said power generator. The microwave subsystem transmits first local microwave signals modulated with first local digital data while in motion with respect to earth and also receives first remote microwave signals modulated with first remote digital data while in motion with respect to earth. A high speed digital station receives a video signal and transforms and compresses the video signal into the first local digital data and transforms and decompresses the first remote digital data into a first decompressed remote digital data. The mobile microwave system is housed in a vehicle which has a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein the first local microwave signals can pass through the upper portion.

Claims

1. A mobile microwave system, comprising:

a microwave subsystem for transmitting directly to a satellite first local microwave signals modulated with first local digital data while in motion with respect to earth and for receiving first remote microwave signals modulated with first remote digital data while in motion with respect to earth, wherein said microwave subsystem comprises an antenna assembly for transmitting said first local microwave signals and for receiving said first remote microwave signals capable of representing remote video signals;

a high speed digital station coupled to said microwave subsystem, for receiving a video signal and for transforming and compressing said video signal into said first local digital data and for transforming and decompressing said first remote digital data into a first decompressed remote digital data; and

a land vehicle for housing said microwave subsystem and said high speed digital station, said vehicle having a lower portion and a roof, wherein said first local microwave signals transmitted by said antenna assembly pass through said roof, wherein said microwave subsystem is adjustable in pitch and yaw relative to the land vehicle moving with respect to the earth on any terrain to establish a satellite communications link to the satellite using the first local microwave signals and the first remote microwave signals.

2. The mobile microwave system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microwave subsystem further comprises:

an antenna terminal coupled to said antenna assembly and said high speed digital station for demodulating said first microwave signals.

3. The mobile microwave system of claim 1, further comprising a power generator, wherein the microwave subsystem and the high speed digital station are coupled to the power generator.

4. The mobile microwave system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display unit coupled to said high speed digital station and said power generator, for displaying said first decompressed remote digital data.

5. A portable integrated receiving system for use with a satellite communications system to establish a satellite communications down-link, comprising:

a microwave satellite receiver for directly receiving from a satellite in the satellite communications system, a modulated microwave satellite signal which has been modulated with a compressed digital signal, and for demodulating the modulated satellite microwave signal into the compressed digital signal while in motion with respect to earth;

a received satellite signal processor for decompressing said compressed digital signal into first remote digital data being a remote video signal; and

a land vehicle for housing said microwave satellite receiver and said received satellite signal processor, wherein said vehicle has a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein said modulated microwave satellite signal can pass through said upper portion, and wherein said microwave satellite receiver and said received satellite signal processor are adjustable in pitch and yaw relative to the land vehicle moving on any terrain with respect to the earth to establish the satellite communications link using the modulated microwave satellite signal.

6. An L band microwave system, comprising:

a power generator;

a standard A subsystem coupled to said power generator, including;

an antenna assembly for transmitting A band local microwave signals and for receiving A band remote microwave signals; and

a standard A antenna terminal coupled to said standard A antenna assembly for receiving, demodulating and processing said A band remote microwave signals to yield first remote digital signals, and for processing first local digital signals to generate said A band local microwave signals and for controlling said antenna assembly in accordance with gps data;

a standard M subsystem coupled to said power generator, including;

an array antenna for transmitting M band local microwave signals and for receiving M band remote microwave signals; and

a standard M array antenna terminal coupled to said array antenna for receiving, demodulating and processing said M band remote microwave signals to yield second remote digital signals, for processing second local digital signals to generate said M band local microwave signals and for controlling said array antenna in accordance with said gps data;

a high speed digital station coupled to said A band subsystem, said standard M subsystem and said power generator, including;

signal converter for receiving and converting said first and second remote digital data and outputting first and second asynchronous compressed remote digital data, respectively, and for receiving and converting first and second asynchronous compressed local digital data to yield said first and second local digital data, respectively;

receive signal processor for receiving, editing and decompressing said first and second asynchronous compressed remote digital data to yield first and second decompressed remote digital data and for compressing and editing first and second decompressed local digital data to yield said first and second asynchronous compressed local digital data; and

video signal receiver and display coupled to said receive signal processor for receiving and displaying at least one of said first and a second decompressed remote digital data, and for receiving a video signal and transforming said video signal into said first and second decompressed local digital data and for displaying said video signal;

microwave suitcase subsystem, including;

microwave transmitter for receiving an external video signal and transmitting a microwave signal modulated with said external video signal; and

microwave receiver for receiving and demodulating said microwave signal to yield said video signal;

gps subsystem coupled to said power generator, comprising;

gps antenna; and

gps receiver coupled to said gps antenna and said high speed digital station, for determining location information of said vehicle and outputting said location information to said high speed digital station, as said gps data;

a vehicle for housing said power generator, said standard A subsystem, said standard M subsystem, said high speed digital station and said microwave receiver, said vehicle including a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein said upper portion passes L band microwaves; and

video camera coupled to said video camera signal receiver via said microwave suitcase subsystem, for outputting said external video signal.

7. An L band microwave system, comprising:

a power generator;

a standard A subsystem coupled to said power generator for transmitting first local microwave signals modulated with first local digital data and for receiving and demodulating first remote microwave signals to yield first remote digital data;

a standard M subsystem coupled to said power generator for transmitting second local microwave signals modulated with second local digital data and for receiving and demodulating second remote microwave signals to yield second remote digital data;

a high speed digital station coupled to said standard A subsystem, said standard M subsystem and said power generator, including;

signal converter for receiving and converting said first and second remote digital data and outputting first and second asynchronous compressed remote digital data, respectively, and for receiving and converting first and second asynchronous compressed local digital data to yield said first and second local digital data, respectively;

receive signal processor for receiving, editing and decompressing said first and second asynchronous compressed remote digital data to yield first and second decompressed remote digital data and for compressing and editing first and second decompressed local digital data to yield said first and second asynchronous compressed local digital data; and

video signal receiver and display coupled to said receive signal processor for receiving and displaying at least one of said first and second decompressed remote digital data and for receiving a video signal and for transforming said video signal into said first and second decompressed local digital data and for displaying said video signal;

microwave subsystem, including;

microwave transmitter for receiving an external video signal and transmitting a microwave signal modulated with said external video signal; and

microwave receiver for receiving and demodulating said microwave signal to yield said video signal;

a vehicle for housing said power generator, said standard A subsystem, said standard M subsystem, said high speed digital station and said microwave receiver, said vehicle including a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein microwaves with energies in the L band can pass through said upper portion; and

video camera coupled to said video camera signal receiver via said microwave subsystem for outputting said external video signal.

8. A mobile microwave system, comprising:

a microwave subsystem for transmitting first local microwave signals modulated with first local digital data while in motion with respect to earth and for receiving first remote microwave signals modulated with first remote digital data while in motion with respect to earth;

a high speed digital station coupled to said power generator and said microwave subsystem, for receiving a video signal and for transforming and compressing said video signal into said first local digital data and for transforming and decompressing said first remote digital data into a first decompressed remote digital data;

a vehicle for housing said microwave subsystem and said high speed digital station, said vehicle having a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein said first local microwave signals can pass through said upper portion;

a GPS antenna;

a GPS receiver coupled to said GPS antenna and said high speed digital station, for determining location information of said vehicle and outputting said location information to said high speed digital station, as GPS data;

a standard C antenna; and

a standard C transmitter and receiver, coupled to at least one of said GPS receiver and said high speed digital station for receiving said location information and transmitting said location information to a satellite.

9. The mobile microwave system of claim 8, further comprising a power generator, wherein the microwave subsystem and the high speed digital station are coupled to the power generator.

10. A portable integrated transmitting system for use with a satellite communications system to establish a satellite communications up-link, comprising:

a microwave satellite transmitter for directly transmitting to a satellite in the satellite communications system, a modulated microwave satellite signal which has been modulated with a compressed digital signal, and for modulating the compressed digital signal into the modulated satellite microwave signal while in motion with respect to earth;

a transmit satellite signal processor for compressing a video signal into said compressed digital signal; and

a land vehicle for housing said microwave satellite transmitter and said transmit satellite signal processor, wherein said vehicle has a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein said modulated microwave satellite signal passes through said upper portion, and wherein said microwave satellite transmitter and said transmit satellite signal processor are adjustable in pitch and yaw relative to the land vehicle moving on any terrain with respect to the earth to establish the satellite communications link using the modulated microwave satellite signal.