System and method for implementing terminal to terminal connections via a geosynchronous earth orbit satellite

• US 6,278,876 B1
• Filed: 07/13/1998
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Tewari, Neeraj, Roos, David, Noerpel, Anthony, Su, Chi-Jiun, Joshi, Chandra, Stelzer, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woldetatios, Yemane
• Application Number:
  US09/115,098
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.2, 455/13.3, 455/427, 455/428, 455/430, 455/422, 455/429, 455/432, 455/433, 455/434, 455/435, 455/436, 455/440, 455/445, 455/456
• US Class Current: 455/427
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18517 Transmission equipment in earth stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18539 Arrangements for managing radio, resources, i.e. for establishing or releasing a connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18543 for adaptation of transmission parameters, e.g. power control for detecting or preventing errors in the information received H04L1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18558 Arrangements for managing communications, i.e. for setting up, maintaining or releasing a call between stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18567 Arrangements for providing additional services to the basic mobile satellite telephony service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18571 for satellites; for fixed or mobile stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1858 Arrangements for data transmission on the physical system, i.e. for data bit transmission between network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18582 Arrangements for data linking, i.e. for data framing, for error recovery, for multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/19 Earth-synchronous stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2041 Spot beam multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2125 Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0203 in the radio access network or backbone network of wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 : Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for implementing single hop space segment terminal to terminal connections. The system includes a satellite-based radio frequency (RF) communication link for conveying multiple communication channels over the space segment via one or more spot beams. A terrestrial supervisory transceiver such as a gateway station is provided in communication with the satellite-based communication link. Mobile hand-held terminals (HHTs), herein first and second access terminals, may be located within one or more of the spot beams to communicate with one another via a single hop connection through a satellite of the system. A switch is provided for communication switching with the satellite of the system for the multiple communication channels to couple the first access terminal and the second access terminal over the space segment via one or more of the spot beams. The terrestrial supervisory transceiver or gateway is provided in communication with the satellite switch via the satellite-based communication link for implementing the single hop space segment terminal to terminal connection.

Claims

1. A system for implementing single hop space segment terminal to terminal connections, the system comprising:

a satellite-based radio frequency communication link for conveying multiple communication channels over the space segment via one or more spot beams;

a terrestrial supervisory transceiver in communication with said satellite-based communication link;

a first access terminal within said one or more spot beams;

a second access terminal within said one or more spot beams;

a switch for said multiple communication channels for coupling said first access terminal and said second access terminal over the space segment via said one or more spot beams, said terrestrial supervisory transceiver being in communication with said switch via said satellite-based communication link for implementing the single hop space segment terminal to terminal connection; and

signaling channels conveyed by the satellite-based radio frequency communication link and established between all of the terrestrial supervisory transceiver, the first access terminal and the second access terminal, wherein the signaling channels exist during the single hop terminal to terminal connection.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said switch and said satellite-based radio frequency communication link are a geosynchronous earth orbit satellite.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said terrestrial supervisory transceiver comprises a gateway station.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said gateway station synchronizes said first access terminal and said second access terminal for maintaining network control, ciphering and signaling.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein ciphering is synchronized between the gateway station, the first access terminal and the second access terminal.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the gateway station assigns a common ciphering key to the first access terminal and the second access terminal.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the signaling channels comprise bidirectional signaling channels.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the terrestrial supervisory transceiver being in communication with said switch via said satellite-based communication link for implementing a double hop space segment connection in the event of a failure of the single hop space segment terminal to terminal connection.

9. A method for implementing single hop space segment terminal to terminal connections, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a satellite-based radio frequency communication link for conveying multiple communication channels over the space segment via one or more spot beams;

supervising satellite based communications with a gateway station in communication with the satellite-based radio frequency communication link;

receiving communications originated by a first access terminal within the one or more spot beams, the destination of the telephone call being directed to a second access terminal;

determining that the second access terminal is within the one or more spot beams;

switching the multiple communication channels for coupling the first access terminal and the second access terminal over the space segment via the one or more spot beams with supervisory transactions being communicated between the space segment to the gateway station for implementing the single hop space segment terminal to terminal connection;

assigning respective signaling channels conveyed by the satellite-based radio frequency communication link and established between all of the gateway station, the first access terminal and the second access terminal, wherein the respective signaling channels are for use during the single hop space segment terminal to terminal connection.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said satellite-based radio frequency communication link providing step comprises the step of providing a geosynchronous earth orbit satellite for establishing connections between the first access terminal and the second access terminal.

11. The method of claim 9 comprising the step of synchronizing the first access terminal and the second access terminal for maintaining network control, ciphering and signaling with the gateway station.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the assigning step comprises assigning the respective signaling channels for power control, timing correction and legal interception of the telephone call.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising synchronizing ciphering between the gateway station, the first access terminal and the second access terminal.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising assigning a common ciphering key to the first access terminal and the second access terminal.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the respective signaling channels comprise bidirectional signaling channels.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising detecting a failure in the single hop space segment terminal to terminal connection.

17. The method of claim 9 further comprising switching, in the event of a failure of the single hop space segment terminal to terminal connection, the multiple communications channels for coupling the first access terminal and the second access terminal to a double hop space segment connection between the first access terminal and the second access terminal via the gateway station.

18. A satellite-based radio frequency communication link for conveying communication channels over a space segment via one or more spot beams, the communication link comprising:

a satellite comprising a telecommunication switch for switching the multiple communication channels to couple a first access terminal and a second access terminal over the space segment via the one or more spot beams;

a terrestrial supervisory transceiver in communication with the satellite telecommunications switch for establishing the satellite-based communication link;

said terrestrial supervisory transceiver being in communication with said telecommunications switch via said satellite for implementing single hop space segment terminal to terminal communications with a connection between the first access terminal and the second access terminal; and

respective signaling channels conveyed by the satellite-based radio frequency communication link and established between all of the terrestrial supervisory transceiver, the first access terminal and the second access terminal.

19. The communication link of claim 18 wherein said terrestrial supervisory transceiver comprises a gateway station.

20. The communication link of claim 18 wherein said gateway station is in communication with said telecommunication switch to synchronize the first access terminal and the second access terminal for maintaining network control, ciphering and signaling.