Efficient high latitude service area satellite mobile broadcasting systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of providing satellite broadcasts to mobile receivers at or near the surface of the earth in a targeted geographical service area that is, at least in part, in a latitude above about 30°
- N or in a latitude below about 30°
S, comprising;
providing a constellation of two or more satellites with each satellite (1) during a part of its orbit, having elevation angles of at least about 35°
in at least a part of said targeted geographic service area;
(2) having an orbit with a periodicity substantially the same as the period of rotation of the earth on its axis;
broadcasting from a satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, on one path, a signal having a frequency in the range of about 1 to 4 GHz that includes audio program information;
substantially simultaneously broadcasting from another satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, on a different path, another signal having a frequency in the range of about 1 to 4 GHz that includes substantially the same audio program information; and
providing a time delay between said signals, said time delay being of sufficient length to reduce outages in substantial parts of said service area;
and assembling and producing an output signal comprising audio program information derived from said satellite broadcast signals at a plurality of mobile receivers located in said service area.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Satellite audio broadcasting systems include orbital constellations for providing high elevation angle coverage of audio broadcast signals from the constellation'"'"'s satellites to fixed and mobile receivers within service areas located at geographical latitudes well removed from the equator.
-
Citations
37 Claims
-
1. A method of providing satellite broadcasts to mobile receivers at or near the surface of the earth in a targeted geographical service area that is, at least in part, in a latitude above about 30°
- N or in a latitude below about 30°
S, comprising;providing a constellation of two or more satellites with each satellite (1) during a part of its orbit, having elevation angles of at least about 35°
in at least a part of said targeted geographic service area;
(2) having an orbit with a periodicity substantially the same as the period of rotation of the earth on its axis;
broadcasting from a satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, on one path, a signal having a frequency in the range of about 1 to 4 GHz that includes audio program information;
substantially simultaneously broadcasting from another satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, on a different path, another signal having a frequency in the range of about 1 to 4 GHz that includes substantially the same audio program information; and
providing a time delay between said signals, said time delay being of sufficient length to reduce outages in substantial parts of said service area;
and assembling and producing an output signal comprising audio program information derived from said satellite broadcast signals at a plurality of mobile receivers located in said service area. - View Dependent Claims (2)
- N or in a latitude below about 30°
-
3. A satellite broadcast system for mobile receivers in a targeted geographical service area at latitudes above about 30°
- N or in a latitude below about 30°
S, comprising;a constellation of two or more satellites with each satellite (1) during a part of its orbit, having an elevation angle or angles of at least about 35°
in at least a part of said targeted geographic service area;
(2) having an orbit with a periodicity substantially the same as the period of rotation of the earth on its axis;
a satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, for broadcasting on one path, a signal having a frequency in the range of about 1 to 4 GHz that includes audio program information;
another satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, for substantially simultaneously broadcasting, on a different path, another signal having a frequency in the range of about 1 to 4 GHz that includes substantially the same audio program information, with a time delay between said signals, said time delay being of sufficient length to reduce outages in substantial parts of said service area; and
a plurality of mobile receivers for receiving the broadcast signals, said plurality of mobile receivers located in said service area at or near the surface of the earth, each of said plurality of mobile receivers being adapted to produce an output signal comprising audio program information derived from said satellite broadcast signals. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- N or in a latitude below about 30°
-
10. A method of providing satellite broadcasts to mobile receivers at or near the surface of the earth in a targeted geographical service area that is, at least in part, in a latitude above about 30°
- N or in a latitude below about 30°
S, comprising;providing a constellation of two or more satellites with each satellite (1) during a part of its orbit, having an elevation angle or angles of at least about 35°
in at least a part of said targeted geographic service area;
(2) having an orbit with a periodicity substantially the same as the period of rotation of the earth on its axis;
broadcasting from a satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, on one path, a signal having a frequency in the range of about 1 to 4 GHz that includes audio program information;
substantially simultaneously broadcasting from another satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, on a different path, said different path being spaced from said satellite source and said first path sufficiently to reduce blockage and foliage attenuation and to facilitate signal reception at the earth'"'"'s surface, while said satellite sources are broadcasting; and
assembling and producing an output signal comprising audio program information derived from said satellite broadcast signals at a plurality of mobile receivers located in said service area. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- N or in a latitude below about 30°
-
17. A satellite broadcast system for mobile receivers in a targeted geographical service area at latitudes above about 30°
- N or below about 30°
S comprising;a constellation of two or more satellites with each satellite (1) during a part of its orbit, having an elevation angle or angles of at least about 35°
in at least a part of said targeted geographic service area;
(2) having an orbit with a periodicity substantially the same as the period of rotation of the earth on its axis;
a satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, for broadcasting on one path, a signal having a frequency in the range of about 1 to 4 GHz that includes audio program information;
another satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, for substantially simultaneously broadcasting, on a different path, another signal having a frequency in the range of about 1 to 4 GHz that includes substantially the same audio program information, said different path being spaced from said satellite source and said first path sufficiently to reduce blockage and foliage attenuation and to facilitate signal reception at the earth'"'"'s surface, while said satellites are broadcasting; and
a plurality of mobile receivers for receiving the broadcast signals, said plurality of mobile receivers located in said service area at or near the surface of the earth, each of said plurality of mobile receivers being adapted to produce an output signal comprising audio program information derived from said satellite broadcast signals. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
- N or below about 30°
-
26. A method of providing satellite broadcasts to mobile receivers at or near the surface of the earth in a targeted geographical service area that is, at least in part, in a latitude above about 30°
- N or in a latitude below about 30°
S, comprising;providing a constellation of two or more satellites with each satellite (1) during a part of its orbit, having an elevation angle or angles of at least about 35°
in at least a part of said targeted geographic service area;
(2) having an orbit with a periodicity substantially the same as the period of rotation of the earth on its axis;
broadcasting from a satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, on one path, a signal having a frequency in the range of about 1 to 4 GHz that includes audio program information;
substantially simultaneously broadcasting from another satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, on a different path, said different path being spaced from said satellite source and said first path sufficiently to reduce blockage and foliage attenuation and to facilitate signal reception at the earth'"'"'s surface, while said satellite sources are broadcasting;
providing a time delay between said signals, said time delay being of sufficient length to reduce outages in substantial parts of said service area; and
assembling and producing an output signal comprising audio program information derived from said satellite broadcast signals at a plurality of mobile receivers located in said service area. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
- N or in a latitude below about 30°
-
30. A satellite broadcast system for mobile receivers in a targeted geographical service area at latitudes above about 30°
- N or below about 30°
S comprising;a constellation of two or more satellites with each satellite (1) during a part of its orbit, having an elevation angle or angles of at least about 35°
in at least a part of said targeted geographic service area;
(2) having an orbit with a periodicity substantially the same as the period of rotation of the earth on its axis;
a satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, for broadcasting on one path, a signal having a frequency in the range of about 1 to 4 GHz that includes audio program information;
another satellite source in said constellation at an elevation angle or angles greater than or equal to approximately 35°
, for substantially simultaneously broadcasting, on a different path, another signal having a frequency in the range of about 1 to 4 GHz that includes substantially the same audio program information, said different path being spaced from said satellite source and said first path sufficiently to reduce blockage and foliage attenuation and to facilitate signal reception at the earth'"'"'s surface, while said satellites are broadcasting;
providing a time delay between said signals, said time delay being of sufficient length to reduce outages in substantial parts of said service area; and
a plurality of mobile receivers, with the capability of storing, in each of said mobile receivers, at least one of said signals and outputting from each of said plurality of mobile receivers said audio program information from said signals by combining the signals for output or by selecting for output, in correct time-ordered progression, portions of said signals. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
- N or below about 30°
Specification