Signal translating repeater for enabling a terrestrial mobile subscriber station to be operable in a non-terrestrial environment

• US 6,725,035 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2002
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gogo LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aircell LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Inventors: Polson, Jerry H., Jochim, Kenneth J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, LANA N
• Application Number:
  US10/173,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20030008652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/431, 455/67.11, 455/13.1, 455/552.1, 455/454, 455/67.16, 455/19, 455/12.1
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/32 Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/181 Transcoding devices; Rate adaptation devices

Abstract

The signal translating repeater is located in the aircraft and enables a traditional ground-based mobile subscriber station to provide wireless telecommunication services to a subscriber in both the terrestrial (ground-based) and non-terrestrial regions. The signal translating repeater receives frequency translated cell site cellular signals, comprising cellular radio frequency communication signals from a cell site that are in a mode compatible with ground-based cellular communications but shifted in frequency from the standard ground-based cellular radio frequency communication signals to other radio frequencies that are allocated for non-terrestrial cellular communications. The signal translating repeater automatically translates the received frequency translated cell site cellular signals into the ground-based cellular signals, comprising radio frequency communication signals that are in a mode compatible with ground-based cellular communications, used by the ground-based mobile subscriber stations located in the aircraft.

Claims

1. Cellular radio communication apparatus operable to provide communication services to ground-based cellular mobile subscriber stations that are located in an aircraft, comprising:

means for receiving frequency translated cell site cellular signals, comprising cellular radio frequency communication signals from a cell site in a mode compatible with cellular communications and at predetermined radio frequencies not used for ground-based cellular communications;

means for receiving ground-based cellular signals comprising radio frequency communication signals from ground-based cellular mobile subscriber stations located in said aircraft and in a mode compatible with ground-based cellular communications;

channel frequency translation means for exchanging signals from channels on said received ground-based cellular signals to channels on said frequency translated call site cellular signals and from channels on said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals to channels on ground-based cellular control channels;

means for transmitting said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals translated to channels on ground-based cellular control channels, to said ground-based cellular mobile subscriber stations that are located in said aircraft; and

moans for transmitting said received ground-based cellular signals translated to channels on said frequency translated cell site cellular signals, to said cell site.

2. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 1 wherein said channel frequency translation means comprises:

means for demodulating said frequency translated cell site cellular signals received from said cell site to obtain signals carried on said channels in said frequency translated cell site cellular signals.

3. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 2 wherein said channel frequency translation means further comprises:

radio frequency transmitter means for modulating said signals carried on said channels in said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals into corresponding channels on said ground-based cellular signals.

4. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 1 wherein said channel frequency translation means comprises:

means for demodulating said ground-based cellular signals received from said ground-based cellular mobile subscriber stations located in said aircraft to obtain signals carried an said channels in said ground-based cellular signals.

5. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 4 wherein said channel frequency translation means further comprises:

radio frequency transmitter means for modulating said signals carried on said channels in said ground-based cellular signals into corresponding channels on said frequency translated cell site cellular signals.

6. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

means for exchanging control signals from control channels on said received ground-based cellular signals to control channels on said frequency translated cell site cellular signals and from control channels on said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals to control channels on said ground-based cellular signals.

7. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

notch filter means, responsive to said received ground-based cellular signals, for deleting signals contained in channels of said received ground-based cellular signals that correspond to ground-basednon-terrestrial cellular control channels.

8. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

coupler means, responsive to said received ground-based cellular signals having signals deleted there from that correspond to ground-basednon-terrestrial cellular control channels, for inserting said control signals, exchanged from control channels on said received ground-based cellular signals to control channels on non-terrestrial cellular signals.

9. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

notch filter means, responsive to said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals, for deleting signals contained in channels of said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals that correspond to ground-based cellular control channels.

10. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

coupler means, responsive to said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals, having signals deleted there from that correspond to ground-based cellular control channels, for inserting said control signals, exchanged from control channels on said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals into control channels on ground-based cellular signals.

11. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

means for inserting signals into selected ones of said channels of said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals that correspond to ground-based cellular control channels to disable use of said selected channels.

12. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

means for disabling operation of digital cellular mobile subscriber stations that are located in said aircraft.

13. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

power management means for regulating operation of said ground-based cellular mobile subscriber stations to a minimal power level to avoid Interference.

14. The cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

notch filter means, responsive to said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals, for deleting signals contained in channels of said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals that correspond to ground-based cellular control channels.

15. A method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus operable to provide communication services to ground-based cellular mobile subscriber stations that are located in an aircraft, comprising:

receiving frequency translated cell site cellular signals, comprising cellular radio frequency communication signals from a cell site in a mode compatible with cellular communications and at predetermined radio frequencies not used for ground-based cellular communications;

receiving ground-based cellular signals comprising radio frequency communication signals from ground-based cellular mobile subscriber stations located in said aircraft and in a mode compatible with ground-based cellular communications;

channel frequency translation to exchange signals from channels on said received ground-based cellular signals to channels on said frequency translated cell site cellular signals and from channels on said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals to channels on ground-based cellular control channels;

transmitting said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals translated to channels on ground-based cellular control channels, to said ground-based cellular mobile subscriber stations that are located in said aircraft; and

transmitting said received ground-based cellular signals translated to channels on said frequency translated cell site cellular signals, to said cell site.

16. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 15 wherein said step of channel frequency translation comprises:

demodulating said frequency translated cell site cellular signals received from said cell site to obtain signals carried on said channels in said frequency translated cell site cellular signals.

17. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 16 wherein said step of channel frequency translation further comprises:

modulating said signals carried on said channels in said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals into corresponding channels on said ground-based cellular signals.

18. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 15 wherein said step of channel frequency translation comprises:

demodulating said ground-based cellular signals received from said ground-based cellular mobile subscriber stations located in said aircraft to obtain signals carried on said channels in said ground-based cellular signals.

19. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 18 wherein said step of channel frequency translation further comprises:

modulating said signals carried on said channels in said ground-based cellular signals into corresponding channels on said frequency translated cell site cellular signals.

20. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

exchanging control signals from control channels on said received ground-based cellular signals to control channels on said frequency translated cell site cellular signals and from control channels on said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals to control channels on said ground-based cellular signals.

21. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

deleting, in response to said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals, signals contained in channels of said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals that correspond to ground-based cellular control channels.

22. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

inserting, in response to said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals, having signals deleted there from that correspond to ground-based cellular control channels, said control signals, exchanged from control channels on said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals, into control channels on ground-based cellular signals.

23. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

inserting signals into selected ones of said channels of said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals that correspond to ground-based cellular control channels to disable use of said selected channels.

24. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 20 further comprising;

deleting, in response to said received ground-based cellular signals, signals contained in channels of said received ground-based cellular signals that correspond to ground-basednon-terrestrial cellular control channels.

25. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 24 further comprising:

inserting, in response to said received ground-based cellular signals having signals deleted there from that correspond to ground-basednon-terrestrial cellular control channels, said control signals, exchanged from control channels on said received ground-based cellular signals, to control channels on non-terrestrial cellular signals.

26. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

disabling operation of digital cellular mobile subscriber stations that are located in said aircraft.

27. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

regulating operation of said ground-based cellular mobile subscriber stations to a minimal power level to avoid interference.

28. The method of operating a cellular radio communication apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

deleting, in response to said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals, signals contained In channels of said received frequency translated cell site cellular signals that correspond to ground-based cellular control channels.