Global dual terminal low earth orbit communications system
First Claim
1. A satellite-based communications system wherein communications between a user terminal and a gateway occur using an uplink band of frequencies between the user terminal to at least one satellite and in a downlink band of frequencies between the at least one satellite and the user terminal, comprising:
- a first transceiver at said user terminal for transmitting and receiving voice and data in said first and second bands of frequencies using a maximum data rate; and
a second transceiver at said user terminal for transmitting and receiving data in said first and second bands of frequencies using a second data rate that exceeds said maximum data rate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A satellite-based communications system and a method for operating a satellite-based communications system is disclosed. The system is of a type where communications between a user terminal and a gateway occur using an uplink band of frequencies between the user terminal to at least one satellite and in a downlink band of frequencies between the at least one satellite and the user terminal. The system includes first transceivers in the user terminal, referred to herein as a dual user terminal or dual terminal (10), for transmitting and receiving voice and data in the first and second bands of frequencies using a maximum data rate (e.g., a conventional MSS maximum data rate of 9600 Baud); and further includes second transceivers in the user terminal for transmitting and receiving data in the first and second bands of frequencies using a second data rate that exceeds the maximum data rate. The gateway is a dual gateway (20) that includes a first interface to voice and data signals and circuitry for transmitting and receiving the voice and data signals using the maximum data rate, and further includes a second interface to data signals and circuitry for transmitting and receiving the data signals using the data rate that exceeds the maximum data rate. The first and second interfaces and circuitry, and the first and second transceivers, may operate simultaneously. User terminal registration and control signals are transmitted and received using the first transceiver, for example, using the conventional MSS data rates and signaling protocols. The user terminal may include at least one pointable antenna, and in this case information used for pointing the at least one antenna is received from the gateway using the first transceiver, for example, using the conventional MSS data rates and signaling protocols. The first transceiver is a portion of a Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) terminal that is detachable from the user terminal for being operated as a stand-alone unit for transmitting and receiving voice and data signals in the first and second bands of frequencies using the maximum data rate.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A satellite-based communications system wherein communications between a user terminal and a gateway occur using an uplink band of frequencies between the user terminal to at least one satellite and in a downlink band of frequencies between the at least one satellite and the user terminal, comprising:
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a first transceiver at said user terminal for transmitting and receiving voice and data in said first and second bands of frequencies using a maximum data rate; and
a second transceiver at said user terminal for transmitting and receiving data in said first and second bands of frequencies using a second data rate that exceeds said maximum data rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In a satellite-based communications system wherein communications between a user terminal and a gateway occur using an uplink band of frequencies between the user terminal to at least one satellite and in a downlink band of frequencies between the at least one satellite and the user terminal, a method comprising steps of:
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transmitting and receiving voice and data in said first and second bands of frequencies using a maximum data rate through a first transceiver in said user terminal; and
transmitting and receiving data in said first and second bands of frequencies using a second data rate that exceeds said maximum data rate through a second transceiver in said user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification