Method of random access communication using subbanding and variable length messages
First Claim
1. A method of communication between earth terminals and satellites, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of satellites, each satellite having at least one receiver tunable to a selected frequency;
providing a plurality of earth terminals adapted to send messages to, and receive messages from, the plurality of satellites;
defining at least one subband of the frequency spectrum, said subband not being non-mutually exclusive of other subbands;
assigning at least one subband to each satellite receiver to accommodate a plurality of regulatory constraints and requirements for one or more countries;
assigning each earth terminal to one of the satellite receivers;
dynamically selecting a center frequency for the communication channel for each receiver within the subband assigned to that receiver;
tuning each satellite receiver to the communication channel selected for that receiver;
informing at least the listening earth terminals of the communication channel selected for the receiver to which each earth terminal is assigned;
compensating for differential frequency and time of arrival arising from low-Earth Orbit spacecraft dynamics;
transmitting messages from the earth terminals to the respective, assigned satellite receivers at the selected communication channel for each receiver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of random access communication uses subbanding and variable length messages to provide efficient communication between a plurality of mobile earth terminals and a plurality of satellites. The subbanding allows each satellite to more efficiently process communications from mobile earth terminals operating under a variety of different rules or regulations. The satellite receivers can be dynamically reconfigured such that they can receive messages of different lengths at different times. The mobile earth terminals can change the size of the messages that they send to take advantage of the newly reconfigured satellite receiver(s). The method can reduce or eliminate errors or delays that occur in prior methods of random access communication.
14 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of communication between earth terminals and satellites, comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of satellites, each satellite having at least one receiver tunable to a selected frequency; providing a plurality of earth terminals adapted to send messages to, and receive messages from, the plurality of satellites; defining at least one subband of the frequency spectrum, said subband not being non-mutually exclusive of other subbands; assigning at least one subband to each satellite receiver to accommodate a plurality of regulatory constraints and requirements for one or more countries; assigning each earth terminal to one of the satellite receivers; dynamically selecting a center frequency for the communication channel for each receiver within the subband assigned to that receiver; tuning each satellite receiver to the communication channel selected for that receiver; informing at least the listening earth terminals of the communication channel selected for the receiver to which each earth terminal is assigned; compensating for differential frequency and time of arrival arising from low-Earth Orbit spacecraft dynamics; transmitting messages from the earth terminals to the respective, assigned satellite receivers at the selected communication channel for each receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification