Netted radio signal broadcast method

• US 7,120,434 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Himes, John G., Talaie, Farzad, Johnson, Richard H., Noerpel, Anthony R., Rotondo, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US11/254,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20060040658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/12.1, 455/11.1, 455/17, 455/427, 455/13.2, 455/13.3, 455/7, 455/430, 370/321, 370/316
• US Class Current: 455/427
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• 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 7/2041 Spot beam multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A first transmitting device is used to transmit a first signal on a first carrier frequency to a relay device. The relay device receives the signal by demodulating the first carrier frequency. Subsequently, the relay device retransmits the signal by modulating a second and/or a third carrier frequency. The signal is then recovered at one or more receiving devices by demodulating the second and/or third carrier frequencies. Further, a second transmitting device transmits a second signal on a fourth carrier frequency and the relay device retransmits the signal by modulating a fifth and/or a sixth carrier frequency. The signal is then recovered at one or more receiving devices by demodulating the fifth and/or sixth carrier frequencies. The transmitting and/or receiving devices are preferably voice terminals, such as a wireless telephones or data terminals, such as portable computers. The transmitting and/or receiving devices are optionally coupled to a communications network, such as a public switched telephone network or the Internet. The relay device is preferably a multiple beam satellite and/or a ground station covering several distinct geographical regions.

Claims

1. A method of broadcasting a netted radio signal, comprising:

transmitting a first message requesting participation in a predetermined distribution of the netted radio signal;

receiving a second message acknowledging participation in the predetermined distribution of the netted radio signal and identifying a frequency on which to receive the netted radio signal, wherein the first message is transmitted by a communication satellite, wherein the communication satellite receives a first signal on a first carrier frequency and transmits the first signal on a second carrier frequency and a third carrier frequency, the predetermined distribution of the netted radio signal being distributed to a plurality of recipients;

tuning a receiver to the identified frequency; and

receiving the netted radio signal on the identified frequency;

the method further comprising granting a net session key for privacy and of tuning the receiver to the identified frequency.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is transmitted by a voice terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message is transmitted by a relay device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the relay device comprises a multiple beam geosynchronous communications satellite.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the relay device comprises a ground station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message identifies at least one of (a) an L-band frequency, (b) an S-band frequency, (c) a C-band frequency, (d) a Ku-band frequency, and (e) a Ka-band frequency.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio signal comprises a voice signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiver is granted a net session key prior to tuning the receiver to the identified frequency.

9. A method of broadcasting a netted radio signal, comprising:

receiving a first message requesting participation in a predetermined distribution of the radio signal, the predetermined distribution of the radio signal being distributed to plurality of recipients;

determining a frequency on which to transmit the radio signal;

transmitting a second message acknowledging participation in the predetermined distribution of the radio signal and identifying the frequency on which the radio signals is to be transmitted, wherein the first message is transmitted by a communication satellite, wherein the communication satellite receives a first signal on a first carrier frequency and transmits the first signal on a second carrier frequency and a third carrier frequency; and

,

transmitting the radio signal on the identified frequency;

the method further comprising granting a net session key for privacy and of tuning a receiver to the identified frequency.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first message is transmitted by a voice terminal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second message is transmitted by a relay device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the relay device comprises a multiple beam geosynchronous communications satellite.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second message identifies at least one of (a) an L-band frequency, (b) an S-band frequency, (c) a C-band frequency, (d) a Ku-band frequency, and (c) a Ka-band frequency.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the radio signal comprises a digital voice signal.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the radio signal is transmitted to a receiver, the receiver being granted a net session key prior to tuning the receiver to the identified frequency.