Rapid user acquisition by a ground-based beamformer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for rapid acquisition of a specific subscriber comprising the following steps:
- (a) defining a coverage area as an arrangement of a plurality of cells wherein one of the plurality of cells includes a specific subscriber;
(b) defining a partition of cell clusters wherein one of the cell clusters includes the one of the plurality of cells that includes the specific subscriber;
(c) forming a beam that corresponds to an area of one of the cell clusters; and
(d) sequentially scanning the beam to each of the cell clusters until the one of the cell clusters that includes the specific subscriber is identified.
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Abstract
A method for rapid acquisition of a specific subscriber by a ground-based beamformer includes the steps of defining a coverage area as an arrangement of a plurality of cells wherein one of the plurality of cells includes a specific subscriber; defining a partition of cell clusters wherein one of the cell clusters includes the one of the plurality of cells that includes the specific subscriber; forming a beam that corresponds to an area of one of the cell clusters; and scanning the beam to the cell cluster that includes the specific subscriber.
141 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for rapid acquisition of a specific subscriber comprising the following steps:
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(a) defining a coverage area as an arrangement of a plurality of cells wherein one of the plurality of cells includes a specific subscriber; (b) defining a partition of cell clusters wherein one of the cell clusters includes the one of the plurality of cells that includes the specific subscriber; (c) forming a beam that corresponds to an area of one of the cell clusters; and (d) sequentially scanning the beam to each of the cell clusters until the one of the cell clusters that includes the specific subscriber is identified. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for rapid acquisition of a specific subscriber comprising:
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a stratospheric transponder platform having an antenna for one of transmitting and receiving a beam; and a ground station coupled to the stratospheric transponder platform wherein the ground station comprises a beamformer for zooming a beam corresponding to an area of a cell cluster within a partition containing a plurality of cell clusters and sequentially scanning the beam to aim at each of the cell clusters until one of the plurality of cell clusters that includes the specific subscriber is identified. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for rapid acquisition of a specific subscriber comprising the following steps:
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(a) defining a coverage area as an arrangement of a plurality of cells wherein one of the plurality of cells is a specific subscriber cell including the specific subscriber; (b) partitioning the plurality of cells into cell clusters each formed from more than one of the plurality of cells wherein one of the cell clusters includes the specific subscriber cell; (c) forming a beam that corresponds to an area of one of the cell clusters; (d) sequentially scanning the beam to each of the cell clusters until the one of the cell clusters that includes the specific subscriber is identified; (e) partitioning the one of the cell clusters that includes the specific subscriber into a second plurality of cell clusters; (f) zooming the beam to form a beam that corresponds to an area of one of the second plurality of cell clusters; and (g) sequentially scanning the beam to each of the second plurality of cell clusters until one of the second plurality of cell clusters that includes the specific subscriber is identified; and (h) determining a location of the specific subscriber cell in response to scanning the beam to one of the second plurality of cell clusters that includes the specific subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method for rapid acquisition of a specific subscriber comprising:
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defining a coverage area having a plurality of cells wherein one of the plurality of cells includes the specific subscriber generating a locating signal; defining at least a first cell cluster and second cell cluster within the plurality of cells; zooming a beam to a first size; sequentially scanning the first cell cluster and the second cell cluster; identifying the first cell cluster when the locating signal is received therefrom; partitioning the first cell cluster into a third cell cluster and a fourth cell cluster; zooming the beam to a second size; thereafter, confirming the specific subscriber is within the third cell cluster in response to the locating signal; and partitioning and zooming until a location of the specific subscriber is determined. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for rapid acquisition of a specific subscriber comprising:
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defining a coverage area having a plurality of cells wherein one of the plurality of cells includes a specific subscriber cell having a specific subscriber therein; and partitioning the cells into progressively smaller clusters; and zooming and sequentially scanning a beam to the progressively smaller clusters until a location of said specific subscriber cell is determined.
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20. A method for rapid acquisition of a specific subscriber comprising:
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defining a coverage area having a plurality of cells wherein one of the plurality of cells includes a specific subscriber generating a locating signal; defining a first cell cluster from the plurality of cells according to a traffic model; zooming and sequentially scanning a beam to a first size corresponding to the first cell cluster; confirming that the specific subscriber is within the first cell cluster; partitioning the first cell cluster into a second cell cluster and a third cell cluster; zooming and sequentially scanning the beam to a second size; thereafter, confirming that the specific subscriber is within the third cell cluster; and partitioning and zooming until a location of the specific subscriber cell is determined. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method for rapid acquisition of a specific subscriber comprising:
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defining a coverage area having a plurality of cells wherein one of the plurality of cells includes a specific subscriber having a first acquisition code address and a second acquisition code address associated therewith; performing a first acquisition method and a second acquisition method in parallel until a location of a specific subscriber cell is determined, wherein performing a first acquisition method comprises using a first acquisition code address, partitioning the cells into first progressively smaller clusters; and zooming and scanning a first beam to the first progressively smaller clusters; and performing a second acquisition method comprises using a second acquisition code address, partitioning the cells into second progressively smaller clusters according to a traffic model; and zooming and scanning a second beam to the second progressively smaller clusters.
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Specification