Mobile communications system
First Claim
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1. A system, comprising:
- on a flying platform;
a position determiner for the flying platform that issues position signals relating to the position of the flying platform;
a beam steering controller that issues beam steering signals responsive to the position signals;
a millimeter-wave transmit array configured to transmit multiple millimeter-wave signals to free-space in different directions according to the beam steering signals;
a millimeter-wave receive array configured to receive multiple millimeter-wave signals from free-space from different directions according to the beam steering signals;
an optical aperture;
optical array transmit components configured to transmit multiple optical signals through the optical aperture to free-space in different directions according to the beam steering signals;
optical array receive components configured to receive multiple optical signals through the optical aperture from free-space from different directions according to the beam steering signals;
a switch matrix configured to switch signals between the millimeter-wave transmit and receive arrays and the optical array transmit and receive components; and
a controller that configures the switch array to selectively switch the signals between the optical array transmit and receive components and the millimeter-wave transmit and receive arrays.
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Abstract
A communications system for wireless transceiving of information, comprising an optical array subsystem for transceiving optical signals and a millimeter wave subsystem for transceiving millimeter wave signals, and a beam steering controller for controlling the direction of the optical and millimeter wave signals. The communication system may be on a flying platform, such as a satellite and may communicate with multiple remote terminals.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
on a flying platform; a position determiner for the flying platform that issues position signals relating to the position of the flying platform; a beam steering controller that issues beam steering signals responsive to the position signals; a millimeter-wave transmit array configured to transmit multiple millimeter-wave signals to free-space in different directions according to the beam steering signals; a millimeter-wave receive array configured to receive multiple millimeter-wave signals from free-space from different directions according to the beam steering signals; an optical aperture; optical array transmit components configured to transmit multiple optical signals through the optical aperture to free-space in different directions according to the beam steering signals; optical array receive components configured to receive multiple optical signals through the optical aperture from free-space from different directions according to the beam steering signals; a switch matrix configured to switch signals between the millimeter-wave transmit and receive arrays and the optical array transmit and receive components; and a controller that configures the switch array to selectively switch the signals between the optical array transmit and receive components and the millimeter-wave transmit and receive arrays. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system on a flying platform, comprising:
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a position determiner for the flying platform that issues position signals relating to the position of the flying platform; a beam steering controller that issues beam steering signals responsive to the position signals; a millimeter-wave transmit array configured to transmit to free-space multiple millimeter-wave signals in different directions according to the beam steering signals; a millimeter-wave receive array configured to receive from free-space multiple millimeter-wave signals from different directions according to the beam steering signals; at least one optical aperture; optical array transmit components configured to transmit to free-space multiple optical signals through the at least one optical aperture in different directions according to the beam steering signals; optical array receive components configured to receive from free-space multiple optical signals through the at least one optical aperture from different directions according to the beam steering signals; and a controller including (i) means for determining whether a quality of the optical signals received by the optical array receive components is below a predetermined threshold conducive to optical communication, and if the quality is below the predetermined threshold, (ii) means for causing the millimeter-wave transmit and receive arrays to transceive free-space signals instead of the optical array transmit and receive components.
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21. A system on a flying platform, comprising:
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a position determiner for the flying platform that issues position signals relating to the position of the flying platform; a beam steering controller that issues beam steering signals responsive to the position signals; a millimeter-wave transmit array configured to transmit multiple millimeter-wave signals to free-space in different directions according to the beam steering signals; a millimeter-wave receive array configured to receive multiple millimeter-wave signals from free-space from different directions according to the beam steering signals; an optical aperture; optical array transmit components configured to transmit multiple optical signals through the optical aperture to free-space in different directions according to the beam steering signals; optical array receive components configured to receive multiple optical signals through the optical aperture from free-space from different directions according to the beam steering signals; an optical cross-link subsystem, coupled to the switch matrix and the beam steering controller, for providing optical communications between the flying platform and another flying platform; a switch matrix configured to switch signals between the millimeter-wave transmit and receive arrays, the optical array transmit and receive components, and the optical cross-link subsystem; a millimeter-wave-to-optical converter configured to convert millimeter-wave signals received by the millimeter-wave receive array to optical signals to be switched by the optical switch matrix; an optical-to-millimeter-wave converter configured to convert millimeter-wave optical signals from the optical switch matrix to millimeter-wave signals to be transmitted by the millimeter-wave transmit array; and a controller configured to control the switching of the switch matrix.
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22. A mobile terminal for communications, comprising:
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a position determiner for the mobile terminal that issues position signals relating to the position of the mobile terminal; a beam steering controller that issues beam steering signals responsive to the position signals; an optical aperture; optical array transmit components configured to transmit multiple optical signals through the optical aperture to free-space in different directions according to the beam steering signals; and optical array receive components configured to receive multiple optical signals through the optical aperture from free-space from different directions according to the beam steering signals, wherein the optical array transmit and receive components include a shared optical switch bank in optical communication with the optical aperture, the optical switch bank having optical switches that are switched responsive to the beam steering signals to control (i) the direction in which the optical array transmit components transmit the optical signals through the optical aperture into free-space, and (ii) the direction from which the optical array receive components receive the optical signals through the optical aperture from free space. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification