Staggered sectorization for terrestrial reuse of satellite frequencies

• US 7,890,098 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAFAIPOUR, BOBBAK
• Application Number:
  US11/413,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20060252368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: 455427-429, 455/431, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.2, 455/447, 455/13.3
• US Class Current: 455/429
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/126 having multiple inputs, e.g. auxiliary antenna for receiving interfering signal aerials in general H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/346 distributing total power among users or channels

Abstract

A satellite radiotelephone system can include a space-based component and a plurality of ancillary terrestrial components. The space-based component is configured to provide wireless radiotelephone communications over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band. The plurality of ancillary terrestrial components are configured to terrestrially reuse at least one of the satellite radiotelephone frequencies, at least some of the ancillary terrestrial components terrestrially reusing the at least one of the satellite radiotelephone frequencies in a staggered sectorization. Related methods are also discussed.

Claims

1. A satellite radiotelephone system comprising:

a space-based component configured to provide communications using frequencies of a satellite frequency band; and

a plurality of ancillary terrestrial components configured to provide communications over a service region using at least one first frequency of the satellite frequency band in a sectorization pattern that is spatially staggered between ancillary terrestrial components, wherein the space-based component excludes communications using the at least one first frequency over the service region and an aggregate power radiated by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency in any direction is less than a total power radiated by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency;

wherein the sectorization pattern is spatially staggered so that each one of the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components transmits the at least one first frequency in a respective different direction.

2. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 1 wherein the space-based component is configured to provide communications over a service region including the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components using at least one second frequency of the satellite frequency band, wherein the at least one second frequency is different than the at least one first frequency.

3. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 2 wherein the space-based component is configured to provide down-link communications over the service region using the at least one second frequency.

4. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 2 wherein the space-based component is configured to provide communications over a second service region not including the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components using the at least one first frequency.

5. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one first frequency is used by ancillary terrestrial components to provide down-link communications.

6. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 5 wherein the at least one first frequency is further used by radiotelephones to provide up-link communications.

7. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 1 wherein each of at least some of the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components comprises n directional sectors and the at least one first frequency is used by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components so that an aggregate power radiated by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency in a direction is limited to approximately 1/n of a total radiated power transmitted by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency.

8. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 7 wherein n=3.

9. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components comprise a plurality of frequency reuse clusters, wherein each frequency reuse cluster uses the at least one first frequency no more than once.

10. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components comprise at least three ancillary terrestrial components, each of which transmits the at least one first frequency in a respective different direction.

11. A satellite radiotelephone system comprising:

a space-based component that is configured to provide communications using frequencies of a satellite frequency band; and

a plurality of ancillary terrestrial components comprising a plurality of frequency reuse clusters, wherein a first frequency reuse cluster transmits at least one first frequency of the satellite frequency band in a first direction and a second frequency reuse cluster transmits the at least one first frequency of the satellite frequency band in a second direction that is different than the first direction, wherein the space-based component excludes communications using the at least one first frequency over a service region that includes the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components and an aggregate power radiated by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency in any direction is less than a total power radiated by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency.

12. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 11 wherein the space-based component is configured to provide communications over a service region including the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components using at least one second frequency of the satellite frequency band, wherein the at least one second frequency is different than the at least one first frequency.

13. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 12 wherein the space-based component is configured to provide down-link communications over the service region including the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components using the at least one second frequency.

14. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 12 wherein the space-based component is configured to provide communications over a second service region not including the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components, wherein the space-based component provides communications over the second service region using the at least one first frequency.

15. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 11 wherein the at least one first frequency is used by ancillary terrestrial components to provide down-link communications.

16. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 11 wherein each of at least some of the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components comprises n directional sectors and an aggregate power radiated by the at least some of the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency in a direction is no greater than approximately 1/n of a total power radiated by the at least some of the ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency.

17. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 16 wherein n=3.

18. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 16 wherein each frequency reuse cluster uses the at least one first frequency no more than once.

19. A method of operating a satellite radiotelephone system, the method comprising:

providing communications from a space-based component using frequencies of a satellite frequency band; and

providing communications from a plurality of ancillary terrestrial components over a service region using at least one first frequency of the satellite frequency band in a sectorization pattern that is spatially staggered between ancillary terrestrial components, wherein the space-based component excludes communications using the at least one first frequency over the service region and an aggregate power radiated by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency in any direction is less than a total power radiated by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency;

wherein the sectorization pattern is spatially staggered so that each one of the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components transmits the at least one first frequency in a respective different direction.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein providing communications from a space-based component using frequencies of a satellite frequency band further comprises providing communications over a service region including the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components using at least one second frequency of the satellite frequency band, wherein the at least one second frequency is different than the at least one first frequency.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein providing communications from a space-based component using frequencies of a satellite frequency band further comprises providing down-link communications over the service region including the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components using the at least one second frequency.

22. A method according to claim 20 wherein providing communications from a space-based component using frequencies of a satellite frequency band further comprises providing communications over a second service region not including the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components using the at least one first frequency.

23. A method according to claim 19 wherein the at least one first frequency is used by ancillary terrestrial components to provide down-link communications.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the at least one first frequency is further used by radiotelephones to provide up-link communications.

25. A method according to claim 19 wherein each of at least some of the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components comprises n directional sectors and the at least one first frequency is transmitted by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components so that an aggregate power radiated by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency in a direction is no greater than approximately 1/n of a total power radiated by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein n=3.

27. A method according to claim 25 wherein the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components comprise a plurality of frequency reuse clusters wherein each frequency reuse cluster uses the at least one first frequency no more than once.

28. A method according to claim 19 wherein the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components comprise at least three ancillary terrestrial components, each of which transmits the at least one first frequency in a respective different direction.

29. A method of operating a satellite radiotelephone system, the method comprising:

providing communications from a space-based component using frequencies of a satellite frequency band; and

providing communications from a plurality of ancillary terrestrial components comprising a plurality of frequency reuse clusters, wherein a first frequency reuse cluster transmits at least one first frequency of the satellite frequency band in a first direction and a second frequency reuse cluster transmits the at least one first frequency of the satellite frequency band in a second direction that is different than the first direction, wherein the space-based component excludes communications using the at least one first frequency over a service region that includes the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components and an aggregate power radiated by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency in any direction is less than a total power radiated by the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency.

30. A method according to claim 29 wherein providing communications from a space-based component using frequencies of a satellite frequency band further comprises providing communications over a service region including the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components using at least one second frequency of the satellite frequency band, wherein the at least one second frequency is different than the at least one first frequency.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein providing communications from a space-based component using frequencies of a satellite frequency band further comprises providing down-link communications over the service region using the at least one second frequency.

32. A method according to claim 30 wherein providing communications from a space-based component using frequencies of a satellite frequency band further comprises providing communications over a second service region not including the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components using the at least one first frequency.

33. A method according to claim 29 wherein the at least one first frequency is used by ancillary terrestrial components to provide down-link communications.

34. A method according to claim 29 wherein each of at least some of the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components comprises n directional sectors and the at least one first frequency is used by the plurality of frequency reuse clusters so that an aggregate power radiated by the plurality of frequency reuse clusters at the at least one first frequency in a direction is no greater than approximately 1/n of a total power radiated by the plurality of frequency reuse clusters at the at least one first frequency.

35. A method according to claim 34 wherein n=3.

36. A method according to claim 34 wherein each frequency reuse cluster uses the at least one first frequency no more than once.

37. A radiotelephone system comprising:

a plurality of terrestrial components comprising a plurality of frequency reuse clusters, at least one terrestrial component of each frequency reuse cluster comprising a plurality of directional sectors, wherein at least a first and second frequency reuse clusters provide communications by transmitting at least one first frequency of a satellite frequency band in respective first and second different directions, a space-based component provides communications using frequencies of the satellite frequency band and excludes communications using the at least one first frequency over a service region that includes the plurality of terrestrial components and wherein an aggregate power radiated by the plurality of terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency in any direction is less than a total power radiated by the plurality of terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency.

38. A radiotelephone system according to claim 37 wherein the at least one first frequency of the satellite frequency band is used by terrestrial components to provide down-link communications.

39. A radiotelephone system according to claim 38 wherein the at least one first frequency of the satellite frequency band is further used by radiotelephones to provide up-link communications.

40. A radiotelephone system according to claim 37 wherein each of at least some of the plurality of terrestrial components comprises n directional sectors and the at least one first frequency of the satellite frequency band is used so that an aggregate power radiated by the at least some of the plurality of terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency in a direction is no greater than approximately 1/n of a total power radiated by the at least some of the plurality of terrestrial components at the at least one first frequency.

41. A radiotelephone system according to claim 40 wherein n=3.

42. A radiotelephone system according to claim 40 wherein each frequency reuse cluster uses the at least one first frequency of the satellite frequency band no more than once.

43. A method of operating a radiotelephone system, the method comprising:

using a radiotelephone frequency by a plurality of terrestrial components to provide radiotelephone communications wherein the plurality of terrestrial components comprises a plurality of frequency reuse clusters with at least one terrestrial component of each frequency reuse cluster transmitting from a plurality of directional sectors and wherein a first frequency reuse cluster transmits the radiotelephone frequency in a first direction and a second frequency reuse cluster transmits the radiotelephone frequency in a second direction that is randomly oriented relative to the first direction, wherein the radiotelephone frequency used by the plurality of frequency reuse clusters is within a band of satellite frequencies transmitted by a space-based component and wherein the first and second directions are different.

44. A method of providing communications comprising:

using a radiotelephone frequency by a plurality of terrestrial components to provide radiotelephone communications for a plurality of terminals; and

randomizing use of the radiotelephone frequency by the plurality of terrestrial components, wherein the radiotelephone frequency used among the plurality of terrestrial components is within a band of satellite frequencies associated with a space-based component wherein randomizing use of the radiotelephone frequency comprises randomizing a direction of use of the radiotelephone frequency so that each of the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components transmits the radiotelephone frequency in a respective different direction.

45. A communications system comprising:

means for using a radiotelephone frequency among a plurality of terrestrial components to provide radiotelephone communications for a plurality of mobile terminals; and

means for randomizing use of the radiotelephone frequency among the plurality of terrestrial components, wherein the radiotelephone frequency is used by terrestrial components to provide down-link communications, and wherein the radiotelephone frequency used among the plurality of terrestrial components is within a band of satellite frequencies associated with a space-based component wherein the means for randomizing use of the radiotelephone frequency comprises means for randomizing a direction of use of the radiotelephone frequency so that each of the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components transmits the radiotelephone frequency in a respective different direction.

46. A communications system according to claim 45 wherein the radiotelephone frequency is further used by radiotelephones to provide up-link communications.