Systems and methods with different utilization of satellite frequency bands by a space-based network and an ancillary terrestrial network

• US 8,055,257 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; John J
• Application Number:
  US12/609,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20100048201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 455/427, 455/12.1, 455/13.2, 455/3.02, 455/13.1, 455/13.4, 455/426, 455/428, 455/429, 455/430
• US Class Current: 455/427
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00

Abstract

A radioterminal communications system includes an ancillary terrestrial component configured to receive from at least some of a plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band (e.g., an L-band) and to transmit to at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band (e.g., an S-band). The system further includes a space-based component configured to communicate with the plurality of radioterminals using at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and/or at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band. In some embodiments the ancillary terrestrial component communicates with radioterminals using a Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode and the space-based component communicates with the same or other radioterminals using a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and/or a TDD mode.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communications system including a space-based network comprising a satellite and a terrestrial network comprising a base station, the method comprising:

receiving communications at the base station from a radioterminal using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band;

communicating from the base station to the radioterminal using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band; and

communicating directly between the satellite and the radioterminal using at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and/or at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band,

wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first one of an L-band of frequencies and an S-band of frequencies and wherein the second satellite frequency band comprises a second one of the L-band of frequencies and the S-band of frequencies,

wherein the communications between the satellite and the radioterminal do not use frequencies from the first satellite frequency band.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications between the satellite and the radioterminal use at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating from the base station to another radioterminal using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the radioterminal is terrestrially located during communications with the ancillary terrestrial network and with the space-based component.

5. A communications system comprising:

a terrestrial network comprising a base station, wherein the base station is configured to receive information from a radioterminal using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band and to transmit information to the radioterminal using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band; and

a space-based network comprising a satellite that is configured to communicate directly with the radioterminal using at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and/or at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band,

wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first one of an L-band of frequencies and an S-band of frequencies, and the second satellite frequency band comprises a second one of the L-band of frequencies and the S-band of frequencies,

wherein the communications between the satellite and the radioterminal do not use frequencies from the first satellite frequency band.

6. The communications system of claim 5, wherein:

the space-based component is further configured to communicate with the radioterminal using at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band.

7. The communications system of claim 5, further comprising:

communicating from the base station to another radioterminal using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band.

8. The communications system of claim 5, wherein the base station and the satellite are configured to communicate with a terrestrially located radioterminal.

9. A terrestrial network comprising:

a base station that is configured to receive information from a radioterminal using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band and to transmit information to the radioterminal using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band, wherein the base station is configured for use in conjunction with a satellite that communicates directly with the radioterminal using at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and/or at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band,

wherein the first satellite frequency band comprises a first one of an L-band of frequencies and an S-band of frequencies, and the second satellite frequency band comprises a second one of the L-band of frequencies and the S-band of frequencies,

wherein the communications between the satellite and the radioterminal do not use frequencies from the first satellite frequency band.

10. The terrestrial network of claim 9, wherein the base station is configured to communicate with another terrestrially located radioterminal using frequencies from the first satellite frequency band.