INTEGRATED OR AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM AND METHOD OF SATELLITE-TERRESTRIAL FREQUENCY REUSE USING SIGNAL ATTENUATION AND/OR BLOCKAGE, DYNAMIC ASSIGNMENT OF FREQUENCIES AND/OR HYSTERESIS

• US 20070021060A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Singh, Rajendra, Karabinis, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/12.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2041 Spot beam multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks

Abstract

A cellular communications system comprising a space based system comprising a first set of cells, and a ground based system comprising a second set of cells The space and ground systems can optionally function substantially autonomously, with each using spectrum from at least one predetermined frequency band.

Claims

1. A cellular communications system, comprising:

a space based system for providing communications using a first air interface and a first portion of a satellite frequency band; and

a ground based system for providing communications using a second air interface and a second portion of the satellite frequency band, wherein the space based and ground based systems are configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises an uplink portion and a downlink portion and wherein the ground based system uses a portion of the uplink and/or downlink portions.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the space based and ground based systems provide communications based upon a cellular architecture comprising a plurality of cells.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises a space based system uplink portion, a space based system downlink portion and a ground based system portion.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein at least two cells of the plurality of cells use frequencies that are mutually exclusive therebetween.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one frequency of the first portion and at least one frequency of the second portion are substantially the same therebetween.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein a subscriber terminal comprises a first vocoder having a first data rate and a second vocoder having a second data rate, wherein the first vocoder is used when the subscriber terminal is communicating with the space based system, and wherein the second vocoder is used when the subscriber terminal is communicating with the ground based system.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein a Radio Resource Manager (RRM) assigns and/or activates the first and/or second vocoders in response to at least one predetermined criterion.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one predetermined criterion comprises at least one of capacity demand, voice quality, and/or received signal level.

10. The system according to claim 8, further comprising at least one mobile switching center operatively connected to the space based system and ground based system that assigns and/or activates a vocoder in response to at least one predetermined criterion comprising capacity demand, voice quality, and/or received signal level.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein the RRM further de-assigns and/or de-activates the first and/or second vocoders in response to a change in the at least one predetermined criterion.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one predetermined criterion comprises capacity demand, voice quality, signal strength and/or received signal level.

13. The system according to claim 3, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein a subscriber terminal communicates with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein frequencies used by a cell of the space based system are mutually exclusive to frequencies used by a cell of the ground based system that is at least partially within the cell of the space based system.

15. The system according to claim 3, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein a subscriber terminal communicates with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein frequencies used by a cell of the space based system are mutually exclusive to frequencies used by a cell of the ground based system that is at least partially within the cell of the space based system.

17. The system according to claim 3, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein a subscriber terminal communicates with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein frequencies used by a cell of the space based system are mutually exclusive to frequencies used by a cell of the ground based system that is at least partially within the cell of the space based system.

19. The system according to claim 3, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein a subscriber terminal communicates with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein frequencies used by a cell of the space based system are mutually exclusive to frequencies used by a cell of the ground based system that is at least partially within the cell of the space based system.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein transmitting and receiving are performed using at least one frequency that is common therebetween.

22. The system according to claim 17, wherein transmitting and receiving are performed using at least one frequency that is common therebetween.

23. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are substantially devoid of common frequencies therebetween.

24. The system according to claim 1, further comprising first and second Radio Resource Managers (RRMs), wherein the first RAM is utilized in connection with the ground based system and the second RRM is utilized in connection with the space based system.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the first and/or second RRMs monitor interference and reduce interference by selectively assigning channels responsive to the interference that is monitored.

26. The system according to claim 4, wherein the space based system uplink portion, the space based system downlink portion and the ground based system portion are substantially devoid of common frequencies therebetween.

27. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second air interfaces differ therebetween.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein the first and/or second air interface(s) is/are based upon a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the TDMA air interface is based upon a GSM air interface.

30. The system according to claim 27, wherein the first air interface is based upon a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface and the second air interface is based upon a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the TDMA air interface is based upon a GSM air interface.

32. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second air interfaces are substantially the same.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein the first and second air interfaces are based upon a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein the TDMA air interface is based upon a GSM air interface.

35. The system according to claim 32, wherein the first and second air interfaces are based upon a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface.

36. The system according to claim 1, wherein a Network Operations Center (NOC) is shared between and operatively connected to the space based system and the ground based system.

37. The system according to claim 36, wherein the NOC utilizes past system traffic patterns in configuring and assigning frequencies to the space based system and the ground based system.

38. The system according to claim 27, wherein the first and/or second air interface(s) is/are based upon a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface.

39. The system according to claim 27, wherein the first air interface is based upon a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface and the second air interface is based upon a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface.

40. The system according to claim 39, wherein the TDMA air interface is based upon a GSM air interface.

41. A method of communicating using a cellular communications system, the method comprising:

communicating with a space based system using a first air interface and a first portion of a satellite frequency hand; and

communicating with a ground based system using a second air interface and a second portion of the satellite frequency band, wherein the space based and ground based systems are configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises an uplink portion and a downlink portion and wherein the ground based system uses a portion of the uplink and/or downlink portions.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the space based and ground based systems provide communications based upon a cellular architecture comprising a plurality of cells.

44. The method according to claim 41, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises a space based system uplink portion, a space based system downlink portion and a ground based system portion.

45. The method according to claim 43, wherein at least two cells of the plurality of cells use frequencies that are mutually exclusive therebetween.

46. The method according to claim 41, wherein at least one frequency of the first portion and at least one frequency of the second portion are substantially the same therebetween.

47. The method according to claim 41, further comprising communicating using a subscriber terminal comprising a first vocoder having a first data rate and a second vocoder having a second data rater wherein the first vocoder is used when the subscriber terminal is communicating with the space based system, and wherein the second vocoder is used when the subscriber terminal is communicating with the ground based system.

48. The method according to claim 47, further comprising using a Radio Resource Manager (RRM) for assigning and/or activating the first and/or second vocoders in response to at least one predetermined criterion.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the at least one predetermined criterion comprises capacity demand, voice quality, and/or received signal level.

50. The method according to claim 48, further comprising using at least one mobile switching center operatively connected to the space based system and ground based system that assigns and/or activates a vocoder in response to at least one predetermined criterion comprising capacity demand, voice quality, and/or received signal level.

51. The method according to claim 48, further comprising using the RRM for de-assigning and/or de-activating the first and/or second vocoders in response to a change of the at least one predetermined criterion.

52. The method according to claim 51, wherein the at least one predetermined criterion comprises capacity demand, voice quality, signal strength and/or received signal level.

53. The method according to claim 43, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein a subscriber terminal is used for communicating with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band.

54. The method according to claim 53, further comprising using frequencies by a cell of the space based system that are mutually exclusive to frequencies used by a cell of the ground based system that is at least partially within the cell of the space based system.

55. The method according to claim 43, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein a subscriber terminal is used for communicating with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band.

56. The method according to claim 55, further comprising using frequencies by a cell of the space based system that are mutually exclusive to frequencies used by a cell of the ground based system that is at least partially within the cell of the space based system.

57. The method according to claim 43, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein a subscriber terminal is used for communicating with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band.

58. The method according to claim 57, further comprising using frequencies by a cell of the space based system that are mutually exclusive to frequencies used by a cell of the ground based system that is at least partially within the cell of the space based system.

59. The method according to claim 43, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein a subscriber terminal is used for communicating with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band.

60. The method according to claim 59, further comprising using frequencies by a cell of the space based system that are mutually exclusive to frequencies used by a cell of the ground based system that is at least partially within the cell of the space based system.

61. The method according to claim 59, wherein transmitting and receiving are performed using at least one frequency that is common therebetween.

62. The method according to claim 57, wherein transmitting and receiving are performed using at least one frequency that is common therebetween.

63. The method according to claim 41, wherein the first portion and the second portion are substantially devoid of common frequencies therebetween.

64. The method according to claim 41, further comprising using a first Radio Resource Manager (RRM) in connection with the ground based system and using a second RRM in connection with the space based system.

65. The method according to claim 64, further comprising monitoring interference by the first and/or second RRM and selectively assigning channels to reduce interference responsive to the monitoring.

66. The method according to claim 44, wherein the space based system uplink portion, the space based system downlink portion and the ground based system portion are substantially devoid of common frequencies therebetween.

67. The method according to claim 41, wherein the first and second air interfaces differ therebetween.

68. The method according to claim 67, wherein the first and/or second air interface(s) is/are based upon a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface.

69. The method according to claim 68, wherein the TDMA air interface is based upon a GSM air interface.

70. The method according to claim 67, wherein the first air interface is based upon a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface and the second air interface is based upon a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface.

71. The method according to claim 70, wherein the TDMA air interface is based upon a GSM air interface.

72. The method according to claim 41, wherein the first and second air interfaces are substantially the same.

73. The method according to claim 72, wherein the first and second air interfaces are based upon a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface.

74. The method according to claim 73, wherein the TDMA air interface is based upon a GSM air interface.

75. The method according to claim 72, wherein the first and second air interfaces are based upon a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface.

76. The method according to claim 41, further comprising using a Network Operations Center (NOC) that is operatively connected to the space based system and the ground based system.

77. The method according to claim 76, further comprising utilizing by the NOC past system traffic patterns in configuring and assigning frequencies to the space based system and the ground based system.

78. The method according to claim 67, wherein the first and/or second air interface~s) is/are based upon a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface.

79. The method according to claim 67, wherein the first air interface is based upon a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface and the second air interface is based upon a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface.

80. The method according to claim 79, wherein the TDMA air interface is based upon a GSM air interface.

81. A method of providing wireless communications using a satellite frequency band, wherein frequencies of the satellite frequency band are used by a space based system and a ground based system that are configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween, the method comprising:

configuring a satellite spot beam, associated with the space based system;

configuring a terrestrial cell, associated with the ground based system, that at least partially geographically overlaps the satellite spot beam;

determining a channel availability autonomously by the ground based system; and

assigning to a subscriber terminal a communications channel of the ground based system responsive to the channel availability that is determined autonomously by the ground based system.

82. The method according to claim 81, wherein the space based system uses an air interface and the ground based system uses the air interface.

83. The method according to claim 81, wherein the space based system uses a first air interface and the ground based system uses a second air interface and wherein the first and second air interfaces differ therebetween.

84. The method according to claim 83, wherein the first air interface is a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface, a GSM based air interface and/or a derivative thereof, and the second air interface is a TDMA air interface, a GSM based air interface and/or a derivative thereof.

85. The method according to claim 83, wherein the first air interface is a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface, a GSM based air interface and/or a derivative thereof, and the second air interface is a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) based air interface and/or a derivative thereof.

86. The method according to claim 83, wherein the first air interface is at least one of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) based air interface and/or a derivative thereof, and the second air interface is a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface, a GSM based air interface and/or a derivative thereof.

87. The method according to claim 83, wherein the first air interface is at least one of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) based air interface and/or a derivative thereof, and the second air interface is a CDMA based air interface and/or a derivative thereof.

88. The method according to claim 83, further comprising changing an output power of a subscriber terminal utilizing the space based system responsive to an aggregate signal strength of subscriber terminals utilizing the ground based system.

89. The method according to claim 88, further comprising decreasing a number of subscriber terminal connections with the ground based system responsive to a bit error rate, received signal strength, available link margin, and/or voice quality associated with the space based system.

90. The method according to claim 81, further comprising enabling a subscriber terminal to communicate at a data rate of the plurality of data rates responsive to a capacity demand, voice quality, and/or subscriber terminal received signal level.

91. The method according to claim 90, further comprising changing a data rate of the subscriber terminal responsive to a capacity demand and/or received signal level having changed since assignment or activation of a current data rate.

92. The method according to claim 81, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein the subscriber terminal communicates with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band.

93. The method according to claim 81, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein the subscriber terminal communicates with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band.

94. The method according to claim 81, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein the subscriber terminal communicates with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band.

95. The method according to claim 81, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein the subscriber terminal communicates with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band.

96. The method according to claim 81, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein the ground based system shares at least a portion of the uplink and/or downlink frequency bands.

97. The method according to claim 81, further comprising the ground based system and/or the space based system autonomously monitoring interference and avoiding use of channels that would cause levels of interference exceeding a predetermined threshold.

98. The method according to claim 97, further comprising utilizing a different communications channel when a quality measure of an existing communications channel has fallen below a predetermined level.

99. The method according to claim 81, further comprising the space based system and/or the ground based system autonomously monitoring received signal quality and/or available link margin associated with a subscriber terminal.

100. The method according to claim 99, further comprising utilizing a different communications channel when received signal quality and/or available link margin has/have fallen below associated predetermined thresholds).

101. The method according to claim 81, further comprising arranging for reconfiguration of channels and/or frequencies to meet a changed traffic pattern.

102. The method according to claim 101, wherein arranging is responsive to a past system traffic pattern.

103. The method according to claim 101, wherein a hysteresis is utilized in arranging for the reconfiguration of channels and/or frequencies to meet a changed traffic pattern.

104. The method according to claim 81, wherein the communications channel is assigned to the subscriber terminal in accordance with a predetermined channel assignment scheme.

105. A system configured to provide wireless communications using a satellite frequency band, wherein frequencies of the satellite frequency band are used by a space based system and a ground based system that are configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween, the system comprising:

at least one satellite spot beam, associated with the space based system; and

at least one terrestrial cell, associated with the ground based system, that at least partially geographically overlaps the at least one satellite spot beam;

wherein a channel availability is autonomously determined by the ground based system and a channel is assigned to a subscriber terminal that is within the at least one terrestrial cell, responsive to the channel availability that is autonomously determined by the ground based system.

106. The system according to claim 105, wherein the space based system uses an air interface and the ground based system uses the air interface.

107. The system according to claim 105, wherein the space based system uses a first air interface, and the ground based system uses a second air interface and wherein the first and second air interfaces differ therebetween.

108. The system according to claim 107, wherein the first air interface is a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface, a GSM based air interface and/or a derivative thereof, and the second air interface is a TDMA air interface, a GSM based air interface and/or a derivative thereof.

109. The system according to claim 107, wherein the first air interface is a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface, a GSM based air interface and/or a derivative thereof, and the second air interface is a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) based air interface and/or a derivative thereof.

110. The system according to claim 107, wherein the first air interface is a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) based air interface and/or a derivative thereof, and the second air interface is a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air interface, a GSM based air interface and/or a derivative thereof.

111. The system according to claim 107, wherein the first air interface is a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) based air interface and/or a derivative thereof, and the second air interface is a CDMA based air interface and/or a derivative thereof.

112. The system according to claim 107, further configured to change an output power of a subscriber terminal utilizing the space based system responsive to an aggregate signal strength of subscriber terminals utilizing the ground based system.

113. The system according to claim 112, further configured to decrease a number of subscriber terminal connections with the ground based system responsive to a bit error rate, received signal strength, available link margin, and/or voice quality associated with the space based system.

114. The system according to claim 105, further configured to enable a subscriber terminal to communicate at a plurality of data rates and to select a data rate responsive to a capacity demand, voice quality, and/or subscriber terminal received signal level.

115. The system according to claim 114, further configured to change a data rate of the subscriber terminal responsive to a capacity demand and/or received signal level having changed since an initial assignment or activation of a current data rate.

116. The system according to claim 105, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein the subscriber terminal communicates with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band.

117. The system according to claim 105, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein the subscriber terminal communicates with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band.

118. The system according to claim 105, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein the subscriber terminal communicates with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the uplink frequency band.

119. The system according to claim 105, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein the subscriber terminal communicates with the ground based system by transmitting at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band and receiving at frequencies that are within the downlink frequency band.

120. The system according to claim 105, wherein the satellite frequency band comprises uplink and downlink frequency bands, and wherein the ground based system shares at least a portion of the uplink and/or downlink frequency bands.

121. The system according to claim 105, wherein the ground based system and/or the space based system is/are further configured to autonomously monitor interference and avoid use of channels that would cause levels of interference exceeding a predetermined threshold.

122. The system according to claim 121, further configured to use a different communications channel when a quality measure of an existing communications channel has fallen below a predetermined level.

123. The system according to claim 105, wherein the space based system and/or the ground based system is/are further configured to autonomously monitor received signal quality and/or available link margin associated with a subscriber terminal.

124. The system according to claim 123, further configured to utilize a different communications channel when a received signal quality and/or available link margin has/have fallen below associated predetermined thresholds).

125. The system according to claim 105, further configured to change a channel and/or frequency use responsive to a changed traffic pattern.

126. The system according to claim 125, wherein the changed traffic pattern is a past system traffic pattern.

127. The system according to claim 125, wherein a hysteresis is used in providing the channel and/or frequency use change.

128. The system according to claim 105, wherein the communications channel is assigned to the subscriber terminal in accordance with a predetermined channel assignment scheme.

129. A method of wirelessly communicating using a space based system and/or a ground based system that provide wireless communications using frequencies of at least one satellite frequency band and are configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween, the method comprising:

establishing a service region associated with a cell of the ground based system;

the cell having at least partial overlapping geographic coverage with a satellite spot beam of the space based system;

determining by the ground based system and/or the space based system substantially autonomously a channel availability; and

assigning preferentially a communications channel associated with the ground based system to a subscriber terminal that is within the cell.

130. A method according to claim 129, wherein assigning preferentially comprises assigning preferentially responsive to an identity of the subscriber terminal.

131. A system configured to provide wireless communications using a space based system and/or a ground based system that provide wireless communications using frequencies of at least one satellite frequency band and are configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween, wherein the system comprises at least one cell of the ground based system having at least partial overlapping geographic coverage with at least one satellite spot beam of the space based system, and wherein the ground based system and/or the space based system is/are configured to determine a channel availability substantially autonomously and to preferentially assign a communications channel associated with the ground based system to a subscriber terminal that is within the at least one cell.

132. A system according to claim 131, wherein to preferentially assign a communications channel comprises to preferentially assign a communications channel responsive to an identity of the subscriber terminal.

133. A method of wirelessly communicating using a space based system and/or a ground based system that provide communications using frequencies of at least one satellite frequency band and are configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween, the method comprising:

establishing a service region associated with a satellite spot beam of the space based system having at least partial overlapping geographic coverage with at least one cell of the ground based system;

determining by the ground based system and/or the space based system substantially autonomously a channel availability; and

assigning preferentially a communications channel associated with the space based system to a subscriber terminal that is within the satellite spot beam.

134. A method according to claim 133, wherein assigning preferentially comprises assigning preferentially responsive to an identity of the subscriber terminal.

135. A system configured to provide wireless communications using a space based system and/or a ground based system that provide wireless communications using frequencies of at least one satellite frequency band and are configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween, wherein the system comprises at least one cell of the ground based system having at least partial overlapping geographic coverage with at least one satellite spot beam of the space based system, and wherein the ground based system and/or the space based system is/are configured to determine a channel availability substantially autonomously and to preferentially assign a communications channel associated with the space based system to a subscriber terminal that is within the at least one satellite spot beam.

136. A system according to claim 135, wherein to preferentially assign a communications channel comprises to preferentially assign a communications channel responsive to an identity of the subscriber terminal.

137. A method of establishing communications between a terminal and a hybrid communications system comprising a space based system and a ground based system;

the space based and ground based systems providing wireless communications using respective first and second sets of frequencies of at least one satellite frequency band while being configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween;

the method comprising;

transmitting a signal by a terminal to the hybrid communications system;

determining by the hybrid communications system based on at least the transmitted signal an identity of the terminal; and

assigning to the terminal a communications channel responsive to the identity of the terminal.

138. A hybrid communications system comprising a space based system and a ground based system;

wherein the space based and ground based systems are configured to provide wireless communications using respective first and second sets of frequencies of at least one satellite frequency band while being configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween;

wherein the hybrid communications system is configured to determine an identity of a terminal from at least a signal transmitted by the terminal and to assign to the terminal a communications channel responsive to the identity of the terminal.

139. A cellular wireless communications system, comprising:

a space based system configured to provide down link communications using down link frequencies of a satellite frequency band and/or to provide up link communications using up link frequencies of a satellite frequency band; and

a ground based system configured to provide down link communications using up link frequencies of a satellite frequency band and/or to provide up link communications using down link frequencies of a satellite frequency band, wherein the space based and ground based systems are configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween.

140. A cellular wireless communications method, comprising:

providing space based communications using a space based system that is configured to provide down link communications using down link frequencies of a satellite frequency band and/or to provide up link communications using up link frequencies of a satellite frequency band; and

providing ground based communications using a ground based system that is configured to provide down link communications using up link frequencies of a satellite frequency band and/or to provide up link communications using down link frequencies of a satellite frequency band, wherein the space based and ground based systems are configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween.

141. A wireless communications system comprising:

a space based system configured to provide wireless communications using a first set of frequencies of a satellite frequency band over a first service region; and

a terrestrially based system configured to provide wireless communications using a second set of frequencies of a satellite frequency band over a second service region that at least partially overlaps geographically with the first service region;

wherein the space based and terrestrially based systems are configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween.

142. The system according to claim 141, wherein configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween comprises at least one connection between the space based system and the terrestrially based system.

143. The system according to claim 142, wherein configured to function substantially autonomously therebetween further comprises the space based and/or the terrestrially based system(s) being configured to determine an availability of communications channel(s) substantially autonomously and configured to allocate communications channels to subscriber terminals substantially autonomously.

144. The system according to claim 141, wherein the first set of frequencies and the second set of frequencies differ therebetween by at least one frequency.

145. The system according to claim 141, wherein the first set of frequencies and the second set of frequencies are substantially the same.

146. The system according to claim 143, wherein configured to allocate communications channels to subscriber terminals substantially autonomously further comprises configured to preferentially allocate communications channels that are associated with the terrestrially based system.

147. The system according to claim 143, wherein configured to allocate communications channels to subscriber terminals substantially autonomously further comprises configured to preferentially allocate communications channels that are associated with the space based system.

148. A method for providing wireless communications, the method comprising:

configuring a space based system to provide wireless communications using a first set of frequencies of a satellite frequency band over a first service region; and

configuring a terrestrially based system to provide wireless communications using a second set of frequencies of a satellite frequency band over a second service region that at least partially overlaps geographically with the first service region; and

configuring the space based and terrestrially based systems to function substantially autonomously therebetween.

149. The method according to claim 148, wherein configuring the space based and terrestrially based systems to function substantially autonomously therebetween comprises configuring at least one connection between the space based system and the terrestrially based system.

150. The method according to claim 149, wherein configuring the space based and terrestrially based systems to function substantially autonomously therebetween further comprises configuring the space based and/or the terrestrially based system(s) to determine an availability of communications channel(s) substantially autonomously and configuring the space based and/or terrestrially based systems to allocate communications channels to subscriber terminals substantially autonomously.

151. The method according to claim 148, wherein the first set of frequencies and the second set of frequencies differ therebetween by at least one frequency.

152. The method according to claim 148, wherein the first set of frequencies and the second set of frequencies are substantially the same.

153. The method according to claim 150, wherein configuring the space based and/or terrestrially based systems to allocate communications channels to subscriber terminals substantially autonomously further comprises configuring the space based and/or terrestrially based systems to preferentially allocate communications channels that are associated with the terrestrially based system.

154. The method according to claim 150, wherein configuring the space based and/or terrestrially based systems to allocate communications channels to subscriber terminals substantially autonomously further comprises configuring the space based and/or terrestrially based systems to preferentially allocate communications channels that are associated with the space based system.