Ancillary terrestrial component services using multiple frequency bands

• US 20080113666A1
• Filed: 08/26/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalstar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Globalstar Incorporated
• Inventors: Gallagher, Vijaya, Navarra, Anthony, Monte, Paul A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,060,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/427
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00

Abstract

A satellite radio telephone system employing at least two space-based components, each of which is configured to communicate with a plurality of radio telephones. Each space-based component employs its own frequency band and its own air interface and includes an ancillary terrestrial component that is configured to communicate terrestrially with a plurality of radio telephones over their frequency bands and air interfaces.

Claims

1. A satellite radio telephone system comprising:

a) at least two spaced-based components, each of which is configured to communicate with a plurality of radio telephones wherein each spaced-based component employs its own frequency band and its own air interface; and

b) an ancillary terrestrial component that is configured to communicate terrestrially with the plurality of radio telephones over said own frequency band of said at least two spaced-based components and its own air interface which may be different from said air interfaces of said at least two spaced-based components.

2. The radio telephone system as defined in claim 1 wherein the radio telephone communicating with a first space based component operates in a first frequency band and uses a first air interface, and the radio telephones communicating with a second spaced-based components uses a second frequency band and a second air interface.

3. The radio telephone system as defined in claim 1 wherein all of said plurality of radio telephones are equipped to operate over said own frequency bands and support said own air interfaces.

4. The radio telephone system as defined in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the frequencies associated with an area of coverage to be utilized by a terrestrial system has overlapping coverage with a second area of coverage.

5. The radio telephone system as defined in claim 1 wherein a terrestrial underlay system associated with a first area of coverage is configured to reuse and/or share a substantially central portion of at least a portion of the frequency spectrum of one or more adjacent areas of coverage of the spaced-based component.

6. The radio telephone system as defined in claim 1 wherein frequencies associated with a first area of coverage of a first communication system are assigned, reused and/or shared in a second area of coverage associated with a second communication system.

7. The radio telephone system as defined in claim 1 wherein assignment reuse and/or reassignment of spaced-based component uplink and downlink channels is provided in a non-paired manner.

8. The radio telephone system as defined in claim 1 wherein the spaced-based and terrestrial components operate independently of each other while sharing at least a portion and optionally all of a common frequency band.

9. The radio telephone system as defined in claim 1 wherein the spaced-based and terrestrial components operate independently of each other while utilizing discrete frequency bands.