Optical satellite feeder links

• US 5,652,750 A
• Filed: 08/28/1995
• Issued: 07/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Dent, Paul W., Hassan, Amer A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Application Number:
  US08/519,943
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 370/77, 370/95.1, 370/95.3, 370/97, 370/104.1, 370/112, 455/7, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.3, 455/13.4, 455/33.1, 455/53.1, 455/54.1, 455/56.1, 455/98, 455/42, 379/59, 379/60, 342/54, 342/352, 342/353, 342/354, 342/376, 359/115, 359/109, 359/135, 359/136, 359/180, 359/181, 359/182, 322/2 R
• US Class Current: 370/326
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/118 specially adapted for satellite communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/807 Optical power feeding, i.e. transmitting power using an optical signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18532 Arrangements for managing transmission, i.e. for transporting data or a signalling message

Abstract

A cellular communications satellite system is disclosed which comprises a plurality of ground-based base stations, mobile stations, and at least one orbiting satellite for relaying signals between the base stations and mobile stations. A Plurality of feederlinks are used between the base stations and the satellite for transmitting signals and power from the ground stations to the satellite.

Claims

1. A cellular communication system, comprising:

a plurality of ground-based base stations;

a plurality of mobile stations;

at least one orbiting satellite for relaying information signals between said base stations and said mobile stations; and

a plurality of feederlinks between said base stations and said satellites for simultaneously transmitting said information signals and power from the ground stations to said satellite.

2. A cellular communication system according to claim 1, wherein said feederlinks are optical feederlinks.

3. A cellular communication system according to claim 1, wherein said feederlinks are laser beams.

4. A cellular communication system according to claim 3, wherein said laser beams are low power laser beams.

5. A cellular communication system according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of laser beams are harmonized at the altitude of the satellite.

6. A cellular communication system according to claim 1, wherein said base stations are scattered.

7. A cellular communication system according to claim 1, wherein said satellite uses a steerable laser for a down-feederlink to a central ground-based base station.

8. A cellular communication system according to claim 7, wherein said satellite further uses a plurality of addition laser for down-feederlinks to alternative ground-based base stations.

9. A cellular communication system according to claim 1, wherein said satellite uses microwave beams to form a down-feederlink to a central ground-based base station.

10. A cellular communication system according to claim 1, wherein said satellite uses a plurality of microwave beams to form down-feederlinks to said plurality of base stations.

11. A method for transmitting information from ground-based base stations to an orbiting satellite in a cellular communication system, comprising the steps of:

processing information signals intended for at least one mobile station to form drive signals for satellite-borne phased array elements;

time multiplexing said drive signals;

amplitude or frequency-shift keying said time multiplexed drive signals onto laser beam feederlink signals which are transmitted to said satellite;

demodulating said feederlink signals received at said satellite to reconstruct said time multiplexed drive signals; and

demultiplexing said drive signals at said satellite using a plurality of distributed demultiplexing circuits.

12. A method for transmitting information from ground-based base stations to an orbiting satellite in a cellular communication system, comprising the steps of:

processing information signals intended for at least one mobile station to form drive signals for satellite-borne phased array elements;

time multiplexing said drive signals;

modulating said time multiplexed drive signals onto microwave feederlink signals which are transmitted to said satellite;

demodulating said feederlink signals received at said satellite to reconstruct said time multiplexed drive signals; and

demultiplexing said drive signals at said satellite using a plurality of distributed demultiplexing circuits.