Nonterrestrial cellular mobile telecommunication network

• US 5,878,346 A
• Filed: 09/06/1996
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gogo LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aircell LLC (GOGO Incorporated)
• Inventors: McKenna, Daniel B., George, Robert L., Ray, J. C., Jones, Stephen S., Hoppe, Geoffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US08/709,417
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 455/431, 455/426, 455/448, 455/450-452, 455/454-456, 455/466, 455/509, 455/511, 455/515, 455/63, 455/67.3, 455/561-562, 455/443, 455/447, 342/361, 342/362
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

The multidimensional cellular mobile telecommunication system extends the usage of existing cellular mobile telecommunication radio frequencies allocated for ground-based communications to non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations by adding an overlay of non-terrestrial cells of predetermined geometry and locus in space to the existing ground-based cellular cell site network. The polarization of the signals produced by the non-terrestrial antenna elements is a polarization that is different than and preferably substantially orthogonal to the polarization of the cellular radio signals produced by the ground-based antennas, such as a horizontal polarization, to thereby minimize the possibility of interference with the vertically polarized ground-based radio signals. Furthermore, the control signals exchanged between the non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations and the non-terrestrial cell site controller are architected to avoid the possibility of interference with ground-based cell site transmitter-receiver pairs. In particular, the control channels used for the non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations are selected such that the control signals transmitted in these channels are unrecognizable to the ground-based mobile subscriber stations and cell site transmitter-receiver pairs, so that even if broadcasts from a non-terrestrial mobile subscriber station reach a ground-based mobile subscriber station or cell site receiver, they cannot be interpreted and are rejected out of hand.

Claims

1. A telecommunication system for providing cellular radio communication with non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations using radio frequencies allocated for ground-based mobile telecommunications, comprising:

at least one radio transmitter for generating communication signals transmitted to non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations at radio frequencies allocated for ground-based mobile subscriber stations, said generated communication signals comprising control and user data signals;

at least one radio receiver for receiving communication signals generated by said non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations at radio frequencies allocated for said ground-based mobile subscriber stations, said received communication signals comprising control and user data signals; and

wherein said communication signals generated by said at least one radio transmitter and said non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations comprise at least one channel for exchanging control signals, said at least one channel being selected to contain control signals incapable of being used by said ground-based mobile subscriber stations.

2. The telecommunication system of claim 1 wherein communication signals transmitted to said ground-based mobile subscriber stations comprise a plurality of communication channels, a first set of said communication channels being used for control signals and a second set of said communication channels being used for user data signals, said at least one radio transmitter comprising:

means for generating communication signals, transmitted to said non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations, said generated communication signals comprising a plurality of communication channels;

means for allocating a first set of said generated plurality of communication channels for user data signals; and

means for allocating at least one of said generated plurality of communication channels as said at least one channel for exchanging for control signals, which said at least one channel correspond to communication channels in said first set of said communication channels transmitted to said ground-based mobile subscriber stations.

3. The telecommunication system of claim 2 wherein communication signals transmitted to said ground-based mobile subscriber stations comprise radio signals of a first polarization, said at least one radio transmitter comprising:

means for generating communication signals, transmitted to said non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations, said generated communication signals comprising radio signals of a second polarization, said second polarization being different than said first polarization.

4. The telecommunication system of claim 3 wherein said means for generating produces radio signals of said second polarization which is substantially orthogonal to said first polarization.

5. The telecommunication system of claim 3 wherein said radio signals of a first polarization are polarized in a vertical direction, said means for generating produces radio signals of horizontal polarization.

6. The telecommunication system of claim 1 wherein communication signals transmitted to said non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations comprise a plurality of communication channels, a first set of said communication channels being used for control signals and a second set of said communication channels being used for user data signals, said telecommunication system further comprising:

means for generating communication signals, transmitted to said ground-based mobile subscriber stations, comprising a plurality of communication channels;

means for allocating a first set of said generated plurality of communication channels for user data signals; and

means for allocating at least one of said generated plurality of communication channels for control signals, which said at least one channel correspond to communication channels in said first set of said communication channels transmitted to said non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations.

7. The telecommunication system of claim 1 wherein said at least one radio transmitter comprises:

means for generating communication signals which comprise a plurality of communication channels;

means for allocating a first set of said generated plurality of communication channels for user data signals; and

means for allocating at least one of said generated plurality of communication channels for control signals.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 7 wherein communication signals transmitted to said ground-based mobile subscriber stations comprise radio signals of a first polarization, said at least one radio transmitter further comprises:

means for transmitting said generated communication signals as radio signals of a second polarization which second polarization is substantially orthogonal to said first polarization.

9. A method of operating a telecommunication system for providing cellular radio communication with non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations using radio frequencies allocated for ground-based mobile telecommunications, said method comprising the steps of:

operating at least one radio transmitter to generate communication signals transmitted to non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations at radio frequencies allocated for ground-based mobile subscriber stations, said generated communication signals comprising control and user data signals;

operating at least one radio receiver to receive communication signals generated by said non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations at radio frequencies allocated for said ground-based mobile subscriber stations, said received communication signals comprising control and user data signals; and

implementing said communication signals generated by said at least one radio transmitter and said non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations to comprise at least one channel for exchanging control signals, said at least one channel being selected to contain control signals incapable of being used by said ground-based mobile subscriber stations.

10. The method of operating a telecommunication system of claim 9 wherein communication signals transmitted to said ground-based mobile subscriber stations comprise a plurality of communication channels, a first set of said communication channels being used for control signals and a second set of said communication channels being used for user data signals, said method of operating said at least one radio transmitter comprising:

generating communication signals, transmitted to said non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations, said generated communication signals comprising a plurality of communication channels;

allocating a first set of said generated plurality of communication channels for user data signals; and

allocating at least one of said generated plurality of communication channels as said at least one channel for exchanging for control signals, which said at least one channel correspond to communication channels in said first set of said communication channels transmitted to said ground-based mobile subscriber stations.

11. The method of operating a telecommunication system of claim 10 wherein communication signals transmitted to said ground-based mobile subscriber stations comprise radio signals of a first polarization, said method of operating said at least one radio transmitter comprising:

generating communication signals, transmitted to said non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations, said generated communication signals comprising radio signals of a second polarization, said second polarization being different than said first polarization.

12. The method of operating a telecommunication system of claim 11 wherein said step of generating produces radio signals of said second polarization which is substantially orthogonal to said first polarization.

13. The method of operating a telecommunication system of claim 11 wherein said radio signals of a first polarization are polarized in a vertical direction, said means for generating produces radio signals of horizontal polarization.

14. The method of operating a telecommunication system of claim 9 wherein communication signals transmitted to said non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations comprise a plurality of communication channels, a first set of said communication channels being used for control signals and a second set of said communication channels being used for user data signals, said method of operating said telecommunication system further comprising:

generating communication signals, transmitted to said ground-based mobile subscriber stations, comprising a plurality of communication channels;

allocating a first set of said generated plurality of communication channels for user data signals; and

allocating at least one of said generated plurality of communication channels for control signals, which said at least one channel correspond to communication channels in said first set of said communication channels transmitted to said non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations.

15. The method of operating a telecommunication system of claim 9 wherein said method of operating said at least one radio transmitter comprises:

generating communication signals which comprise a plurality of communication channels;

allocating a first set of said generated plurality of communication channels for user data signals; and

allocating at least one of said generated plurality of communication channels for control signals.

16. The method of operating a telecommunications system of claim 15 wherein communication signals transmitted to said ground-based mobile subscriber stations comprise radio signals of a first polarization, said method of operating said at least one radio transmitter further comprises:

transmitting said generated communication signals as radio signals of a second polarization which second polarization is substantially orthogonal to said first polarization.

17. A telecommunication system for concurrently providing cellular radio communication to a first set of mobile subscriber stations and a second set of mobile subscriber stations at the same radio frequencies, absent radio communication from said first set of mobile subscriber stations interfering with radio communication from said second set of mobile subscriber stations while cellular radio communication is concurrently present on identical ones of said radio frequencies, comprising:

a first radio transmitter for generating communication signals transmitted to mobile subscriber stations in said first set of mobile subscriber stations at radio frequencies allocated for mobile subscriber stations in said second set, said generated communication signals comprising control and user data signals;

a first radio receiver for receiving communication signals generated by mobile subscriber stations in said first set of mobile subscriber stations at radio frequencies allocated for mobile subscriber stations in said second set of mobile subscriber stations, said received communication signals comprising control and user data signals wherein said first radio transmitter generates and said first radio receiver receives said communication signals for said first set of mobile subscriber stations at a polarization which is substantially orthogonal to a polarization of communication signals for said second set of mobile subscriber stations; and

wherein said control signals generated by said first radio transmitter and said mobile subscriber stations in said first set of mobile subscriber stations comprise at least one channel for exchanging control signals therebetween, which control signals are incapable of being used by said mobile subscriber stations in said second set of mobile subscriber stations.

18. The telecommunication system of claim 17 wherein said communication signals for said first set of mobile subscriber stations are polarized in a vertical direction and said communication signals for said second set of mobile subscriber stations are polarized in a horizontal polarization.

19. The telecommunication system of claim 17 further comprising:

a second radio transmitter for generating communication signals transmitted to said mobile subscriber stations in said second set of mobile subscriber stations at said allocated radio frequencies, said generated communication signals comprising control and user data signals;

a second radio receiver for receiving communication signals generated by said mobile subscriber stations in said second set of mobile subscriber stations at said allocated radio frequencies, said received communication signals comprising control and user data signals; and

wherein said control signals generated by said second radio transmitter and said mobile subscriber stations in said second set of mobile subscriber stations comprise at least one channel for exchanging control data therebetween which is incapable of being used by said mobile subscriber stations in said first set of mobile subscriber stations.

20. The telecommunication system of claim 17 wherein said first radio transmitter comprises:

means for generating communication signals which comprise a plurality of communication channels;

means for allocating a first set of said generated plurality of communication channels for user data signals; and

means for allocating at least one of said generated plurality of communication channels for control signals.

21. The telecommunications system of claim 19 wherein said second radio transmitter generates and said second radio receiver receives said communication signals for said second set of mobile subscriber stations at a polarization which is substantially orthogonal to a polarization of communication signals for said first set of mobile subscriber stations.

22. A method of operating a telecommunication system for providing cellular radio communication to a first set of mobile subscriber stations and a second set of mobile subscriber stations at the same radio frequencies, absent radio communication from said first set of mobile subscriber stations interfering with radio communication from said second set of mobile subscriber stations while cellular radio communication is concurrently present on identical ones of said radio frequencies, said method comprising the steps of:

operating a first radio transmitter for generating communication signals transmitted to mobile subscriber stations in said first set of mobile subscriber stations at radio frequencies allocated for mobile subscriber stations in said second set, said generated communication signals comprising control and user data signals;

operating a first radio receiver for receiving communication signals generated by mobile subscriber stations in said first set of mobile subscriber stations at radio frequencies allocated for mobile subscriber stations in said second set of mobile subscriber stations, said received communication signals comprising control and user data signals;

wherein said first radio transmitter generates and said first radio receiver receives said communication signals for said first set of mobile subscriber stations at a polarization which is substantially orthogonal to a polarization of communication signals for said second set of mobile subscriber stations; and

implementing said control signals generated by said first radio transmitter and said mobile subscriber stations in said first set of mobile subscriber stations to comprise at least one channel for exchanging control signals therebetween, which control signals are incapable of being used by said mobile subscriber stations in said second set of mobile subscriber stations.

23. The method of operating said telecommunication system of claim 22 wherein said communication signals for said first set of mobile subscriber stations are polarized in a vertical direction and said communication signals for said second set of mobile subscriber stations are polarized in a horizontal polarization.

24. The method of operating said telecommunication system of claim 22 further comprising:

operating a second radio transmitter for generating communication signals transmitted to said mobile subscriber stations in said second set of mobile subscriber stations at said allocated radio frequencies, said generated communication signals comprising control and user data signals;

operating a second radio receiver for receiving communication signals generated by said mobile subscriber stations in said second set of mobile subscriber stations at said allocated radio frequencies, said received communication signals comprising control and user data signals; and

implementing said control signals generated by said second radio transmitter and said mobile subscriber stations in said second set of mobile subscriber stations to comprise at least one channel for exchanging control data therebetween which is incapable of being used by said mobile subscriber stations in said first set of mobile subscriber stations.

25. The method of operating said telecommunication system of claim 22 wherein said method of operating said first radio transmitter comprises:

means for generating communication signals which comprise a plurality of communication channels;

means for allocating a first set of said generated plurality of communication channels for user data signals; and

means for allocating at least one of said generated plurality of communication channels for control signals.

26. The method of operating said telecommunications system of claim 25 wherein said method of operating said second radio transmitter generates and said method of operating said second radio receiver receives said communication signals for said second set of mobile subscriber stations at a polarization which is substantially orthogonal to a polarization of communication signals for said first set of mobile subscriber stations.