Satellite trunked radio service system

• US 6,850,497 B1
• Filed: 08/29/1997
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mobile Satellite Venture LP
• Inventors: Skerry, Brian, Jones, John W., Bossler, Dan, Sigler, C. Edward, Sweet, Richard S., Davies, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAH, CHIRAG G
• Application Number:
  US09/887,691
• Time in Patent Office: 2,713 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/319, 370/328, 370/329, 370/344, 370/252, 455/3.02, 455/450, 455/509, 455/120, 455/51.2, 455/57.1
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1853 Satellite systems for providing telephony service to a mobile station, i.e. mobile satellite service for selecting H04W

Abstract

In a mobile satellite system, a system for providing satellite communication between multiple users in a closed user group arrangement includes first and second mobile earth terminals (METs) responsively connecter to and registering with the mobile satellite system. The first MET selects a closed user group network identifier (NET. ID) representing a NET group including the first and second METs to establish voice communication therewith and transmits the NET ID to a central controller. The central controller receives the NET ID from the first MET, validates the first MET for communication, validates the NET ID, allocates a frequency for the NET group, and broadcasts the message to the NET group including the second MET informing the NET group of the allocated frequency and the voice communication associated therewith. The second MET tunes to the frequency in response to the message broadcast by the central controller, and the central controller assigns the first MET as current speaker for the NET group.

Claims

1. In a mobile satellite system including a satellite communication switching office having a satellite antenna for receiving/transmitting a satellite message via a satellite from/to a vehicle using a mobile communication system, a satellite interface system, a central controller receiving/transmitting the satellite message from/to the satellite communication switching office issued from the vehicle via the satellite and the satellite interface system, the mobile communication system comprising a user interface system providing a user interface through which a user has access to services supported by the mobile satellite system, an antenna system providing an interface between the mobile communication system and the mobile satellite system via the satellite interface system, and receiving a first satellite message from the satellite and transmitting a second satellite message to the satellite, a transceiver system, operatively connected to said antenna system, including a receiver and a transmitter, the transmitter converting the second satellite message including at least one of voice, data, fax and signaling signals into a modulated signal, transmitting the modulated signal to said antenna system, the transmitter including an amplifier, a first converter and associated first frequency synthesizer, a modulator, an encoder, multiplexer, scrambler and frame formatter for at least one of voice, fax, and data, the receiver accepting the first satellite message from the antenna system and converting the first satellite message into at least one of voice, data, fax and signaling signals, at least one of the voice, data and fax signals routed to the user interface system, the receiver including a second converter with an associated second frequency synthesizer, a demodulator, a decoder, demultiplexer, descrambler and frame unformatter for at least one of voice, fax, and data and a logic and signaling system, operatively connected to said transceiver, controlling initialization of the mobile communication system, obtaining an assigned outbound signaling channel from which updated system information and commands and messages are received, said logic and signaling system configuring said transceiver for reception and transmission of at least one of voice, data, fax and signaling messages, and controlling protocols between the mobile communication system and the mobile satellite system, and validating a received signalling messages and generating codes for a signaling message to be transmitted, a method of providing satellite communication between multiple users in a closed user group arrangement, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) first and second mobile earth terminals (METS) registering with the mobile satellite system;

(b) the first MET selecting a closed user group network identifier (NET ID) representing a NET group including the first and second METs to establish voice communication therewith;

(c) the first MET transmitting the NET ID to the central controller;

(d) the central controller receiving the NET ID, validating the first MET for communication, validating the NET ID, allocating a frequency for the NET group, and broadcasting the message to the NET group including the second MET informing the NET group of the allocated frequency and the voice communication associated therewith;

(e) the second MET tuning to the frequency in response to the message broadcast by the central controller;

(f) assigning by the central controller the first MET as current speaker for the NET group;

(g) monitoring by the first and second METs whether at least one of a dispatcher message, a priority message and a release of speaker message has been issued, and if so, interrupting the current speaker with the at least one of the dispatcher message, the priority message and a new speaker;

(h) monitoring by the central controller whether the current speaker is active, and if not, removing the current speaker and setting the current speaker to vacant;

(i) notifying by the central controller the first and second METs that the current speaker is vacant;

(j) initiating by one of the first and second METs a request to be the new speaker;

(k) receiving by the central controller the request from a first of the one of the first and second METs to be the new speaker, and assigning the first of the one of the first and second METs as the new speaker; and

(l) releasing the closed user group communication when no request from the one of the first and second METs is made to be the new speaker for a predetermined period of time.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(1) a third MET included in the NET group registering with the mobile satellite system;

(2) the central controller broadcasting the message to the NET group including the third MET informing the NET group of the allocated frequency and the voice communication associated therewith;

(3) the third MET generating a scrambling vector for access to the voice communication; and

(4) the third MET tuning to the allocated frequency for the NET group using the scrambling vector to gain access thereto.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the central controller controls the closed user group satellite communication including net radio parameters used by the first and second METS.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the central controller selectively downloads the NET IDs to the first and second METs according to predetermined user criteria.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the central controller collects billing information regarding the closed user group satellite communication and transmits the billing information to the mobile satellite system, and wherein the mobile satellite system charges a service fee to a customer that has requested the closed user group arrangement.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(1) a non-MET accessing the mobile satellite system via one of a public switched telephone network and a cellular network to initiate a closed user group communication with the NET group including at least one of the first and second METs;

(2) the central controller broadcasting the message to the NET group informing the NET group of the allocated frequency and the voice communication associated therewith; and

(3) the at least one of the first and second METs tuning to the frequency in response to the message broadcast by the central controller to communicate with the non-MET in the closed user group arrangement.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(1) the first MET selecting the closed user group network identifier (NET ID) representing a NET group including the first MET and a non-MET serviced by one of a public switched telephone network and a cellular network to establish voice communication therewith;

(2) the first MET transmitting the NET ID to the central controller;

(3) the central controller receiving the NET ID, determining that the NET group includes the non-MET, and broadcasting a non-MET message to the one of the public switched telephone network and the cellular network including the voice communication associated therewith; and

(4) the one of the public switched telephone network and the cellular network receiving the non-MET message from the central controller and transmitting the non-MET message to the non-MET to establish the closed user group arrangement between the MET and the non-MET.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first MET includes a push to talk (PTT) device for generating the release of speaker message, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of the first MET activating the PTT device generating a PTT signal only when the PTT device is activated after the current speaker is one of vacant or the first MET, relieving congestion on the satellite by selectively transmitting the PTT signal.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the first MET activates the PTT device before one of the current speaker is vacant and the first MET, the first MET ignores the activation of the PTT device.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of the central controller selectively downloading monitor codes to the first and second METs according to predetermined user criteria.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the monitor codes functioning to lock at least one of the first and second METs to the NET group preventing the NET group from being released when no request has been made by one of the first and second METs to be the current speaker after the predetermined period of time.

12. In a mobile satellite system including a satellite communication switching office having a satellite antenna for receiving/transmitting a satellite message via a satellite from/to a vehicle using a mobile communication system, a central controller receiving/transmitting the satellite message from/to the satellite communication switching office issued from the vehicle via the satellite, a method of providing satellite communication between multiple users in a closed user group arrangement, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) first and second mobile earth terminals (METs) registering with the mobile satellite system;

(b) the first MET selecting a closed user group network identifier (NET ID) representing a NET group including the first and second METs to establish voice communication therewith;

(c) the first MET transmitting the NET ID to the central controller;

(d) the central controller receiving the NET ID, validating the first MET for communication, validating the NET ID, allocating a frequency for the NET group, and broadcasting the message to the NET group including the second MET informing the NET group of the allocated frequency and the voice communication associated therewith;

(e) the second MET tuning to the frequency in response to the message broadcast by the central controller; and

(f) the central controller assigning the first MET as current speaker for the NET group.

13. In a mobile satellite system including a satellite communication switching office having a satellite antenna for receiving/transmitting a satellite message via a satellite from/to a vehicle using a mobile communication system, a central controller receiving/transmitting the satellite message from/to the satellite communication switching office issued from the vehicle via the satellite, a system for providing satellite communication between multiple users in a closed user group arrangement, comprising:

first and second mobile earth terminals (METs) responsively connected to and registering with the mobile satellite system, the first MET selecting a closed user group network identifier (NET ID) representing a NET group including the first and second METs to establish voice communication therewith and transmitting the NET ID; and

a central controller responsively connected to the first and second METs, the central controller receiving the NET ID from the first MET, validating the first MET for communication, validating the NET ID, allocating a frequency for the NET group, and broadcasting the message to the NET group including the second MET informing the NET group of the allocated frequency and the voice communication associated therewith, the second MET tuning to the frequency in response to the message broadcast by the central controller, and the central controller assigning the first MET as current speaker for the NET group.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the central controller controls the closed user group satellite communication including net radio parameters used by the first and second METs.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the central controller selectively downloads the NET IDs to the first and second METs according to predetermined user criteria.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the central controller collects billing information regarding the closed user group satellite communication and transmits the billing information to the mobile satellite system, and wherein the mobile satellite system charges a service fee to a customer that has requested the closed user group arrangement.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein

a non-MET accesses the mobile satellite system via one of a public switched telephone network and a cellular network to initiate a closed user group communication with the NET group including at least one of the first and second METs,

the central controller broadcasts the message to the NET group informing the NET group of the allocated frequency and the voice communication associated therewith, and

the at least one of the first and second METs tunes to the frequency in response to the message broadcast by the central controller to communicate with the non-MET in the closed user group arrangement.

18. The system according to claim 13, wherein

the first MET selects the closed user group network identifier (NET ID) representing a NET group including the first MET and a non-MET serviced by one of a public switched telephone network and a cellular network to establish voice communication therewith, and transmits the NET ID to the central controller,

the central controller receives the NET ID, determines that the NET group includes the non-MET, and broadcasts a non-MET message to the one of the public switched telephone network and the cellular network including the voice communication associated therewith, and

the one of the public switched telephone network and the cellular network receives the non-MET message from the central controller and transmits the non-MET message to the non-MET to establish the closed user group arrangement between the MET and the non-MET.

19. The system according to claim 13, wherein the first MET includes a push to talk (PTT) device for generating the release of speaker message, and wherein when the first MET activates the PTT device, a PTT signal is generated only when the PTT device is activated after the current speaker is one of vacant or the first MET, relieving congestion on the satellite by selectively transmitting the PTT signal.

20. The system according to claim 13, wherein when the first MET activates the PTT device before one of the current speaker is vacant and the first MET, the first MET ignores the activation of the PTT device.

21. The system according to claim 13, wherein the central controller selectively downloads monitor codes to the first and second METs according to predetermined user criteria.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the monitor codes functioning to lock at least one of the first and second METs to the NET group preventing the NET group from being released when no request has been made by one of the first and second METs to be the current speaker after the predetermined period of time.

23. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a third MET responsively connected to said central controller and included in the NET group registering with the mobile satellite system, and wherein

the central controller broadcasts the message to the NET group including the third MET informing the NET group of the allocated frequency and the voice communication associated therewith,

the third MET generating a scrambling vector for access to the voice communication, and tuning to the allocated frequency for the NET group using the scrambling vector to gain access thereto.