Satellite radiotelephone systems, methods, components and devices including gated radiotelephone transmissions to ancillary terrestrial components

• US 7,783,287 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; David Q
• Application Number:
  US12/275,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20090104903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 455/427, 455/13.1, 455/430, 455/446
• US Class Current: 455/427
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18513 Transmission in a satellite or space-based system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18543 for adaptation of transmission parameters, e.g. power control for detecting or preventing errors in the information received H04L1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/216 Code division or spread-spectrum multiple access [CDMA, SSMA]

Abstract

A satellite radiotelephone system includes a space-based component and an ancillary terrestrial component that are configured to receive wireless communications from radiotelephones. The radiotelephones are configured to transmit wireless communications to the ancillary terrestrial component over a range of satellite band forward link frequencies. The radiotelephone outputs are gated to cease transmissions periodically over a period of time. Related systems, methods, components and devices are described.

Claims

1. A radiotelephone for a satellite radiotelephone system that includes a space-based component and an ancillary terrestrial component that are configured to receive wireless communications from radiotelephones, the radiotelephone comprising:

an electronics system that is configured to transmit wireless communications to the ancillary terrestrial component over a range of satellite band frequencies, wherein a radiotelephone output is gated to cease transmissions periodically for about 3 msec once every T msec, where T is greater than or equal to 6 msec.

2. A radiotelephone according to claim 1 wherein the electronics system is configured to transmit wireless communications to the ancillary terrestrial component over a range of satellite band frequencies using a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface.

3. A radiotelephone according to claim 1 wherein the radiotelephone output is selectively gated to cease transmissions periodically for about 3 msec once every T msec, where T is greater than or equal to 6 msec when the electronics system is configured to transmit wireless communications to the ancillary terrestrial component over a predetermined set of frequencies.

4. A method of operating a radiotelephone in a satellite radiotelephone system that includes a space-based component and an ancillary terrestrial component that are configured to receive wireless communications from radiotelephones, the radiotelephone operating method comprising:

transmitting wireless communications to the ancillary terrestrial component over a range of satellite band frequencies in a gated manner that ceases transmissions periodically for about 3 msec once every T msec, where T is greater than or equal to 6 msec.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting wireless communications to the ancillary terrestrial component over a range of satellite band frequencies using a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface.

6. A method according to claim 4 wherein transmitting in a gated manner is selectively performed when transmitting wireless communications to the ancillary terrestrial component over a predetermined range of satellite band frequencies.

7. An ancillary terrestrial component for a satellite radiotelephone system comprising:

a receiver that is that is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of radiotelephones over a range of satellite band frequencies; and

an electronics system that is configured to synchronize the plurality of radiotelephones to simultaneously cease transmissions periodically for about 3 msec once every T msec, where T is greater than or equal to 6 msec.

8. An ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 7 wherein the receiver is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of radiotelephones over a range of satellite band frequencies using a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface.

9. An ancillary terrestrial component according to claim 7 wherein the electronics system is configured to selectively synchronize the plurality of radiotelephones to simultaneously cease transmissions periodically for about 3 msec once every T msec, where T is greater than or equal to 6 msec when the plurality of radiotelephones are configured to transmit wireless communications to the ancillary terrestrial component over a predetermined frequency range.

10. An ancillary terrestrial network for a satellite radiotelephone system comprising:

a plurality of receivers, a respective one of which is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of radiotelephones over a range of satellite band frequencies; and

an electronics system that is configured to synchronize the plurality of radiotelephones that are communicating with the plurality of receivers to simultaneously cease transmissions periodically for about 3 msec once every T msec, where T is greater than or equal to 6 msec.

11. An ancillary terrestrial network according to claim 10 wherein the plurality of receivers are configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of radiotelephones over a range of satellite band frequencies using a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface.

12. An ancillary terrestrial network according to claim 10 wherein the electronics system is configured to selectively synchronize the plurality of radiotelephones that are communicating with the plurality of receivers to simultaneously cease transmissions periodically for about 3 msec once every T msec, where T is greater than or equal to 6 msec when the plurality of radiotelephones are configured to transmit wireless communications to the ancillary terrestrial network over a predetermined set of frequencies.

13. A method of operating an ancillary terrestrial component for a satellite radiotelephone system, the method comprising:

receiving wireless communications at the ancillary terrestrial component from a plurality of radiotelephones over a range of satellite band frequencies; and

synchronizing the plurality of radiotelephones by the ancillary terrestrial component to simultaneously cease transmissions periodically for about 3 msec once every T msec, where T is greater than or equal to 6 msec .

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein receiving comprises receiving wireless communications at the ancillary terrestrial component from a plurality of radiotelephones over a range of satellite band frequencies using a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein synchronizing comprises selectively synchronizing the plurality of radiotelephones to simultaneously cease transmissions periodically for about 3 msec once every T msec, where T is greater than or equal to 6 msec when the plurality of radiotelephones are configured to transmit wireless communications to the ancillary terrestrial component over a predetermined frequency set.

16. A method of operating an ancillary terrestrial network for a satellite radiotelephone system, the method comprising:

receiving wireless communications from a plurality of radiotelephones at a plurality of ancillary terrestrial components over a range of satellite band frequencies; and

synchronizing the plurality of radiotelephones that are communicating with the plurality of ancillary terrestrial components to simultaneously cease transmissions periodically for about 3 msec once every T msec, where T is greater than or equal to 6 msec.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein receiving comprises receiving wireless communications at the ancillary terrestrial components from the plurality of radiotelephones over a range of satellite band frequencies using a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface.

18. A method according to claim 16 wherein synchronizing comprises selectively synchronizing the plurality of radiotelephones to simultaneously cease transmissions periodically for about 3 msec once every T msec, where T is greater than or equal to 6 msec when the plurality of radiotelephones are configured to transmit wireless communications over a predetermined set of frequencies.