Celsat America, Inc.

Other

Albert J Mallinckrodt

A cellular communications system is provided having both surface and satellite nodes which are fully integrated for providing service over large areas. Two-way adaptive power control and signal quality monitoring and power control responsive thereto are provided for controlling the power output levels of transmitters to the minimum necessary for satisfactory communications. Each transmission includes a code representative of the transmitter output power level. Receivers compare this code to the received signal strength and adjust their associated transmitter power output level accordingly. Bit error rate and SNR are monitored by receivers to develop a measure of signal quality. A signal quality code is transmitted to remote units and transmission output power level is adjusted in response. Timing signals are provided by one or more nodes to obtain user position information. Preferably, the invention provides power control of a cellular communications system using code division multiple access (CDMA) employing forward error correction coding (FECC) and spread spectrum waveforms to enhance the effective gain and selectivity of the system.

Power control of an integrated cellular communications system

A cellular communications system is provided have both satellite nodes and surface nodes for providing mobile cellular communications services for a plurality of mobile user units. The surface and satellite nodes are fully integrated by a network controller for providing service over large areas. In the alternative, each user unit includes link control means permitting the user unit to designate the mode of communications, either satellite node communications or ground node communications. In addition, multiple beam, relatively high gain antennas are disposed in the satellite nodes to establish satellite cells having enough gain in the satellite part of the system such that a user unit need only comprise a small, mobile handset with a non-directional antenna for communications with both ground nodes and satellite nodes.

Communications system

A cellular communications system is provided have both satellite nodes and surface nodes for providing mobile cellular communications services for a plurality of mobile user units. The surface and satellite nodes are fully integrated by a network controller for providing service over large areas. Multiple beam, relatively high gain antennas are disposed in the satellite nodes to establish satellite cells having enough gain in the satellite part of the system such that a user unit need only comprise a small, mobile handset with a non-directional antenna for communications with both ground nodes and satellite nodes.

Controller for cellular communications system

Communications system including control means for designating

A cellular communications system is provided having both surface and satellite nodes which are fully integrated for providing service over large areas. Position means are included for determining the position of a selected user unit within the cells by providing a timing signal to the selected user unit from at least one node, providing a timing response signal from the selected user unit in response to each timing signal, receiving the timing response signal by at least one node, measuring the response time of the user unit to the timing signal based on receipt of the timing response signal, and determining the position of the user unit based on the round trip time of transmission of the timing signal and receipt of the timing response signal. Preferably, the invention provides position determination in a cellular communications system using code division multiple access (CDMA) employing forward error correction coding (FECC) and spread spectrum waveforms.

position determination in an integrated cellular communications system

A cellular communications system is provided having both surface and satellite nodes which are fully integrated for providing service over large areas. A spread spectrum system is used with code division multiple access (CDMA) employing forward error correction coding (FECC) to enhance the effective gain and selectivity of the system. Two-way adaptive power control and signal quality monitoring and power control responsive thereto are provided for controlling the power output levels of transmitters to the minimum necessary for satisfactory communications. Each transmission includes a code representative of the transmitter output power level. Receivers compare this code to the received signal strength and adjust their associated transmitter power output level accordingly. Bit error rate and SNR are monitored by receivers to develop a measure of signal quality. A signal quality code is transmitted to remote units and transmission output power level is adjusted in response. Timing signals are provided by one or more nodes to obtain user position information.

Integrated cellular communications system

A cellular communications system is provided having both surface and satellite nodes which are fully integrated for providing service over large areas. A spread spectrum system is used with code division multiple access (CDMA) employing forward error correction coding (FECC) to enhance the effective gain and selectivity of the system. Multiple beam, relatively high gain antennas are disposed in the satellite nodes to establish a first set of cells, and by coupling the extra gain obtained with FECC to the high gain satellite-node antennas, enough gain is created in the satellite part of the system such that a user need only use a small, mobile handset with a non-directional antenna for communications with both ground nodes and satellite nodes. User position information is also available. A digital data interleaving feature reduces fading. Each transmitter includes a coder representative of its output power level. Receivers compare this code to the received signal strength and adjust their associated transmitter power output level accordingly. An inter-cell bus is formed in a super-surface node which receives signals from a plurality of cells, frequency multiplexes those signals and transmits the multiplexed signal to the plurality of cells.

A cellular communications system is provided having both surface and satellite nodes which are fully integrated for providing service over large areas. A spread spectrum system is used with code division multiple access (CDMA) employing forward error correction coding (FECC) to enhance the effective gain and selectivity of the system. Multiple beam, relatively high gain antennas are disposed in the satellite nodes to establish the satellite cells, and by coupling the extra gain obtained with FECC to the high gain satellite node antennas, enough gain is created in the satellite part of the system such that a user need only use a small, mobile handset with a non-directional antenna for communications with both ground nodes and satellite nodes. User position information is also available. A digital data interleaving feature reduces fading.

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Santa Ana, CA, United States of America

Albert J Mallinckrodt