Motorola Corporation

Dennis Paul Diekelman

Gregory B Vatt

John E Major

Keith Andrew Olds

Raymond Joseph Leopold

Gerald Joseph Davieau

Victor H Cutler, Jr

George Thomas Kroncke

James T Stackman

Catherine B Stockwell

John A Sherman

Steven Harry Moritz

Theresa Chen Wang

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for establishing a partnering scheme having dynamic cross-links between satellites of a satellite communication system that are travelling in different, non-adjacent orbital planes and in different directions. The present invention provides a definitive set of dynamic cross-links for a satellite positioned within a first orbital plane traveling in a first direction, such as an ascending direction, with a satellite positioned in a non-adjacent orbital plane and traveling in a second direction, such as an descending direction.

Static and dynamic partnering schemes for satellite cross-links

A geosynchronous satellite system (,) uses crosslinks (,) between geosynchronous satellites (,) which travel along the same ground path (,) or are located within a common orbital slot (,) in order to increase traffic-carrying capacity and decrease signal delays. The geosynchronous satellites (,) can have substantial angles of inclination to provide high quality coverage within a wide range of latitudes (,). In addition, the orbits can be elliptical, resulting in concentrated network capacity in either the northern or southern hemisphere. For co-positioned satellites (,), orbit perturbations are introduced in order to eliminate crosslink blockage caused by intervening satellites (,). Methods for deploying and operating the geosynchronous satellite system enable network capacity to be modified (,) and routing (,), crosslinks (,), and handoffs (,) to be controlled.

Geosynchronous satellite communication system and method

A method and apparatus for providing an economically viable satellite communication system (100) for voice, data, and video using satellite diversity to augment capacity of the system, to mitigate the effects of network operational issues such as the effects of satellite failure and/or satellite blockage, and to maintain service links (180) in a cost-effective manner. Satellite diversity is incorporated into the communication architecture, along with the ability to utilize all satellites (110) within a communication range (or view) of one or more service regions (197). Management methods are used to allocate satellite diversity to enhance service and mitigate network operational issues. Satellite constellation (120) is designed to maximize the availability of satellite diversity as a resource. The method and apparatus described herein also provide a satellite communication system (100) having flexibility to adapt to changing demand and capacity requirements in various service regions (197) and to unknown or unanticipated changes in demand developing over time after the satellite communication system (100) has been deployed in whole or part.

Communication system with satellite diversity and method of operation

Multiple, different, independent constellations (10, 20) of satellites (2, 21-23) share a portion of a common frequency spectrum such as a single carrier frequency. The satellites' antennas (11) may be either multi-beam or omni-directional, while those of earth stations (13, 14) are directional. When interference occurs between communications of a satellite (31) of a first constellation (10) and a satellite (41) of a second constellation (20), any of several interference-mitigation options may be employed, such as the first satellite (31) handing off communications to a second satellite (32) of the same constellation (10), or temporarily suspending communications. The remedial action may occur in response to either predicted or detected interference.

Independent satellite-based communications systems sharing common

A method (100) for providing continuous communication service from a partially populated satellite constellation includes deploying one or more phases of satellites to populate one or more sets of orbital planes (210), and providing continuous communication service from the one or more sets of orbital planes. Satellites (320) in each phase of satellites can be positioned to reside substantially the same as a position in which they will reside in a fully populated satellite constellation thereby eliminating the need to relocate satellites in the fully populated satellite constellation. Also, a communication unit (600) and a method (700) for the communication unit to communicate in a satellite communication system having a satellite constellation capable of being deployed in a plurality of phases is provided. The communication unit is capable of communicating with the satellite communication system at various minimum elevation angles during various phases of deployment. Additionally, an antenna apparatus (800) adapted for providing satellite service at various minimum elevation angles during various phases of deployment also is provided.

Method and apparatus for early service using phased satellite depolyment

A method and apparatus for allocating service beams (72, 76) to communication units (80-84) (CUs) ascertains (124) the location of a CU (81) attempting to access the communication system (30), and determines (126) whether a currently active service beam (72) is capable of providing service to the CU (81). If so, a ground position aim point (90) is determined (134), and the active service beam (72) is steered (142) to the ground position aim point (90). If not, a new service beam (76) is provided (132) to the CU (83). When a call is terminated (162), a new ground position aim point (92) is determined (168) and the service beam (72) is steered (170) to the new ground position aim point (92). If no remaining CUs are being serviced by the service beam, the service beam is deactivated is (166).

Adaptive beam pointing method and apparatus for a communication system

A method for managing resource usage within a cellular communications system (10) having at least one satellite (12) and, capable of communicating with the satellite(s) (12), at least one controlling station (28) and multiple ground terminals (26). The controlling station (28) predicts (372, 380) system communication traffic and operating capabilities for a future period; generates (216) a system plan (250) and an individual operational plan (270-30n) for each satellite (12) based on the prediction; distributes (222) each individual operational plan (270-30n) to each corresponding satellite (12); monitors (226) execution of the system plan (250) during the future period to determine (228) whether the plan is operating acceptably and when the plan is not operating acceptably (228), generates (216) a new plan, or portion thereof, to alleviate the unacceptable operation; and repeats the foregoing steps for additional future periods. Each satellite (12) receives (502), stores (504), executes (224) and monitors execution (226) of its individual operational plan (270-30n) and transmits out-of-plan messages (338) to the controlling station (28) when it detects an out-of-plan condition (336).

Satellite cellular network resource management method and apparatus

A method and apparatus for establishing communication links between communication units that travel in different, determinable directions. The method includes the steps of calculating communication link boundary corridors, generating operational plans that inform the communication units how to establish and maintain a communication link, transmitting the operational plans to the communication units, and establishing links according to the operational plans. The apparatus includes a control segment that generates the operational plans and transmits them to the communication units.

Method and apparatus for establishing communication links between

A method and apparatus for operating a radio for communicating between a terrestrial station and a satellite by (i) selecting one of a number of predetermined computational methods for computing longitudes of particular satellite ground path equator crossings based on minimum and maximum ground path latitudes and terrestrial station coverage perimeter latitudes, (ii) determining a first range of longitudes of satellite ground path equator crossings corresponding to the coverage perimeter, (iii) determining with the selected method, a first time of day when a first equator crossing has a longitude falling within the first range of longitudes, (iv) determining first and second time intervals for satellite ground path position to move from the first equator crossing into and out of the coverage perimeter and (v) activating the radio during a time determined from a combination of the first time of day and the first and second time intervals.

Communication method and apparatus

A method and apparatus for controlling operations of a cellular communication system having multiple satellites, multiple subscriber units which communicate through the multiple satellites, and a system control segment which creates a subscriber traffic prediction and manages operation of the communication system. The method includes the steps of decomposing a traffic prediction request into regional traffic requests; determining a regional traffic prediction for each regional traffic request based on past regional traffic history; and combining the regional traffic requests into a consolidated subscriber traffic prediction. The subscriber traffic prediction is then used to determine a system operational plan which controls operations of the communication system.

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Tempe, AZ, United States of America

Dennis Paul Diekelman