Higherground, Inc.

Mark Evan Russell

Shmuel Shaffer

Robert S Reis

Scott A McDermott

Bruce Leonard McKinley

Paul Christopher Hansen

David Daugherty

Timothy Reed Cooper

In one embodiment, a communicating device (e.g., either a ground station server or a particular distributed module of a satellite communication system) mitigates congestion on a particular return communication path via an intermediate satellite from the plurality of distributed modules to the ground station server. In particular, in response to determining that the level of congestion is above a threshold, then the communication device mitigates the congestion by, e.g., one or both of either a) determining an uncongested return communication path from a particular distributed module to the ground station server, ensuring that the uncongested return communication path would not interfere with any unintended receiver, and then causing the particular distributed module to use the uncongested return communication path, and b) enforcing one or more communication restrictions on a utilized return communication path to reduce the effect of a communication on the overall congestion of the utilized return communication path.

Return path congestion mitigation for satellite communications

In one embodiment, the techniques herein provide a fully automated satellite-based backhaul system. In particular, a system in accordance with the techniques herein may utilize a satellite communication terminal to allow an Internet of Things (IoT) device (or any device) to be deployed in any location which has a line of sight towards a communication satellite. Specifically, the placement, orientation, and/or communication characteristics of the IoT device and/or satellite communication terminal (or antenna) may be manipulated (e.g., manual adjustment based on calculated directions and/or completely autonomously) to ensure avoidance of interference in any other wireless communication network.

Satellite communication for the Internet of Things

In one embodiment, a terminal of a first wireless communication network determines a protection zone for each of a plurality of unintended receivers of a second wireless communication network, where a protection zone defines a geographical area where transmission by the terminal might interfere with operation of a corresponding unintended receive. At the time of an attempted transmission, the terminal determines its current location, and whether the current location is within any protection zone of the plurality of unintended receivers. If not within any protection zone of the plurality of unintended receivers, the terminal performs the transmission, but if so, then the terminal may then perform a local assessment of interference to the one or more unintended receivers. Once concluding that there would be no interference with any of the one or more unintended receivers, the terminal may then perform the transmission. Otherwise, the terminal prevents the transmission.

Avoidance of interference in wireless communications

In one embodiment, a device of a first wireless communication network determines location information and antenna properties corresponding to each of a plurality of unintended receivers of a second wireless communication network. The device may then compute a protection zone for each of the plurality of unintended receivers based on the location information and antenna properties, wherein a protection zone defines a geographical area where transmission by a terminal in the first wireless communication network might interfere with operation of a corresponding unintended receiver. As such, the terminal may thus determine whether to perform or prevent an attempted transmission to an intended receiver in the first wireless communication network based on whether a current location of the terminal, at a time of the attempted transmission by the terminal, is within any protection zone of the plurality of unintended receivers.

Computing protection zones for avoidance of interference in wireless communications

In one embodiment, a ground station server of a satellite communication system mitigates congestion on a particular forward communication path via an intermediate satellite from the ground station server to a plurality of distributed modules. In particular, in response to determining that the level of congestion is above a threshold, then the ground station server mitigates the congestion by, e.g., determining uncongested forward communication paths, scheduling a sufficient amount of communication over the uncongested forward communication paths to alleviate congestion on the particular forward communication path without congesting the one or more uncongested forward communication paths, transmitting instructions on the particular forward communication path to corresponding modules of the plurality of distributed modules, the instructions causing the corresponding modules to use a respective uncongested forward communication path, and communicating to the corresponding modules on their respective uncongested forward communication path.

Forward path congestion mitigation for satellite communications

In one embodiment, a server of a first wireless communication network receives a wireless communication originated by a terminal of the first wireless communication network, the wireless communication containing a current geographic location of the terminal as determined by the terminal. The server may then determine acceptable communication parameters for the terminal to communicate on the first wireless communication network, e.g., based on preventing transmission by the terminal that might interfere with operation of one or more unintended receivers. The server then generates an instruction message for the terminal based on the acceptable communication parameters, and transmits the instruction message toward the terminal to cause the terminal to only continue transmitting according to acceptable communication parameters.

Server participation in avoidance of interference in wireless communications

In one embodiment, a device of a first wireless communication network determines a link budget from a terminal in the first communication network to an unintended receiver for a communication from the terminal to an intended receiver in the first wireless communication network, based on the communication being configured with initial communication parameters. The device also determines whether one or more adjusted communication parameters would result in reducing a received power at the unintended receiver being below a link budget threshold, while still satisfying a receive sensitivity of the intended receiver. If so, the device causes the terminal to transmit the communication using the adjusted communication parameters. In one embodiment, the device is the terminal, and causing comprises transmitting as the terminal. In another embodiment, the device is a server of the first communication network, and causing comprises instructing the terminal to transmit the communication using the adjusted communication parameters.

Growing community of inventors

Pine Grove, CA, United States of America

Mark Evan Russell