Hughes Electronics Corporation

Hughes Aircraft Company

Hughes Network Systems, LLC

Esat Global, Inc.

Other

Michael I Parr

T G Vishwanath

John L Watson

Stanley Edward Kay

Ashok D Mehta

Daniel R Wendling

Long Huynh

John E Corrigan, Iii

Anthony Robert Noerpel

Channasandra S Ravishankar

Graham M Avis

David Alan Roos

Deepak Manohar Arur

Yash Vasavada

Stephanie Demers

Zhen-Liang Shi

Simha Erlich

Pradeep Kaul

Sara Parr

John T Sullivan

Gary John Ballantyne

Mark C Davis

David N Critchlow

Moshe Yehushua

Mohammad Soleimani

Dave Roos

Fred D Harris

Chandra Joshi

Youngky Kim

Moe Rahnema

Andrew W Barnhart

Michael Chin

Paul Wei

Juerg Widmer

Jim Hobza

Yunsang Park

Zhengping Gao

Michael Rodgers

Sharath Ananth

John E Corrigan Iii

Drew Barnett

Shijo Jose

Jean-Aicard Fabien

Neville Mathews

The secure parcel delivery receptacle comprises a parcel receptacle, a locking cover, a scanner, and a camera. The parcel receptacle may accept a parcel for delivery. Access to the parcel receptacle may be via the locking cover which may be unlocked by the scanner. The camera may record one or more images as proof of delivery. The parcel receptacle may be a container into which the parcel may be placed. The parcel receptacle may have an access aperture through which the interior of the parcel receptacle may be accessed from the exterior of the parcel receptacle. In embodiments, the parcel receptacle may be a bag or a box.

Secure parcel delivery receptacle

Systems are disclosed for a communication system optimized for low data volume communications. In embodiments of the invention, a terminal in the communication system is configured to send and a receiver in the network infrastructure is configured to receive bursts containing pilot waveforms that include time spacing and/or phase changes between short sequences. The time spacing and/or phase changes can be selected to reduce out-of-phase autocorrelation and achieve robust performance.

Low data volume satellite communication system

Systems are disclosed for a communication system optimized for low data volume communications. In embodiments of the invention, a terminal in the communication system is configured to receive beam shape information from a satellite and use the beam shape information for calculating the terminal's initial transmit power based on the beam shape information. The terminal can also determine the terminal's location and calculate an achievable information data rate of transmitted bursts based on the beam shape information. The terminal can also determine an estimated terminal position based on correlating signal-to-noise ratio measurements on the camped beam and at least one neighbor beam neighboring the camped beam.

The secure parcel delivery receptacle comprises a parcel receptacle, a locking cover, a scanner, and a camera. The parcel receptacle may be a container into which the parcel may be placed. Access to the parcel receptacle may be via the locking cover which may only be unlocked by the scanner. The scanner may scan the parcel using wireless technology, optical technology, or a combination thereof to determine parcel identification information from the parcel. The parcel identification information may comprise or may be associated with a one-time code that will unlock the locking cover one time only. The camera may record one or more images as proof of delivery. The scanner may transmit one or more wireless messages containing status information regarding attempts to access the secure parcel delivery receptacle to the purchaser, to the seller, or to both.

Systems are disclosed for a communication system optimized for low data volume communications. In embodiments of the invention, a terminal in the communication system is configured to communicate with a satellite and a terrestrial hub using the same communications architecture, such as an air interface. In embodiments of the invention, the terminal sends a burst comprising a message to network infrastructure at a pre-scheduled time such that the network infrastructure can derive a terminal identity for the terminal by the time of the burst without having to include terminal identity information in the message. The terminal can communicate with the network infrastructure either through the satellite or through the terrestrial hub.

A telecommunications terminal includes a memory and a processor programmed to execute instructions stored in the memory. The instructions include determining an estimate of a link attenuation of a first communication link while receiving a channel and applying the estimate of the link attenuation to a second communication link after transitioning to the second communication link.

Satellite signal strength indication and reflection detection

A system and method are disclosed for a communication system optimized for low data volume communications. In embodiments of the invention, a terminal in the communication system sends a burst comprising a message to network infrastructure in the system at a pre-scheduled time such that the network infrastructure can derive a terminal identity for the terminal by the time of the burst without having to include terminal identity information in the message. The bursts are intended to communicate a message without all of the overhead used in establishing and terminating a connection associated with convention communication systems. The bursts are sent in predetermined formats, at predetermined times so that the identity of the terminal can be easily determined eliminating the need for much of the overhead of a conventional MSS.

A method for synchronization of user terminal (UT) uplink data transmissions to a satellite in a satellite communications system is provided. The UT tracks frame timing and frequency of downlink data transmissions received by the UT from the satellite. The UT estimates a respective timing delay and frequency shift of the downlink data transmissions based on the tracked frame timing and frequency of the downlink data transmissions. The UT receives satellite ephemeris data broadcast by the satellite. The UT synchronizes uplink data transmissions to the satellite based on the estimated timing delay and frequency shift of the downlink data transmissions, the received satellite ephemeris data, and knowledge of a UT position and velocity vectors associated with any movement of the UT.

Apparatus and method for network level synchronization in multiple low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications systems

A synchronization approach is provided that compensates for the large Doppler offset of the satellites in a LEO satellite system by exploiting the predictable and deterministic nature of the Doppler component, and thereby simplifies the delay and the Doppler domain uncertainty ranges that the physical layer receivers have to resolve. The compensation is based on the known ephemeris information of the LEO satellite and the known positions of the gateway (GW) and the user terminal (UT) on the ground. Utilizing the deterministic component of the LEO Doppler, the synchronization process continually tracks and compensates for the time-varying offsets between the GW and UT frame timing, frame numbering (FN), symbol timings, and Doppler-induced scaling of center frequency and the signal bandwidth.

A device is provided for use with a satellite and a receiver having a local oscillator. The satellite is traveling in a vector and transmits a signal having an expected frequency. The receiver receives a received signal having a received signal frequency. The device includes: a Doppler shift measuring portion measuring a Doppler shift D; a predetermined Doppler shift storage portion storing a predetermined received Doppler shift D; a received signal Doppler shift error calculating portion calculating a received signal Doppler shift error D; a predetermined receiver position storage portion storing a predetermined position Pof the receiver; and a receiver position estimating portion calculating an estimated receiver position Pbased on the predetermined position Pof the receiver and the received signal Doppler shift error D.

System and method for estimating terminal position based on non-geostationary communication satellite signals

A method for enabling synchronization of a communications terminal in a wireless communication system, and a corresponding acquisition system of the communications terminal, wherein the method consists of the steps of: receiving a burst at a receiver of the communications terminal, the burst containing a composite waveform including two or more component waveforms, wherein each of the two or more waveforms has a known frequency variation throughout the burst; detecting the presence of the composite waveform; and estimating a frequency offset and a timing offset of the composite waveform as received into the receiver, whereby synchronization is achieved.

Acquisition mechanism for a mobile satellite system

Filtering loop and method for maintaining synchronization between a receiver and a transmitter reduces overhead and enables more robust operation. The method includes the step of receiving an error signal corresponding to a synchronization parameter. A first order filter is applied to the error signal such that a residual signal results. The method further provides for compensating the residual signal for drift such that the compensated residual signal estimates a rate of change in the residual signal. By compensating the residual signal for drift, difficulties associated with time lag and signal degradation are obviated.

Filter loop structure for synchronization in a mobile communication terminal and a method of using the same

An approach for providing message synchronization in a communication system is disclosed. Using a selected channel coding method (e.g., Golay coding), an encoder encodes a message for transmission over a communication channel. An interleaver applies a predetermined interleaving pattern to the encoded message. A mask pattern with a prescribed sequence of bits is applied to the interleaved message; the prescribed sequence is ordered to eliminate an all zeros bit pattern and an all ones bit pattern. A multiplexer multiplexes the masked message with data traffic over the communication channel. The masked message is segmented into multiple blocks of a fixed length. At the receiver side, the mask pattern is applied to the demultiplexed message. The message is de-interleaved and decoded to restore the original message. Such an approach synchronizes the message blocks without adding overhead bits for synchronization and has particular applicability to the synchronization of power control messages in a satellite communication system.

Synchronization apparatus and method for a return link power control for satellite systems

An approach for minimizing variation in transmit power of synchronized signals that are destined to a satellite is disclosed. A gateway station system for communicating with a communication satellite includes a multiple signal sources which generate the synchronized signals. The gateway station system utilizes a control logic that is coupled to the signal sources. The control logic operates to offset selectively transmission times of a portion of the synchronized signals according to a predetermined distribution and an offset period. The predetermined distribution specifies about half the number of the synchronized signals are to be offset. The offset period is half a symbol period. The terminals within the satellite communication system has a receiver that receives the synchronized signal from the communication satellite. Each of the terminals also includes an offset-determination logic that is coupled to the receiver and determines whether the synchronized signals are offset based upon a received assignment message. The assignment message has a control flag field that indicates whether the received signal is offset.

Time-offset distribution to ensure constant satellite power

A system ( ) and method ( ) for estimating the location of a terrestrial-based user terminal ( ) is provided. The user terminal ( ) is capable of measuring the relative signal strengths of a plurality of spot beams pilot signal emitted from a geostationary satellite ( ). The user terminal ( ) then estimates its position based on the measured relative signal strengths. Using this approach, the user terminal ( ) can quickly determine its location without prior knowledge of its position or delay time.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Michael I Parr