The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 09, 2003
Filed:
Jul. 14, 1998
Robert A Wiedeman, Los Altos, CA (US);
Paul A Monte, San Jose, CA (US);
Globalstar L.P., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a method for operating a satellite communications system as well as a method for providing a larger effective gateway coverage area, and a system that operates in accordance with the methods. The methods include steps of (a) establishing a call connection between a terrestrial telecommunications network and a user terminal via a first gateway and at least one satellite; and (b) while the call connection is established, coupling the user terminal to the terrestrial telecommunications network via a second gateway and at least one further satellite. The step of coupling includes a step of conveying call speech or data information between the first gateway and the second gateway over an inter-gateway communications link. By so linking multiple gateways each gateway experiences an increase in its effective coverage area, as an on-going call can be continued even after a user terminal moves from a first gateway's coverage area into a second gateway's coverage area.