With Synchronizing Of Satellites Or System Patents (Class 455/13.2)
  • Patent number: 8713324
    Abstract: System and methods provide tracking capabilities by one or a plurality of satellites for a mobile terrestrial terminal. A user requests that a satellite track a particular mobile terrestrial terminal. If the user privilege level allows for this level of control, the satellite adjusts to track the identified terminal. One method for tracking involves the use of a steerable antenna in which the antenna steers to maintain a footprint over the identified mobile terminal. Another method for tracking involves moving the satellite itself to maintain a footprint over the identified mobile terminal. The tracking functionality may utilize a closed loop tracking method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: OverHorizon (Cyprus) PLC
    Inventors: Per Wahlberg, Kennet Lejnell
  • Patent number: 8655263
    Abstract: A method for searching for a broadcast/multicast single frequency network cluster, when a terminal needs to receive the broadcast/multicast service in the broadcast/multicast single frequency network cluster, the terminal synchronizes to a non broadcast/multicast single frequency network cell which is associated with the broadcast/multicast single frequency network cluster; and the terminal searches for the broadcast/multicast single frequency network cluster on the basis of the information indicated by the system information in the non broadcast/multicast single frequency network cell. So that the UE can search for the corresponding MBSFN cluster, and can receive the MBMS service in the searched MBSFN cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: China Academy of Telecommunications Technology
    Inventors: Xuelong Wang, Yu Ding, Shiyan Ren, Lei Mao
  • Patent number: 8639182
    Abstract: A communications system, apparatus, method, and computer program product for inter-satellite and inter-spacecraft crosslinks (ISL) with non-ISL optimized antennas where at least one component of the communications system has the potential energy to go into space. The system includes a mobile communications platform that includes an ISL antenna configured to transmit information through a non-ISL antenna of another communications platform. The non-ISL antenna does not track a trajectory of the mobile communications platform. The mobile communications platform includes a controller configured to determine a location of the mobile platform; determine whether the non-ISL antenna is within communications range; and prepare a signal for relayed transmissions through a non-ISL antenna to another communications platform in a signal format that is decipherable by this other communications platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Inventor: Roscoe M. Moore, III
  • Patent number: 8625572
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide a network's synchronization status to a terminal when the terminal receives a transmission from the network. This network synchronization status can be indicated in accordance with various methods including, but not limited to the following: with a status flag in a network message; in a network capability indication; in a network's positioning capability indication; cell/network time relation information; in a time relation information of different Radio Access Technologies; and implicitly with another parameter and/or by a request for a certain measurement. When the network's synchronization status is determined, accurate time information/time assistance data can be maintained at the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Lauri Wirola, Ismo Halivaara, Jari Syrjärinne
  • Patent number: 8611811
    Abstract: A method of performing ranging through a relay station (RS) and supporting thereof is disclosed. If ranging is performed in a system which performs communication between a mobile station and a base station through relay of a relay station, the ranging is performed under the leading of the relay station. In other words, if the relay station determines whether ranging between the mobile station and the relay station is required and also determines transmission parameter adjustment values and reports the determined result to the base station, the base station performs the ranging in such a manner that it prepares a message suitable for a specific format and forwards the message to the mobile station through the relay station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Ae Ran Youn, Ki Seon Ryu, Du Hyun Mun, Beom Joon Kim
  • Patent number: 8599825
    Abstract: A system clock synchronization apparatus, for use in a mobile communication system, supplies a GPS clock received from a GPS reception module to a Radio Frequency clock generation module and selects a candidate system clock. The candidate system clock is selected from among plural candidate system clocks having different phases, which can be most stably synchronized with a reference synchronization time signal as the final system clock. The apparatus includes a Global Positioning System reception module; a Radio Frequency clock generation module that generates a system reference clock and outputs an RF clock generated by synchronizing the system reference clock to the GPS clock in phase; and a system clock generation module that generates multiple candidate system clocks having different phases using the RF clock and selects one of the candidate system clocks which generates in a range of an enable duration of the reference synchronization time signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keun Bok Kim
  • Patent number: 8600296
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are presented for improved satellite communications. The satellite system may comprises at least one gateway, a satellite in orbit configured to communicate with the at least one gateway and provide a plurality of spot beams, and a plurality of subscriber terminals. The spot beams may include a first spot beam to illuminate a first region and a second spot beam to illuminate a second region adjacent to and overlapping with the first region. The first spot beam as sent to at least one subscriber terminal may be affected by (1) interference from other signal sources including the second spot beam at a signal-to-interference ratio C/I and (2) noise at a signal-to-noise ratio C/N. Reception of signals from the first spot beam by the at least one of the first plurality of subscriber terminals may be interference-dominated such that C/I is less than C/N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark J. Miller
  • Patent number: 8600297
    Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for providing self-timing and self-locating in an access point (AP) base station. In one embodiment, the method involves receiving Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signals from a first data source (e.g., plurality of satellites), wherein the SPS signals may include SPS time data, SPS frequency data, and SPS position data. The method may further involve obtaining from a second data source (e.g., cell site, terrestrial navigation station, server, user input interface, etc.) at least one of second time data, second frequency data and second position data, and determining relative reliability of the first and second data sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: John W. Ketchum, Srinath Nagaraj, Ashok Bhatia, Eric J. Katzfey, Lalitaprasad V. Daita, Sekharjyoti Baruah
  • Patent number: 8594662
    Abstract: A method for protecting communications between an aircraft and a spacecraft in outer space including flying the aircraft in the earth's atmosphere at an altitude above 40,000 feet from the earth, and preferably above 50,000 feet, and transmitting a signal from the aircraft to the spacecraft having a frequency within a range of 50-70 GHz. The method includes selecting the frequency of the signal based on the altitude of the aircraft and the elevation angle between the spacecraft the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Peter J. Hadinger
  • Patent number: 8577283
    Abstract: A repeater that facilitates communication in a wireless environment comprises a scheduling component that analyzes a schedule relating to when communications are active in the forward link direction and when communications are active in the reverse link direction, the communications are subject to time division duplexing. An amplifier that amplifies received communications as a function of the schedule. The repeater can further comprise a configuration component that configures the amplifier to amplify the received communications in one or more of a forward link direction and a reverse link direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Finch Dean, Kenneth Robert Baker
  • Patent number: 8565823
    Abstract: A basestation in a cellular communication system corrects frequency errors in signals generated within the basestation. The frequency errors may be corrected on the basis of signals transmitted by one or more other basestation within the network. As an alternative, the basestation may request information from one or mobile devices that are also able to detect transmissions from other basestations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Ubiquisys Limited
    Inventors: Alan Carter, Stephen Whittaker
  • Patent number: 8538327
    Abstract: User equipment of a communication system in one aspect obtains data indicative of the position of a satellite, and obtains data indicative of the position of the user equipment. The user equipment computes a delay measure based on the data indicative of the position of the satellite and the data indicative of the position of the user equipment, and adjusts the timing of a communication transmitted from the user equipment to the satellite based on the delay measure. In an illustrative embodiment, the user equipment receives data indicative of position and velocity of the satellite, and adjusts both timing and frequency of the communication based on the position and velocity data. The timing and frequency adjusted communication may then be transmitted to the satellite over a unicast uplink channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Zulfiquar Sayeed, Stephen A. Wilkus
  • Patent number: 8521081
    Abstract: A repeating apparatus in a wireless communication system includes: a signal detection unit configured to receive a signal from a base station or a mobile station and detect strength of the signal; a control unit configured to compare the signal strength detected by the signal detection unit with signal strength predetermined by the system and provide comparison information; and an output signal control unit configured to receive the comparison information from the control unit and adjust and amplify gain of a signal transmitted to the base station or the mobile station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Byung-Su Kang, Heon-Kook Kwon, Kwang-Chun Lee
  • Patent number: 8514774
    Abstract: A method, and components for performing such method, is provided for synchronizing multiple user signals in a multi-user communication system. An interference matrix is generated based on time delay and frequency offset information for the active users accessing an OFDMA uplink receiver. User signals are received from the active users and are segmented into blocks, and the interference matrix is applied to each of the blocks. The received user signal is OFDM demodulated and un-used sub-carriers are discarded. Typically, the method includes also applying a factorization matrix formed by factoring a correction matrix created from the interference matrix and an inverse matrix formed based on the factoring results to the user signal blocks, e.g., the correction step includes multiplying each of the blocks from the user signal by each of these three matrices. The corrected user blocks are then concatenated to form a corrected vector signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Beijing) R&D Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Yiqun Ge, Wuxian Shi, Juan Du
  • Publication number: 20130189922
    Abstract: A more simple and robust time synchronization of network subscribers compared to solutions known in the state of the art is provided by a device for time synchronization of network subscribers of a network based on satellites, having at least one satellite antenna connected to a receiving unit receiving a satellite signal containing time information. An electronic system that obtains the time from the satellite signal is connected to a time server with a network connection for the synchronization of the network subscribers using a network protocol. The complexity of the device is reduced and the common coaxial infrastructure between the receiving unit and the time server is removed for the satellite signal and replaced by a robust infrastructure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Steffen Dittrich, Harald Karl
  • Patent number: 8472871
    Abstract: A system and method for generating an output signal includes a diverse site, a communication network and a primary site in communication with the diverse site through the communication network. A transport processing system at the primary site communicates a first signal to the diverse site through the communication network. The diverse site generates a first diverse modulator signal at a first diverse modulator and a second diverse modulator signal at a second diverse modulator. The diverse site having a switch coupled to the first diverse modulator and the second diverse modulator and generating a switch output signal corresponding to the first diverse modulator signal and the second diverse modulator signal. The primary site monitors first diverse modulator signal and the second diverse modulator signal and controls the switch in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Eduardo Barroso
  • Patent number: 8467955
    Abstract: A map-centric service for creating, finding, and organizing social events is described. Social events may include gatherings, goods or services for sale or other types of events about which a group of people may wish to share information. The service provides a graphical indication of the location of a plurality of social events superimposed on a map, providing a geographic context to social events. The geographic context may be augmented with text graphical indications or information in other forms, further identifying characteristics of the social event. Information about social events may be made accessible to multiple users through a web service. A user may search for social events by specifying desired characteristics of the social event. The service can also generate an optimal route for user selected events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ning Jiang, Fabrice Frachon
  • Patent number: 8452328
    Abstract: A method (300) and system (100) for sharing a controller for a combined cellular phone and satellite radio includes a cellular phone module (102), a satellite radio module (106), and a controller module (108) having a digital signal processor (120) shared by the cellular and satellite modules. A base band processor (118) of the satellite module can provide a digital audio output (107) to a stereo decoder (122) of the controller module and a base band module (112) of the cellular phone module can provide a digital audio output (109) to the stereo decoder. The base band processor of the satellite module can provide compressed audio (111) to the DSP for longer term storage within a memory (129). The DSP can also receive control signaling (113) from the base band processor of the satellite radio module and control signaling (117) from the base band processor of the cellular phone module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Sirius XM Radio Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Marko
  • Patent number: 8447230
    Abstract: A cellular repeater and method of operating a cellular repeater are disclosed. The cellular repeater includes a variable-gain donor antenna adapted to communicate with a base station and a variable-gain server antenna adapted to communicate with a mobile device. A signal from a selected base station selected from one or more available base stations that are available to the cellular repeater is measured at the donor antenna. The gain of the donor antenna is adapted to maximize a signal level of the signal received at the donor antenna from the selected base station. A calibration signal from the server antenna is measured at the donor antenna to determine a radio frequency isolation between the donor antenna and the server antenna. The gain of the server antenna is adapted to maximize the radio frequency isolation between the donor antenna and server antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Nextivity, Inc.
    Inventor: Behzad B. Mohebbi
  • Patent number: 8437693
    Abstract: A wireless communications device comprises a communication receiver and a positioning system receiver in the wireless mobile communication device. An absolute time signal is received at the positioning system. A network time signal is received at the communication receiver of the wireless mobile communication device. A controller is in signal communication with the position system receiver and the communication receiver. The controller is configured to determine an offset of the absolute time signal from the network time signal and generates a timing mark. The timing mark is tagged by the positioning system receiver with an internal clock value wherein the timing mark has a known relationship with the absolute time signal. A memory stores the offset of the absolute time signal from the network time signal. A transmitter in the wireless mobile communication device transmits the offset for receipt by another wireless mobile communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: CSR Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Jim Brown, Gengsheng Zhang, Lionel Garin
  • Publication number: 20130065514
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for advanced timing and time transfer for satellite constellations using crosslink ranging and an accurate time source are disclosed herein. In particular, the present disclosure relates generally to systems for providing improved positioning, navigation, and/or timing information for oscillator calibration and more specifically, to use at least one satellite with accessibility to an accurate time source to calibrate the local oscillator on a crosslink paired satellite. In at least, one embodiment, time synchronization on a subset of satellites with crosslinking capabilities is used to distribute time through a network of crosslinked satellites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: David A. Whelan, Gregory M. Gutt, Peter M. Fyfe
  • Patent number: 8396415
    Abstract: The invention relates to a single-port signal repeater. The repeater is connected in parallel to the communication means (3), on which only one access point (5) is needed. The repeater (4) comprises an amplifier, a hybrid circuit and a feedback and increases the range and transmission capacity for communications made on a conducted medium without the drawbacks of traditional repeaters, which have to interrupt the line and need two access points to the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Marvell Hispania, S. L. U.
    Inventors: Jorge Vicente Blasco Claret, Jose Luis Gonzalez Moreno, Jose Luis Camps Soriano, Antonio Pairet Molina
  • Patent number: 8391780
    Abstract: A system and method of communicating signals is provided. The system includes a plurality of satellites, at least one receiver, and at least one satellite uplink station. The plurality of satellites include at least one active satellite. The at least one receiver is in communication with the plurality of satellites, and receives a signal from the at least one active satellite. The at least one satellite uplink station is in communication with the plurality of satellites, and transmits the signal and alters a frequency of the signal based upon a location of the at least one active satellite to reduce a Doppler frequency shift when activating and deactivating the plurality of satellites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry J. Fruit, Eric A. Dibiaso
  • Patent number: 8380186
    Abstract: A space segment for a radioterminal communications system includes a satellite having service link antennas of different sizes that are configured to communicate with at least one radioterminal. The service link antennas of different size may serve different sized geographic areas, which may at least partially overlap. Analogous radioterminal communications methods also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: ATC Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Peter D. Karabinis
  • Patent number: 8374660
    Abstract: An apparatus for reducing the electromagnetic interference between two or more co-located antennas is described herein. In one embodiment, the apparatus is positioned proximate to a second antenna for intercepting electromagnetic energy radiated from a first antenna during transmission of a signal. To reduce interference at the second antenna, the apparatus includes a plurality of resonant circuit elements, each being configured to resonate at or near a carrier frequency of the transmitted signal for redirecting at least a portion of the electromagnetic energy away from the second antenna. A method for reducing the electromagnetic interference between two or more antennas coupled to a wireless communication device is also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Motion Computing, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd W. Steigerwald, Jerry Mayfield
  • Patent number: 8360367
    Abstract: A system and method for highly efficient constellations of satellites which give single, double, . . . k-fold redundant full earth imaging coverage, or k-fold coverage for latitudes greater than any selected latitude is given for remote sensing instruments in short periods of time, i.e., continuous coverage, as a function of the parameters of the satellite and the remote sensing instrument for many different types of orbits. A high data rate satellite communication system and method for use with small, mobile cell phone receiving and transmitting stations is also provided. Satellite instrument performance models, full and partial satellite constellation models, and satellite cost models are disclosed and used to optimize the design of satellite systems with vastly improved performance and lower cost over current major satellite systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Inventors: C. Laurence Korb, Andrew Robert Korb
  • Patent number: 8358971
    Abstract: A satellite includes a programmable facility including circuitry responsive to programmable control information. One or more filter parameters, or other forms of instructions for allocating channel capacity (i.e. bits/second/Hz), are received at the satellite in orbit to direct the programmable facility to separate particular sub-signals from an input signal. In one embodiment, the programmable facility can be programmed to change the allocation of channel capacity dedicated to the forward and return links based on the ratio forward and return traffic through a satellite. Changing the allocation of channel capacity may be achieved by changing the portions of the total allocated frequency bandwidth that are used for forward and return links. Alternatively, the changes may be made to the forward and/or return data rates, either alone or in combination with frequency bandwidth allocations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Leonard N. Schiff
  • Patent number: 8346161
    Abstract: When a transmission request for new data is issued under a situation where a plurality of data are transmitted to a specific service area from a plurality of service areas, a feeder link station searches an available frequency to be allocated to the new data in a down-link frequency band of the specific service area, and when any of data communications is completed, allocates a down-link frequency band used in the data communication as a down-link frequency band for the new data. A satellite repeater arranges the new data on the down-link frequency band right after the data communication is completed following a relay control by the feeder link station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Sogabe, Akinori Fujimura, Takashi Kuwahara, Futaba Ejima
  • Patent number: 8346162
    Abstract: A system and method of reducing VSAT apertures via satellite MIMO is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: EMC SatCom Technologies
    Inventors: Sriram Jayasimha, Jyothendar Paladugula
  • Patent number: 8340574
    Abstract: A system for enabling use of ultra-small aperture terminals in satellite communications is provided. The system comprises a transmitter configured to receive an input signal having information, a bandwidth, and an amplitude, replicate the input signal into two or more replications of the input signal, convert each of the two or more replications to have a frequency tuned to two or more corresponding satellite transponders while maintaining the bandwidth and all the information of the input signal, and combine the two or more replications into a single uplink signal. A transmit antenna is configured to transmit the uplink signal to the two or more satellite transponders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: EMC SatCom Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Abel Avellan, Sriram Jayasimha
  • Patent number: 8340672
    Abstract: A wireless synchronization device is used to coordinate the timing and activities of individual, possibly physically separated, wireless service providers with defined coverage area. Further, the synchronization information is used to coordinate the timing and activities of portable wireless client devices in an autonomous, wireless proximity sensing and data transfer network. Moreover, one or more of the wireless service providers can be arranged to simultaneously monitor broadcasts from the wireless synchronization device and communicate with one or more of the portable wireless client devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Proxense, LLC
    Inventors: David L. Brown, Fred Hirt
  • Publication number: 20120309294
    Abstract: An approach facilitates synchronization by providing: (i) a method to analyze the two-satellite synchronization problem in time-frequency domain; and (ii) a two-stage estimation method to accomplish timing and frequency synchronization. The embodiment facilitates satellite diversity. The embodiment applies to a system involving two or more geosynchronous satellites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: Hughes Network Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Je-Hong JONG, Jun XU, Anthony Noerpel, Chanasandra Ravishankar
  • Patent number: 8315214
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for discontinuous reception desynchronization detection between an enhanced Node B and a user equipment, the method having the steps of: waiting for a predefined event to occur; and upon the predefined event occurring, sending a message from one of the enhanced Node B and the user equipment to the other of the enhanced Node B and user equipment, wherein the message contains one of a request for discontinuous reception period information or discontinuous reception period information, the discontinuous reception period information or discontinuous reception period information being utilized to detect desynchronization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: James Earl Womack, Zhijun Cai, Wei Wu
  • Patent number: 8306527
    Abstract: A method of improving frequency accuracy of a clock unit adapted to clock a femtocell local cellular communication home base station is provided. The method comprising: providing a local cellular communication home base station having an oscillator adapted to operate as a clock therein, wherein at least one cellular communication device is camped thereto, and wherein the at least one camped cellular communication device is further in communication with at least one neighboring cellular communication base station which is associated with an oscillator adapted to operate as a clock therein; periodically applying a derivative operator over periodically obtained local communication parameters and periodically obtained neighboring communication parameters thereby generating derivative communication parameters over time; and correcting the accuracy of the frequency of the clock in the femtocell local cellular communication home base station using the derivative communication parameters over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Percello Ltd.
    Inventors: Rafy Carmon, Yoav Volloch, Amir Appel, Sharon Levy
  • Publication number: 20120276842
    Abstract: A wireless communications device may include a portable housing and a temperature-compensated clock circuit carried by the portable housing. The device may further include a wireless receiver carried by the portable housing for receiving timing signals, when available, from a wireless network, and a satellite positioning clock circuit carried by the portable housing. A clock correction circuit may be carried by the portable housing for correcting the temperature-compensated clock circuit based upon timing signals from the wireless network when available, and storing historical correction values for corresponding temperatures. The clock correction circuit may also correct the temperature-compensated clock circuit based upon the stored historical correction values when timing signals are unavailable from the wireless network, and correct the satellite positioning clock based upon the temperature-compensated clock circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventor: MICHAEL ANDREW GOLDSMITH
  • Patent number: 8300621
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for timing acquisition and carrier frequency offset estimation of an OFDM communication system and an apparatus using the same. For this purpose the present invention provides a method for calculating at least one auto-correlation and calculating an observation value by performing a sliding sum on the at least one auto-correlation, and calculating a peak point of an absolute value of the observation as frame timing. In addition, the present invention provides a method for generating a third OFDM symbol that is generated by delaying a second OFDM symbol, calculating an observation value through the second and third OFDM symbols, and calculating a phase difference from a result of multiplication of the observation value and a conjugate complex value of the observation value such that a carrier frequency offset can be estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, KT Corporation, SK Telecom Co., Ltd, Hanaro Telecom, Inc.
    Inventors: Hyoung-Soo Lim, Dong-Seung Kwon
  • Publication number: 20120264371
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and a method for controlling time synchronization between base stations when a receiving state of a satellite signal is poor. The present invention provide an apparatus and a method for controlling time synchronization between base stations that controls time synchronization between base stations based on reliability about time synchronization information of each base station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventor: Myung Soon KIM
  • Patent number: 8290484
    Abstract: A method of recovering a useful signal received by a satellite includes a step of reception by the satellite of a composite signal comprising said useful signal and collision signals, all of these signals being received simultaneously by the satellite, interfering with each other, and respectively being transmitted by transmitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Thibaud Calmettes, Rémi Challamel
  • Patent number: 8290431
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating through a host repeater. Data is received from a remote repeater communicating with a wireless device. The host repeater registers as the wireless device on a wireless network. The data is reformatted for transmission between the wireless devices and the wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Michael K. Bugenhagen, Carl Milton Coppage
  • Patent number: 8285202
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are presented for improved satellite communications. The satellite system may comprises at least one gateway, a satellite in orbit configured to communicate with the at least one gateway and provide a plurality of spot beams, and a plurality of subscriber terminals. The spot beams may include a first spot beam to illuminate a first region and a second spot beam to illuminate a second region adjacent to and overlapping with the first region. The first spot beam as sent to at least one subscriber terminal may be affected by (1) interference from other signal sources including the second spot beam at a signal-to-interference ratio C/I and (2) noise at a signal-to-noise ratio C/N. Reception of signals from the first spot beam by the at least one of the first plurality of subscriber terminals may be interference-dominated such that C/I is less than C/N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark J. Miller
  • Patent number: 8270899
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for ground-based beamforming of a satellite communications payload (200) within a satellite communications network (100). An embodiment of the invention comprises a satellite (11) communicatively coupled to at least one gateway (12) via a feeder link (13) and a plurality of user terminals (16), each communicatively coupled with the satellite by a user link (17) where a ground based beam forming system (400) receives, via feeder link (13), return path signals (452) traveling from the user terminals (16) via the satellite (11) to the at least one gateway (12) and forward path signals (457) traveling from the at least one gateway (12) via the satellite (11) to the user terminals (16), and measures and corrects amplitude and phase errors of the return path signals (452) and the forward path signals (457).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Walker, Rolando Menendez, Douglas Burr, Gilles Dubellay
  • Patent number: 8270900
    Abstract: Implementations are described that use a control center to maintain a list of registered mobile platforms that are pre-authorized to make use of the satellite-based transponder to transmit and receive data content to and from the base transceiver. The control center may cause the base transceiver to transmit at least one polling message, the polling message carries information addressed to a specific aggregate group of the registered mobile platforms and includes a return channel which may be used by a mobile platform to communicate with the base transceiver. In one implementation, the control center protects the system from exceeding power spectral density (PSD) statistical limits by using the mobile platform in the group that has a greatest power spectral density signal as the PSD that the aggregate group will generate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: David S. Parkman, Christopher J. McLain, Paulus J. Martens, Janet L. King
  • Patent number: 8238812
    Abstract: A collaborative Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) in a broadband wireless communication system using a relay station is provided. A transmitting end includes a distance estimator for estimating a distance to a relay station; a controller for determining whether to execute a collaborative HARQ using the estimated distance to the relay station; and a transmitter for, when the execution of the collaborative HARQ is determined and a retransmission request is received from a receiving end, sending a retransmission packet according to a multiple antenna signal processing scheme by constituting a virtual multiple antenna group with the relay station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., New Jersey Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Dong-Ho Kim, Yung-Soo Kim, Yeheskel Bar-Ness, Igor Stanojev, Osvaldo Simeone
  • Patent number: 8233840
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for synchronization in mesh satellite communications. The arrival time of the gateway signal may be used to set a start of receive frame time for a terminal. A received control signal from the gateway may then be used to set a start of transmit frame time for the user terminal. The distance between the satellite and the gateway may change. Ephemeris data, various collections of terminal measurements, or terminal sync bursts may be used to modify start of transmit frame or start of receive frame settings for the terminal or gateway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.
    Inventor: Anil Agarwal
  • Publication number: 20120178363
    Abstract: A communications system, apparatus, method, and computer program product for inter-satellite and inter-spacecraft crosslinks (ISL) with non-ISL optimized antennas where at least one component of the communications system has the potential energy to go into space. The system includes a mobile communications platform that includes an ISL antenna configured to transmit information through a non-ISL antenna of another communications platform. The non-ISL antenna does not track a trajectory of the mobile communications platform. The mobile communications platform includes a controller configured to determine a location of the mobile platform; determine whether the non-ISL antenna is within communications range; and prepare a signal for relayed transmissions through a non-ISL antenna to another communications platform in a signal format that is decipherable by this other communications platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventor: Roscoe M. Moore, III
  • Patent number: 8208497
    Abstract: System and method for providing a timestamp packetized data interface between an RF unit and a modem. According to one embodiment, the RF unit receives an inbound RF signal, processes and demodulates the inbound RF signal to generate samples, generates a timestamp indicative of when the inbound RF signal was received, packetizes and multiplexes the samples and the timestamp, and sends the multiplexed stream to the modem. The modem generates received data from the samples. If the received data type requires a response to be sent at a particular time, the modem generates symbols from responsive outbound data, generates a timestamp which indicates when the outbound data is to be transmitted, packetizes and multiplexes the symbols and the timestamp, and sends the multiplexed stream to the RF unit. The RF unit generates an outbound RF signal from the symbols, and transmits the outbound signal in accordance with the timestamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Sundeep Rangan, Frank Lane
  • Publication number: 20120156987
    Abstract: Each of the plurality of wireless base stations determines whether the accuracy of a synchronizing signal generated at a corresponding synchronizing signal generation unit is below a predetermined level, and when the accuracy of synchronizing signal is below the predetermined level, refers to the management unit to determine whether there is, among other wireless base stations arranged adjacent to its own station, a wireless base station connected to a synchronizing signal generation unit differing from its own connected synchronizing signal generation unit, and when there is a wireless base station connected to a synchronizing signal generation unit differing from its own connected synchronizing signal generation unit, reducing its own transmission power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eiji Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8200150
    Abstract: A system for accurate automatic satellite acquisition by a portable satellite terminal. The system includes a software program that coordinates inputs from several measurement aids to control antenna position. These aids include a GPS receiver, antenna azimuth, elevation and polarization angle sensors, and the terminal's modem, DVB receiver and spectrum analyzer, which contains a beacon detector also serving as Receive Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). For satellite recognition, the spectral analysis and RSSI function are complemented by the lock/unlock indications provided by the modem and the DVB receiver. Under the control of the software program, the modem, DVB receiver and spectrum analyzer, in conjunction with an extensive database of satellites and their signal characteristics, provide the means for reliable validation of final alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Norsat International Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Lopez, Glen Dwornik, Petrus Bezuidenhout, Michael Schefter, Stanislav Kouzmine, Sasa Trajkovic
  • Patent number: 8200149
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for combining transponder bandwidths comprises a wide-band virtual transponder for transmitting a single data stream. The wide-band virtual transponder is comprised of a plurality of narrow-band physical transponders. A plurality of elementary streams are statistically multiplexed to create the single data stream, wherein the single data stream is forward error correction encoded and demultiplexed into a plurality of transponder streams for transmission by the plurality of physical transponders. The physical transponders each use a different portion of a signal spectrum, wherein the different portion may be guard bands or a combination of legacy bands and guard bands. Upon receipt, the transponder streams are multiplexed to recover the single data stream, wherein the recovered single data stream is forward error correction decoded and statistically demultiplexed to recover the plurality of elementary streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Ernest C. Chen
  • Patent number: 8199645
    Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing system performance of capacity and spectrum constrained, multiple-access communication systems by selectively discarding packets are provided. The systems and methods provided herein can drive changes in the communication system using control responses. One such control responses includes the optimal discard (also referred to herein as “intelligent discard”) of network packets under capacity constrained conditions. Some embodiments provide an interactive response by selectively discarding packets to enhance perceived and actual system throughput, other embodiments provide a reactive response by selectively discarding data packets based on their relative impact to service quality to mitigate oversubscription, others provide a proactive response by discarding packets based on predicted oversubscription, and others provide a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Cygnus Broadband, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Stanwood, David Gell