Abstract: A space-based component, such as a satellite, is configured to receive wireless communications from radiotelephones in a satellite footprint over an uplink satellite radiotelephone frequency, and to transmit wireless communications to the radiotelephones over a downlink radiotelephone frequency. An ancillary terrestrial network, that may include one or more ancillary terrestrial components, is configured to transmit wireless communications to, and receive wireless communications from, the radiotelephones over the uplink satellite radiotelephone frequency in a time-division duplex mode.

Abstract: A shared satellite gateway can be configured to process at least first and second communications signals associated with respective at least first and second space-based components. The at least first and second communications signals are provided to/from the shared satellite gateway by respective at least first and second service links and respective at least first and second feeder links of the respective at least first and second space-based components.

Abstract: A signal power control loop is provided for a link between a terrestrial station and a terminal when the terminal and a satellite are linked via the terrestrial station. The signal power control loop may control transmitted signal power of the terminal and/or the terrestrial station. In some embodiments, the signal power control loop controls transmitted signal power of the terminal and/or the terrestrial station independent of signal power control for a link between the terrestrial station and the satellite.

Abstract: A system and method of operation for efficiently reusing and/or sharing at least a portion of the frequency spectrum between a first satellite spot beam and a second satellite spot beam, and/or an underlay terrestrial network associated with a second satellite spot beam. The spectrum is efficiently reused and/or shared between respective spot beams and/or associated underlay terrestrial systems in a manner minimizes interference between the respective satellite and terrestrial systems.

Abstract: Communications occur between a satellite and respective first and second classes of terminals using substantially different polarizations. The first class of terminals may include fixed and/or vehicle-based terminals, and the second class of terminals may include handheld terminals. The second class of terminals may include terminals configured to preferentially receive and/or transmit linearly polarized signals, for example, terminals with substantially linearly polarized antennas, and the first class of terminals may include terminals configured to preferentially receive and/or transmit circularly polarized signals, for example, terminals with patch and/or helical antennas configured to transmit and/or receive substantially circularly polarized signals.

Abstract: A radioterminal communications system includes an ancillary terrestrial component configured to receive from at least some of a plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a first satellite frequency band (e.g., an L-band) and to transmit to at least some of the plurality of radioterminals using frequencies from a second satellite frequency band (e.g., an S-band). The system further includes a space-based component configured to communicate with the plurality of radioterminals using at least some of the frequencies from the first satellite frequency band and/or at least some of the frequencies from the second satellite frequency band. In some embodiments the ancillary terrestrial component communicates with radioterminals using a Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode and the space-based component communicates with the same or other radioterminals using a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and/or a TDD mode.

Abstract: Methods of reducing interference in a satellite communications system may include receiving a plurality of feeder link signals and time aligning the plurality of feeder link signals to provide time aligned feeder link signals. At least two of the time aligned feeder link signals may be combined to provide reduced interference of at least one of the feeder link signals. Related systems are also discussed.

Abstract: Methods are provided for predicting uplink interference potential to a mobile satellite system (MSS) generated by ancillary terrestrial components (ATCs) of an ancillary terrestrial network (ATN) and/or ATC radioterminals that are configured to terrestrially use/reuse satellite frequencies that are used and/or authorized for use by a MSS. The methods include measuring power transmitted by and/or received at one or more radioterminals communicating with one or more terrestrial networks and/or transmitted by and/or received at the one or more terrestrial networks communicating with the one or more radioterminals using terrestrial frequencies that are at least partially outside a range of the satellite frequencies. Uplink interference potential to the MSS generated by terrestrial use/reuse of satellite frequencies by the ATN and/or the ATC radioterminals is predicted responsive to the measured power. Related ancillary terrestrial networks are also described.

Abstract: A space-based component (SBC) of a communications system includes a service link subsystem including a plurality of service link antenna elements configured to provide service links with radioterminals and a feeder link subsystem configured to provide respective feeder links to/from respective processing facilities. The SBC further includes a channelizer configured to map different spectral components of a signal received at the SBC via a service link antenna element to different feeder links.

Abstract: Communications are conducted between a space-based component of the wireless communications system and radioterminals using a plurality of forward link cells and a plurality of return link cells, the return link cells having a greater number of cells per frequency reuse cluster than the forward link cells. At least some of the forward and return link cells may use at least some frequencies of a terrestrial wireless communications system having an adjacent and/or overlapping coverage area. Forward links of the at least some of the forward and return link cells may have a greater link bandwidth than return links of the at least some of the forward and return link cells.

Abstract: An Ancillary Terrestrial Network (ATN) includes at least one Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ATC) that is configured to provide wireless communications using frequencies of a satellite frequency band. The ATN provides communications based on a GSM, cdma2000 and/or W-CDMA air interface, under a constrained capacity measure. The capacity measure of the ATN may also be constrained when the ATN provides communications based on an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) and/or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) air interface. Analogous methods of controlling an ATN also may be provided.

Abstract: A communications system includes a first wireless communications system configured to provide wireless communications over a first frequency band, and a second wireless communications system configured to provide wireless communications using at least a portion of the first frequency band. The system includes an inter-system communications link between the first wireless communications system and the second wireless communications system. The inters-system communications link is used to coordinate the use of the first frequency band. The system further includes an interference reducer configured to reduce interference between the first wireless communications system and the second wireless communications system. Related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of operating a communications system including a satellite may include providing communications feeder links between the satellite and a plurality of satellite gateways, and providing a communications service link between the satellite and at least one radioterminal using a plurality of satellite service link antenna feed elements. During a first time period, signals of first and second service link antenna feed elements of the plurality of service link antenna feed elements may be coupled between a first one of the plurality of satellite gateways and the first and second service link antenna feed elements. During a second time period, a signal of the first service link antenna feed element may be coupled between the first satellite gateway and the first service link antenna feed element, and a signal of the second service link antenna feed element may be coupled between a second one of the plurality of satellite gateways and the second service link antenna feed element.

Abstract: A radioterminal may include a transceiver, a hand-held interface coupled to the transceiver, and an interlock coupled to the transceiver. The transceiver may be configured to transmit and receive wireless communications, and the transceiver may be further configured to transmit high power communications at a high maximum power and/or EIRP and to transmit low power communications at a low maximum power and/or EIRP. The interlock may be configured to prevent the transceiver from transmitting high power communications at a power and/or EIRP that exceeds a threshold when the hand-held interface is activated. Related methods are also discussed.

Abstract: A satellite radiotelephone system includes a space-based component that is configured to receive wireless communications from radiotelephones over a range of satellite band return link frequencies and to transmit wireless communications to radiotelephones over a range of satellite band forward link frequencies. An ancillary terrestrial component is configured to receive wireless communications from radiotelephones over the range of satellite band return link frequencies, and to transmit wireless communications to radiotelephones over the range of satellite band forward link frequencies.

Abstract: A radiotelephone includes a single radio frequency chain and a single baseband processor that is connected thereto. The single radio frequency chain and the single baseband processor are configured to communicate with a space-based system using frequencies of a satellite band and an air interface, and to communicate with a terrestrial wireless network using frequencies of the satellite band and substantially the air interface.

Abstract: Satellite radiotelephone systems include a space-based component that is configured to provide wireless radiotelephone communications in a satellite footprint over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band. The satellite footprint is divided into a plurality of satellite cells, in which satellite radiotelephone frequencies of the satellite radiotelephone frequency band are spatially reused. An ancillary terrestrial network is configured to terrestrially reuse at least one of the ancillary radiotelephone frequencies that is used in a satellite cell in the satellite footprint, outside the cell and in some embodiments separated therefrom by a spatial guardband.

Abstract: A wireless communications system includes a space-based component (SBC) and an ancillary terrestrial component (ATC) configured to communicate with radioterminals using a common satellite service link frequency band and respective first and second different sets of channel separation codes. The first and second sets of channel separation codes may include, for example, respective sets of scrambling codes, respective sets of frequency assignment codes, respective sets of channel assignment codes, respective sets of sub-channel assignment codes and/or respective sets of spreading codes.

Abstract: A satellite radiotelephone frequency band can be reused terrestrially by an ancillary terrestrial network even within the same satellite cell, using interference reduction/cancellation techniques. An interference reducer is responsive to a space-based component and to an ancillary terrestrial network. The interference reducer is configured to reduce interference in wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band using wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from selected ones of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band.

Abstract: A system and method of operation for efficiently reusing and/or sharing at least a portion of the frequency spectrum between a first satellite spot beam and a second satellite spot beam, and/or an underlay terrestrial network associated with a second satellite spot beam. The spectrum is efficiently reused and/or shared between respective spot beams and/or associated underlay terrestrial systems in a manner minimizes interference between the respective satellite and terrestrial systems.