Abstract: A system for communications on an extraterrestrial body may include a space-based component and an ancillary extraterrestrial component on the extraterrestrial body. The space-based component may be configured to provide wireless communications with a plurality of radioterminals located on the extraterrestrial body over a satellite frequency band wherein the space-based component includes at least one satellite orbiting the extraterrestrial body. The ancillary extraterrestrial component may be configured to provide wireless communications with the plurality of radioterminals located on the extraterrestrial body. Moreover, the ancillary extraterrestrial component may reuse at least one satellite frequency of the satellite frequency band, and the space-based component and the ancillary extraterrestrial component may be configured to relay communications therebetween. Related methods are also discussed.

Abstract: Methods, radioterminals, and broadcast message generation consoles provide location-based broadcast messaging for users. A method of operating a radioterminal can include receiving at the radioterminal over a wireless air interface a broadcast message that includes region information that defines a geographic region of applicability. A determination is made at the radioterminal whether the radioterminal is located in the region of applicability. A functional mode of the radioterminal is activated in response to the radioterminal being in the region of applicability. The functional mode may include activating a user interface of the radioterminal.

Abstract: Methods of operating a transceiver including an antenna having a plurality of antenna feed elements are disclosed. The methods include receiving a plurality of samples of a receive signal from the plurality of antenna feed elements, estimating locations of a plurality of signal sources from the plurality of receive signal samples, identifying a plurality of interference sources from among the plurality of signal sources, generating a plurality of antenna feed element weights wM in response to the locations of the interference sources, forming an antenna beam from the antenna to the geographic region using the antenna feed element weights wM, and communicating information over the antenna beam. Related transceivers, satellite gateways and satellites are also disclosed.

Abstract: Communications between a terminal and a terrestrial base station are established. The terrestrial base station receives a request to monitor a satellite base station from the terminal. The terrestrial base station grants the request and receives monitoring information for the satellite base station corresponding to the request. Granting of the request may include suspending transmission from the terrestrial base station to the terminal for a period of time sufficient to allow the terminal to request the monitoring information from the satellite base station and receiving monitoring information may include receiving the requested monitoring information at the terrestrial base station via a communications path not including the terminal. Suspending transmission from the terrestrial base station to the terminal may be followed by resuming transmission to the terminal before receiving the monitoring information at the terrestrial base station.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a satellite communications network dynamically regulates carrier assignment for bidirectional communications between a satellite and radioterminals. The satellite communications network includes a resource manager that regulates the carrier assignments by selecting among a plurality of FDD return subcarriers, with potentially different subcarrier bandwidths and supporting different radio access technologies, within at least one FDD return carrier grouping for coupling to a selected one of a plurality of FDD forward carriers, and by controlling the satellite network to receive communications from the radioterminal on the selected FDD return subcarrier and to transmit communications to the radioterminal on the selected FDD forward carrier.

Abstract: Methods of transmitting a plurality of communications signals over a plurality of discontiguous bandwidth segments in a frequency band include defining a plurality (NFFT) of orthogonal subcarriers across the frequency band, defining a plurality (N) of available physical subcarriers from among the orthogonal subcarriers. The available physical subcarriers are distributed among the plurality of discontiguous bandwidth segments. The methods further include multiplexing the plurality of communications signals onto the plurality of available physical subcarriers. Multiplexing the plurality of communications signals onto the plurality of available physical subcarriers may include assigning the communications signals to respective ones of a plurality (N) of logical subcarriers, and mapping the plurality of logical subcarriers to corresponding ones of the plurality of available physical subcarriers. Related transmitters, receivers and communications systems are also disclosed.

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 communications system includes a space-based network (SBN) including a plurality of spotbeams using a first set of frequencies and an ancillary terrestrial network (ATN) including a plurality of base stations using a second set of radio frequencies. In a coverage zone of a given spot beam wherein the SBN and the ATN use at least one frequency from the first and second sets of frequencies in common, the SBN uses a narrower bandwidth than the ATN on both forward and return links, the ATN employs frequency spreading on at least its return link communications, the SBN employs spatial beam nulling directed toward at least one ancillary terrestrial component (ATC) of the ATN, the SBN employs forward link margin control, the ATN employs return link power control, the SBN employs return link power control and base stations of the ATN provide isolation in the direction of at least one satellite of the SBN.

Abstract: Methods of forming a downlink beam in an adaptive antenna system of a communications system that may reduce inter-system and/or intra-system interference include receiving vectors of signals including signals transmitted by user terminals of the communications system and signals transmitted by transceivers of an independent communications system, obtaining spatial information for the user terminals of the communications system and the transceivers of the independent communications system, generating complex transmitting weights that form spatial nulls directed at the transceivers of the independent communications system, and transmitting a downlink communications signal using the complex transmitting weights. Related systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A node may include a receiver configured to receive signals transmitted from a gateway and a logic device coupled to the receiver. The node may also include a memory configured to store label information identifying a data packet stored in the node. The logic device may be configured to receive a message from the gateway, where the message includes label information, and access the memory to identify a data packet based on the label information included in the message. The node may also include a transmitter configured to transmit the data packet to the gateway over a channel shared with a number of other nodes.

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.

Abstract: A signal strength that is associated with a first wireless communications channel is detected. Electromagnetic energy is transmitted over the first wireless communications channel in response to the signal strength being sufficiently weak. A determination is made whether a handoff should be made to a second wireless communications channel having a signal that is weaker than a signal of the first wireless communications channel. Related systems and methods are described.

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: Methods of operating a transceiver including an antenna having a plurality of antenna feed elements include providing a plurality of gain constraint values associated with respective ones of the plurality of geographic constraint points within a geographic region, selecting initial phase constraint values associated with respective ones of the gain constraint values, generating antenna feed element weights based on the gain constraint values and based on the initial phase constraint values, and determining system response values in response to the antenna feed element weights. Phases of the system response values are compared to the initial phase constraint values, and an antenna beam is formed from the antenna to the geographic region using the antenna feed element weights in response to the comparison of the phases of the system response values to the initial phase constraint values. Related systems and devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: A radioterminal includes a receiver that is configured to receive information from a base station by receiving a first measure of the information from the base station and a second measure of the information from a second device. The second device receives a measure of the information from the base station, responsively generates the second measure of the information and transmits the second measure of the information to the radioterminal over a short-range wireless link. Related methods are also described.

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 downlink satellite radiotelephone frequency in a time-division duplex mode. By terrestrially transmitting and receiving wireless communications over the downlink satellite radiotelephone frequency in a time-division duplex mode, interference at the space-based component and/or at the gateway, by the ancillary terrestrial network and/or the radiotelephones due to terrestrial reuse of cellular satellite frequency spectrum, may be reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: Wireless communications transceivers include a transmitter that is configured to selectively frequency shift and transmit portions of broadband information over multiple non-contiguous narrowband frequency bands/segments, each of which is too narrow to carry the broadband information. A receiver also is configured to receive and selectively frequency shift portions of broadband information from multiple non-contiguous narrowband frequency bands/segments, each of which is too narrow to carry the second broadband information. Broadband information thereby may be transmitted and received in a regulated communications environment, even though a given provider may only be assigned discontinuous frequency bands/segments, none of which is wide enough to carry the entire broadband information.

Abstract: A traffic channel is assigned for use by a terminal to transmit data traffic to a satellite for relay to a satellite base station. The traffic channel assignment is retained for use by the terminal while the terminal is idle between data traffic transmissions to the satellite in response to a type of service designation that is associated with the terminal.

Abstract: A first and/or a second communications system may provide communications service over a geographic area. A method of operating the first and/or the second communications systems may include generating a measure of aggregate interference reaching a satellite of the second communications system substantially from devices of the first communications system. The measure of aggregate interference reaching the satellite of the second communications system may be transmitted to an element of the first communications system.

Abstract: A wireless communications system may include a terrestrial network including a plurality of base stations providing communications service for radioterminals over a terrestrial network coverage area. The plurality of base stations may include interior base stations providing communications service for radioterminals in an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area and peripheral base stations providing communications service for radioterminals at a peripheral portion of the terrestrial network coverage area. At least one of the peripheral base stations provides transmissions directed toward an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area with greater power than transmissions directed away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area. Related methods are also discussed.