Abstract: A wireless OCDMA communication system in which there is a cluster of base stations (BS), or radio fixed parts (RFP), which may in turn be controlled by a wireless cluster controller (WCC). The system uses frames of a time division duplex spread spectrum signal for two-way voice and/or data transmission, and a plurality of handsets, portable parts (PPs), or more complex subscribers, each adapted to communicate with the BS, or RFP, using the communication system, can be used to implement a variety of system configurations and provide a variety of at least two levels of service selected from a wide variety of services.

Abstract: An exceptionally efficient operation is achieved through the use of orthogonal code divisional multiple access radio communication between a base station and a plurality of user handsets. Each user handset is provided with a local oscillator. The base station transmits a reference pilot/sounding signal which is received at the user handsets and the local oscillators at the user handsets are phase locked to the reference pilot/sounding signal.

Abstract: An orthogonal code division multiple access (OCDMA) communication system having multicarrier modulation. The incoming input data stream is broken into multiple parallel streams, each of which modulates its own frequency-division multiplexed carrier. This reduces the chipping rate such that the delay spread does not cause excessive access noise. Particularly robust delay lock loop (DLL) code tracking and particularly robust automatic frequency control (AFC) are provided in the presence of frequency-selective fading.

Abstract: A GPS system has a plurality of satellites transmitting time and location data over radio frequency signals which enable a mobile GPS receiver on the ground to determine its position, includes a source of satellite data message block containing the ephemeris and time modes of the GPS satellites which is independent of the satellites, and an independent cellular telephone channel having a voice channel, a data-in-voice modem including a notch filtering circuit in the voice channel (transmits and receive) and circuits for inserting and retrieving data in and from the notch for accessing said satellite data message block and controller means connecting said satellite message data block to said mobile GPS receiver.

Abstract: An OCDMA spread spectrum communication system is provided with a PN encoded acquisition channel signal which is free of Radamacher functions. This provides a technique for very rapid acquisition of the PN code and data symbol timing; enables accurate PN chip time tracking with a minimum of power; enables accurate frequency tracking with a minimum of power; provides a technique for accurate signal power measurement at the receiver; enables the receiver to maintain code lock during deep fades; and penetrates into areas of high attenuation for paging or to alert user that he has a call waiting.

Abstract: Positioning system for locating a mobile body comprising a plurality of earth based spread spectrum (SS) broadcasting stations arranged geographically in a cellular pattern. Each SS broadcasting station include a modulator providing a channel signal structure which is substantially orthogonal with respect to adjacent stations in the cellular pattern, each channel signal including navigation beacon data including a unique beacon identification, station latitude and longitude, time slot and phase stations. In one embodiment, each modulator provides a chirped SS signal in which the navigation beacon is a frequency tone that is repeatedly swept over a selected frequency band for each station. A receiver on the mobile body receives the SS signals from at least three of the SS broadcasting stations and determines the location thereof. A fourth SS broadcasting station provides altitude. GPS satellite signals can be used for timing control.

Abstract: A spread spectrum CDMA communication system in which a station transmits a short synchronization signal to allow a second station to (1) recognize that a signal is present, (2) resolve frequency uncertainty, (3) acquire the spreading code timing, (4) acquire frame and symbol synchronization, and (5) demodulate data which may contain user identification and other data. The rapid acquisition channel (RAC) includes a burst signal comprising of an Acquisition Field during which the carrier is biphase modulated with a pseudo-noise (PN) sequence, a Sync Field during which a synchronization sequence is mod-2 added to the PN sequence with one chip of the sync sequence equal to one or more periods of the PN sequence, and a data field with m-ary orthogonal code words mod-2 added to the PN sequence with one chip of the code word equal to one or more periods of the PN sequence.

Abstract: The OCDMA waveform of the present invention uses hi-phase PN modulation (BPSK PN chip modulation) in conjunction with MPSK or MQASK data modulation (QPSK data modulation is one preferred embodiment) to increase bandwidth efficiency. The number of orthogonal users that can be placed on a single carrier is equal to, at most, the length of the orthogonal binary sequence. The Radamacher-Walsh (RW) sequence chip rate must be 4" times the symbol rate (where n is a positive integer) since the symbol transitions must be synchronized to the RW period to guarantee orthogonality of the multiple users when data transitions are present. The symbol rate for QPSK modulation is one-half that for BPSK modulation. As a result, twice as many orthogonal functions are available for a given clock rate for QPSK as for BPSK modulation. That is, an OCDMA system with QPSK data can support twice as many users in a given bandwidth as an OCDMA system with BPSK data.

Abstract: The OCDMA waveform of the present invention uses bi-phase PN modulation (BPSK PN chip modulation) in conjunction with MPSK or MQASK data modulation (QPSK data modulation is one preferred embodiment) to increase bandwidth efficiency. The number of orthogonal users that can be placed on a single carrier is equal to, at most, the length of the orthogonal binary sequence. The Radamacher-Walsh (RW) sequence chip rate must be 4.sup.n times the symbol rate (where n is a positive integer) since the symbol transitions must be synchronized to the RW period to guarantee orthogonality of the multiple users when data transitions are present. The symbol rate for QPSK modulation is one-half that for BPSK modulation. As a result, twice as many orthogonal functions are available for a given clock rate for QPSK as for BPSK modulation. That is, an OCDMA system with QPSK data can support twice as many users in a given bandwidth as an OCDMA system with BPSK data.

Abstract: An OCDMA satellite communication system in which an earth-based hub station receives, via a satellite, a plurality of spread spectrum signals from a corresponding plurality of earth-based subscriber stations on a selected frequency channel, each signal from a subscriber station being composed of data symbols overlaid with one set of orthogonal Rademacher-Walsh (RW) functions and a pseudo-noise PN sequence, the signals from subscriber stations being synchronized to arrive at the hub station in time and frequency synchronism. A subscriber station net entry channel (NEC) is comprised of a transmitter function at the subscriber stations for transmitting a spread spectrum NEC signal located in a spectral null of the OCDMA signals between the earth-based hub station and the subscriber stations.

Abstract: A universal interactive control system for the downloading and playback of information and entertainment services from one or more network distribution centers, said one or more network distribution centers providing information and entertainment signals selected from video and audio programs, video catalogs, and data files, said universal interactive control system. The interactive control system includes: a controller circuit, a data distribution circuit controlled by the controller circuit, a data processor circuit controlled by the controller circuit, and a first plurality of interface connector circuits, with a first of the interface connector circuits for connecting the distribution circuit to a display device under control of the controller, and a second of the interface connector circuits for connecting the data distribution circuit to a storage device under control of the controller circuit.

Abstract: The satellite radio communication system of this invention provides communication between one or more service centers and an ensemble of fixed and mobile user terminals. One or more earth orbiting satellites are provided with each satellite having transmitter forming a down-link channel which is slow frequency hopped, and a multi-beam antenna system with a single channel per beam to time division multiple broadcast signals to all user terminals covered by each said beam, respectively. Each user terminal includes a transceiver for receiving a down-link channel broadcast from the one of said beams in whose path it lies, and a return link comprised of a dedicated narrow band broadcast channel with slow frequency hopping of down-link channel. There is a fixed set of frequencies through which the frequency hopping is carried out, with the plurality of fixed and mobile user terminals using the same set of frequency hopping frequencies.

Abstract: A satellite network communication system in which a plurality of subscriber handset terminals communicate with a ground hub station on traffic frequency channels using spread spectrum orthogonal CDMA transmissions. The hub station includes a control generator for generating a net entry control channel for communicating synchronization correction signals (timing, frequency and power) to subscriber handset terminals and a return link receiver. Each subscriber handset terminal has a subscriber unit control channel receiver for receiving the control channel synchronization correction signals and a subscriber unit return link transmitter connected to receive the synchronization correction signals so that signals from all subscriber handset terminals arrive at the hub station in time, power and frequency synchronism. The subscriber unit return link transmitter includes frequency hopped spread spectrum carrier such that none of the signals occupies the same frequency bin at the same time.

Abstract: A position monitoring system having a position finder subsystem connected via a cellular telephone to a central monitoring station, a receive/transmit device carried with the position monitoring subsystem. A remote personal signalling subsystem comprising an RF coder modulator for transmitting a coded RF signal, and operating switch for activating the RF coder modulator. A receiver/transmit device is carried with a position monitoring subsystem for receiving the coded RF signal, decoding same and transmitting a coded RF acknowledgement signal. The remote personal signalling subsystem includes an RF decoder and demodulator for receiving and decoding the coded RF acknowledgement signal and a tactile signalling device is operated by the RF decoder and demodulator upon receipt of the coded RF acknowledgement signal and provides a tactile signal to a user that the RF coded signal had been properly received by the position finding subsystem.

Abstract: A paging/messaging system using the L3 transmission channel of a constellation of GPS satellites orbiting the earth, is comprised of an earth-based injection terminal having a source of paging/messaging signals and a radio transmitter for broadcasting paging/messaging on the L3 transmission channel to in-view ones of the constellation of GPS satellites. A plurality of earth-based mobile receiving stations, each mobile receiving station having an omnidirectional receiving antenna and an L3 transmission channel receiver for receiving the L3 transmission channel broadcasts from the in-view ones of the constellation of GPS satellites and demodulating and decoding to recover the paging/messaging signals, a display as used to present the paging/messaging signals to a designated user the recovered paging/messaging signals.

Abstract: In an orthogonal code division multiple access (OCDMA) radio communication system having at least one base station and a plurality of remote subscriber terminals, the improvement comprising the method of reducing the sensitivity of OCDMA to access noise due to time base error and multipath delay spread comprising (1) reducing the size of the orthogonal signal set on a single carrier, and (2) providing additional carriers with orthogonal frequency spacing for additional subscriber capacity.

Abstract: A cellular telephone system having three or more cell sites with each cell site having a source of cellular communication signals and an RF transmitter and antenna for broadcasting the cellular communication signals. A direct sequence spread spectrum waveform carrying navigation signals is embedded in the cellular communication signals, including controlling the signal strength of the navigation signals so that the combined energy of the navigation signals from all cell sites at any location is at least a predetermined energy level below the energy level of the cellular communication signals. Each cell site includes timing for timing the operation of a GPS receiver.

Abstract: A scrambled analog signalling system having a source of analog signals to be sent to a receiving device is comprised of a multiple stage charge coupled device (66) having analog signal input terminals connected to receive analog signal samples from said source of analog signals. The multiple stage charge coupled device having N stages, corresponding stage taps, and an input clock signal. A shuffling circuit (68) having a first input connected to the N stage taps for receiving the analog signal samples and second input for receiving a random seed (67) signal to cause a random reordering of incoming analog signal samples, a source of random seed signals connected to the second input, and an output device (72) connected to receive a stream of the analog signal samples which have been shuffled according to a mapping code carried by the random seed signal.

Abstract: A satellite communication system including one or more satellites in geosynchronous orbit and inclined at a predetermined angle greater than 0.degree. relative to earth, a preferred angle being about 28.5.degree. for full earth coverage, there is a constellation of satellites. Each satellite has a multi-element phased array antenna and transmit and receive circuits selectively connected to said multi-element phased array antenna for providing spatially discriminated spot radiation beams on the earth's surface, and a steerable spaced/ground antenna and transmitter-receiver circuitry connected thereto. At least one gateway ground terminal having means for performing all spacecraft command and control, including uplink phasing of said phased array antenna for directive satellite transmissions to desired user locations.

Abstract: A data-in-voice modem is disclosed using charge coupled devices. Unique features include: (1) Baseband-to-IF upconversion to enable CCD-based demod/processing; (2) All analog (no analog-to-digital A/D required); option for post-CCD A/D; (3) Additional on-chip functions; (4) Stand-alone, CCD-based high-rate modem over telephone lines; and (5) CCD-based cable-tv/multimedia processing, via baseband-to-IF upconversion, followed by IF-sampled CCD processing.