Abstract: A Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) and cellular system to provide backhaul satellite communications for a cellular base station are disclosed. The VSAT including an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) Core Network (CN) device; and a satellite modem connected to the EPC CN device and to communicate over a satellite link, wherein the EPC CN device manages communication of user traffic from the cellular base station to the satellite modem.

Abstract: An apparatus for establishing communication between a base station and different generation terminals includes a multi-protocol stack capable of processing user traffic received from different generation terminals. The apparatus also includes a common physical layer that receives user traffic from different generation terminals and identifies the generation of the terminal sending the user traffic. The user traffic is then processed and routed based on the terminal generation. Traffic can be prioritized across current and legacy terminal types based on a variety of factors.

Abstract: A satellite system comprises LEO satellites and MEO satellites, and a control plane protocol architecture. The PHY, MAC, MAC/RLC and RRC layers are optimized for satellite environment. When the satellites are not processing satellites, eNB functions are implemented in a satellite gateway, and, when the satellites are processing satellites, protocol architecture in the control plane differ from LTE, as follows: PHY layer is moved to the communicating LEO/MEO satellite on the user link, MAC/RLC, RRC and PDCP are be located in satellite or gateway depending on satellite complexity, and the need to have mesh connectivity between UTs. When the RRC is implemented in the satellite, the RRC is divided into RRC-Lower and RRC-Upper layers. The RRC-L is satellite-based, and handles UT handover. The RRC-U is eNB-based, and handles resource management functions. The RRC-U communicates with the PDCP layer in the eNB to configure security, header and data compression.

Abstract: An approach for improved security protocols in a mobile satellite system is provided. A remote terminal performs a key establishment function, including determination of a first encryption key for encrypting data for transmission over the satellite communications channels, and determination of an authentication key for authenticating entities communicating over the communications channels. The remote terminal receives a security mode command including a key indicator, and determines a second encryption key for enhanced session data security over communications channels. The second encryption key is determined based on the key indicator and a key generation algorithm. The remote terminal further determines a key indicator response and transmits a security mode complete command including the key indicator response to a satellite base station subsystem (SBSS).

Abstract: A resource efficient approach for push-to-talk (PTT) services over a mobile communications network is provided. A remote terminal (UT) receives a command for initiating a PTT session. The UT generates a RAB binding create message, including a PTT session identifier and RAB binding information, and transmits the RAB binding create message to a wireless gateway. The UT receives a RAB binding response from the wireless gateway, and performs a protocol signaling process for establishing PDP bearers, and for establishing the PTT session on a PTT server. The UT receives a command for initiation of media transmission for the PTT session, generates talk burst (TB) request message, and transmits the request message to the wireless gateway (the TB request message is transmitted via media access control (MAC) layer control messaging). In response, the UT receives a talk burst grant message from the wireless gateway.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to enable enhanced paging for 3GPP IMS based Mobile Satellite Communication is presented. The method is achieved by utilizing the network requested secondary PDP context activation (NRSPCA) features of 3GPP release 7. NRSPCA involves interaction between P-CSCF, GGSN, and SGSN that eventually allows SGSN to identify the traffic type of the incoming call without looking at the compressed SIP messages. RAN can do enhanced paging, if necessary; based on the request secondary PDP context activation message, if the Paging Cause is indicating conversational class. In another embodiment, enhanced paging can be achieved by marking the packet with an appropriate DSCP code, which is done by the P-CSCF. SGSN can populate the paging cause with enhanced paging code based on the DSCP code provided or RAN can escalate paging to enhanced paging by examining the DSCP code.

Abstract: An approach for improved security protocols in a mobile satellite system is provided. A remote terminal performs a key establishment function, including determination of a first encryption key for encrypting data for transmission over the satellite communications channels, and determination of an authentication key for authenticating entities communicating over the communications channels. The remote terminal receives a security mode command including a key indicator, and determines a second encryption key for enhanced session data security over communications channels. The second encryption key is determined based on the key indicator and a key generation algorithm. The remote terminal further determines a key indicator response and transmits a security mode complete command including the key indicator response to a satellite base station subsystem (SBSS).

Abstract: A system and method is provided to enable enhanced paging for 3GPP IMS based Mobile Satellite Communication is presented. The method is achieved by utilizing the network requested secondary PDP context activation (NRSPCA) features of 3GPP release 7. NRSPCA involves interaction between P-CSCF, GGSN, and SGSN that eventually allows SGSN to identify the traffic type of the incoming call without looking at the compressed SIP messages. RAN can do enhanced paging, if necessary; based on the request secondary PDP context activation message, if the Paging Cause is indicating conversational class. In another embodiment, enhanced paging can be achieved by marking the packet with an appropriate DSCP code, which is done by the P-CSCF. SGSN can populate the paging cause with enhanced paging code based on the DSCP code provided or RAN can escalate paging to enhanced paging by examining the DSCP code.

Abstract: A resource efficient approach for push-to-talk (PTT) services over a mobile communications network is provided. A remote terminal (UT) receives a command for initiating a PTT session. The UT generates a RAB binding create message, including a PTT session identifier and RAB binding information, and transmits the RAB binding create message to a wireless gateway. The UT receives a RAB binding response from the wireless gateway, and performs a protocol signaling process for establishing PDP bearers, and for establishing the PTT session on a PTT server. The UT receives a command for initiation of media transmission for the PTT session, generates talk burst (TB) request message, and transmits the request message to the wireless gateway (the TB request message is transmitted via media access control (MAC) layer control messaging). In response, the UT receives a talk burst grant message from the wireless gateway.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to enable enhanced paging for 3GPP IMS based Mobile Satellite Communication is presented. The method is achieved by utilizing the network requested secondary PDP context activation (NRSPCA) features of 3GPP release 7. NRSPCA involves interaction between P-CSCF, GGSN, and SGSN that eventually allows SGSN to identify the traffic type of the incoming call without looking at the compressed SIP messages. RAN can do enhanced paging, if necessary; based on the request secondary PDP context activation message, if the Paging Cause is indicating conversational class. In another embodiment, enhanced paging can be achieved by marking the packet with an appropriate DSCP code, which is done by the P-CSCF. SGSN can populate the paging cause with enhanced paging code based on the DSCP code provided or RAN can escalate paging to enhanced paging by examining the DSCP code.

Abstract: An uplink power control system for terminals in a satellite communication system provides closed loop power control using feedback signals generated at a satellite. The satellite performs inter-beam routing of uplink signals from satellite terminals, and processing of uplink signals to generate terminal transmission-specific feedback information that is transmitted in downlink signals to the terminals. The satellite also generates a beacon signal. An uplink power control algorithm at each terminal uses the beacon signal and feedback data to adjust transmit power.

Abstract: A system determines a voicing measure as a measure of the degree of signal periodicity and uses the determined voicing measure to quantize the spectral magnitude of the slowly evolving waveform (SEW) and the modeling of the SEW and rapidly evolving waveform (REW) phase spectra.

Abstract: An uplink power control system for terminals in a satellite communication system provides closed loop power control using feedback signals generated at a satellite. The satellite performs inter-beam routing of uplink signals from satellite terminals, and processing of uplink signals to generate terminal transmission-specific feedback information that is transmitted in downlink signals to the terminals. The satellite also generates a beacon signal. An uplink power control algorithm at each terminal uses the beacon signal and feedback data to adjust transmit power.

Abstract: Encoding of prototype waveform components applicable to telecommunication systems provides improved voice quality enabling a dual-channel mode of operation which permits more users to communicate over the same physical channel. A prototype word (PW) gain is vector quantized using a vector quantizer (VQ) that explicitly populates a codebook by representative steady state and transient vectors of PW gain for tracking the abrupt variations in speech levels during onsets and other non-stationary events, while maintaining the accuracy of the speech level during stationary conditions.

Abstract: Encoding of prototype waveform components applicable to GeoMobile and Telephony Earth Station (TES) providing improved voice quality enabling a dual-channel mode of operation which permits more users to communicate over the same physical channel. A prototype word (PW) gain is vector quantized using a vector quantizer (VQ) that explicitly populates the codebook by representative steady state and transient vectors of PW gain for tracking the abrupt variations in speech levels during onsets and other non-stationary events, while maintaining the accuracy of the speech level during stationary conditions. The rapidly evolving waveform (REW) and slowly evolving waveform (SEW) component vectors are converted to magnitude-phase. The variable dimension SEW magnitude vector is quantized using a hierarchical approach, i.e., a fixed dimension SEW mean vector computed by a sub-band averaging of SEW magnitude spectrum, and only the REW magnitude is explicitly encoded.