Abstract: In a communication system having Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites (210), one or more Mission Operations Control Centers (MOCCs) (220), one or more Distributed Virtual Network Managers (DVNMs) (230), and several types of Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) (250, 260, 270, and 280), individual service providers (20) are able to control the network services they provide independently from other service providers (20) through local management of the DVNMs (230).

Abstract: A hybrid geostationary and low earth orbit (LEO) ground station antenna provides a geostationary receive antenna (30) which generates a narrow receive antenna beam for use with geostationary satellites. The ground station antenna can be either manually positioned so that the normal boresight of the antenna is directed toward the geostationary satellite serving the subscriber, or may be positioned using a cradle (170) which provides motion in the pitch, roll, and yaw axes. The ground station antenna also includes a LEO receive antenna (40) and a LEO transmit antenna (50) which receive which communicate with LEO satellites by way of wider beam, lower gain antenna beams. The geostationary receive antenna (30) is used in conjunction with the LEO satellites and during operations which involve communication with both types of satellites.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for combining and separating groups of signals starts by a transmitter (500) receiving a number of CDMA-encoded signals from data sources (510). The CDMA-encoded signals are sorted (502) based on their intended destinations. Those CDMA-encoded signals which are intended for a common destination are multiplexed (504) together into a group. The group is further CDMA encoded (506) using a group code and the encoded group is transmitted (508) to an intermediate transceiver (600) or a destination transceiver (700). The intermediate or destination transceiver decodes (604, 704) the group using the appropriate group code and routes the resulting group of signals accordingly.

Abstract: An audio device 1 is installed in a motor vehicle with a vehicle security system 2, 3, 4. The radio 1 has circuitry 21 to detect a connection to the vehicle power supply, a microprocessor 11 to inhibit the operation of the radio after an interruption of the connection, an interface 6 and a connection to a bus 9, 10 for communicating data between the radio 1 and the vehicle security system 2, 3, 4, and a data verification unit 15 with a non-volatile memory 13 for verifying data communicated to the radio. Following an interruption of the connection the radio is automatically reset to operational if the data are communicated and verified, and if the data are not communicated or not verified the radio may only be reset manually.

Abstract: A communication satellite system (100) is established using one or more satellite constellations (110, 120). The two or more satellite groups (110, 120) are connected via long range crosslinks (145) which provide a communication path between the long range satellites (150, 170) in the two satellite groups (110, 120). Each satellite group (110, 120) comprises long range satellites (150, 170) and short range satellites (160, 180) which are interconnected using short range crosslinks (155, 175). A single antenna on each satellite provides both crosslinks. The long range crosslink (145) is established using the antenna's main beam and the short range crosslinks (155, 175) are established using the antenna's sidelobes.

Abstract: A hybrid satellite-based data broadcast system reliably broadcasts data from a ground-based high earth orbit, HEO, server (105) to a plurality of customer provided equipment, CPE, receivers (113) via a HEO satellite constellation satellite (109). When errors in received broadcast data are detected by the CPE (113), error information is communicated via a low earth orbit, LEO, satellite constellation (121, 125) to a LEO gateway (103) which in turn obtains the correct data and transmits the correct data back to the CPE receiver via the LEO satellite constellation (121, 125).

Abstract: A method and apparatus have been described for combining multiple satellite constellations into a cooperative network. A GEO tier of satellites receives information to be broadcasted to earth. The GEO tier receives the information from global hubs, regional hubs, and local hubs. Local program material is combined with regional and global program material by either the regional hub or a GEO satellite.

Abstract: A packet data communication system (10) where multiple users (87) can access the same channel (22) to maximize an efficiency of the communication system (10). Each channel (22) is divided into time slots. Each time slot is allocated to a user based on the user's request (303) for time slots and the availability of time slots. If time slots are available, then the system (10) will inform the user (87) and allocate the time slot to the user (87, 305). If there are no available time slots, then the system (10) will inform the user (87) that no time slots are available and access to the system's channel is denied. The user (87) will continue to request access (303) to the system (10) as long as the user has data packets to send.

Abstract: A method and apparatus predicts a ground-to-satellite terminal's (16) percentage of successful communication linkage time to at least one satellite of a communication system in response to a terminal blockage profile (410), as created from the location of an antenna of the terminal, and a satellite blockage profile (412). The prediction may also be based upon a weather model data base (358) corresponding to the area where the terminal is located.

Abstract: A laser transmitter (200, 300) includes a femptosecond pulse forming circuit (214, 308) and an ultra high-speed optical switch (218, 304) which enable the transmitter (200, 300) to generate a modulated pulse stream having pulses with widths of under 200 femptoseconds. The transmitted pulse stream is processed by a laser detector (500), including a wideband optical detector (504) and pulse stretching circuit (506), that regenerates information included in the modulated pulse stream.

Abstract: A method (100) for providing continuous communication service from a partially populated satellite constellation includes deploying one or more phases of satellites to populate one or more sets of orbital planes (210), and providing continuous communication service from the one or more sets of orbital planes. Satellites (320) in each phase of satellites can be positioned to reside substantially the same as a position in which they will reside in a fully populated satellite constellation thereby eliminating the need to relocate satellites in the fully populated satellite constellation. Also, a communication unit (600) and a method (700) for the communication unit to communicate in a satellite communication system having a satellite constellation capable of being deployed in a plurality of phases is provided. The communication unit is capable of communicating with the satellite communication system at various minimum elevation angles during various phases of deployment.

Abstract: A satellite communication system provides users with global cellular coverage. To facilitate delivery of calls to users having subscriber units, a fixed channel is defined wherein subscriber units are notified of incoming calls. Subscriber units monitor this ring alert channel and examine subscriber unit IDs transmitted in a ring alert message contained therein. When a subscriber unit determines from the subscriber unit ID that a call is being directed to it, it calls into a network to receive a call. Subscriber units also monitor this fixed channel to receive a control channel directory identifying the location of a subscriber unit's broadcast (control) channels.

Abstract: A communication satellite system (100) includes one or more satellite clusters (150). Each satellite cluster (150) includes synchronized payload processors which are interconnected and synchronized into a parallel processing system using at least one crosslink (208) between multiple processor payload satellites (204). One element in the synchronized payload processors acts as a primary processor and other processor elements act as secondary processors. The primary processor controls and synchronizes the secondary processors. Various services which can include communication services, imaging services, and navigational services are provided to communication units (130) using at least one processor payload satellite (204) in satellite cluster (150). Two or more satellite clusters (150) are connected via a crosslink (138) which provides a communication and synchronization path between the satellite clusters (150).

Abstract: In a dynamic communication system (90) wherein communication parameters vary between transmissions, subscriber units (200) are susceptible to intermittent link blockages. These blockages can result in a loss of successive feedback, instructing subscriber units (200) of adjustments to link parameters to be employed in a subsequent transmission on a communication link (105). Dynamic link parameters are predicted (240) continuously throughout intermittent link fades and these predictions are employed during link blockages in an attempt to re-establish communications. In addition, the subsequent resynchronization process resynchronizes the link parameter predicting model (240) based on how long the signal was interrupted.

Abstract: A communication system (10) includes a population of mobile units (24) which communicate with a control station. Communications take place between the control station and the mobile units (24) so that the system (10) may gain knowledge about the mobile units' locations. The mobile units (24) occasionally initiate such communications automatically. The control station sends data defining a target area (72, FIG. 5) to the mobile units. The mobile units (24) reside in the target areas (72) when the target areas (72) are first assigned, but the mobile units (24) are free to move. The control station transmits broadcast signals to geographically spaced apart cells (36, FIG. 2). The broadcast signals convey current data identifying the service areas covered by the cells (36). The mobile units (24) automatically initiate communications when their assigned target areas (72) do not coincide with the service areas for the broadcast signals they can receive.

Abstract: A satellite-based, world-wide cellular messaging system (5) transmits paging messages to pagers (2) via multiple beams. A pager (2) monitors multiple beams, recording the schedules for each beam, and by combining the schedules for multiple beams, ultimately determines which frames in the message groups to monitor for messages. Pager (2), which conserves battery resources by entering into a sleep mode, synchronizes quickly to its message block when it awakes.

Abstract: A hybrid constellation satellite communication system (100) is established using two or more satellite types (110, 120) in different constellations. The two or more satellite types (110, 120) are connected to system control centers (140) via control links (105, 135) which provides a communication path from the satellite constellations to the system control centers (140). The two or more satellite types (110, 120) are also connected to subscriber equipment (150) via subscriber links (155, 145) which provides a communication path from the satellite constellations to the subscriber equipment (150). The first type of satellites (110) are interconnected using upper inter-satellite links (115). The second type of satellites (120) are interconnected using lower inter-satellite links (125). Control services and other time delay non-sensitive services are provided using communication channels established using the first type of satellites (110).

Abstract: A channel management process (68) is performed by a parent base station (36) of a radio telecommunications system (20) that exchanges channel usage data with neighbor base stations (38) within its local group (34). When channel usage data indicates a channel assignment conflict, that conflict is resolved in the base station (22) having the lesser loading of the pair of conflicting base stations (22). Channel usage requests received by a base station (22) are prioritized and sequentially processed, channels (58) being assigned for inter-cell handoff requests, then intra-cell handoff requests after inter-cell handoff requests, even when that assignment creates a conflict, and then channels (58) being assigned to new call requests after handoff requests if that assignment does not create a conflict.

Abstract: The system (10) and method (100) adjust reuse units when nodes (e.g., satellites (20, 22)) move in a communication system (10), such as satellites (20,22) moving in their orbits around the earth in a space-based communication system (10). The method (100) and system (10) computes interference potentials between a reference reuse unit in a first reuse unit table of a first satellite (20) and reuse units being used in second reuse unit tables in second satellites (20) that are adjacent to the first satellite (20); and when the interference potentials is less than a predetermined threshold, then assigns the satellite a non-interfering reuse unit for the specific time interval.