Patents by Inventor Ming U. Chang

Ming U. Chang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8706167
    Abstract: A communication system communications system for communicating with mobile user terminals includes a base station having an adaptive antenna with a plurality of panels. Each of the plurality of panels are arranged to have a different field of view. Each panel has a plurality of main array antenna elements for simultaneously generating a plurality of dynamic communication beams that move with the mobile terminals and a plurality of auxiliary elements separate from the plurality of main array antenna elements used for interference cancelling signals cancelling interference between the plurality of dynamic communication beams generated by the plurality of main array elements. A gateway station is coupled to the base station. The gateway station forms a plurality of beams commands for each of the plurality of panels by communicating a plurality of control signals to the base station to form the plurality of dynamic communication beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Wah L. Lim, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 8396513
    Abstract: A communication system has a base station having an adaptive antenna with a plurality of main array antenna elements for generating a plurality of communication beams. The system further includes a gateway station coupled to the base station. The gateway station forms a plurality of beams commands by communicating plurality of a control signals to the base station to form the communication beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Wah L. Lim, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 7929984
    Abstract: A communication system has a first plurality of wireless basestations having adaptive antennas with a plurality of main array antenna elements for generating a plurality of communication beams. The system further includes a gateway station coupled to the first plurality of wireless basestations. The gateway station forms a plurality of beams commands by communicating plurality of a control signals to the first plurality of wireless basestations to form the communication beams. A second plurality of wireless base stations having a second plurality of adaptive antennas with a second plurality of main array antenna elements for generating a plurality of communication beams to communicate with said mobile user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Wah L. Lim, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 7809403
    Abstract: A communication system has a high altitude device having an adaptive antenna with a plurality of main array antenna elements for generating a plurality of communication beams. The system further includes a gateway station coupled to the high altitude device. The gateway station forms a plurality of beams commands by communicating a plurality of control signals to the high altitude device station to form the communication beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Wah L. Lim, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 7558569
    Abstract: A wireless communications system and method provides wireless communications service for user equipment on board an aircraft. The aircraft includes on-board system equipment for supporting the wireless communications service with on-board user equipment. One or more ground stations are used for communicating with the aircraft using a plurality of feeder links for exchanging the wireless communications service's traffic and control information with the on-board system equipment, and for providing interfaces with a terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure. The on-board system equipment transitions connections by the on-board user equipment between the feeder links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Ming U. Chang, John G. Himes, Marvin D. Swensen
  • Publication number: 20090011789
    Abstract: A communication system has a first plurality of wireless basestations having adaptive antennas with a plurality of main array antenna elements for generating a plurality of communication beams. The system further includes a gateway station coupled to the first plurality of wireless basestations. The gateway station forms a plurality of beams commands by communicating plurality of a control signals to the first plurality of wireless basestations to form the communication beams. A second plurality of wireless base stations having a second plurality of adaptive antennas with a second plurality of main array antenna elements for generating a plurality of communication beams to communicate with said mobile user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Wah L. Lim, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 7400857
    Abstract: A communication system has a communication infrastructure including at least two devices from the group including a cell tower, a first satellite constellation and a second satellite constellation, a stratospheric platform, that are coupled to user terminals through a plurality of dynamic links. The terminal monitors and changes the multiple and dynamic links as the position of the user terminal relative to the said at least two devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Grant J. Beatson, Wah L. Lim, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 7245599
    Abstract: A method of increasing utilization of user link bandwidth for a code division multiple access communications system is disclosed that includes the steps of selecting a set of orthogonal complex codes each having a code length that is greater than a code length of an optimum real code and less than or equal to a spreading code length; and transferring symbols across at least one of a plurality of user links to or from at least one of a corresponding plurality of user terminals wherein the symbols are represented by a corresponding one of the set of orthogonal complex codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: The DirectTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ying J. Feria, Donald C. D. Chang, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 7236508
    Abstract: A method of increasing utilization of user link bandwidth for a code division multiple access communications system is disclosed that includes the steps of selecting a set of orthogonal complex codes each having a code length that is greater than a code length of an optimum real code and less than or equal to a number of antenna elements in an antenna array of the feeder link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ying J. Feria, Donald C. D. Chang, Ming U. Chang, Urban A. Von Der Embse
  • Patent number: 7200360
    Abstract: A communications system (10) and method of operating the communications system includes a first stratospheric platform generating a second beam having a frequency the same as a satellite beam to the same service area. User terminals are configured to receive the first beam or the second beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Weizheng Wang, Wah Lim, Ying Feria, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 7187949
    Abstract: A communication system has a first plurality of wireless basestations having adaptive antennas with a plurality of main array antenna elements for generating a plurality of communication beams. The system further includes a gateway station coupled to the first plurality of wireless basestations. The gateway station forms a plurality of beam commands by communicating a plurality of control signals to the first plurality of wireless basestations to form the communication beams. A second plurality of wireless base stations having a second plurality of adaptive antennas with a second plurality of main array antenna elements for generating a plurality of communication beams to communicate with said mobile user and a fixed user. The beams include a first link and a second link from the first plurality of basestations that communicate with the fixed user terminal and a third link and fourth link from the second plurality of wireless basestations to communicate with the mobile user terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Wah L. Lim, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 7181162
    Abstract: A communication system has a plurality of bases stations generating communication portions from a base station communication signal. The plurality of base stations are capable of using the entire allocated bandwidth to generate the base station communication portions. A user terminal establishes a plurality of dynamic links corresponding respectively to the plurality of base stations. The user terminal generates multiple communication portions of a user signal and transmits the multiple communication portions through the dynamic links to the plurality of base stations. The user terminal receives the base station communication portions from the plurality of bases stations and reassembles the communication portions into the base station communication signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Wah L. Lim, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 7167704
    Abstract: A communication system has a communication infrastructure and a gateway station communicating a communication signal to the communication infrastructure. An airplane having an antenna coupled to a processing circuit for establishing a plurality of multiple communication links corresponding to the communication infrastructure is used. The gateway station generates multiple datagrams from the television signal and transmits the multiple datagrams through the multiple dynamic links. The antenna receives the datagrams from the infrastructure and the processing circuit and reassembles the datagrams into the communication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Wah L. Lim, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 7103317
    Abstract: A communication system has a communication infrastructure and a gateway station communicating a communication signal to the communication infrastructure. An airplane having an antenna coupled to a processing circuit for establishing a plurality of multiple communication links corresponding to the communication infrastructure is used. The gateway station generates multiple datagrams from the television signal and transmits the multiple datagrams through the multiple dynamic links. The antenna receives the datagrams from the infrastructure and the processing circuit and reassembles the datagrams into the communication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Wah L. Lim, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 7089000
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications system including a plurality of individual transponding platforms all in communication with a central processing hub. A signal processed by the central processing hub is radiated simultaneously through multiple paths to a plurality of the individual transponding platforms. The signal transmitted to each transponding platform by the hub is appropriately delayed by the hub so as to equalize the differential delay of all such signals from a given receiver location. The radiated signal is then re-radiated by each of the plurality of individual transponding platforms to a mobile satellite terminal that receives the re-radiated signal from the plurality of individual transponding platforms. The signals from the plurality of transponding platforms are all received coherently by the intended user, and incoherently by all other users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming U. Chang, Kar W. Yung, Frank A. Hagen, Donald C. D. Chang
  • Patent number: 7068616
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for communicating between a user terminal and a communications network based on an Internet protocol via multiple dynamic wireless communications linkages. A user terminal includes a multiple beam antenna, a plurality of amplifiers coupled to the multiple beam antenna, a plurality of bandpass filters coupled to the plurality of amplifiers, a modem coupled to the plurality of bandpass filters, a router & hub coupled to the modem, a transport layer coupled to the router & hub, and an estimation processor coupled to the router & hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Wah L. Lim, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 7027769
    Abstract: A method for communicating and a communications system apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a communications platform and a gateway communicatively coupleable with a terrestrially-based network. The communications platform is disposed in a stratospheric location and transponds information between at least one of a plurality of user terminals and the gateway in essentially a bent pipe fashion. The method comprises the steps of receiving a first signal from the user terminal having an antenna in a stratospherically-based communication platform that maintains an apparent position relative to the user terminal within a beamwidth of a user terminal antenna and transponding the first signal from the stratospherically based communications platform to a gateway ground station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold A. Rosen, Donald C. D. Chang, Ming U. Chang, Weizheng Wang, John I. Novak, III, Wah L. Lim
  • Patent number: 6963548
    Abstract: A novel method and apparatus is described for reducing the number of CDMA codes for a constellation of multiple trasponder platforms serving a number of subscribers in the same service area. A coherent processing technique synchronizes the phase of CDMA signals arriving at a subscriber from multiple trasponder platforms to increase the code capacity and thus the number of possible subscribers for most of the multiple transponder platform systems in current use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Kar W. Yung, David C. Cheng, Frank A. Hagen, Ming U. Chang, John I. Novak, III
  • Patent number: 6941107
    Abstract: A mobile communication system includes at least one user terminal and a plurality of satellites which transmit and receive a plurality of communication signals to and from the user terminal. The communication signals transmitted to and received from the plurality of satellites by a gateway station. The gateway station in turn is in communication with a processing center to process said communication signals. The processing center uses polystatic triangulation to determine a position of the at least one user terminal and redirect a signal from at least one said plurality of satellites in response to the determined position of the at least one user terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Wah L. Lim, Ming U. Chang
  • Patent number: 6914557
    Abstract: A system and method for tracking a user. The system is adapted for use in a wireless communication system and creates a plurality of beams within a coverage area. A first beam is directed at a user in a first microcell and a number of additional beams illuminate microcells immediately adjacent the first microcell. The system is equipped with a mechanism for detecting movement of the user from the first microcell to one of the immediately adjacent microcells. On the detection of movement of the user, the system redirects the first beam from the first microcell to a second microcell, the second microcell being one of the adjacent microcells. In the illustrative embodiment, the system is implemented in a stratospheric platform based communication system including a hub adapted to communicate with a stratospheric platform. A transceiver and a phased array antenna are disposed on the platform to communicate with the hub and with the user. A second antenna is provided on the platform to communicate with the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. D. Chang, Ying Feria, Weizheng Wang, Alan G. Cha, Ming U. Chang, Frank A. Hagen, Kar W. Yung