Abstract: A remote communications terminal accesses a terrestrial network or information source via a SATCOM link with an earth station hub linked to the network or information source. Information throughput adaptation (ITA) is employed on the SATCOM link to maximize information throughput over the SATCOM link while ensuring acceptable signal quality under varying rain fading conditions. Sufficient power margin is built into the SATCOM link such that, under severe rain fading conditions, the lowest system throughput rate still provides acceptable signal quality. Under lesser rain fading conditions, the data throughput rate is increased via more bandwidth efficient modulation and coding schemes permitted by the higher signal quality which results from greater power margin. The earth station hub and remote terminals monitor the signal quality and communicate to adaptively adjust the modulation and coding used on the forward and return links to maximize information throughput under varying rain fading conditions.

Abstract: A mobile unit includes a network receiver, such as a GSM telephone, for communication with a wireless network, and a navigation receiver, such as a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for receiving navigation signals. The navigation receiver includes a vector delay lock loop (VDLL) that receives information concerning the navigation sources, such as satellite data messages, transmitted over a common broadcast channel of the wireless network, and receives navigation signals from the navigation receiver. The VDLL uses the navigation signals received from navigation sources that are not obscured and uses satellite data messages broadcast over the wireless network to track a navigation signal that is received only intermittently due, for example, to the navigation source being obscured from view of the mobile unit.

Abstract: A remote communications terminal accesses a terrestrial network or information source via a SATCOM link with an earth station hub linked to the network or information source. Information throughput adaptation (ITA) is employed on the SATCOM link to maximize information throughput over the SATCOM link while ensuring acceptable signal quality under varying rain fading conditions. Sufficient power margin is built into the SATCOM link such that, under severe rain fading conditions, the lowest system throughput rate still provides acceptable signal quality. Under lesser rain fading conditions, the data throughput rate is increased via more bandwidth efficient modulation and coding schemes permitted by the higher signal quality which results from greater power margin. The earth station hub and remote terminals monitor the signal quality and communicate to adaptively adjust the modulation and coding used on the forward and return links to maximize information throughput under varying rain fading conditions.

Abstract: A mobile unit includes a network receiver, such as a GSM telephone, for communication with a wireless network, and a navigation receiver, such as a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for receiving navigation signals. The navigation receiver includes a vector delay lock loop (VDLL) that receives information concerning the navigation sources, such as satellite data messages, transmitted over a common broadcast channel of the wireless network, and receives navigation signals from the navigation receiver. The VDLL uses the navigation signals received from navigation sources that are not obscured and uses satellite data messages broadcast over the wireless network to track a navigation signal that is received only intermittently due, for example, to the navigation source being obscured from view of the mobile unit.

Abstract: An air traffic surveillance and communication system for air traffic controllers, includes a plurality of ground based first radio transceivers located in specific geographic sectors, respectively, and having a first frequency channel for supporting party-line digital voice and a second frequency channel dedicated to supporting a digital data channel for down-linking dependent surveillance data and for both up-link and down-link data communications. The first and second frequency channels are paired such that each time a frequency change is commanded by the ground both the first and second frequency channels will be automatically tuned to a new air-ground frequency paid. The system also includes a plurality of aircraft based second digital radio transceivers, one located in each aircraft. Each second radio transceiver has corresponding first and second frequency channels and a navigational data source on each aircraft.