EP0506255A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wireless telephone/satellite roaming system
Assignee: Lanteris Space LLC
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Filing: 1992-03-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-03-11
Abstract
Abstract A wireless telephone system capable of servicing a roaming wireless telephone user includes a satellite communications system consisting of one or more orbiting satellites, each carrying a database of users, destination codes and call codes, within a satellite service area, a satellite control center, and a plurality of terrestrial communications links. The system operates by effecting communication between a terrestrial wireless telephone end user transceiver apparatus and a terrestrial communications link via a single relay through a single satellite or a succession of satellites wherein the relay station may be in motion relative to the end user transceiver apparatus and the terrestrial communications link, wherein the orbiting relay station effects the ultimate decision on linking based on stored on-board information and on-board processing, and wherein the end user transceiver apparatus, the orbiting satellite and the terrestrial communications link are operative in cooperation with the on-board database to effect hand-off from a first orbiting satellite to a second orbiting satellite. The satellite system is a single satellite or preferably a constellation of satellites orbiting near the earth, all of which are capable receiving requests for calls and participating in the call routing and call setup on an autonomous basis. The satellites are capable of decoding the calls, switching, handing off of calls to other satellites, and updating databases of users based on information provided by network control.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert A. Wiedeman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:22
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/14; H04B7/15; H04B7/185; H04B7/1853; H04B7/18545; H04B7/18556; B; B64; B64G; B64G1/00; B64G1/10; B64G1/1007; B64G1/1085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
A wireless telephone/satellite telecommunications system operative in connection with a terrestrial communications system comprising: at least one satellite in earth orbit; at least one gateway for communicating between said at least one satellite and the terrestrial communications system; a network database management system; at least one wireless telephone transceiver apparatus (user) capable of two-way communication with said at least one satellite, said wireless telephone transceiver apparatus identified with a single terrestrial service area having linking capabilities to said network database management system; a roaming database, said roaming database containing identification of each active user, location of said active user and home gateway of said active user, wherein a copy of said roaming database is maintained in said at least one satellite; means for maintaining and updating each said copy of said roaming database in substantially real time; and means for communicating between said network database management system and said copy of said roaming database, such that each one of said orbiting satellites is operative to establish communication links to and from said user and said terrestrial communications system based on information stored on-board said satellite and on-board processing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein at least a first satellite and a second satellite contain a copy of said roaming database, further including means for effecting hand-off of said communications links from said first satellite to said second satellite.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system according to claim 2, wherein said second satellite is trailing said first satellite in passage over said user.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for communicating through a wireless telephone/satellite telecommunications system having at least one satellite in earth orbit, gateways into a terrestrial telephone system and at least one wireless transceiver apparatus capable of direct two-way communication with said satellite within a satellite service area, said method comprising: maintaining in substantially real time a database of roaming users on-board said satellite and a central network database management system, said database of roaming users containing an identification of each active user, location of each active user and home gateway of each active user; identifying each wireless telephone transceiver apparatus with a single terrestrial service area having linking capabilities to said network database management system; and linking said satellite to said transceiver apparatus based on said information stored on-board said satellite in said database of roaming users.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method according to claim 4, wherein at least a first satellite and a second satellite contain a copy of said roaming database, further comprising the step of: processing said information in said roaming database of users on-board said first satellite to effect hand-off of said communications links from said first satellite to said second satellite.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 5, wherein said second satellite is trailing said first satellite in passage over said user to maintain coverage in said terrestrial service area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 4 further comprising: establishing a user of said wireless transceiver apparatus as a roamer by issuing a request for roaming from the user in the satellite service area; and updating a the roaming database of users to include the user.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein the user is in the satellite service area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein the user is in a terrestrial cellular telephone service area within the satellite service area.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 6 wherein the user initiates an inbound call, the satellite accepts the inbound call from the user, and the satellite establishes routing for call setup.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 10 wherein the satellite processes handoff of calls to a trailing satellite.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 6 wherein the user initiates an outbound call, the satellite accepts the outbound call from the user, and the satellite establishes routing for call setup.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
262 words
In a wireless telephone/satellite telecommunications system operative in connection with a terrestrial communications system, at least one satellite in orbit, each said satellite comprising: communications processor uplink means for receiving uplinked communications signals from users, gateways and network controls; communications processor downlink means for transmitting communications signals to users, gateways and network controls; first decoder means coupled to said communications processor uplink means for decoding uplinked communications signals; a memory means having at least a satellite database of users and a call setup database; user acceptance processor means coupled to said satellite database of users for processing user requests; call setup processor means coupled to said user acceptance processor means and to the call setup database for processing call setup requests; database processor means, route acceptance processor means, and call route processor means coupled to one another and to said satellite database of users and said call setup database for planning routing of calls; satellite-to-satellite processor crosslink means for communicating control signals with other like satellites in earth orbit; control processor uplink/downlink means for receiving and transmitting control signals to and from satellites and network controls; handoff processor means coupled to said call setup processor means, said route acceptance processor means, and said user acceptance processor means for processing handoffs between satellites; second decoder means coupled to said user acceptance processor means and to said handoff processor means for decoding signals from other satellites; and first encoder means coupled to said route acceptance processor means providing handoff acknowledgement signals and to said handoff processor means for communicating encoded signals to other satellites.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
In the system according to claim 13, wherein each satellite further comprises: a CDMA code database in said memory means; and CDMA code processor means coupled to receive data through said first decoder means for providing CDMA codes from said CDMA code database to said handoff processor and to said communications processor downlink means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
155 words
In the system according to claim 13, wherein each satellite further comprises: voice and data buffer and storage means for temporarily storing voice and data information for relay; first data signal processing means coupled to receive and extract data signals through said first decoder means and coupled to said voice and data buffer and storage means for temporarily storing said data signals; second data signal processing means coupled to receive data signals temporarily stored in said voice and data buffer and storage means for transmittal to said communications processor downlink means; first voice signal processing means coupled to receive and extract voice signals through said first decoder means and coupled to said voice and data buffer and storage means for temporarily storing said voice signals; and second voice signal processing means coupled to receive voice signals temporarily stored in said voice and data buffer and storage means for transmittal to said communications processor downlink means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system according to claim 15 wherein each said satellite is in low-earth orbit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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