EP0682416A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Satellite communication via plurality of communication paths with signal strength control
Assignee: Loral Qualcomm Satellite Services Inc
•
Filing: 1995-02-10
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2015-02-10
Abstract
Abstract A multi-path device includes a plurality of communication paths being defined between a plurality of first transceivers (1a, 1b, 1n) and one second transceiver (7). Each communication path contains at least one repeater (3,4,5). Each signal transmission from the first transceiver to the second transceiver contains an identifiable copy of an identical signal copy over each communication path. There is a signal quality determining portion (25) associated with the second transceiver for determining the quality of the signal copy received by the second transceiver via each of the communication paths. A communication path limiting portion (24) controls the strength of each communication path based upon the signal quality determining portion. It is envisioned that this device may use a CDMA communication protocol.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert A. Wiedeman
- 👤 Paul A. Monte
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:00
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W52/00; H04W52/04; H04W52/38; H04W52/42; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/14; H04B7/15; H04B7/185; H04B7/1853; H04B7/18532; H04B7/18534; H04B7/18539; H04B7/18543
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A communication system, comprising a plurality of communication paths defined between a plurality of first transceivers and at least one second transceiver, each communication path containing at least one repeater, wherein a signal transmission from the plurality of first transceivers to the second transceiver includes an identifiable copy of an identical signal that is transmitted over each communication path, signal quality determining means associated with the second transceiver for determining the quality of the signal copy received by the second transceiver via each of the communication paths, and communication path control means, for controlling the signal transmission through each communication path based upon the signal quality determining means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
28 words
A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the repeaters is satellite based and at least one of the repeaters is terrestrially based.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the repeaters is satellite based.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
A communication system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the satellite is geo-stationary.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A communication system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the satellite is in low earth orbit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the repeaters is terrestrially based.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal quality determining means utilizes a bit error rate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the signal quality determining means utilizes a signal to noise ratio of each signal copy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first transceiver further comprises, a uni-directional antennae.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second transceiver means further comprises, an omni-directional antennae.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each copy of the signal transmitted from the first transceiver to the second transceiver utilizes an overlying PN code.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal quality is based upon strength of the signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the signal quality is based upon an error determiner.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising return signal means for transmitting a return signal from the second transceiver to the first transceiver that is indicative of the relative signal quality of each of the communication paths.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A communication system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the return signal means transmits an identical signal over all of the communication paths.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein if no communication path provides a good signal copy from the first transceiver to the second transceiver, and at least one of the repeater paths provide a fair signal copy, only those repeater paths which are transmitting a fair signal copy will continue to transmit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A communication system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the signals of fair quality are amplified to a level detectable by the receiver.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
62 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein if at least one of the communication paths provide for transmission of a signal copy from the first transceiver means to the second transceiver means which is of good quality, then the transmissions over the communication paths which are not transmitting signal copies of good quality will be limited.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the communication paths utilize spread spectrum communication .
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the communication paths utilize CDMA transmission.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of communication, comprising the steps of monitoring a plurality of communication paths between a first transceiver and a second transceiver which are all transmitting an identifiable copy of an identical signal, determining the signal quality of the signals which are being transmitted over each of the communication paths, and modifying further transmissions over at least one of the communication paths based upon the signal quality of the communication path.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the modifying step involves transmitting with only those first transceivers which are transmitting signal copies of good quality.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein the modifying step comprises, controlling the operation of the first transceiver.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
64 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein if none of the communication paths are transmitting a good signal copy, then the strength of the signal copy produced by the first transceiver associated with a fair signal copy is amplified more than the strength of the signal copy produced by the first transceiver associated with a poor signal copy.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein the communication paths utilize a spread spectrum transmission.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein the communication paths utilize a CDMA transmission.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
233 words
A radio frequency receiver associated with a transceiver, comprising, means for receiving a multi-path transmitted signal which comprises a plurality of signal copies, each of the plurality of signal copies arriving at the radio frequency receiver along a distinct communication path that includes a repeater, each of which plurality of signal copies experiences a distinct propagation delay, means for performing a spread spectrum correlation on each of the received plurality of signal copies to produce at a first output a plurality of correlated signals, means for measuring a signal quality of each of the signal copies, received signal equalizing means having an input coupled to the output of the correlation means for equalizing each of the plurality of correlated signal copies to provide at a second output a plurality of equalized correlated signal copies, the equalizing means includes means for equalizing the propagation delay of each of the correlated signal copies to a largest propagation delay, means for equalizing a Doppler frequency offset of each correlated signal copy and means for equalizing a phase shift of each correlated signal copy, means, having an input coupled to the second output, for combining all equalized correlated signal copies to provide a composite received signal at a third output, and means to transmit a return signal which is representative of the signal quality of the signal copies being received from a plurality of the communication paths.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
197 words
A communication system, comprising, a plurality of spread spectrum repeater means each of which includes means for receiving a transmission from at least one spread spectrum transmitter means and means for retransmitting the received transmission for reception by at least one spread spectrum receiver means, a plurality of spread spectrum transmitter means, at least two of which transmit a same spread spectrum signal through a different one of the plurality of repeater means, at least one spread spectrum receiver means, the receiver means comprising, means for receiving a re-transmitted signal from at least two of the repeater means, means for performing a spread spectrum correlation on each of the received re-transmitted signals to produce at an output a plurality of correlated signals, received signal equalizing means having an input coupled to the output of the correlation means for equalizing each of the plurality of correlated signals one to another to provide at an output a plurality of equalized correlated signals, the spread spectrum receiver means further including means, having an input coupled to the output of the received signal equalizing means, for combining together all equalized correlated signals to provide at an output a composite received signal.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
65 words
A communication system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the spread spectrum receiver means further comprises, means for determining a signal quality of each of the re-transmitted signals received from said at least two of the repeater means, and means for transmitting each of the determined signal qualities back to said at least two of the plurality of spread spectrum transmitter means for reception thereby.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
A communication system as claimed in claim 29, wherein each of the spread spectrum transmitter means is responsive to a received determined signal quality for controlling an associated transmitted power in accordance therewith.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.