Granted Patent B2

US 7,890,097 · App. 12/540,142 · Granted Feb 15, 2011

Abstract

Claims (65)

1. A satellite radiotelephone system comprising:

a space-based component that is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of first radiotelephones in a satellite footprint over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band;

an ancillary terrestrial network that is configured to receive/transmit wireless communications from/to a plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the space-based component also receiving the wireless communications from the second radiotelephones and/or the ancillary terrestrial network in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band as interference along with the wireless communications that are received from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band; and

an interference reducer that is responsive to the space-based component and to the ancillary terrestrial network, and that is configured to reduce the interference in the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, using as an input to the interference reducer, selected wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or selected wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to selected ones of the second radiotelephones, so as to reduce a load on the interference reducer compared to using as an input to the interference reducer, all the wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from the second radiotelephones and/or all the wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to the second radiotelephones;

wherein the interference reducer comprises a prefilter that is configured to determine the selected ones of the second radiotelephones; and

wherein the prefilter is configured to determine the selected ones of the second radiotelephones based on a random or pseudo-random selection, a percentage of the plurality of second radiotelephones satisfying a geographic criterion and/or a likelihood that that the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the second radiotelephones will cause interference with the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones.

2. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 1 further comprising a gateway that communicates with the space-based component and with the ancillary terrestrial network and wherein the interference reducer is at least partially included in the gateway.

3. A satellite radiotelephone system comprising:

a space-based component that is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of first radiotelephones in a satellite footprint over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band;

an ancillary terrestrial network that is configured to receive/transmit wireless communications from/to a plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the space-based component also receiving the wireless communications from the second radiotelephones and/or the ancillary terrestrial network in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band as interference along with the wireless communications that are received from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band; and

an interference reducer that is responsive to the space-based component and to the ancillary terrestrial network, and that is configured to reduce the interference in the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, using as an input to the interference reducer, selected wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or selected wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to selected ones of the second radiotelephones, so as to reduce a load on the interference reducer compared to using as an input to the interference reducer, all the wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from the second radiotelephones and/or all the wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to the second radiotelephones;

wherein the interference reducer comprises a prefilter that is configured to determine the selected ones of the second radiotelephones; and

wherein the prefilter is configured to determine the selected ones of the second radiotelephones based on a measure of signal strength of wireless signals that are received by the plurality of second radiotelephones from the space-based component;

the satellite radiotelephone system further comprising the plurality of second radiotelephones wherein the second radiotelephones are configured to transmit to the ancillary terrestrial network and/or the space-based component, the measure of signal strength of wireless signals that are received by the plurality of second radiotelephones from the space-based component;

wherein the ancillary terrestrial network is configured to transmit to the interference reducer signals received by the ancillary terrestrial network from the selected ones of the second radiotelephones, before and/or after demodulation, de-spreading and/or regeneration of the signals by the ancillary terrestrial network.

4. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 3 wherein the interference reducer is configured re-modulate and/or re-spread the signals of the selected ones of the second radiotelephones that are received by the interference reducer from the ancillary terrestrial network.

5. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 4 wherein the interference reducer is configured to re-spread the signals at the chip level and/or at the symbol level.

6. A satellite radiotelephone system according to claim 3 further comprising a gateway that communicates with the space-based component and with the ancillary terrestrial network and wherein the interference reducer is at least partially included in the gateway.

7. An interference reducer for a satellite radiotelephone system, the satellite radiotelephone system comprising a space-based component that is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of first radiotelephones in a satellite footprint over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band and an ancillary terrestrial network that is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or transmit wireless communications to the plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the space-based component also receiving the wireless communications from the second radiotelephones and/or from the ancillary terrestrial network in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band as interference along with the wireless communications that are received from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the interference reducer comprising:

an electronics system that is responsive to the space-based component and to the ancillary terrestrial network, and that is configured to reduce the interference in the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, using as an input to the interface reducer, selected wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or selected wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, so as to reduce a load on the interference reducer compared to using as an input to the interference reducer, all the wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from the second radiotelephones and/or all the wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to the second radiotelephones; and

a prefilter that is configured to determine the selected ones of the second radiotelephones, wherein the prefilter is configured to determine the selected ones of the second radiotelephones based on a random or pseudo-random selection, a percentage of the plurality of second radiotelephones based on location of the radiotelephones and/or a likelihood that the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the second radiotelephones will cause interference with the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones.

8. An interference reducer according to claim 7 wherein the satellite radiotelephone system further comprises a gateway that communicates with the space-based component and with the ancillary terrestrial network and wherein the interference reducer is at least partially included in the gateway.

9. An interference reducer for a satellite radiotelephone system, the satellite radiotelephone system comprising a space-based component that is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of first radiotelephones in a satellite footprint over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band and an ancillary terrestrial network that is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or transmit wireless communications to the plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the space-based component also receiving the wireless communications from the second radiotelephones and/or from the ancillary terrestrial network in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band as interference along with the wireless communications that are received from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the interference reducer comprising:

an electronics system that is responsive to the space-based component and to the ancillary terrestrial network, and that is configured to reduce the interference in the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, using as an input to the interface reducer, selected wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or selected wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, so as to reduce a load on the interference reducer compared to using as an input to the interference reducer, all the wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from the second radiotelephones and/or all the wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to the second radiotelephones;

a prefilter that is configured to determine the selected ones of the second radiotelephones, wherein the prefilter is configured to determine the selected ones of the second radiotelephones based on a measure of signal strength of wireless signals that are received by the plurality of second radiotelephones from the space-based component;

wherein the interference reducer is further configured to receive, from the plurality of second radiotelephones via the ancillary terrestrial network and/or the space-based component, the measure of signal strength of wireless signals that are received by the plurality of second radiotelephones from the space-based component; and

wherein the interference reducer is configured to receive from the ancillary terrestrial network signals associated with the selected ones of the second radiotelephones, before and/or after demodulation, de-spreading and/or regeneration of the signals by the ancillary terrestrial network.

10. An interference reducer according to claim 9 wherein the interference reducer is further configured to re-modulate and/or re-spread the signals of the selected ones of the second radiotelephones that are received by the interference reducer from the ancillary terrestrial network.

11. An interference reducer according to claim 10 wherein the interference reducer is configured to re-spread the signals at the chip level and/or at the symbol level.

12. An interference reducer according to claim 9 wherein the satellite radiotelephone system further comprises a gateway that communicates with the space-based component and with the ancillary terrestrial network and wherein the interference reducer is at least partially included in the gateway.

13. An ancillary terrestrial network for a satellite radiotelephone system, the satellite radiotelephone system comprising a space-based component that is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of first radiotelephones in a satellite footprint over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the ancillary terrestrial network comprising:

a plurality of ancillary terrestrial components that are configured to receive/transmit wireless communications from/to a plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the space-based component also receiving the wireless communications from the second radiotelephones and/or the ancillary terrestrial network in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band as interference along with the wireless communications that are received from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band;

the satellite radiotelephone system further comprising an interference reducer that is responsive to the space-based component and to the ancillary terrestrial network, and that is configured to reduce the interference in the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, using as an input to the interference reducer, selected wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or selected wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to selected ones of the second radiotelephones, so as to reduce a load on the interference reducer compared to using as an input to the interference reducer, all the wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from the second radiotelephones and/or all the wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to the second radiotelephones; and

the ancillary terrestrial network being further configured to transmit, to the interference reducer, a measure of signal strength of wireless signals that are received by the plurality of second radiotelephones from the space-based component; and

wherein the ancillary terrestrial network is further configured to transmit to the interference reducer, signals received by the ancillary terrestrial network from the selected ones of the second radiotelephones, before and/or after demodulation, de-spreading and/or regeneration of the signals by the ancillary terrestrial network.

14. An ancillary terrestrial network according to claim 13 wherein the interference reducer is at least partially included in the ancillary terrestrial network.

15. A satellite radiotelephone communication method comprising:

receiving wireless communications at a space-based component from a plurality of first radiotelephones in a satellite footprint over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band;

receiving/transmitting wireless communications at an ancillary terrestrial network from/to a plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the space-based component also receiving the wireless communications from the second radiotelephones and/or the ancillary terrestrial network in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band as interference along with the wireless communications that are received from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band; and

reducing the interference in the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, using as an input to the reducing, selected wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or selected wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to selected ones of the second radiotelephones, so as to reduce a load on the reducing compared to using as an input to the reducing, all the wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from the second radiotelephones and/or all the wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to the second radiotelephones;

wherein reducing the interference comprises prefiltering to determine the selected ones of the second radiotelephones; and

wherein prefiltering comprises determining the selected ones of the second radiotelephones based on a random or pseudo-random selection, a percentage of the plurality of second radiotelephones satisfying a geographic criterion and/or a likelihood that that the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the second radiotelephones will cause interference with the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones.

16. A method according to claim 15 further comprising a gateway that communicates with the space-based component and with the ancillary terrestrial network and wherein reducing the interference is at least partially performed in the gateway.

17. A satellite radiotelephone communication method comprising:

receiving wireless communications at a space-based component from a plurality of first radiotelephones in a satellite footprint over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band;

receiving/transmitting wireless communications at an ancillary terrestrial network from/to a plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the space-based component also receiving the wireless communications from the second radiotelephones and/or the ancillary terrestrial network in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band as interference along with the wireless communications that are received from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band; and

reducing the interference in the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, using as an input to the reducing, selected wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or selected wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to selected ones of the second radiotelephones, so as to reduce a load on the reducing compared to using as an input to the reducing, all the wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from the second radiotelephones and/or all the wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to the second radiotelephones;

wherein reducing the interference comprises prefiltering to determine the selected ones of the second radiotelephones; and

wherein prefiltering comprises determining the selected ones of the second radiotelephones based on a measure of signal strength of wireless signals that are received by the plurality of second radiotelephones from the space-based component;

the method further comprising transmitting from the ancillary terrestrial network to the interference reducer signals received by the ancillary terrestrial network from the selected ones of the second radiotelephones, before and/or after demodulation, despreading and/or regeneration of the signals by the ancillary terrestrial network.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein reducing the interference further comprises re-modulating and/or re-spreading the signals of the selected ones, but less than all, of the second radiotelephones that are received from the ancillary terrestrial network.

19. A method according to claim 17 wherein reducing the interference further comprises re-spreading the signals at the chip level and/or at the symbol level.

20. A method according to claim 17 further comprising a gateway that communicates with the space-based component and with the ancillary terrestrial network and wherein reducing the interference is at least partially performed in the gateway.

21. An interference reducing method for a satellite radiotelephone system, the satellite radiotelephone system comprising a space-based component that is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of first radiotelephones in a satellite footprint over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band and an ancillary terrestrial network that is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or transmit wireless communications to the plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the space-based component also receiving the wireless communications from the second radiotelephones and/or from the ancillary terrestrial network in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band as interference along with the wireless communications that are received from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the interference reducing method comprising:

reducing the interference in the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, using as an input to the reducing, selected wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or selected wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, so as to reduce a load on the reducing compared to using as an input to the reducing, all the wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from the second radiotelephones and/or all the wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to the second radiotelephones;

wherein reducing the interference comprises prefiltering to determine the selected ones of the second radiotelephones; and

wherein prefiltering comprises determining the selected ones of the second radiotelephones based on a random or pseudo-random selection, a percentage of the plurality of second radiotelephones based on location of the radiotelephones and/or a likelihood that the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the second radiotelephones will cause interference with the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones.

22. A method according to claim 21 further comprises a gateway that communicates with the space-based component and with the ancillary terrestrial network and wherein reducing the interference is at least partially performed in the gateway.

23. An interference reducing method for a satellite radiotelephone system, the satellite radiotelephone system comprising a space-based component that is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of first radiotelephones in a satellite footprint over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band and an ancillary terrestrial network that is configured to receive wireless communications from a plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or transmit wireless communications to the plurality of second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the space-based component also receiving the wireless communications from the second radiotelephones and/or from the ancillary terrestrial network in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band as interference along with the wireless communications that are received from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, the interference reducing method comprising:

reducing the interference in the wireless communications that are received by the space-based component from the first radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, using as an input to the reducing, selected wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band and/or selected wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to selected ones of the second radiotelephones in the satellite footprint over the satellite radiotelephone frequency band, so as to reduce a load on the reducing compared to using as an input to the reducing, all the wireless communications that are received by the ancillary terrestrial network from the second radiotelephones and/or all the wireless communications that are transmitted by the ancillary terrestrial network to the second radiotelephones; and

receiving from the plurality of second radiotelephones via the ancillary terrestrial network and/or the space-based component, the measure of signal strength of wireless signals that are received by the plurality of second radiotelephones from the space-based component;

wherein reducing the interference comprises receiving from the ancillary terrestrial network signals associated with the selected ones of the second radiotelephones, before and/or after demodulation, de-spreading and/or regeneration of the signals by the ancillary terrestrial network.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein reducing the interference further comprises re-modulating and/or re-spreading the signals of the selected ones, but less than all, of the second radiotelephones that are received by the interference reducer from the ancillary terrestrial network.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein reducing the interference further comprises re-spreading the signals at the chip level and/or at the symbol level.

26. A method according to claim 23 further comprises a gateway that communicates with the space-based component and with the ancillary terrestrial network and wherein reducing the interference is at least partially performed in the gateway.

Assignments (18)