Granted Patent B2

US 8,369,776 · App. 12/578,913 · Granted Feb 5, 2013

Abstract

Claims (47)

1. A method of operating a satellite wireless communications system including a satellite configured to communicate with terminals directly and to communicate with terminals indirectly via a base station, the method comprising:

providing a first signal power control loop that controls transmitted signal power through a first communication link between the base station and a terminal;

providing a second signal power control loop that controls transmitted signal power through a combination of the first communication link and a second communication link between the base station and the satellite concurrent with provision of the first signal power control loop; and

wherein the second signal power control loop includes the base station controlling transmitted signal power for the first communication link using a first output of a second demodulator to control an output level of a first power amplifier and using a second output of the second demodulator to generate first power control information that is transmitted with first information to the terminal, and controlling a transmitted signal power of the second communication link using a first output of a first demodulator to control an output level of a second power amplifier and using a second output of the first demodulator to generate second power control information that is transmitted with second information to the satellite.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the base station is configured on a vehicle.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the base station is distributed over a geographic region.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the base station is substantially localized at a specific geographic location.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the base station transmits information to a terminal using a polarization that is substantially orthogonal to a polarization used by another system.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the base station receives information from a terminal using at least two antenna elements that are substantially orthogonally polarized therebetween and/or are configured in a space diversity configuration.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the base station receives and/or transmits information in a Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode and/or via an antenna pattern that is responsive to a location of a terminal.

8. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising providing a signal power control loop for a direct communication link between the terminal and the satellite when the terminal is in direct communication with the satellite.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first signal power control loop controls transmitted signal power of the terminal and/or the base station.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first signal power control loop controls transmitted signal power through the first communication link responsive to the second signal power control loop controlling transmitted signal power through the combination of the first communication link and the second communication link.

11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein providing a first signal power control loop for a first communication link between the base station and a terminal comprises:

receiving a signal transmitted by the terminal at the base station;

generating power control information responsive to the received signal;

communicating the power control information to the terminal from the base station; and

controlling a transmitted signal power of the terminal responsive to the communicated power control information.

12. A method according to claim 11 :

wherein generating power control information responsive to the received signal comprises generating a measure of received signal power;

wherein communicating the power control information to the terminal from the base station comprises communicating the measure of received signal power; and

wherein controlling a transmitted signal power of the terminal responsive to the communicated power control information comprises controlling a signal power of the terminal using the communicated measure of received signal power as a control feedback signal.

13. A method according to claim 12 :

wherein generating power control information responsive to the received signal comprises generating a power command;

wherein communicating the power control information to the terminal from the base station comprises communicating the power command; and

wherein controlling a transmitted signal power of the terminal responsive to the communicated power control information comprises controlling a signal power of the terminal to conform to the communicated power command.

14. A method according to claim 1 , wherein providing a first signal power control loop for a first communication link between the base station and a terminal comprises:

receiving a signal transmitted by the base station at the terminal;

generating power control information responsive to the received signal;

communicating the power control information to the base station from the terminal; and

controlling a transmitted signal power of the base station responsive to the communicated power control information.

15. A method according to claim 14 :

wherein generating power control information responsive to the received signal comprises generating a measure of received signal power;

wherein communicating the power control information to the base station from the terminal comprises communicating the measure of received signal power; and

wherein controlling a transmitted signal power of the base station responsive to the communicated power control information comprises controlling a signal power of the base station using the communicated measure of received signal power as a control feedback signal.

16. A method according to claim 14 :

wherein generating power control information responsive to the received signal comprises generating a power command;

wherein communicating the power control information to the base station from the terminal comprises communicating the power command; and

wherein controlling a transmitted signal power of the base station responsive to the communicated power control information comprises controlling the signal power of the base station to conform to the communicated power command.

17. A wireless communications system comprising:

a satellite configured to communicate with terminals directly and to communicate with terminals indirectly via a base station;

a first signal power control loop that controls transmitted signal power through a first communication link between the base station and a terminal when the terminal and the satellite are linked via the base station;

a second signal power control loop that controls transmitted signal power through a combination of the first communication link and a second communication link between the base station and the satellite concurrent with the first signal power control loop;

a third signal power control loop that controls transmitted signal power through a third communication link between the terminal and the satellite when the terminal is in direct communication with the satellite; and

wherein the second signal power control loop includes a satellite link power control loop that controls transmitted signal power for the second communication link using a first output of a second demodulator, which is at the base station and converts first information received from the satellite to a format suitable for remodulation and transmission to the terminal, to control an output level of a second power amplifier, which is at the base station and amplifies remodulated second information for transmission to the satellite, and using a second output of the second demodulator to generate second power control information that is transmitted with the remodulated second information to the satellite.

18. A system according to claim 17 , wherein the first signal power control loop controls transmitted signal power of the terminal and the base station.

19. A system according to claim 17 , wherein the first control loop controls transmitted signal power through the first communication link responsive to the second signal power control loop controlling transmitted signal power through the combination of the first communication link and the second communication link.

Assignments (10)