EP0472018A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Switchable on-board communication payload for multi-band and multi-beam applications
Assignee: International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
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Filing: 1991-07-31
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-07-31
Abstract
Abstract An on-board satellite signal switching assembly receives uplink beams of any ITU-allocated satellite signal transmission band (i.e., C-band, Ku-band, Ka-band) and converts these received beams to electrical signals. The electrical signals are converted (preferably down-converted) to a common bandwidth and input to a switch matrix which defines transmission paths between uplink and downlink beams. Outputs of the switch matrix are re-converted to downlink beams for transmission to desired earth stations. In this way, complete connectivity among between uplink beams of any band and downlink beams of any band is accomplished. Ground-to-ground communications systems may also benefit from these techniques. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald J. Lo
- 👤 John F. Phiel
- 👤 Osamu Shimbo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 09:30
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/14; H04B7/15; H04B7/204; H04B7/2045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
In a wireless communication system, an apparatus for providing complete connectivity between input signals of any frequency band and output signals of any frequency band, said apparatus comprising: input signal receiving means for receiving input signals of any of a plurality of frequency bands; first frequency converting means for converting the frequencies of said input signals to produce first frequency-converted signals having a common frequency bandwidth; switching means for receiving said first frequency-converted signals as inputs thereto and for interconnecting said first frequency-converted signals to pre-selected outputs based on desired transmission paths; second frequency converting means for receiving said first frequency-converted signals from said switching means and for converting the frequencies of said first frequency-converted signals to produce second frequency-converted signals; and output signal producing means for receiving said second frequency-converted signals as output signals and for transmitting them.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which frequency bandwidths of said second frequency-converted signals correspond to said desired transmission paths.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said second frequency converting means converts the frequency of said first frequency-converted signals to said plurality of frequency bands.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said switching means is a microwave switch matrix.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a control means for controlling the switching of the microwave switch matrix.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first frequency-converting means comprises down-converting means for down-converting the frequencies of said input signals to said common frequency bandwidth.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said second frequency-converting means comprises up-converting means for up-converting the frequencies of said first frequency-converted signals to frequencies of said output signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the outputs of said first frequency converting means are divided into an integer number N of channels and each of said N channels is input to said switching means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 further in which signals of each of said N channels are frequency translated to a common frequency and the thus-frequency translated signals are input to said switching means, thus allowing complete channel-to-channel connectivity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 in which said switching means comprises N switch matrices, one for each of said N channels, and each one of the N switch matrices receives signals of a corresponding one of the N channels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
72 words
An apparatus according to claim 10 in which at least two of said N switch matrices are provided with at least one additional input port and one additional output port and further in which a frequency translater means is provided between each such additional output port of any one of the N switch matrices and the additional input port of another of the N switch matrices so as to provide channel-to-channel connectivity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wireless communication system is a satellite communication system comprising an earth-orbiting satellite and associated ground communication stations for transmission and reception of communication signals.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of wireless communication for providing complete connectivity between input signals of any frequency band and output signals of any frequency band comprising the following steps: (i) receiving input signals of any of a plurality of frequency bands; (ii) frequency converting said input signals to a common frequency bandwidth; (iii) interconnecting said frequency-converted input signals to preselected terminals based on desired transmission paths; (iv) frequency converting resultant signals from said step (iii) for transmission.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said step (ii) comprises the step of down-converting said input signals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein said step (iv) comprises the step of up-converting the resultant signals from said step (iii).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input signals and said output signals are transmitted as respective pluralities of beams, each of said beams corresponding to one of said plurality of frequency bands.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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